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Liverpool are still grieving the death of Diogo Jota following the Portuguese star's tragic death in the summer and Reds boss Arne Slot has conceded it’s difficult to quantify how much they miss his talent on the pitch. Slot has responded after Andy Robertson revealed how much he still thinks about Jota as he continues to come to terms with the death of his team-mate.

• Stumbling start to to title defence

  The Premier League champions recent form has been inconsistent and largely disappointing, marked by significant defensive issues, losing six of their last seven games in all competitions. Key recent results include a 3-0 defeat by Manchester City just before the international break and they were dumped out of the EFL Cup by Crystal Palace in a 3-0 loss at Anfield. The team's defensive vulnerability is a major concern, having kept only three clean sheets in 11 Premier League games this season and they have also developed a worrying trend of conceding the first goal early in matches, often making games a "rescue mission". Despite the poor run, they did secure a thrilling win over Real Madrid earlier this month, demonstrating potential that has yet to translate into consistent results.

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  Emotional Robertson hails Jota

  Robertson paid an emotional tribute to Jota after Scotland's 4-2 victory over Denmark, a win that secured their place in the 2026 World Cup. Robertson revealed he was "in bits" all day thinking about Jota, who died in a car crash in Spain in July 2025 with his brother Andre Silva. He and Jota had often discussed their shared dream of playing in a World Cup after they both missed the 2022 tournament (Jota through injury, Robertson as Scotland didn't qualify). "I couldn't get my mate Diogo Jota out of my head today," Robertson said in a post-match interview, adding, "I know he'll be somewhere smiling over me tonight". He dedicated the historic win to his late friend, highlighting the profound impact of Jota's death on the Liverpool squad.

• Slot: 'It is good for us to remember him'

  The Liverpool boss said: "We are always judged, sometimes fair, sometimes not fair. But I saw the interview (with Robertson) live and I know that it is an issue for us, which is completely normal. At this moment in time, I always think how must it feel for his wife and his children? Because it is so, so, so much harder for them than it is for us. But that we will miss the player and the person is completely clear. Now we play Nottingham Forest, last season there we were 1-0 down and it only took him (Jota) one minute to score the equaliser. So now I am talking about the player that we miss for sure. That we also miss him as a person is also clear."

  He added: "It is good for us to remember him at all times. It is possible because of the person and player he was. It is impossible to measure what it does to the players and to our results. The last thing I would do is use it as an excuse. I don't know. What I do know is that we miss the player, that is 100 per cent sure, and we miss the person, but I cannot measure the impact that has on our results. That is impossible for me to say, and we will never use it as an excuse."

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  Forest next in Anfield showdown

  Liverpool host Nottingham Forest on Saturday and Slot has confirmed mixed team news ahead of the clash. Goalkeeper Alisson has fully recovered from a hamstring injury and is expected to start, which provides a significant boost. However, the Reds face new injury setbacks after the international break, with both Conor Bradley and Florian Wirtz ruled out with muscle injuries. Bradley is anticipated to be sidelined for around three weeks, while Wirtz's absence should be shorter. These injuries are compounded by Jeremie Frimpong still being out with a hamstring issue, leaving Liverpool short at right-back. Alexander Isak is fit once again and is expected to feature, with the Sweden international still looking to find form after his mega-money move from Newcastle.

Gill went past 50 for the fourth time in the series as he and Rahul helped India recover from two early wickets

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jul-2025

KL Rahul and Shubman Gill had a good partnership after two early wickets•Associated Press

Tea Shubman Gill and KL Rahul weathered a testing spell from England’s bowlers to produce a wicketless middle session on day four in Manchester, but it was perhaps the only thing that went India’s way after Ben Stokes’ century carried his team to a total of 669 and a lead of 311. Then Chris Woakes struck twice in the first over before India could score any runs to create incredible drama.India went to tea at 86 for 2, still 225 runs behind. They could easily have lost their captain for 46 had Liam Dawson been able to hold on to a tough catch at gully but Gill made the most of that generosity to continue his run-spree. He went past Virat Kohli’s 655 runs against England in 2016 and is chasing down Sunil Gavaskar’s record of most runs as an Indian captain in a Test series (732).Stokes did not bring himself to bowl any of the 29 overs so far, a sign of perhaps the workload he has already taken on. He is playing back to back Tests. He picked up a five-for in the first innings and backed it up with a century – a rare feat among players and even rarer among captains. In scoring 141, he broke a spell of 35 innings without a hundred and earned himself a spot among the best allrounders in the history of cricket. There were, prior to his efforts at Old Trafford, only two with 7000 runs and 200 wickets – Garry Sobers and Jacques Kallis.England’s innings reached incredible heights – 669 was their fifth-highest total in Tests – and it ended with 15 minutes for their bowlers to target India before lunch. Woakes produced a beauty from around the wicket to trap Yashasvi Jaiswal for a duck – angled in, seaming away, taking the leading edge to first slip. Then Sai Sudharsan made a mistake born out of spending 157 overs in the field, fatigue resulting in him misjudging a ball that was short and wide. In the end, he ended up getting caught at second slip trying to play the leave.

Celtic are now considering a January bid to sign Kilmarnock midfielder David Watson, who is also being targeted by bitter rivals Rangers.

Following Brendan Rodgers’ resignation, Martin O’Neill has been keeping things steady at Parkhead, with the veteran manager winning his first three matches in charge, most recently defeating Rangers in the Scottish League Cup semi-final at Hampden.

Extra-time goals from Callum McGregor and Callum Osmand secured a 3-1 victory for the Hoops, setting up a clash with St. Mirren on December 14th, although O’Neill was none the wiser, given his response when asked if he would take charge of the final.

The interim boss said: “I was 73 on Monday, I’m 94 now! I don’t even know when the final is. I would imagine the club are making inroads to a permanent manager.”

Reaching a final is always cause for optimism, but the 55-time Scottish champions’ league form suggests they need to make improvements in the winter window, currently sitting nine points behind league-leaders Hearts.

Celtic considering January bid to sign David Watson

According to a report from The Herald, Celtic are now considering a January bid to sign Kilmarnock midfielder Watson, with the 20-year-old’s current contract due to expire at the end of the campaign, meaning he is free to negotiate pre-contract terms with other clubs.

The Hoops may have to hijack Rangers, however, with it last month being revealed their rivals have also identified the youngster, who could be Danny Rohl’s first signing, as a transfer target.

Foreign clubs have also expressed an interest in the midfielder, which means Kilmarnock could cash-in this January, although they may also choose to retain him until the end of the season to boost their chances of finishing higher in the Scottish Premiership.

Kilmarnock vice-captain Robbie Deas has waxed lyrical about the starlet’s work ethic in the past, saying: “Davey’s fantastic, honestly. He’s one of the hardest workers you’ll ever meet. He’s absolutely fantastic. You see that today, and he’s putting those tackles in later on.”

Not only that, but the Scotland U21 international is already very experienced at senior level, despite his age, making 117 appearances for the Kilmarnock first team, and he has already scored three league goals in 11 outings this term.

As such, there are clear signs Watson could be capable of making the step-up to a club the size of Celtic, but their main priority should be to bring in a permanent replacement for Rodgers.

O’Neill’s solid start has bought Dermot Desmond & co some time, but bringing in a top manager could really help put the pressure on Hearts, with Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen, who has won four league titles in the last five seasons, recently emerging as an option.

Charlie Mulgrew urges Celtic to appoint Jurgen Klopp

Charlie Mulgrew shares "big" contract Celtic should now offer Jurgen Klopp

The ex-Celtic star has had his say…

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Nov 4, 2025

Despite a gruelling day in the field, studded with five dropped catches, Joe Root remains adamant that England are still in touch with Australia in the second Test at the Gabba, but says that any prospect of a fightback will require their batters to “express themselves in the right way” for the remainder of a must-win match.Root himself did just that in England’s first innings, finishing unbeaten on 138 to record his maiden Test hundred in Australia, and his 40th overall. Too many of his team-mates failed to provide the requisite support, however, with Harry Brook’s carefree knock of 31 leading his former team-mate, Stuart Broad, to question his game awareness during a stint on Australian radio. In addition to four ducks, Zak Crawley’s 76 was England’s only other score of note, until Jofra Archer joined Root in a free-wheeling last-wicket stand of 70 in 9.4 overs.That shortcoming had been set in stark relief by the close of the second day, with Australia strongly placed on 378 for 6, a lead of 44, thanks to double-figure contributions from each of the eight batters so far used. No-one could go past Jake Weatherald’s 72, but after a brace of 60s from Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, and 45 from Cameron Green, Alex Carey remained unbeaten at the close on 46.England’s standards were challenged throughout a tough day, with Australia rattling along at more than five runs an over, while Will Jacks’ anonymity with the ball has already placed a huge burden on their four-man seam attack. They did manage to claim three wickets in the floodlit final session, including two in an over from a hard-toiling Brydon Carse. However, they also let slip four of those chances – including a particularly culpable drop from Carse at short cover off Michael Neser.Related

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• Root lifts weight of the world with an ironic shrug

“It’s clear we weren’t our best at that phase of the game,” Root told TNT Sports at the close. “But the way that we dragged things back, by managing to take those wickets in a cluster, it shows what the nature of this game can be like, especially with the pink ball.”In the wake of their first-Test defeat, England’s decision not to play in a three-day floodlit match in Canberra came in for some criticism. While the nature of the contest arguably vindicated that move from a batting and bowling point of view, the chance to replicate a fielding session under the floodlights was perhaps an opportunity lost for the visitors.Root, however, insisted England had worked hard on their fielding drills in their practice sessions at the Gabba.”It is different to a white ball,” he said. “We get a lot of exposure to [floodlit cricket] in ODI cricket and T20 cricket, but it is slightly different. But you still back yourself. We practice really hard for the five days leading into it. We made sure we got our work done. Unfortunately, it’s just one of those days where a few didn’t quite stick to hand. We’ve got to make sure we stay confident, we stay up and, when we get those chances later on in the fixture, we’re ready to take them.Marnus Labuschagne raised his second fifty of the series•Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

“We’ve obviously got some more work to do tomorrow, but we’re certainly well and truly in this game. More than anything we’ve got to come out with a huge amount of energy and positivity. We know our best cricket can turn a game very quickly, so we’ll turn up tomorrow with that right attitude. We know that, if we’re anywhere near our best, then very quickly this game can turn in our favour.”First things first, Root acknowledged, England must claim Australia’s final four wickets in the daylight hours.”If we get things right in the morning, and go about things as a team in the correct fashion, then we can put ourselves in a really strong position on a wicket which looks like it’s plating,” Root said. “It looks like there might be a few cracks to work with later on in the game. But clearly, we’ve got to look at tomorrow morning first and foremost, and get things right there.”However, the focus is already turning to England’s crucial second innings – which will begin not only with memories of Root’s resilience on the first day, but of how Australia themselves have gone about hunting down England’s score with aggression allied to sensible shot selection. The contrast with England’s approach, particularly against Mitchell Starc who struck in the first over of a new spell on three occasions in his first-innings 6 for 75, was telling.”When we get out there with the bat, the quality that we have and the talent that’s in that dressing room can go out there and express themselves in the right way on that surface to go and get a big score, which could be very tricky batting last on that surface.””I’ve got quite a clear plan how I score my runs,” he added. “I’ve just got to back myself and understand that, if I do that for long periods of time and make good decisions, I’ll be successful.”Labuschagne, whose partnerships with Weatherald and Smith were key to Australia’s strong position, acknowledged that his dismissal for 65 – just as the floodlights were kicking in – was ill-timed, but his proactive 78-ball innings had still been an ideal template for the conditions.”I would like to be a bit more resilient … getting out on the stroke of the changeover between day and night was not ideal,” he said. “But you’ve just got to keep telling yourself as the batter, it’s just one ball at a time. If you’re thinking too far ahead, you start reading into a ball that might have bounced more off a crack or hit you. You’ve got to stay in the moment as much as you can.”If you’re bowling good balls in the channel at the Gabba, it’s tough to score with the extra bounce. But it was a nice wicket. Obviously, it’s a little bit cracky here and there, but the majority of the times the balls hit the wicket, it was really nice.”The two guys at the top just grabbed that momentum of the game early, and we were almost able to piggyback their momentum, and continue to put pressure on.”

A previously undiagnosed injury is now set to leave one Newcastle United star sidelined for the majority of December in a frustrating blow for Eddie Howe.

Howe demands fresh "consistency" ahead of Tottenham clash

It’s been one step forward and two steps back for Newcastle all season, but their convincing victory over Everton may yet be the turning point for their campaign. The Magpies brushed the Toffees’ aside to bounce back from Champions League defeat, but Howe is now demanding more “consistency” from his side.

Any change in fortunes would certainly be well-timed ahead of the January transfer window, too. Those at St James’ Park endured a chaotic summer window, before eventually adding reinforcements to Howe’s squad, but are still targeting a number of fresh faces to end unfinished business.

That could yet include a move for James Trafford. The England international chose Manchester City in the summer, but has since been forced to watch on from the bench following Gianluigi Donnarumma’s arrival. Now, he’s reportedly been allowed to leave the club in January, with Newcastle among his admirers.

The goalkeeper position has been a hot topic of debate in Tyneside as of late and the availability of Trafford, plus Pope’s recent injury may yet see Newcastle make their move.

Newcastle learn extent of Nick Pope injury

As reported by Sky Sports’ Keith Downie, Newcastle are now set to be without Pope until Boxing Day at the earliest after a specialist diagnosed his groin injury.

It’s frustrating news for Howe, who told reporters in the build-up to his side’s game against Tottenham that Newcastle were still trying to get a “proper diagnosis”.

Without the towering goalkeeper, Newcastle will turn towards summer signing Aaron Ramsdale. Whether he can make a claim to become their No.1 on a permanent basis remains to be seen, however.

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The Magpies now have a decision to make.

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Despite Pope’s recent mistakes, Howe was quick to describe the 33-year-old as “outstanding” after the Marseille game, but will now be forced to kick on without him.

As the fixtures come thick and fast, and Newcastle seek consistency, the absence of one of their most experienced men couldn’t have been timed much worse.

Better than Anderson: £70m "monster" is now open to joining Newcastle

Tim David’s 74 off 38 took the hosts to 186 for 6 in Hobart but it was not enough

Alex Malcolm02-Nov-20251:52

David: I was hoping it would land on the beach

India finally won a toss and their three inclusions in Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar and Jitesh Sharma all made superb contributions as they withstood a stunning innings from Tim David to cruise to a five-wicket win in Hobart and level the series at 1-1.Arshdeep was Player of the Match for his 3 for 35, including the key scalps of Travis Head, Josh Inglis and Marcus Stoinis for a fine 64, to help restrict Australia to 186 for 6 despite David’s devastating 74 off 38. Varun Chakravarthy picked up two key wickets and Jasprit Bumrah was also miserly with the ball.India’s entire top seven made contributions in the chase but it was Washington and Jitesh who finished the chase superbly with an unbeaten 43-run stand. Washington, playing as a specialist bat given he didn’t bowl, made his second-highest T20I score of 49 not out off 23 while Jitesh made 22 not out off 13 in his first T20I in over 18 months after replacing Sanju Samson.Arshdeep’s early strikes, David’s devastating counterAustralia are still getting used to seeing David walk out in the third over of an innings, as he did after Head and Inglis fell cheaply to Arshdeep’s early swing. But David showed zero regard for the perilous position his team was in and unleashed a brutal counterpunch. He drove his first ball for four wide of mid-off and launched Bumrah over cover. Having fallen meekly to Varun in Melbourne, he clubbed the spinner for four and six off consecutive balls. David gave a life off Bumrah on 20, slicing a hard-hit square drive to backward point which burst through Washington’s hands. It proved costly. David carved Bumrah over cover again and then assaulted Axar Patel with two huge hits in three balls. One was projected to travel 129m had it not clattered off the roof above the sightscreen.1:43

Washington: There’s purpose to each of my practice sessions

India’s attempt to use Shivam Dube as the fifth bowler was met with three thunderous cover drives in four balls to bring up David’s fifty in 23 deliveries. He shared a 59-run stand with Mitchell Marsh who contributed just 5. What was most impressive was how he handled Varun. Marsh holed out to India’s trump spinner before Mitch Owen was clean bowled first ball through the gate, completely misreading the length, line and variation.David hadn’t had a great previous record against Varun in T20s, scoring just 22 from 16 balls with two dismissals including one in Melbourne on Friday. But compared to Owen, who had never faced him before this series and now has two runs from five balls in the head-to-head, the previous 16 balls experience over five games for David paid dividends.Varun returned in the 11th over to bowl his third with figures of 2 for 14 and Australia vulnerable. David launched him fearlessly for two massive sixes to finish with 26 from 10 off India’s most dangerous spinner. He looked set for a certain century only to slightly under-club Dube to Tilak Varma, who took another wonderful catch at long-off while tight-walking the rope.Stoinis and Short combine, Bumrah and Arshdeep finish wellAustralia are looking for a new finishing combination with David’s elevation looking permanent. In the absence of Glenn Maxwell, Stoinis and Matthew Short showed their wares. Stoinis played particularly well, facing just four dot balls in his first 14 to allow David to continue his domination in a partnership of 45. Two reverse sweeps off Axar and two thumping pulls off Dube showed his versatility. He then struck four boundaries off Arshdeep in the 18th and 20th overs before holing out to hand Arshdeep his third wicket. Short’s contribution was significant given he had failed to score more than 6 in his six previous outings at No. 7 in all T20s. He added an unbeaten 26 off 15, although Bumrah and Arshdeep put on a death bowling clinic in the last two overs to ensure it wasn’t more.Tim David came in at 14 for 2 and counterattacked•Cricket Australia via Getty ImagesEllis versus Abhishek 3.0Abhishek Sharma threatened to take Australia apart again, racing out of the blocks with two fours and two sixes as India raced to 30 for 0 in three overs. But for the third time in the series Nathan Ellis picked him up, this time with a bouncer clocked at 147 kph. It hurried Abhishek, who top-edged a pull shot straight up. Suryakumar Yadav kept the momentum going with two sixes of his own but Ellis struck again, slipping a full straight delivery through the defence of Shubman Gill to trap him plumb lbw. When Suryakumar chipped Stoinis to cover for 24 off 11 India were well ahead of the rate but had lost their best three batters for unfulfilled starts with their chief tormentor Josh Hazlewood watching from his couch in Sydney.Washington wizardry sees India homeWashington not bowling a ball when Dube and Abhishek conceded 56 as India’s fifth bowler was strange, especially as Australia’s right-hand heavy line-up was known before Washington was selected. But he proved why he’d been picked to bat at No. 6. Bouncers had accounted for two of India’s top five. Ellis and Sean Abbott’s three combined attempts to bounce Washington all disappeared into the square leg seats. India had lost wickets at regular intervals but the continued clean striking meant there was never any run-rate pressure. Washington cleared the rope once more off Matt Kuhnemann to get the target under a run-a-ball inside the last four overs. Jitesh played an excellent cameo in his first T20I in over 18 months, including scooping Ellis to the rope. He got a reprieve when Owen dropped him running back from mid-off. But Washington kept calm and carried on, nailing Stoinis straight before Jitesh lofted over cover to win it with nine balls to spare.

Crystal Palace are now eyeing Lyon starlet Tyler Morton as a possible replacement for Adam Wharton, amid a new update on the midfielder’s future at Selhurst Park.

Wharton’s future at Selhurst Park remains up in the air, with a number of Premier League clubs emerging as potential suitors for the midfielder, including Chelsea, and it has now been revealed the Blues are “actively in talks” over a deal.

The 21-year-old was recently called up to the England squad by Thomas Tuchel, having remained a key player for Oliver Glasner’s side this season, with perhaps his most impressive performance coming in the 2-1 win against Liverpool, creating two big chances and making four key passes.

Unfortunately, the Eagles have become accustomed to losing some of their best players in recent years, with Michael Olise moving to Bayern Munich and Eberechi Eze joining Arsenal, and the former Blackburn Rovers man will also continue to attract attention from top clubs if he continues his current performance levels.

Consequently, Glasner & co may have to start thinking about bringing in a replacement, and a report has now given an update on their chances of signing a former Liverpool player…

Crystal Palace eyeing Tyler Morton

According to a report from Jeunes Footeux (via Sport Witness), Crystal Palace are now eyeing a move for Lyon midfielder Morton, a matter of months after he left Arne Slot’s side to sign for the Ligue 1 club.

The French side are currently experiencing financial difficulties, which means they may be tempted to cash-in, should Palace be willing to come to the negotiating table with a ‘substantial offer’.

The Eagles are currently monitoring the 23-year-old closely, as they are preparing for Wharton’s departure in 2026, amid interest from a number of unnamed clubs.

The Wallasey-born midfielder, who is represented by the same agent as Borna Sosa, found it difficult to establish himself as a first-team regular at Liverpool, but he has been a key player for Lyon this season, most recently picking up an assist in a 3-2 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain.

Scout Ben Mattinson has also provided a positive review of the Englishman’s key attributes, saying: “Morton is a complete midfielder with an all-round ability to dictate tempo with his passing, carry forward and win the ball. Particularly his long passing stands out.”

Game time may have been hard to come by at his former club, but the Liverpool academy graduate did manage to impress when given the opportunity, having been singled out for praise for his performance against West Ham United last season.

Morton is at the right age to be a solid long-term replacement for Wharton, but Crystal Palace’s main priority should be to keep hold of their current central midfielder.

Crystal Palace identify Ezri Konsa as Marc Guehi replacement

There is also the intriguing question of what would have happened if the selectors had said no from the start

Alex Malcolm16-Oct-20241:36

What’s the logic of moving Smith back down the order?

George Bailey was very careful with his words when he revealed that Steven Smith would no longer be opening the batting in Australia’s Test team.”Steve had expressed a desire to move back down from that opening position,” Australia’s chair of selectors said on Monday before stating that captain Pat Cummins and coach Andrew McDonald had confirmed that Smith would be moving. Bailey was explicit too in noting that he, despite being the chair, did not decide the order.Smith’s dalliance with opening in Test cricket has been mostly criticised and there are a lot of people who believe it never should have happened.Related

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And that is a thread worth pulling on. What if it never did happen?The intriguing part is not the question of who would have opened instead of Smith, which is fascinating but now a moot point. The intriguing part is what would have happened to Smith if the selectors had said no to his request to open the batting.This is where Bailey’s words are instructive. It has been lost somewhat that Smith drove the move. He requested to open the batting initially. He put it on the public agenda. The captain and coach both expressed their preference that Smith stay in No. 4 in the immediate days after Smith flagged his interest. Only after he confirmed his seriousness in undertaking the challenge did the team hierarchy conclude that it was worth doing to accommodate the selection of Cameron Green at No. 4 without forcing someone else to open against their wishes.There will be plenty of people who will say the decision-makers abdicated their responsibilities in that moment and that they should have told Smith it was a bad idea that wasn’t going to be entertained.That criticism is not unreasonable. Selectors, coaches and captains must make tough decisions and have tough conversations. But every decision has consequences and opportunity cost.Steven Smith wasn’t alone in find things tricky at the top•Getty ImagesSmith was hinting he was growing weary of the monotony of batting at No. 4. He has conquered every challenge there is in that role. His returns had been diminishing, albeit receding from a ridiculously high watermark. He had averaged 42.22 in the calendar year of 2023, and just 38.80 with a highest score of 50 in six innings against Pakistan prior to his move to the top of the order.It would take a brave and stubborn leader to hear one of Australia’s greatest ever Test batters request a fresh challenge and then flat out reject it when it was going to solve a selection headache.How would Smith have felt about that? There will be plenty who will argue that players should play the role they’re given rather than dictate terms. But if anyone has earned the right to at least request such a move, it is Smith.And given that he has been less than enthusiastic about shifting from No. 3 to No. 4 in Australia’s ODI team in recent times against his preference, the consequences of denying him the chance to open the batting in the Test team are worth considering. It is also worth noting his returns at No. 4 in the ODI side since the shift have been below his career record, coincidentally or otherwise.Had he remained at No. 4 in the Test side against West Indies and New Zealand there aren’t any guarantees he would have performed any differently than he did opening the batting. Would Australia have won in Brisbane had he been batting at No. 4, given he made an exceptional 91 not out in the chase as an opener? Would he have made a match-winning 174 not out at the Basin Reserve, as Green did? Could he have averaged more than 28.50? Those questions will never be answered. The added strands to Smith staying at No. 4, like how a different opener would have gone and what would have happened to Green, are also unanswerable.At least with Smith opening, he got a taste of what the alternate universe looks like and can potentially return to No. 4 with renewed vigour against India. Had he remained there, he may instead be feeling like Bill Murray’s character in Groundhog Day heading into this summer.That said, was the move as much of a failure as it has been made out to be?Smith’s average of 28.50 at the top across eight innings in those two Test series was not as bad as it appears on paper. His 91 not out was the highest score by any opener in the four Tests, with only three half-century scores registered by all the openers who played. Usman Khawaja averaged 32.42 in the same four games. Tom Latham averaged 31 in the two Tests in New Zealand but had two single figure scores in Wellington. Will Young, Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul all averaged single figures.There will be plenty of focus on whether Steven Smith can rekindle his best form against India•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesMarnus Labuschagne averaged 16.85 at No. 3 in those same four Tests, with a score of 90, while Kane Williamson averaged 19.25 at No. 3 in New Zealand with a half-century. The conditions were difficult.Smith’s returns were also on par with the career averages of the three main contenders to now take the role in Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft and Matt Renshaw, while David Warner averaged 30.12 across the final two years of his career.Beyond the numbers though, Smith’s initial move to open followed by his request to move back will have unintended consequences despite Green’s injury paving the way for an easy transition.The first of those falls on the team leadership when or if one of Harris, Bancroft or Renshaw gets the nod. All will feel pressure to prove themselves on Test match return in any case, but a nagging sense that they weren’t the first-choice option could be an added burden.A bolt from the blue like Sam Konstas would provide another twist. That would provide a clean, uncomplicated end to a slightly messy 11 months and signal a fresh start although depending on when Green is available again for Test cricket, another debate is on the cards.It will probably end up as a footnote on a storied career, but Smith’s time as a Test opener was a fascinating chapter.

Newcastle United will need to show they can pick up results on the road consistently to continue their fine start to December.

At St James’ Park so far this month, which is the Magpies’ dependable fortress, Eddie Howe’s men have collected a draw and a win, with only two losses from eight matches coming their way on their own turf this season so far.

In stark contrast, three losses have been tallied up away from home, with only one away win next to their name sticking out as a worrying fact.

In their defence, the only success on the road this season saw them emphatically get the better of Everton 4-1 in the Premier League, which might well stand them in good stead against Bayer Leverkusen and Sunderland to come.

Howe will hope his team’s up-and-down nature has been rectified by the time the January transfer window swings back open, with a potentially busy month ahead for the Toon in terms of incomings.

Newcastle looking to sign new midfielder

The unpredictability of January could also see Newcastle offload a couple of players, too, with reserve centre-forward option William Osula alleged to be keen to move away from St James’ Park.

There are also rumours bubbling away about fresh faces joining the building, with former Leicester City ace Bilal El Khannouss just one of many options catching the Toon’s eye in the middle of the park. On top of him, a cut-price £13m move for Ferencváros TC star Alex Tóth could be on the agenda.

The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope has added more fuel to the fire by revealing that Howe and Co are set to make a move for rising AZ Alkmaar star Kees Smit, with the reported transfer fee floating about for his services coming in at the £30m price range.

The inconsistent Toon have long been admirers of the well-rounded Dutchman, and with Manchester United and Liverpool circling, this would be seen as a statement move in January, as Newcastle prepare to spend the big bucks once more. Hope has already described the youngster as “one of Europe’s most exciting teenagers” so this one is certainly something to kick and scream about.

How Smit can be Howe's future Guimaraes

Howe will hope, by landing Smit, that he wins himself a future Bruno Guimaraes, which will be music to the ears of the devoted Tyneside fanbase, after the much-loved Brazilian only affirmed his legendary status at the club more with that audacious strike versus Burnley.

The 28-year-old is now synonymous with Newcastle, with his corner kick effort sailing straight over the head of Martin Dubravka, further backing up comments by his manager that he is a “difference-maker”.

Of course, Smit has some way to go before he’s pulling off screamers like Guimaraes’ ingenious effort regularly in the Premier League, but the 19-year-old does have a powerful effort up his sleeve, with his ability to conjure up a moment of magic from a very early age also seeing scout Jacek Kulig laud him as a “super talent.”

Indeed, this sumptuous effort in the U19 Euros in the summer shows off a star who is incredibly confident and assured in front of goal, with Smit now up to ten goal contributions in the senior ranks at AZ. Newcastle’s beloved captain is up to 27 goals and 29 assists himself in the senior picture at St James’ Park, with Howe hopeful that Smit could reach these levels in time, so he can replace the 28-year-old down the line.

It’s not just their output in terms of goals and assists that makes the two talents in question similar, however, with Smit’s energy and determination centrally also placing himself on the same pedestal as the industrious South American, which has led to the AZ number 26 even being branded as a “duel monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson, a tag regularly placed on Guimaraes’ shoulders.

Games played

18

14

Goals scored

0

2

Assists

0

2

Touches*

38.8

62.7

Accurate passes*

23.3 (85%)

42.7 (89%)

Key passes*

1.3

1.8

Big chances created

3

3

Ball recoveries*

3.3

5.7

Total duels won*

2.9

3.3

Smit has certainly grown into being more of a lively performer centrally this season in the Eredivisie, when looking at the table above, making 5.7 ball recoveries and winning 3.3 duels per game.

In constract, the Newcastle skipper has made 5.1 ball recoveries, but he does blow Smit out of the water in the duels department, having won a fierce 5.4 duels so far this campaign in the demanding Premier League.

Still, with the upward trajectory the table outlines, he could reach Guimaraes’ commanding levels very soon, as Howe prepares to win himself a standout talent for the future in January, by securing Smit’s coveted services.

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Beth Mooney’s unbeaten 94 helped Perth reach their target of 165 with seven wickets to spare

AAP06-Dec-2025Beth Mooney has led Perth Scorchers back into the WBBL finals, executing the perfect chase against Brisbane Heat and ending Melbourne Renegades’ title defence in the process.Needing 165 for victory in a must-win game at the WACA on Saturday, Mooney hit an unbeaten 94 from 61 to help Perth reach the target with seven wickets and four balls to spare. The victory ensured the Scorchers would have a home final, knocked the Renegades out of the top four and handed the Heat the first winless season in WBBL history.With one game to play in the season, Hobart are guaranteed top spot and hosting rights for next Saturday night’s final at Ninja Stadium. Perth and the Melbourne Stars are also locked into finals spots, with the winner of the Sydney Sixers and Adelaide at North Sydney Oval on Sunday morning to join them.The WBBL’s finals system has third and fourth face off in eliminator on Tuesday, before the winner of that plays against second on Thursday for a spot in the final.The Stars could have wrapped up second spot on Saturday morning had they beaten the Sydney Thunder at Junction Oval, only for them to be well beaten. Instead Perth are now in second, and will stay there if the Strikers beat the Sixers on Sunday.Facing a tricky chase after Georgia Redmayne’s 57 helped the Heat to 164 for 7, Mooney took control of the game at the WACA. Australia’s veteran opener regularly picked balls up off her pads and hit them over the legside to the rope, hitting 12 boundaries in a near-flawless knock. The Scorchers’ chase threatened to wobble late when Maddy Darke (24) and Sophie Devine (13) fell, but Mooney held her nerve and Freya Kemp’s late hitting saw Perth home.The leading run-scorer in WBBL history, Mooney now has scores of 105, 75 and 94* for the season and will enter the finals as one of the league’s most dangerous players.