Lancashire coach Steven Croft believes a “stupid” schedule contributed to a hamstring injury that will sideline Liam Livingstone for the rest of the T20 Blast group stages, as counties weigh up a potential reduction in the volume of cricket that they play for 2026.Livingstone pulled his hamstring during Lancashire’s win over Derbyshire on Saturday afternoon, their second T20 fixture in the space of 24 hours after winning at Northamptonshire on Friday. Their team bus only arrived back in Manchester at 3.30am on Saturday morning due to traffic on the M1, and they were back on the field at 3pm later that day.Saqib Mahmood also left the field during Saturday’s game, and Croft – who took over from Dale Benkenstein on an interim basis in May – said that the schedule was “a bit of a mess”. He told LancsTV: “They’re some of the world’s best players out there… It feels pretty stupid and silly, and is putting the players at risk. We saw two players walk off the field through injury.”Related

• Counties agree to cut in men's Vitality Blast games for 2026

On Livingstone, Croft said: “It might have gone at any time, but getting minimal sleep and such a quick turnaround to play elite sport is a tough one… I probably wouldn’t say it’s all down to the schedule – it might be – but it’s not helped one bit for that player who’s walked off, and looks like it might be a bit of a lengthy time on the sidelines.”It is something that seriously needs to be looked at… We’re aware that we’ve got four competitions in the country, so you can’t really extend the season any more. That is the county grind, as people say… You feel like if something doesn’t happen, we’re not going to get the best players on the park.”The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) has lobbied for a reduction in back-to-back T20 fixtures, where the same team plays twice on consecutive days. But they are still commonplace in the Blast, in which the majority of fixtures are played from Thursday to Sunday, and there are signs that any changes to the men’s domestic schedule for 2026 will only be incremental.The Blast appears set to return to three groups of six – rather than two groups of nine – next year, with each team playing 12 matches (including two inter-group fixtures) rather than 14. The quarter-finals and Finals Day will also be brought forward to July from September, meaning the competition will finish before the Hundred rather than being split in half by it.There is less clarity on the future of the County Championship: counties are discussing a handful of options for next year’s format, some of which involve a reduction to 12 matches per team while others maintain the existing number of 14. Somerset and Surrey have both publicly backed a 14-match season, with an eight-team Division One and a ten-team Division Two.”There is so much potential for the competition to grow its fanbase,” Surrey’s chair, Oli Slipper, and chief executive, Steve Elworthy, said in a joint statement, noting the strong attendances at The Oval this year. “The red-ball game needs all the counties to get behind it, to prioritise it and to promote it. It is a unique and historic sporting competition, and we should embrace it for the benefit of the whole game.”The review into county scheduling is being run by the Professional Game Committee, a subcommittee authorised by the ECB board and chaired by Warwickshire chair Mark McCafferty. A decision on the 2026 schedule is anticipated later this month, and any changes would require the support of 12 out of the 18 first-class counties.

Hosts remain second-from-bottom but close the gap to mid-table rivals with six-run win

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay04-Jul-2025Durham completed the double over Somerset in the Women’s Vitality Blast by beating their winless West Country visitors by six runs at the Banks Homes RiversideHaving been asked to bat first, Durham made 154 for four in their twenty overs with Suzie Bates making 48 and skipper Hollie Armitage 41. Despite Bex Odgers celebrating the award of her first contract by making 54, Somerset finished on 148 for seven with Mia Rogers making three stumpings and Phoebe Turner taking one for 15 from her four oversBates and her opening partner, Emma Marlow attacked almost from the first ball of the Durham innings and had put on 50 in 5.2 overs before Marlow was immediately caught at long-on off Chloe Skelton for an 11-ball 20.Undaunted by this reverse, Bates and Hollie Armitage ensured Durham were well placed on 78 for one after ten overs of their innings before the New Zealand batter was caught at short third by Odgers off Alex Griffiths when two short of her third Durham half-century.The departure of their marquee signing in no way deterred her colleagues. Armitage and Mady Villiers brought up the hundred in the 13th over and the home side’s ascendancy was epitomised by Villiers lifting Griffiths for a big six over long-on.Armitage was unluckily run out for 41 at the bowler’s end when Skelton deflected Villiers’ fierce drive into the stumps and Durham’s momentum was also slowed by Erin Vukusic, who conceded only 29 runs from her four overs.Emily Windsor was run out on her county debut for five and Durham finished on 154 for four, only 35 runs coming from the last five overs. Villiers finished unbeaten on 39 but Skelton took one for 26 from four overs and Amanda-Jade Wellington nought for 23 in a plucky fightback from the visitors, who did not bowl a wide in their 20 overs.Encouraged by their bowlers’ resistance, Somerset’s openers began in expansive fashion, Bex Odgers taking 16 runs off Grace Thompson’s first over and 37 coming off the opening 20 balls before Niamh Holland was leg before to an off-spinner from Villiers for 11.Fran Wilson was caught and bowled by Phoebe Turner for four in the next over but Odgers smacked Villiers for six over square leg and the visitors ended the powerplay three runs better placed than Durham, albeit having lost one more wicket.A significant setback followed for Somerset, though, when their skipper Sophie Luff was run out for three off her own bowling by Phoebe Turner after a mix-up with Odgers.If that wicket disturbed Odgers, she did not show it. Instead, she reached her half-century off 35 balls but was stumped by Mia Rogers off Katie Levick for 54 two balls later. Durham’s spinners put the brakes on Somerset’s progress following the opener’s dismissal and 40 runs were still needed off the final five overs.It proved too stiff a task. Despite Jess Hazell’s enterprising strokeplay, Phoebe and Sophie Turner choked off the runs with tight medium pace bowling and 19 runs were needed off the final 12 balls. Amanda-Jade Wellington was stumped by Rogers off Sophie Turner for 12 in the 19th over and with eleven needed off the final over, Mady Villiers conceded just four, Hazell finishing unbeaten on 38.

West Ham boss Nuno Espírito Santo is already feeling the heat, and his first home game as manager was quite simply the stuff of nightmares.

West Ham break club record after dismal loss at home to Brentford

During a match boycotted by large portions of the Hammers faifthful, amid ongoing protests against David Sullivan, Karren Brady and the board, Brentford took West Ham to the cleaners.

Keith Andrews’ side, bar an effort from Jarrod Bowen which nearly crept in at the far post, were never troubled by a lacklustre, uninspired home side who looked devoid of confidence, rhythm and a clear identity.

In truth, the 2-0 loss flattered West Ham, as Brentford also struck the crossbar twice, forced great saves from Alphonse Areola and had another goal chalked off by VAR just before half-time.

Nuno’s line-up was, at best, pretty questionable too.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

The Portuguese, in Niclas Fullkrug’s absence due to a thigh injury, experimented with Lucas Paqueta as the centre-forward — but he failed to convince, was largely isolated and gave the ball away carelessly.

Olly Scarles and Kyle Walker-Peters took up unusual full-back roles on their opposite sides, with Freddie Potts and summer signing Soungountou Magassa sacrificed for a leggy midfield partnership of Tomas Soucek and Andy Irving.

Brentford exposed West Ham’s fragility time and time again, with the centre-back partnership of Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo – who was given his first start under Nuno – having a night to forget against a rampant Bees side who had 17 shots in total.

The result means that West Ham have now lost all four of their first home league games for the first time in the club’s long history, and if things don’t change soon, it is clear that Nuno has a relegation dogfight on his hands.

Last term, the Irons escaped a drop to the Championship owing to how poor all three promoted sides were, as was the case in 2023/2024 as well, but West Ham may not have that luxury this time around.

The 51-year-old needs inspiration from somewhere, and one West Ham player is said to be working hard in an attempt to prove his worth to Nuno at Rush Green.

Igor Julio impressing Nuno in West Ham training

That man is summer signing Igor Julio, who joined the east Londoners on a season-long loan from Brighton.

The Brazilian, who’s made 37 Premier League appearances for Brighton since joining them from Fiorentina in 2023, was limited to just a single Carabao Cup appearance this term and signed for West Ham in pursuit of more game time.

Nuno is yet to start Julio in any of his first three matches as West Ham boss, having played just one minute off the bench against Everton, and he didn’t even feature in their matchday squad for Brentford.

Considering just how leaky West Ham’s defence looks right now, with Kilman and Todibo really struggling on Monday night, the 27-year-old could sense an opportunity to play his way into contention.

As relayed by The West Ham Way, Julio is believed to be impressing in West Ham training, and as Nuno experiments to try and find out his definitive best side, the door could be open for him to usurp the likes of Todibo, Kilman and Konstantinos Mavropanos.

Let’s face it, matters could hardly be any worse at the back right now, with West Ham conceding the most goals of any side in the Premier League so far.

Julio appears to be hard at work to earn a place in the starting eleven, and a tricky test away to Leeds on Friday would act as a baptism of fire for the new arrival who’s looking to get his Premier League career back on track.

Former Seagulls coach Inigo Calderón is on record calling Julio an “animal” of a defender, which is exactly what Nuno is crying out for.

Newcastle United’s Premier League season has yet to get going so far this campaign, with positive results often followed up by a disappointing defeat.

Indeed, after getting the better of Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 in the middle of September, Eddie Howe’s Magpies then went on a stretch of form that saw defeats happen at the hands of Barcelona and Arsenal in both the Champions League and top-flight, before returning to winning ways in league action against Nottingham Forest at the start of October.

Yet, despite pushing Ange Postecoglou closer to the cliff-edge with that 2-0 victory, the Toon slipped to a third Premier League loss of the season away at Brighton and Hove Albion last time out.

It doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom, however, with Nick Woltemade sticking out once more as an ice-cold finisher under pressure.

It was his stylish back-heel that nearly kick-started a late comeback on the South Coast, only for Danny Welbeck to secure a brace.

The stats that make Woltemade one of the best in the Premier League

There was an unbelievable pressure on the German’s shoulders when relocating to Newcastle, with £69m splashed out on him to be one of Alexander Isak’s flashy replacements.

He hasn’t been paralysed with any fear since joining, with that delicate finish finding the back of the net against the Seagulls.

That means he has four goals from just five Premier League outings so far, which has led writer Thomas Hammond to hail him as an “incredible” talent to watch.

Despite Newcastle wobbling in form, the 6-foot-6 menace has the highest goal conversion rate (42.9%) in the Premier League so far this season with a hope surely on the Bremen-born striker’s end that the goals keep on coming, but they result in more wins being put on the board, as well.

Possessing an enormous frame, but a delicacy in possession of the ball, Woltemade’s profile is like very few in the game and he’s immediately started demonstrating why PIF spent so much to bring him to Newcastle.

The clinical number 27’s attacking display was definitely a crumb of positivity to take away from the 2-1 loss. Indeed, not everyone in Newcastle’s forward line had the same level of end product.

His teammate up top in Anthony Elanga, on the other hand, was dished out with far more criticism at the final whistle than glowing comments.

The Swede was one of the most creative in the division last season, registering 11 assists in the Premier League but since relocating to the north east, has yet to score in his first 11 outings. He has also registered just one assist.

It’s safe to say Newcastle’s summer business has been rather hit or miss, but Woltemade isn’t the only success story from their latest round of recruitment.

Newcastle "monster" is another Woltemade-type player

Away from Elanga failing to settle on Tyneside, other more senior members of the Magpies team are continually letting Howe down so far this season.

Chalkboard

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

Joelinton springs to mind as one example, with the Newcastle boss not fazed whatsoever when hooking the Brazilian off at half-time after another sub-par display was put in against Fabian Hurzeler’s men.

Moreover, Dan Burn struggled again in the left-back spot versus the Seagulls, squandering possession 18 times in total, alongside surprisingly winning just one aerial duel.

While Burn and Joelinton look to be on their way out as members of the St James’ Park old guard, Malick Thiaw looks ready to become a starter for many years to come at his new employers, as another Bundesliga gem has been unearthed.

Thiaw has been so impressive so far that even Fabian Schar has had to sit out contests recently for the Magpies’ “monster” – as he has been previously labelled by journalist Martino Puccio – to gain a starting spot.

Woltemade has made that lone striker spot his own, but Thiaw – also signed from German shores – has made that central defensive berth his own too. Now, the pairing are two of the first names on Howe’s team sheet.

Thiaw’s Premier League numbers
Stat (* = per game)	Thiaw
Games played	5
Goals scored	0
Assists	0
Touches*	43.6
Accurate passes*	28.8 (87%)
Ball recoveries*	3.6
Clearances*	4.2
Total duels won*	4.4
Clean sheets	1
Stats by Sofascore

Much like his colossal teammate, Thiaw has stood out as a battler already for Howe and Co, winning four aerial duels against the Seagulls, perhaps ensuring that the scoreline only stayed at 2-1 in the home side’s favour.

But, also, as Woltemade has displayed, the rock-solid number 12 is very much comfortable with the ball at his feet, with his well-rounded nature from the get-go, even seeing Newcastle-based blog Mouth of the Tyne state that he is “one of the signings of the summer.”

At just 24 years of age, and at a modest £30m cost, it’s hard to go against that statement, with both Thiaw and Woltemade surely looking to cement their presences as reliable first-teamers in matches to come.

Newcastle can forget Elanga by unleashing 19-year-old "star in the making"

Eddie Howe could have a surprise Anthony Elanga replacement up his sleeve in this exciting 19-year-old talent.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 20, 2025

Australia coach Andrew McDonald said it was “too early” to judge Konstas following his 25 and 0 in Grenada

Andrew McGlashan08-Jul-20250:31

Watch – Konstas chops on for a duck

Australia coach Andrew McDonald saw small signs of encouragement from Sam Konstas in the second Test against West Indies but has indicated there will “great opportunity” for players to push their case for Ashes selection early in the domestic season and in Australia A matches.Konstas made 25 in the first innings in Grenada before following that with a duck during a brief period of batting late on the second day. He will play the final match at Sabina Park, the ground’s first day-night Test, which provides an opportunity to finish on a high and leave himself near the head of the selection queue for the home Ashes series later in the year.”Four games in, eight innings, it’s probably early for anyone to judge, really,” McDonald said of Konstas’ early Test career. “I think the challenges in Test cricket aren’t necessarily always your skill level or your technique. It’s dealing with the moments, the pressure, all the other things that externally come with that as well. He’s a player finding his feet in the environment.Related

Ashes Slashes: Broad gives 'muddled' Australia top three the thumbs down

'Don't get too caught up in every innings' – Cummins urges Konstas to look at the big picture

Carey keeps on keeping on as Australia's quiet achiever

Starc, Hazlewood make quick work of West Indies to help Australia retain Frank Worrell Trophy

“[It was] a small step forward in the last game with that first innings. I thought the way he structured up his first 20-odd balls, he had the positive intent, he was moving a lot better compared to the game before where it looked like he was stuck in the middle and didn’t know whether to play a shot and it was either ultra-aggressive or ultra-defensive.”Konstas will likely feature in the four-day matches on the Australia A tour of India in late September before being available for the opening Sheffield Shield matches in early October with four rounds expected before the start of the Ashes.”There’s great opportunity in domestic cricket at the start of the season, and there always is leading into any Test series,” McDonald said. “We saw with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last year, there was opportunity for players to put their hand up there. There’s also Australia A [against Sri Lanka A] in the Top End [Darwin] at the moment, so we’re watching that closely…so it’s really about the opportunity that presents.”First and foremost, we concentrate on what’s right here, right now. Everyone will be speculating around who can come in, what possibilities are, but we’re confident the players that we’ve got here can do the job.”Prior to the tour, McDonald said it may not be possible to draw huge relevance from this tour to the Ashes and it is a view he maintains despite it having been pace-bowler dominated rather than seeing a significant role for spin.”There’s been a lot of variable bounce and sideways movement, so it’s probably not similar to Australia,” he said. “Maybe some surfaces will be. I think Perth potentially, when it does crack a little bit, it can go up and down and a little bit sideways. But I think the first four rounds of Shield cricket will draw a better connection to the Ashes than what we’re seeing here.”What we are seeing here, though, is people getting exposed at Test level, and within that exposure, the mental challenges of Test cricket are real.”Usman Khawaja has been troubled from around the wicket•Associated PressThe continued scrutiny of the top-order was eased somewhat by Cameron Green’s half-century, but is countered by the struggles of Usman Khawaja. McDonald was keen to stress that Australia have ended as comfortable winners of both Tests. West Indies crumbled in both second innings – facing just 34.3 overs in Grenada and 33.4 in Barbados – having been on even terms after two days.”For every failure in the top-order, the middle-order’s been able to get us out of those situations and vice versa,” he said. “We’ve had times when the top-order’s prospered and the middle potentially hasn’t delivered what you’d probably expect.”Ultimately the game of cricket’s matching the bowling with the batting. At the moment we’re doing that. We’re finding ways through it. Would we like to have greater output from the top-order? There’s no doubt about that. And those players would want more runs. But they’ll come.”We’ve been able to find a way through the West Indies batting order…and they’ve been quite big victories.”McDonald added he did not foresee any changes for the final Test, which will be Mitchell Starc’s 100th, although they will assess players once in Jamaica.A decision on whether to release Marnus Labuschagne from the squad will be taken once play starts. There is an option for him to rejoin for Glamorgan in the County Championship or potentially head to Darwin for the second four-day game against Sri Lanka A which starts on July 20. However, giving him a break before the August ODI series against South Africa is also a possibility.

His unbeaten 78 off 37 balls consigned San Francisco Unicorns to their second loss in a row

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-2025

Shimron Hetmyer thrashed an unbeaten 78 off 37 balls to take Seattle Orcas over the line•MLC

Shimron Hetmyer was Seattle Orcas’ hero for the third straight time, scoring an unbeaten 78 off 37 balls, consigning San Francisco Unicorns to their second loss in MLC 2025.Hetmyer, who was coming into this game on the back of an unbeaten 97 off 40 balls and 64 not out off 26, was once again the backbone of Orcas’ stumbling chase. Having restricted Unicorns to 168 for 5, Orcas slipped to 56 for 4 in the tenth over. However, Hetmyer stitched important stands with Heinrich Klaasen and Aaron Jones to give Orcas a last-over win for the third game running by four wickets.Orcas’ 169-run chase started on the wrong foot, with Xavier Bartlett ending opener Steven Taylor’s misery for a ten-ball duck. Bartlett struck in his next over again, this time taking out Kyle Mayers.Shayan Jahangir and Sikandar Raza forged a 38-run third-wicket stand, with the former the aggressor. But both batters fell off consecutive deliveries in the tenth over, and Orcas’ chase started falling apart.Then Hetmyer happened. He was out and about in quick time, smashing two sixes in his first three balls. Even as the batters at the other end fell, Hetmyer did not curb his attacking flair. He reached his fifty off 23 balls with a straight six down the ground and ensured the required rate never got out of hand.Sanjay Krishnamurthi top-scored for San Francisco Unicorns with a 28-ball 41•MLC

With 30 needed off the last three overs, he started by smashing Brody Couch over deep backward square leg before going after Bartlett, bringing the equation down to eight in the final over. Hetmyer then deposited Romario Shepherd for a 102m six over long-on before casually finishing off the chase with a couple of runs and three balls to spare.Earlier, sent into bat, Unicorns were rocked early with left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh snapping up Matthew Short with his fourth ball. Jake Fraser-McGurk thrashed Harmeet for three back-to-back fours, while Finn Allen also struck a few telling blows with the duo adding 49 off 31 balls for the second wicket.Left-arm fast bowler Ayan Desai, however, struck in the final over of the powerplay, removing Allen while captain Raza saw the back of Fraser-McGurk soon after. Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Unicorns’ top-scorer, whacked left-arm wristpinner Waqar Salamkheil for two sixes on the bounce and then smoked two more against Raza as Unicorns raced to 94 for 3 after ten overs.But Orcas staged a comeback, conceding just 34 runs in the next seven overs, with Krishnamurthi also falling. Unicorns required Shepherd to thump two sixes off his three balls faced to take them past the 165-mark. For the longest time, it seemed the total would be enough. Then came Hetmyer.This was Orcas’ third win after five straight losses, while Unicorns, who won six consecutive matches, have now gone down twice in two games.

MatériaMais Notícias

Ex-camisa 10 do Santos, o meio-campista Felipe Anderson, que está na Lazio e jogou ao lado de Neymar no Peixe, não escondeu a vontade de voltar a atuar pelo clube no futuro. Embasado no retorno de muitos atletas ao seu clube de origem no Brasil, o jogador confessou a saudade de atuar no futebol brasileiro.

+ Veja tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro-2023 clicando aqui

– Tenho visto muitos jogadores que passaram pela Europa voltando para o Brasil e a maioria voltando para o time que foi revelado, com a vontade, determinação e sonho de representar de novo. Aquilo que a gente aprende aqui, com a intensidade que a gente chega, podemos ajudar muito sim os clubes no Brasil. Eu acompanho e dá saudade, dá vontade. Ontem vendo a Vila lotada, campo rápido e molhado, bom para ir para cima, realmente da saudade e espero que dê certo um dia de voltar – declarou o Menino da Vila, em entrevista a TNT Sports.

+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

Com contrato válido na Lazio até junho de 2024, o jogador revelou ter acompanhado a goleada do Santos sobre o Vasco no domingo (1º) e decretou a sua torcida para o time se livrar do temido rebaixamento.

– Ontem eu vi, foi mais cedo o jogo e consegui acompanhar inteiro. Foi emocionante, uma gritaria, torço muito e minha família inteira também. Quando fez o quarto gol foi um alívio porque eram três pontos importantíssimos. Acompanhei o treino aberto um dia antes que a torcida foi ali, chega a dar um arrepio porque sei a paixão da torcida e o que representa o Santos nunca ter caído. O quão importante era a vitória de ontem. Fiquei feliz de ver a torcida apoiando e os jogadores dando tudo. A vitória coroou a resiliência do time por mais que esteja nessa fase difícil. Sendo contestados e protestados, mas os jogadores estão ali firmes e fortes, os torcedores se juntaram e dando apoio até o fim aos jogadores. Marcelo Fernandes chegou e é um cara que merece muito, estou muito feliz por esse momento de recuperação. Creio que vai dar certo e estarei na torcida até o final – concluiu Felipe Anderson sobre o Peixe.

PASSAGEM PELO SANTOS

Companheiro de Neymar na ‘mágica’ fase do Santos no começo dos anos 2010, Felipe Anderson sempre era tido como uma grande promessa da base do Peixe. Contudo, não chegou a liderar números expressivos na equipe. Com 110 jogos e apenas nove gols, o atleta integrou nas conquistas da Copa Libertadores 2011, Recopa Sul-Americana 2012 e dois Campeonatos Paulistas conquistados no período.

استبعد النجم الإنجليزي ولاعب مانشستر يونايتد السابق، واين روني، فريق ليفربول من السباق على لقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز للموسم الجاري، وكشف عن المرشح الأوفر حظًا للتتويج بالبريميرليج.

وتعرض ليفربول للهزيمة من مانشستر سيتي أمس الأحد، ضمن مباريات الجولة الحادية عشر للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، بثلاثية دون مقابل، خلال مواجهة جمعت الفريقين على ملعب “آنفيلد”.

ويتصدر آرسنال ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز بـ 26 نقطة، ويأتي مانشستر سيتي في المركز الثاني بـ 22 نقطة بعد فوزه أمام ليفربول، والذي تجمد رصيده عند 18 نقطة في المركز الثامن.

وعندما سُئل عن رأيه في سباق لقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، قال روني في تصريحاته لـ “بي بي سي”: “أعتقد أن الأمر سيكون صعبًا على ليفربول الآن”.

اقرأ أيضًا | روني ينتقد محمد صلاح بعد هزيمة ليفربول أمام مانشستر سيتي: ترك زميله معزولًا

وأضاف: “أعلم أن آرسنال أهدر نقاطًا أمام سندرلاند، لكن عندما تنظر إلى مستواهم بشكل عام والطريقة التي يقدم بها مانشستر سيتي أداءً رائعًا، سيكون الأمر صعبًا على ليفربول”.

وواصل: “لكن الموسم لا يزال في بدايته، فلا أحد يعلم، أعتقد أن آرسنال ومانشستر سيتي هما المرشحان الأوفر حظًا الآن”.

وأشار روني: “سيشعر آرسنال ببعض التوتر حيال مواجهة مانشستر سيتي القادمة، لكنني أعتقد أنه سيكون أحدهما، ما زلتُ أميل نحو آرسنال، وأعتقد أن آرسنال هو المرشح الأوفر حظًا”.

Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez faces a major selection dilemma as Portugal heads into decisive 2026 World Cup qualifiers without injured star Nuno Mendes, a player the coach calls "the best in the world". With the Paris Saint-Germain full-back sidelined, Martinez admits there’s “no natural replacement” and turns to Diogo Dalot and Joao Cancelo to fill the void.

Roberto Martinez calls Nuno Mendes irreplaceable

Mendes suffered a left knee sprain during PSG’s Champions League clash with Bayern Munich in midweek, ruling him out for two crucial international fixtures. The 22-year-old has been central to Portugal’s defensive structure, combining pace, defensive stability and an ability to drive attacks down the left flank.

“My assessment of Nuno Mendes is subjective, he’s like a son,” Martinez said. “There’s no other left-back who can defend one-on-one, make overlapping runs, and play inside or outside with the ball. He's a complete player, he can play centre-back. He's a decisive player for his club and for me, right now, he's the best in the world. Other coaches don't have to agree with me."

With Nuno Tavares also sidelined, the absence leaves Portugal without a natural left-back, forcing Martinez to turn to tactical adjustments and versatile defenders.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMartinez calls Dalot and Cancelo to share the load

To address the gap, Martinez is expected to deploy Dalot and Cancelo in hybrid full-back roles. Dalot, thriving at Manchester United under Ruben Amorim, has evolved into a reliable two-way defender known for his composure, fitness and ability to play on either flank. Dalot was earlier the go-to left-back for Portugal but has since dropped in the pecking order with a loss in form and Mendes rise at PSG last year. Dalot has played 32 matches for Portugal across all competitions.

Cancelo, meanwhile, offers Portugal creative flair and width. A natural right-back at Al-Hilal, he often drifts inside to dictate play, operating almost like a midfielder. While his offensive instincts differ from Mendes’ balanced profile, Cancelo’s experience and versatility make him vital to Portugal’s adaptability. Cancelo has played 62 games for Portugal across all competitions and has also scored two goals in the competition.  

“We need to find solutions, to find balance on the wing, with Cancelo and Dalot,” Martinez explained. “We need to build on the chemistry we already have, there’s no time for drastic experiments before two important games.”

Portugal will miss Mendes' impact

Before his injury, Mendes had been a cornerstone of Portugal’s qualifying campaign. Featuring in all six matches, he provided crucial defensive stability and attacking thrust. His pinpoint assist to Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2-2 draw against Hungary not only saved a point but also helped the forward set the record for most goals in World Cup qualifying history with 41 goals.

Mendes’ influence extended beyond numbers. His pace in recovery, ability to overlap in transition, and composure under pressure have been essential to Martínez’s system. Portugal have yet to lose with Mendes on the pitch in these qualifiers, which speaks volume about why the manager didn't really have to bother with an alternative in that space.

His injury arrives at a delicate moment, with Portugal needing positive results against Ireland and Armenia to secure top spot and automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

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Getty Images SportPortugal’s road to qualification and the test ahead

Portugal enters the final stage of World Cup qualifying unbeaten, with four wins and two draws from six games. They top Group F with 10 points, comfortably ahead of their nearest rivals Hungary. Ronaldo continues to lead by example being their top-scorer in the competition with five goals.

Despite their strong position, Martinez acknowledges the challenge ahead: “We must adapt quickly and stay focused. Every player knows their role, we can’t depend on one individual, no matter how special he is.”

As the team faces Ireland in Dublin on November 13 and Armenia on November 15 in Porto, Portugal’s depth and resilience will be tested. All eyes will be on Dalot and Cancelo to maintain Mendes’ standards, ensuring Portugal’s fluid wing play and defensive strength remain intact.

KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal batted through the morning unscathed in Manchester to provide supporting evidence to Shubman Gill’s belief that this was “a good toss to lose”.Ben Stokes asked India to bat first after winning his fourth consecutive toss of the series, citing the gloomy overhead conditions, but his seamers failed to make inroads. Jaiswal rode his luck early on, with Chris Woakes repeatedly beating him on the outside edge, but there were no genuine chances in the first two hours of the match.Rahul continued his impressive form, going past 400 runs in the series and becoming the fifth Indian batter to score 1,000 Test runs in England. He played the ball as late as possible and was happy to play senior partner: after Jofra Archer dismissed Jaiswal in both innings at Lord’s, Rahul soaked up 25 balls in Archer’s initial five-over spell.

Jaiswal – who had to replace a broken bat early in the session – largely played within himself, prompting Alastair Cook to suggest on the BBC’s Test Match Special that he must have been reminded of his responsibilities by India coach Gautam Gambhir between Tests. But he did hit the only six of the morning shortly before lunch, throwing his hands at a back-cut when Stokes dropped short and wide.No team has ever chosen to bowl first at Old Trafford and gone on to win a Test match, and Stokes’ belief that his team can defy that trend will be tested after a wicketless first session. The morning started with the stands half-empty and long queues outside, which Lancashire said were prompted by strict bag searches.