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Martin Zubimendi is stuck at the centre of a bitter row between former clubs Real Sociedad and Antiguoko. Zubimendi has been an instant hit with the Gunners following his move to Arsenal over the summer as the north London side maintain their title push. However, the off-field issues between the Basque pair threatens to overshadow the midfielder's fine start to life at the Emirates.

Getty Images SportZubimendi shining for Arsenal

Zubimendi has been a first team regular under head coach Mikel Arteta, starting eight of the opening nine league games of the season. It could have been so different for Zubimendi and Arsenal after the player came close to moving to Liverpool last summer before opting to remain at Real Sociedad.

The 26-year-old has been key as the Gunners head into Saturday's trip to Burnley with a four-point lead over second-placed Bournemouth, and seven points clear of defending Premier League champions Liverpool. Arsenal also boast the best defensive record in the division having conceded just three league goals this season, with Zubimendi anchoring the midfield with aplomb.

And having completed his £51 million ($67m) move to the capital over the summer, Antiguoko claim that Real Sociedad now owe them £870,000 owing to an agreement between the two teams.

Advertisement'The relationship with Real Sociedad is very bad'

Antiguoko have gone to court over the unpaid fee, with technical director, Roberto Montiel, stating: "Currently, the relationship with Real Sociedad is very bad on their part. We had an agreement with Real Sociedad until 2020. Since then, we have an agreement with Athletic Bilbao.

"When Zubi signed for Real Sociedad, it was agreed that, in the event of a transfer, we would receive 5 per cent up to one million euros in return. With this behaviour, we decided not to renew the agreement with them because we felt mistreated by them."

Zubimendi spent five years with Antiguoko between 2006 and 2011 before moving to Real Sociedad. The midfielder did return to Antiguoko for a two-year loan spell following his permanent switch to La Real.

Getty Images Sport'They want us to be more and more inferior'

Montiel further laid into Real Sociedad, adding: "They are obsessed with crushing us at all levels. They want us to be more and more inferior. The Provincial Council of Guipúzcoa has put in place a law that is subject to Real Sociedad of ‘territoriality’.

"This means that a boy or girl from a town bordering 5 kilometers from San Sebastián up to under-14 category cannot sign for Antiguoko. In other words, any boy or girl within the entire periphery of San Sebastián and its surroundings cannot sign with us, even though the kids’ parents wanted them to join us.

"This would be translated as explaining that a child from a neighbourhood on the outskirts of London cannot sign for any club in London up to under-14 category. Madness! Real Sociedad collected the transfer fee from the sale of Martin Zubimendi from Arsenal and has not paid us the five per cent that corresponds to us according to the agreement.

"Real Sociedad has not said anything, and we have made the request in court. And we will have an administrative dispute to reach an agreement. They will maintain their position of not paying us. That money is very important to us because we invest it in our academy.

"Another example of the poor relationship with Real Sociedad is last season. We were holding an official event to reward Martín for all the sporting achievements he has achieved, and Real Sociedad did not give him authorisation to collect the award. As a result of that decision, we had to cancel the event.

"We have already agreed with Martín that we will hold the event at the end of this season. Furthermore, I don’t think a former Antiguoko player, Mikel Arteta, will pose any problem."

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Arsenal in flying form

Arsenal booked their spot in the fifth round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday night as they beat Brighton 2-0 at the Emirates, a result that extended their unbeaten run to 11 matches, and winning streak to eight games.

The Gunners should feel confident at extending that run when they take on relegation threatened Burnley this weekend, before meetings with Slavia Prague and Sunderland between now and the international break.

With talks continuing over Steven Gerrard’s potential Rangers return, an ex-Ibrox ace is now reportedly open to joining the former Gers boss in Glasgow.

Steven Gerrard has positive talks over Rangers return

It’s a big couple of weeks for the 49ers and the Gers, who were forced to face their first major mistake recently when sacking Russell Martin. The former boss won just one game in seven attempts in the Scottish Premiership and a draw at Falkirk proved to be the final straw in a tenure that was historically disappointing.

So, it’s back to square one for those at Ibrox and this time they must get things right on the manager front. They’re not short on potential options, either, when it comes to Martin replacements.

However, whilst Sean Dyche, Danny Rohl and others have been mentioned in recent reports, it looks as though Gerrard is emerging as the favourite to make his return to Rangers.

The former manager remains the last to dethrone Celtic in the Scottish Premiership and could now return to the dugout four years on from leaving the club for Aston Villa.

Martin upgrade who's "similar to Postecoglou" in running for Rangers job

The Ibrox hierarchy are on the hunt to find an upgrade on Russell Martin at Rangers.

ByDan Emery Oct 7, 2025

According to reports, Rangers have already held positive talks with Gerrard, who has been out of a job since leaving Saudi Arabia side Al-Ettifaq in January.

Unlike other candidates, Gerrard’s appointment shouldn’t come with major risk factor. He’s been there and done it at Rangers. Even if the current job is arguably tougher than it once was, his experience with the Gers should prove to be invaluable compared to the likes of Rohl and Dyche.

What’s more, the 45-year-old has already been handed a key boost when it comes to his potential coaching staff in Scotland.

Defoe now open to joining Gerrard at Rangers

As reported by TeamTalk, Jermaine Defoe is now open to joining Gerrard at Rangers and reuniting with his former club in the process. The former striker was briefly an assistant manager after Gerrard left the Gers in 2021 and may now have the opportunity to return to the role for the first time in four years.

There’s little doubt that Defoe would say no to any potential Rangers offer, either, having told reporters:

It’s all slowly coming together for Gerrard and Rangers, who could have their replacement for Martin sealed sooner rather than later.

Australia’s selectors will likely opt for Labuschagne’s experience over dropping him in favour of 19-year-old Sam Konstas

Andrew McGlashan09-Jun-20251:05

Finch: The way Labuschagne has been playing is ‘concerning’

Opening the batting may not be Marnus Labuschagne’s preferred option, but Usman Khawaja has said that sometimes players need to take a role that is best for the team rather than the individual and backed him to make a success of it should that be the selectors’ call at Lord’s.Labuschagne is firming as the likely option to walk out alongside Khawaja in the World Test Championship final as Australia juggle their batting order. When it was suggested last year that Labuschagne could be an option at the top of the order after David Warner’s retirement, Khawaja said he had “opening-itis” and on Monday joked again that he wasn’t really over it.Related

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However, it appears the selectors will opt for Labuschagne’s experience and Test record – which includes 11 centuries – over dropping him in favour of 19-year-old Sam Konstas, who was handed a debut against India when Australia wanted someone to take the game on. Should that transpire, it shapes as a key moment as Labuschagne fights to secure his Test spot with the selectors keen to settle down an opening combination ahead of the Ashes later this year.”You don’t always get to choose in Australia. You’ve got six of the best batsmen in the country,” Khawaja said while promoting Prime Video who will broadcast the final in Australia. “Like I’ve said in the past, there are plenty of times where I prefer to bat in other positions. But beggars can’t be choosers. You just have to be humble that you’re playing for Australia.”Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne could be Australia’s new opening pair at the WTC final•ICC/Getty ImagesLabuschagne has previously opened 15 times in first-class cricket although only once since 2016, but as a regular No.3 knows there is a chance he could be in for the second ball of an innings.”You take what you get and you make the best out of it. At the end of the day, it’s a team game,” said Khawaja, who moved permanently into the opening role in early 2022 after returning to the side with twin hundreds against England at No. 5. “The best place for me to bat for the team is to open. So I’m very happy to open and do my role for the team. I’m sure if it’s the same for Marnus, I’m 100%. I know he’ll take that role.”[When] you bat three, I think the opening is an easier transition. The only time it’s hard is when you bat second. You have to run off and change [into] your pads. Usually when I was at three, I just put my feet up. You don’t get to do that anymore. That’s the biggest difference. But Marnus is a terrific player. If he gets an opportunity, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“There are plenty of times where I prefer to bat in other positions. But beggars can’t be choosers. You just have to be humble that you’re playing for Australia.”Usman Khawaja

From a personal point of view, Khawaja played down any issues with what has become a revolving door of opening partners since Warner retired. Since then, Australia have cycled through Steven Smith, Nathan McSweeney, Konstas and latterly Travis Head who was used as a conditions-specific selection in Sri Lanka.”An opener can get out first ball and you’re batting with number three anyway,” Khawaja said. “So it’s not that big of a deal. All the guys that are in this team I’ve batted with. Opening has been a revolving door for a long time. But I think it just shows you how hard opening is. It’s not an easy place to bat.”I’ve had a few partners since Davey’s gone. It’s just a tough place to bat. You can’t hide in Test cricket. I think whoever’s going to come in will do a good job. But for me, it’s no different.”The other selection questions Australia had to ponder where whether to continue with an allrounder at No. 6 and the call between Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland. Hazlewood looks primed to return to the bowling line-up, while during training on Monday, the catching cordon was Khawaja, Smith, Beau Webster and Cameron Green. Webster, who has never played at Lord’s, spoke the previous day about having to factor in the slope when standing in the slips.Meanwhile, Australia believe that spin could play a significant role in the match. Two days out the pitch was already quite straw-coloured and the forecast is for warm weather during the Test and a good amount of sunshine.”I think spin will play a big part, particularly as the game wears on,” Smith said. “It is dry. We only came here a week ago, but I think it’s been pretty dry to start the season over here. I think the footmarks will definitely come into play as the game wears on.”Two years ago, during the 2023 Ashes, Australia lost Nathan Lyon to a calf injury during England’s first innings but were able to secure victory through their fast bowlers.”He’s keen to get back here and I guess put those negative memories out of his mind,” Alex Carey said. “But it probably proved in that series how big a role he does play in all conditions, especially here in England.”

Saif Zaib passes 1000 runs for season but Northants wobble again after conceding 364 deficit

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay24-Jul-2025Northamptonshire 261 (Zaib 82, Higgins 4-51) and 64 for 3 trail Middlesex 625 for 8 dec by 300 runsRyan Higgins moved to the top of Middlesex’s wicket-taking chart for the season as his side closed in on a Rothesay County Championship victory over Northamptonshire at Merchant Taylors’ School.Higgins finished with 4 for 51, with Noah Cornwell taking 3 for 48 as the visitors were made to follow on 364 behind – and the medium-pacer then grabbed two quick top-order wickets second time around to further improve his season’s tally to 32.Northamptonshire stumbled to 64 for 3 at stumps and their plight would have been deeper but for rain stoppages and Saif Zaib’s first-innings 82, which made him the county’s first player to register 1000 first-class runs in a season since Ben Duckett in 2016.Zaib was almost the fastest to that landmark across the Championship circuit, but the 27-year-old narrowly missed out to Surrey’s Dom Sibley, who got there just 15 minutes earlier at Scarborough.Middlesex rotated their seam quartet when the visitors resumed on 126 for 4, but their spin options were limited after Zafar Gohar, tumbling to deal with George Bartlett’s cover drive, landed awkwardly on his shoulder and had to leave the field.Bartlett, having steered Tom Helm neatly through gully for four, repeated the stroke later in the over and picked out the fielder this time, but Zaib continued to progress steadily as he built a partnership with Rob Keogh.Keogh, who had injured a finger while fielding on day one, did well to withstand a couple of Helm deliveries that rose sharply down the slope and helped Zaib to add 55 before Cornwell had him caught down the leg side.The left-hander went on to pass 50 for the ninth time in this season’s Championship, ushering Northamptonshire’s total beyond 200 before rain arrived to send the players off for an early lunch.Dom Leech provided spirited support, finding the boundary four times in his knock of 22 while Zaib capitalised on successive short balls from Leus du Plooy, pulling the slow left-armer for six and four. Higgins broke the seventh-wicket stand of 64 with two dismissals in as many deliveries, with Leech caught top-edging a hook before Ben Sanderson was lbw without scoring to leave the visitors eight down.A more persistent spell of rain held up play for the next hour and a half – but it took just three balls for Cornwell to wrap up Northamptonshire’s first innings, knocking out Zaib’s off stump with one that seamed back before cleaning up Yuzvendra Chahal with a yorker.After another weather-induced delay, Higgins reclaimed centre stage, winning what looked like a borderline lbw decision against Ricardo Vasconcelos and castling Aadi Sharma next ball to leave the visitors reeling at 10 for 2. James Sales began redressing the balance with a series of positive shots in his knock of 26, but he attempted one too many and lost his middle stump to Toby Roland-Jones.Stand-in skipper Lewis McManus remained defiant, punching Helm off the back foot to the fence to reach 21 not out before the light deteriorated sufficiently for the umpires to bring play to a close.

Tottenham boosted their chances of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League with a commanding 4-0 win at home to Copenhagen, despite playing much of the second half one man light. Goal-scorer Brennan Johnson was sent off with Spurs already two to the good, but Thomas Frank's side showed fantastic character to score twice more as they put in arguably their best performance of his tenure so far.

Tottenham pulled ahead just before the 20-minute mark. Copenhagen clumsily gave the ball away in the Spurs half, allowing Rodrigo Bentancur to win possession back and hand the reins over to Xavi Simons, who quickly saw Johnson darting in behind the high defensive line and fed him down the right-hand channel. Goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski came a long way out of his box to challenge Johnson and missed, with the Welshman cooly rolling the ball in from a tight angle.

Spurs ought to have doubled their lead before the break when a lovely, flowing team move saw Simons square the final pass for Randal Kolo Muani, who somehow fumbled the chance to score his first goal for his new club by firing wide from close range.

Shortly after the restart, the hosts found that second goal. Pedro Porro's long ball over the top was chased all the way by Kolo Muani, who blocked Kotarski's clearance and retrieved the high clearance with an immaculate first touch before selflessly passing to Wilson Odobert to finish.

But the game threatened to turn when Johnson was shown a red card on 57 minutes. The winger caught Marcos Lopez on his heel with his studs, and after consulting with VAR, the referee gave him his marching orders.

However, that only seemed to galvanise Tottenham, who scored their third of the evening soon after. Joao Palhinha nicked the ball back on the edge of the Spurs penalty area, and Micky van de Ven proceeded to sprint almost the entire length of the pitch before firing beyond a helpless Kotarski. Seconds later, it was four as another quick breakaway saw Odobert slip in centre-back Cristian Romero, who managed to reverse the ball back for Palhinha to smash in at the back stick.

Richarlison rattled the underside of the crossbar with a powerful header from a Porro cross before Spurs were awarded a penalty when Dane Scarlett was tripped by Junnosuke Suzuki. Brazil's No.9 stepped up and, would you believe it, hit the exact same spot on the bar again. However, that mattered little in the grand scheme of things as Tottenham ran out convincing winners.

GOAL rates Spurs' players from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Guglielmo Vicario (6/10):

Once roundly criticised for his inability to catch a cross, the Italian goalkeeper guarded his six-yard box superbly to hoover up Copenhagen crosses. Only really tested by way of shot-stopping from distance.

Pedro Porro (7/10):

Gave the ball away a couple of times in his own half early doors but was much better defensively here than he has been all season. Came up with the daring long ball which led to Odobert's goal.

Cristian Romero (7/10):

Swept up for Van de Ven whenever the Dutchman went marauding into midfield in a role-reversal of their usual tasks. Found himself playing up front for a brief few seconds before teeing up Palhinha for Spurs' fourth goal. Subbed for Danso.

Micky van de Ven (8/10):

Wow. Came into the game with a point to prove after walking off without clapping the fans against Chelsea on Saturday, left as the name on everyone's lips for the right reasons. Hardly troubled at the back and then ran Copenhagen ragged with one hell of a sprint right through their entire team to score Spurs' third.

Destiny Udogie (7/10):

Spurs have missed natural width down the left despite the emergence of Spence as an outstanding one-v-one defender. Combined well with Odobert throughout. Taken off for the England full-back eventually.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Rodrigo Bentancur (7/10):

One of several players eviscerated by Jamie Carragher on Monday Night Football this week, but responded excellently with a top performance at the base of midfield, winning possession back and moving it on at pace.

Pape Matar Sarr (7/10):

The engine behind Tottenham's direct performance. Always looked to play the ball forward and bring attackers into play as soon as possible.

Xavi Simons (8/10):

His best performance in a Spurs shirt since moving from RB Leipzig at the end of the summer window. His clever thinking set Johnson racing away for the opener, while Kolo Muani denied the Dutchman two other assists in the first half. Sacrificed for Palhinha after the hosts were reduced to 10 men.

AFPAttack

Brennan Johnson (7/10):

From hero to zero, from an objective sense. Put Spurs ahead with a well-taken finish from a narrow angle, only for his night to end early after VAR recommended a red-card review for a high, if weak, foul on Lopez. Fortunately, this only spurred Tottenham on to demolish their visitors.

Randal Kolo Muani (7/10):

Missed a couple of sitters but was always in the right place at the right time and grabbed an assist for countryman Odobert. The fans showed their appreciation for his efforts with a standing ovation when coming off for Richarlison.

Wilson Odobert (8/10):

No single player has made the left wing spot their own at Spurs so far this season, but the young Frenchman strengthened his credentials with a goal while showing a growing understanding with the likes of Udogie, Simons and Kolo Muani. Subbed for Scarlett late on.

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Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Joao Palhinha (7/10):

Brought on to shore up the midfield after Johnson's red card, ended up on the scoresheet. Now up to four goals in his Spurs career already. Technically got the assist for Van de Ven too.

Richarlison (5/10):

Replaced Kolo Muani. Hit the bar with a header and then a penalty.

Djed Spence (6/10):

Came on for Udogie.

Kevin Danso (6/10):

On for Romero.

Dane Scarlett (7/10):

Afforded some extremely rare first-team minutes in place of Odobert. Won the penalty which Richarlison missed.

Thomas Frank (9/10):

After the calamity of the Chelsea loss, Frank desperately needed a result and performance like this to improve his popularity among Tottenham fans. His selections and substitutions were spot on.

Everton will surely feel smug about the number of top-drawer academy products they’ve managed to uncover.

The likes of Anthony Gordon and John Stones have the blue half of Merseyside to thank for kickstarting their Premier League careers, before Newcastle United and Manchester City beckoned, while Everton undoubtedly got more out of Dominic Calvert-Lewin than what was expected, after once picking him up as an 18-year-old prospect from Sheffield United.

71 goals would come Calvert-Lewin’s way across 273 games, but even he will know his rise to Toffees first-team glory pales into insignificance when weighed up next to Wayne Rooney’s remarkable ascent from teenage prodigy at Goodison Park to world-beater with Manchester United.

David Moyes was the boss who first gave Rooney a chance in the Everton senior mix at just 16 years of age, as the Scotsman now goes about assessing what promising youngsters he currently has at his disposal at the Hill Dickinson Stadium who could also go on to have an extensive career at the very top.

Everton's most promising youngsters right now

Many of the Everton U21s personnel right now will surely be dreaming of their Rooney moment in the spotlight under the Glaswegian.

Omari Benjamin could well feel he’s deserving of a first-team opportunity very soon, especially if Beto continues to fluff his lines on Merseyside, with the former Arsenal youth player turned rising star at the Toffees boasting two goals this season in Premier League 2 action.

Up to 12 goals in total now for the U21s, it only feels like a matter of time before the 19-year-old hotshot is handed some men’s minutes.

Other names catching the eye include Justin Clarke, who also boasts two goals himself this season in the Premier League 2, alongside 18-year-old Joel Catesby, who is more of a creative force than a goalscoring menace, having accumulated seven assists to date in both the U18 and U21 picture.

Moyes will have to err on the side of caution with some of these promising starlets, however, with the gap between youth football and the pressures of the Premier League a notoriously hard one to bridge.

That’s why the youth-focused boss will be over the moon with how well this other exciting youngster is doing out on loan away from Everton, as the Toffees potentially now have their best prospect since Rooney burst onto the scene.

Everton's biggest prospect since Rooney

The once wide-eyed number 18 would never look back after being slotted into the first team at just 16, with 17 goals and four assists tallied up for the Toffees during his first stint on the Merseyside, ending up being just the start of his unbelievable tale in the Premier League.

Harrison Armstrong will hope his current loan spell with Preston North End is a similarly memorable first chapter he can look back on in a few years time after he’s exploded in the Everton first-team set-up, with one Preston-based content creator already tipping him to have a “huge future” beyond Deepdale.

Armstrong has even picked up a Man of the Match accolade out on loan in Lancashire, too, with seven duels won across the course of his bruising 90 minutes, the sort of grit Preston needed to complete a 3-2 comeback win over Sheffield United on Friday night.

With three assists also next to his name in the Everton first-team picture, it’s clear that there’s a plausible pathway to the senior side for Armstrong under Moyes when this formative stint is complete, having also been previously dubbed a “first team regular in the making” at Everton by journalist Richard Buxton.

Everton U18s

22

5 + 1

Derby County

15

1 + 0

Everton U21s

15

3 + 1

Everton

8

0 + 3

Preston

8

0

The bold claims don’t stop here, either, with another Preston-oriented voice also wildly stating that he “will play for England one day” long after his Championship journey is up.

After all, the likes of Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins must still be eternally grateful for their respective EFL educations, before they then went on to receive a Three Lions cap.

Everything is pointing in the direction of Armstrong being Everton’s brightest prospect since Rooney’s whirlwind moment, with it now being up to the 18-year-old to succeed with all this hype weighing down on him.

Fewer touches than Pickford: Everton flop must be axed if Richarlison joins

This Everton dud will surely be on borrowed time even more if Richarlison rejoins the Toffees.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 27, 2025

The NLCS kicked off Sunday night in Los Angeles with the Dodgers rolling over the Mets, 9-0, in a game that was pretty much over after the fourth inning. The Dodgers have now gone 33 straight innings without giving up a run, which ties a postseason record set by the Baltimore Orioles in 1966.

While the Dodgers' pitching staff has been lights out, they did get some help from the Mets on Sunday night, specifically from Jesse Winker, who made a mind-boggling decision on the basepaths.

With the Mets trailing 6-0 in the fifth inning with nobody out, Jose Iglesias hit a single to center field. Winker got a good jump off of first base and it appeared he'd easily got to third base when he suddenly stopped halfway there and ended up getting thrown out at third.

Check this out:

Not great.

MLB fans blasted him:

Game 2 is Monday afternoon at 4 p.m. ET.

Ireland star Troy Parrott opens up on his sensational hat-trick against Hungary, which kept his nation's World Cup dreams alive. The former Tottenham Hotspur striker scored thrice in the qualifying match, including a dramatic late winner as Ireland came back from behind twice to beat Hungary 3-2 and book their berth in the qualifying play-offs.

Hungary's dream shattered as Ireland reached play-offs

Hungary captain and Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai was visibly distraught at full time as they gave up on their lead twice in their final qualifying game against Ireland during the weekend and lost the clash 3-2 to see their World Cup dreams shattered. Daniel Lukacs handed Hungary a third-minute lead before Parrott scored an equaliser 12 minutes later. Barnabas Varga then restored the hosts' lead in the 37th minute as they headed into the break with a 2-1 lead.

Parrott, however, had a different plan as he once again equalised in the 80th minute before scoring a last-gasp winner. With three points, Ireland finished second in their group behind Portugal and progressed to the qualifying play-offs, which will be played in March.

AdvertisementAFPParrott reacts to incredible hat-trick

After the sensational performance in the World Cup qualifying match, Parrott told RTE: "I'm really, really emotional. They're tears of joy. Ah, what a night, what a night. This is why we love football, because things like this can happen. Look, I love where I'm from, so this means the world to me. My family is here.

"It's the first time I've cried in years as well, I really, really can't believe it. Everyone is crying. I said against Portugal that this is what dreams are made of, but this tonight, I don't think I'll ever have a better night in my whole life. That is really a fairy tale. You can't even dream about something like that. Honestly, I have no words to describe my emotions right now."

He added: "I think everyone wrote us off at the start of the group, and I couldn't have said it enough. There's always a chance and we've taken the chance. I think everyone should be proud of the group of players that are over there. To go down in the game twice and then to come back like that is beautiful."

Parrott told he is better than Lionel Messi

Republic of Ireland fans were understandably on cloud nine after Parrott inspired a sensational comeback against Hungary. Fans were jubilant to see their World Cup hopes kept alive by the AZ Alkmaar forward as they hailed him as the best player in the world and a better player than Argentina captain Lionel Messi.

After the game, Parrott had reacted to the victory as he told reporters: "I said against Portugal that this is what dreams are made of, but I think tonight, I will never have a better night in my whole life. It is a fairytale. You can't even dream about something like that. I have no words to describe the emotions right now."

Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson, on the other hand, told RTE: "We seemed to be nervous at the beginning, struggling with movements and defending too late and not aggressive enough. We put in everything and threw in three strikers in the end. The guys deserved what happened and congratulations to the Irish nation for having the guys."

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Getty Images SportWho will be Ireland's opponents in play-offs?

After the dream night in Budapest, Ireland will now wait to determine their opponents in the World Cup play-offs, which will be played in March. The play-offs will feature 12 runners-up from the UEFA section of qualification, along with the four best-placed UEFA Nations League group winners who failed to finish in the top two of their respective groups. The draw to determine play-off paths will take place at FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, on November 20.

The chase became nervy but his 90-run partnership with Asalanka turned the tide in their favour

Madushka Balasuriya31-Aug-2025Where Zimbabwe had faltered on Friday, Sri Lanka followed through in consummate fashion. Set a target of 278 in the second and final ODI in Harare, the visitors tracked it down with five wickets and three deliveries to spare. And with it, they swept the series 2-0.Similar to the first ODI, this too went down to the wire, and like that game on Friday, the chasing side seemed in control right until the last. But here with wickets in hand, and a deep batting line-up, Sri Lanka held firm and saw the game through.That said, Sri Lanka perhaps made life more difficult for themselves than they needed to. They did not score a boundary in the final powerplay until the 48th over – two ended up coming off that one, to leave the equation at 12 needed off 12 – but it meant the game was heading for yet another final over finish.In the penultimate over, Charith Asalanka got a boundary after deep midwicket had misjudged a skier, but was caught a ball later, having scored a crucial 71 off 61. Then, Kamindu Mendis defied space and time to inside edge an attempted reverse lap sweep for four, off a pinpoint Ngarava yorker to bring the equation down to 6 off 2. After that, the rest was a formality.Nissanka found boundaries to keep the required rate in check•Zimbabwe CricketThe scorecard might indicate that the game was closer than it might have been, but with the chase anchored around Pathum Nissanka’s seventh ODI hundred – as he shared successive stands of 48, 20, 78 and 90 with Nuwanidu Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama and finally Asalanka – the visitors were always in control.It was in that final stand with Asalanka that Sri Lanka would say they broke the spine of the chase, with their partnership, at a touch over run-a-ball, ensuring the scoring was brisk through the middle overs.Indeed, this period was one of the main points of differentiation between the two sides. Where Zimbabwe scored 139 runs for the loss of four wickets between overs 15-40, Sri Lanka struck 27 more runs and lost one less wicket in the same period.It meant heading to the death overs, the scoreboard pressure was minimal for Sri Lanka, who were left needing just 67 off 60, with seven wickets in hand. Zimbabwe, by comparison, had scored 83 at the death just to push their total to competitive territory.Perhaps if a straightforward chance off Nissanka, when he was on 78, had not been spilled, Sri Lanka might have had a tougher time. In the end, however, they saw the game through to victory with minimal peril – even if ideally it should have been wrapped up sooner.Sikandar Raza was crucial to Zimbabwe’s batting effort•Zimbabwe CricketNissanka’s innings of 122 off 136 was exactly what was required in a chase of this variety. It earned him both the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards. His frequent boundaries during the opening powerplay ensured the lack of strike rotation was not as keenly felt, and then, through the middle overs, his ability to find boundaries to punctuate lulls in play meant Sri Lanka never let the required rate get out of hand.Once Asalanka joined him, the boundary scoring burden was alleviated somewhat, with the Sri Lanka skipper willing to up the ante when required – most notably, with a trio of boundaries in the 40th over off Blessing Muzarabani.The target, however, had always seemed a touch below par on a fresh surface that was expected to suit the batters. Zimbabwe, having been put in to bat, did reasonably well at the start and end of their innings, but Sri Lanka controlled the middle overs to restrict the hosts to 277 for 7.That they got even that much was down to an unbeaten 59 off 55 from Sikandar Raza, as part of 76-run sixth-wicket stand with Clive Madande (36 off 36), and then smaller stands with the tail-enders.Ben Curran top-scored for Zimbabwe•Zimbabwe CricketBen Curran top-scored in the innings with a 95-ball 79, but unlike Nissanka later in the day, he was unable to be around for the final overs. Where the Zimbabwe innings lost their way was losing wickets at crucial points through the middle overs.After Zimbabwe’s fast start – scoring 55 inside the opening powerplay – the entry of a rusty Brendan Taylor allowed Sri Lanka to apply the brakes on the scoring. Taylor and Curran put on a stand of 61, but since it came off 84 deliveries, it allowed Asalanka to sneak in several overs of the fifth-bowler quota.Taylor laboured to 20 off 37 during this period, while Asalanka snuck four of his own overs in for just 17 runs. With six more fifth-bowler overs remaining, Asalanka brought on Janith Liyanage, who dismissed Taylor in his second over, as the experienced batter mistimed a scoop to short fine while seeking to up the scoring.Sean Williams then entered, and all it took was one monster strike down the ground for Liyanage to be removed from the attack. With Williams generally looking to attack, both Maheesh Theekshana and Dushmantha Chameera kept things tight during this period.Dushmantha Chameera was the pick of the bowlers•Zimbabwe CricketCurran had done well up until this point, but his nine boundaries had come early on. His rhythm too had been interrupted by the lack of strike rotation during his partnership with Taylor – something perhaps impacted by a seeming hamstring niggle Taylor picked up during the innings.With the pressure building, the expensive Asitha Fernando was brought back and he delivered instantly, bookending his over with the wickets of Curran and Williams – both succumbing to short deliveries, with the former top edging one and the latter a delivery dragging on to the stumps.At 155 for 4, this shifted the momentum decisively in Sri Lanka’s favour. Liyanage was allowed to bowl a few more cheap overs to complete the fifth over quota, and while both Raza and Tony Munyonga struck boundaries following a couple of overs of consolidation, Madushanka returned to dismiss the latter.It was at this point that Raza took the lead, setting the tone with a pair of boundaries – the first a deft late dab, the second of inside out lofted cover drive – to signal Zimbabwe’s late charge.While boundaries weren’t as frequent in the following overs, the running between the wickets – a highlight of Zimbabwe’s chase in the first game – was once more exemplary. Despite scoring just six fours and a six in the final ten, they managed to score at beyond eight an over in the death overs, and with it, put up a fighting total. In the end, however, it wasn’t enough.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has delivered a fresh take on Arsenal and their chances of winning the Premier League this season.

The Gunners, since tasting defeat away to Liverpool in August, have won 13 games on the trot in all competitions whilst boasting the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues.

Mikel Arteta’s imperious side also haven’t conceded a single goal in all competitions since their dramatic 2-1 win over Newcastle at St. James’ Park in September, which is quite incredible considering they were without star defender William Saliba for brief periods as well.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Summer signing Cristhian Mosquera has performed exceptionally when called upon by Arsenal to replace Saliba at the heart of Arteta’s defence, and their exceptional resilience as a unit could well hand them a first Premier League title in 22 years.

Arsenal were already a very hard side to break down prior to this campaign, leaking the fewest goals of any top flight club in both the 23/24 and 24/25 seasons, but the arrival of assistant coach Gabriel Heinze appears to have solidified them even more.

Their rock solid backline has allowed Arsenal to plough through and get results despite their plethora of attacking absentees, with Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and now Viktor Gyokeres all sidelined through injury.

This, combined with their overwhelming threat from set pieces, has made Arsenal the team to beat as we head into the festive period.

Carragher names the player who could hold Arsenal back from Premier League title glory

Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher has claimed that only one man could stop Arsenal from winning the title at this point.

The pundit claims that Man City superstar Erling Haaland, who has spearheaded the Sky Blues to second almost single-handedly with 13 goals in just 10 Premier League appearances, will have a major say on whether Arsenal can end their two-decade-long wait for a domestic crown.

Given Haaland is basically a cheat code at this point, it’s hard to argue with Carragher’s assessment here.

It is still a real wonder how the Norway superstar didn’t clinch 2023’s Ballon d’Or award after firing City to a treble with 52 goals in 53 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side, with Lionel Messi getting it instead following his 2022 World Cup win.

The 25-year-old is nailed on for a Ballon d’Or eventually and perhaps even Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League goalscoring record if he stays in England much longer.

Make no mistake, it would take something truly extraordinary to topple Arsenal right now, and Haaland is just that.