The Tampa Bays Rays are bulking up their bullpen ahead of the MLB All-Star break.
As first reported by Robert Murray, the Baltimore Orioles are trading relief pitcher Bryan Baker to Tampa. They will receive the No. 37 overall pick (Competitive Balance, Round A) in next week's 2025 MLB draft in return.
With the O's set for a 12:05 p.m. EST first pitch against the Mets on Thursday, Baker was in the clubhouse—alongside reporters—as he learned of his departure. According to the Jacob Calvin Meyer, the reliever was "in shock".
“It’s been everything," Baker said of his time in Baltimore. "They gave me an opportunity to get established in the big leagues."
Baker has appeared in 42 games for the Orioles this season, sporting a 3.52 ERA over 38.1 innings pitched. He's also logged 49 strikeouts while walking just nine batters and allowing 15 earned runs.
The 30-year-old now heads to a Tampa Bay team who has won just three of their last 10 games as they fight for a Wild Card spot in the American League. The Rays begin a four-game series against the Red Sox in Boston on Thursday night.
Ex-England, Chelsea and Manchester City winger Sean Wright-Phillips has given his verdict on Liverpool's struggles this season, claiming it was a mistake to allow Luis Diaz leave for Bayern Munich without a like-for-like replacement. The Colombian completed a £65.5m ($87m) transfer to the Bavarian giants in the summer, with the Reds acquiring central attackers in Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak.
Diaz shines for Bayern since Liverpool switch
Former winger Wright-Phillips was clear in his assessment of Liverpool's transfer business, saying he felt the decision to part company with Diaz without replacing him with another winger was a clear mistake from the moment it happened. He said many Liverpool fans are now waking up to the quality Diaz possesses, as he thrives in Munich.
The ex-Porto man has been a revelation for Bayern so far this term, scoring 11 goals and contributing five assists in 18 competitive appearances. The highlight of his brilliant start to life in Germany came in Bayern's 2-2 draw away to Union Berlin last month, when he rifled home a finish from an impossibly tight angle.
Diaz was absent in the German club's only loss of the 2025/26 campaign in midweek, after he followed a first half brace with a red card in the Bavarian side's 2-1 win over PSG. Vincent Kompany's side clearly missed his direct running and physical output in their 3-1 defeat to Arsenal.
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Wright-Phillps: Selling Diaz was a "mistake"
In an interview with Wright-Phillips was asked whether he thought it was a mistake to sell Diaz to Bayern. He replied: "Yes. I thought that when I heard it before it even happened. I couldn’t quite understand it. That was a mistake, but an even bigger mistake was not replacing him.
"You’re losing a winger, so replace him with another winger. For whatever reason, they chose to look elsewhere.
"I think a few Liverpool fans recognised just how good he was for them, but a lot of people didn’t really understand how important and effective he was until he started doing it for Bayern instead."
Wright-Phillips criticises Liverpool's transfer policy
Wright-Phillips continued his criticism over Liverpool's transfer spending. He was asked if the Reds failure to secure Marc Guehi's transfer from Crystal Palace was their biggest mistake, however, the 44-year-old instead referenced the decision to acquire both Isak and Ekitike without Arne Slot adjusting his tactics to accommodate both players, or bring out the best in other high-profile purchases like Florian Wirtz. Isak joined Liverpool for a British record fee of £125m from Newcastle; Ekitike made the switch to Merseyside from Eintracht Frankfurt in a deal that could reach £79m; Wirtz cost £116m to acquire from Bayer Leverkusen. All three men have struggled for form and fitness over the start of the 2025/26 season.
"No, I don't think Liverpool missing out on Guehi was the biggest mistake of the summer. I think the biggest mistake is that Slot hasn’t adapted his approach so that Ekitike and Isak can play together," said Wright-Phillips.
"They’re both pretty similar, so you need to work on it to make sure they can team up. But you can’t have one who drops short, because that’s where Wirtz will be. But if you have Wirtz there, you’ve fundamentally changed your title-winning midfield tactics."
Wright-Phillips went on to suggest that Liverpool had tinkered too much with their winning formula from last term. He added: "There's been too much change in Liverpool from the team that almost walked the league last season. I don't think there needed to be £400 million worth of changes. I don't think they needed both Isak and Ekitike. They could have just taken one and then they would have been well placed to go and obviously replace Diaz. But they were so focused on those two players that they didn't really do much else after that."
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What comes next?
Diaz's form will be add insult to injury for Liverpool fans, that have watched their expensive attack fail to gel.
It has not been much better in defence. Jamie Carrageher unleashed an x-rated rant against Arne Slot for continuing to pick the struggling Ibrahima Konate after Liverpool's disastrous 4-1 home defeat to PSV Eindhoven earlier this week. The Sky and CBS Sports pundit suggested the Dutchman has one week to right the ship, before shis position will come under serious threat. Slot has to find the right tactical balance ahead of the Reds trip to West Ham on Sunday, and the visit of Sunderland on December 3.
The Premier League has confirmed that the 2026/27 campaign will begin a week later than usual, marking the latest season start in the competition’s history. The decision, announced after a shareholders’ meeting on Friday morning, is designed to counter the growing strain on players created by an "increasingly congested global football calendar".
A historic schedule shift to ease calendar chaos
Next season will kick off on Saturday, August 22, 2026, rather than the traditional mid-August weekend. The final round of fixtures will take place on Sunday, May 30, 2027, six days later than this season’s planned finale. The move, officials say, ensures adequate rest following the expanded 48-team World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States. The global tournament, set to conclude in mid-July 2026, pushes many players to the brink of burnout. The Premier League’s solution is an 89-day gap from the end of this season and a 33-day buffer after the World Cup final.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhat did the Premier League say
In a detailed announcement, the league outlined the reasoning behind its decision: "The Premier League Season 2026-27 dates have been confirmed, with the opening match round starting on Saturday 22 August 2026. The final match round will be played on Sunday, 30 May 2027, when all fixtures will kick off simultaneously as usual. With an increasingly congested global football calendar, player welfare remains a priority for the Premier League. As a result, the Premier League will start one week later next season. This will allow for 89 clear days from the end of the current season and 33 days from the FIFA World Cup 26 Final. The season will conclude one week prior to the UEFA Champions League Final, which will be played on Saturday, 5 June 2027.
"The 2026-27 Season will consist of 33 weekends and five midweek match rounds. The Premier League schedule will be designed to avoid domestic competition clashes with UEFA club competition dates, wherever possible. Over the Christmas and New Year period, no two match rounds will take place within 60 hours. This is in keeping with commitments made to clubs to address the congested Christmas and New Year schedule within the expanded international calendar."
From next season, the September international break will stretch to three weeks, with four matches squeezed into that window. Meanwhile, the October international break will be scrapped entirely. European leagues have been vocal in recent years about FIFA and UEFA expanding competitions without providing adequate breathing room. The newly enlarged Club World Cup, expanded European Championship, extended Nations League matches, and a record-breaking World Cup all contribute to an unprecedented workload for top players. Privately, several clubs are understood to be pushing for further reforms in future seasons, including fewer midweek rounds and stronger coordination with FIFA.
Guardiola sounds the alarm over PL title race
Pep Guardiola admitted that Arsenal’s form could make them untouchable in this season’s title race, but the fight is far from over. City sit second in the table, four points behind Mikel Arteta’s side after 11 games. While the gap is manageable, Arsenal boast the division’s best defensive record, conceding just five goals so far.
Although Guardiola is well aware of the challenge, he warned that the season has just begun. He said: "We are in November, and in November in this league nothing is final. What happens in February or March, be careful. But the season starts now. The first start is when the transfer window is over in the summer. And now again, when the international breaks are over. Now until March, we see each other every three days. Now the real season starts. It is important to be there and to arrive at the end of the season with a chance to fight. Winning (in Newcastle) would be an important step for us."
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GettyArsenal’s new reality: Playing with the target on their back
Arsenal’s rise from title challengers to early-season pacesetters has transformed expectations. They have won four of their last five Premier League matches, but their challenge now is sustaining a title pace with several of their key players injured. Their defensive stalwart, Gabriel, is set to miss almost two months of action with a thigh injury, while skipper Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus are long-term absentees. Their next challenge is against fierce rivals Tottenham on Sunday, and they will be desperate to win the bragging rights of north London.
يستعد منتخب مصر لخوض مباراة قوية أمام سويسرا، في المواجهة التي تجمع بينهما اليوم الجمعة، ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا.
وتقام بطولة كأس العالم للناشئين تحت 17 عامًا، في قطر خلال الفترة من 3 إلى 27 نوفمبر 2025، بمشاركة 48 منتخبًا.
طالع.. خاص | بعد رفض الالتماس.. منتخب مصر يفقد لاعبه أمام سويسرا في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا
وكان منتخب مصر، قد حسم التأهل إلى دور الـ 32 من كأس العالم للناشئين، بعد احتلاله المركز الثالث في مجموعته الخامسة، ليتأهل ضمن أفضل 8 منتخبات احتلت المركز الثالث للمجموعات الـ12.
منتخب مصر كان قد حقق الفوز على هايتي في الجولة الأولى 4-1، وتعادل مع فنزويلا 1-1 في لقاء الجولة الثانية، وخسر أمام إنجلترا 3-0 في مباراة الجولة الثالثة في ختام دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العالم للناشئين.
وفي حال تأهل منتخب مصر من دور الـ32، سيواجه الفائز من مباراة أيرلندا وكندا في دور الـ16. موعد مباراة مصر وسويسرا في دور الـ 32 من كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا
تقام مباراة مصر وسويسرا في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا، اليوم الجمعة، 14 نوفمبر، في تمام الساعة الثالثة عصرا بتوقيت القاهرة، الرابعة بتوقيت مكة المكرمة، على ملعب رقم 5، في منطقة أسباير بالأراضي القطرية. القنوات الناقلة لمباراة مصر وسويسرا في دور الـ 32 من كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا
تنقل المباراة على قناة بي إن سبورتس المفتوحة، وقناة الكأس.
ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا
Ashes rivals take two wickets each to seal five-overs-a-side contest
ECB Reporters Network via Rothesay05-Jul-2025
Lancashire’s Australian overseas legspinner Alana King claimed two wickets•Luke Adams via Lancashire Cricket
Lancashire 55 for 2 (Lamb 21) beat Essex 47 for 7 (Cross 2-9, King 2-17) by eight wickets (DLS)Ashes rivals Kate Cross and Alana King equally shared four wickets to set Lancashire Thunder up for a convincing rain-affected Vitality Blast win over Essex Eagles at Emirates Old Trafford, keeping their Finals Day hopes alive.England seamer Cross and Australia legspinner King struck twice apiece in the space of 10 legitimate balls in the sixth and seventh overs of what turned out to be an eight-over Essex innings as they slipped to 38 for six and later totalled 47 for seven.A two-hour rain delay ravaged a fixture which both sides realistically needed to win to maintain hopes of a top-three finish, and it was Thunder who claimed the five points as they reeled in a revised 52-target in six overs thanks largely to opener Emma Lamb’s 21 off 17 balls.Thunder’s fourth win in nine games – this by eight wickets on DLS – means they leapfrog Essex into fifth place and are now 11 points behind third-placed Bears with five games left. Thunder face them in a crunch clash here tomorrow afternoon.Essex, meanwhile, lost for the sixth time in nine and have a mountain to climb.Thunder, who importantly won the toss and elected to bowl first, made a fast start with the ball either side of the two-hour delay from just after 11.20am.First of all, Essex reached 24 for two after five overs.Seamer Phoebe Graham was making her first competitive appearance of the summer for Thunder, and she struck in the fourth over when she uprooted the leg-stump off Lissy MacLeod as she aimed a heave across the line.Left-arm swing bowler Tara Norris then had the other Essex opener Lauren Winfield-Hill well caught low down at cover by Ailsa Lister following a miscue in the next. Only four more balls were bowled before play was halted.Then, upon the resumption, with an eight-overs per side game now in motion, Thunder struck four times in the first 10 legitimate balls back to all but end any realistic chance Essex had of winning, the visitors crumbling to 38 for six.King had compatriot Maddie Penna well caught low down at square-leg by Lister off a full toss before getting Cordelia Griffith caught behind cutting later in the sixth over.In the seventh, Cross uprooted Jo Gardner’s off-stump and had an attacking Eva Gray caught behind.Amara Carr was then run out off the final ball of the innings. Opener Winfield-Hill was the only Essex batter to reach double figures with 13.Eve Jones set Thunder on their way in the chase with an eye-catching straight driven boundary off Esmae MacGregor’s seam before dragging Gray’s seam to midwicket on 17 – 29 for one in the fourth.England’s Lamb hit three leg-side boundaries before being run out with only four runs required.While the Red Rose host the Bears tomorrow (1pm), Essex face league leaders Surrey at The Kia Oval (midday).
Manchester City haven’t been at their rip-roaring best so far this season, but there are certainly signs from Pep Guardiola’s side that they are reshaping into a force to be reckoned with.
Arsenal and Liverpool are possibly both ahead of the Citizens in the Premier League title power rankings. But the campaign is young, and Man City no a thing or two about constructing an incredible run of winning form.
There are still issues to be ironed out, but Guardiola looks to have rebuilt the core of his squad at the Etihad Stadium, and he’s also got Erling Haaland leading the line.
And Haaland, unto himself, is a title-winning machine.
Haaland's incredible start to the season
With eight goals scored across six Premier League matches so far this season, Haaland has endured his joint-worst start to a term in the English top flight.
He really is remarkable. Sure to retire as one of the game’s greatest goalscorers, the Norwegian has been a monstrous attacking focal point for City over the past three years, and he continues to be the driving force for his side as they look to add some silverware to the cabinet.
The 25-year-old only took seven touches during the first half of Man City’s 2-2 draw against Monaco. That was all that he needed to have added another brace to his swollen collection.
Some player, and it’s remarkable that he has maintained his god-like scoring record in spite of Kevin De Bruyne leaving at the end of his contract last summer, the legendary playmaker signing for Napoli as he steers toward the sunset of his illustrious career.
Replacing the Belgian is going to be a tough task indeed. He is truly one of a kind. However, City did have such a player who looks like he’s up to the task, now that De Bruyne has left the English scene.
But Cole Palmer was sold before he could spread his wings for the Sky Blues.
Man City must regret selling Cole Palmer
In August 2023, Chelsea announced they had signed Palmer from Manchester City in a deal worth up to £42.5m. It was met with a mixed response, with the young playmaker regarded as an exciting talent but maybe also lacking experience at the highest level.
What followed was incredible. Palmer scored 25 goals and supplied 15 assists across a ridiculous breakout campaign at Stamford Bridge, swiftly rivalling the biggest hitters on English shores for being the face of the division.
He has now notched 74 goal involvements across 101 matches for the Blues, and across the past year, he ranks among the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe for progressive passes and the top 5% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.
Though injuries have impeded the opening weeks of the Three Lions star’s campaign under Enzo Maresca, he remains a source of strength in west London, with his return to full form and fitness sure to coincide with an upswing of results for Chelsea too.
How City must be reeling. CIES Football Observatory have estimated that the 23-year-old boasts a market value in the ballpark of £145m, which it a pretty penny above what Chelsea paid for him.
Outscored only by the three top strikers of this Premier League generation since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, Chelsea’s talisman continues to inspire awe, with Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher even going as far as to name him “the best player in the Premier League” about one year ago.
Premier League Top Scorers (23/24 – 25/26)
Player
Apps
Goals
Erling Haaland
68
57
Mohamed Salah
76
49
Alexander Isak
66
44
Cole Palmer
74
38
Ollie Watkins
81
36
Data via Transfermarkt
Haaland, of course, tops that list, and comfortably at that.
Palmer might actually be Man City’s talisman over the Norwegian sensation, had he been allowed to develop in Manchester. Goals and assists are dished out aplenty, and Palmer also won 56% of his ground duels in the Premier League last term, emphasising his underrated combative side.
That and he has been the all-inspiring leader for an up-and-down Chelsea side too, instrumental in winning the Conference League and the Club World Cup last year, thus establishing himself among the best players in the world at last month’s Ballon d’Or ceremony in France.
Indeed, Palmer placed eighth on the list, whereas Haaland will perhaps feel somewhat aggrieved after coming in at 26th.
To think that the Chelsea attacking midfielder achieved this without having played Champions League football (the first person to record a top-ten finish without that mark since Neymar Jr. 14 years ago) says much about Palmer’s quality, influence and the respect and admiration he is held in by journalists across the world.
If Haaland maintains his current form across the span of the season and wins a few trophies besides, the Norway international may fancy his chances of leaping well up the rankings during next year’s award ceremony, but Palmer, too, will look to bounce back from his current injury problems and push for a place at the very forefront of the list.
One thing’s for sure, Man City made a big mistake when signing off the cheque for Palmer’s sale to a divisional rival. He has only gone from strength to strength since departing and is now one of the best in the business.
Cole Palmer
Just imagine the Englishman feeding passes through to Haaland in the box, creating an almighty and unstoppable attacking partnership.
Given that De Bruyne is with City no longer, it really is frustrating to think the perfect replacement has already been sold.
Forget Nico: Pep must drop "world class" Man City star who lost the ball 12x
Following Manchester City’s 2-2 draw with Monaco in the Champions League, a “world class” star, not just Nico González, cost them as Stade Louis II.
Celtic are battling Rangers for the services of a “wonderful” free agent signing.
Rodgers delighted after vital Celtic win
The Hoops beat Motherwell 3-2 in stoppage time on Sunday afternoon, ensuring that they remain just two points behind leaders Hearts in the Scottish Premiership table.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was delighted with the victory, realising that his side weren’t at their best, but praising the “heart” that his players showed.
“I think the players deserve a huge amount of credit because it’s not easy to play here, especially when you’re behind in the game. The guys coming into the game made a big impact for us and we won through in the end, and I think deservedly so with the opportunities that we had, but it was still a very tough game.
“When you’re still trying to find the level of performance that we would want, you still have to show a big heart and you have to dig out results, and that’s what we did today. It’s been a tough start for us in a number of ways, on and off the pitch, but the one thing is that it hopefully can galvanise us, and I think the supporters will be proud of the players in terms of the heart they showed, and the spirit to keep going.”
Away from the on-pitch action, Celtic continue to eye potential new signings, with a new update now emerging over one rumoured transfer target for the Scottish champions.
New update on Celtic signing "wonderful" ace
Speaking to Football Insider, O’Rourke shared an update on Celtic’s chances of signing Saint-Etienne midfielder Pierre Ekwah, who is in the process of departing the French club, with the dispute to terminate his contract still ongoing.
“I would be surprised. Obviously you’ve got those added complications of him trying to sort out his contract situation at Saint Etienne. There’s a bit of a standoff going on between Ekwah and obviously the club as well over that one. So I think it’s one that both clubs (Celtic and Rangers) will be monitoring, maybe moving for the former Sunderland man because of that.
Pierre Ekwah in action for Sunderland.
“The player has not taken part in much of Saint Etienne’s pre-season or played any games as well. He’d be lacking fitness. He’d probably be waiting for a while before he could be match ready for either Celtic or Rangers as well. So that’s why I think it’d be a deal that maybe both clubs will be wary of stepping in for Ekwah.
“I don’t think Celtic or Rangers will be pushing to do that. I do think both clubs are probably well stocked in midfield as well. They don’t need to bring in a midfielder as a free agent in the current circumstances. I think both clubs have got enough cover.”
It would be a shame for Celtic not to sign Ekwah, considering the 23-year-old is a versatile player who can shine in midfield and defence, being hailed as “wonderful” by Tony Mowbray, having worked together at Sunderland.
Worse than Saracchi: Rodgers must drop Celtic flop who lost the ball 13x
Celtic must drop this Celtic flop who was even worse than Marcelo Saracchi against Motherwell.
ByDan Emery Oct 5, 2025
As O’Rourke alludes to, though, the Hoops do have good depth in the middle of the park currently, and there are more pressing areas to focus on moving forward, like the need for a long-term solution up front despite Kelechi Iheanacho’s positive start in Glasgow.
A capacidade de reajustar a rota em busca do resultado marcou o Botafogo no jogo de ida das oitavas de final da Copa Sul-Americana. Após um início abaixo do esperado, no qual foi surpreendida por um gol do Guaraní, a equipe de Bruno Lage entrou nos eixos e garantiu uma relevante vitória por 2 a 1 na noite de quarta-feira (2), no Nilton Santos.
Em sua primeira virada no ano, o Glorioso aliou superação à perseverança. Os botafoguenses, aos poucos, foram encontrando atalhos até garantirem a festa da torcida no Nilton Santos.
+ Tiquinho dispara, se aproxima de Cano e entra na briga pela artilharia do ano no Brasil
+ Copo Stanley a partir de R$120,00. Bebida gelada nos 90′ de jogo do Líder!
Os alvinegros passaram por um teste de nervos desde o início da partida. A desatenção inicial que culminou no gol de Romeo Benítez trouxe uma série de consequências. Por mais que se esforçasse ao ir à frente com Victor Sá ou Gustavo Sauer, a equipe de Bruno Lage se enrolava ao concluir as jogadas.
Di Plácido apareceu em investida, mas Eduardo chegou atrasado na hora de finalizar. O roteiro ainda trouxe furada de Janderson, finalizações na zaga e muitas jogadas pelo meio eram facilmente neutralizadas. Enquanto isso, o adversário continuava a se mostrar traiçoeiro, ao aproveitar espaços deixados por Hugo, Victor Sá e Di Plácido e ameaçar em contra-ataques com Santander e Camacho. Um gol chegou a ser anulado por impedimento.
A afobação botafoguense ficou evidente pois o chute mais preciso veio aos 37 minutos, em batida de longe de Marlon Freitas que parou na trave. No mais, a equipe era nervosa e chegou a cercar o árbitro por reclamação com o período de acréscimo no primeiro tempo.
As cartadas promovidas por Bruno Lage na volta do intervalo deram uma guinada no Botafogo. Além de ter Marlon Freitas como seu “motor”, o Alvinegro conseguiu ser mais criativo e, ao jogar pelas pontas, deu margem para as jogadas apareceram com mais frequência.
Pouco participativo nos primeiros 45 minutos, Eduardo fez o goleiro Muñoz se desdobrar para salvar uma finalização e, posteriormente, um voleio. Além disto, Victor Cuesta assustou o camisa 1. E foi de tanto persistir que o Glorioso empatou. Na sobra de uma cobrança de escanteio, Hugo achou brecha para limpar a jogada e bater com precisão no cantinho. Gol significativo para um atleta que patinou no início da partida mas, aos poucos, soube se erguer.
O empate levou o Alvinegro a acuar ainda mais um Guaraní que era mais falho ao lutar por contra-ataques na etapa final. Com o caminho mais pavimentado para tentar a virada, vieram conclusões de Cuesta, Matías Segovia, Tiquinho Soares e em uma cabeçada que, sem goleiro, Eduardo desperdiçou. Até que o pênalti sobre Júnior Santos deu margem para o Botafogo vencer.
Tiquinho, mais uma vez, foi preponderante para levar o Botafogo a uma suada vitória. O Botafogo se reinventou em campo, soube abrir espaços e superar até mesmo um jogo tenso, típico de Sul-Americana. O próximo passo é tentar ratificar esta vaga no Defensores del Chaco.
A fresh claim has emerged regarding Birmingham City’s hopes of completing the signing of a “brave” player who is currently a free agent.
Davies urges Birmingham City to kick on
The Blues are back in Championship action on Saturday afternoon, making the trip to a Stoke City side who have enjoyed a good start to the season.
Birmingham have also impressed in their own right, though, and manager Chris Davies has now urged his players to build on what has been a promising first few weeks of the 2025/26 campaign.
“I think it’s been a solid start. I wanted to see how we went for those first four games, and obviously you don’t want to go into an international break on a defeat, but what I have seen and what I’ve reflected on is that we have made a solid stat. Defensively, we’ve given very little away, and we’ve stayed clear in our identity in terms of how we press. We’ve pressed successfully, we’ve dominated possession in every game I think and had a lot of territory in those games.
“The part that we’ve probably fallen a little short in is the chance creation and conversion. That’s not an unusual problem for teams that play our style of football, it’s about trying to make clear and better chances from our open play attacks and set pieces. If you had said to me at the start that we’d play like that in the games I’d be really happy, so we have to maintain our level of intensity, work ethic and solidity.”
Reaction to Birmingham City links for free agent Dele Alli
Blues supporters could encourage further new signings outside the window, and speaking to Football League World, Sky Sports man Don Goodman discussed Birmingham bringing in Dele Alli on a free transfer, following rumours over a move there.
It was claimed that the Blues explored a deal for Alli but pulled a U-turn with the former Tottenham star still without a club after leaving Como.
Birmingham City tried to sign "excellent" English talent from European club
This would have stolen plenty of headlines…
ByTom Cunningham Sep 5, 2025
Birmingham signing Alli would certainly cause a stir, considering he is a big-name player who has been hailed as “brave” by Son Heung-min, having opened up about his mental health issues.
England
37
3
England Under-21s
2
0
England Under-19s
4
0
England Under-18s
2
0
England Under-17s
9
0
There would be a risk to Birmingham signing him, considering he may simply have peaked as a player at 29, following constant injury down the years, and it feels more likely that he won’t move to St Andrew’s than seal a switch here.
Having last played the format in July 2024, they will be up against Zimbabwe who welcome Williams back from injury but are without Raza
Ekanth05-Feb-2025Big picture: Can Ireland shake off the rust?It’s still winter in Ireland but Test cricket is set to come out of the cold after a six-month gap. Their multi-format tour to Zimbabwe, their previous Test opponents, begins with a one-off Test in Bulawayo from Thursday. The game isn’t part of the World Test Championship, but it gives the visitors the opportunity to complete a hat-trick of wins in the span of a year after taking more than five years to win their first Test.Ireland are coming into the game after a training camp as part of their preparation. Harry Tector said the camp was about facing bowlers off their full run-ups again and getting back to the rhythm of Test batting. The players will hope it helps them work around the lack of game time.For Zimbabwe, who last won a Test in March 2021, this is a chance to end their drought. While most of those losses have been heavy, the one against Ireland last July anything but. In fact, they were well placed at the start of the final day before they let the game slip. So, they will want to make amends.Related
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Zimbabwe are without Sikandar Raza, who is in the UAE for the ILT20, but they will be buoyed by the presence of Sean Williams, who is fit after struggling with a back injury during the recent Test series against Afghanistan. Williams was the joint-highest run-getter (254) for Zimbabwe in that series along with captain Craig Ervine. The pair will form the core of Zimbabwe’s batting line-up once again.Form guideZimbabwe LDLLD (last five Tests, most recent first) Ireland WWLLLCan Harry Tector rediscover his form for Ireland?•AFP/Getty ImagesIn the spotlight: Blessing Muzarabani and Harry TectorBlessing Muzarabani’s pace and bounce, along with a high-release point – he is 6’6″ tall – will pose a tough challenge to all batters. Fresh off a six-wicket haul against Afghanistan, he could run through line-ups along with Richard Ngarava, like they did in Belfast where they reduced Ireland to 21 for 5 in helpful conditions in 2024.Harry Tector is arguably Ireland’s most gifted batter. But he had a middling 2024 across formats, scoring 477 runs in 21 games, at an average of 22.71. A return to form will boost his confidence as well as the progression of his team.Team news: Raza to stay at ILT20With Raza not available and Zimbabwe leaving out Dion Myers and Tadiwanashe Marumani, one of Vincent Masekesa (legspinner) and Nicholas Welch (top-order batter) – who are the new additions to the squad – might get a game. With Brian Bennett offering all-round options, Zimbabwe have the option of handing Johnathan Campbell, the son of former Alistair Campbell, a spot in the top order.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Joylord Gumbie (wk), 2 Ben Curran, 3 Johnathan Campbell, 4 Craig Ervine (capt), 5 Sean Williams, 6 Takudzwanashe Kaitano, 7 Brian Bennett, 8 Newman Nyamhuri, 9 Vincent Masekesa, 10 Richard Ngarava, 11 Blessing MuzarabaniIreland might go unchanged from their last Test match. They also have the option of bringing in legspinner Gavin Hoey in place of left-arm fingerspinner Matthew Humphreys, if the pitch is less conducive to spin.Ireland (probable): 1 Peter Moor, 2 Andy Balbirnie (capt), 3 Curtis Campher, 4 Harry Tector, 5 Paul Stirling, 6 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 7 Andy McBrine, 8 Mark Adair, 9 Barry McCarthy, 10 Craig Young/Gavin Hoey, 11 Matthew HumphreysPitch and conditionsThe two Tests between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan produced contrasting contests, with the first one seeing 1427 runs for just 24 wickets, and the second producing 968 for 40. While there isn’t much known about the nature of the surface, the weather – as Tector put it – is “definitely going to be hot”. So spinners could play a big role as the game goes on.Stats and Trivia Zimbabwe’s last Test win at home came in 2013 vs Pakistan. They have played 16 Tests since without having won any. They are the only team without a Test win at home since the start of 2014. Zimbabwe’s last and only Test win at Bulawayo came in 2001 against Bangladesh. They have played 19 Tests at the venue since losing 14. All the 13 Test wins of Zimbabwe so far have come against Asian teams. Their lone Test against Ireland also resulted in a defeat. The Bulawayo Test will be Ireland’s tenth match in the format, of which they won two. Only Australia (six) and Afghanistan (three) have had more wins in their first ten Tests.Quotes”I’ve found that my scoring shot decisions have become way more selective and the percentages have become a lot higher towards me than towards the bowler. I just became a little bit calmer as a batsman.” “With the amount of white-ball cricket we play, you do feel you have to move the game along. But in Test cricket sometimes you can absorb pressure and then there are periods where you can add pressure. So that’s probably the thing I’m trying to learn and adapt to quickly.” Ireland’s Harry Tector on finding the rhythm of batting in Tests