After winning the Premier League during the debut year under Arne Slot, very few Liverpool fans would have predicted the huge drop in form during the 2025/26 campaign.

The hierarchy handed the Dutchman around £440m worth of funds to help improve his first-team squad, but it’s safe to say none of the additions have yet to improve the situation.

His side have suffered a defeat in nine of the last 13 games across all competitions, which has resulted in their attempts to retain their league title all but coming to an end in November.

Ahead of tonight’s clash against Sunderland at Anfield, Slot’s men remain nine points off the summit, with a faultless run of form needed between now and the end of May to try and bridge the gap.

Such a feat could be achieved should the club make further additions during the January window, with numerous players already being linked with a move to Merseyside.

Liverpool’s hunt for new additions in the January window

With the window now rapidly approaching, Liverpool have been named as just one of the sides interested in a move to land Bournemouth sensation Antoine Semenyo next month.

It’s been reported that talks have already been held with the Cherries over a potential deal in the winter, leading to a £65m price being mooted for his signature.

However, they’re not alone in the hunt for his services, as fellow English side Tottenham Hotspur have also entered the mix and are seemingly in the lead in the race to land the 25-year-old.

Semenyo isn’t the only option currently being considered by the hierarchy at present, with Atalanta midfielder Ederson also firmly on their radar ahead of January.

According to one Spanish outlet, the Reds are battling Barcelona for his signature, with his current employers now demanding a fee in the region of £35m in the winter window.

They also state that Hansi Flick’s side are now trailing in the race to land the 26-year-old, as Slot’s men remain in pole position to complete a potential transfer.

Why Liverpool’s latest target would be Fabinho 2.0

Back in the summer of 2018, Liverpool completed the £39m transfer of midfielder Fabinho from French side Monaco, with very few supporters knowing much about his quality.

However, during his five-year stay at Anfield, it’s safe to say he made himself a fan-favourite with the supporters, whether that be on or off the pitch on Merseyside.

He racked up a total of 219 senior appearances for the Reds, helping them win a Premier League and Champions League title under the guidance of Jürgen Klopp.

Fabinho was mainly responsible for breaking up the play in his deep-lying position, but he also managed to find the back of the net in tremendous fashion – as seen with his thunderbolt against Manchester City.

However, he did leave the club back in the summer of 2023, leaving to join Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad for a reported £40m – subsequently making a profit on his services.

Despite the financial benefits, the side have massively lacked the Brazilian’s talents at the heart of the side, but that could be about to change with a move for Ederson.

His compatriot does possess serious quality, with the 26-year-old able to fill the void if he carries his performance levels from Serie A to the Premier League.

Ederson, who’s been labelled “out of this world” by former England boss Fabio Capello, has completed 1.4 progressive carries and 7.5 progressive passes per 90 to date.

Such numbers highlight his tremendous ball-playing ability from a deep-lying role, something which Fabinho became known for during his own spell at Anfield.

Games played

8

Minutes played

588

Progressive carries

1.4

Progressive passes

7.5

Pass accuracy

90%

Passes into final third

6.6

% of tackles won

53%

Interceptions made

1.6

Take-on success

50%

He’s also completed 90% of the passes he attempted, with 6.6 of his passes per 90 being into the final third – further showcasing his excellent ability in possession.

However, ball-winning is a needed component to any deep-lying midfielder, with Ederson able to match such expectations – as seen by his tally of 53% tackles won in 2025/26. Judging by that, it’s hardly a surprise he was labelled as a midfield “machine” by Italian pundit Carlo Garganese.

The 26-year-old has already made 1.6 interceptions per 90 in Italy, with the Atalanta star having all the qualities to match Fabinho’s levels should he move to Anfield.

£35m in today’s market would be an excellent piece of business for Slot’s side, especially given the levels produced by Ederson during the last couple of months in Italy.

However, he’s showcased he can be the next Brazilian star to capture the hearts of the Liverpool faithful and potentially lead them back to title glory in the process.

Liverpool now in advanced talks to sign "outstanding" attacker who's quicker than Salah

He’s a man in demand.

ByTom Cunningham Dec 3, 2025

Mohamed Salah has reportedly been given the chance to link up with the Egypt squad earlier than planned amid the furore around his uncertain Liverpool future. The 33-year-old grabbed the headlines when he accused the Reds of "throwing him under the bus" after being left out of the starting XI. While speculation has mounted about an Anfield exit, it seems a January departure is very unlikely.

• Salah vents his frustration

  Shortly after Liverpool's thrilling 3-3 draw with Leeds on Saturday, a game where Salah was an unused substitute, the former Roma star said that someone at the Reds wanted him to "get all of the blame" and that he no longer had a relationship with manager Arne Slot. The Dutchman later said that he had "no clue" whether the forward had played his last game for the Anfield outfit, while club legend Jamie Carragher branded Salah a "disgrace" and accused him of trying to get the former Feyenoord boss sacked.  

  Salah told reporters after the Leeds game, "I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame. I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager, and all of a sudden we don't have any relationship. I don't know why but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn't want me in the club. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame. This club, I will always support it. My kids will always support it. I love the club so much and I always will. It [the situation] is not acceptable to me, to be fair. I don't get it. It's like I'm being thrown more under the bus. I don't think I'm the problem. I have done so much for this club. I don't have to go every day fighting for my position because I earned it. I am not bigger than anyone but I earned my position. It's football. It is what it is."

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  Salah wants Liverpool stay

  Despite Salah's outburst and being left out of Liverpool's Champions League clash away to Inter on Tuesday night, claims he has 'no intention' of leaving the club in the January transfer window. The veteran, who has been an unused substitute in two of Liverpool's last three Premier League matches, is said to be 'disappointed' by this turn of events, especially as he hoped to retire at the Merseyside outfit. Salah feels someone at the club is trying to push him out, and he himself is aware he would not be short of suitors should he choose to leave the club next month. Incidentally, his comments came as 'no surprise' to some of his team-mates, who have noticed he has cut an 'unhappy figure' in recent weeks.

• Salah gets Egypt FA's support

  The report adds that Salah has held talks with Egypt's national team coach, Hossam Hassan, who assured him he would be happy to welcome the ex-Chelsea player into the Pharaohs' camp this week. The Egyptian international is available for selection for the Reds' Premier League clash against Brighton this weekend but Hassan has reportedly offered him a chance to get away from this intense situation ahead of their tournament opener against Zimbabwe on December 22.

  Incidentally, Egyptian FA football director Ibrahim Hassan added, "Mohamed Salah is a great player and he will return stronger and better, as we have always known him to be, in the upcoming matches. Salah will continue to make history with Liverpool after becoming one of its legends. Mohamed Salah will also make history with the Egyptian national team in the Africa Cup of Nations, along with the coaching staff and his teammates, by winning the championship."

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  What comes next for Salah?

  adds that Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal are monitoring Salah's situation ahead of the January window but are more hopeful of launching a successful bid next summer. Salah's ambition reportedly remains a 'far stronger' driving force than 'financial incentives', so he could stay at Liverpool for the foreseeable future. 

In a format that isn’t their top priority right now, they showed enough and more evidence that they can go toe to toe with the very best

Firdose Moonda30-Nov-2025Well, that was fun.South Africa, at 11 for 3 in the fifth over, should never have been in with a chance of chasing 350. But Matthew Breetzke, who has the joint-most fifties (six) in his first 10 ODIs and Marco Jansen, who is enjoying the tour of his life, with bat more than ball, kept them in the contest. Still, South Africa, after losing Breetzke and Jansen in the same Kuldeep Yadav over and who were at 228 for 7 in the 34th, should not have come within three hits of the second-highest successful chase against India.That they did will remind them of two things: they are building the muscle memory of not knowing when they are beaten and that coach Shukri Conrad’s partiality to allrounders is proving to be a good policy, especially in the lower order. That they didn’t finish the job won’t bother them too much, not because South Africa aren’t interested in a slice of history but because of cricket’s three formats, ODIs are the lowest on South Africa’s priority list right now.They have just come off an intense and successful start to the World Test Championship title defence in Pakistan and India and there is a T20 World Cup less than three months away. The Tests were crucial to underlining their credentials and the five T20Is that follow in December will be vital to their preparation for the tournament. ODIs are just ODIs for now.Related

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These matches will be chalked up as experiments on the road to the home World Cup in 2027, which is important to them but too far away to be too important right now. So while losing is not ideal, and Conrad’s predecessor Rob Walter came under pressure for a poor bilateral record albeit in similar circumstances, South Africa will see this series as a process of information-gathering and already they have some good stuff.Chiefly, that in Jansen they not only have a destructive new-ball bowler but also a confident lower middle-order batter. Those words have been chosen carefully. Jansen is a proper batter, not just a finisher and he has shown that over the last week. After his career-best 93 in the Guwahati Test, Jansen followed up with a 39-ball 70 in this match which included the fastest fifty for a South African in India in men’s ODIs, off 26 balls.After he timed a drive off a Harshit Rana yorker gone slightly wrong, Jansen brought out his full range of sweeps: conventional, reverse and slog off four balls from Kuldeep and then iced the cake with his range hitting down the ground. Exactly half of his runs were scored in the ‘v’ and he only scored five runs behind square demonstrating his traditional strength. The 97-run sixth-wicket stand he shared with Breetzke came at a run rate of 8.43, and set South Africa up to push for the win.Then it was over to Corbin Bosch to try and get them there. With a Test hundred to his name, Bosch has the ability and he has now also shown it in white-ball cricket. He is particularly strong against the short ball and on the cut and marshalled the tail well to give himself maximum opportunity to pull off something amazing. No one will blame him for South Africa falling short with Aiden Markram laying the blame on the top three’s inability to deal with the swinging ball and who “have to come up with a solution in the next game.”Whether all three will or should play the next game is a question that forms part of a wider discussion over how South Africa have stacked their squad. Even without Temba Bavuma, who was ruled out of this match through illness, South Africa’s top five includes four batters – Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Tony de Zorzi and Breetzke – who have all opened more in List A cricket than they have batted anywhere else. The fifth, Markram, is not a regular opener but is playing in that position and South Africa need to relook at the combination.Marco Jansen struck several meaty blows•Associated PressSpecifically, they have to get de Kock in the top two, because that is where he is at his best. De Kock has opened the batting in 175 out of the 200 List A matches he has played and has scored all 22 of his ODI centuries as an opener. Who should he displace? Markram, who must move down to No. 4 for the same reason de Kock must be promoted. In 84 ODIs, Markram has batted 43 times at No. 4, averages 42.91 and has all three of his centuries in that position. He has opened the batting 24 times, including at the start of his career (which proved a mistake), with an average in the 30s and four fifties. Conrad’s rationale behind promoting Markram, at least in T20Is, is that it allows for bigger hitters in the middle order. The same does not need to apply to ODIs.It may also be that there is a hesitance to have two left-hand batters in the top two – and all of de Kock, Rickelton and de Zorzi are left-handed – so de Kock should open with Bavuma, with one of Rickelton or de Zorzi at No. 3, Markram at No. 4 and Breetzke at No. 5. On form, de Zorzi gets in ahead of Rickelton at this stage.That’s unfortunate for Rickelton, who has also been dropped from the T20 squad following de Kock’s return, but with no half-centuries since his century against Afghanistan at the Champions Trophy in February, it is probably the right call. It would also mean South Africa have their Dewald Brevis and Jansen at Nos. 6 and 7 respectively, which seems to be the right spot for both of them. With Bosch, Nandre Burger and the return of Keshav Maharaj and eventually Kagiso Rabada (out of the series with a rib niggle), South Africa have the makings of their strongest XI.Ultimately, that’s what they’re using these matches to try and find. If they’re able to produce some entertaining cricket along the way – and bag some wins – that’s a bonus they’ll gladly accept.

There is more at stake for West Indies, who will want to boost their chances of qualifying for the 2027 World Cup

Abhimanyu Bose15-Nov-2025New Zealand’s hot run of formNew Zealand have been enjoying a good run of form in ODIs: since the start of 2025, they have played three series at home and won all of them, losing just one of the nine matches. Their last two series at home – against Pakistan and England – were 3-0 whitewashes.In February, they had won a tri-series in Pakistan that also involved South Africa, winning all their games. That was a precursor to the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and UAE, where New Zealand finished runners-up, losing only their two games against India, including the final.New Zealand’s pace threatWest Indies’ faced trial by spin in their recent ODI series in Bangladesh, but it will be a complete turnaround as they will now face a different challenge altogether.During New Zealand’s most recent ODI outing, also at home, England were bowled out under 225 on all three occasions, with fast bowlers taking 27 of the 30 wickets to fall.Blair Tickner, who came into that series as an injury replacement for Kyle Jamieson, led the charts with eight wickets while Zak Foulkes and Jacob Duffy took seven apiece.New Zealand will also be boosted by the return of their most experienced pacer, Matt Henry, who missed out the last two ODIs against England with a calf strain.While West Indies may feel more comfortable taking on quicker bowling than spinners, they will still need to be ready for a high-quality attack that will be raring to carry on the momentum gathered against England.Blair Tickner finished the series against England with eight wickets•Getty ImagesSeales key for West IndiesWith injuries to Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph and Jediah Blades, the responsibility will fall on Jayden Seales to lead a relatively inexperienced West Indies pace attack.Matthew Forde has played just 13 ODIs, while Johann Layne and fast-bowling allrounder Shamar Springer have received their maiden call-ups.Allrounder Justin Greaves has bowled in just nine of his 18 ODIs and picked just six wickets, so he will likely be expected to play just a holding role with the ball.With a batting line-up that is still unsettled, West Indies know the onus will be on the bowlers to a lot of the heavy lifting in the series.John Campbell is set to return to the ODI side after six years•Getty ImagesWill the West Indies batters stand up?It has long been the case for West Indies that they pick promising batters who show sparks at the international level, but fail to maintain consistency.Keacy Carty in ODIs has been among the ones to deliver on their promise, with four centuries and five fifties, but two of those centuries came against Ireland. He has not crossed fifty in his last seven innings.Alick Athanaze returned to the ODI setup in the Bangladesh tour after being dropped at the end of last year, and showed good application to get starts in testing conditions, but needs to begin converting those starts.Amir Jangoo began his ODI career with a century on debut, but failed in the three ODIs against Ireland and the one game he got in England.Captain Shai Hope is their Mr Dependable in the department, but he will need support from his team-mates. In an attempt to bolster their batting, West Indies have opted to give John Campbell another shot, after six years out in the cold in the format, in place of Brandon King.Can he make an impact on his ODI comeback, like he did in Tests with a fine century against India?

Aston Villa have now submitted a concrete bid for a “great dribbler” who’s “keen” on a move to Villa Park.

Villa stepping up pursuit of new forward

Despite a disastrous start to the Premier League season, failing to score in their opening four games, Villa have now emerged as potential title contenders, moving just three points behind leaders Arsenal after the 2-1 victory against Mikel Arteta’s side last time out.

Unai Emery has played down suggestions his side could mount a title push, however, saying: “I know 38 matches is very difficult. We are not a contender. If we were in game 35, perhaps we can speak differently.”

Danny Murphy has also pointed out another reason the Villans may not be able to compete with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City, saying: “I don’t see them as title contenders, only because of a lack of strength in depth. But their best XI can beat anybody.”

With the January transfer window now on the horizon, however, Emery will be presented with the opportunity to increase his squad depth, and a new forward is of interest, with Strasbourg’s Joaquin Panichelli, Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee and Bologna’s Santiago Castro emerging as targets.

According to a report from Bolavip (via Sport Witness), Aston Villa have also submitted an offer worth for Gremio forward Alysson Edward, having scouted him on a number of occasions this year.

Gremio are set to decide whether to accept the bid in the coming days, and the offer is now with Gremio’s new president, Odorico Roman.

Fabrizio Romano has also taken to X to confirm that a €12m (£10m) fee has been proposed, with the Brazilian eager to make the move to Villa Park.

"Great dribbler" Alysson showing promising signs in Brazil

Journalist Bence Bocsak has made it clear he is an admirer of the 19-year-old, saying: “Big fan of him. Still raw but he’s a very progressive player and a great dribbler. Has the tools to go far.”

Not only is the teenager a strong dribbler, but he is also a well-rounded winger, averaging 2.46 tackles per 90 over the past year, and 0.84 interceptions, placing him in the 96th and 93rd percentile, compared to other attacking midfielders and wingers.

The only thing the Gremio star may need to improve is his end product, having only chipped in with one goal and two assists in 41 matches for Gremio.

Emery's a fan: Aston Villa willing to make mega-money bid for £52m "baller"

The Villans are lining up a winter move for a new midfielder.

ByDominic Lund 5 days ago

Alysson could be one for the future, and a £10m deal wouldn’t break the bank, but with Aston Villa potentially in a title race, it may be better to bring in a more experienced forward next month, considering Ollie Watkins is on just three goals in all competitions.

England have received a major injury scare ahead of the Ashes after quick Mark Wood experienced stiffness in his left hamstring during their only warm-up match in Perth.Wood had bowled two four-over spells against the Lions at Lilac Hill in his first competitive match in nine months since surgery on his left knee. He left the field after his second four-over spell midway through the second session.Related

• Stokes six-for highlights England's first day of pre-Ashes action

• Mark Wood puts 'boring' rehab behind him as he gears up for bowling return

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“The plan for Mark Wood was for him to bowl eight overs today,” an ECB statement said. “He has some stiffness in his hamstring, which has kept him off the field for some time during the second session of the first day and will undergo a precautionary scan tomorrow.”He is expected to bowl again in two days’ time. It is unlikely he will return to the field today.”England have taken a cautious approach with Wood’s rehabilitation from the knee injury that he sustained at the Champions Trophy in February. He had initially hoped to feature in the final Test of their summer series against India, but a setback in training ended up ruling him out of the entire home season.Wood had bowled several lively deliveries on a relatively sedate surface, conditions far different to what is expected in the first Test at Optus Stadium. He is part of an all-out England pace attack against the Lions, with offspinner Shoaib Bashir not selected in the main XI.”That’s not ideal, but that’s part of being an extremely fast bowler,” Harry Brook said after the day’s play. “I haven’t seen him yet and spoken to him, so I don’t know his current situation. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.”There was further frustration for England’s pace attack with Brydon Carse unavailable on the first day of the warm-up match due to illness, prompting him to stay at the team’s hotel.Captain Ben Stokes had been the standout bowler, with four of the five wickets to fall before tea in an encouraging return in his first match since late July.The development comes just a day after Australia quick Josh Hazlewood was cleared of a hamstring injury. But fellow Ashes Test squad member Sean Abbott was withdrawn from the squad after scans on his left hamstring confirmed a moderate grade strain.

Root’s first ton in Australia anchored an England first innings that at times showed restraint, but was also marked by reckless dismissals

Tristan Lavalette04-Dec-20257:27

‘Root’s century was the defining performance of the day’

After an interminable break between matches, following 48 hours of mayhem in Perth, the Ashes resumed with England producing a rollercoaster batting performance as Joe Root ended his century jinx on Australian soil in the day-night second Test in Brisbane.In the final hour of an absorbing opening day, Root raised his arms aloft under the lights before taking off his helmet to celebrate his 40th Test century and first in Australia.Root finished unbeaten on 135 from 202 balls and anchored an England first innings that at times showed restraint, but was also marked by reckless dismissals. Four batters fell for ducks with England again tormented by pink ball maestro Mitchell Starc, who finished with 6 for 71 to power past Wasim Akram’s record for most Test wickets by a left-arm quick.Related

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Stokes: Bashir remains 'England's No.1 spinner' despite Brisbane omission

Lyon 'absolutely filthy' after being left out of consecutive pink-ball Tests

But after the humiliation of batting just 67.3 across two innings in Perth, England batted the whole day – albeit only 74 overs were bowled – as they posted their first score over 300 in a Test in Australia since January 2018.After skipper Ben Stokes elected to bat on a trademark green Gabba surface, another truncated Test match loomed when England slumped to 5 for 2 after the first 15 balls with Starc dismissing Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope for ducks.But Root combined in a third-wicket century stand with Zak Crawley, who bounced back from a pair with 76 off 93 balls, to lead England’s fightback. The tourists tried to curb their aggressive instincts at times, but appeared to fall short of a par total after losing 5 for 54 under the lights.Just when it appeared Australia’s batters would be forced to face a tough stint before stumps, Root found unlikely support through No.11 Jofra Archer as they clubbed an unbroken 61-run partnership.Australia’s attack tired in the backend as the game took a surprising late twist.Australia fielded an all-out pace attack, but one that did not feature skipper Pat Cummins despite intense speculation he would be a surprise late inclusion.Queensland fast bowler Michael Neser, instead, was a bombshell selection at the expense of frontline spinner Nathan Lyon, who missed just his second home Test since his debut.Stokes had no hesitation to bat under sunny skies after the coin again fell in his favour. Openers Crawley and Duckett walked to the crease under pressure after failing to notch a run as a pair in the first Test.Ollie Pope chopped on in the third over•Gareth Copley/Getty Images

The embattled Crawley had not gotten through the first over in either innings in Perth, where he foolishly drove on the up against Starc.Against his nemesis menacingly armed with the pink ball, Crawley played and missed twice in the first three balls in a nervous start. To his relief, Crawley finally scored his first runs of the series when he pounced on a Starc delivery that missed the length and then pinched a single to ensure he survived the first over.But Starc wasn’t quite done and claimed another first over wicket with a superb delivery that angled into off stump and moved away to remove Duckett for a golden duck.No.3 Pope had somewhat quietened the critics after being arguably England’s best batter in Perth. The pressure might once again intensify after he fell tamely, chopping onto his stumps having shuffled back and across in unconvincing fashion.It meant Root had to face the music incredibly early against Starc who bagged him for single-digit scores in Perth. Root got off the mark first ball before his heart was in his mouth moments later when he edged Starc, but Steven Smith could not complete a blinder of a catch diving low to his left.Starc continued to ramp up his speeds into the mid-140kph, but Crawley showcased exquisite timing to underline the good batting conditions. Crawley was particularly aggressive against Neser, the perennial fringe bowler playing just his third Test match and first since December 2022.Crawley unfurled several extraordinary shots in the first hour, but also had luck on his side. On 15 he survived a big appeal for caught behind from Neser as Australia decided not to review although replays later suggested there was a faint line on snicko.Root looked in command and brought up the 50-run partnership in style with a lovely straight drive to the boundary. While unconvincing at times, Crawley was more respectful against good length bowling and aimed to attack fuller deliveries. His 68-ball half-century was marked by superb straight drives to ensure England’s run rate hovered around 4.5 an over.After the frenetic play in Perth, the first lull in the series ensued just before the 40-minute tea break as England showed the type of restraint many critics have called for. But a restless Crawley had enough and broke the shackles by pummelling a drive back that went through Boland in his return and whistled to the boundary.Mitchell Starc celebrates nicking off Will Jacks•Getty Images

With the pink ball showing little signs of swing, the well-set Crawley and Root looked to kick on in a middle session that appeared ideal for batting.Australia resorted to a short-ball tactic and it almost paid immediate dividends when Brendan Doggett, who took all five wickets on Test debut in Perth with shorter deliveries, had Root gloving just past diving wicketkeeper Alex Carey.Crawley had a century for the taking until under-edging a back-of-a-length delivery from Neser to fall in the 70s for the ninth time in his Test career.What then ensued was another chaotic innings from Harry Brook, who started with his foot down on the pedal as he danced down to Doggett and Neser, with Carey keeping up to the stumps, without fear.Having blasted 16 off 10 balls, Brook then attempted an incredibly risky tumbling-over scoop shot which he missed and was almost stumped as Carey whipped off the bails.The game was in somewhat of a resting pattern before Starc returned to the attack having bowled just eight overs for the day. With the natural light dimming, Starc claimed a wicket on his second ball of his new spell when he had Brook flashing to second slip in a rash stroke to end a maddening knock.Stokes survived against Starc, his long-time tormentor, as he dug in with Root before and after the dinner break as the match took on a different complexion under lights.Runs were hard to come by as England’s run rate fell below four an over in a rarity but they moved into a position of strength at 210 for 4. They let slip of the advantage when Stokes needlessly set off for a single only to be sent back by Root as Josh Inglis swooped in from cover to throw down the stump from side on.It was outstanding fielding from the recalled Inglis, who is Australia’s first-choice wicketkeeper in white-ball cricket. The Leeds-born Inglis has replaced Usman Khawaja who was ruled out with a back injury that flared up during the first Test.The momentum swung Australia’s way with Scott Boland clean bowling Jamie Smith with a delivery that snaked back sharply through the gate. Allrounder Will Jacks, England’s only change after replacing injured quick Mark Wood, looked composed amid the tough conditions and ensured Root inched closer to his elusive century.Starc ended Jacks’ resistance and tore through the lower-order to continue his purple patch. Just when it appeared England would be bowled out or that Stokes might declare, Root and Archer scored invaluable runs to complete a topsy-turvy opening day.Players from both teams wore black armbands in honour of former England batter Robin Smith, who passed away this week in Perth.

Hasaranga, who picked up a hamstring niggle during the second ODI against Pakistan, is not yet ruled out of the tri-series

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Nov-2025Legspinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth has been added to Sri Lanka’s T20I squad for the T20I tri-series in Pakistan as cover for allrounder Wanindu Hasaranga, who has a hamstring injury.Hasaranga has not been ruled out of the series yet. He picked up the hamstring niggle during the second game of the ODI series against Pakistan and subsequently missed the third ODI as Sri Lanka suffered a 3-0 defeat.Related

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Viyaskanth will join the team directly from Qatar, where he was playing for Sri Lanka A in the Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament. He has represented Sri Lanka just once in senior cricket, making his debut in the Hangzhou Asian Games in October 2023.Viyaskanth first rose to prominence in December 2020, when he became the youngest player at 18 years and 364 days to feature in the Lanka Premier League for Jaffna Stallions. In that tournament, he also became the first born-and-bred player from Jaffna to appear in an internationally televised game. Viyaskanth was also the second highest wicket-taker in the SLC T20 League in August 2025. Overall, in 59 T20 games, he has taken 67 wickets at 20.98 with an economy of 7.18.Sri Lanka are also missing their regular T20I captain Charith Asalanka for the tri-series. He flew home with an illness and Dasun Shanaka will fill in as captain. Sri Lanka play their first game of the tri-series on November 20 against Zimbabwe. The series starts on November 18 with each team playing the other twice before the final on November 29.

Liverpool have now moved into pole position in the race for a Real Madrid attacker, amid Mohamed Salah offering himself to three Champions League clubs.

Salah may never play for Liverpool again after Slot comments

Arne Slot has now admitted that he doesn’t know if Salah will play for the Reds again, in the wake of the Egyptian’s bombshell interview after the 3-3 draw at Leeds United.

The manager said: “After tomorrow we will look at the situation. There is always the possibility to return for a player. I have no clue [if he has played his last game for Liverpool] – I cannot answer that question at this point in time.”

It remains to be seen whether Salah can return to the fold after AFCON, but one thing that is for certain is that he won’t be featuring against Inter Milan in the Champions League this evening.

In the wake of his comments about Slot, the forward has now offered himself to three Champions League clubs, namely Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, according to a report from Spain.

Of course, no Liverpool fan wants to see a club legend leave in this fashion, but if he does depart, Slot will need to bring in another attacker, and the Merseyside club are now leading the race for Real Madrid star Arda Guler.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states the Reds are now the frontrunners to sign Guler, despite Manchester United and Arsenal also stepping up their interest.

The Turk is viewed as the perfect addition to Slot’s attack, with the manager keen to bring in a creative forward, amid the uncertainty surrounding Salah’s long-term future, and the 20-year-old is capable of playing at both right-wing and through the middle. It’s previously been reported that Madrid values Guler as high as £130m.

Signing "magic" Guler could soften blow of losing Salah

The Liverpool talisman hasn’t reached his usual lofty heights this season, failing to make it off the bench in two of the last three Premier League matches, but it would still be a real blow to lose the 33-year-old, who has scored 250 goals since arriving at Anfield.

As such, fans will no doubt be hoping the Egypt international hasn’t played his last game for the Reds, and returns to action after he gets back from AFCON.

Gallery: How Salah interacted with Liverpool teammates in training on Monday

Mo Salah is unhappy with life at Liverpool right now.

ByFFC Staff 4 days ago

That said, Salah may find it difficult to force his way back into Slot’s plans, with Jamie Carragher recently branding his comments a “disgrace.”

New attacking options may be needed in 2026 regardless, with Federico Chiesa’s future also up in the air, and Guler could be a top signing, with scout Ben Mattinson praising the impact he’s made for Turkey.

Having registered three goals and seven assists for Real Madrid this season, the 26-time Turkey international clearly has the quality to succeed at Anfield, so it is promising news that Liverpool are leading the race for his signature.

It was recently reported that Tonda Eckert is in pole position to be named the permanent Southampton manager after an impressive performance as the interim head coach.

The German tactician has won four of his five Championship games in the dugout, notably beating Charlton 5-1 away from home, but did lose 3-2 to Millwall last weekend.

It would be understandable if Sport Republic feel that Eckert has done enough in his interim spell in charge to earn the job on a permanent basis, but there is cause for concern with the former U21s boss.

Why Southampton should not appoint Tonda Eckert

The Saints are in a position, having just come down from the Premier League, where this may be their best chance to return to the top-flight before they have to cash in on more of their top talents with parachute payments dwindling.

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This means that it would be a big risk to appoint a permanent manager based on five games as a first-team manager in England, as he had never managed a game at any level in any country before this run of matches, per Transfermarkt.

It is hard, therefore, to judge whether the first four wins were a byproduct of a ‘manager bounce’ or if they were down to his coaching, as he does not have a managerial history to back up his credentials.

Southampton need to find their next Nigel Adkins, who joined from Scunthorpe United to lead Saints to promotion from League One and the Championship and left the club in 15th place in the Premier League in his only season in the top-flight.

Instead of appointing Eckert, Sport Republic could hire their own version of Adkins by making a move for reported target and free agent manager Michael Carrick.

Why Carrick could be Southampton's next Adkins

Like Adkins, Carrick would arrive at St. Mary’s with a wealth of experience in English football already under his belt, thanks to his time with Middlesbrough.

The former Saints boss had managed Scunthorpe for four seasons, including two in the Championship, and won promotion from League One on two occasions, before taking Southampton from League One to the Premier League.

Carrick, of course, will not have to get the club out of the third tier, thankfully, but he is an English manager who has the potential to be a brilliant appointment.

One of the reasons why he could be a great hire for the Saints is that he has achieved success in the position that they currently find themselves in, as he took Boro from 18th to 4th in his first season with the club.

The former Manchester United midfielder then led Middlesbrough to 8th and 10th place finishes in the second tier, but they ranked 5th and 6th for Expected Points in those two seasons, per FotMob, which suggests that his coaching deserved higher league finishes than it got.

Carrick, who Tom Cleverley once claimed “oozes class” as a manager, is a proven Championship head coach who has shown, over three seasons, that he can coach a team to deliver play-off quality performances, which Eckert, through no fault of his own, does not have in his corner.

The ex-Boro boss also picked up seven points in two games as interim manager at Manchester United in the Premier League before his spell in the Championship, and played 481 games in the division as a player, per Transfermarkt.

This suggests that he could also be an appointment with the Premier League in mind, because of his experience at that level, whilst Eckert has never played, managed, or coached in that league.

Therefore, Carrick appears more likely to be Southampton’s next Adkins than Eckert is, because of both his proven quality in the Championship as a manager and his potential to be a successful Premier League boss.

Southampton can hire big Eckert upgrade with move for "world-class" manager

Southampton can hire an even better manager than Tonda Eckert by making a move for this free agent boss.

By
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Dec 2, 2025

This is why Sport Republic should consider pushing to appoint the English tactician as their next permanent manager, rather than giving the interim German boss the job on a permanent basis.