Everton’s mini-unbeaten run continues, albeit not quite in the way they would’ve hoped.

On Saturday, David Moyes’ men were held to a goalless draw by Aston Villa at Hill Dickinson Stadium, neither team ever looking particularly likely to make the breakthrough.

Nevertheless, this means the Toffees are still yet to lose or even concede a goal at their new home at Bramley-Moore Dock, beating both Brighton in the Premier League and Mansfield in the EFL Cup on Merseyside so far.

The 3-2 victory over Wolves at Molineux a fortnight ago underlined the array of exciting attacking midfielders and wingers at Moyes’ disposal, but this team could’ve been even more frightening, had they not sold a “phenomenal” centre-forward.

Jack Grealish's impact at Everton

Jack Grealish did not take long to rediscover his best form after joining Everton on loan from Manchester City.

Having bagged a pair of assists during the victories over Brighton and Wolves, the England international leads the way in the division in that regard, albeit at this early stage.

Nevertheless, as recognition, he was named Premier League player of the month for the very first time in August, with Patrick Boyland of the Athletic describing his impact as ‘instantaneous’, labelling him a ‘symbol of hope’ for ‘success-starved supporters’.

However, he would be even more scintillating if he was able to feed top-quality strikers.

Beto scored against both Mansfield and Wolves last month, but Thierno Barry is yet to get off the mark since arriving from Villarreal for £27m, having bagged 11 La Liga goals during his solitary season with the Yellow Submarine.

Thus, the Frenchman could certainly come good, while Beto has proven what he can do, scoring seven Premier League goals after Moyes’ re-appointment in January, but just how much would Grealish have enjoyed playing with a forgotten Everton forward?

Everton's forgotten centre-forward

Back in the summer of 2019, Everton signed a striker by the name of Moise Kean for around £25m from Juventus but, suffice to say, he did not leave much of a lasting impression at Goodison.

The striker scored just four goals in 39 appearances for the Toffees, on target in the Premier League against Newcastle and Bournemouth, while also netting during EFL Cup victories over Salford and Fleetwood.

Thus, he spent the 2020/21 campaign on loan at Paris Saint-Germain, actually scoring 17 times for les Rouge-et-Bleu, before returning to Everton the following August, fittingly marking his final game for the club by being sent off against Huddersfield.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Soon after, he rejoined Juventus on a two-year loan deal, with la Vecchia Signora paying around £28m to eventually make the move permanent.

Nevertheless, across two spells in Turin, Kean scored a mere 22 goals in 123 appearances for the Bianconeri, only really bursting to life after moving to Fiorentina for around £15.5m last summer.

During his debut campaign at Stadio Artemio Franchi, Kean scored 25 times across all competitions, 19 of which came in Serie A, making him the division’s second-highest scorer, behind only Capocannoniere winner Mateo Retegui.

As a result, Inter legend Christian Vieri labelled his form “phenomenal”, reflected by the fact that Football Transfers believe his current market value to be around £48m, by some distance the highest it has ever been, more than three times more than what Fiorentina paid to recruit him and more than the £28m the same source values Grealish at.

The table below underlines Kean’s exponential increase in terms of scoring output.

2016/17

Juventus

1

2017/18

Juventus

4

2018/19

Juventus

7

2019/20

Everton

2

2020/21

Everton & PSG

19

2021/22

Juventus

6

2022/23

Juventus

8

2023/24

Juventus

Zero

2024/25

Fiorentina

25

As the table documents, it is quite the turnaround for Kean, having scored no goals in one season before bagging 25 in the next, having only ever managed more than eight in a campaign once beforehand.

His form has caught the eye of both recent Italy managers, first Luciano Spalletti and subsequently the newly-appointed Gennaro Gattuso.

Before the start of this year, Kean had scored just one international goal since September 2021.

Now though, he has bagged five in 2025 already, notching a brace against Germany in the Nations League quarter-finals at Westfalenstadion in March, before netting three times during the most-recent break, scoring a towering header when Estonia visited Bergamo, before a brace during Monday’s bonkers 5-4 victory over Israel at Nagyerdei Stadion.

So, while no one at Everton could’ve forecast how good Kean would become, he is proof that development and progress are not linear, but just imagine the Blues had a striker capable of scoring 25 goals a season, and how good he would be in tandem with Grealish.

Just as bad as Beto: Moyes must now drop Everton's 6/10 "passenger"

Everton will rue missed chances as they played out a goalless draw against Aston Villa in the Premier League.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 13, 2025

15 overs a sideNew Zealand’s powerful powerplay performances with both ball and bat comfortably dispatched Pakistan in the second T20I in Dunedin to give the hosts a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.Jacob Duffy, Ben Sears and Ish Sodhi pinned Pakistan early to cripple their batting effort, forcing the visitors to make only 135 in the 15-overs-a-side contest, after which openers Tim Seifert (45 off 22 balls) and Finn Allen (38 from 16) killed the chase off early, adding 66 in just 28 deliveries.Salman Agha’s 46, and economical spells from Khushdil Shah and Haris Rauf, were the positives from the Pakistan camp. But, overall, they were outplayed by the hosts, although the gulf between the two sides was lesser than in the first T20I. The teams now move to Auckland, with the visitors one defeat away from losing the series.

Sodhi compliments NZ’s new-ball effort

After New Zealand stand-in captain Michael Bracewell opted to bowl, Duffy’s rising delivery had opener Hasan Nawaz miscuing a shot to backward point in the first over itself. Sears then dismissed an aggressive Mohammad Haris for 11 when he slashed the bowler to deep third.Agha, Pakistan’s captain, then counterattacked to give the visitors’ innings some impetus, but Bracewell’s introduction of Sodhi crippled them. Irfan Khan’s leading edge off Sodhi saw him holing out at backward point, and two balls later, Khushdil was walking back after being trapped in front of the stumps by the wristspinner.Agha’s 28-ball 46 threatened New Zealand in the middle overs, but when he fell in the tenth over to Sears in his second spell, Pakistan lost steam. However, Shadab Khan’s 14-ball 26, and Shaheen Shah Afridi’s 14-ball 22, added some late impetus to lift the visitors to 135 for 9 in 15 overs. James Neesham, playing his first T20I in nine months, finished with 2 for 26, both wickets coming in the 13th over.”The guys bowling into the wind bowled particularly well,” Bracewell said after the game. “I think when the wicket’s been under covers for a day or so and offering extra bounce, our bowlers used the surface well. We were pretty happy with the score at half-time.”Some late blows from Shaheen Shah Afridi lifted Pakistan•Sanka Vidanagama/AFP via Getty Images

Allen, Seifert bash Pakistan around

On one of the fastest-scoring T20I grounds, a required run rate of nine per over wasn’t daunting. But Afridi’s maiden over to Seifert meant Pakistan started well.Playing in Dunedin for the first time since his record-breaking innings of 16 sixes against Pakistan in January 2024, Allen kickstarted the chase by launching three sixes off Mohammad Ali’s back-of-a-length deliveries in the second over. Seifert went one better in the third, smashing Afridi for four sixes in the arc between extra cover and deep square leg. With seven sixes in the first three overs – the second-most in that phase of any T20I (where ball-by-ball data is available) – the openers looked in a hurry to finish the game.Seifert fell in the fifth over even as he looked set for a rapid half-century, as he miscued Ali’s slower ball to mid-on. But his 22-ball 45 had made the chase elementary. Allen then smashed left-arm seamer Jahandad Khan for consecutive sixes in the seventh over before falling lbw next ball. His 16-ball 38 left New Zealand at 88 for 2 in seven overs, needing just another 48 from as many balls.James Neesham took two wickets in the 13th over•Joe Allison/Getty Images

“After the first over [maiden], thought it was a tricky chase, but then Finn and I combined well,” Seifert, the Player of the Match, who returned to the T20I squad ahead of this series, said after the game. “As a Kiwi, playing for the nation is great, and it’s fun to be back with the boys. You’re playing with the world’s best players, and it helps you to know your game. As a player, you’re definitely learning and getting better.”The start allowed New Zealand’s middle order to take their time, although Mark Chapman and Neesham fell for single-digit scores. Rauf, playing instead of spinner Abrar Ahmed, picked off Daryll Mitchell and Neesham in quick succession, but Mitchell Hay’s unbeaten 16-ball 21, and Bracewell’s winning boundary, took the hosts home with 11 balls to spare.”The ground was small, and we wanted to attack their bowlers from one end with the wind,” Bracewell said about the batting performance. “But the openers went big from both ends [smiles]. We’re pretty happy with where things are at overall.”Pakistan captain Agha said their own powerplay performances were a let-down.”It was a better game than last game – lot of positives – but few things more to do,” Agha told the broadcasters. “We batted better but we need to finish our batting better. Bowling was decent but we need to be more consistent. We need to understand and adjust to the bounce. After the powerplay, we bowled well. We bowled well in patches, [but] at the same time, we need to be more consistent in powerplay bowling.”

Transfer deadline day has come and gone, and thankfully, Kobbie Mainoo remains a Manchester United player, having been heavily linked with an exit in the last knockings of the window.

An unused substitute in the opening two Premier League games of the season – having also been afforded just mere minutes off the bench in the Europa League final back in May – the 20-year-old appeared to have his heart set on a loan exit from Old Trafford, amid the search for increased game time.

This is a World Cup year after all, with the United academy graduate firmly out of the England picture at present, despite playing a starring role in the knockout stage run at Euro 2024 just last year.

Having seen Thomas Tuchel elect to recall forgotten man Ruben Loftus-Cheek after a six-year absence this week, Mainoo’s place in the midfield pecking order is evident. He needs to get back playing regularly again.

Once the shining light under Erik ten Hag, the local hero is yet to win over Ruben Amorim. Something needs to change.

Mainoo's rise – and 'fall' – at Man Utd

This writer was there the day that a 16-year-old Mainoo truly announced himself to the Old Trafford faithful with a fine FA Youth Cup final display in May 2022, producing a composed, eye-catching performance at the base of midfield that has since become his trademark.

Fleeting first-team opportunities for the then-teenager followed in 2022/23 – just three to be precise – before he was belatedly unleashed the following campaign, having gradually been introduced after being struck down by injury during pre-season.

From his Man of the Match display away at Everton on just his first Premier League start, Mainoo simply didn’t look back over the next six months, with notable highlights including that late winner at Molinuex, alongside his stunning curler at home to Liverpool.

Such a remarkable rise was capped by his Wembley heroics in May 2024, a year on from the midfield maestro having been singled out by Ten Hag as the senior set-up celebrated their Carabao Cup triumph.

For all the negativity that surrounds the Dutchman, his faith in Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho was more than admirable. Amorim, take note.

Indeed, had it not been for Mainoo’s inclusion in the squad at Burnley last weekend, United would have been at risk of abandoning an 85-year tradition. Since 1937, an academy player has featured in every matchday squad.

That may seem trivial, but this is the essence of Manchester United. Amorim can’t lose that.

In the Portuguese’s defence, however, it isn’t as if he won’t put faith in young talents when suitable. He appears to have settled on his own boy wonder during his Red Devils tenure thus far.

Leny Yoro is the new boy wonder at Man Utd

Question marks remain over the new INEOS regime at Man United, with notable low points including the protracted pursuit – and subsequent dismissal – of Dan Ashworth, alongside the indecision regarding Ten Hag’s future following the FA Cup final.

Throw into the mix the ongoing off-field issues which have clouded the club in recent times, namely a string of redundancies under Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s watch, and the new-look hierarchy still have a way to go to win over an expectant and committed fanbase.

That being said, an optimist could look to the odd success story on the transfer front thus far, with the capture of Leny Yoro an obvious case in point.

Poached from Lille on a £52m deal last summer, amid rival interest from the mighty Real Madrid, the ability to entice the teenage Frenchman appeared to be a real coup at the time. Just over 12 months on, and that remains the case even more so.

While an injury sustained against Arsenal last summer halted his introduction to Premier League football, in a similar vein to Mainoo a year earlier, the 19-year-old grew into the campaign in impressive fashion, following his competitive debut in December.

The doubters will look to his performance against Southampton, and more specifically against Kamaldeen Sulemana, as a reason for concern, but that was a rare blot on the copybook for a player yet to realise his full potential.

That night at the Theatre of Dreams aside, Yoro has looked simply sublime under Amorim, seemingly relishing his role at right centre-back or left centre-back in this much-discussed 3-4-2-1 system.

From his last-ditch challenge on Darwin Nunez away at Anfield, to his vital header out in Lyon, 2025 has proven to be the year of Yoro thus far, none more so than amid that Europa League run.

While others of more seniority and authority faltered around him, the £115-per-week talent – as per Capology – was a real driving force during that surge to Bilbao. Indeed, he quite literally drove Amorim’s men up the pitch from deep at any available occasion, namely against Athletic Club to tee up Mason Mount’s crucial curler.

Described as a “generational” talent by Statman Dave, Yoro ranked in the top 3% of centre-backs in the competition for progressive carries per 90 last term, as per FBref, as well as in the top 7% for pass completion.

Tipped to be ‘the new Rio Ferdinand’ by Amorim, he also started the new campaign in fine fettle, averaging 3.4 tackles and interceptions per game in the top-flight, as per Sofascore, while winning 82% of his aerial duels thus far.

Most appearances under Amorim

Player

Games

Bruno Fernandes

44

Noussair Mazraoui

41

Rasmus Hojlund

40

Alejandro Garnacho

40

Diogo Dalot

39

Manuel Ugarte

37

Leny Yoro

36

Andre Onana

35

Harry Maguire

34

Joshua Zirkzee

34

via Transfermarkt

Positions are up for grabs across the park, but Yoro’s starting berth appears almost nailed on. Was it any coincidence that when afforded a rare rest for the trip to Grimsby, the team simply fell apart defensively?

Only six players have made more United appearances since Amorim walked in the door, with the youngster’s importance to both his manager and his team only looking set to grow and grow.

Every manager appears to have their favoured rising star when in the United dugout, and while Yoro may not be a product of the academy like Mainoo, he represents everything that this new regime should be looking for to build around.

Related Ten Hag sold him for £9m: Man Utd had the original Mainoo who Bruno loved

Manchester United must regret offloading one top-level talent whom Bruno Fernandes adored.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Sep 5, 2025

As deadline day approaches, one transfer insider now believes that Leeds United are “interested” in signing a Premier League rival for Daniel Farke.

Latest on Leeds' transfer targets

It’s a big week for Leeds. Even after signing Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, there remain question marks about whether their frontline is capable of keeping Farke’s side afloat. As such, it is no surprise to see a number of targets emerge on their radar as the window enters its final six days.

Manager confirms he's considering replacing midfielder amid links to Leeds

The Whites could have a chance to seal a deal…

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Aug 26, 2025

To that end, one interesting name that has been mentioned is Brighton & Hove Albion’s Facundo Buonanotte. According to Ben Jacobs, the attacking midfielder is a target for both Leeds and West Ham United, who are leading the charge to secure his signature in a late loan move.

The 20-year-old spent last season on loan at Leicester City and provided the Foxes with a rare bright spark in a season to forget – scoring six goals and creating another three in all competitions.

Now, as Leeds aim to avoid the same fate as Leicester, they could certainly do with a player of Buonanotte’s talent. Whether they can land an early victory over relegation rivals West Ham off the pitch remains to be seen, however.

It must also be said that the Argentine ace isn’t the only name on the club’s radar. Others such as Kobbie Mainoo have also threatened to steal the headlines as of late in what would be one of the most controversial moves of the summer from Manchester United. Meanwhile, another Premier League rival has reportedly attracted Leeds’ interest.

Leeds "interested" in Jota Silva

According to former Premier League scout Mick Brown, Leeds are now “interested” in signing Jota Silva from Nottingham Forest before the end of the transfer window. The winger has fallen down the pecking order following recent arrivals at the City Ground and could now get the chance to stay in the Premier League, courtesy of those in Yorkshire.

Although Brown described him as a “maverick”, Silva managed five goals in all competitions at Forest last season and only three of those came in the Premier League. That record is undeniably questionable and there’s no denying that Leeds would be taking a risk by asking him to solve their attacking issues.

يستعد فريق مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي لمواجهة فياريال الإسباني، مساء اليوم الثلاثاء، بمنافسات بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا لموسم 2025-2026.

ويستضيف ملعب “لا سيراميكا” مباراة الفريقين، حيث يحل مانشستر سيتي ضيفًا على فياريال، بمرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وكان مانشستر سيتي تعادل في الجولة الثانية أمام موناكو الفرنسي، ويسعى بقيادة مدربه بيب جوارديولا للعودة لطريق الانتصارات.

ويأتي مانشستر سيتي من فوز في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز على إيفرتون، حيث انتصر بهدفين دون مقابل.

وفياريال خاض مباراتين في دوري أبطال أوروبا، وقد تعادل في واحدة وخسر في المباراة الأخرى، ويسعى لنتيجة إيجابية أمام فريق بيب جوارديولا.

وتعادل فياريال أمام ريال بيتيس في الجولة الماضية ببطولة الدوري الإسباني، بهدفين لمثلهما، قبل لقاء اليوم أمام مانشستر سيتي.

مانشستر سيتي يحتل المركز الثامن في ترتيب دوري أبطال أوروبا برصيد 4 نقاط، في حين أن فياريال يتواجد بالمركز السادس والعشرين بنقطة واحدة. موعد مباراة مانشستر سيتي وفياريال

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت مصر والمملكة العربية السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة مانشستر سيتي وفياريال

تذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN sports HD 4. معلق مباراة مانشستر سيتي وفياريال

يعلق على المباراة، علي محمد علي.

ويمكنكم متابعة مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة على مركز المباريات من هنا.

Following a five-star display against London rivals West Ham United, Chelsea are reportedly plotting a late blockbuster move to sign a Premier League rival worth £80m.

Maresca: "Fantastic" Estevao has plenty to learn

When Enzo Maresca decided to throw Estevao Willian straight into the deep end against West Ham United following Cole Palmer’s injury in the warm-up, not many knew what to expect. The Brazilian’s ill-timed flick which led to Lucas Paqueta’s stunning strike to hand the Hammers a shock lead then quickly sparked concerns that he would drown under the pressure at the London Stadium, but he soon found his groove.

The Blues issued a swift response to West Ham’s unexpected goal and found themselves level courtesy of Joao Pedro, before the striker turned provider for Pedro Neto to hand his side the lead for the first time.

From there, barring Niclas Fullkrug’s disallowed goal, Chelsea didn’t look back and Estevao soon showed his style with an assist for Enzo Fernandes. Moises Caicedo and Trevoh Chalobah then rounded off a fine display and one that saw Estevao receive high praise from Maresca.

The Italian, whilst admitting that the teenager has plenty to learn, told reporters: “He needs to adapt, he needs to make many mistakes to understand how the Premier League is different to in Brazil. We conceded after he did the flick, he needs to understand but he is a fantastic player.”

Even after Estevao’s positive display, though, there will still be some concerns over Palmer’s injury and replacing his quality if he does miss an extended period.

Those are also concerns that could lead to one last blockbuster move from the Blues, however, and the arrival of a player that Palmer already knows very well.

Chelsea now plotting £80m Rogers move

According to GiveMeSport, Chelsea are now plotting a late move to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa to hand Enzo Maresca a target that he has been wanting all summer. BlueCo have had their eye on the England international in recent months and are now reportedly circling as they weigh up what is reportedly a tempting bid to secure their target.

"At a standstill" – Chelsea have now "paused talks" for "quick" talent

The west Londoners have held negotiations.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 22, 2025

If those at Stamford Bridge are looking to make one last statement of intent, then the arrival of last season’s PFA Young Player of the Year in a move worth £80m would certainly be one way to do exactly that. Alas, it remains to be seen just how viable a move is with less than 10 days left until the window slams shut.

Described as “fantastic” by former Aston Villa man Stiliyan Petrov last season, the prospect alone of a partnership between Rogers and Palmer at Stamford Bridge should be enough to excite Chelsea fans. The two England stars know each other well from their time in Manchester City’s academy and both would complete Maresca’s attack.

If you look closely, you will see that Everton are developing into a team of newfound modernism.

David Moyes is perhaps perceived by some as being something of a pragmatic manager, rooted in strong defensive principles and an acceptance of non-possession-based football, standing firm against the current and then attacking on the break.

But he’s long been more nuanced than that. Moyes won the Conference League with West Ham United, after all, hauling that Irons side into a team of consistency among European places. Sixth, seventh. And silverware in there too.

Everton are at a different stage, but Moyes, having only been at the club since January, when Sean Dyche was dismissed than the mood was low, has created a team that is showing signs of quality befitting a top-half-of-the-table finish in the Premier League.

Against Aston Villa at the weekend, Everton were the aggressors. It ended 0-0, but the team will take solace in their upswing in chance creation.

Man United

4

7.9

Chelsea

9

7.7

Man City

5

7.6

Brighton

4

6.6

Everton

5

6.3

Who might be the centrepiece of all this? Why, Jack Grealish, of course.

Jack Grealish's Everton rebirth

Last season in the Premier League, Everton concluded their campaign with an xG total of just 41.8, the lowest of any side not to get relegated.

It’s clear to discern a summer strategy catered toward creative additions, and Grealish has been the heart of this. Signed from Manchester City on loan for the duration of the season, the England international has returned to form spectacularly, assisting four goals across his first two starts.

A silky dribbler and an intelligent technician, Grealish had fallen from his perch over the past couple of years in Manchester, reduced to a fringe role that shunted his finer attributes.

Moyes has taken him off the leash and is being repaid with high-level creative performances. As per Sofascore’s data, the 29-year-old is averaging 2.8 key passes and 6.8 successful duels per game.

Grealish is in his prime; he’s not a young talent anymore. However, Everton might find that regardless of the playmaker’s future on Merseyside, they have a new version waiting in the wings in Tyler Dibling, who joined the club from Southampton for £42m during the summer.

But, in fact, there’s another rising star in Moyes’ squad who might prove to be Grealish 2.0.

Everton's next version of Grealish

Dibling might indeed appear the natural successor to Grealish’s place on the Premier League stage – and not just because of the hair.

The 19-year-old is fiercely talented and shares a proclivity for flashy, hard-to-stop progress on the ball.

But the man in question here is actually Charly Alcaraz, who spent the second half of the 2024/25 season on loan at Goodison Park before a permanent clause was activated and he became a fixed resident in Liverpool, leaving Brazilian side Flamengo for £13m.

A shrewd buy. So far, the one-time Southampton prospect has made 20 appearances for Everton, and he has scored three goals and provided three assists.

This season in the Premier League, the Argentina international has only started once. But then he made an impression on that opening-day defeat by Leeds United, completing both of his dribbles, winning six duels and completing 83% of his passes. Defensively, it must be said, he left something to be desired.

But no one could deny that the 22-year-old is a “special” talent, as was remarked by youth scout Antonio Mango back in 2023. Already, he is demonstrating an aptitude for creating chances, ranking among attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe in the top 16% for assists, the top 17% for goal-creating actions and the top 3% for take-on success rate, data courtesy of FBref.

That latter metric is curious. Alcaraz might not play with the same kind of relentlessness on the ball as Grealish, but he’s extremely effective when he opts to lunge forward and beat his man.

Charly Alcaraz

1.0

100%

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

1.0

100%

Michael Keane

0.3

100%

Jack Grealish

2.0

50%

Iliman Ndiaye

2.0

44%

Alcaraz hasn’t yet nailed down a starting spot in Moyes’ Everton team, not with consistency, but he’s viewed as a player who can inspire chances and put paid to inattentive defenders, boasting quick feet and combative physical traits and a desire to attack.

He’s got everything that he needs to succeed in the Premier League, and has already demonstrated his confidence and eagerness to step up when his team need him. He scored on his first league start for the Toffees, after all.

Dibling might have the higher ceiling, and that’s no discredit to Alcaraz’s skillset, but the South American is ready to make an impact for Moyes’ side and influence things from midfield. Tactically versatile, his ball-carrying ability and range of technical skills mean he can operate across a number of different berths.

Grealish has made an electric start to life at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, but the esteemed Premier League giant has never throughout his career been the most prolific, and thus it’s important that Everton have different players to create and attack on goal, easing his burden and indeed that of the strikers, who continue to play with question marks over their heads.

Keep a close eye on Alcaraz; he hasn’t announced himself yet in 2025/26, but the talent is undeniable, and his chance to showcase his quality will come.

Big Beto upgrade: Everton have already sold "the new Lukaku"

This centre-forward would thrive at the front of David Moyes’ Everton system.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 16, 2025

Both the quicks had clear game plans, says Cheteshwar Pujara, and had the conviction and courage to stick with them

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Mar-20252:49

Fuller and straighter – the best plan against SRH?

Mohsin Khan, out. Mayank Yadav and Akash Deep, unavailable, at least for now. Avesh Khan, just about back from injury. The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) fast-bowling attack in IPL 2025 was looking rather ragged till Shardul Thakur and Prince Yadav solved their problems on Thursday – at least for one night – against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), the batting unit that has led all the talk since last season.”Can LSG stop Travishek?” Yes, said Thakur, with a short ball to Abhishek Sharma. The secret, as our experts explained afterwards, was in the build-up to the wicket delivery. And what about Travis Head? Prince stepped up, pitched it up, went under the bat swing, and knocked out off and middle. Not to forget Thakur’s first-baller to Ishan Kishan, SRH’s centurion from their run-fest against Rajasthan Royals (RR) last weekend.”One is, he is looking to swing the ball. With the new ball, he is getting that shape into the left-handers and he’s trying to mix it up with the yorkers,” Cheteshwar Pujara said of Thakur’s bowling plan on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show. “If you look at the previous deliveries, which Abhishek or Travis Head faced, he tried bowling yorkers – it was low full-tosses – but as a batter you are thinking, is it going to be a yorker or a back-of-a-length ball. And suddenly, he bowls a bumper, which could surprise a batter. And then you have less fraction of a second to execute you shot, and that’s why I think Abhishek was late on his shot.”Related

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Pooran on his six-hitting: 'I'm just blessed with incredible talent'

Thakur savours return after going unsold at auction

It did look like that. Most days, against most bowlers, Abhishek hits those many tiers up in the stands. This time, it went to Nicholas Pooran at deep square-leg.”I call it bowling craft. When we were batters, we faced a lot of bowlers. The best bowlers we faced were often those that got their bowling craft. And bowling craft is when you’re not expecting that particular ball,” Nick Knight elaborated. “If Abhishek was waiting for that ball, [if] he knew it was going to be short, it was out of the park. But because he isn’t quite sure if it’s going to be full or is it going to swing, then you’re a bit late on it and that’s the difference between it going out of the park and getting caught. The bowling craft was spot on.”And, in seven-and-a-half overs, SRH were 76 for 3 – still a lot of runs – but without their big three of Head, Abhishek and Kishan. Head was in the bag of Prince, who made his IPL debut this season, and occasionally clocked 140kph. More than anything else, Prince backed his strengths.

“You don’t need Travis and Abhishek to come off every time. We’re good enough to score runs without them as well. They put teams under a lot of pressure when they do come off, makes our job a little bit easier. But you will never have a season where both of them score a thousand runs”Heinrich Klaasen

“He had a clear game plan. He wanted to bowl yorkers and he wanted to mix it up with slower bouncers and bouncers,” Pujara said. “There was a clear game plan: he was not going to bowl a length ball or a back-of-a-length ball. When you have that clarity, then comes the execution.”I think his execution was spot on. There were times when he ended up bowling half-volleys, but still I think those are good deliveries on that pitch. And he showed a lot of courage. You need courage to bowl those balls.”After Head was felled, SRH added just 114 runs in 12.3 overs. The sixes didn’t stop. Aniket Verma hit five, Pat Cummins hit three in a four-ball innings. But the lost momentum never came back.0:55

Pujara praises Prince Yadav’s clarity of plans

“The bowled well in the middle, credit needs to go to them as well. They picked up early wickets, that stopped a little bit of the momentum,” Heinrich Klaasen said in the press conference later. “We just didn’t score enough runs. One or two wickets [fell] early in the innings and it was difficult to keep on going with the momentum. It wasn’t enough.”If you look at our batting line-up, we’re destructive till batter No. 8 [Cummins]. So you don’t need Travis and Abhishek to come off every time. We’re good enough to score runs without them as well. They put teams under a lot of pressure when they do come off, makes our job a little bit easier. But you will never have a season where both of them score a thousand runs. It is the way we play – it’s on the riskier side, but no, we are big enough players to know we need to do it on our own too.”Travishek, plus Kishan, were stopped. SRH only managed 190 for 9, well under the 300 observers have been waiting for them to get. LSG, as written-off as a team could be after one game, had their first win and their first points, with something of a ragtag fast-bowling attack that, for now, has found a couple of unlikely heroes to front it.

Barcelona suffered their first league defeat of the season in a thumping 4-1 loss to Sevilla, as Robert Lewandowski’s missed penalty denied them a lifeline in the second half. Reflecting on the setback, defender Pau Cubarsi admitted that the team’s wastefulness in front of goal proved costly and urged his teammates to “push for more” to prevent such lapses in future games.

Sevilla move to sixth spot in La Liga after Barca win

Sevilla shocked Barcelona with a commanding 4-1 victory, opening the scoring through Alexis Sanchez’s penalty and doubling their lead via Isaac Romero before Marcus Rashford briefly revived Barca with a first half stoppage-time volley; after Lewandowski’s missed penalty, late goals by Jose Angel Carmona and Akor Adams capped off a superb Sevilla performance and highlighted Blaugrana’s poor display at both ends of the pitch. This is Barca's second defeat in a week.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportPau Cubarsi wants Barcelona to step up and raise their game

The Spanish defender showed promise despite Barca's heavy defeat, maintaining composure and making important defensive clearances. He was one of the few players to stand out, even assisting Rashford's chance with a through ball. However, he also criticised the team’s overall lack of intensity after the game.

"In the second half we had very good chances, but football is like that. We can’t let ourselves go as we did in the final plays. Looking ahead, we must focus on these mistakes and push for more," Cubarsi said in a post-match interview.

He added: "The opponent's chances actually start from the front line. I think we need to press like we did last season. I believe in this case we've become complacent, and that cannot continue. It's true that it's just one match, and we shouldn't overreact, but it's also a turning point."

Barcelona now sit second in the table below rivals Real Madrid with 19 points.

Lamine Yamal’s injury concerns and Barca’s fitness warnings

Lamine Yamal’s recurring pubic injury remains a major concern for Barcelona, with Flick expressing doubts about his readiness for the upcoming El Clasico due to the complexity of the injury and the uncertain recovery timeline with the club confirming he will remain out for 2-3 weeks. Yamal, earlier appeared against Real Sociedad before facing an injury relapse after playing 90-minutes against Paris Saint-Germain. Additionally, Blaugrana faces fitness challenges with Fermin Lopez, Gavi and Joan Garcia also sidelined with injuries, adding to the club’s injury crisis.

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AFPCoach Flick needs to reassess his tactics

Flick's team has been exhausted with the congested schedule and the absence of many star players during this hectic run has been a constant issue. However, with the international break starting this week, the coach will have a lot of time to reassess his tactics before their fixture against Girona on October 18.

The Chicago Fire are returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2017, but Inter Miami won't be thrilled the visitors' postseason ticket came at their expense in a 5-3 defeat at home. Luis Suarez rolled back the years with two goals, but his brilliance wasn’t enough to cover for the Herons’ season-long defensive frailties, as they shipped three before halftime.

Chicago made their presence felt early, capitalizing on poor set-piece defending in the 10th minute. Djé D’Avilla rose mid-air from a corner and powered a header past Oscar Ustari for the opener. Lionel Messi nearly equalized 11 minutes later with a perfectly struck free kick, but U.S. international goalkeeper Chris Brady was there to stop it. 

Moments after, the Fire doubled their lead as Jonathan Dean latched onto an expertly weighted through ball to finish. Miami responded in the 39th minute when Tomas Aviles connected with a backheel from Gonzalo Lujan off a Messi corner to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Just as momentum seemed to swing, Rominigue Kouamé finished a counterattack off a Rodrigo De Paul mistake to restore Chicago’s two-goal advantage at halftime.

The second half was just as frenetic. Messi had a 1v1 with Brady, his shot rattling the crossbar, followed by Tadeo Allende’s blocked rebound attempt. Suarez breathed life into Miami’s comeback.

Alba found Baltasar Rodríguez charging toward the box, who fed Suarez for Miami’s second goal. Later, Suarez scored again from a low Alba cross to level the match at 3-3.

Chicago held firm, though, exploiting counters in the final 10 minutes. Justin Reynolds restored their lead at 4-3, and U.S. international hopeful Brian Gutierrez sealed the 5-3 win with a stunning 20-yard strike.

With the result, Miami now shift focus from the Supporters' Shield race to securing a home playoff spot. Manager Javier Mascherano’s side sit fourth in the Eastern Conference with 56 points and a game in hand.

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  Goalkeeper & Defense

  Oscar Ustari (4/10):

  Should have read Chicago's opening set-piece goal better and could have done more with Dean's goal. Not at fault for Chicago's final three goals, though. 

  Marcelo Weigandt (3/10):

  Woeful defending on Chicago's opener on a set piece. He wasn't positioned right, and D'Avilla pounced with a textbook header. Offered little going forward, outside of two key passes, and was subbed off at half-time. 

  Tomas Aviles (4/10):

  Was a defensive calamity on all three conceded goals in the first half. Rightly pulled at halftime, but neither he nor Weigandt were the only players at fault for Miami's first-half issues. 

  Gonzalo Lujan (5/10):

  Was poor defensively in the first half, but teed up a perfect assist after getting Messi's corner to Aviles. Was slightly better in the second half, but that isn't saying much. 

  Jordi Alba (6/10):

  Was defensively culpable as well, but was effective in attack as he helped set up Rodríguez'sassist to Suarez. He also directly assisted the veteran striker on the game's equalizer.

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  Midfield

  Telasco Segovia (5/10):

  Offered little in attack, despite completing 95.2 percent of his passes. Segovia has shown flashes this season, but he lacks the consistency and work rate that Diego Gómez – the man he replaced – delivered on a night-to-night basis last season. Pulled at halftime.

  Yannick Bright (4/10):

  An unusually poor outing from the Italian, typically the team’s unsung hero. He lacked his usual intensity and was caught ball-watching on Chicago’s third goal, failing to track back and stop the counterattack.

  Sergio Busquets (5/10):

  Also caught ball-watching on the goal, but helped Miami control possession for much of the match. Completed 92.1 percent of his passes and was reliable on long balls. An uneven performance from the retiring Spaniard.

  Rodrigo De Paul (4/10):

  Miami’s newest Designated Player looked out of sorts, turning in arguably his worst outing since joining MLS. He was again caught static on Chicago’s fourth goal, compounded by being played out wide by Mascherano. When deployed centrally – the role that earned him a spot on La Liga’s Team of the Season and is favored by World Cup-winning Argentina – De Paul looks world-class. Out wide, he appears lost. Miami need to find a solution here.

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  Attack

  Luis Suarez (9/10):

  Maybe the rest from a three-game suspension did him good? He's been almost unstoppable since his return, scoring three goals in three matches. He's one of the few Miami players who could hold their head up high on Tuesday night. 

  Lionel Messi (7/10):

  Did his best, but looked absolutely exhausted considering Miami's run of matches. Hit a shot at the crossbar that 99 percent of the time he'd convert. A rare off-night by the Argentine. 

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  Subs & Manager

  Tadeo Allende (6/10):

  Provided a spark, but will rue his rebound that rattled the post.

  Ian Fray (5/10):

  Started strong defensively but was unable to contain Chicago’s late second-half surge.

  Baltasar Rodríguez (6/10):

  Set up Suárez’s first goal, but otherwise had a quiet outing.

  Noah Allen (5/10):

  Largely ran cardio without making a decisive impact.

  Fafá Picault (N/A):

  Came on with six minutes remaining and didn’t have enough time to influence the game.

  Javier Mascherano (5/10):

  Miami’s fatigue showed, but Mascherano will need to justify using De Paul out wide, despite his proven effectiveness centrally. The pairing of Lujan and Aviles also backfired. If the manager deserves any credit, it is that Miami mounted a spirited second-half comeback.