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Tottenham Hotspur were hammered 5-1 by Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday in a match that confirmed their opponents as the champions of the Premier League.

It was a one-sided contest for much of the evening, despite Dominic Solanke’s opening goal in the first half, as the Reds ran riot on Merseyside against a helpless Spurs defence.

Ange Postecoglou will surely be disappointed with the performances from his players on the pitch, as several stars underperformed, including Destiny Udogie.

Destiny Udogie's struggles against Liverpool

The Italy international was tasked with keeping Mohamed Salah quiet at left-back and, actually, did a decent job of it in the opening 45 minutes.

Although Salah played a part in the first goal with a pass in behind the Spurs defence, the Egypt international ended the first half with zero goals or assists.

Unfortunately, however, the Liverpool number 11 stepped his game up in the second half to create one ‘big chance’ and score a goal, as he cut inside of Udogie from the right flank before rifling an effort into the bottom corner.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Salah also put the Spurs left-back under pressure and forced the defender to convert into his own net for the fifth goal, in what was a dreadful second-half for the Italian dud.

Udogie, however, was not the worst-performing full-back of the afternoon for Tottenham, as Djed Spence was even worse than the former Udinese star.

Why Postecoglou must drop Spence

The English right-back did not enjoy his best day in a Spurs shirt, with a dismal showing, and it started with his involvement, or lack thereof, in the first Liverpool goal.

Spence hesitated and tried to push up to play offside, but it was not an organised line, instead of following his man – Luis Diaz – into the box, and it was his match-up who scored the goal.

He found himself unaware of his man making a run off his back twice in the second half, once to allow Cody Gakpo in behind, but his cross evaded everyone, and the second time to allow Diogo Jota to fire in the cross that forced Udogie’s own goal.

Alongside those disappointing moments defensively, Spence’s use of the ball was also wasteful in comparison to Udogie’s throughout the 90 minutes.

As you can see in the table above, the Italian defender had the better performance out of the two defenders, with his play in and out of possession, even if you include his own goal, which Spence was partially responsible for.

The former Nottingham Forest full-back was weak in his physical battles, made poor decisions defensively, and gave the ball away far too often, losing possession a whopping 14 more times than Udogie. This provided Liverpool with even more opportunities to attack because he could not keep hold of the ball well enough.

Therefore, Postecoglou must consider ruthlessly dropping Spence to the bench in favour of Pedro Porro, who provided an assist against Forest last time out, for the Europa League clash with Bodo/Glimt on Thursday.

Fewer touches than Vicario: Ange must axe Spurs dud who was worse than Gray

Ange Postecoglou must drop the Tottenham Hotspur flop who was even worse than Archie Gray.

By
Dan Emery

Apr 27, 2025

Nottingham Forest have now joined the race for an “excellent” AC Milan player, who is set to leave the Italian club in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

Forest stepping up summer transfer plans

Forest should be well-positioned to bring in some top-quality players this summer, given that they have a very good chance of qualifying for the Champions League, and Nuno is keen to bolster his options in a number of different areas.

The goalscoring burden has largely been on Chris Wood this season, and the Tricky Trees are eager to bring in a new striker to provide competition for the New Zealander, with Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha and Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin among the targets.

There appears to be a heavy focus on strengthening in attacking areas, with Marseille winger Luis Henrique also of interest, alongside Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres, and there have been suggestions Jota Silva could be used as a makeweight in a deal for the Sweden international.

Contact made: Nottingham Forest make enquiry for £40m "one-man machine"

The Tricky Trees have now made a move for a midfielder, who is attracting widespread interest from across Europe.

By
Dominic Lund

Apr 16, 2025

Bringing in attacking reinforcements may be of key significance to Nuno, but the manager could also look to strengthen at the opposite end of the pitch, with a report from Italy revealing Nottingham Forest have now joined the race for AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw.

Thiaw will be allowed to leave Milan this summer, and the Serie A side are set to hold out for around €25m to €30m (£22m – £26m), amid widespread interest in his signature, with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Arsenal also keen.

The asking price shouldn’t be a problem for any of the Premier League clubs, but Bayer Leverkusen’s interest could pose an issue, with the German club already making an approach for the 23-year-old.

"Excellent" Thiaw could be success at the City Ground

The German centre-back remained on the substitutes’ bench at the beginning of the campaign, but he has since gone on to establish himself as an important player for Milan, getting on the scoresheet in a 3-1 Champions League victory against Real Madrid.

That was not the first time the 6 foot 4 colossus put in an impressive performance in the Champions League, having previously received high praise from former AC Milan boss Arrigo Sacchi for a top display against Tottenham Hotspur in February 2023.

Sacchi said: “He played an excellent game. He often found himself in one-on-one situations and did not give up an inch to the opponent.”

It has not been the best of campaigns for Milan, with the Italian side sat ninth in the Serie A, but Thiaw’s exploits in Europe indicate he could be a fantastic signing for Forest, and a fee of £22m – £26m is very reasonable for a defender of his quality.

Many Liverpool fans will likely be hoping that Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak will be playing Premier League football in red next season, but it doesn’t look likely.

The Magpies are third in the standings with five games to play, two points ahead of sixth-place Aston Villa, who sit just outside the Champions League-qualifying zone.

Having beaten Arne Slot’s side in the Carabao Cup final and set to restore their place at Europe’s elite table, Newcastle hold all the cards, and they aren’t willing to sell, even listing Isak north of £150m.

FSG, quite rightly, won’t entertain such talk and are gearing up to turn their attention elsewhere.

After all, Liverpool will bring in a new number nine this summer, with Darwin Nunez all but confirmed to have entered the final weeks of his Merseyside career.

Liverpool set to sell Darwin Nunez

It’s been clear for several months, Liverpool having rejected winter approaches from Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League due to the importance of keeping the title-challenging squad together.

Fabrizio Romano has now updated the situation, claiming that Liverpool’s plan is to sell their club-record signing, Nunez having scored just seven goals across 42 matches for Slot’s Reds.

Nunez has only started once in the Premier League since Boxing Day, scoring in a win over bottom club Southampton last month.

Having missed 53 big chances in the Premier League since his 2022 arrival, Nunez hasn’t responded to Klopp and Slot’s tactics and can’t shake the erraticness from his final play, thus consigning him to a bittersweet exit, leaving disappointed but with a winner’s medal around his neck.

Isak may well be out of reach, but Liverpool are open to looking elsewhere. Now, news has emerged that FSG are in for a somewhat left-field forward.

Liverpool lining up Nunez replacement

As per Caught Offside, Liverpool are interested in signing Brentford’s star man, Bryan Mbeumo, this summer.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

In fact, the Champions Elect have received a boost in their pursuit, with Brentford – who are believed to be open to offers – willing to discuss Mbeumo’s sale for the right price this summer.

Mbeumo, 25, has been one of the Premier League’s standout forwards this season and is also being tracked by Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

The Cameroon international supposedly has a £50m price tag, something that has caused Newcastle United to pull out of the race.

Why Liverpool should sign Bryan Mbeumo

Mbeumo has proved over a number of years his capacity for goals and success in the Premier League, having been involved in 68 goals across 131 divisional outings.

This year alone, the versatile forward has netted 18 goals and laid on six assists across 32 top-flight appearances, a haul bettered only by Salah, Isak, Erling Haaland and Chris Wood.

Though he’s principally a right-sided forward, Mbeumo has been known to play as the focal frontman and has done so to a prolific effect.

We’ve seen throughout the campaign Slot’s willingness to reshape typical widemen – like Luis Diaz – into central attackers, and who’s to say it hasn’t worked out? Liverpool are on the cusp of the title, after all.

Affectionately described as a “mini-Salah” by talkSPORT’s Jason Cundy, Mbeumo carries the air of a goalscoring forward who brings much more to the table.

As per FBref, Mbeumo ranks among the top 8% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for goals scored and the top 12% for crosses made per 90.

This takes a step toward underscoring Mbeumo’s dynamism, chiefly a goalscorer but also willing to hang wide and whip crisp deliveries in.

The 32-year-old Salah might be staying put for the next couple of years, but he won’t be around forever. The Bees forward could eventually take the veteran’s berth in the years to come.

But for now, he’s more than capable of taking Nunez’s place as Liverpool’s centre-forward, perhaps sharing the berth with Diaz and Diogo Jota.

Given that Mbeumo has only missed eight big chances in the Premier League this term, having scored a whopping 18 times, fans won’t need to worry about Nunez-esque profligacy to hinder Liverpool in their efforts to retain their expected title.

But like all great forwards, those capable of starring for a top-performing outfit such as Slot’s Liverpool, Mbeumo isn’t a one-trick pony either.

He’s averaged 1.8 key passes per top-flight fixture and has created 16 big chances. He might take his share of set-pieces, but this denotes a ranged approach to his play that very much aligns with the role Salah performs with such matchless aplomb.

Analyst Ben Mattinson has recently dubbed Mbeumo as “one of the most deadly players in transition in the Prem,” further evidence – if you needed it – that he’s perfect for this Reds team.

Slot arrived in the Premier League with a reputation for being more ball-focused than his Anfield predecessor, but title-surging Liverpool only rank third in those standings with a 58% average.

This is, of course, not counter-attacking football, but Slot commands one of the deadliest teams in world football when on the break, making that final statement on the myriad reasons behind why this would be a good deal to end Nunez’s frustrating stay and sign the perfect Salah heir at the same time.

Firmino 2.0: Liverpool make "one of the best STs out there" a top target

FSG are going to reward Arne Slot’s Liverpool with a new centre-forward this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 19, 2025

Chelsea have now made contact to ask for information about a “world-class” player, ahead of a potential summer transfer swoop, according to a report.

Blues pushing for Champions League

Despite the drab 0-0 draw against Brentford at the weekend, the Blues remain in a strong position to end their two-year hiatus from the Champions League, sitting fourth in the Premier League table with just seven games left to play.

Should Enzo Maresca achieve his aim of Champions League qualification, the campaign will probably go down as a success, but there are still issues the manager will need to address in the summer transfer window.

One problem position has been goalkeeper, with Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen being used interchangeably, and there have been suggestions Maresca could bring Djordje Petrovic back into the fold next season.

New target: Chelsea eye move for £50m star who's "similar to Bellingham"

The Blues have set their sights on an “incredible” midfielder, who has been compared to Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham.

By
Dominic Lund

Apr 7, 2025

Petrovic has impressed on loan at Strasbourg, meaning he could also be given another chance at Stamford Bridge. Nonetheless, the option of bringing in a new goalkeeper from elsewhere remains on the table.

According to a report from Italy (via Chelsea Chronicle), Chelsea have now asked for information about AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, ahead of a potential summer transfer swoop.

Aston Villa and Manchester United have also been named as potential suitors for Maignan, whose future at the San Siro remains up in the air, given that he is yet to sign a new deal to extend his stay with the Italian club.

Reports have valued the goalkeeper at £67m, but there is a feeling he could be available for half that price, should he refuse to put pen to paper on a new deal, with his contract currently set to expire in 2026.

"World-class" Maignan could be real upgrade on Sanchez

Sanchez has been extremely error-prone for the Blues this season, making five mistakes which have directly led to goals in the Premier League, the joint-highest number of any player in the top flight.

As such, it is little wonder Chelsea are thinking about signing a replacement in the summer window, and there are indications Maignan could be a real upgrade on the Spaniard, considering he has been lauded as “world-class” by members of the Italian media.

Not only that, but the Frenchman could be well-suited to Maresca’s passing style of play, given that he has expressed a willingness to get on the ball over the past year, ranking in the 80th percentile for touches, when compared to his positional peers.

It is clear that Sanchez will need to be replaced this summer, and Maignan has proven he could be a solid replacement, although it may make more financial sense to give the nod to Petrovic, who has put in some very impressive displays in Ligue 1 this season.

Mikel Merino was the hero yet again for Arsenal, picking up a goal and an assist as the Premier League leaders saw off a stubborn Brentford side 2-0 at the Emirates to restore their five-point advantage over second-placed Manchester City. The Spain international, still playing as Mikel Arteta's makeshift striker, scored a fine header early on to open the scoring and then set up substitute Bukayo Saka in the closing stages to wrap up a crucial win for the Gunners.

Arteta took the opportunity to make some changes following Sunday's draw at Chelsea, with Noni Madueke, Martin Odegaard and Ben White coming in for Saka, Eberechi Eze and Jurrien Timber. And it was Madueke and White who combined superbly to set up Merino for the opening goal, with the Spaniard smartly heading home the former's cross at the near post.

Gabriel Martinelli had a chance to double Arsenal's lead before half-time but fired over, while at the other end David Raya produced a wonderful point blank save to tip Kevin Schade's header onto the crossbar. 

Arsenal had to endure some nervy moments in the second half as Brentford looked for a leveller, but they made sure of the win late on when Saka – who had replaced Madueke – finished off Merino's pass to restore Arsenal's five-point advantage at the top of the table.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Emirates Stadium…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  David Raya (8/10):

  Outstanding save to tip Schade's point-blank header onto the bar and his handling was good throughout.

  Ben White (8/10):

  Back in the starting XI and reminded everyone just how good he is in the first half. Excellent down the right, linked up really well with Madueke. Lovely assist for Merino's early goal.

  Cristhian Mosquera (6/10):

  Arsenal's latest injury victim. Forced off before half-time after an awkward landing.

  Piero Hincapie (7/10):

  Solid enough. Coped pretty well with the pace and direct style of the Brentford attack.

  Riccardo Calafiori (7/10):

  A typically strong showing, popping up all over the pitch. Did well defensively and almost scored late on.

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• AFP
  

  Midfield

  Martin Zubimendi (7/10):

  Calm and steady as always. Just kept things ticking over nicely.

  Declan Rice (7/10):

  Made some driving runs into the box and was so close to providing a great assist for Madueke before Henry's last ditch block. Limped off late on with what Arsenal will hope was cramp.

  Martin Odegaard (6/10):

  Positive signs on his first start since his return. Heavily involved, linked up well down the right and looked fit. Important minutes as he looks to get back to his top level.

• AFP
  

  Attack

  Noni Madueke (7/10):

  Really lively when on the ball in the first half and caused Henry so many problems. Lovely flick to release White in the build up to the early goal. Set-piece delivery needs work though. Faded after half-time.

  Mikel Merino (8/10):

  Brilliant centre-forward play to open the scoring. The run and header were superb. Good display, covered so much ground and added an assist for Saka late on.

  Gabriel Martinelli (6/10):

  Fired one shot over in the first half. Willing runner, but was on the fringes of things before being replaced by Eze.

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  Subs & Manager

  Jurrien Timber (7/10):

  Replaced the injured Mosquera at centre-back in the first half. Solid.

  Bukayo Saka (7/10):

  Made sure of the points in stoppage time from Merino's pass. 

  Eberechi Eze (6/10):

  Saw quite a bit of the ball, but Brentford dealt with him well.

  Viktor Gyokeres (N/A):

  On for the closing stages.

  Mikel Arteta (7/10):

  Made some changes to give some players a rest. Unlucky that Mosquera picked up an injury which forced Timber on early.

Freddie Freeman's defensive prowess at first base may have just saved the Dodgers.

Los Angeles narrowly escaped with a win in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, thanks to the steady hand of Freeman. With runners on the corners and two outs, Trea Turner launched a hard-hit ball to the middle of the infield, which was fielded cleanly by Tommy Edman. Edman misfired on his throw, however, sending it to Freeman on a rather awkward hop.

Fortunately, Freeman, a Gold Glove winner, was able to handle what could've been a devastating hop in order to secure the final out of the game and seal the victory.

Edman had plenty of time to make his throw, but he short-hopped it from second base, causing Freeman to sprawl to his right and make an awkward play on the ball. A less-experienced first baseman may have struggled with that, but the 36-year-old was cool and collected while making a game-saving play. Had that ball gotten through, Philadelphia would've evened up the score with runners in scoring position and their home crowd fully behind them. Freeman avoided any such instance with his heroic play at first.

Now, the Dodgers will be full of confidence as they return home for Game 3, at which point they could put an early end to the NLDS and clinch their spot in the NLCS for the second straight year.

The dramatic pushing and shoving match between Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane has been settled once and for all with a boxing bout at the club's training base, but all is not what it seems. The pair came to blows and Gueye was shown a straight red card during the Toffees' 1-0 win over Manchester United and have resorted to the old fight game to settle the score.

• Punch drunk at Old Trafford

  The shock incident occurred in the 13th minute after a misplaced pass from Gueye gave the ball away, leading to a Bruno Fernandes shot. An argument ensued, during which Keane pushed Gueye, who then responded by slapping Keane in the face. Referee Tony Harrington immediately issued a straight red card for violent conduct. Despite going down to 10 men, Everton went on to win the match 1-0, courtesy of a goal from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Gueye later apologised to his team-mates and Keane, taking full responsibility for what he described as his "moment of madness". 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Seconds out, round two…

  The pair have since buried the hatchet, even jokingly staging a mock boxing match in training to show there were no hard feelings. "Only love here," was the message from the Everton duo.

• Gueye: 'I'll make sure it never happens again'

  After the confrontation, Toffees boss David Moyes was quick to back both his players, saying the display of passion and aggression is what he asks of his players and suggested the referee could have avoided using the red card.

  Moyes said: "I like my players fighting each other, if someone didn’t do the right action. If you want that toughness and resilience to get a result, you want someone to act on it. If nothing happened (no red card), I don’t think anyone in the stadium would have been surprised. I thought the referee could have taken a bit longer to think about it. I was told that (by) the rules of the game that if you slap your own player, you could be in trouble. I'm disappointed we got the sending off. But we’ve all been footballers, we get angry with our teammates. He's apologised for the sending off, he's praised the players and thanked them for it and apologised."

  And after allowing a couple of days for the dust to settle, Gueye said: "I want to apologise first to Michael Keane. I take full responsibility for my reaction. I also apologise to my team-mates, the staff, the fans and the club. What happened does not reflect who I am or the values I stand for. Emotions can run high, but nothing justifies such behaviour. I’ll make sure it never happens again."

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  Toon test awaits Toffees

  Everton host Newcastle on Saturday with the Magpies on a dreadful run of away form, having lost their last four games in all competitions on the road. Moyes’ side are in decent form, having taken seven points from their last three league games, including a win at Old Trafford. Eddie Howe’s side have a host of injuries including Kieran Trippier, while Everton are without Jarrad Branthwaite and the suspended Gueye.

Luka Modric admits he took "a step down" by joining AC Milan after his spell at Real Madrid came to an end, but the midfielder insists he made the "right" decision by accepting the Serie A side's offer. Still going strong at 40 years old, the midfielder is aware his longevity has been "incredible" as he explained why he abandoned his plan to retire in Madrid.

• Modric still a key component at 40

  Modric bailed on his initial plan to end his playing career at Madrid by joining Milan in the summer. Having since turned 40, the midfielder has thoroughly impressed in Serie A, earning immense praise from his team-mates and many former heroes of the Italian game. The six-time Champions League winner has one goal and two assists to his name for the Rossoneri so far, immediately taking on an integral role as Massimiliano Allegri's side target the Serie A title. His performances have already sparked rumours of another transfer, but the ex-Tottenham star has opened up on his attraction to the San Siro club and his joy at wearing the red and black shirt.

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  Veteran midfielder explains AC Milan move

  As per the Croatian, it was Milan's reputation that prompted him to sign a one-year deal at the club. He explained to : "After Real, I've always said it, wherever you go it's a step down. There is no doubt about this and all players can confirm it. But I think I arrived at a club that is very close to Real Madrid in terms of reputation and history: for me it is the most ideal situation that could have happened to me. Especially because I love Milan and as a child I grew up with Italian football. Milan was the club I adored the most. When Milan's option presented itself, it was the right one for me."

  Speaking on his experience in the city and at the club, he claimed, "The city is wonderful. People welcomed me phenomenally, both inside and outside the club. The teammates, the coach, the fans, everything is really high-level. You can see that Milan is a great historic club, one of the biggest in the world. You can feel it at every step, so I'm really happy and I'm enjoying all of this."

• Modric admits leaving Madrid was difficult

  Modric won 28 trophies during his 13-year tenure at the Spanish capital, and that includes six Champions League titles and four La Liga accolades. However, departing from the club was tough for him, as he mentioned: "Honestly, it wasn't easy, because I spent 13 years, almost half of my life, practically in a club, in a city. It was one of the best times of my life. I arrived in Madrid perhaps relatively late, at 27, but at the right time. I was ready for that step. The four years in England helped me a lot. And everything I experienced and achieved in Madrid afterwards seems unreal to me.

  "Apart from the trophies and victories, staying 13 years in such a club… I arrived at 27 and I stayed almost until 40 and it is something incredible! Because you know what kind of club Madrid is, you know that they don't tolerate mediocrity, and to stay at that level, in a club like that, for so many years, with all the successes I've experienced there, it's something incredible. In my previous way of thinking, I believed that I would be satisfied if I ended my career at 35. But my professional curriculum has long since exceeded that limit, and I do not hide my gratitude: I am still, thank God, at that level and it is something incredible!"

  He added: "I've always said it and it wasn't platitudes, flattering the fans or the club – my big wish was to retire in Madrid. But simply, everything has a beginning and an end."

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  When will Modric play again?

  Sitting second on the Serie A table, Modric's Milan will take on Lazio on Saturday at San Siro with the aim of leapfrogging Roma into first place, temporarily at least. Modric, who enjoyed a full 90 minutes in the Rossoneri's 1-0 win over arch-rivals Inter, is expected to start once again this weekend. 

He capped the occasion with an unbeaten 44 that earned him the Player-of-the-Match award

Mohammad Isam28-Oct-2025Rovman Powell marked his 100th T20I in style, sticking to his “batting template” of a late surge to guide West Indies to a 16-run win over Bangladesh in the first T20I in Chattogram. On Monday, he became only the third West Indian to reach the milestone of 100 games, capping the occasion with an unbeaten 44 that earned him the Player-of-the-Match award.Powell, however, didn’t make a great start to his innings against Bangladesh. He couldn’t time the ball properly, striking just one four as he made 18 runs off his first 22 balls. It was in the 19th over when Powell finally struck his first six – a mow across the line against Mustafizur Rahman.Then, when he got the strike in the final over, he hammered Tanzim Hasan for three sixes in a row, ending up unbeaten on 44 off 28 balls. He made 26 runs in his last six balls. The late momentum took West Indies to 165 for 3 in 20 overs, before their bowlers helped dismiss Bangladesh for 149.Related

• Seales and Hosein boss powerplay as West Indies go 1-0 up

“I am very happy,” Powell said. “It is not always that someone gets to play 100 T20Is, especially for West Indies. It shows the hard work that I have done in the duration of my career. A lot of credit goes to my family and friends, and the players with whom I have played these 100 matches. It is very special to get Man-of-the-Match award in my 100th game.”I think it’s a batting template that I have used in the last year or two. I have had good success with it. I try to get a start and get into the last five overs when I try to hit as many sixes as possible.”Powell also noted that heavy dew affected the West Indies’ bowling effort. He added that they would have felt pressure had Bangladesh kept wickets in hand towards the end of the 166-run chase.”If one of the main Bangladeshi batters had stayed at the wicket for longer, we would have been under pressure,” he said. “It was very wet in the end. Having said that, a lot of the credit goes to our bowlers. They stuck to their plans and picked up wickets at critical times.”We had information about the ground but we didn’t know it would get this wet. Maybe that’s something that we keep in consideration.”Instead, Bangladesh lost four wickets in the powerplay and lost all their frontline batters by the 12th over. Fast bowler Tanzim Hasan Sakib top-scored for Bangladesh, making 33 runs.Tanzim said that Bangladesh could have done with a better powerplay and with specialist batters in the final overs.”Of course, when there was dew, the ball came on to the bat more easily,” Tanzim said. “If we had one set batsman at that stage, the game would’ve been much easier. In the last couple of overs, a settled batsman always keeps you in the game. We lost four wickets in the powerplay. Even if it had been two, the chase could still have been managed.”Powell, meanwhile, looked forward to a series win for West Indies on Wednesday. He said that they have the opportunity to get over their recent T20I record – they have lost their last seven T20I bilateral series – if they can win the second game against Bangladesh to clinch the series.”Whatever the stats say, it doesn’t leave a good taste in our mouth. Myself and the guys are eager to turn that around. Being 1-0 up against Bangladesh will provide the opportunity for us to turn it around. Bangladesh are a tough side at home. We will see if we can continue improving to win the series in the next game.”.

Jean-Philippe Mateta’s Crystal Palace future is in doubt with an insider revealing the player and his agent are “testing the waters over a move”.

The 28-year-old has grown into such an important player for the Eagles, helping them win the FA Cup last season and already scoring six goals in 12 Premier League appearances this time around.

In fact, former Republic of Ireland striker Tony Cascarino has called the Frenchman Palace’s “most improved” player in the recent past, and in fact of all time, hailing his impact leading the line at Selhurst Park.

“Again, Mateta, in my opinion, is probably the most improved player I’ve ever watched, I’ve ever seen. I’ve watched Mateta two years ago and the one I’m witnessing now, completely different.”

Mateta’s rise has unsurprisingly seen him linked with a move away from Palace of late, and now a new update has shared some concern for the Eagles.

Jean-Philippe Mateta eyeing Crystal Palace exit

Insider Mick Brown reports that Mateta is “testing the waters” over leaving Palace, as he eyes a new challenge.

Palace must do all they can to convince Mateta that staying put is best for his career, with the Eagles certainly doing enough of late to suggest as much, not least sealing FA Cup glory last season.

That said, the France international may look at Eberechi Eze leaving for Arsenal in the summer, and Marc Guehi continually being linked with a move to Liverpool, and feel that now is the right time for him to move on.

Arsenal now eyeing another Crystal Palace star as contract talks in danger

He’d be an excellent addition.

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 22, 2025

Palace supporters will desperately hope this isn’t the case, as will manager Oliver Glasner, but at 28, he will know that he has reached a key point in his career, in terms of sealing one big move before he passes his peak.

Liverpool now eyeing Mateta deal amid fresh Crystal Palace contract concern