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Portugal had a "day to forget" on Thursday as their unbeaten run in World Cup qualifying came to a surprising end at the hands of Ireland, coach Roberto Martinez says. The defeat, which saw Cristiano Ronaldo earn the first red card of his international career, leaves them needing a win to seal automatic qualification in their final game of the round.

• Portugal go down 2-0 in Ireland

  Portugal endured a rare collapse at the worst possible moment at the Aviva Stadium. Troy Parrott struck twice, first in the 17th minute and again just before the interval, punishing a disjointed defensive setup and a side lacking fluency in possession. Portugal dominated territory but produced little to trouble Gavin Bazunu, repeatedly running into Ireland’s disciplined low block.

  In the post-match interview, Martinez admitted his side began poorly and missed familiar combinations due to key absences.

  “We started the game very badly; Pedro Neto , Nuno Mendes, and Bruno Fernandes were missing , players with whom we already have established patterns,” he explained. “We allowed Ireland to score from a set piece, and when the team was improving, within a poor performance, we conceded. We lacked clarity on the ball, precision. Ireland plays in a safe way, and if we conceded a goal, we knew we would have many problems. Everything that could go wrong, went wrong, and everything that could go right for Ireland, went right.”

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  Ronaldo red card causes trouble for Portugal

  Just as Portugal appeared to be settling into the second half, Ronaldo’s confrontation with Dara O’Shea escalated into a VAR-upgraded red card, the first of his 226-cap international career. The dismissal left Portugal with 10 men and extinguished any hope of a response. 

  "In the second half, we tried everything; Cristiano's sending off made the game more difficult. I saw a lot of courage in the team, but this is a day to forget," Martinez said.

• Injury absences cost Portugal's winning chances

  Beyond Ronaldo, another major void was exposed in Dublin: the absence of Nuno Mendes. The PSG full-back, whom Martinez recently described as “the best in the world”, was sorely missed.

  In his earlier press assessment, the coach had said: “There’s no other left-back who can defend one-on-one, make overlapping runs, and play inside or outside with the ball. He’s a complete player… he’s a decisive player for his club and for me.”

  With no natural left-back available, Martinez turned to Diogo Dalot and Joao Cancelo, yet neither were able to recreate Mendes’ mix of defensive certainty and forward thrust. After the defeat, Martinez refused to place blame on individuals: “This isn't a day to talk about individual players; it was a collective performance. These are two players who have been doing this for many years, they can play on both wings. The idea was to utilise the connection between Dalot and Felix; they are players who know our concepts, our system, and British football very well.”

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  Portugal’s decisive final match and what must change

  Portugal now approach their final qualifier knowing the mathematics are brutally simple: beat Armenia at home and they qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup. Anything else risks slipping into the playoffs which is an outcome Martinez is determined to avoid.

  Even in the wake of defeat, he urged perspective. “It would be good to go another 43 games without losing. What’s not normal is having 42 games without defeat… Now, if we win at home, we’re in the World Cup.”

  For that to happen, Portugal must repair several structural issues exposed in Dublin. They need a stronger start, having conceded early in consecutive matches. Defensive organisation on set pieces must tighten, something Martinez acknowledged himself:

  “It’s true that we conceded goals from corners in the last two games.”

  They must also rediscover fluidity in attack, where the absence of Mendes and Neto has robbed them of balance and unpredictability. The leadership group – Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias – must take charge in Ronaldo’s absence, ensuring emotional stability as much as tactical improvement. 

  “We still have one more game to qualify and for that we need to win,” the coach said.

Champions post second-highest score in women’s Hundred thanks to Harris and Griffith knocks

ECB Reporters Network05-Aug-2025Grace Harris powered London Spirit to victory on the opening day of the Hundred, smashing 89 from just 42 balls to give the defending champions the perfect start in front of 15,640 fans at Lord’s.Harris, preferred by Spirit to Meg Lanning in the draft this winter, won the battle of the two world-class Australian batters, but Lanning could scarcely have done more in reply – making 85 off 51 balls to take Oval Invincibles close in their chase.Until Lanning was dismissed, the South London team were very much in the game but it was to be Harris and Spirit’s day. The big-hitting Aussie was ably supported by Cordelia Griffith in her side’s total of 176 for , Griffith contributing a 29-ball 50 to help Spirit to the second-highest score in the history of the women’s competition.England’s Ryana Macdonald-Gay was possibly the pick of the away team’s bowlers, but there was cheer for Tash Farrant who took her first wicket in the Hundred for 1450 days following injury.For Invincibles, no one player was able to support Lanning in the same way Griffith had backed up Harris, with cameos from Alice Capsey and Marizanne Kapp providing hope but ultimately not doing enough to overhaul such an imposing total.For Spirit, without last year’s winning captain Heather Knight, the 17-run win and the bragging rights over their London rivals signals the perfect start to their trophy defence.Meerkat Match Hero, Harris, said: “You always want a win on the board, especially in a format like this when it’s so fast. And it’s great to come up against our cross-town rivals and get the wood on them, too.”Pretty early on [it was clear it was a good wicket]. There was some good comms from the openers back to the bench and they said it wasn’t doing much; bit of swing in the air but outside of that it was playing nicely. With that role in the middle you’ve just got to capitalise on however many balls you’re going to face and we might have pinched a few singles there and it was good for us.”I’m pretty easy [as to where she bats in the order]. I’d love to open because you get to bat for the longest but I don’t really care where I end up and it’s pretty good to cash in at the end so I’ll take it.”

For a while, India’s performance in the World Cup opener matched the mood in a city in mourning, till Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma decided to do something about it

S Sudarshanan01-Oct-20253:06

Review: Deepti channelled her best version

A lot can happen after a pause.On Tuesday afternoon, the silence at the ACA Stadium was deafening.An overcast afternoon that began with a glowing, heartfelt, musical tribute to singer Zubeen Garg, who died 11 days ago, turned the mood among the record 22,843 that kept the mood at the venue sombre. And after the game started, India’s World Cup dream received a jolt: Smriti Mandhana played out a maiden over and soon fell in the fourth over. Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol, both playing an ODI World Cup for the first time, didn’t rattle away and India faced 61 dots in the first 15 overs. Flashbacks of another India home World Cup game against Sri Lanka.The first pause came courtesy an hour-long drizzle.Related

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It shortened the game to 48 overs a side (another short halt later reduced it to 47) and gave Rawal and Deol the chance to change gears.India were 120 for 2 after 25, setting a decent platform. Then Inoka Ranaweera struck thrice in five balls to leave India at 121 for 5; Richa Ghosh fell in the next over to leave them at 124 for 6.That brought Deepti Sharma and Amanjot Kaur, the latter on 50-over World Cup debut, together. It was all rather shaky for India.Then came another pause – a short and expected one, the drinks interval.India 129 for 6 in 29 overs, Deepti on 13 off 10, Amanjot 0 off 5. Something had to happen.

****

Amanjot is good at one-liners. There is this other thing that she is equally good, if not better, at – fighting her way out of adverse situations.She was sidelined for a year with a stress injury and only returned to action ahead of WPL 2025. In the injured Pooja Vastrakar’s absence, Amanjot was able to carry the allrounder’s mantle for Mumbai Indians and continued in the same vein on the tour of England.Five T20Is and an ODI later, she was missing again.She had a few niggles and, in consultation with the coaches, rested herself to be fresh for the World Cup. Her first game upon return tested her. And brought out the best in her.Amanjot Kaur celebrates after scoring a counter-attacking half-century•ICC/Getty ImagesDespite the tricky situation India were in, Amanjot chose to attack and took on Sri Lanka’s best bowler of the evening, Ranaweera, hitting her for fours in each of the next two overs. In no time, she had raced to her maiden ODI half-century in just 45 balls.Sri Lanka dropped her thrice and she made them pay.Later, Amanjot was one of only two seamers India played and she trapped Vishmi Gunaratne lbw. It was a great game for her – her rocket throws pinging wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh’s gloves just added to the fun.

****

Deepti’s first challenge was to see off Ranaweera’s hat-trick ball. Despite being one of India’s most valuable players across formats, her batting approach in such tricky situations has been in the spotlight. On Tuesday, she did not get bogged down under pressure. A quick single here, a sprint for a couple there, she kept the strike rotating and transferred pressure back on Sri Lanka.For most of her innings, Deepti batted at a strike rate in excess of 100. She used the sweep to telling effect – each of her three fours came with that shot; she scored 20 off 11 with the sweep. In ODIs since 2024, 42% of Deepti’s runs (158 out of 369) have been with the sweep. That is the best among batters with at least 200 runs against spin in this period (where ball-by-ball data is available).Together, Deepti and Amanjot added 103 runs for the seventh wicket, and put India in the position they needed to be in.ESPNcricinfo LtdDeepti’s evening was not done. Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, her team-mate at UP Warriorz, hit two sixes and two fours in Deepti’s first two overs, which went for 23. In a stiff chase of 271, Sri Lanka needed Athapaththu to get a significant score. But Deepti won the duel, darting one through Athapaththu to all but douse Sri Lanka’s challenge. Her three wickets took her to second among India’s leading wicket-takers in ODIs in the process.

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“It is said that a wounded lion takes a step back only to take a big leap forward…” Amanjot said, paused and laughed, speaking at the post-match press conference. “You people will make me famous just for my one-liners!”With Amanjot, what you see is what you get. Her confidence often rubs off on others and covers up for her lack of experience, too. Her partnership with Deepti was the perfect fire-and-ice combo to combat and wriggle out of Sri Lanka’s stranglehold. It was just the second century partnership for the seventh wicket or lower in ODI World Cups.”Ultimately, you want a good score to defend,” Amanjot said. “We can’t play dots just because we are six down. I knew that Deepti was with me and we had to stitch a big partnership. I had to stay in the middle. The pitch was sticky, the ball was holding in the surface and there was turn on offer. The longer the two of us batted, we knew we could take India to a decent total and we did that.”With Deepti Sharma, the sweep is always just around the corner•Getty ImagesThis is what Amanjot was preparing for. And she did not want to turn up for the World Cup undercooked. “I did not have an injury but I felt my body needed a little rest,” she said. “We did a few scans and I discussed with the coaches that I did not feel well while bowling. I did not want to play for India at 80-90%. I should be either at 100% or not play; I don’t like such half-measures.”I should be able to stop runs, and push with the bat and ball and contribute as an allrounder. Otherwise anyone can play in my place.”The pause in her career helped Amanjot return not only fit and fresh but also with greater clarity.”It was the first game of the World Cup and looking at the hype and crowd, there were jitters,” she said. “All that is normal, the more you play the more you get used to it. I played six [five] dot balls at the start. The Aman before rehab would have tried to hit the seventh ball in the air. But rehab has taught me patience and gratefulness – whatever you get is enough, you don’t need more. God made me do as much as was necessary today and I did that.”That’s what can happen after a pause.

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo was left fuming after Brighton's controversial late equaliser cost the Hammers crucial two points in the Premier League on Sunday. Georginio Rutter restored parity late in the match after Jarrod Bowen had handed West Ham the lead in the 73rd minute. Rutter had accidentally handled the ball before finding the back of the net.

• Rutter cancelled out Bowen's second half goal

  West Ham had collected eight points from their last five Premier League matches, which included just one defeat at the hands of Liverpool. The three points on Sunday would have helped them climb up in the league and exit the relegation zone, as Nottingham Forest had earlier lost 3-0 to Everton. 

  The Hammers were on track to claim all three points from their fixture against Brighton as Jarrod Bowen had handed them the lead in the 73rd minute after receiving a pass from Callum Wilson. However, a controversial last-gasp goal from Rutter helped the Seagulls snatch a point away from West Ham. 

  In the build-up to Rutter's goal, Charalampos Kostoulas received a long ball in the West Ham box before attempting an audacious overhead-kick, which popped up off Rutter's thigh and on to his arm before he fired past Alphonse Areola in goal. 

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  West Ham boss left fuming

  Hammers boss Nuno was furious after the match as he felt that Brighton's goal should not have stood, as he told Sky Sports post-match: "It was a handball, wasn't it, and a high foot. No need to speak with the referee. I think it was the main factor. It's clear. I saw it, everybody saw it. VAR saw it, everybody saw it. I think both situations should be checked. It's hard to take, man, it's really hard to take, especially after the hard work of the boys, the support of our fans that makes us feel like we were in London. Then comes one situation, so many people see it, it's hard to take." 

• Explained: Why Rutter's goal stood against West Ham

  The International Football Association Board (IFAB) had announced changes to the handball law in July 2021. That new law worked in favour of Brighton's Rutter, as accidental handball leading to a team-mate scoring a goal or having a goalscoring opportunity was no longer considered an offence.  

  The lawmakers have stated clearly that not every contact between a player's hand or arm and the ball is an offence. Regarding the issue of a hand or arm making a player's body "unnaturally bigger", it was confirmed that referees should continue to use their judgment to determine the validity of the hand or arm's position relative to the player's movement in that specific situation. 

  The Premier League Match Centre also confirmed why the goal stood: "The referee's call of goal was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed that Rutter's arm was in a natural position and he did not deliberately handle the ball, and the contact with the arm was not immediately prior to him scoring."

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  Was Kostoulas' over-head kick a foul?

  Nuno further argued that if not for the handball, at least Kostoulas' foul, while taking the overhead-kick, should have been deemed a foul, as he added: "If Dinos [Mavropanos] was stood on the ground, maybe. But there's contact on his head, isn't there?" 

  At first, on Television, it seemed that Kostoulas's kick had caught Konstantinos Mavropanos on his head; however, the VAR check confirmed there was no proper connection and the referee felt that it was not dangerous enough for a foul to be awarded. 

  West Ham next face an in-form Aston Villa side in a difficult Premier League fixture at home on December 14. 

A Brazil international says his friends and family members are now urging him to join Arsenal, describing the Gunners as the ‘perfect’ club.

Arsenal prepare for Chelsea after statement Bayern Munich win

Arsenal’s commanding 3-1 victory over Bayern Munich on Wednesday night has set the stage perfectly for Sunday’s blockbuster Premier League clash with second-placed Chelsea this weekend.

Mikel Arteta’s side maintained their perfect Champions League record with a dominant second-half performance that overwhelmed the previously unbeaten German champions.

Jurrien Timber’s header from Bukayo Saka’s corner opened the scoring before teenage sensation Lennart Karl equalized with a composed volley to end Arsenal’s clean sheet streak in the competition.

However, the second period belonged entirely to the hosts. Substitute Noni Madueke, after returning from two months out with a knee injury, broke the deadlock with his first Arsenal goal before Gabriel Martinelli capitalized on Manuel Neuer’s catastrophic error to seal all three points.

The result sends Arsenal three points clear at the top of the Champions League table and represents their first victory over Bayern in a decade, ending a winless run against the Bavarians dating all the way back to October 2015.

Martin Odegaard’s late comeback appearance off the bench provided even more encouragement ahead of the weekend’s crucial encounter at Stamford Bridge.

The captain’s return offers Arteta additional midfield creativity just when Arsenal need it most, facing a Chelsea side riding high after their own impressive European victory over Barcelona.

Sunday’s clash represents a genuine title race test. Arsenal arrive in excellent form, having thrashed Tottenham 4-1 in the North London derby before dispatching Bayern, and they’re currently on a phenomenal 16-game unbeaten streak.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

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Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Chelsea, meanwhile, sit just six points behind the league leaders following their Champions League demolition job.

Mikel Arteta confirms Arsenal star will miss Chelsea clash through injury

The Spaniard is gearing up for one of their biggest games of the season.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 28, 2025

Away from the pitch, sporting director Andrea Berta continues to weigh up how best to strengthen Arteta’s squad for the long-term.Reports suggest that Arsenal have already held ‘initial’ talks over Elche sensation Rodrigo Mendoza, amid his comparisons to Pedri, but someone else has now opened the door for a potential N5 move.

Luiz Henrique makes Arsenal transfer admission

That man is Zenit St. Petersburg winger Luiz Henrique.

The Brazilian, who boasts 11 caps for his country, joined the Russian Premier League side back in January following a brief stint in his homeland at Botafogo.

Before that, he was at Real Betis in La Liga after coming through the ranks at Fluminense, and he’s been discussing his next career moves in an interview with Globo Esporte.

Speaking to the outlet, as translated by Arsenal News, Henrique claims that his close circle have told him to join Arsenal, expressing how he is a “huge fan” of that idea.

The 23-year-old, who’s bagged one goal and three assists in 14 league appearances this season, is in Carlo Ancelotti’s thinking for the 2026 World Cup.

He was included in the Brazil squad for recent friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia, making appearances off the bench, and Henrique’s versatility to play almost anywhere in attack would appeal to Arteta.

However, as yet, there’s been no links to the forward from an Arsenal perspective, at least not this year.

That being said, Henrique has clearly invited the north Londoners to make a move, so the door is wide open.

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…

By
Tom Cunningham

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.

European club reach "verbal agreement" to sign "excellent" Newcastle attacker in 2026

The Magpies now have a decision to make.

ByTom Cunningham Dec 2, 2025

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.

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