England batter Jacob Bethell is set to miss the Champions Trophy after sustaining a left hamstring injury* on the tour of India. Bethell missed Sunday’s second ODI in Cuttack, with England captain Jos Buttler saying afterwards he was unlikely to be fit for the tournament, which starts in 10 days’ time.”I’m pretty sure he’s been ruled out of the Champions Trophy, to be honest,” Buttler said. “That’s really disappointing for him, obviously he played nicely the other day and has been one of the really exciting players so it’s a shame that the injury is going to rule him out.”With Jamie Smith still recovering from a calf issue – the tourists were forced to name assistant coaches Marcus Trescothick and Paul Collingwood as sub-fielders in Cuttack – Somerset’s Tom Banton has been drafted into the squad as cover, and will arrive in India on Monday.The extent of Bethell’s injury will be established in the coming days, with England yet to make an official announcement about his status. England’s Champions Trophy campaign kicks off on February 22, against Australia in Lahore, and there is optimism around Smith’s recovery, with the wicketkeeper-batter taking part in the warm-ups on Sunday. The deadline for announcing replacements to the 15-man Champions Trophy squad is February 12.Bethell impressed with 51 and 1 for 18 with his left-arm spin in the first ODI against India, which the hosts won by four wickets. Having also performed well on his maiden Test tour of New Zealand at the end of 2024, with three half-centuries and an average of 52, he has been earmarked by head coach Brendon McCullum as a vital cog across all formats.Banton, meanwhile, has a chance to reignite his international career, having earned the last of his 20 white-ball caps in 2022. Though he has underwhelmed for England so far, with just three fifty-plus scores across four ODIs and 16 T20Is, he is in a rich vein of form off the back of a stellar ILT20, topping the competition’s batting charts.The 26-year-old struck 493 runs in 11 outings for MI Emirates, including two centuries, as the franchise reached the Eliminator stage where they were defeated by Sharjah Warriors.1900 GMT – This story was updated with Jos Buttler’s post-match quotes

Gujarat will face the winner of the game between Kerala and Jammu & Kashmir in the semi-final

Shashank Kishore11-Feb-2025Urvil Patel, who had smashed the second-fastest T20 century in November last year, carried his fine form into the red-ball format to hit a maiden first-class hundred in Gujarat’s innings-and-98-run victory over Saurashtra in their Ranji Trophy quarter-final match in Rajkot. Gujarat will play the winner of the ongoing fixture between Kerala and Jammu & Kashmir in the semi-final.Urvil top-scored with 140 in Gujarat’s massive total of 511 in the first innings, which gave them a 295-run lead over Saurashtra, who managed only 216 after being sent in. Urvil was supported by Jaymeet Patel (103) and Manan Hingrajia (83) as they wore out a competent Saurashtra attack by batting out 159.1 overs.But Saurashtra were in the game at one stage when Gujarat were reduced to 78 for 3 early on the second day. Then Hingrajia and Jaymeet put together a 144-run stand to set the foundation for a mammoth score.Saurashtra began the fourth day trailing by 262 runs with all ten wickets in hand but were bowled out in under two sessions. Left-arm seamer Arzan Nagwaswalla picked up three wickets for Gujarat, while seamer Priyajitsing Jadeja got four – including the big strike of Pujara. Ravi Bishnoi, who had linked up with the squad following his return from national duty, picked up two crucial wickets in the second innings.Saurashtra eventually made just 197 in the second innings, with Harvik Desai top-scoring with 54. Cheteshwar Pujara finished a modest season with scores of 26 and 2. Barring the 234 against Chhattisgarh in the second game and 99 against Assam last week, Pujara’s highest score in the eight other innings was the 26 he made in the first innings against Gujarat.Saurashtra’s exit marked the end of a decorated career of their batter Sheldon Jackson, one of their stalwarts. He finishes his first-class career with 7283 runs in 174 innings at an average of 45.80. Jackson hit 21 hundreds and 39 half-centuries in all, with the high point being the Ranji Trophy win in 2019-20.

West Ham United were turned down in the final hours of the summer transfer window after making a last-gasp approach to sign a “leader”, a reporter has revealed.

Igor delighted after signing for West Ham

West Ham’s deadline day was ultimately relatively quiet, with Igor Julio proving to be the only arrival, joining on loan from fellow Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion.

Igor chose to move to the London Stadium rather than joining Crystal Palace, which may have caused the knock-on effect of Marc Guehi not signing for Liverpool, with Oliver Glasner always reluctant to sanction a move unless adequate cover was brought in.

Speaking after joining Graham Potter’s side, the Brazilian said: “I am really happy to be here at West Ham United,” said Igor. “It is a big Club, a historic Club, with fantastic support and a special identity. I saw this in Prague during the Europa Conference League final two years ago, and I feel very proud to now be representing the colours.”

Potter needed to get another centre-back through the door to replace the outgoing Nayef Aguerd, who has now signed for Marseille, but the Brighton defender was not the only target, with West Ham also making a last-gasp approach to sign Chelsea’s Axel Disasi.

However, reporter Graeme Bailey has since revealed that Disasi “said no” to a move to the London Stadium, while also shunning interest from the likes of AFC Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ajax to remain at Stamford Bridge.

Related "Outstanding" manager is "leading" West Ham candidate to replace Potter

The Hammers have set their sights on a Graham Potter replacement.

Posts ByDominic Lund Aug 31, 2025 Julio could be better signing for Potter than Disasi

It is unclear why the Chelsea centre-back, who is valued at around £25m, was so reluctant to leave, given that there was widespread interest in his signature, and the Frenchman clearly isn’t a part of Enzo Maresca’s plans.

The 27-year-old, who has been described as a “leader” by journalist Nizaar Kinsella, was shipped out on loan to Aston Villa last January, and has failed to make a single appearance for the Blues so far this season.

The fact Igor actually wants to go and play football is an encouraging sign, and there are clear indications he is a more forward-thinking defender, who is comfortable in possession of the ball.

Average per 90 (past year)

Axel Disasi

Igor Julio

Passes attempted

58.50

68.37

Progressive passes

3.31

4.59

Blocks

1.01

2.25

Consequently, West Ham should not be too disheartened by the fact they missed out on the signing of Disasi, and they will be hoping picking up their first clean sheet of the season against Nottingham Forest last time out will be an early turning point.

Manchester United’s wage bill is a site to behold, with the Red Devils forking out more than £3m a week on first-team salaires.

The Red Devils currently have a whopping annual payroll of £158,700,000, but, despite this being such a huge number, it’s actually quite a bit less than it was in the previous campaign.

A number of recent exits helped the Manchester club’s cause, including selling Alejandro Garnacho and Antony, loans for Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho, whereas Victor Lindelof and Christian Eriksen were released.

With that being said, we at Football FanCast have ranked every Manchester United player in the first-team squad in order from highest to lowest in terms of wages for the 2025-26 season, with the help of Capology.

Disclaimer – only the club and the players themselves truly know their wages, so take each of these figures as you will.

1

Casemiro

£350,000

£18,200,000

2

Bruno Fernandes

£300,000

£15,600,000

3

Matthijs de Ligt

£195,000

£10,140,000

4

Harry Maguire

£190,000

£9,880,000

5

Matheus Cunha

£180,000

£9,360,000

6

Benjamin Sesko

£160,000

£8,320,000

=7

Luke Shaw

£150,000

£7,800,000

=7

Mason Mount

£150,000

£7,800,000

=7

Bryan Mbeumo

£150,000

£7,800,000

10

Noussair Mazraoui

£135,000

£7,020,000

=11

Lisandro Martinez

£120,000

£6,240,000

=11

Andre Onana

£120,000

£6,240,000

=11

Manuel Ugarte

£120,000

£6,240,000

=11

Amad Diallo

£120,000

£6,240,000

15

Leny Yoro

£115,000

£5,980,000

16

Joshua Zirkzee

£105,000

£5,460,000

17

Diogo Dalot

£85,000

£4,420,000

18

Tyrell Malacia

£75,000

£3,900,000

19

Jadon Sancho

£50,000

£2,600,000

20

Tom Heaton

£45,000

£2,340,000

21

Patrick Dorgu

£40,000

£2,080,000

22

Altay Bayindir

£35,000

£1,820,000

23

Kobbie Mainoo

£25,000

£1,300,000

24

Chido Obi

£15,000

£780,000

=25

Joe Hugill

£5,000

£260,000

=25

Ethan Wheatley

£5,000

£260,000

=25

Tyler Fredicson

£5,000

£260,000

28

Ayden Heaven

£4,000

£208,000

29

Dan Gore

£3,000

£156,000

Here's a detailed look at the top 10 Man Utd earners… 10 Noussair Mazraoui £135,000 per week

Noussair Mazraoui was one of many who made the move to Old Trafford in 2024, arriving from Bayern Munich after the Red Devils sold Aaron Wan-Bissaka to West Ham.

The Morocco international penned a four-year deal with Man Utd, who will hope he can go on to star over the coming years.

9 Bryan Mbeumo £150,000 per week

Man Utd were able to offer attacker Bryan Mbeumo a big salary after making the Cameroon international a top transfer target.

The former Brentford ace cost the Red Devils more than £70m with add-ons included over the summer and penned a five-year deal at Old Trafford.

8 Luke Shaw £150,000 per week

Left-back Luke Shaw has now been a Red Devils player for 10 years and is closing in on 300 appearances for the club.

The England international may have had several injury struggles during his time as a Man Utd player, but he is still under contract until 2027.

7 Mason Mount £150,000 per week

Man Utd signed Mason Mount from Chelsea in a £60m deal in 2023, despite the Englishman having just 12 months remaining on his Stamford Bridge deal at the time.

Unfortunately, Mount missed large parts of his first season through injury, so in hindsight, the Red Devils would have been better off waiting for the player to become a free agent instead of splashing the cash.

6 Benjamin Sesko £160,000 per week

Benjamin Sesko is the latest man set to be tasked with firing Man Utd to glory, with the centre-forward choosing Old Trafford over Newcastle.

The Red Devils paid RB Leipzig an initial £66m for the towering striker, who is set to earn more than £40m in his five years with United.

5 Matheus Cunha £180,000 per week

Matheus Cunha took Man Utd’s famous number 10 shirt from Marcus Rashford after his big-money move from Wolves.

Ruben Amorim’s first summer signing at Old Trafford, Cunha was handed a five-year deal worth more than £9m a season.

4 Harry Maguire £190,000 per week

Former club captain Harry Maguire has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford on numerous occasions in recent years but remains a big Red Devils earner.

His near £10m a-year contract is set to expire in 2026, so it’ll be interesting to see if the club offer him new terms over the coming months.

3 Matthijs de Ligt £195,000 per week

Matthijs de Ligt is under contract with United until 2029, and after numeorus departues, is now the club’s third highest earner.

Former boss Erik ten Hag worked with De Ligt at Ajax previously, but it was Juventus who sold the centre-back to Man Utd in 2024, with the Dutch star penning a five-year deal.

2 Bruno Fernandes £300,000 per week

Bruno Fernandes was made Man Utd captain back in 2023, and in recent years, the midfielder has arguably been the only real marquee signing who has lived up to the hype.

The Portugal international turned down a move to Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2025 and is under contract until 2027.

1 Casemiro £350,000 per week

The biggest earner at Old Trafford is Casemiro, who has been picking up £350,000 per week since joining from Real Madrid in 2022.

The Brazilian cost the Red Devils £50m, however, the player has come in for criticism in the last 12 months and was again linked with an exit in the summer.

Matt Henry had been desperate to play in the final of the Champions Trophy. He had taken five wickets in the previous match in Dubai, against India. He was the tournament’s highest wicket-taker. And even after he suffered the injury to the shoulder as he took the catch that removed Heinrich Klaasen in the semi-final against South Africa, he came back and bowled two further overs, and fielded.And yet, the injury kept him out of the final, against an opposition he has tended to dominate. In 11 ODIs against India, he has 21 wickets at an average of 21.00, with an economy rate of 4.48. India’s chase in Dubai suffered stutters through the middle, but they eventually got home with four wickets to spare, and an over in reserve.Henry was missed, said captain Mitchell Santner. His replacement Nathan Smith only bowled two overs in the final. Henry went through a fitness test just before the game, and was visibly distraught as he was failing it.Related

• Shoulder injury keeps Matt Henry out of Champions Trophy final

• Rohit, Rahul, spinners lead India to third Champions Trophy title

• Stats – Four drops, a spin strangle, and 15 tosses lost in a row

“He was the leading wicket-taker going into this game, and he’s an outstanding bowler, as we’ve seen,” Santner said. Henry’s ten wickets at an average of 16.70 still leads the Champions Trophy wickets chart, despite his missing the final. “He seems to be able to nip it on wickets that don’t look like they should nip, so I guess we missed that today. I feel for Matty. He’s a massive team man, and he looked pretty distraught.”We just kind of said, like, let’s do it for him. To come this far and then be injured for the main event was pretty tough for him and I guess for us. He tried everything he could to be ready for this game, and unfortunately for us, he wasn’t quite there.”There were other battles that New Zealand had had to fight through in the course of the tournament. Where India played all five matches in Dubai, New Zealand had to zip between Dubai and all three venues in Pakistan – the only team in the Champions Trophy to play at four venues.Rachin Ravindra, the Player of the Tournament with 263 runs at an average of 65.75 and a strike rate of 106.47, plus three wickets, had also suffered a blow to his forehead attempting a catch in the outfield in the tri-series in Pakistan that preceded the Champions Trophy. Kyle Jamieson, meanwhile, was a late replacement for Lockie Ferguson, who was injured playing in the ILT20.1:27

Southee: Henry not playing the final a ‘massive loss’ for New Zealand

“It’s never going to go perfectly in these tournaments, I guess, with the quick turnaround of games like we had,” Santner said. “But I think what’s most pleasing is different guys got opportunities and stepped up as. I couldn’t be prouder of the group.”There were guys coming in and out due to injury. And then the way Rachin came back straightaway after his head knock and hit the ground running was great. And Kyle Jamieson flying over and coming straight into the team – I thought he bowled extremely well in the games he played.”Although New Zealand made mistakes in the field as they attempted to defend a target of 253 in the final, it was the first innings that had been definitive, Santner said. New Zealand were 57 for no wicket after 7.4 overs, but then lost Will Young, Ravindra and Kane Williamson in quick succession, to be 75 for 3 after 12.2 overs. Varun Chakravarthy struck the first blow, before Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Ravindra and Williamson within his first seven deliveries.”I think the way we went about it for the first eight overs or so was outstanding. And then it took some brilliance from the spinners to really peg us back and make it challenging through that middle phase,” Santner said. “After the start, we were probably thinking of a score around 275 or 280. Credit has to go to Kuldeep for the way he bowled straight after the powerplay, and Varun inside the powerplay.”

Leeds United have made a surprise approach to sign a new striker who has won the Champions League.

Leeds want more attacking signings before the transfer deadline

The Whites fell to an embarrassing EFL Cup defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday evening, with the Championship side fielding a team mostly filled with youngsters.

Daniel Farke, meanwhile, started summer signings Sebastiaan Bornauw, Jaka Bijol, Sean Longstaff, Noah Okafor and Lukas Nmecha, however, Leeds were knocked out on penalties after a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes.

After completing 10 senior signings, more attacking additions are wanted at Elland Road before the deadline, with journalist Graeme Bailey saying Leeds want a winger and number 10.

"Tough to take" – Leeds and Farke now given new injury blow to "key" star

It’s not good news for the Whites.

ByCharlie Smith Aug 27, 2025

With days remaining in the transfer window, it looks as if the 49ers Enterprises have turned to a new attacking target and have had a reply.

Leeds make surprise approach for Timo Werner

A versatile forward who appears to be on Leeds’ radar is former Chelsea and Tottenham striker Timo Werner.

According to reports in Germany, relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds made a surprise approach to sign Werner from RB Leipzig. As well as those in Yorkshire, fellow promoted side Burnley have also been in contact to bring the German back to England, however, Werner has snubbed both Leeds and Burnley.

Werner also hasn’t entertained the possibility of moving to Italy, Turkey and Saudi Arabia and is under contract with Leipzig until 2026.

Games

Goals

RB Leipzig

213

113

Stuttgart

103

14

Chelsea

89

23

Tottenham

41

3

Germany

57

24

Scoring 177 senior goals during his career, Werner can play anywhere across the front three but struggled in the 2024/25 Premier League season, failing to score in 18 appearances.

He was also criticised by former Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou after the forward’s Europa League display against Rangers.

“When you’ve got 18-year-olds [in the squad], it [that performance] is not acceptable to me. I said that to Timo, he’s a German international.

“In the moment we’re in right now – it’s not like we’ve got many options – I need everyone to at least be going out there and trying to give the best of themselves. His performance in the first half wasn’t acceptable.

“We need everybody, including him, to be contributing because we don’t have the depth to leave people out if they perform poorly. I expect a level of performance from some of the senior guys, and tonight wasn’t that.”

Werner is a Champions League winner, and at the age of 29, could have represented a solid signing, but it looks as if a transfer won’t be happening in the final days of the window.

There was an amusing moment at the end of Michael Arteta's pre-match press conference on Tuesday when a reporter asked if the 15-year-old Max Dowman had been included in the Arsenal squad for the Carabao Cup clash with Port Vale the following evening. "Yes," Arteta immediately responded, before then quipping, "Well, it depends, I might put the handbrake on!"

It's certainly a good sign that the under-fire Gunners boss can see the funny side of the intensifying criticism of his perceived overly cautious approach to big games – but it remains a serious cause for concern among a set of supporters desperate to see their club lift a major trophy this season.

Consequently, there will be intense interest in the team Arteta chooses to face Newcastle on Sunday. One could easily argue that it's already become a must-win game for the Gunners – but the big question is whether their manager will treat it as such…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  One FA Cup in six years

  Arteta has undeniably done an outstanding job re-establishing Arsenal as one of the top teams in England after taking over from interim boss Freddie Ljungberg in December 2019 following the dismissal of Unai Emery, the previous permanent manager, the month before.

  He even won an FA Cup with what was essentially still Emery's side just nine months later – but that remains his last notable achievement. Arteta may count Community Shields as meaningful – but nobody else does.

  For all the progress that Arsenal have made on the Spaniard's watch – three consecutive runners-up finishes in the Premier League and an appearance in the semi-finals of the Champions League – the fact of the matter is that his tenure cannot be considered an unmitigated success.

  One FA Cup win is not an acceptable return on an investment of approximately £1 billion ($1.3bn) in players and while being twice denied the title by Pep Guardiola's Manchester City may have been forgivable, being left trailing in the wake of Liverpool in Arne Slot's first season in English football was anything but.

  Worryingly, Arsenal are already playing catch-up in this season's title race and many pundits believe that Arteta's lack of bravery is the main reason why.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  'Liverpool have something that Arsenal do not'

  Arsenal arrived at Anfield on August 31 without their best player, Bukayo Saka, while key creator Martin Odegaard had only just returned from injury.

  Nonetheless, with Liverpool looking more than a little disjointed during the first two rounds of the season after a summer spending spree, the pre-match consensus was that the game was there for the taking for the visitors.

  It was a feeling that had only intensified by the end of a first half in which the reigning English champions managed just two shots – neither of which were on target.

  However, Slot was bold during their break, instructing his team to go man for man in their pressing, meaning that the complexion of the game had altered by the time Arteta brought on Eberechi Eze and Odegaard midway through the second half.

  Arsenal had lost the initiative, so while Dominik Szoboszlai's fantastic free-kick may have been a moment of magic in an otherwise mundane match, it was impossible to avoid the conclusion that fortune had once again favoured the brave.

  "Liverpool have got something that Arsenal and Arteta don't have right now," eight-time Premier League champion Gary Neville said on . "And it's that edge to go on and win those big matches.

  "Liverpool believe they should be winning these matches. I'm not sure Arsenal do. They don't want to lose."

• Getty
  

  'Now or never for Arteta'

  Such an insipid defeat to a direct title rival ramped up the pressure on Arsenal going into last Sunday's meeting with Manchester City at the Emirates.

  "I think it's now or never for Arteta being honest," former Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney said on his podcast. "He has to win something major this season, in my opinion, because he has spent a lot of money, brought a lot of players in, and he's probably got the best squad in the league."

  The question before the game, though, was the same as the question after it: Is Arteta really making the most of the talent at his disposal?

  Arteta, midfielder Declan Rice and several other Arsenal players were adamant that Arsenal "dominated" City – and they certainly did in terms of possession (66.8%-33.2%).

  But while they saw more of the ball than anyone else in a league game against a team managed by Guardiola – they did very little with it, which is why they ended up needing an injury-time equaliser from substitute Gabriel Martinelli to claim a 1-1 draw.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  'A waste of 45 minutes'

  Much of the post-match discourse centered on Arteta's team selection. As at Anfield, he named a conservative-looking midfield three of Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino, meaning Eze once again began on the bench.

  Given the former Crystal Palace ace came on and the set up the equaliser, the obvious argument was that Eze should have started against a tired City side but Arteta insisted: "It's too easy to say that. I think it's very clear what we wanted to do. And we started the game very well.

  "After City scored (through Erling Haaland nine minutes in) – doing absolutely nothing before that – we were a bit shaky for five or seven minutes and after that we still gripped the game again and started to dominate it."

  Again, though, the reality was at odds with Arteta's perception, as Arsenal didn't manage a shot on target until stoppage time at the end of the first half – which is why Jamie Carragher labelled it "a waste of 45 minutes" from the home side.

  "The reason I am saying that is because I played for managers like that at Liverpool and we were really close and a very top team, but we never won a Premier League," the former England international said on . "I always felt at times under Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez, maybe we had the handbrake on in certain games and that is what Arteta is doing.

  "Liverpool were there for the taking in that second half at Anfield, Man City were there for the taking at the start of this game and he has allowed them to come into the game.

  "It is just a recurring pattern season after season and if you are Arteta and an Arsenal supporter, you just have to hope that it does not cost you at the end of the season as they are a brilliant team with a fantastic squad, but the margins are so small."

Christian Norgaard has opened up on his Arsenal "frustration" after making his first start following an injury return. The 31-year-old Dane, who swapped Brentford for the Emirates in a £10 million ($13m) summer move, had to endure a stuttering beginning to life in north London after suffering a knee problem on the eve of the season.

Norgaard finally unleashed in red and white

Having been a key figure during pre-season, Norgaard was cruelly forced to watch the opening weeks from the sidelines. His competitive debut came off the bench against Athletic Club last week, but it was in the Carabao Cup third round against Port Vale where he truly got going, helping the Gunners to a 2–0 win.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportA dream delayed but not denied

Speaking after that victory, Norgaard didn’t hide the emotions bubbling under the surface.

“That (starting) was obviously an amazing feeling,” he said. “I’ve been waiting a long time for it. I had a taste of it in pre-season and then unfortunately had the injury. So I had to wait a bit, but today was a nice experience, even though it was a tough game. But we got the job done in the end."

The midfielder confessed that missing out during Arsenal’s blistering start to the campaign was tough to take, especially after putting in strong performances across the summer friendlies.

"It’s been frustrating [being injured], but I think also you need to look at it as it could have been a lot worse as well. I missed three games, which is not the end of the world," he said. “I had a lot of momentum. I felt like in the pre-season, I played a lot of minutes and did really well. But then now it’s about getting back to rhythm again. Getting some minutes like today is amazing for me, getting closer to the level I know I can produce." 

Norgaard stunned with Arsenal's depth

Mikel Arteta rang the changes against Port Vale, making nine switches from his usual lineup. But even with so many alterations, Arsenal still looked formidable. Norgaard found himself alongside names like Bukayo Saka and William Saliba, proof of the incredible depth the Gunners now boast.

“Not even by a mile,” he said. “When you saw the lineup we put out, we’re resting a lot of players, but I still think the starting eleven could be very competitive from a league side.

“I think it’s the depth we need to have to be able to compete in all competitions. People know that they will get their minutes as long as they stay fit and available. It’s honestly an amazing group to be a part of, both on a personal level but also on a talent level.”

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Getty Images SportA fighter ready to stake his claim

Norgaard’s journey to this point has already shown resilience, from starring at Brentford to clawing back from injury in north London. Now, with the competition fierce and the fixtures piling up, he knows he must prove his worth in one of the most talent-rich midfields in the Premier League. The Dane will now be hoping his cup outing is just the start of a steady climb into Arteta’s league selections. And with Arsenal heading to St James’ Park to face Newcastle on Sunday, he will be desperate to keep his momentum rolling.

On a surface that aided pace and spin, Sri Lanka’s captain rescued his side with the bat before the visitors collapsed

Tristan Lavalette12-Feb-20252:01

Finch: Big three absence a chance for Ellis to lead attack

A weakened Australia started their Champions Trophy preparation with a 49-run defeat after Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka engineered a remarkable turnaround in a low-scoring first ODI with an extraordinary century in Colombo.Just three days after the Warne-Muralidaran Trophy ended, Sri Lanka’s batting woes continued at 135 for 8 until Asalanka took over with a flurry in the backend and capitalised on a tiring Australia attack in humid conditions.Asalanka made 127 off 126 balls, but took his time initially under sustained pressure before unfurling blistering shots around the wicket. He completely dominated a ninth-wicket partnership of 79 with Eshan Malinga, who finished unbeaten on 1 off 26 balls.Related

Sri Lanka leave out Wickramasinghe for ODI series vs Australia

Weakened Australia look for Champions Trophy answers

Starc withdraws from Champions Trophy, Smith to lead Australia

Without Travis Head, Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell, Australia’s inexperienced top-order were blown away in their pursuit of 215. Australia made a poor start when Matt Short was out second ball for a duck after being pinned lbw by quick Asitha Fernando.It was a disappointment for Short who looks set to open alongside Head at the Champions Trophy. He struggled against Pakistan in the white-ball series in November, but did smash a rapid century for Strikers in the BBL.Jake Fraser-McGurk also endured a run of low scores against Pakistan and in the BBL before clubbing 95 off 46 balls for Renegades in their final game against Heat. It was a belligerent innings that brought him back into the national selection frame.He usually is all crash and brash, but looked uncertain against the moving ball and his only scoring shots were singles. But on his ninth delivery Fraser-McGurk offered a leading edge which was well taken low by Fernando in his follow through.Charith Asalanka scored 127 out of Sri Lanka’s 214•Getty Images

Having made his Test debut last week, Cooper Connolly was given an opportunity at No. 3 in a role he relished with Scorchers in the recent BBL season. But Connolly, a travelling reserve for the Champions Trophy, was tied down and lost patience when he fell lbw to offspinner Maheesh Theekshana after missing a slog sweep.The pressure was on stand-in skipper Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne as they seemingly had to revert to a Test cricket mindset given Australia’s predicament. But Smith tried to immediately put pressure on left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage only to play all over an attempted slog in perhaps his first mistake of the tour.Labuschagne and Alex Carey were forced to rebuild in a 52-run partnership as they knocked the ball around. After his career best 156 in the second Test, Carey’s fluency was evident and he blasted three boundaries when legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga was introduced in the 15th over.The situation appeared perfectly suited for Labuschagne, but on 15 he fell lbw to Theekshana and Carey followed in the next over after holing out to Asalanka for 41. Australia crashed to 85 for 6 and their slim hopes rested on Aaron Hardie and Sean Abbott, who had some nervous moments but battled to a 41-run partnership.Abbott fell tamely when he offered a return catch to Theekshana, who wrapped up Sri Lanka’s comeback victory with the wicket of Spencer Johnson to finish with 4-40.Sri Lanka did not qualify for the Champions Trophy, but continued their strong ODI form having claimed an eighth win from their last 12 matches.The end result looked totally unlikely earlier in the day when Australia’s bowlers dominated much of Sri Lanka’s innings. Spin was expected to feature prominently on a dry surface, but Australia were rewarded for selecting a seam-heavy attack with considerable movement on offer amid occasional overcast skies.Dunith Wellalage knocked over Steve Smith•AFP/Getty Images

With frontline quicks Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc out of the series and the subsequent Champions Trophy, Abbott, Hardie, Johnson and Nathan Ellis combined for nine wickets.Sri Lanka’s top order was exposed against the moving ball after Asalanka elected to bat having won the toss. He eyed a total of around 270, but Australia’s quicks immediately found a dangerous back of a length.Opener Pathum Nissanka hoped to shrug off a double failure in the second Test, but was undone by minimal footwork as Johnson claimed his first ODI wicket in his third match.Having made all the right moves during the Test series, Smith’s gut instincts again proved correct when Hardie was given the new ball ahead of frontline quicks Ellis and Abbott. He dismissed Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis behind the wicket, bowling at speeds around 135kph.He finished with 2 for 9 from his four-over opening spell having only returned to bowling late in the BBL season due to ongoing quad issues. It was a tonic for Australia, who will enter the Champions Trophy without the services of injured Mitchell Marsh and retired Marcus Stoinis.Johnson claimed his second wicket when Kamindu Mendis’ poor run continued after he chipped tamely to square leg. Long touted as a successor to Starc, Johnson bowled consistently around 140kph and his rearing bounce created headaches for Sri Lanka’s batters.It was left to Asalanka to turn things around and he started with a 67-run sixth-run partnership with Wellalage as they played legspinner Adam Zampa with ease.Just when Sri Lanka had some momentum, Smith stepped in with a one-handed blinder to his right at slip when Wellalage poked at Short’s offspin.Fresh off leading Hobart Hurricanes to their first BBL title, Ellis had been unlucky in his first spell but returned with the wickets of Hasaranga and Theekshana as Sri Lanka appeared set for a lowly score.Asalanka had other ideas as he overcame cramps to turn the innings on its head. He hogged the strike, but received solid support from Malinga, whose sole intent was to block the rare deliveries he faced. Asalanka notched his fourth ODI century with a single off Ellis before Malinga scored his first run off the 21st delivery he had faced.Asalanka’s heroics ended in the 46th over at the hands of Abbott, but he had well and truly sparked his team to life.

Southampton are now “in talks” to sign a “top-class” £15m midfielder, amid doubts over Mateus Fernandes’ future, reliable reporter Mike McGrath has revealed on X.

Saints pursuing new midfielder amid doubts over Fernandes' future

As we approach the final two weeks of the summer transfer window, there is still a great deal of doubt over the futures of Fernandes and Tyler Dibling, with the latter player being excluded from the first-team squad, amid major interest from Everton.

Fernandes, on the other hand, has remained available for selection, and the 21-year-old was singled out for praise by Will Still after scoring the winner in the 1-0 EFL Cup victory against Northampton.

When asked about the 21-year-old’s professionalism, Still said: “He’s top, he’s top. I think he’d missed quite a bit of football, which is understandable, but since we’ve brought him back in, he came on and made an impact on Saturday.”

That said, with the likes of West Ham United and Aston Villa in the race for the midfielder, it may be difficult to retain his services beyond the summer, and the Saints have now stepped up their pursuit of a potential replacement.

That is according to McGrath on X, who states that Southampton are now “in talks” to sign Coventry City’s Jack Rudoni, with it also being revealed they are looking to strike a deal for the midfielder very soon.

Reports from elsewhere have stated that a deal for Rudoni could set Still’s side back £15m, with Coventry taking a hardline stance on one of their prized assets, although a fee in that ballpark should be affordable for the Saints if they cash-in on Fernandes.

Southampton offer preliminary contract to sign player similar to Dani Olmo

The Saints are now in advanced talks…

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Aug 11, 2025

There have been suggestions that both Fernandes and Dibling could command £50m transfer fees, which would put the Championship promotion hopefuls on a solid financial footing.

"Top-class" Rudoni could be ideal Fernandes replacement

It would be a shame to see Fernandes leave, given that he is clearly held in high regard by Still, but it would be understandable if the youngster is eager to return to the Premier League, and there are signs the Coventry man could be an ideal replacement.

Much like the Portuguese starlet, the Coventry star has regularly featured in both central and attacking midfield throughout his career to date, and he certainly impressed manager Frank Lampard last season.

Lampard described the 24-year-old as a “top-class young player” after he scored in the 2-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion back in April, one of 21 attacking contributions across the Championship campaign.

Indeed, Rudoni chipped in with nine goals and 12 assists for the Sky Blues in the league last season, indicating that he is a top player at Championship level, and the London-born midfielder could play a major role in the Saints’ promotion push.