O Grêmio recebe o Caxias na Arena do Grêmio, em Porto Alegre, nesta terça-feira (26), às 21h (de Brasília), pelo jogo de volta da semifinal do Campeonato Gaúcho. O jogo terá transmissão do SporTV e do Premiere FC.
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✅FICHA TÉCNICA Grêmio x Caxias Jogo de volta da semifinal do Campeonato Gaúcho
Data e horário: terça-feira, 26 de março de 2024, às 21h00 (de Brasília) Local: Arena do Grêmio, em Porto Alegre (RS) Onde assistir: SporTV e Premiere FC. Árbitro: Jean Pierre Gonçalves Lima (RS) Assistentes: Mauricio Coelho Silva Penna (RS)e Otávio Legramanti (RS). VAR: Daniel Nobre Bins (RS).
⚽PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES
Grêmio (Técnico: Renato Portaluppi) Caíque (Marchesín); João Pedro, Geromel, Kannemann e Mayk; Villasanti (Dodi), Pepê e Cristaldo; Gustavo Nunes, Diego Costa e Pavon.
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Caxias (Técnico: Argel Fuchs) Fabian Volpi; Marcelo, Denílson (Jean Pierre), Cézar Henrique e Dudu Mandai; Barba, Elyeser, Emerson Martins e Tomas Bastos; Gabriel Silva e Vitor Feijão.
قال عمر جابر، لاعب وقائد نادي الزمالك، إن الفريق جاهز لمواجهة كايزر تشفيز، المقرر لها غدًا السبت، في منافسات بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية.
ويلتقي الزمالك مع كايزر تشيفز، بملعب الأخير، ضمن مواجهات الجولة الثانية من عمر مباريات دور المجموعات لبطولة الكونفدرالية.
وأضاف جابر في تصريحات بالمؤتمر الصحفي: “نسعى لتحقيق الفوز وحصد الثلاث نقاط، ونعلم أن فريق كايزر تشيفز كبير، والزمالك أيضًا فريق كبير وسنبذل قصارى جهدنا من أجل تحقيق الفوز”.
طالع | أحمد عبد الرؤوف: الزمالك مرر بظروف معقدة بعد السوبر.. والفوز على كايزر تشيفز سيدفعنا للأمام
وتابع: “نعلم الكرة الجنوب إفريقية جيدًا ولعبنا الموسم الماضي أمام ستيلينبوش، ونحترم الكرة في جنوب إفريقيا، ولكننا نثق في قدراتنا”.
وتابع: “نعلم قوة فريق كايزر تشيفز، والفريق استعد بجدية للمباراة من أجل حصد الثلاث نقاط”.
واختتم: “كايرز تشيفز لديه تاريخ في إفريقيا كما أن الزمالك لديه تاريخ كبير أيضًا في القارة، ومواجهة الغد ستكون مختلفة عن مواجهة الزمالك وستيلينبوش في الموسم الماضي”.
وكان الزمالك فاز في لقاء الجولة الأولى على زيسكو الزامبي بهدف دون رد، في المباراة التي أقيمت على ملعب استاد القاهرة الأحد الماضي.
ويتواجد الزمالك مع كايزر تشفيز، في المجموعة الرابعة من بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية، مع زيسكو الزامبي والمصري.
West Ham United are keen on a January swoop for an “unbelievable” striker, who now wants a move to the Premier League.
West Ham looking to provide Jarrod Bowen with support in attack
West Ham have become more difficult to beat since the arrival of Nuno, having lost just one of their last six Premier League games, but they will be disappointed they were unable to hold on against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.
The Hammers were in the lead until stoppage time, before Georginio Rutter netted a controversial late equaliser, which Nuno believes should’ve been ruled out, saying: “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.”
Picking up three points against an in-form Brighton side would’ve been an impressive result, but it wasn’t to be, despite Jarrod Bowen putting in an impressive performance, netting his fourth Premier League goal of the season after starting in a central role.
Callum Wilson came off the bench to assist Bowen’s goal, with the former Newcastle United man now up to five goal contributions this season, but with his contract due to expire in the summer, the Irons are looking to provide their captain with some additional support in attack.
That is according to a report from Hammers News, which has provided a new update on West Ham’s Ivan Toney pursuit, stating Nuno’s side are keen on signing the striker in the January transfer window.
The Hammers have already explored a deal for Toney, having been impressed by his performances in England for Brentford, and the centre-forward now wants to make a return to the Premier League ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
However, it is unlikely the east Londoners will be able to get a deal over the line, given the Al-Ahli star’s huge wage demands, which could be a major obstacle.
West Ham now lining up concrete January move for £80k-a-week Chelsea player
The Hammers are looking to sign a “leader” in the upcoming transfer window.
ByDominic Lund 4 days ago "Unbelievable" Toney could help fire West Ham to safety
Despite West Ham being difficult to beat in recent weeks, they are still in real trouble, currently sitting two points from safety and inside the relegation zone.
The former Brentford striker has proven he has what it takes to help fire the Hammers to safety, maintaining a fantastic attacking record across his three seasons in the Premier League with the Bees.
Season
Premier League appearances
Goal contributions
2021-22
33
17
2022-23
33
24
2023-24
17
6
Former manager Thomas Frank also waxed lyrical about the Englishman upon his departure, saying: “It’s been a pleasure to work with Ivan over the last four years. He has averaged more than one goal every two games, which is an unbelievable number.”
With West Ham at real risk of relegation, they definitely need to make some new additions in the January window, and Toney is exactly the calibre of signing they should be looking to make.
The No. 3 batter talks about making it to the West Indies side, and looks ahead to the ODI series in Bangladesh
Deivarayan Muthu17-Oct-2025While Shai Hope and John Campbell were standing up to India’s attack in the Delhi Test earlier this week, Keacy Carty, another promising West Indies batter, was sweating it out against spin a few thousand kilometres away in Chennai, in the lead up to the ODI series in Bangladesh, which will kick off on October 18. Carty was left out of the Test side for the India tour, but is arguably the first batter on West Indies’ team sheet in ODI cricket right now.The 28-year-old has become a stable presence at No. 3 for West Indies in ODIs, thanks to his ability to construct and reconstruct innings. He can also bat at different tempos – as his strike rates, ranging from the sixties to 100-plus indicate – a rare skill among emerging batters from the Caribbean.Since his ODI debut in May 2022, Carty has slotted in 23 times at No. 3, scoring 1110 runs at an average of 52.85 and strike rate of 85.97. Only Kane Williamson (62.47) and Virat Kohli (58.28) have a higher ODI average than Carty among No. 3 batters who have played at least 20 innings during this period.So what makes Carty tick in this crucial position in ODIs?Related
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“Before I got the opportunity to bat at No. 3 in back-to-back games, [coach Daren] Sammy basically told me that this is what’s required from anyone that wants to bat in that particular position,” Carty says on the sidelines of a training session at the Super Kings Academy in Chennai. “He brought up the stats and said, ‘This is what the top three in the world is doing and this is what we are doing’.”So we identified a few areas I could improve upon, two-three new skills. Just the willingness to want to do well at the position is what really drives me. I feel in 50-over cricket, you have a lot more time, so you don’t have to be too helter-skelter. If you identify two-three areas where you can get a single, a two or a four, you’re always going to have someone in the circle, so you can always capitalise.”Carty doesn’t want to be left behind by the rapid evolution of the white-ball game. Conditions in the Caribbean, especially at his CPL home base in Trinidad, are often sluggish and unfavourable to playing in the “V” behind the wicket, but he sees his stint at the Super Kings Academy as an opportunity to hone the scoop shot, which could help him manipulate fields and open up new scoring zones in other parts of the world.”The purpose of coming here to Chennai was obviously to improve the way we play spin and the way we think of playing spin,” Carty says. “In the event that a team probably takes out the 45 [short fine leg] and puts him at short midwicket, I remember on one occasion I played it [the scoop] and they put him back. I wasn’t really practising it in CPL that much because I don’t think it would have been that useful. Hitting in front of the wicket is a better way to play in the Caribbean. Here, I’ve been working on a few things indoors, doing drills, and putting it to practice against the spin bowlers.”Carty’s awareness of conditions and his own game came to the fore during his maiden ODI century, against England in a successful chase of 264, which tipped the series decider West Indies’ way in Bridgetown in November 2024. On a slow surface, Carty knew he could simply play out Jofra Archer and Adil Rashid and line up Reece Topley and part-timer Liam Livingstone.In nine ODIs in 2025 so far, Carty has scored 495 runs at an average of 55•Nick Potts/PA Photos/Getty Images”It wasn’t necessarily the quickest pitch,” Carty recalls. “So by the time he [fast bowler Archer] finished his first spell and the first change came out with some spin… it was a night game too. I didn’t think the ball was doing too much nor was the pitch assisting him too much. So on that day, it wasn’t necessarily a big threat for me. I mean, on a different day, maybe a different ball game… But on that day, given all the circumstances, it wasn’t really too threatening.”Any opposition I’m coming up against, I always try to keep their main threat out of the game. I think that would put the team in a better position to do well. So I was a bit more cautious against him [legspinner Rashid]. But I really had the game plan of keeping him out of the game, to then force the other bowlers to be attacking who are probably not as good because we know [Rashid] has about 400 wickets [373 in white-ball cricket] for England.”Learning the game and being interested in expanding your knowledge of the game is going to help you sharpen your skills. I don’t think without attention to detail you can be that good of a player for a long period.”As part of Trinbago Knight Riders, the current CPL champions, Carty has also been feeding off inputs from his captain at the franchise, Nicholas Pooran, and his predecessor Kieron Pollard.”To be honest, it’s been a lot of knowledge and a lot of coaching at TKR,” Carty says. “Pooran is a bit more lenient with me versus Pollard (). That’s just the nature of the individual. But when I’m with TKR, they do come down hard on me in a sense because I guess they feel like I can do well, so they would like to see me do well and do well fast. And it’s not only me – it’s to all younger players as well.Carty has played in four CPL seasons, and he just won his first, the 2025 edition, with Trinbago Knight Riders•CPL T20/Getty Images”Something as simple as – we may finish with practice at 8 o’clock at night, I see a message from Pollard and it’s footage of me batting against spin now versus last year. He would ask me to tell him what I think. Obviously, he’s played a lot of international cricket, a lot of domestic cricket around the world, and has had a lot of coaching from different territories, different conditions and he always shares that knowledge with us.”While Carty plays for Trinidad and Tobago in the CPL, he hails from St Maarten and became the first player from there to represent West Indies in international cricket, against Netherlands in May 2022 in Amstelveen. Funnily enough, Carty was also eligible to represent the opposition, since St Maarten is a constituent country of the kingdom of Netherlands, but his loyalty has always been with West Indies.Daniel Doram, a tall left-arm fingerspinner from St Maarten, who now plays for Netherlands, is among Carty’s good friends. They are team-mates at Leeward Islands, but Carty is looking forward to coming up against him in international cricket in the future.”I remember when I went to bat, one of the players said, ‘Guys, you can have this every day if you want’. I can vividly remember that,” Carty says with a laugh. “Daniel and I are very good friends. He also plays for the same team [Leewards]. So we’re basically the two younger generations that came up and are a part of the team.”He’s obviously playing for Holland now. Hopefully, if we ever play against each other, I can get the better of him (laughs). Yeah, I am eligible to play for the Netherlands, but that part is definitely far off.”Carty top-scored with 52 not out in West Indies’ Under-19 World Cup final win against India in 2016•Pal Pillai/Getty ImagesCarty also credits older St Maarten players like Sherwin Peters and Colin Hamer for shaping his career.”What they learned at the league level, they passed on that knowledge, so I was a few steps ahead of anyone my age,” Carty says. “So it’s basically like a brotherhood and you really don’t like losing because of how they came up. That passion and willingness to win has always been a part of them. As a youngster being a part of it, it’s going to naturally adapt to your demeanour. I’ve not necessarily been a part of a [world-title-] winning West Indies team, but we are improving and I do feel one day things are going to turn around.”Carty is a late bloomer in international cricket. In 2016, he steered West Indies to the Under-19 World Cup title in Bangladesh with an unbeaten half-century in the final against India, but he needed six more years to break into international cricket even as some of his age-group team-mates stepped up to the next level almost immediately after the World Cup.Carty is happy, though, to have taken the stairs, and not the elevator, to the West Indies senior side.”A few guys like Shimron [Hetmyer], Keemo Paul and Alzarri [Joseph] played international cricket shortly after U-19,” Carty says. “I guess you can see why, based on their skillset. For me, it took a bit more time, which is okay. I just felt like I was a bit more… Like I knew my game a bit more.”He has now returned to Bangladesh as a bankable No. 3, well-prepared for whatever the hosts throw at him. While spin is always a factor in Bangladesh, he is also wary of their burgeoning pace stocks.Carty has spent his time in Chennai working on improving his batting against spin•Super Kings Academy”I’ve played in Bangladesh [before] and also watched Test cricket there, where they prepare spin decks. So the work here in Chennai will come into play there,” he says. “Hopefully it will be fruitful, but I’m keeping an open mind because they do have a pace attack that has been doing well for them – Tanzim [Hasan Sakib], Taskin [Ahmed] and the fast guy, [Nahid] Rana.”They also do have quality spinners – Taijul, Nasum and the two Hasans. So it’s going to be interesting to see what type of decks they prepare. But I’m keeping an open mind because I’ve been there twice and the pitches have been amazing.”West Indies missed out on qualifying for the last ODI World Cup, in 2023, and Carty dreams of taking them to the 2027 tournament. “Definitely you want to be a part of the World Cup,” Carty says. “But I’m basically taking it series by series and just trying to get over every small hurdle that we have ahead of us so far.”He isn’t part of the current Test squad or the T20I squad in Bangladesh, but has ambitions of becoming an all-format player for West Indies. Switching from one format to another in a short span has become a tightrope walk these days, but Carty is ready to walk it.”I do want to get back into the Test team. I think where it gets tricky is balancing all three and being able to adapt. Playing Tests today and in three days’ time you’re playing a T20 or an ODI… I feel that’s going to be more difficult. But I do want to be an all-format player for West Indies.”
By picking for conditions, not reputations, South Africa engineered a rare and hard-earned run of subcontinent success
Firdose Moonda26-Nov-20253:10
Philander: Takes an ‘epic effort’ to beat India at home
They say what makes South Africans unique is that they prefer it when things are tough. Start your World Test Championship (WTC) title defence with back-to-back tours of the subcontinent? Challenge accepted. Win a series in places you haven’t for 18 years (Pakistan) and 25 (India)? Sure. Do it without your captain in the first instance and your premier seamer in the second? Bring it.And while it’s true that South Africans love the bravado of all this, it also holds that none of it happened without careful planning and meticulous attention to detail as they worked their way back up international cricket’s rankings over the last six years.In that time, one of the key things South Africa have got right is selection. It may sound obvious but they’ve picked squads and XIs based solely on who they think can do a job in a specific location, against a specific team, not on reputation, and sometimes not even on form. It hasn’t always seemed obvious – Lungi Ngidi for the WTC final at Lord’s with no red-ball cricket under his belt for ten months, or Tristan Stubbs at No. 3 – but, to date, it has all worked. Over the last two months, better than ever.Related
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For South Africa’s trips to Pakistan and India, recalling Simon Harmer was a masterstroke. It demonstrated how well South Africa have moved on from the issues of the past to make the best choices for the present.Harmer left the country’s cricket in the Kolpak exodus of 2017, and has since had strong opinions about everything from the application of transformation targets to the security of a career in South Africa. Some of what he said has rankled, but most of what he did impressed. On the county circuit, Harmer has been prolific – he has been among the top ten wicket-takers over nine English summers and the leading bowler in three of those. Going to the subcontinent, a record like that could not be ignored.In the grand tradition of phoning a friend, Harmer called Temba Bavuma and Shukri Conrad after watching them lift the Test mace at Lord’s to make himself available again.”Seeing them win the World Test Championship as a South African was an extremely proud moment, especially knowing a lot of people in the change room and what it meant to them,” Harmer said at the post-match press conference after South Africa beat India by 408 runs in the second Test in Guwahati.”Never in a million years did I think that I would have another shot at international cricket” – Simon Harmer•BCCIWinning that title also showed South Africa that their methods work. The 2023-25 cycle was, on paper, not particularly challenging with no matches against England or Australia, and an India series at home. Instead, it was sparse, with six two-match series, and South Africa effectively forfeited one when they sent an understrength side to New Zealand to accommodate for the SA20. That meant there was huge pressure on every match, but coach Conrad had discovered a way.For New Zealand, he called on resources far and wide as he brought offspinner Dane Piedt back from his new life in the United States, and medium-pacer Dane Paterson back from what looked like the road to retirement on the county circuit. Paterson was key to the rest of South Africa’s success, which included series wins in the West Indies and Bangladesh, and then four matches in a row at home. Essentially, South Africa got to the WTC final by thinking creatively, and that would have given Harmer hope they would continue to do so on other assignments – especially as defending champions.Harmer was right. South Africa immediately knew that to win in the subcontinent, not only did they have to pick their best players of spin – Tony de Zorzi, who now has two Test hundreds, both in Asia, for example – they also had to have good spinners. And one thing Harmer had done was become a bloody good spinner. In England, he learnt how to bowl on sometimes unhelpful tracks, and to vary his pace. Ten years after he debuted and was then dropped in India, Harmer was able to show those skills again.”That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do – to be able to look back at the end of my career and say that I was the best version of Simon Harmer that I could be,” he said. “The steps I took when I was dropped from the national side to try and get better. Never in a million years did I think that I would have another shot at international cricket. Never in a million years did I think that I would come to India again. To be here, to win 2-0, to be Player of the Series, it’s pretty special and quite surreal.”South Africa drew their Test series in Pakistan before winning the one in India•AFP/Getty ImagesHe also probably never in a million years thought that he would be South Africa’s highest wicket-taker in India, or have the best bowling average for them in a Test series. But these once-in-a-lifetime things do happen. And there’s a romance to them and to thinking that may just be one-offs. Left-arm spin-bowling allrounder Senuran Muthusamy, for example, is highly unlikely to be picked as a specialist batter in home Tests when South Africa have Zubayr Hamza, Dewald Brevis and Lhuan-dre Pretorius waiting in the wings. Could he have played his best and last Tests on these subcontinent tours?Harmer will ask the same questions. How will we find his way into the South Africa XI when South Africa next play, 11 months from now at home? There, the surfaces will suit seamers, Kagiso Rabada will be back, and Keshav Maharaj is the first-choice spinner. But this is a South Africa team that say and act like they really are for each other – especially now that they have proven to themselves they can win without either Bavuma or Rabada (but maybe not without both at the same time) – and Harmer seems to have made peace with the uncertainty.”I’m quite happy to come and contribute, and I know it’s going to be a different story when we play in different places around the world,” Harmer said. “For now, I’m very happy to play a supporting role. I want to make South African cricket better. If that means that I only get selected in the subcontinent, I’ve got absolutely no issue with that. I want to contribute. I want this team to do well. I want this team to dominate Test cricket for as long as they possibly can.”South Africa’s series wins in Pakistan in 2007, in Bangladesh in 2008, and the drawn series in India in 2008 marked the start of what became their golden period. They went 15 series unbeaten on the road, and notched up victories in England, Australia and Sri Lanka on the way. This time the sequence is slightly different as victory in Bangladesh last year gave them their first win in the subcontinent in a decade, and they drew in Pakistan but won in India. The last of those is a generational achievement which comes at a time when India have never been more powerful – both as a team and as the game’s economic powerhouse.South Africa have announced their aim to make the SA20 the second-best league, but not to have the second-best national team•SA20Though India were beaten by New Zealand at home last year, that was their first Test series loss on their own soil in 12 years. Either side of that, they won the T20 World Cup in 2024, where they defeated South Africa in the final, and the Champions Trophy early in 2025, while their women’s side also beat South Africa in the ODI World Cup earlier this month.And if South Africa needed any more reminding of who controls the game’s global narrative, they need look no further than their own SA20. All six franchises are linked to IPL teams through ownership. Instead of push back, South Africa have embraced it, happily announcing their aim to have the second-best league in the global game, but not, the second-best national team. It has worked as the league has grown to the point where it is the highlight of the summer, especially this one that will have no home Tests as decided by the Future Tours Programme in 2022.Box South Africans in and tell them to find their way out, and they say the situation brings out the best in them. It allows them to show the full range of their ability to “make a plan”, as the South African-ism goes, which applies to anything that needs to get done and then is. Cricket seemed to stop making plans six years ago, when South Africa lost in India, and the administration imploded.It has taken time and trust in themselves and the people put in charge (and a word here for Enoch Nkwe, the head of National Teams and High Performance, who has created the structures under which the current success grows) to get up again. They have, and now they’re running along the toughest of paths and loving it.
The San Francisco Giants are still fighting to sneak into the MLB postseason, currently sitting 1.5 games out of the final wild-card spot in the National League. With just 13 games remaining in the regular season, the team is dipping into its pool of minor league talent in order to help in their playoff push.
The Giants have promoted prospect Bryce Eldridge, the team announced Monday, bringing the organization's top minor leaguer to MLB for the final stretch of the year.
Eldridge, a first baseman, is ranked as the team's No. 1 prospect and the No. 13 prospect in the sport by MLB Pipeline. He stands a towering 6'7" and boasts plenty of power. The 20-year-old has recorded a .843 OPS across three minor league levels in 2025, logging 25 home runs and 84 RBIs across 102 games.
A former first-round pick in the 2023 draft, Eldridge was selected by San Francisco out of James Madison High School in Virginia.
The Giants are starting a crucial three-game series against the Diamondbacks, who are also competing for a wild-card berth, on Monday before traveling to Los Angeles for another important four-game set against the rival Dodgers later in the week.
Tottenham have been a mixed bag under new manager Thomas Frank recently, but Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp has been left impressed by what he’s spotted Kevin Danso doing on the pitch.
Spurs were eliminated from the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening, suffering a 2-0 defeat away to Newcastle at St James’ Park.
Fielding a weakened side that reflected the pressures of a congested fixture list, Spurs looked second best throughout the contest as Newcastle capitalized on their opportunities and advanced to the next round at Tottenham’s expense.
Frank made several changes from his regular Premier League lineup, resting key players and giving fringe squad members a chance to impress.
Tottenham struggled to assert themselves, with Newcastle dominating midfield exchanges and denying Spurs any consistent possession. The visitors’ inability to get their attacking players involved was evident, as they created few genuine chances.
Dejan Kulusevski
Knee
22/11/2025
James Maddison
ACL
01/06/2026
Radu Dragusin
Knee
22/11/2025
Ben Davies
Thigh
23/11/2025
Kota Takai
Ankle/Foot
08/11/2025
Yves Bissouma
Ankle/Foot
08/11/2025
Wilson Odobert
Abdominal
01/11/2025
Cristian Romero
Groin
01/11/2025
Destiny Udogie
Knee
08/11/2025
Dominic Solanke
Ankle
08/11/2025
Archie Gray
Calf/Shin/Heel
06/11/2025
via Premier Injuries
Stand-in keeper Antonin Kinsky was also blasted for his error which led to Nick Woltemade’s first and Newcastle’s second goal of the game, with defender Fabian Schar previously opening the scoring in what was a routine win for the Magpies.
Guglielmo Vicario was absent for Spurs’ trip to the North East with a minor injury, it has been suggested at least, though Frank has confirmed that the keeper will be ready for their looming London derby clash against Chelsea this weekend.
It is currently unclear whether Cristian Romero will return from his groin injury in time to feature at home to Chelsea on Saturday, meaning Danso is more than likely set to partner Micky van de Ven once again.
Jamie Redknapp shares what he's spotted Kevin Danso doing at Tottenham
The pair were excellent at Everton last weekend, particularly van de Ven, who scored two goals from set plays as Tottenham became the first ever away side to win at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Minutes
90
90
Tackles won
1/1
0/0
Clearances
18
7
Blocked shots
2
0
Ball recoveries
3
2
Ground duels won
2/2
1/2
Aerial duels won
4/4
1/4
However, Frank was quick to note Danso’s contribution too, with the Austrian “not as highlighted” but equally deserving of praise.
Just before Tottenham’s loss to Newcastle, when on punditry duty for Sky Sports, Redknapp also had good things to say about the January signing who made his move permanent for £21 million in the summer.
Redknapp, speaking to the Sky studio, said that Danso has been “very impressive” in Romero’s absence, with the pundit claiming he’s spotted him becoming more of a “vocal” presence on the field.
As well as this, Redknapp was quick to point out that he could be emerging as a “leader” at Spurs in light of this.
The 27-year-old was believed to be on the verge of a move to Wolves last January before Tottenham hijacked the deal in last-minute fashion.
Now, with Spurs competing in the Champions League after ending their 17-year wait for silverware, and Wolves rooted to the foot of the table, Danso will be delighted as he also impresses whenever called upon.
It was an astute signing by ex-chairman Daniel Levy, and one which provides new boss Frank with vital, capable cover at centre-back.
The Ashes can wait for now as white-ball campaign prepares to get underway in Christchurch
Cameron Ponsonby16-Oct-2025Christchurch. The city of scooters.Contrary to popular belief, not everything runs smoothly in New Zealand. The Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre, for instance. A $500 million major sports complex was scheduled for completion in 2015, but when you walk past the site that’s a kilometre down the road from Hagley Oval, the builders are still there. A flat white occasionally takes four minutes to arrive rather than three – and cricket is being played in October.This month’s T20I against Australia, on October 1, was the earliest New Zealand had ever played a home international. Two weeks later, Wellington and Otago are currently playing a pre-season friendly, even though the start of the domestic season is still over a week away. The only team playing competitive cricket in New Zealand currently, is New Zealand. The scooters are good though.But if the timing of this series is considered far too early, and the construction of the local swimming pool considered far too late, then the vibes and morale in both camps is just right.Unusually, in such a crammed cricketing calendar, both sides managed to carve out quality time together in the lead-up to their showdown, which will consist of three T20Is followed by three ODIs. England were down in Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world, with bungee jumps, skydiving and jet boats available to all.”I was just playing golf,” said Harry Brook.Meanwhile, New Zealand were in Hanmer Springs. An idyllic location consisting of thermal pools, hiking and quiet pubs where the team could get to know one another, and new head coach Rob Walter, that bit better. There are also, at the thermal pools, waterslides.”They got a hammering,” said former No.1-ranked T20I bowler, Jacob Duffy.Jordan Cox will be given a chance at No.7 after his maiden fifty against Ireland•PA Photos/Getty ImagesConditions in Christchurch, where the first two T20Is will be played, are mixed. The mornings and afternoons consist of a strong sun and a jumper wrapped around your waist, while the evenings require multiple layers all at once. The wind that whips round Hagley Oval isn’t for the faint-hearted, and the night-time T20Is will see hands shoved in pockets and jumpers required for players and spectators alike.But, in an oddity of the modern bilateral series, both teams are at close to full strength. Injuries, rather than rest and rotation, are the core reason for any absence. England have left Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith and Jofra Archer at home until the ODIs, but otherwise captain Brook has his full deck to play with.”We’ve got a great opportunity here against a very strong side to go out there and try and capitalise on the momentum we’ve already made,” Brook said. “The last game we played together as a full group, we got 300.”Because of England’s recent ODI woes, it is easy to forget that in T20Is they have been strong, losing only one of their last seven bilateral series. Similarly, New Zealand’s recent T20I record is excellent. The recent defeat to Australia aside, they have lost just one of their previous 11 bilateral series. While a lack of context remains the perennial problem for these series, quality is one thing that the coming week won’t be lacking.As has become customary with this England side, they named their team a full two-and-a-half days before the start, with Sam Curran and Jordan Cox the notable inclusions at No. 6 and 7 respectively.Related
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Curran, previously unfavoured by the McCullum regime, will play a full role as an allrounder, as he has also been included as the fifth bowler. While Cox, off the back of winning the PCA Player of the Year award, will play an unfamiliar finisher role to stake his claim for a place at the World Cup. Jos Buttler, who went down with a stomach bug on the journey over, is now fully fit and will open the batting and keep wicket.England are at pains to stress that the focus of this series … is this series. A bit of T20 World Cup preparation, yes, but the Ashes will come later. And while they may mean it, it’s hard to imagine they really believe it. How could they?Gus Atkinson, for instance – who is not part of the white-ball squads – arrived today to begin his individual preparation to take on Australia, while Mark Wood and Josh Tongue are due to land next week to do the same.They will work with bowling consultant Tim Southee, the former Kiwi legend who has been part of England’s coaching staff over the summer. He had been expected to leave his role following this series and not be part of the Ashes coaching squad. However, this looks subject to change with Southee currently earmarked to stay with the group in Perth for the warm-up against the Lions and for the first Test before leaving to play in the ILT20.”It’s something I’d love to be a part of,” Southee told talkSPORT. “But obviously there’s a few things to go through first.”New Zealand are boosted by the return of Rachin Ravindra and captain Mitchell Santner, but are still missing several players through injury including Finn Allen, Adam Milne, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips and Lockie Ferguson. Kane Williamson and Ben Sears are also absent.”I think we missed him last series,” Duffy said of his captain Santner, whose return has seen Ish Sodhi miss out on selection. “Not only his four overs, but his leadership too. There’s still a few guys missing out, but to have a couple big more horses in the tanks is not going to hurt us.”Even with their number of injuries, New Zealand’s pace attack remains daunting, with Duffy backed by the likes of Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson and Zak Foulkes. The exciting Bevon Jacobs, who was picked up by Mumbai Indians just under a year ago, before he’d even made his international debut, is also expected to feature.All in all, whether it’s October or not, the contest is well poised and an exciting series of high-quality cricket awaits. And that can never be too early in the year.England XI: 1 Phil Salt, 2 Jos Buttler (capt), 3 Jacob Bethell, 4 Harry Brook (capt), 5 Tom Banton, 6 Sam Curran, 7 Jordan Cox, 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Liam Dawson, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Luke Wood.
For the first time in a long while, Manchester United appear to have acted astutely in the transfer market, having notably snapped up Premier League-proven talents in the form of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.
Fresh off the back of netting 35 league goals between them for Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers, respectively, last term, the £130m+ pairing have scored six times in all competitions in their new surroundings – three of which came at Old Trafford last weekend.
There is a joy in seeing ready-made signings hit the ground running, but so too is there in United unearthing something of a hidden gem.
A player who arrives as a relative unknown, before achieving cult hero status.
Think back to the likes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez, recruited from obscurity in Norway and Mexico, respectively, or even in the current crop, the likes of Senne Lammens and Amad could fall into that category.
In the case of the latter man, the Ivorian has endured a long route to the top at Old Trafford, but now he is truly flourishing.
Amad's long road to becoming a Man Utd star
It was remarkably just over five years ago that the news broke of United’s £19m signing of a teenage Atalanta starlet by the name of Amad, with the then 18-year-old ultimately making the switch in January 2021.
At the time of the announcement on that October deadline day, the youngster had made just three Serie A appearances, totalling only 30 minutes, with the Red Devils gambling heavily on a raw and inexperienced addition.
Despite ultimately making his mark by netting in inventive fashion against AC Milan, the diminutive forward was forced to bide his time under the likes of Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick, with the major breakthrough coming amid his stellar loan stint at Sunderland in 2022/23 – following a short spell with Rangers.
Amad Diallo for Sunderland
With 14 goals and hero status achieved at the Stadium of Light, Amad returned to Erik ten Hag’s ranks in the summer of 2023, albeit with injury curtailing his involvement in the first-half of the subsequent season.
Aside from that FA Cup winner against Liverpool – and a first Premier League goal against Newcastle United – that 2023/24 campaign was something of a write-off on a personal level, with a strong start to 2024/25 quickly halted as he again slid down Ten Hag’s attacking pecking order.
Since the Dutchman’s departure, however, the 23-year-old has gone to a different level under Ruud van Nistelrooy and now Ruben Amorim, producing a string of clutch moments, including goals away at Anfield and the Etihad last term, alongside his late treble at home to Southampton.
Now shifted back to right wing-back this season, amid the presence of Mbeumo, the £120k-per-week wizard is beginning to find his groove, highlighted by his statement early assist away on Merseyside.
Manager
Games
Goals
Assists
Ruben Amorim
36
8
10
Erik ten Hag
24
3
3
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
8
1
1
Ruud van Nistelrooy
4
2
1
Ralf Rangnick
1
0
0
Michael Carrick
0
0
0
Total
73
14
14
It’s been five years or so in the making, but Amad – who is set to head to AFCON later this year – is properly realising his potential in a United shirt.
Perhaps a similar success story could be on the cards?
Man Utd's next Amad in the making
All the focus five years ago was on the £40m capture of Donny van de Beek, alongside the free transfer arrival of Edinson Cavani, with Amad’s announcement something of an afterthought – not least as he didn’t actually make the move until a few months later.
Manchester United forward Amad Diallo.
Such a scenario has seemingly been repeated in 2025, with United having quietly confirmed the £6m signing of another teenager, Diego Leon, back in January, with the Paraguayan belatedly joining this summer after turning 18.
Like a young Amad, the rampaging full-back has been signed as something of a project player, more with a nod to the future than with an expectation that he should immediately hit the ground running at Premier League level.
Like Amad too, however – who was even described as “like Messi” in training by Atalanta teammate Papu Gomez – the teenager arrives with a burgeoning reputation, having already scored four times in 33 games for former employers Cerro Porteno.
Comfortable at left-back or left wing-back, the rising star has been hailed for his physical attributes by the likes of analyst Ben Mattinson, who has noted that he “runs like a steam train” down that flank.
Such quality was evident only last week as United’s U21 side saw off Tottenham Hotspur, with Leon surging forward from his left-sided berth, running almost the length of the pitch, before converting for his first goal for the Red Devils.
Unsurprisingly, there is still a rawness to his game – having notably lost the ball nine times from just 31 touches in the recent EFL Trophy defeat to Barnsley, as per Sofascore – but with remarkable pace and power, it might not be long before United’s No.35 is featuring at first-team level.
Indeed, he has been a regular fixture in Amorim’s matchday squads this season, despite not actually making his competitive senior bow, while he has also received a first international call-up from Paraguay.
Paraded on the pitch ahead of the pre-season clash with Fiorentina, the left-footer was no doubt in the shadow of the marquee signings of Cunha, Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, although his time will surely come before too long.
With Patrick Dorgu yet to nail down that left wing-back berth – and with fellow teenager Harry Amass out on loan – there is a clear route to game time in the coming weeks and months, starting with Saturday’s meeting with Nottingham Forest.
While, like Amad, he may have to bide his time, United could reap the rewards later down the line of having invested in such an exciting teenage talent.
Carragher said Man Utd star was "terrible", now he's Amorim's key player
Manchester United now have a talent who has managed to transform his career at Old Trafford.
Saturday’s edition of was billed as a homecoming for Pat McAfee, the former West Virginia special teams star who grew up outside of the city. McAfee paid tribute to the city’s impressive sports history.
Of course, the modern Pittsburgh sports landscape features both one of the most electrifying athletes in the country—Cy Young winner Paul Skenes—and his otherwise disappointing franchise, the Pirates.
“We even have baseball history,” McAfee said. “Paul Skenes just won the Cy Young, he’s the best player in baseball. That’s sick.”
Cheers for Skenes quickly turned negative, and as McAfee began to address the Pirates struggles, saying, “And although the team may be absolute …” the Pirates fans in attendance came close to drowning him out with loud chants of “Sell the team!”
“Yeah, that’s what they’re saying,” McAfee continued after cutting himself off.
“What’s going on with the Pirates is they don’t spend any money and they don’t actually win, you see, so we have Paul Skenes go on a historic run at PNC Park, the most beautiful ballpark in of MLB,” McAfee continued, acknowledging the fan base’s complaints before kicking it to Kirk Herbstreit for a quick history lesson about great Pirates players and teams of yesteryear.
“Sell the team” chants have become commonplace in Pittsburgh, with Skenes addressing them—and putting the responsibility to win on his own shoulders and those of the team’s players—all the way back in early April. The Pirates would finish 71–91, the franchise’s seventh consecutive sub-.500 season. Pittsburgh last reached the playoffs in 2015, the last of three straight postseason bids for the franchise. The ‘13 trip to the NLDS broke a 20 year streak without playoff baseball.
As we’ve seen in recent days with the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, fan outrage can make impact with a struggling sports franchise. Ousting an ownership group that doesn’t feel incentivized to invest in a winning ballclub is a much more difficult undertaking, even with pressure coming from the set.