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Liverpool are edging ever closer to being crowned Premier League champions, but they could now have an intriguing proposal on the table from one of their elite competitors on the continent, per reports.

Liverpool prepare for Premier League title party and summer window

The champagne remains on ice for Liverpool as they need three points and an Arsenal loss at Ipswich Town to officially claim the top-flight crown at Leicester City on Sunday afternoon.

Arne Slot has done a magnificent job at Anfield and has been the subject of adulation from all quarters across the season, though the Dutchman has admitted he doesn’t care where the Reds win the title as their campaign reaches a sweet conclusion.

Undoubtedly, sealing a second Premier League of the modern era will fuel the appetite for more silverware on the red half of Merseyside. With rivals set to come back stronger next term, a positive summer window is a must to ward off any potential threat.

Tapping into that mindset, Liverpool are willing to break their transfer record to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle after preparing an offer of roughly £130 million for the Sweden international.

Planning for the future, the Reds are also interested in Sheffield United youngster Ryan One, and there may be scope for a push to sign the Scotland Under-21 international to continue his path on an upward trajectory.

Liverpool in talks over new deal for £15k-p/w ace with Van Dijk and Konate

Talks have reportedly opened over an extension at Anfield.

By
Henry Jackson

Apr 14, 2025

Presumably, the likes of Diogo Jota or Darwin Nunez could make way for new arrivals. However, plenty of movement is expected in both directions as Slot shapes his squad for the coming years.

Nevertheless, the Liverpool boss may now have to make a decision regarding a surprise swap proposal involving one of their key men and a global star.

Liverpool offered Arda Guler in surprise Alexis Mac Allister swap proposal

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are set to be offered Arda Guler plus a significant fee for Alexis Mac Allister in a surprise swap deal involving Slot’s side and European competitors Real Madrid.

The outlet claim Carlo Ancelotti and company have been won over by the Argentina international’s attributes, creating a scenario where they are willing to include players in exchange to seal an agreement.

Labelled “exceptional” by Jose Mourinho, Guler’s tally of three goals and seven assists in 35 appearances across all competitions is a fairer reflection of his contribution in the Spanish capital.

Valued at £35 million, per various outlets, his scope to develop into one of the world’s finest playmakers is clear for all to stay. That said, should his arrival come at the price of losing Mac Allister? Only time will tell on that front.

Most runs in a series, most hundreds in a series and more

Shubham Agarwal08-Jul-20251:56

Aaron: Gill showing signs of a great leader

Shubman Gill has made a terrific start to the ongoing five-Test series in England. Leading India for the first time, Gill has smashed three hundreds (which includes a double) in two matches, and already has 585 runs at an average of 146.25. His twin tons in Birmingham helped him take down several records, including the highest match aggregate for an Indian batter and many more. Here are more records that he can break with three more Tests to go.

Most runs in a series as captain

Gill is in line to break Don Bradman’s 88-year-old record for most runs as captain in a Test series. Bradman amassed 810 runs in five Tests in the 1936-37 Ashes, averaging 90, including three hundreds. Gill is 225 runs away from Bradman’s mark.Coincidentally, that was also Bradman’s first Test series as captain. Hence, Gill will also rewrite the record for most runs in a debut series as captain if he passes Bradman’s tally. Bradman had a top score of 270 in that series and Gill has already scored 269 in the ongoing series in England.The record for the most runs in a series for an Indian captain is with Sunil Gavaskar, who scored 732 in six Tests against West Indies in 1978-79. Gill needs 148 more to get past Gavaskar.

Most runs in a series

Although a little farfetched, another Bradman record is in sight for Gill. Bradman hammered 974 runs in the 1930 Ashes, which is the most by any batter in a Test series. Gill need another 390 runs to break that record.Gill has a head start advantage over Bradman, who scored only 394 runs in the first two Tests of that Ashes, compared to Gill’s 585.The same record for India belongs to Gavaskar. He scored 774 runs playing four of the five Tests against West Indies in 1971. Gill is 189 runs behind.Shubman Gill is in the middle of a highly productive Test series•Getty Images

Most hundreds in a series

The West Indies great Clyde Walcott made five centuries in a home series against Australia in 1955. Gill is two hundreds short of levelling that feat with three Tests to go. Like Gill, Walcott also scored three tons in the first two Tests of that series – 108 in Kingston followed by twin hundreds in the second Test in Port-of-Spain. Walcott then scored twin hundreds again in the fifth Test in Kingston to take his century count to five.Related

• Lord's set for Archer vs Bumrah as India, England eye crucial lead

• Gill walks Kohli's path in flawless display of batting

• Breaking Baz – India cook up the perfect new-ball formula

• England want pace and bounce at Lord's, Jofra Archer 'ready to go'

• From grief to glory – Akash Deep's spell of a lifetime

The most hundreds in a series as captain belongs to Bradman – four centuries against India in 1947.For India, Gavaskar again holds both these records with four hundreds each against West Indies – in 1971 as a player and in 1978-79 as captain.

Fastest to 1000 runs as captain

Another Bradman record that Gill could possibly break. Bradman took 11 innings to complete 1000. Gill needs 415 runs in six innings to topple him.The Indian record is with Gavaskar. Beginning his captaincy stint with a hundred against New Zealand in 1976, Gavaskar took 14 innings to complete 1000 Test runs as captain. He racked up five hundreds in this span with a top score of 205. Gill has nine innings in hand to beat Gavaskar’s record.

Most runs in a series against England

Yashasvi Jaiswal has the record for the most runs by an India batter in a series against England. He pummeled 712 runs in a five-match home series in 2024, averaging 89 with the help of two double-hundreds. Gill is in contention to get past that tally, needing 127 more.The record for most runs in a series in England for an Indian batter belongs to Rahul Dravid who scored 602 in 2002 with three tons. Gill is in touching distance of that – only 18 runs short.Virat Kohli sits on top of the list as captain, scoring 655 runs leading India in a home series against England in 2016. Gill is 91 runs away.

One Mariners fan paid the perfect tribute to Cal "Big Dumper" Raleigh during a rain-delayed Game 3 of Seattle's ALDS series against the Tigers on Tuesday night.

At the top of the ninth with the Mariners leading 6-1, Raleigh sent Tigers reliever Brenan Hanifee's 94-mph sinker out of the park, and the ball bounced straight into the hands of a waiting Mariners fan. As the cameras zoomed in, the fan proudly showed off his "Big Dumper" shirt, which read "DUMP HERE" and the No. 61, referencing what would be Raleigh's 61st home run this season and his first of the postseason.

But that's not all.

After he caught the ball, the fan was seen taking off his shirt to reveal a new one: "DUMP 62 HERE"

Too good.

After a cagey finish in which the Tigers clawed their way back into the game late in the ninth, the Mariners beat the Tigers 8–4 and took home a well-deserved win in Game 3. Seattle currently leads the series, 2–1. Game 4 in Detroit is set for a 3:08 p.m. ET first pitch Wednesday.

Chasing a DLS-revised target of 125 in 12 overs, Heat were undone by two-wicket bursts from Molly Strano, Heather Graham and Nicola Carey

AAP15-Nov-2025Lizelle Lee kept Hobart Hurricanes rolling, and Brisbane Heat winless thanks to a power-packed knock in their rain-impacted 16-run WBBL win in Sydney on Saturday.Lee hit an unbeaten 59 off 45 balls, striking six fours and three sixes either side of a rain delay on Saturday. Hurricanes were flying before their innings was reduced to 12 overs and they purred to 114 for 1, with Heat’s target increased to 125 based on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern system.Jess Jonassen (1 for 12 from three overs) and Lucy Hamilton (0 for 26 off three) were the only Heat bowlers to escape punishment.Danni Wyatt-Hodge (44 in 26 balls) combined with Lee in a 106-run opening stand, which only ended in the final over.Grace Harris (28 in 21) hung in as Heat lost regular wickets attempting to maintain the scoring rate and finished at 108 for 9 thanks to a last-ball six from Sianna Ginger.Molly Strano (2 for 17), Heather Graham (2 for 25) and Nicola Carey (2 for 10) proved too clever for the Heat batters.The loss was Heat’s third straight to begin the season while Hurricanes sit on top of the table with three wins.

There has been a lot of talk about how Tottenham Hotspur supposedly messed up when they allowed Troy Parrott to leave the club after his international heroics.

The Ireland international scored five goals in two games for his country during the current international break, which included a last-gasp goal to qualify for the World Cup play-offs.

Parrott struck twice in a 2-0 win over Portugal, in a game that Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off in, before netting an extraordinary hat-trick against Hungary in their second match.

Given his goal output and the importance of those goals to Ireland, the 23-year-old centre-forward has been a hot topic in football in the last week or so.

That has made some question Tottenham’s decision to sell him to AZ Alkmaar for a reported fee of £7m in the summer of 2024, after he came up through the youth ranks in North London.

Former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood recently said said: “I’ve got a big question for anyone who decided to let Troy Parrott go. I’m not sure he had a fair opportunity to prove himself, he’s had to go to AZ to do that.”

Why Spurs should not be blamed for selling Troy Parrott

Whilst Sherwood may be right that he did not get much of an opportunity at Spurs, with four first-team appearances, the Lilywhites should not be blamed for cashing in on him last year.

After a return of 31 goals in 38 games for Spurs at U18, Youth League, and U21 level, per Transfermarkt, the Irish marksman was given a chance to showcase his quality over a series of loans.

Unfortunately, Parrott largely struggled in his domestic loans in League One and the Championship before enjoying a strong spell with Excelsior in the Netherlands, which led to his £7m move to AZ Alkmaar.

As you can see in the table above, the Spurs youngster did not offer much of a regular goal threat in his two spells at Championship level with Millwall and Preston.

That is why it is hard to blame Tottenham, who aim to compete at the top end of the Premier League and in Europe, for cashing in on Parrott, as he had not shown much potential in English football at senior level.

The Irishman, as shown in the graphic above, then went on to hit a career-high 20 goals in all competitions in his first season with AZ Alkmaar, and currently has 13 goals in 14 matches, per Transfermarkt.

Whilst his form for club and country in the present day makes it look like Tottenham were wrong to cash in on him, they made a decision that did make sense on the evidence that they had available to them at the time.

Of course, you can still argue that it was a mistake, as he only played four matches for the first-team, but it is one that those in power in North London in the present day can use as a learning experience moving forward.

With this in mind, current first-team manager Thomas Frank, who was not at the club when Parrott was sold, should use the Irishman’s situation as a reference point when dealing with a star who is currently struggling out on loan.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Spurs youngster Jamie Donley is struggling to get a game on loan with Stoke City in the Championship, but he could be the next Troy Parrott in the making.

Why Spurs need to keep their faith with Jamie Donley

Donley has been earning rave reviews from many in recent years, including from reporter Charlie Eccleshare.

Speaking on a podcast for The Athletic in early 2024, he said: “He’s not a pure striker, he’s a nine and a half, some have compared him to Harry Kane, and someone I spoke to the other day compared him to Julian Alvarez.”

Since then, however, Donley has not really kicked on. In a bid to help him to do just that, the Lilywhites sent the 20-year-old talent on loan to Stoke for the 2025/26 campaign in the hope that he would improve and gain valuable experience in the second tier, as they did when they sent Parrott to Millwall and Preston.

However, the Northern Irish attacking midfielder has only played four times in the Championship, all off the bench, and has been an unused substitute on eight occasions in the league, per Transfermarkt.

The Spurs loanee, who assisted a goal on his debut against Derby, has also failed to make the matchday squad for their last three league matches, which suggests that he is not in Mark Robins’ plans.

Despite his lack of game time at club level with the Potters, Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill has kept faith in the playmaker, as he played against Slovakia and Luxembourg during the international break.

Donley scored from the penalty spot against Luxembourg on Monday night and was described as the “best player on the pitch” by the Northern Ireland manager after the game.

Along with his international performances, Spurs should also keep faith in the 20-year-old attacker because of his form on loan at Leyton Orient in the 2024/25 campaign.

As you can see in the table above, Donley was an exceptional performer at League One level last season with Leyton Orient, ranking in the top percentile of his positional peers as a creative force in the number ten position.

These statistics, his form for Northern Ireland, and his return of 37 goals and 30 assists in 90 matches for Spurs at U18 and U21 level, per Transfermarkt, suggest that he has far more potential than his stint at Stoke suggests.

This is why Tottenham should not give up on Donley because of his struggles out on loan this season, as he has not been given a single start in the Championship and could still have a future in North London if given a chance at Spurs or at another club on loan.

Parrott struggled out on loan in the Championship and was sold to go on to greater things. Tottenham can learn from that by providing Donley with the chances that the Ireland hero did not get.

He can end Bentancur's stay: Spurs gem is showing "shades of Mousa Dembele"

Tottenham Hotspur have a star who could end Rodrigo Bentancur’s career in North London.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 19, 2025

It has been revealed that Manchester United opted to target Benjamin Sesko over Viktor Gyokeres in the summer, as the Red Devils believed that the young Slovenian was better suited to their project and style of play based on data. Sesko has had a slow start to life in the Premier League, but the club retain faith that the 22-year-old has a bright future at Old Trafford and is a big part of the club's future under Ruben Amorim.

• United choose to pursue Sesko over Gyokeres, reports reveal

  According to reports by The Mirror, United considered the signings of both Sesko and Gyokeres, but decided to prioritise the former as the ideal centrepiece to their new-look attack under Amorim. 

  The former RB Leipzig striker has only scored twice for the Red Devils thus far and has found himself in and out of the side following his £74million ($96.8m) move, but the club remain patient with the highly rated young forward. 

  Reports continue that Sesko’s running stats were crucial in his signing, as per The Times. Mike Sansoni joined the club as director of data in the summer following 11 years with the Mercedes Formula 1 team, and has led the new focus on data across the Red Devils’ recruitment process.

  Sansoni works closely with Director of Football Jason Wilcox and is leading an initiative for the club to become a “fully data-driven club which will lead to success on and off the pitch”, using his extensive range of data on tens of thousands of players. This data led to the marquee signing of Sesko, who will hope to prove the club right in Red over the coming months. 

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  Slow start for Sesko at Old Trafford after big-money move

  Sesko’s two Premier League goals so far this season have come in defeat at Brentford and the victory at home to Sunderland at Old Trafford, which marked the beginning of United’s three-game winning streak which included a historic 2-1 win at Anfield.

  The 22-year-old struck 39 goals in two impressive seasons with Leipzig, scoring 13 times in the Bundesliga last term and four in the Champions League. He is still developing into his role at United and will hope that his strong data-led profile leads to strong results on the pitch with his new employers – though he is currently out injured.  

  Gyokeres, meanwhile, has scored four times in the Premier League for leaders Arsenal and six times overall, following his £63.4m ($83m) move from Sporting Lisbon, where he was prolific under Amorim and drew inevitable links as a result. 

• 'I'm relaxed' – Amorim backs new signing

  Amorim said on Sesko's adaptation period: "I'm relaxed, he's not relaxed. I understand how things are in football and he's going to struggle. That is normal. He has no experience here.

  "Ben is a young kid, a control freak. He wants to control everything – and he's not going to control everything. He has more potential than I was thinking [but] we need to understand how he likes to play and also to put in our ideas.

  "I'm quite relaxed with that. He is going to be our striker for the long term but he's going to have these struggles and these bumps during the ride. That is a normal thing in football."  

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  Sesko set for period on the sidelines

  Sesko could be out for three weeks following a knee injury sustained against Tottenham Hotspur prior to the international break. He will hope to regain his goalscoring boots on his return, which could come after Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo have departed for the Africa Cup of Nations.

  United face Everton on Monday at Old Trafford, knowing that victory could see them regain their place in the top six of the Premier League. There will be a tribute to the late Mani of the Stone Roses prior to kick-off, after the massive Red Devils fan passed away aged 63 on Thursday.

  The tribute will create a powerful atmosphere prior to kick-off in a match which could continue United’s strong recent run of form, amidst a five-match unbeaten streak which has seen Amorim win the Premier League’s Manager of the Month for October.   

When the Red Sox and Yankees played their most famous playoff series in 2003 and '04, Boston pitcher Connelly Early was one and two years old. New York pitcher Cam Schlittler, senior citizen, was two and three.

A generation later, both teams are electing to trust these youngsters with their playoff lives. Early, 23, will start against Schlittler, 24, in Game 3 of the American League wild-card series Thursday—making them the second pair of rookies to start against each other in a winner-take-all playoff game.

As Sarah Langs of MLB wrote on social media, the first rookie duo to oppose each other in that scenario were Braves pitcher Ian Anderson and Dodgers pitcher Dustin May in the 2020 National League championship series. Neither pitcher took a decision, but Los Angeles won the game 4–3 and went on to win the World Series.

Early's assignment is particularly shocking, as the Virginia product debuted in the major leagues on Sept. 9. Schlittler, who posted a 2.96 ERA in 73 innings this season, was one of the most productive rookie pitchers in baseball.

The winner of Thursday's showdown will advance to the ALDS to meet the East Division champion Blue Jays.

There’s a real sense of optimism building at Arsenal Football Club that this year could finally be their year, with Mikel Arteta’s men the current pace setters in the Premier League.

The Gunners sit top of England’s top flight after the first ten outings of 2025/26, only losing once and currently enjoying a nine-game winning run across all competitions.

Saturday’s victory over Burnley was their eighth of the league campaign, keeping their fourth successive league clean sheet – now only conceding three goals in the Premier League.

Their summer dealings have no doubt aided their success in recent weeks, with Arteta now having a squad full of incredible talent, but more importantly, strength in depth.

One of the players already at the Emirates before the summer transfer window has since seen a decline in performance levels despite the added quality around him in North London.

Bukayo Saka’s decline in form at Arsenal in 2025/26

Over the last couple of years, winger Bukayo Saka has firmly been Arsenal’s star man, with the Englishman often tasked with providing the goods within the final third.

Whilst he suffered a serious hamstring injury last campaign, the 24-year-old still managed to achieve a total of 25 combined goals and assists in his 37 appearances across all competitions.

However, this season is yet to ignite for the Hale End academy graduate, with Saka currently unable to reach the high standards that he’s set for himself at the Emirates.

In his first eight league outings in 2025/26, the England international has only registered two goals and has yet been able to register any assists at present.

His recent performance against Burnley saw the forward blank once again, which has seen his goalless run extend to three games in England’s top-flight.

Saka was also able to register just 34 touches of the ball during his 90-minute performance – a tally that was the lowest of any player from either side at Turf Moor.

He also failed to complete a single dribble or create any chances, further highlighting his lack of impact within the final third despite the Gunners securing a 2-0 triumph.

The Arsenal player who’s now becoming Arteta’s best player

There’s no denying Saka will return to his best form in the coming months, but his recent lack of impact has seen numerous other Arsenal players take the headlines.

Declan Rice has been hugely influential from set pieces, often being the man to provide the goods from dead-ball situations – as seen by his tally of three assists so far this campaign.

However, the 26-year-old turned goalscorer against the Clarets on Saturday afternoon, adding to his tally and netting his second Premier League goal this term.

Viktor Gyokeres and David Raya have both had impacts at opposite ends of the pitch, as seen by their respective tallies of four goals and seven clean sheets to date.

Whilst both the aforementioned trio have all made a positive impact of late, none have quite matched the levels produced by centre-back Gabriel, who has been a real dominant force at both ends.

The Brazilian centre-back, who joined from Lille in 2020, would no doubt have been signed to provide defensive quality, but he’s now making a name for himself in the final third.

The 27-year-old has already achieved a staggering total of five combined goals and assists in his first 15 outings in 2025/26, with his latest coming against Burnley this weekend.

He rose highest at the back post from Rice’s corner, before nodding the ball across the face of goal and into the path of Gyokeres, who tapped in from close range.

However, Gabriel, is the main man. He has also dominated at the back – subsequently playing a key role in the club’s tally of seven league clean sheets during the early months of 2025/26.

He made 11 defensive contributions, which included nine clearances and one tackle and an interception made, further highlighting his ability without the ball at his feet.

The Brazilian also completed 93% of the passes he attempted, whilst also registering a total of 72 touches – numbers which make him the perfect modern-day centre-back.

His ability to be outstanding at the back, coupled with his tremendous goalscoring threat, has made him one of the most well-rounded talents in world football at present.

If the Gunners are to end their two-decade wait for a Premier League title, Gabriel will likely be a key component to any of their success – especially if he can maintain his current form. As Jamie Carragher put it, he’s now the frontrunner to be named PFA Player of the Year & he’s now “the most influential player in the Premier League.”

As for Saka, his lack of form will no doubt be a concern, but if he can return to his own incredible heights, the club’s chance of claiming title glory in May will no doubt increase tenfold.

Forget Gabriel: Arsenal "monster" is now the best player in the league

Gabriel put in another titanic performance as Arsenal defeated Burnley 2-0.

1

By
Matt Dawson

Nov 1, 2025

Samson was scratchy at No. 3, Harshit was erratic with the ball, but India’s middle-order batters, largely unused so far at the Asia Cup, got crucial time in the middle

Shashank Kishore20-Sep-20252:07

Jaffer: Wasn’t a fluent innings from Samson

As Hardik Pandya stopped himself a quarter of an inch before the advertising triangles at fine leg to complete a stunning catch to dismiss Oman’s Aamir Kaleem, fielding coach T Dilip was full of fist-pumping joy in the dugout.He had followed the trajectory of the ball like a hawk, silently hoping that hours of the innovative catching drills that had challenged fielders to be goalkeepers (even Superman at times), would lead to a something spectacular. Sat next to him, the usually stoic Gautam Gambhir had been frantically chewing his nails until then. The first two balls of the 18th over, bowled by Harshit Rana, had been picked away for boundaries, and the equation was down from 48 off 18 balls to 40 off 16.Even then, you felt this was India’s match to lose. But with their least experienced bowler pitted against a 43-year-old journeyman cricketer revelling in the spotlight, the coaches’ restlessness spoke of the tension that had been bubbling. Oman eventually finished 21 short, but the contest offered India more than just a ‘W’ and two points.Related

• The ovation that made Aamir Kaleem's long journey worth it

• Arshdeep becomes first India bowler to reach 100 T20I wickets

• India go into Super Four unbeaten despite Oman's fight

For the first time in three games, India had the luxury of batting 20 overs, on a sluggish surface with ground dimensions far bigger than in Dubai, where they will play out the rest of their Asia Cup campaign.It also stretched them on the field, with Suryakumar Yadav employing as many as eight bowling options – although he wouldn’t have imagined having to make up for Axar Patel’s overs at any point: Axar bowled just one over and was off the field for the last five-and-a-bit overs after hitting his head on the turf while attempting a catch.That they were able to get such a workout in a setting where the focus was, for a change, entirely on the cricket, helped tick a few boxes. If a workout before the Super Four is what they had hoped for, they certainly got it.India’s middle-order batters, who had twiddled their thumbs in the first two games because they had polished off their chases of 58 and 128 in a combined 20.2 overs for a combined loss of four wickets, got a decent hit, even though none of them could set the stage alight.3:04

What are the challenges of India’s fluid batting order?

Every batter, barring Suryakumar who delayed his entry until the overs ran out, got time in the middle.Suryakumar didn’t bat because Arshdeep Singh, padded up and itching for a hit, leaned in to his captain and declared he was going next when the seventh wicket fell. And then Kuldeep Yadav went in. India finished eight down and Suryakumar had a “DNB” against his name. He revealed with his trademark humour later that it wasn’t a request from Arshdeep but an instruction, one that had the potential to be viewed under a microscope had India been upset. Luckily, though, they were saved that.The only aspect India didn’t experiment with in the batting was their locked-in opening pair of Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma. This is in line with what they have emphasised through the tournament: the need for the rest of the batters, from No. 3-8, to be flexible, while the openers remain set.For once, though, India deviated from their set left-right policy. This gave Sanju Samson an opportunity at No. 3 after Gill was out early. Samson was scratchy at best, but batted long enough to carve out a half-century.Tilak Varma played a number of adventurous shots•AFP/Getty ImagesHe was helped to a large extent by Abhishek, whose great strength has been to keep bowlers second guessing. When he advances to fast-bowlers, he has an array of options. Like the slice over point, the lofted hit over the covers, or the swat over mid-on – shots he exhibited to similar deliveries off Mohammed Nadeem in the fifth over.This helped Samson ease in after he had struggled for any kind of fluency, pottering to 1 off 7 before finally breaking the shackles when he received a leg-stump half-volley that he flicked for six. That should have flicked a switch, but it didn’t, underpinning the fact that nothing matches time in the middle, even if you look a million dollars in the nets.Tilak Varma showed he can adapt lower down the order if required, hitting 29 off 18 balls. Axar flexed his batting muscle against spin, even as Hardik and Shivam Dube missed out. Hardik was the unluckier of the two, as he was run out to a deflection off the bowler’s hand at the non-striker’s end.Then with the ball, Arshdeep bent the new ball and got it to hold its line, but Harshit was erratic. Kuldeep was his usual self – befuddling batters even as two other wreckers-in-chief, Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy, ran drinks.2:20

Abhinav Mukund: This is how Abhishek should always bat

But the revealing aspect of India’s workout was giving the new ball to Hardik despite having two frontline pacers – perhaps a sign that, like with the batting, they were focused on continuity looking at the bigger picture.The match itself was one of those exercises where India’s follies were looked at indulgently, until it got too close for comfort.In the Asia Cup circles around the UAE, the running joke ahead of Friday’s game was whether India’s commute from their Dubai hotel to the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi would end up lasting longer than the match itself. The India vs UAE game had wrapped up in barely two hours, and a repeat was anticipated had Oman batted first.But in pushing India right till the end, Oman not only enhanced their own credentials, but also injected some interest into a tournament that had been drifting from one controversy to another while seeing more than its fair share of one-sided contests.For India, it was the closest thing to a dress rehearsal before the Super Four: it was imperfect in parts, yet valuable in every way ahead of round two against Pakistan on Sunday.

Manchester City star Rayan Cherki has been warned by a former France manager that he has "no chance" of playing at the 2026 World Cup in North America. After a memorable campaign with Lyon last season, Cherki broke into the France national team and he is now being picked regularly by Didier Deschamps, having made a positive first impression at City after his summer transfer from the Groupama Stadium.

• Cherki establishing himself as a key City star

  Cherki struggled with a thigh injury at the start of the 2025-26 campaign, but has started to feature regularly in Pep Guardiola's team since recovering. 

  He has appeared in nine matches across all competitions for the Cityzens, registering three goals and as many assists. Cherki is slowly establishing himself as a key member of the City squad and is building an understanding with Erling Haaland, having set up both of the Norwegian's goals against Bournemouth in the Premier League earlier this month.

  Guardiola is extremely pleased with Cherki's progress, as he told reporters: "Rayan is one of the most talented players I have ever seen in my career. His talent… he is top. The question is how he settles and how he needs to read actions. He started well at the Club World Cup but then had a few weeks off. I have the feeling most of the time when the ball comes to him, the situation is better. But not all the time you have to do exceptional things – just play football. He has something. He is a player who doesn't feel pressure. He is like a street player. He wants the ball when he doesn't have it. But he is here a short time – he needs a little bit of time because in football you learn to play with your mates. But these types of players are intelligent. They see everything."

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  Mbappe hails Cherki as 'special talent'

  France captain and Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe has also heaped praise on the 22-year-old: "He's a special talent. I think he has a gift, which he's making the most of. It's an innate, spectacular talent. He's integrated very well into the group and into Manchester City, which isn't easy. I hope he continues like this. He's started well with us. Now he has the opportunity to return, and I hope he's as good as he was at Manchester City."

• Domenech not convinced

  However, there is one person who is still not convinced by Cherki's talent. Former France manager Raymond Domenech has warned the City star that he won't make it to Deschamps' 2026 World Cup squad. 

  Speaking to , Domenech said: "(Maghnes) Akliouche, (Michael) Olise, and (Christopher) Nkunku are his direct competition… he has no chance. Everything depends on what he does at Manchester City, if they go far, if he plays a few games, comes on at the end of some games, a little 15 minutes here and there."

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  'I'm not a stats guy'

  Cherki recently shared what he brings to the City team, while describing himself as an 'old school footballer'. "I’m not a stats guy. I think that you can see that in the way that I play football," he said to TF1. "I’m an old-school footballer, and the ‘old-school’ didn’t look at stats. I know that nowadays, that element is very important."

  He also dismissed comparisons with a City legend, adding: "I'm not Kevin De Bruyne, he is the legend. I'm here to help the team and to write my own story. I hope to win all the time with the team. When I spoke with Pep, he wanted me – he was very, very clear. Pep told me, 'when you have the ball, you are free', which is very good for me because it's my first quality to help the team."