Former England boss Gareth Southgate has revealed his squad killed time between matches and training at the World Cup in Qatar by playing their own version of popular BBC TV show The Traitors. And the ex-Three Lions boss has also named the international superstar singer who joined them for a game after joining up with the squad to entertain them during the tournament in 2022.

• England Faithful search out Traitors

  For the uninitiated, in The Traitors contestants are secretly divided into "Faithfuls" and "Traitors" inside a castle. The Traitors aim to secretly "murder" the Faithfuls at night to steal the prize money. Meanwhile, the Faithfuls must uncover and banish the Traitors before they all become victims. At the 2022 World Cup, the England players were playing a very similar version of this, called Wolves and Villagers, and one night they were joined by a very special guest. 

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  Superstar entertains the Three Lions squad

  During the tournament in Qatar, Robbie Williams visited the England squad at their hotel to deliver a surprise morale boost. Ahead of their quarter-final match against France, he serenaded the players by the pool with some of his hits. Williams was performing in Doha and dropped in on the team, who were reportedly delighted by his presence. And Southgate has also confirmed that Williams joined in the card game, where he playfully identified striker Harry Kane as a "werewolf". The unscheduled performance was a memorable moment for the team.

• 'They absolutely loved it'

  Southgate told Chris Moyles on Radio X: "It was the card version, so it was Wolves & Villages, a bit of a different theme, but same game basically. The players loved it, absolutely loved it. Conor Coady was the sort of narrator, so he brought it to the group. 

  "And when we were in Qatar for the World Cup, I'd go to bed at, like, fairly early. Because I'm finished. They're all playing this game around the poolside, and you'd hear these werewolf noises coming across in the middle of the night. So yeah, they absolutely loved it. They got Robbie Williams playing it one night. He came in to sing for us and he joined in."

  In Britain, The Traitors has become a sensation on BBC One, with celebrities currently playing an expanded version of the game; the final airs on Thursday evening and is expected to be watched by millions of people. 

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  Early exit in Qatar

  Despite the fun of watching Robbie Williams sing and the fun  of playing a version of The Traitors, it ended up being heartache for the England player after they exited in the quarter-finals after a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to France, despite a fine performance where they often outplayed the reigning champions. 

  The Three Lions topped Group B with two dominant wins over Iran (6–2) and Wales (3–0), along with a 0–0 draw against the USA. Their journey ended when captain Kane missed a late penalty that would have tied the score, just after having successfully converted an earlier spot-kick to level Wayne Rooney's all-time England scoring record. Southgate was praised for his tactical decisions throughout the tournament, especially in the 3–0 Round of 16 victory against Senegal. The Three Lions scored 13 goals in the tournament, their highest tally ever in a single edition of a major tournament. Despite the disappointing exit, the young squad, featuring exceptional players like Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka, demonstrated promise, leaving many optimistic about their future.

Baseball history was made last night in Atlanta when the National League triumphed over the American League by winning a completely made-up swing-off competition to decide the All Star Game. Few will ever forget where they were when the venerable sport entered into this uncharted territory. For many of the people who were at Truist Park at the beginning of Tuesday night, they will say that they were nowhere near the excitement of Kyle Schwarber going 3-for-3 and a random coach being thrust into the spotlight to throw batting practice.

A photo taken in the bottom of the eighth inning shows just how much leg room fans seated behind home plate in the really good seats had due to others taking off early.

Now, this is the exact type of catnip that's going to fly around social media and inspire so many strong opinions about what it means or does not mean. It might be taking the bait to take a side here but with a deep breath, it does feel like this type of look can easily be explained and doesn't exactly mean all that much about the game's health.

First off, the picture was taken after 11 p.m. ET on a Tuesday night. It would be almost midnight by the time everything was decided. That's pretty late to stick around for what is, at the end of the day, an exhibition game. And most importantly, those seats right behind the dish don't exactly get packed with the most ardent diehards at events like these. It's perfectly reasonable to understand how a lot of people in town for all the All-Star festivities who don't love baseball decided to bounce slightly before the third day of activity wrapped up.

Again, that doesn't mean the most passionate baseball fans don't have a right to be a bit bummed out by this. In a perfect world the game's deciding moments would happen in front of engaged and actively-there human beings.

One easy fix would be to improve the pace of play. The All-Star Game featured multiple stoppages for legitimately cool moments like standing ovations for Clayton Kershaw and Freddie Freeman. Plus an awesome tribute to Hank Aaron and the moving Stand Up to Cancer stoppage. Throw in more pitching changes than are typical and, boom, all of that work baseball did to speed things up goes out the window.

Just spitballing but an easy fix would be to begin the pregame hoopla at 7:30 p.m. ET so first pitch can happen some time actually around 8. If Major League Baseball can create something like the Swing-Off, surely they can work to improve attentive attendance for its midsummer showcase.

Like in 2022, Hazlewood is shining for RCB in the bowling attack. But this time with the new ball

Shashank Kishore09-Apr-2025Watching Josh Hazlewood train is like getting a lesson in simplicity. His sessions are short and sharp, focused on rhythm and precision – testing his full range while delivering a metronomic stream of balls.Four games in, these virtues have made Hazlewood one of the standout bowlers for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), whose absence they felt a great deal last year. A key performer in IPL 2022, with 20 wickets in RCB’s run to Qualifier 2 – their best finish since 2016 – injuries disrupted Hazlewood’s IPL 2023 campaign. RCB had planned to retain Hazlewood, if he was fit, for IPL 2024, but he opted out owing to the impending birth of his child. This meant having to rejig their bowling plans.Mohammed Siraj lacked impact, Yash Dayal was still settling in, Akash Deep and Reece Topley featured irregularly, and Lockie Ferguson proved expensive – all contributing to RCB ending with the joint-lowest powerplay wickets for pace bowlers.Related

• RCB return to Chinnaswamy to take on unbeaten DC with renewed optimism

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• RCB's winning formula comes with a distinct Indian flavour

Cut to IPL 2025, and Hazlewood’s return has been a game-changer. Signed for INR 12.5 crore, he has helped RCB record a powerplay bowling average of 26.28, behind only Gujarat Titans (GT) and Delhi Capitals (DC).Along the way, Hazlewood has fed off Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s experience too. The pair has formed a potent opening combination, troubling batters with unerring accuracy and subtle movement.What makes Hazlewood so difficult to face is his high release point, which generates extra bounce regardless of the length he bowls. In each of RCB’s three wins, Hazlewood has had a profound impact in the powerplay. And much of his success has been down to how quickly he has adapted to the conditions. On surfaces where there have been bounce and carry, like at Eden Gardens and Chepauk, his hit-the-deck mastery has been unchallenged. His dot-ball percentage of 72.92 is the highest in the powerplay among those who have bowled multiple overs in that phase this season.Against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the opening game, he troubled Quinton de Kock with rising deliveries before having him top edge the pick-up shot that reared up a tad more than de Kock expected. Against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), his twin strikes of Rahul Tripathi and Ruturaj Gaikwad in the space of five deliveries, along with nine dots, laid the foundation for RCB being able to break a 17-year jinx at the venue.2:15

Is 2025 finally going to be RCB’s year?

Against Mumbai Indians (MI) on Monday night, Hazlewood followed an early wicket of Ryan Rickelton with a succession of six dot balls to Suryakumar Yadav to help build powerplay pressure in a big chase. On surfaces where there is springy bounce, like at Wankhede, this can be a double-edged sword, like he found out later in the game when Hardik Pandya sent the ball into different pockets of the ground in the death overs.Hazlewood conceded 22 runs in that 14th over, but he responded by using the crease and angles to cramp Hardik for room and dismissing him off the first ball of his final over, the 19th, that went for just nine to land the knockout blow on MI.Hazlewood’s biggest challenge is yet to come. He has only played one game at home, in conditions where even the best fast bowlers have travelled. During his best season with RCB, in 2022, he didn’t play at home since the tournament was held entirely in Mumbai because of post-Covid restrictions. But the Chinnaswamy deck hasn’t been the usual, where batters have tended to enjoy a free-for-all buffet like last year.2:00

Bishop: Hazlewood has an important role to play

Hazlewood delivered an excellent first spell against GT in RCB’s first home game – conceding just one boundary off his first nine deliveries before Sai Sudharsan threw him off his lengths by bringing out the ramp shot, instead of trying to take him on in front of square.Jos Buttler then made it an unending nightmare by treating him with disdain, reverse-ramping him for six and setting himself up to wallop a length ball over deep midwicket. By the time Sherfane Rutherford flicked him to the leg-side boundary to seal victory, Hazlewood had run out of gas.It was an expensive spell for Hazlewood – 3.5-0-43-1 – but it was also one that he’ll take back plenty from. On Thursday, he’ll return to the Chinnaswamy Stadium against DC, fueled by confidence and adrenaline from a strong start to the season, hoping to help RCB seize momentum at home, just as he has done on the road.

Arsenal are stacked in almost all areas of the pitch after a summer of lavish spending, but they could still potentially benefit from another option for the left-wing as they eye AC Milan star Rafael Leao.

Mikel Arteta’s attacking line has looked strong this season, especially with the additions of Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres, but questions remain over the depth and certainty at left-wing.

Gabriel Martinelli, who is currently out injured, has made a real impact from the bench as Arsenal’s super-sub this season, though doubts remain over the Brazilian’s long-term future.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

His contract expires in 2027 and there have been no reports of a potential extension, despite Andrea Berta moving to tie down the likes of Gabriel, William Saliba, Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly and actively talking to Bukayo Saka about a new long-term contract.

Leandro Trossard, who’s also contributed towards Arsenal’s brilliant run and scored the winner away to Fulham, presents some uncertainty too.

Like Martinelli, the 30-year-old’s contract runs out in 2027, with Trossard signing a new and improved deal recently which didn’t include an extension.

Eze can play on the left-wing when required, as he has done multiple times already this season in the Premier League, with the England international deployed there in Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Brighton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

This frees up space for teenage sensations Max Dowman – who became Arsenal’s youngest ever starter against the Seagulls – and Ethan Nwaneri to play more centrally.

Arsenal’s youngest ever starters

First start

player

opponent

competition

age

Oct 2025

Max Dowman

Brighton

League Cup

15 years 302 days

Sep 2024

Jack Porter

Bolton

League Cup

16 years 72 days

Oct 2003

Cesc Fàbregas

Rotherham

League Cup

16 years 177 days

Sep 2008

Jack Wilshere

Sheff United

League Cup

16 years 266 days

While there is a case to be made that signing another left-winger could hinder Dowman and Nwaneri’s pathway to regular first team minutes, Berta must also think about shoring up the position with outside talent, as Martinelli and Trossard near the exit door.

Rafael Leao's stance on joining Arsenal as Berta eyes left-wing upgrade

According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal’s sporting director is doing just that, and they’re real fans of Leao.

The Portugal international has scored four goals in six games already this season, despite missing the opening of Milan’s campaign with a calf injury.

The Rossoneri are contenders for this year’s Serie A title after a fine start to 25/26, losing just one league game so far, and Leao will be key to their charge as Milan look to topple Antonio Conte’s Napoli.

The £108,000-per-week forward, who has a £132 million release clause in his deal, will cost a premium for any English side in January, but Arsenal view Leao as the “ideal left-wing upgrade”.

They’re also encouraged by his stance on a potential move to north London, as it is believed that Leao is “very open” to talks if a Premier League side formally approaches.

While Leao loves Milan and is happy in his current surroundings, he’s “ready to listen” to a potential offer from England, as the Premier League holds great appeal to him.

The 26-year-old, who bagged 16 goal contributions for Milan in the top flight alone last year, was also their second-best player by average behind Christian Pulisic in 2024/2025 (WhoScored).

Leao completed more successful take-ons per 90 than any other player in Milan’s squad that campaign (WhoScored), so the appeal to Arsenal is obvious, but the question is just how much Berta would be willing to invest.

"I've said before" – Jamie Carragher admits he got one thing very wrong about Arsenal

After days of silence, French rapper Orelsan has finally addressed his feud with Kylian Mbappe, following the Real Madrid star’s furious response to a lyric mocking his failed ownership of Caen. The rapper, who said he’d “rather think than react impulsively,” has decided to remain calm instead of charging into a confrontation, even as the feud keeps attracting more interest.

Orelsan's lyric that lit the fuse

It began with a single line. In La Petite Voix, a track from Orelsan’s new album La Fuite en Avant, the rapper’s darker alter ego sneers: "Yeah, you’re going to sink your city like the Mbappes."

The bar took aim at his handling of Caen, the Normandy club now owned by Mbappe’s family and floundering in France’s third division. Once seen as a saviour, the Madrid superstar now faces frustration from Caen supporters after the club’s steep decline.

Mbappe, rarely one to engage in public spats, fired back almost immediately on X. “You’re welcome to come and save the city you love so much. PS: The guy kept begging us to get in with 1% without paying because he’s broke,” he wrote pointing accusation that Orelsan had sought a stake in the club for free.

The message went viral, dividing France between football fans defending Mbappe and rap loyalists praising Orelsan’s audacity.

AdvertisementAFPOrelsan breaks his silence as feud catches fire

Caught in the storm, Orelsan responded not with more lyrics but with restraint. During a book-signing in Caen, the 41-year-old artist told : "I'm not talking about it right now; I prefer to think about it rather than react impulsively. I prefer to save my answers for when I've thought them through, in a more appropriate setting."

He reiterated that he didn’t want to reply “in the heat of the moment,” hinting he would rather let the controversy cool before choosing his words carefully. Those close to the rapper say he was surprised by the intensity of Mbappe’s reaction, especially since the verse was meant to be satirical, reflecting the darker themes of the album rather than a personal attack.

Still, Mbappe’s outburst has made La Petite Voix one of the most streamed French tracks of the week, propelling La Fuite en Avant to the top of Spotify France.

The deeper issue: Caen’s collapse and Mbappe’s image

Behind the feud lies a real-world problem. In 2024, Mbappe purchased an 80 per cent stake in Caen through his firm Coalition Capital, investing about €20 million. The move, initially hailed as a heartfelt homecoming, quickly soured. By April 2025, Caen were relegated from Ligue 2 for the first time in 41 years. Fans stormed the pitch, waving banners that read “Mbappe, SMC is not your toy.”

Lay-offs, shrinking ticket sales, and mounting debt followed. Critics accused the ownership group of detachment and poor communication. Christophe Vaucelle of the Malherbe Normandy Kop said bluntly: “The Mbappé clan bears responsibility. They came, stayed invisible, and disconnected from the fans.”

For Mbappe, already balancing club duties at Madrid and captaincy of France, the Caen crisis dented his image as football’s flawless poster boy. The Orelsan lyric reopened old wounds and turned what could have been a local grievance into a national talking point.

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Getty Images SportFrench artist Booba joins the fray as Mbappe faces scrutiny

As the feud trended across social media, another heavyweight entered the ring: Booba. The veteran rapper, who has his own history of mocking Mbappe, reposted a fan comment praising Orelsan for doing “what Booba couldn’t”. Booba replied: “Amazing analysis, well done. But Orelsan isn’t broke, and he spoke his mind.”

His support reignited the long-running tension between Mbappe and France’s rap scene, where authenticity and ego often collide. For some, the exchange revealed a generational rift: Mbappe, the globalised athlete-brand, versus Orelsan, the introspective artist grounded in provincial realism.

Meanwhile, Caen’s struggles persist, the club sits mid-table in the National League, still searching for stability under coach Maxime D’Ornano. The club currently sits at the 10th position in the National in 13 games.

كشفت تقارير صحفية توتر العلاقة بين الألماني هانز فليك ولاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة بعد عدم مشاركته في المباريات الأخيرة للفريق الكتالوني.

واستضاف ملعب “ستامفورد بريدج” مباراة الفريقين، إذ حل برشلونة الإسباني ضيفًا على تشيلسي، ضمن مباريات الجولة الخامسة من مرحلة الدوري في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وخسر برشلونة بثلاثية نظيفة أمام تشيلسي في لقاء ظهر فيه رجال فليك بأداء باهت للغاية على عكس المتوقع، كما نال قائد الفريق رونالد أراوخو، بطاقة حمراء في آواخر الشوط الأول مما أثر تأثيرًا كبيرًا على أداء البلوجرانا.

وتوقف رصيد برشلونة عند 7 نقاط في جدول ترتيب دوري أبطال أوروبا بالمركز الـ 15، فيما رفع تشيلسي رصيده لـ10 نقاط محتلًا المركز الخامس.

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ووفقًا لصحيفة “آس” الإسبانية فإن علاقة هانز فليك مع مارك كاسادو متوترة للغاية ويبدو أن الألماني فقد الثقة في قدراته.

كان كاسادو لاعبًا أساسيًا للمدرب الألماني في النصف الأول من الموسم الماضي خلال غياب فرينكي دي يونج لكنه الآن مجرد لاعب بديل في الفريق.

بالنظر إلى الإصابات التي ضربت خط الوسط لفريق برشلونة فإنه كان من المتوقع مشاركة كاسادو في المباراة الأخيرتين أمام تشيلسي وأتلتيك بلباو، إذ شارك كل من إريك جارسيا وأندرياس كريستنسن في خط الوسط المدافع.

وأفادت “آس” أن هذا الوضع مفاجئ نظرًا لأن فليك كان أول من عارض رحيل كاسادو خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الماضية.

Somerset implode despite flying start with the ball, to lose by 90 runs at Hove

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay21-Aug-2025Somerset produced an unlikely victory over Sussex in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at Hove, winning by 90 runs after being bowled out for a modest 243. It was their fourth victory in six matches.On a slow pitch that offered some sharp seam movement on occasions, but was far from unplayable, both sides were guilty of rash strokeplay, especially the Sussex Sharks when they lost four wicket for no runs in the course of eight deliveries.The Sharks were clear favourites at the halfway point of the match. And they reinforced their position when they reached 60 for one at the end of the first 10-over powerplay, almost twice as many as Somerset had scored (33 for 3) at the same stage of their innings. But then Sussex collapsed in a way that made their recent implosion against Lancashire, when they lost six wickets for 27 runs before winning a thrilling contest, look commonplace.From the start of the 11th over Charlie Tear flayed a wide delivery straight to cover. Next ball, Fynn Hudson-Prentice missed a straight one and was lbw. And three balls later captain John Simpson got one that cut back off the pitch and was also lbw. Tom Lammonby, who had made a three-ball duck when he had opened the Somerset innings, had bowled a three-wicket maiden.It got worse. Tom Clark, who had batted impressively, lobbed the second delivery of the 12th over to mid-on and Sussex were 60 for five. Jack Carson, heroic in the recent wins over Kent and Lancashire, hinted at another rescue act with a vigorous 35 before pulling to midwicket, and when Oli Carter was caught in the same area, to make it 128 for eight, it was realistically all over. Lammonby took five wickets for the first time in any competition.The Somerset total had looked insufficient, and they were happy to get there after being 82 for five in the 20th over. Their innings was revived by half-centuries from Josh Thomas and Finley Hill after the Rew brothers James and Thomas had both failed to build on promising starts.Somerset, who continued their rotation policy by bringing in Kian Roberts, Kasey Aldridge and Hill, made a frantic start to their innings. Archie Vaughan was caught down the leg-side first ball and Sussex missed two more chances in the first two overs. But they weren’t made to pay for their profligacy. In the third over Lammonby was caught at slip off Sean Hunt, coming back into the side in place of Bertie Foreman, and it was 21 for three in the sixth over when Lewis Goldsworthy, surprised by the bounce achieved by Hudson-Prentice, could only fend the ball off to Henry Crocombe at square-leg.Once again Somerset were looking to the Rews to pull them round. But captain James, attempting to turn Crocombe to leg, got a leading edge back to the bowler for just 29 and the same bowler jagged one back to bowl his younger brother through the gate for 30.At that stage significant recovery looked beyond an inexperienced Somerset side. But they were transformed by a sixth wicket stand of 59 between Thomas and Hill. Thomas, mixing bludgeoning blows with some sweetly timed drives – on a pitch where timing was difficult – was particularly impressive, stroking Crocombe square on the off-side to raise the hundred in the 24th over. He reached his fifty from 54 balls when he pulled Hunt for six but was caught behind in the same over. A seventh wicket stand of 67 between Hill and Roberts maintained the Somerset recovery.

With Arsenal flying high in the Premier League and looking imperious in the Champions League, the narrative from rival fans has been that the North Londoners are boring to watch.

Now, it’s undoubtedly true that set-pieces have been an essential source of goals for Mikel Arteta’s side so far, but the suggestions that the Gunners are unusually dull fall apart when properly scrutinised.

For example, according to FBref, they take the second most shots in the league, play the second most passes into the penalty area, play the most through balls, and take the most touches in the opposition’s penalty area, all per 90 minutes.

Moreover, while Arteta has his fair share of physical monsters in the side, he also has an abundance of brilliant technicians, including one player who’s showing shades of Santi Cazorla in his game.

Why Arsenal fans love Santi Cazorla

Being the massive club they are, Arsenal have had plenty of brilliant midfielders play for them over the years, many who went on to win far more at the club than Cazorla did.

So, why is the Spaniard still one of the most beloved to wear red and white?

Well, there was that free-kick that started the side’s fightback in the 2014 FA Cup final.

There is also the fact that he played for the side during a rather barren spell, and so fans were desperate to see some genuine quality in the team.

However, while both of these factors certainly contribute to the high esteem in which the fans hold him, they remain secondary to the primary reason: his style of play.

The former Malaga gem was the epitome of an Arsene Wenger-type player, someone who was brilliantly effective yet also a crowd pleaser and a genuine magician on the ball.

The 40-year-old was seemingly able to do it all with a ball at his feet.

Ping a ball from one side of the pitch to the other? He could do it. Carry the ball through the middle of the park, beating four players in the process? Easy. Play the perfect defence-splitting pass to set up his striker with a one-on-one? Piece of cake.

Cazorla might not get the respect he deserves from rivals, but Arsenal fans correctly hold him up as one of the most entertaining players to grace the Emirates.

So it’s undoubtedly exciting to see one of Arteta’s signings begin to show shades of the Spaniard in his game this season.

The Arsenal star with shades of Cazorla

When considering who in the current Arsenal squad could be compared to Cazorla, most might look to Martin Odegaard, Martin Zubimendi, or perhaps even Eberechi Eze.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, while there are certainly arguments to be made for those three sharing some traits with the Spaniard, it’s Riccardo Calafiori who is showing shades of him in his game this season.

Now, the Italian obviously plays a totally different position to the former Gunners ace, but he still shares several similarities with him.

For example, and this is a negative one, the former Bologna star has had terrible luck with injuries since his move last summer.

In fact, he ended up dealing with six injuries last season, which resulted in him spending 175 days on the sideline and missing 30 games for both club and country.

Fortunately, the 23-year-old also shares a couple of extremely positive characteristics with the 40-year-old, including the freedom he is allowed on the football pitch and the incredible entertainment he brings.

While Arteta can often be quite regimented in his tactics and instructions with the rest of the team, it has become increasingly clear that he wants and allows the Italian to maraud all over and cause as much chaos for the opposition as possible.

This has become obvious from simply watching him play, but it’s even more evident when examining his heatmap from this season, which shows him popping up all over the place.

Crucially, though, the Rome-born “wild horse,” as dubbed by the Telegraph’s Sam Dean, is making excellent use of this freedom, helping out attacks by stretching the opposition’s backline, popping up in the box and interchanging with his own attackers.

Amazingly, the £120k-per-week maverick has taken the second most shots in the league for the Gunners this season, and his underlying numbers only further show his attacking prowess.

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of full-backs in the league for shots, the top 4% for expected goals, the top 7% for goal-creating actions, the top 12% for touches in the opposition’s penalty area and more, all per 90.

Shots Total

2.11

Top 1%

GCA (Defensive Action)

0.12

Top 1%

xG: Expected Goals

0.24

Top 4%

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.24

Top 4%

SCA (Fouls Drawn)

0.24

Top 4%

Goals + Assists

0.35

Top 7%

SCA (Shot)

0.35

Top 7%

Goal-Creating Actions

0.59

Top 7%

GCA (Shot)

0.12

Top 7%

npxG + xAG

0.29

Top 9%

SCA (Defensive Action)

0.12

Top 12%

Touches (Att Pen)

3.29

Top 12%

Assists

0.24

Top 15%

npxG/Shot

0.11

Top 15%

GCA (Live-ball Pass)

0.35

Top 15%

Touches (Mid 3rd)

29.73

Top 18%

Ultimately, this combination of freedom to express himself and the ability to make the most of it is why journalist James Benge described Calafiori as “the most electrifying man in sports entertainment” and why he’s the most Cazorla-esque player in Arteta’s squad.

Arteta can fix Gyokeres blow by starting Arsenal gem who's "shades of Isak"

The promising gem could be the perfect Gyokeres replacement for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 4, 2025

The Pittsburgh Pirates are parting ways with longtime third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes, having reportedly agreed to trade him to the Cincinnati Reds, per a report from ESPN's MLB insider Jeff Passan.

Hayes, 28, is in his sixth MLB season, having played his entire career with the Pirates. He's emerged as one of the best defensive players in all of baseball and won a Gold Glove at third base in 2023. His hitting leaves plenty to be desired, however. In 2025, Hayes is logging a career-low .569 OPS with two home runs, 36 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.

Per Passan, heading to the Pirates as part of the trade will be shortstop prospect Sammy Stafura, as well as veteran left-handed pitcher Taylor Rogers. Stafura, 20, is ranked as the No. 9 prospect in Cincinnati's farm system by MLB Pipeline and is currently playing at Single A.

Rogers, who could potentially be dealt again by tomorrow afternoon, owns a 2.45 ERA with 34 strikeouts across 33 innings in relief this season.

Football fans far and wide, heading into the 2025/26 Premier League season, must have been expecting that Liverpool would continue their domestic dominance.

It started well for Arne Slot’s Reds, too, as they went about defending their status as reigning champions, with five straight wins picked up in league action in the early stages of the campaign.

However, since they got the better of Everton in the Merseyside Derby in mid-September, it has all gone rather pear-shaped for the Reds, with an alarming six defeats now collected in all competitions, pushing them down to a dire seventh position in the Premier League standings.

Things have to change, and quickly, with many of the players Slot and Co. purchased in the summer failing to live up to their grand expectations.

Liverpool's most underwhelming signings

Liverpool really didn’t hold back this summer when breaking the bank.

Indeed, a jaw-dropping £415m in total was spent on revamping the Reds, with the triumphant top-flight champions waving goodbye to the likes of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, and Trent Alexander-Arnold in the summer for mega money.

Unfortunately, despite sitting at the top of this above list with their spending power, a lot of their high-profile signings have flopped so far at Anfield, with Florian Wirtz – who cost a whopping £116m just on his own – still yet to pick up a single goal or assist in league action, culminating in the German being labelled as “pretty average” by ex-Liverpool midfielder, and compatriot, Dietmar Hamann.

Milos Kerkez has also been subject to some scathing criticism, with the £40m recruit looking like a shadow of his expansive AFC Bournemouth best, particularly against Crystal Palace last time out in the EFL Cup, as Ismaila Sarr confidently collected two goals down his left flank.

Another former Liverpool favourite in Jason McAteer, has even suggested that the move to the Reds was “too big for him”, amid concerns he looks “lost” donning the number six jersey.

Thankfully, Hugo Ekitike has shone in spurts as another flashy new signing, but there is one dud that is extremely concerning now, as Slot potentially has to contend with his own Naby Keita-style blunder.

The £280k-per-week star who is Slot's own Keita

Glancing over Liverpool’s most expensive signings of all time is an intriguing read.

Of course, they struck gold when landing Virgil Van Dijk for £75m as he remains the club’s top leader to this day. But, when you

scroll down more, you’re then greeted by Keita’s name, who is still Liverpool’s eighth most expensive recruit at the £48m mark.

Keita did, of course, have a stunning goal up his sleeve at Liverpool – as evidenced in this glittering highlight package – but he didn’t consistently shine bright enough to justify his once club-record fee, with injuries galore often stopping him in his tracks.

Fast forward to the present, and an eerily similar tale could now be unfolding with Alexander Isak, with the ex-Newcastle United striker – who is prone to an injury niggle himself – yet to get up and running at Anfield, after breaking the Reds’ transfer record when joining in the summer for a ludicrous £125m.

Games played

8

Goals scored

1

Assists

1

Games missed through injury

5

After all, Liverpool must have thought they’d sealed the signing of the window when landing the £280k-per-week hotshot, considering he was once branded as a “world-class” talent at Newcastle United by ex-boss Eddie Howe when burying a lethal 62 strikes from 109 games.

But, caution should have been exercised here in trying to temper expectations, considering Jurgen Klopp also hailed Keita as the “best player in the league” in the Bundesliga when sealing his services, only for everything to fall apart.

Indeed, as is the case looking at the table above, Isak has only one paltry goal next to his name so far in his uncomfortable new surroundings, with the extortionate number nine already falling foul of sitting out five games for club and country this season through injury issues.

The hope will be that it doesn’t get as bad as Keita’s injury situation got, with his penultimate season in England seeing him miss a staggering 40 games with recurring trips to the treatment room.

He looks set to miss Liverpool’s must-win clash with Aston Villa on the weekend, to add insult to injury.

Isak, additionally, has the pressure of being known as a lethal goalscorer weighing him down, as the burden of being Liverpool’s most expensive signing proves, yet again, to be a debilitating hindrance, rather than a badge of honour.

The Reds waited a year for Keita to arrive, after initially signing him in advance in 2017, only for the move to end in disappointment.

Having waded through a whole summer saga before landing Isak, it looks as if the Swede could be heading for similar frustration at Anfield.

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ByCharlie Smith Oct 31, 2025