A 35-year-old who bowls in the mid 120s, and a 19-year-old hometown hero tipped for greatness. Together, they bundled out Pakistan in a day

Firdose Moonda26-Dec-2024Dane Paterson is 35, bowls in the mid-120s and has accepted that he “probably won’t be a fan favourite,” because of his age and (lack of) pace.Corbin Bosch was 19 when he was tipped for greatness. He is now 30 and bowls consistently above 145kph. He has stolen hearts as a hometown hero who is now playing at the place his late father made his name.Between them, they took nine out of ten Pakistan wickets in an attack that included the household names of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen. How did it happen? A lot of it was because of the pressure created by two fantastic spells from Rabada, where he beat the bat almost once an over, had the Pakistan batters playing shots that were not in control every three balls and still did not get a wicket. “I don’t think I have seen two better spells from an international bowler,” Bosch said. “Now I finally get to see it first-hand.”Paterson has seen it before. “Even in the Sri Lanka Test series, he had a lot of plays and misses,” he remembered, specifically at St George’s Park, where Rabada took one first innings and two second-innings wickets. “For him to still keep on coming, it’s actually good to see. He’s not getting down on himself and still keeping his head up. It can be frustrating, especially for a quality bowler like him.”Related

• Pakistan waste opportunity to score with so much more available

• KG vs KG showdown grips SuperSport Park

• Paterson, Bosch lead South Africa's Boxing Day domination

• The Bosch family live their dream as Corbin's big day arrives

But that would also do a disservice to the two in question. Paterson is a proven performer, albeit one that does not shoot the lights out. It was just a match ago, at St George’s Park, he took his first Test five-for in a display of excellent control and slight seam movement. Unlike the stereotypical big, bad quicks of the south, Paterson relies on subtle skills. Today, there was a small change in length.”They were standing outside the crease, so I just had to pull my length back,” he said. “After lunch I had a chat with (bowling coach) Piet Botha and (Test coach) Shukri Conrad and they just said I just need to hit the deck hard. All of a sudden I got that variable bounce.”His shorter lengths in the afternoon resulted in the Pakistan batters advancing on him, and both Kamran Ghulam and Salman Agha were out to aggressive shots, which is exactly what Paterson wanted to see. “It shows you that you’re a threat once they start walking at you,” he said. “Even in county cricket, guys walk at me, but I’ve been very successful with nicking them off so I really don’t mind it. As soon as I see guys coming, I think I’m in the game because it’s not good cricket shots that they’re playing.”It’s worth remembering that Paterson has taken 180 wickets in 45 matches for Nottinghamshire between 2021 and 2024 and was only considered for national selection when Conrad had to take a B team to New Zealand earlier this year. “When we had the chance in January, we knew what’s happening with going to New Zealand and I thought I could probably do two Tests and then that’s me done,” he said. “And then Shukri told me this is my plan with you, and we just had an honest and open conversation. I knew what I had to do with my part, obviously, getting in shape, training and trying to put in performances.”Corbin Bosch’s first-ball strike sparks off celebrations in the South African camp•Gallo Images/Getty ImagesNow, with South Africa one win away from the World Test Championship final, Paterson may fancy his chances of the ultimate send-off, but he’s not quite there yet. “Lord’s is a very long way. I’ll be 36 years old,” he said. “We don’t want to be sitting in a press conference and mentioning my age. But yes, that’s the goal. Everybody’s speaking about it. The team is focused.”Bosch’s ambitions were a little more specific. “One of my goals for the year was to play two formats for the country,” he said. “But someone needs to pinch me at this moment. A couple of months ago I never thought I would be sitting here.”In the space of four days, Bosch has made both his ODI and Test debut and though they’ve both come because of necessity with other players injured, they don’t mean any less to him. “I am super grateful,” he said.More so, because he got to make his Test debut at his home ground, with his mother in attendance. He paid tribute to her, and not his late father Tertius, with his shirt number. Instead of the usual 14, he opted for 37. “My dad’s birthday is the 14th of March, so that is why I have played a lot of my cricket representing him,” he explained. “My mom goes unseen and unnoticed. This is actually more a tribute to her. Her year of birth is 1973. Unfortunately, there was someone (Khaya Zondo) who was 73, so I decided to do it backwards.”Corbin Bosch exults after bagging Shan Masood with his first ball in Tests•AFP/Getty ImagesAnd if the fairy-tale needed anything else, it came when Bosch was given the ball, in the 15th over, and became the fifth South African to strike with his first delivery in Test cricket. “I was just happy it bounced. The nerves were not as bad as (my ODI debut) on Sunday, but they were still there, especially, I waited half a session,” Bosch said. “I did not bowl before drinks, so I thought, am I even going to bowl in this game at some point? Temba [Bavuma] gave me the ball and next thing you know, I had taken my first international wicket. I could not have even dreamt something. Even when I was telling myself last night, what would be one of the greatest things to achieve today? That was definitely not what I would have thought.”Bosch admitted that the delivery was one that Shan Masood, wide outside off, “maybe should not have played at,” but getting the Pakistan captain was still a big deal. Bigger than his dad’s first Test wicket, Brian Lara? “I think when I go to heaven one day, he is going to tell me Brian is a little bit better than your first ball wicket,” Bosch joked.For the rest of his time with ball in hand, Bosch was the least disciplined of the South African bowlers, but the one who Pakistan decided to take on. And he got himself into a position where he could go searching for a five-for, which he didn’t get and only leaves him wanting more. “I still feel like I can bowl better. It was not too bad,” he said. “All in all, I am very happy with the performance I put out today.”In the end, both Paterson and Bosch could feel that way. They’re not the big names, but put in the biggest performances today, and some days, that’s all that matters.

SL made one change, bringing in Liyanage for Karunaratne

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Sep-2025Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka won the toss in the dead-rubber against finalists India. They made one change with bowling allrounder Chamika Karunaratne making way for batting allrounder Janith Liyanage.India meanwhile rested Jasprit Bumrah and Shivam Dube, with left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh and right-arm seamer Harshit Rana coming into the XI. India captain Suryakumar Yadav was happy with the toss decision, saying he would have opted to bat too.Asalanka, at the toss, said this was an important game despite a place in the final no longer up for grabs. He said he wanted to keep India down to 175.Sri Lanka XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka (capt), Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan ThusharaIndia XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh

On Tuesday, Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber joined a special club by hitting his 50th home run of the 2025 season. In a 9–3 win over the Mets, Schwarber became just the second Phillies player ever to record 50 homers in a season, and the 34th MLB player all-time to do so.

Schwarber joins Ryan Howard as the only Phillies players to hit 50 home runs in a season. Howard hit 58 in 2006, meaning that Schwarber is nine away from breaking the franchise record. Schwarber currently leads the National League in home runs, and only trails Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who leads MLB with 53 home runs on the season.

"It's cool," Schwarber told reporters after the win. "Get the nice, round even number. It's cool the stat of how many people have done it before in the game. It's something that you don't take lightly. I've alwasy said all the personal accolades and everything like that will probably mean more whenever it's all said and done. I feel like we've got so much more baseball here and we've got a group of guys we feel like can make a deep run. That's what we want to do. It's a cool moment, obviously I want to enjoy it, there's a lot more baseball to be played."

While Schwarber is currently more focused on his team than individual accomplishments, his success has helped the Phillies garner a 9-game lead over the Mets in the National League East. Thanks in part to 50 "Schwar-bombs" this year, Philadelphia is 85-60 on the season so far, and they only trail the Brewers for the best record in MLB.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians recebe o Argentinos Juniors nesta terça-feira (14), às 21h30 (de Brasília), na Neo Química Arena, pela quinta rodada da fase de grupos da Copa Sul-Americana. O técnico António Oliveira terá novidades para a partida, que será uma disputa direta pela vaga nas oitavas de final da competição.

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Com R$100 no Lance! Betting, você fatura R$317 se o Corinthians vencer o Argentinos Juniors e a partida terminar com três gols ou mais

Os volantes Raniele e Fausto Vera, que não participaram do jogo contra o Flamengo, treinaram sem restrições e estão à disposição da comissão técnica. Além da dupla, Michel Araújo, recuperado de um procedimento cirúrgico na mão direita, também pode ser relacionado para o duelo.

Por outro lado, os meias Maycon e Ruan Olivera, os laterais Diego Palacios e Matheuzinho, e o atacante Pedro Henrique, seguem fora. Com lesões ligamentares no joelho, a dupla de meio-campistas permanece indisponível por tempo indeterminado.

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Matheuzinho e Pedro Henrique, em transição no CT Joaquim Grava, devem retornar nas próximas partidas. A grande incógnita é a situação de Palacios. O lateral-esquerdo está há mais de 100 dias sem atuar pelo Corinthians e não tem previsão para voltar aos gramados.

Para o jogo, António Olivera irá abandonar o sistema com três zagueiros. Apesar de falhar no segundo gol do Flamengo no sábado (11), Cacá deverá formar a dupla de zaga ao lado do equatoriano Félix Torres. Mesmo longe da forma física ideal, a tendência é que Yuri Alberto inicie o confronto ao lado de Wesley e Romero. Com isso, a equipe retorna à formação mais utilizada ao longo da temporada: 4-3-3.

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Portanto, a provável escalação do Corinthians para o duelo contra o Argentinos Juniors tem: Carlos Miguel, Fagner, Félix Torres, Cacá (Gustavo Henrique) e Hugo; Raniele, Bidon e Garro; Wesley, Romero e Yuri Alberto.

Na segunda colocação do grupo F com sete pontos conquistados, o Timão recebe o Argentinos Juniors nesta terça-feira (14), pela quinta rodada da fase de grupos da Sul-Americana. A bola rola a partir das 21h30 (de Brasília), na Neo Química Arena.

Tudo sobre

CorinthiansFutebol NacionalSTARPLUSSul-Americana

The Dodgers’ plan to slow play Shohei Ohtani, the pitcher, back to top form is working to perfection. Ohtani looked so good throwing six shutout innings against the Diamondbacks Tuesday night that he is a full-bore Game 1 option for manager Dave Roberts when the National League wild-card series begins Tuesday.

And when Ohtani does make his first career postseason start on the mound while taking his usual spot as the Dodgers’ leadoff hitter, he will replace Babe Ruth as the starting pitcher to hit from the highest spot in the batting order in a postseason game. Ruth hit sixth for the Red Sox in Game 4 of the 1918 World Series.

Three other postseason starting pitchers have batted in a spot other than ninth, all in the eighth spot: Zack Greinke in the 2021 World Series for the Astros and Kyle Hendricks and Jason Hammel twice each in the ‘16 postseason for the Cubs.

In his 14th game on the mound since a second elbow procedure, Ohtani reached season highs against Arizona in innings (six), pitches (91) and batters faced (22). Most impressively, Ohtani pitched off his fastball, which was electric, and held his stuff deep into his start. Here are the key numbers:

Inside Ohtani’s Tuesday start vs. Diamondbacks

Stat

Amount

Rank

Whiffs

16

Most since June 27, 2023

Whiffs on four-seam fastball

9

2nd most of career

Sixth inning fastball velocity

99.1

4th highest of career; highest since 2022

Max Velocity

101.2

4th pitch this month above 101 mph (career-high)

Roberts likely won’t announce his Game 1 starter until playoff matchups are set, but Ohtani has made 11 straight starts on at least six days of rest and if (and when) he starts NLWC Game 1 he will have … six days of rest.

The start Tuesday was the 100th pitching appearance for Ohtani in MLB. His 670 strikeouts through 100 games are the 11th most in history.

That’s impressive enough. But know this: that same all-time pitching talent also this year became the first player in history with 50 homers, 100 walks and 19 stolen bases in a season. Amazing.

And one more note about the incredible two-way talent of Ohtani:

The Two-Way Power of Shohei Ohtani in 2025

Stat

Amount

Rank

Balls Hit 100+ MPH

196

Most in MLB (Tied with Yandy Díaz)

Pitchers Thrown 100+ MPH

39

3rd most by starter since his return on June 16

The Dodgers’ plan to slow-play not just Ohtani but also all their top starters appears to have worked well. Los Angeles pitchers have made only 19 starts this year on four days of rest or fewer, the fewest in MLB (Houston is next at 23) and the seventh fewest in any full season. Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are all throwing well, giving Roberts good choices about how he wants to line up his postseason rotation.

Now he must fix his bullpen, and Roki Sasaki may be the answer. Sasaki, who is expected to be activated Wednesday, hasn’t pitched in MLB since May 9 because of a right shoulder impingement. After making five rehab starts in the minors, Sasaki made his past two appearances out of the bullpen for Oklahoma City. Each time he threw one shutout inning. He hit 100 mph with his fastball.

Roberts is expected to give Sasaki two relief outings this week as further trials for a high-leverage postseason role, which could include anything up to closing games.

Mikel Arteta has built a squad full to bursting with world-class talent at Arsenal.

However, when it comes to picking the club’s most important player, their talisman, it’s impossible to ignore Bukayo Saka.

The Hale End superstar is still just 24years old and has already amassed a staggering tally of 76 goals and 71 assists in 277 games for the club.

So, fans should be excited about reports linking Arsenal to an up-and-coming talent who has been compared to Saka.

Arsenal target the next Saka

There is over a month to go until the transfer window actually opens, but that hasn’t stopped Arsenal from being linked with a plethora of exciting talents.

Transfer Focus

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

Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, for example, has been touted for a £120m move to the Emirates, as has Crystal Palace’s equally exciting Adam Wharton.

However, as talented as the two midfielders are, neither one can really be compared to Saka, unlike Jean-Mattéo Bahoya.

Yes, according to a report from Germany, Arsenal are one of a few teams interested in the Eintracht Frankfurt gem.

However, on top of beating the competition, the Gunners would have to stump up a fee of around €80m, which is about £71m, to get their man.

That is a lot of money to spend on a young talent, but given Bahoya’s ability and potential, it might well be worth it for Arsenal, especially as he’s been compared to Saka.

Why Arsenal should sign Bahoya

So, first and foremost, the comparison between Bahoya and Arsenal’s talismanic number seven comes from analyst Spencer Mossman, who described him as being “like a younger Bukayo Saka.”

That might sound like a bold thing to say, because it is, but it does make sense.

For example, on top of being an “excellent wide area creator” who is “on a continuous upward trajectory”, he’s more than happy to track back and “do the dirty work.”

That ability to influence proceedings at the sharp end of the pitch, while also willing to do the less glamorous things, was one of the reasons Saka quickly became an essential part of the first team.

Another reason the young Frenchman is such an exciting prospect is that, in the words of Mossman, “he’s able to get quality crosses away with both feet.”

This means that he’d not only be able to cover for the Hale Ender on the right but also play on the left, in turn pushing the likes of Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli to step up their games.

Finally, despite still being just 20 years old, Mossman has highlighted the winger’s physicality as a key strength, claiming that he’s like an “Olympic-level athlete.”

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.67

Top 1%

% of Dribblers Tackled

61.8%

Top 2%

Passes Blocked

1.54

Top 2%

Tackles

2.36

Top 3%

Dribblers Tackled

1.08

Top 3%

Blocks

1.64

Top 4%

Tkl+Int

2.77

Top 6%

% of Aerials Won

54.1%

Top 6%

Goals/Shot on Target

0.50

Top 7%

Tackles (Def 3rd)

0.82

Top 8%

Successful Take-On %

52.1%

Top 8%

Aerials Won

1.03

Top 15%

Finally, on top of passing the eye test, the former Angers gem has also got some brilliant underlying numbers to his name this season.

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles in the attacking third, the top 4% for blocks, the top 7% for goals per shot on target, the top 2% for successful take-on percentage and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, even though it wouldn’t be a cheap transfer to get over the line, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Bahoya, as he could be another Saka in the making.

Arsenal have the next Gabriel and he's the "best CB Hale End has produced"

The incredible youngster looks like he could go to the very top for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 21, 2025

Everton boss David Moyes admitted he was stunned by Idrissa Gueye’s bizarre red card after the midfielder slapped team-mate Michael Keane during a dramatic 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford. The Toffees were forced to dig deep with 10 men but still secured a famous victory, leaving Moyes balancing frustration at the dismissal with admiration for his side’s resilience.

Gueye sent off for slapping Keane — Everton dig in for the win

Everton’s trip to Old Trafford produced one of the most surreal moments of the Premier League season when Gueye was sent off just 13 minutes into the match for slapping his own team-mate, Keane, during an explosive on-field altercation. The two players clashed after a stray Gueye pass led to a Manchester United chance, and referee Tony Harrington immediately brandished a red card after the Senegal midfielder appeared to slap Keane.

Despite the chaos, Everton regrouped impressively as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall drove forward on the counter and fired home a superb strike to give the Toffees the lead before half-time. With Old Trafford expecting a second-half siege against 10 men, the Toffees instead dug in, defended with remarkable organisation, and frustrated United’s increasingly desperate attempts to equalise.

Everton’s resolve held firm as Manchester United squandered chances through Bruno Fernandes, Joshua Zirkzee and Amad Diallo. Jordan Pickford produced multiple key saves, and the Toffees escaped with a historic victory; Moyes’ first Premier League win at Old Trafford as an away manager after 17 unsuccessful attempts with Everton, West Ham and Sunderland.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMoyes opens up on the bizarre Gueye-Keane incident

Moyes admitted he was taken aback by the dismissal and felt the referee acted too swiftly under the circumstances. “If nothing happened, 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 got told that the rules of the game that if you slap your own player, you could be in trouble.”

He explained that confrontation between team-mates does not automatically trouble him as a manager. “But there's another side to it: 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.”

The Everton boss also revealed that Gueye addressed the situation immediately after the match. “He’s apologised for the sending off. He’s praised the players and thanked them for it and apologised for what happened.”

Ten-man Everton dig in for famous Old Trafford win

The incident overshadowed a gritty Everton performance in a match that threatened to unravel early. Seamus Coleman had already been forced off injured just minutes into his first start in two months, and the combination of losing their captain and going down to 10 men appeared to put Everton in a vulnerable position. Yet the team responded with a collective sharpness, reorganising defensively and committing to a compact shape that United struggled to break down.

Moyes highlighted his team’s mentality in his broader post-match reflections, praising their structure and resilience. He acknowledged the significance of winning at Old Trafford, particularly under such challenging conditions, noting that Everton “showed the toughness behind the scenes” that had carried them through recent adversity. The performance embodied the “resilience and discipline” he expects from his squad, especially when facing an opponent in strong form.

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AFPWhen will Gueye return to the Everton squad?

For Everton, the focus now shifts to building momentum from a victory that could serve as a turning point in their campaign. After a mixed start to the Premier League season, the Toffees will look to maintain form when they take on Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest before two tough clashes against Chelsea and Arsenal.

Gueye is likely to be suspended for the Newcastle and Bournemouth clashes. However, if Everton decide to hand him a further punishment, his return could be pushed into the festive period.

His last Test wicket was so long ago he had forgotten about it. On Wednesday, he created a fresher, more cherished memory by dismissing Jaiswal

Vithushan Ehantharajah23-Jul-2025

Liam Dawson got his first Test wicket in eight years•Getty Images

All of 2929 days separated Liam Dawson’s seventh and eighth Test wickets.It was so long ago that Dawson trapped Hashim Amla lbw at Trent Bridge in July 2017, he had actually forgotten about it when prompted by Sky Sports at the end of day one of the fourth Test against India. On Wednesday, a fresher, more cherished memory was banked when he skimmed the edge of Yashasvi Jaiswal’s bat through to Harry Brook at first slip. The first of a new chapter.The eight years between dismissals have been wild. A global pandemic has come and, for the most part, gone. The UK itself is on its fifth prime minister. And the ECB has not just come up with a new format no one asked for but sold the eight teams they plucked out of the ether to play it at a total valuation, in principle, of £975 million.Related

Plug-and-play Dawson gets belated chance to make a case

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Sai Sudharsan fifty guides India after they lose Pant to injury

Life for Dawson has actually been pretty steady, which won’t surprise anyone who knows him well. Team-mates past and present often refer to him as “Mr Reliable”. So level-headed, he almost baulked at the idea he was worthy of a press conference.”I’ve done nothing special here,” Dawson said of his overnight figures of 1 for 45 from 15 overs. Maybe so. But the left-arm spinner’s dismissal of Jaiswal for 58 with his seventh delivery of the day came after England had bowled slightly too short in the morning. The seamers collectively only hit a good length with the new ball on a seaming pitch with 35% of their deliveries in the morning session, which ended without success and India sitting pretty at lunch on 78 for none.There is, however, something special about not just spanning eras, but seemingly riding them through to a return to the format the 35-year-old thought had been lost. “I’ve said to a few people that, the age I am, I probably thought Test cricket was gone.”Crucially, Dawson has made this journey on his own terms. This has not been about hitching rides in hope rather than expectation, but driving his own destiny in the periphery, like a time traveller not messing with the fabric of the ecosystems but blending into it. It’s worth noting that Dawson’s debut, against India in Chennai at the end of 2016, was the same Test Karun Nair struck his triple-century in. Nair’s comeback story has lasted just three games.Dawson has been a background extra to England’s white-ball glories – a non-playing member of the 2019 ODI World Cup squad, a travelling reserve for the 2022 T20 World Cup, among 15 limited-overs appearances between Test cap numbers three and four. The last three of those came earlier this summer, ending a three-year break from the international scene. A knowing nudge and a wink that a return could be on the horizon, even if it took an injury to Shoaib Bashir to realise it.Sympathy for Dawson should be sparing, partly as he wouldn’t want it but also because his nest has been well-feathered in spite of being ignored at international level. The wilderness is lush for players of his calibre.He has turned out for ten different T20 teams across seven different franchise competitions. Crucially, all while not just ticking over in first-class cricket but thriving.In 85 first-class matches for Hampshire during this hiatus, Dawson has 215 dismissals at 27.75, taking 12 out of his 15 five-wicket hauls, and all three of his ten-wicket match hauls. The 4566 runs alongside – at 38.69 – are made up of ten of his 19 career centuries. So fruitful has this period been that Dawson forgot that it was on this very ground, just last year, that he took match figures of 10 for 99 and struck a first-innings hundred to secure an innings victory over Lancashire.Day one’s small sample size of “nothing special” was littered with cues to Dawson’s skills. His accuracy and revolutions on the ball have always been consistent, as has the pace, with 83% of Wednesday’s deliveries in the 85kph to 90kph sweet spot for fingerspinners. His knack of manipulating drift – offshoots of revolutions and pace – was highlighted by the dismissal of Jaiswal. That drifted 2.058 degrees, 0.636 above his overall average so far in this match.

“I’ve bowled a lot of overs the last few years and obviously when you bowl, you improve. You’re still going to have tough days, but I do feel like I’m a better bowler now than I was a few years ago”Liam Dawson

That skidding delivery is also something he has perfected and used to hoodwink plenty of domestic batters. Some of those on the wrong side of Dawson tell you how much tougher he is to sweep now, with extra dip and shape harnessed over the last couple of years. Some attribute it to a shift of his left hand and wrist at the end of his gather, both more secure and more supple, like the top hand of a violinist.As a result, that skid-on delivery has become more potent, allowing him to challenge both edges of the bat as he was able to do with Jaiswal, who was conscious of the ball turning towards his pads and forgot about the outside edge. It was as much a smart piece of bowling as a clever bit of forethought from England. On Monday, Brook, who, as limited-overs captain with head coach Brendon McCullum, had overseen the first stage of Dawson’s recall, pointed out that the extent of the footholes created outside the left-hand batter’s off stump this series was an area Dawson could exploit. Exploit he did.It was also on this day that Dawson sat down with Ben Stokes to talk tactics. Since becoming Test captain, Stokes has made it his job to set fields for all his bowlers, particularly his spinners, who, for the most part, have been precocious upstarts who could do with the burden of that side of things. “Just bowl” has been his message.1:38

Harmison: Dawson might help with Stokes workload

That was more or less what he reiterated to Dawson, who says he was relaxed at the proposition of the odd man being moved here and there by his captain. The difference, of course, is that Dawson’s metronomy relies on order, control beyond his fingers. Throughout Dawson’s three spells, there seemed to be a decent amount of back and forth, albeit very little, if anything, during an actual over.”Probably a little bit more consistent,” Dawson said when asked about the difference between him now and the bowler who took seven wickets at 42.57 in his first three caps. “Understanding pitches a little bit better, what players are looking to do sometimes. I think the older you get, you learn how to manage game scenarios.”I’ve bowled a lot of overs the last few years and obviously when you bowl, you improve. You’re still going to have tough days, but I do feel like I’m a better bowler now than I was a few years ago.”It’s a level of comfort and self-assurance that Stokes is not used to with his spinners. But it is one he clearly welcomes at this juncture, hence Dawson’s selection in the first place.On a day when England’s two previous left-arm orthodox bowlers, Jack Leach and Tom Hartley, bagged a five-wicket haul for Somerset and scored a maiden century for Lancashire, respectively, while Leicestershire legspinner Rehan Ahmed registered both in the first two days of the ongoing round of the County Championship, Dawson’s “nothing special” suited Stokes and England just fine.

Federico Chiesa is now in talks to leave Liverpool, with his agent entering discussions with a new club, amid involvement from Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso.

Chiesa has been unable to force his way into the starting XI this season, despite a number of Arne Slot’s other forwards making slow starts, at least by their usual standards, including Mohamed Salah, with Gary Neville suggesting the technical side of his game has gone downhill.

Neville said: “I’m not seeing a physical decline – some of his sprints look quite sharp, he looks busy in the box. But crazy things like the ball comes to the back post… his technique on his kicking and his crossing, that’s the thing that looks well off.”

Florian Wirtz has also been unable to make an instant impact in the Premier League, with the German still yet to register a goal or an assist, although his Champions League performances have been far more encouraging.

Federico Chiesa now in talks to leave Liverpool

According to reports from Italy (via Sport Witness), Chiesa’s agent has now entered talks over a move to Napoli, with his client yet to start a single game for Liverpool in the Premier League this season, and Italy boss Gattuso has now gotten involved.

The 47-year-old has specifically requested the 28-year-old to return to Italy, which could play a role in his decision-making, with Napoli keen to ask the Reds about a loan deal, with an option to buy, in the January transfer window.

The Merseysiders would rather get the Italian off the books permanently, however, and are eager for an obligation to buy to be included in any loan agreement, with the reigning Serie A champions willing to fork out around €13m (£11m) to get a deal done.

The winger has become somewhat of a cult hero due to his chant, and has exhibited some promising signs this season, scoring against AFC Bournemouth and Crystal Palace, while also grabbing an assist against Manchester United.

However, it would not be the end of the world if Liverpool decide to cash-in this winter, given that the £150k-a-week forward clearly isn’t a major part of Slot’s plans, featuring for just 117 minutes across eight appearances in the Premier League this term.

A return to Italy may be best for all parties, with Gattuso seemingly eager for Chiesa to receive more game time ahead of the World Cup next summer, and the Reds should sanction a January move unless he manages to become a regular starter over the next month and a half.

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It was a cameo that perhaps summed up Benjamin Sesko’s Manchester United career so far.

Introduced on the hour mark against Tottenham Hotspur, the Slovenian striker looked lively up against the likes of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, having twice got in behind the home backline late on.

Twice, the £74m signing was threaded through by fellow substitute Mason Mount, although – having scored just two goals for the club to date – he perhaps unsurprisingly failed to convert those promising openings.

These certainly weren’t gilt-edged, must score chances – with Van de Ven producing a stunning recovery challenge to deny the ex-RB Leipzig’s man second attempt – yet a striker in confident mood would likely have fared better.

To then add insult to injury, quite literally, Sesko sustained an injury issue in the midst of that sight of goal, subsequently forcing the visitors to see out proceedings with just ten men, as he hobbled down the touchline.

Fears mounted over the potential severity of that setback, and while the prognosis isn’t as worrying as first feared, it’s no doubt far from ideal.

How long Sesko will be sidelined for

The sight of Sesko being withdrawn late on in north London will have undoubtedly been an unwelcome one for Ruben Amorim, with the Portuguese coach already facing a notable upheaval in the forward line in the near future.

Indeed, both Amad and Bryan Mbeumo – alongside Noussair Mazraoui – are set to head to AFCON when the competition kicks off on 21 December, potentially ruling out the dynamic duo out of a string of games heading across the festive period and into the New Year.

Having allowed the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Antony to depart over the summer, Amorim isn’t exactly blessed with attacking depth as it is, ensuring a further blow is far from ideal.

As reported by The Athletic, Sesko, thankfully, won’t be sidelined for a lengthy period, with it looking likely that the 22-year-old will only be absent for three to five weeks, thus perhaps limiting the need to acquire a suitable replacement or back-up in injury.

That said, United – who return to action against Everton on Monday – are heading into a typically hectic period in the Premier League calendar, with a string of games in the pipeline between now and the end of the year.

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Everton (H)

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Palace (A)

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West Ham (H)

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Wolves (A)

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Bournemouth (H)

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Villa (A)

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Newcastle (H)

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Wolves (H)

Whether Sesko will be back fit and firing in time to feature again in 2025 remains to be seen, with attention now turning to just how Amorim can replace him – starting against the Toffees next week.

Man Utd's answer to Zlatan could replace Sesko

The most likely solution, of course, would be for the aforementioned Mount to return as part of the attacking trio, with Matheus Cunha – who led the line against Spurs – again nudged into a number nine berth.

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That being said, the Brazilian wasn’t exactly at his scintillating best against Thomas Frank’s side, losing possession 13 times from just 35 touches, as per Sofascore, amid a rare poor performance, having looked far more effective as one of the number tens against Brighton – the game in which he scored his first goal for the club.

With that in mind – and with 17-year-old Chido Obi still yet to be seen at first-team level this season – the chance may finally come for Joshua Zirkzee to re-establish a starting role for himself, having been a bystander to proceedings in 2025/26 to date.

As explored over the weekend, United’s “modern-day Berbatov” is running out of time at Old Trafford on current evidence, featuring for just 90 minutes in total across league and cup, while yet to start a Premier League game in the new season.

That limited role has come following an injury-hit summer for the Dutchman, although it has been telling that Amorim has typically turned to Cunha to lead the line when opting to take Sesko out of the firing line, with Zirkzee swiftly sliding down the pecking order.

Something of a cult figure at United now, after fighting his way back from being jeered off against Newcastle United last year, the 24-year-old does at least deserve an opportunity to impress once again, with there certainly still a player in there somewhere.

Seven goals in 54 games for the club to date doesn’t exactly make for great reading, although his quality was no doubt evident during his stint at Bologna, having ended 2023/24 as Serie A’s Young Player of the Year.

It was that form in Italian football which even led to “comparisons to Zlatan Ibrahimovic” – as noted by analyst Ben Mattinson – with the one-time Bayern Munich man described as “just like” the enigmatic Swede as he is an “insane athlete”.

The great ‘Ibra’ enjoyed a short but sweet stint at the Theatre of Dreams, netting 28 goals in all competitions in his solitary full season under Jose Mourinho, having swiftly cemented talismanic status as the club’s marquee number nine.

Zirkzee, evidently, is of different character and experience, but like Ibrahimovic, at 6 foot 4 he is still a real focal point when leading the line, ensuring he might be the best fit to try and replace Sesko at the top end of the pitch.

While a self-described ‘nine and a half’, Zirkzee’s route to game time does appear to be as a number nine in this side, with there still an intrigue to see what he can conjure up with the likes of Cunha and Mbeumo working off him.

As a man who netted twice in a 4-0 thrashing of Everton at Old Trafford last season, the £105k-per-week marksman could be the difference maker again this time around.

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