Newcastle United supporters are frustrated at the moment, and justifiably so.

Only last weekend, Eddie Howe’s side put in a herculean performance, a display of great resilience and strength, to see off Manchester City in the Premier League.

But that was at St. James’ Park, and the Magpies’ issues on the road deepened against Marseille in the Champions League, going ahead through the in-form Harvey Barnes but succumbing to defeat after two second-half strikes from Roberto De Zerbi’s side.

11

Games

8

8

Wins

1

0

Draws

3

3

Losses

4

16

Goals scored

8

8

Goals conceded

10

2.18

PPG

0.75

As Barnes goes from strength to strength, with three goals from his past two Premier League matches too, Anthony Gordon’s struggles on Tyneside have been accentuated.

The England international is among the most talented players in Howe’s squad, but he’s not been at the races this season.

Anthony Gordon's form for Newcastle

Gordon took some time to get going at Newcastle after joining from Everton for £45m in January 2023, but he thrived across the 2023/24 campaign, winning the club’s Player of the Year after recording 11 goals and ten assists in the Premier League.

Last season was a testing one for the 24-year-old on an individual level, though, and he’s sunk deeper into his struggles this season, yet to score or assist in the Premier League.

Though Gordon is impressing in front of goal on the continent, he’s been out of sorts as a whole this season, with Newcastle blogger Thomas Hammond saying “a summer sale is looking more and more favourable” given clubs like Liverpool have been interested in the £100m-rated winger in the past.

Matches (starts)

7 (7)

5 (5)

Goals

0

4

Assists

0

1

Touches*

35.4

39.2

Shots (on target)*

2.0 (0.7)

2.2 (1.0)

Accurate passes*

14.7 (80%)

16.4 (77%)

Chances created*

1.0

0.4

Dribbles*

1.4

1.4

Ball recoveries*

2.6

3.2

Tackles + interceptions*

0.7

1.4

Duels (won)*

4.7 (49%)

4.0 (41%)

There’s a tenacity and will to win embedded in Gordon’s footballing brain, but this has led to some questionable decision-making, with the £150k-per-week talent sent off three times across 120 appearances as a Magpie.

And with Barnes getting better and better, it could be that PIF look to cash in on their profitable asset going forward. After all, if he continues to struggle, his market value will only depreciate.

Against Marseille, Howe opted to field Gordon as his central striker. This is nothing new, but the versatile forward toiled away. Considering the different variables, there might be cause for Gordon to be sold, especially when considering another Newcastle star’s form this season.

The Newcastle star who could end Gordon's stay

Since arriving on Tyneside at the end of August, Nick Woltemade has been a revelation for Newcastle.

The 23-year-old completed a club-record move from Stuttgart to St. James’ Park after establishing himself as one of German football’s most exciting up-and-coming strikers, and while Howe’s side have problems, six goals from his first 16 games for the club suggest the jackpot has been struck.

The 6 foot 6 star is far more than just a goalscorer, of course, and his ability to drop deep and influence across different areas of the pitch suggests that Woltemade could play alongside Yoane Wissa when the DR Congo star returns to fitness.

And he’s thriving for Germany too. Woltemade is nailing down his claim for the number nine spot ahead of the 2026 World Cup in North America, having posted four goals from his past three matches for his nation.

Hailed as a “world-class talent” by content creator Adam Pearson, Woltemade cannot be expected to haul all this weight by himself each week. He needs players like Gordon to step up.

But with Barnes establishing himself as United’s clear-cut left winger and Wissa soon to enter the equation as he nears the end of the recovery from a knee injury that has kept him out since signing for the club from Brentford last year, there’s a sense that Gordon may find regular minutes from the outset hard to come by down the line.

Woltemade is not a winger, of course, but he does bring many dynamic qualities to the table that emphasise his protean attacking ability. As per data-led site FBref, the German ranks among the top 9% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons and the top 6% for shot-creating actions per 90.

His knack at finding space to shoot and then doing so clinically is the staple of his skillset, but Woltemade is also a menace in that he has different creative and athletic attributes that help him transcend his striking role.

Could we see a scenario in which Woltemade plays alongside Wissa, flanked by Barnes and Anthony Elanga? It might be the case, and with Newcastle eager to strengthen across the park next summer – notably with a deal for academy product Elliot Anderson in the pipeline – there’s a case to be made that Gordon’s days on Tyneside could be numbered.

He has, of course, proven himself at Newcastle before, but time is running out for Gordon to reestablish himself as one of Howe’s talismanic forwards, and while Barnes appears the most direct threat to his place in the starting line-up, Woltemade’s continual growth adds another chapter to the story.

PIF have signed an "explosive" talent who can end Gordon's Newcastle career

Newcastle United already have an exciting attacker up their sleeve who can end Anthony Gordon’s stalling Magpies career.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 27, 2025

Eight Young Boys fans have been arrested for their part in crowd trouble during the Swiss side's 2-1 Europa League defeat at Aston Villa on Thrusday. West Midlands Police released a statement on Friday morning, saying that two of the supporters had been arrested "on suspicion of affray and assaulting a police officer", a further six men were detained at Birmingham airport on suspicion of the same offence.

• Ugly scenes at Villa Park

  The Dutchman opened the scoring with a headed finish in the 27th minute. As he celebrated in front of the visiting support, he was struck on the head amid a volley of missiles hurled towards the Villa Park pitch. Morgan Rogers was also hit, but not injured during the initial unrest. Police formed a barrier in front of the travelling fans, with more numbers joining the line as the first half continued. 

  Malen's second goal in the 42nd minute prompted sustained clashes between the travelling support and the police. The game was halted for five-and-a-half minutes, as Young Boys captain Loris Benito pleaded with his supporters to behave themselves. 

  Two men were arrested on suspicion of affray and assaulting a police officer earlier this morning, with a further six Young Boys supporters detained on the same charge as they attempted to leave the country. 

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  West Midlands Police's statement

  WMP Superintendent Paul Minor said: “We won’t tolerate violence of any kind at football matches.

  “The majority of the crowd was in good spirit but unfortunately a small minority of away fans caused violence and disrupted the game. An investigation has been launched, and officers are reviewing body worn video and CCTV from the stadium of the disorder.”

• Managers reactions to violence

  Young Boys manager Gerardo Seaone apologised for the fans behaviour, however, he did also suggest Malen contributed to the ugly scenes by choosing to celebrate in front of the febrile atmosphere in the away end. 

  "It's normal when you score a goal that you want to be with your team-mates. Maybe it was a small provocation, I don't know," he said.

  "Our fans could have taken this as a provocation. "This is part of football but our fans should not react so angrily.

  "The referee asked our captain to go calm our supporters. Some fans came down to talk to the players and the police reacted like they were jumping on the pitch, but that was not their intention.

  "It's a pity for everybody throwing the objects. The result is not nice for anybody.

  "We apologise, we don't feel good and not the way our supporters are normally, or how we want to act when we are guests somewhere and no one wins at the end, everybody loses in this situation.

  "Football is with emotions. There is a rule to not provoke, nobody does it on purpose, it was more the joy of scoring."

  Aston Villa boss Unai Emery briefly spoke on the events in the first hal, saying they were "not necessary". 

  He added: "We need respect for both sides. It is not necessary to get a moment like we had today. Respect for both sides. I think [Malen is] OK."

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  Further punishment due for Young Boys fans?

  The Swiss club have regularly run foul of UEFA for their fans' behaviour. Just last week, the threat of a ban on travelling fans was lifted at the end of a two-year probationary period. 

  The spectre of a ban has hung over the team since their last visit to England, a November 2023 Champions League tie against Manchester City. The club was given a one-match suspended punishment for crowd disturbances and fined for the throwing of objects and acts of damage to the stadium. Their fans conduct will almost certainly result in harsher punishment from UEFA this time round.

  With news of Newcastle fans facing violence from the French police in their Champions LEague defeat to Marseille, the policing of high-profile European ties looks to be an unwelcome subplot for the remainder of the 2025/26 season. 

In his capacity as a Fox Sports analyst, Alex Rodriguez had a front-row seat to the magical World Series that the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays pushed to, and beyond, its limits. In the end it was the defending champions who were able to secure back-to-back titles by outlasting their Canadian hosts last Saturday night in a game that brought more eyeballs to baseball than any in the previous eight years. So he had plenty of time to take in the energy and atmosphere that only added to the drama fans at home were able to enjoy. And to compare it to all previous versions of the Fall Classic.

Asked by if we just watched the greatest World Series every played, Rodriguez explained why he believes so.

"Yes," he said. "Well, in my lifetime, I've never. You know, that's obviously very subjective, but in my lifetime, I've never seen a better one. It had all the elements of just the juiciest, most delicious, World Series."

Rodriguez is not alone in his assessment, as many have wondered if the sport just enjoyed a high-water mark that will be difficult, if not impossible to match. The way he processed the seven-game greatness, however, is unique. Seated next to David Ortiz, Derek Jeter and Kevin Burkhardt, the former player was able to witness all the ingredients that went into making things buzz.

"It had three S’s, right?" Rodriguez said. "It had, it had superstars, it had strategy and it had incredible storylines. And what's great about baseball."

Rodriguez also spoke about the episodic nature of a baseball playoff series as opposed to the immediacy and one-and-doneness of other sports.

"Super Bowl has one like Tom Cruise movie. Over 100 million people will watch. What's different and what I think more compelling about a seven-game World Series, which are very rare—we only had two prior to this one in the last eight years—is that is like a mini docuseries and there's seven episodes.

"And just like , if you watch all six now, you're invested. You're hooked. You're hooked in the characters, the storyline, the strategy. And then you must watch game seven. So it was just awesome. I'm so proud of the game."

MatériaMais Notícias

A Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) alterou data e horário de jogos da oitava rodada do Brasileirão a pedido da TV Globo. Em documento enviado a clubes e federações, a entidade informa que quatro partidas sofrerão mudanças por conta de solicitação da detentora dos direitos de transmissão; a tabela já está atualizada no site oficial da competição.

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Entre as mudanças estão os confrontos entre Atlético-GO e Corinthians, Juventude e Vitória, Botafogo e Fluminense e Red Bull Bragantino e Atlético-MG. Todos os jogos listados aconteceriam no dia 12 de junho, quarta-feira, e foram antecipados para o dia anterior (terça, 11/06).

A mudança se deve, provavelmente, por conta do amistoso da Seleção Brasileira com os Estados Unidos, que está marcado para o próximo dia 12. Confira abaixo data e horário dos jogos do Brasileirão que tiveram alteração da CBF a pedido da Globo.

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Atlético-GO x Corinthians
De: 12/06, quarta-feira, às 17h
Para: 11/06, terça-feira, às 19h
Local: Estádio Antônio Accioly, em Goiânia (GO)

Juventude x Vitória
De: 12/06, quarta-feira, às 17h
Para: 11/06, terça-feira, às 19h
Local: Estádio Alfredo Jaconi, em Caxias do Sul (RS)

Botafogo x Fluminense
De: 12/06, quarta-feira, às 17h
Para: 11/06, terça-feira, às 20h
Local: Estádio Nilton Santos, no Rio de Janeiro (RJ)

Red Bull Bragantino x Atlético-MG
De: 12/06, quarta-feira, às 17h
Para: 11/06, terça-feira, às 21h30
Local: Estádio Nabi Abi Chedid, em Bragança Paulista (SP)

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoCBFGlobo

تلقى محمد صلاح نجم ليفربول إشادة من زميله السابق آدم لالانا، بعد التصريحات التي أطلقها النجم المصري ضد ناديه ومدربه آرني سلوت والتي أدت لاستبعاده من المشاركة ضد إنتر ميلان في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وقال لالانا في تصريحات نشرتها “بي بي سي” البريطانية :”محمد صلاح يستمد حافزه من سعيه الدائم لإثبات خطأ الآخرين”.

وأضاف: “إنه ليس متغطرساً، لطالما تحدثت مع أولادي عن سلوكياته، وكيف أنه لا يبالغ في الفرح وفي لحظات النجاح”.

اقرأ أيضاً.. موقف النصر السعودي من ضم محمد صلاح لمرافقة رونالدو

وواصل: “صلاح لا يلوم نفسه كثيراً في لحظات الضعف، هو دائماً ما يركز تركيزاً كاملاً على المهمة المسندة له، كنت أنظر إليه فأشعر بالطمأنينة لشدة تحكمه بنفسه طوال الوقت”.

وتابع: “أعرف محمد صلاح جيداً، فهو دائماً يكافح ويتحلى بالمرونة ويسعى دائماً لتطوير نفسه”.

جدير بالذكر أن ليفربول قد حقق الفوز على إنتر ميلان بهدف نظيف مساء أمس على ملعب سان سيرو في إطار منافسات مرحلة الدوري بدوري أبطال أوروبا.

Pete Alonso’s decision to sign with the Orioles could represent a massive shift in the American League East.

After Baltimore landed Alonso on a five-year, $155 million deal, Jeff Passan made a pretty big claim. ESPN’s MLB insider took to X and tweeted the following:

While that claim is bold, it really isn’t hard to see it being correct.

While there could still be moves coming, Baltimore’s lineup is absolutely loaded after adding Taylor Ward and Alonso. Here’s a look below.

Pete Alonso is set to take over at first base, and the 31-year-old is coming off an outstanding year in which he slashed .272/.347/.524, with 38 home runs and a wRC+ of 141.

Former No. 1 overall pick Jackson Holliday has yet to hit his stride in the majors, but the second baseman has all the tools to become elite. In 2025, he slashed .242/.314/.375 with 17 home runs and a wRC+ of 96. He’s only 22 and is poised for a breakout.

Shortstop Gunnar Henderson should be a perennial MVP candidate, who carries a lifetime 132 wRC+, with a peak of 154 in 2024.

Third baseman Jordan Westburg slashed .265/.313/.457 with 17 home runs and a wRC+ of 115 in 2025, and the 26-year-old should only improve.

Catcher Adley Rutschman is coming off a down year, and his hitting numbers have trended in the wrong direction since he posted a 134 wRC+ as a rookie in 2022. He’s sure to be pushed by top prospect Samuel Basallo, who made the big leagues in 2025. Last season, Rutschman slashed .220/.307/.366 with nine home runs and a wRC+ of 91.

Basallo is currently penciled in at DH. The 21-year-old sac action in 31 games as a rookie in 2025, he slashed .165/.229/.330, with four home runs and a wRC+ of 55. But in 76 games at Triple A, he posted a .966 OPS, with 23 home runs, and had 44 walks against 76 strikeouts. He consistently crushed the ball in the minors, and his bat should catch up eventually.

Baltimore landed 31-year-old Taylor Ward in a trade this offseason, and the left fielder should boost the team’s outfield offense. In 2025, the 31-year-old slashed .228/.317/.475, with career-highs in home runs (36) and RBIs (103), while posting a wRC+ of 117. With more protection surrounding him in the lineup, those numbers could jump up.

Right fielder Dylan Beavers is another young guy poised to break out. In 35 games as a rookie in 2025, he slashed .227/.375/.400, with four home runs, but did post a wRC+ of 125. In 94 Triple A games, Beavers slashed .304/.420/.515 with 18 home runs and a wRC+ of 152. At 24, he has plenty of room to grow.

Colton Cowser is set to take over in center field, and stop me if you’ve heard this before, he’s a young top prospect poised to make a jump. In his first full season in 2024, Cowser slashed .242/.321/.447, with 24 home runs and a wRC+ of 119. He took a step back in 2025 (as did much of the lineup), and those numbers dropped to .196/.269/.385, with 16 homers and a wRC+ of 83. His season got a late start due to a fractured thumb and was later stalled by a concussion. A full, healthy season should see him back on the right trajectory.

Passan is right, that is a loaded lineup. While changes could still be coming, Baltimore should enter the 2026 season with one of baseball’s best offenses. Adding Alonso was just the icing on an already attractive cake.

Jamie Carragher took aim at one Liverpool star, who was “really poor” against Sunderland, as Arne Slot’s side endured another mixed evening at Anfield.

Liverpool struggle at Anfield yet again

After victory over West Ham United last weekend, Liverpool looked to their game against Sunderland as an ideal chance to make it back-to-back wins in the Premier League and stop the rot. The Black Cats had different ideas, however, and soon reminded the Reds why they find themselves in the position they’re in.

In many ways, Chemsdine Talbi’s deflected effort summed up Liverpool’s recent fortunes. With the Premier League champions entering the game off the back of two Anfield losses, the last thing they needed was for Virgil van Dijk’s block to find the back of Alisson Becker’s net.

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ByEthan Lamb Dec 3, 2025

One positive for Liverpool in recent weeks has been the form of Florian Wirtz, though, and at long last the German made his mark in the Premier League. His effort went down as a Nordi Mukiele own goal, but there’s no doubt that one of the summer’s most expensive signings stepped up to get his side level.

It was far from a vintage display from the champions, but they’ll at least be relieved to avoid another defeat. Following victory at West Ham, Slot’s side should see the Leeds United game this weekend as the opportunity to turn the narrative to two wins from three games in the same week.

That said, whether Alexander Isak plays a part this weekend remains to be seen. The Swede didn’t follow up from last weekend’s first Premier League goal for the club and had just 15 touches, much to Carragher’s frustration.

Jamie Carragher slams "really poor" Alexander Isak

Watching on from commentary, Carragher slammed Isak as “really poor” and said that the forward has no “excuses” for his disappointing form at this stage of the campaign.

After smashing their transfer record to welcome the £280,000-a-week star, Liverpool were in dreamland in the summer. Alas, that dream has quickly turned into a nightmare for all involved.

Isak has gone from strike to strike-less at times. Liverpool sit eighth and their attack has never seemed so toothless under Slot. With Hugo Ekitke also struggling to find the back of the net in recent weeks, there’s no doubt that the Reds have an attacking problem on their hands.

It doesn’t get any easier, either. On paper, a trip to a newly promoted side should be a routine affair, but Liverpool will be squaring off against a Leeds side who just defeated Chelsea.

Before then, Slot simply has to find a way to get Isak more involved. With just 15 touches, the Swede was always likely to struggle.

Liverpool open talks this week to sign "monster" Real Madrid target

The Premier League title race was blown wide open deep into time added on at Villa Park after Emiliano Buendia fired home from close range to sink Arsenal, a defeat which pundits say could've easily been avoided. Gunners legend Ian Wright believes Mikel Arteta got his tactics wrong late in the game as Villa pushed for their winner.

• Gunner stunner at Villa Park

  Arsenal’s 18-game unbeaten streak ended with a dramatic last-gasp winner in the pulsating clash – and Man City’s winner later in the day cut the Gunners' lead to just two points at the top of the table. The game exploded into life as Matty Cash's clinical finish put the hosts ahead, but Areta’s side roared back after the break, with Leandro Trossard leveling the scores in what was a breathtaking second-half. The match appeared destined for a draw until a chaotic climax. Deep into injury time, Villa launched a final, desperate attack. A scramble in the box saw the ball fall to substitute Buenda, who unleashed a fierce strike that found the back of the net in the 95th minute. But the Gunners’ game management in the final moments has been called into question.

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  Wright: 'That should have been the signal'

  Speaking to Premier League Productions, Wright said: 'I think you’ve got to look at the substitutions Emery made, Malen coming on, offensive, Buendia coming on, offensive, I think that should have been the signal to Arsenal to say, "right, let’s shut up shop now because they’re going for it". I think once you get past 85 minutes I think Arsenal going there, let’s face it, Villa with the chances they had could have won the game, you then say, “let’s take what we’ve got now and get back to London”.'

  Ex-Villa boss Martin O’Neill highlighted Noni Madueke’s performance and questioned his decision to take on a difficult shot, rather than head to the corner to run down the clock. O’Neill said: 'I think some players have to take responsibility. You (Wright) mentioned Madueke should have run it into the corner, these are the types of things, the manager would have been encouraging him to do exactly that. So you’re talking about the game management, sometimes it’s not down to the manager, he would’ve been shouting, Madueke wouldn’t have been able to have heard him, but he would’ve been shouting take it to the corner.'

  Wright replied: 'I have to agree with Martin, naturally, as a forward if we’re getting into that stage of the game where they’re putting pressure on, they’ve put two forwards on, then you naturally know, “I’m going to start running it into the corner now”. Because a point at Villa at this stage is good. I think a lot more will lose points at Villa Park, but it would’ve been a good one to take.'

• Arteta points blame for damaging defeat

  Speaking to reporters after the loss, Arteta said: 'In the second half we started really well. We were very dominant, but then the same issues returned. We allowed certain opponents too much space. We gave the ball away ourselves, to the point where it could have cost us the game, before it actually did. Goal kick long, second ball…clear the ball. Individual actions and a lot of chaos in the box and you end up losing it. So it's painful.'

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  European challenge awaits Gunners

  Arsenal don’t have long to wait to move on from the defeat by Villa as they head to Belgium for a tricky tie with Club Brugge. Arteta's team are the only side with a 100 per cent win record in the Champions League this season, winning all five matches and have won six of their last seven away games in the competition.

Already one of UAE’s mainstays with his explosive batting, Alishan Sharafu is trying to be the team’s man for all situations

Shashank Kishore14-Sep-2025Alishan Sharafu, 22, has lived almost all his life in the UAE. But the love of cricket began in Kerala, when he would visit family in the summers. As he grew older, he naturally gravitated towards the game without really knowing if he could make a career out of it.Nearly 15 years after he first started playing, Sharafu is one of UAE’s batting mainstays, and has grown into a valuable retain-worthy local talent in the ILT20, where he represents Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.In UAE’s Asia Cup opener against India, Sharafu was their top scorer in an otherwise forgettable batting performance. What he is unlikely to forget is the range of shots he displayed – backing away to smash Axar Patel inside-out over cover for six, or whipping Jasprit Bumrah off his hips. It’s the confidence from those shots that he is hoping to carry forward when UAE play gulf-rivals Oman on Monday.Related

• UAE and Oman look to end losing streaks in Abu Dhabi showdown

• Batters were overawed by India's big names, says Rajput

• Will UAE punch above their weight in Group A?

• Oman's Sufyan is living his dream after defying his family

“My first memory of cricket was the 2011 World Cup,” he tells ESPNcricinfo. “I was supporting India, obviously, and they went on to win it. It was Sachin’s [Tendulkar] last World Cup, and that was the point where I wanted to play the game. That was when cricket became a passion.”Today, that passion has allowed him opportunities to face Sunil Narine in the nets, and train and learn from Andre Russell and Phil Salt, among others. And in the UAE, such exposure is gold.”Every game is a big opportunity,” Sharafu says. “Because there are only two local players in the XI [at ILT20], you never know how many chances you’ll get. Maybe just one in the whole season. So you have to do well. Fortunately, I played every game in my first season [2024], which was a privilege. You learn from the best – just watching how they go about their game.”For Sharafu, while cricket continues to be the priority, he has ticked off another box along the way on his parents’ insistence. He has completed a degree in cyber security, even though he is fairly certain he won’t have to use it anytime soon.”Initially, my mom was a little skeptical about cricket, because for every parent, education comes first,” he says. “But once I started playing international cricket, she understood. I think I did okay to manage both. I met her expectations, whatever she wanted. But yeah, it was difficult once I got to university. I had to do both. There was no option.”

“Everyone wants to be the best in the country. I’d like to be someone the team can depend on to win games. That’s what I want to be known for”Alishan Sharafu

But pulling off balancing acts isn’t new for Sharafu. When he was 15, he broke into the UAE Under-16s and Under-19s the same year, all while managing high school. He made his T20I debut at 17 and ODI debut at 18, in 2020 and 2021 respectively.Sharafu was first spotted by Knight Riders at a trial by former analyst AR Srikkanth, first came into the setup in the ILT20 under Ryan ten Doeschate, the franchise’s then coach who is currently assistant coach of India. Sharafu was shortlisted for his ability to take the bowlers on right from the outset.”I don’t know where it comes from,” he says of his fearlessness. “But I’ve always liked taking bowlers on. That’s how I’ve always wanted to bat. Even as a kid, I just loved hitting sixes.”For the past two seasons at the ILT20, Sharafu says he’s learnt “something school or university doesn’t teach you”.”Andre Russell is one I always watch. I asked him about how he hits sixes consistently, what his secret is,” Sharafu says. “With Narine, he’s probably one of the calmest and smartest cricketers I’ve seen. He just reads the game one step faster. Even batting with Phil Salt, he told me a few small things that could help my game. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t, but just having those conversations is special.””Batting with Phil Salt, he told me a few small things that could help my game”•ILT20Asked of his biggest improvements since playing in the ILT20, he says, “I think my batting evolved after last season with Knight Riders. Even though you’re the same player, playing alongside guys like Russell and Narine just gives you confidence. Once you have that validation, you take that confidence into the UAE team too. It’s 80% about how you feel. And I think that experience has added another gear to my batting.”That improvement has been visible in his ability to alter between roles. “I’ve always been a top-order batter, but I’m also adjusting to batting in the middle. If we lose early wickets, I know I have to stabilise the innings and take it deep. If we’re going well, I just go in and bat with freedom. The clarity from the team management has been excellent.”Off the field, Sharafu likes to unwind watching football, playing FIFA on PlayStation, or just relaxing by a pool or a beach. His cricketing ambition is a lot more focused: “Everyone wants to be the best in the country. I’d like to be someone the team can depend on to win games. That’s what I want to be known for.”This drive, Sharafu says, comes from his dad for all the sacrifices he has had to make. “From when I was 10-15, every Friday and Saturday, he’d take me to training and games, sit at the ground, pick me up, drop me back. He’s a very passionate supporter, sometimes hard on me too, but I think that’s where I get it from.”At 22, Sharafu is still very much work-in-progress, but he carries the confidence and drive of someone who has clarity on what he wants to do.

Tottenham Hotspur improved after the break, but the damage had been done following Fulham’s early flurry in north London, two goals to the good after six minutes.

Thomas Frank spoke before the game about the importance of starting with confidence, but the performance was anything but assured, with Sky Sports co-commentator Alan Smith remarking that it was “chaos in Tottenham’s defensive line” early on.

It wasn’t just the defenders who flattered to deceive, though, with Guglielmo Vicario’s ill-judged rush from his box to deal with a clearance leaving Harry Wilson to curl home and double the Cottagers’ lead just moments into the match.

Guglielmo Vicario is letting Spurs down

Vicario has been an astute piece of business for Tottenham over the past several years, but he has left plenty to be desired this season, with his error-strewn performance against Fulham sadly not an outlier, his costly mistake the third of the Premier League campaign, and 11th since he arrived in 2023.

There is a case to be made that the Lilywhite defenders needed to drop back and protect the yawning goalmouth, but Vicario, 28, has much to answer for, only making one save besides, as per Sofascore.

Whether Vicario reprises his starting berth between the sticks going forward is another matter, but it’s certainly one Frank will chew on as he looks to arrest this slump and bring Spurs back into the ascendancy, stringing together some strong winter form to challenge for a reprisal of their ongoing Champions League campaign.

However, changes clearly need to be made, and Frank does not have long to enact any shuffling, with Newcastle United awaiting at St. James’ Park on Tuesday evening.

There may actually be an outfield Tottenham star who must be dropped for that crucial top-flight clash, having lacked dynamism in the middle of the park this season.

5/10 Spurs star was as poor as Vicario

The boos chorused around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at full-time, and Joao Palhinha was among the dejected players in white after a disappointing midfield display that saw him hooked on the hour mark.

The loanee, brought in from Bayern Munich in the summer, was ineffective against his former London outfit, with football.london criticising ‘one of his shakier performances’ and branding him with a 5/10 match rating.

Vicario might suffer from crises of judgement, but Palhinha is beginning to solidify as a centre-midfielder lacking in key areas; namely, he is limited in possession and he is not mobile enough.

As per FBref, the Portugal international ranks among the bottom 9% of Premier League midfielders for progressive passes and progressive carries per 90.

These flaws were accentuated against Marco Silva’s side, who only had 37% of the ball but made it count. Palhinha’s inability to break lines and influence in the attacking half played into this.

Minutes played

60′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

45

Accurate passes

31/35 (89%)

Chances created

0

Dribbles

1/2

Recoveries

1

Tackles won

0/1

Interceptions

3

Duels won

4/6

You would hope, at least, that the tough-tackling midfielder would win his tackles, but Palhinha’s one attempted tackle saw him come up short, lunging into the grass.

The fact that the 30-year-old failed to create a chance and made just the one recovery further emphasises the poor display, too one-dimensional and sedentary in the middle of the park.

Tottenham need more energy and electricity and enthusiasm. Sure, key playmakers are sidelined, but this isn’t good enough.

Change is needed, and it might be time for Frank to repackage his engine room with a new combination.

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