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Nottingham Forest are now pursuing a January move for an “outstanding” British player, having monitored him closely over the past few weeks.

Forest looking to improve defence after Everton setback

Forest have certainly made progress since the arrival of Sean Dyche, now sitting two points clear of the Premier League relegation zone, and they have often looked solid from a defensive point of view, keeping four clean sheets in their last seven matches in all competitions.

The Tricky Trees aren’t in the clear just yet, however, being brought back down to earth with a 3-0 defeat against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium last time out, with Dyche critical of some aspects of his side’s performance, saying: “We were nowhere near it on the physical side. We had the ball in many places but the decisions went against us.”

The manager also added: “The players deserve a lot of credit, but they have to fight and play to their shape. We were well short of that.”

With Dyche perhaps looking to make his own mark on the squad he inherited, Nottingham Forest are now pursuing a January move for a new defender, namely Sassuolo’s Josh Doig, according to a report from Tuttomercatoweb (via Sport Witness).

However, the Italian side have no interest in sanctioning a departure this winter, as Doig is regarded as one of their most important players, so it may be difficult to tempt them into a sale.

The Scottish defender has been monitored closely over the past few weeks, but there are some doubts over whether the Tricky Trees need to bring in a new left-back, with Neco Williams and Oleksandr Zinchenko already on the books, and Botafogo’s Cuiabano set to return next month.

Nottingham Forest could launch 2026 move for £44m striker compared to Tevez

The Tricky Trees are looking to sign a new centre-forward next year.

1 ByDominic Lund 4 days ago "Outstanding" Doig impressing in the Serie A

Lauded as “outstanding” by coach Neil Critchley, the Scot has certainly impressed in the Serie A over the past year, ranking very highly across a range of defensive statistics, when compared to other full-backs.

Josh Doig’s key statistics

Average per 90 (past year)

Interceptions

1.53 (92nd percentile)

Blocks

1.53 (87th percentile)

Aerials won

1.62 (91st percentile)

Former Hibernian teammate Lewis Stevenson has also waxed lyrical about the Sassuolo star in the past, saying: “He has the potential to go to the top level. He is 6 foot 3, fast, strong. Even just looking at him with his top off – without meaning to sound creepy – he looks like Ronaldo, with that kind of physique. He just is an athlete.”

The Edinburgh-born defender has been a key player for the Italian side so far this season, making 13 Serie A appearances, and he earned his first cap for Scotland in a 4-0 victory against Liechtenstein in the summer.

That said, given that Dyche already has Williams and Zinchenko at his disposal, bringing in a new left-back shouldn’t be a priority this winter.

Tottenham Hotspur’s recruitment in recent years has left something to be desired, and though this is a squad of heroes who conquered the Europa League before the summer, domestic form has been cemented at a lower-than-expected level for a while now, and that needs to change.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though, with £55m summer recruit Mohammed Kudus among the most exciting players in Thomas Frank’s Lilywhites outfit.

The Ghanaian winger hasn’t been perfect, but he’s certainly underlined his credentials as a difference-maker under Frank’s wing, with his five assists in the Premier League this season a joint-divisional best.

That statistic juxtaposes with Tottenham’s creative struggles this season, and it adds substance to the emerging rumours that Tottenham plan to sign an even more exciting winger to help elevate Frank’s project down N17.

Spurs leading race for new winger

Tottenham are anticipated to be busy over the coming transfer windows, with improvements needed across a range of areas. However, there’s no denying Frank’s frontline have been blunter than expected, and that must be a priority.

Kudus has been a terrific addition, but wingers like Brennan Johnson and Xavi Simons are flattering to deceive. Perhaps this is why ENIC Group are aiming for the stars.

Indeed, according to Spanish sources, Tottenham are leading the race for Real Madrid star Rodrygo, and that’s despite growing interest from the Premier League’s heavyweights.

Rodrygo, 24, is also attracting interest from Liverpool, and though Real are open to selling the Brazilian talent, they would expect to bank something in the ballpark of £70m.

Why Rodrygo would succeed at Spurs

Rodrygo is currently embroiled in a crisis of confidence. He has gone 30 La Liga matches without a goal, and has been pushed out to the fringes of Xabi Alonso’s squad.

But let’s not forget that this is a truly special player, praised for his “world-class” quality by former Los Blancos teammate Luka Modric, and the depth of his technical quality goes far beyond that of Kudus, who is devastating on the ball but lacks clarity and output.

Rodrygo vs Kudus (past 12 months)
Stats (per 90)	Rodrygo	Kudus
Goals scored	0.32	0.14
Assists	0.24	0.23
Shots taken	2.94	1.89
Shot-creating actions	4.65	3.41
Touches (att pen)	6.64	3.78
Pass completion (%)	85.4	78.8
Progressive passes	4.37	2.59
Progressive carries	6.00	3.44
Successful take-ons	2.38	3.05
Ball recoveries	3.77	5.44
Data via FBref

Though Kudus has enjoyed a fine start to his career in north London, he doesn’t match Rodrygo’s breadth of skill. The Madrid man is one of the best forwards in the world, after all, and his recent drop-off does not negate that fact.

Crisper on the ball, more progressive with his passing and more active in dribbling forward himself, Rodrygo might not have Kudus’ same snappy speed, but that’s not to say that he isn’t a dynamic physical force in his own right.

Moreover, he has so often been shunted out onto the right flank in Madrid over the past several years, lower down the pecking order than the likes of Vincius Junior and Kylian Mbappe. The right-footed Rodrygo is at his best, his most prolific, when playing off the left.

Now, he has been reduced to a truly bit-part role, only afforded three league starts under Alonso’s management this term.

It feels like Rodrygo’s departure from the Santiago Bernabeu is a matter of when, not if, and while there are a multitude of high-profile suitors looking to excavate him from the hole he has fallen into, Tottenham have put in the hard yards for some time now, and Frank’s project would promise him a leading role.

Then it would be up to Rodrygo to prove that he is the real deal. On the basis of the evidence already, he is at that, and this would see him take on a more influential role than someone like Kudus down N17.

Spurs star is becoming Frank's own version of Kane & he's not even a forward

This Tottenham star is becoming a talismanic force for Frank’s side.

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 5, 2025

“Once you’re back in, you start looking at what’s on the horizon and it’d be amazing to play in a home T20 World Cup”

Valkerie Baynes26-Jun-2025Two teams, many changes, all to play for. That’s the scenario for India Women’s tour of England, where the hosts of the next two World Cups will face each other, not just for the immediate spoils but with an inevitable big-tournament focus.England have been buoyed by twin 3-0 sweeps of their white-ball series against West Indies after their 16-0 Ashes drubbing but expect a sterner test from an India side featuring a mix of stars, comebacks and inexperience.England have also shaken things up under the new leadership of head coach Charlotte Edwards, captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and national selector Lydia Greenway.Related

• Powerplay: Beaumont talks India, T20I comeback and women's health

• Shafali named in T20I squad for England tour

• Ecclestone back in T20I squad to face India

• India's road to Women's T20 World Cup 2026: what's right and what needs a look

Sophie Ecclestone returns for her first international appearances since January, joining fellow left-arm spinner Linsey Smith, who shone on ODI debut against West Indies, as did seamer Em Arlott.Tammy Beaumont, who has been on the fringes of the T20I side since the 2022 Ashes, is in the squad after a hugely successful ODI campaign, reprising her opening partnership with Amy Jones.Against West Indies, the pair amassed 464 runs between them, including 424 in tandem, in two ODIs. With T20I opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge scoring just 17 runs in three innings, Beaumont offers a batting option, especially with former captain Heather Knight sidelined after tearing her hamstring tendon from the bone during that series.Knight says she is on track to be fit for the 50-over World Cup in India later this year, while Beaumont – who has played just five T20Is in three years and was part of the squad but didn’t play against West Indies – hasn’t given up on making it to a home T20 World Cup in the English summer of 2026.Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont were prolific in the ODIs against West Indies•PA Photos/Getty Images”The previous couple of years, I hadn’t overly thought about that Lord’s final and that World Cup here next year,” Beaumont told ESPNcricinfo. “It was something that would be nice to happen, but I can’t get too caught up in it. Getting that call-up for the West Indies T20 series was a little bit of a surprise, but a really nice surprise.”This India series, I’m just trying to really enjoy my T20 cricket and try to contribute in any way I can. Once you’re back in, you start looking at what’s on the horizon and it’d be amazing to play in a home T20 World Cup. For me, it’s just about enjoying every opportunity I get these days.”It’s been proven that if you perform at county level, you’ll get a go and then you’ve just got to perform where you get the chance. That’s something that tends to work pretty well in my brain, play what you see in front of you and, so far, so good.”Rewarding players for performing at domestic level has been a tenet of Edwards’ time in charge since replacing Jon Lewis in April and the India series represents the next step in her task of rebuilding a team which, like India were humbled at the T20 World Cup 2024.

“She’s almost superhuman at times, just to be able to be a mother and a new England captain and perform at the level that she always has done”Tammy Beaumont is in awe of Nat Sciver-Brunt’s all-round game

“It will be a really tough tour and series for us, but a really good test and a really good time for that,” Beaumont said. “They keep finding more and more talent. There’s a lot of names that I haven’t played against before in this squad and that normally throws out some unexpected challenges.”With the WPL, they’re just getting so much talent coming through that’s ready to go. It’s going to be a tough challenge, but really exciting. There’s always a bit of drama with the England-India series, so I’m sure there’ll be some drama coming forward.”This is India’s first visit to England since 2022, a tour which ended in high drama when Charlie Dean was run-out backing up by Deepti Sharma in the third ODI at Lord’s and which seems a long time ago in the context of two T20 World Cups in which both sides have fallen short.The T20I leg which kicks off this tour with five matches from Saturday represents a chance for both sides to stamp their authority before moving their attention to the three ODIs with eyes on the 2025 ODI World Cup.The coach-captain combo of Charlotte Edwards and Nat Sciver-Brunt could face a stern test against India•Getty ImagesWhile Jones and Beaumont made the bulk of England’s runs in the ODIs, Sciver-Brunt still managed to score fifties in the first and third games, the latter while Beaumont was rested and Jones dropped down the order to give others a chance to bat. Sciver-Brunt also struck an unbeaten 55 in the second T20I in Hove, her first series as captain and a new mum after wife Katherine gave birth to their son, Theo, in March with the family travelling together through the West Indies series.”She’s always been great with kids and being with her own son is absolutely no different,” Beaumont said of her skipper. “A lot of us are getting a bit broody watching how good she is with Theo.”Katherine is doing brilliantly as well, making sure Nat can do everything she needs to do and look after the baby and then enjoy that time together and the way that Nat’s handled it, is so typical Nat.”She’s almost superhuman at times, just to be able to be a mother and a new England captain and perform at the level that she always has done. It’s just a testament to her character that she can just always take anything and everything in her stride.”

Lucknow Super Giants’ team mentor Zaheer Khan has parted ways with the franchise after just one season. ESPNcricinfo has learned Zaheer informed LSG of his decision on Thursday.It is understood that the primary reason for Zaheer quitting is that his vision for the franchise did not align with that of head coach Justin Langer and team owner Sanjeev Goenka. While Zaheer’s relationship with captain Rishabh Pant remained strong, he was affected by the thought process that played a role in LSG sliding down the points table in the second half of IPL 2025.Zaheer had joined LSG in August 2024, filling the vacancy left by Gautam Gambhir’s exit after IPL 2023. Zaheer had been with Mumbai Indians from 2018 to 2022 and agreed to a two-year contract with LSG, taking charge of scouting, planning and strategy.Related

• Zaheer: Looked like it was Punjab curator at our home game

• Bharat Arun named LSG bowling coach

After making the playoffs in their first two IPL seasons in 2022 and 2023, LSG did not reach the knockouts in the last two seasons. In 2025, they finished seventh with six wins from 14 games. It was a season of contrasting halves: LSG had five wins in their first eight matches but only one in the last six. Of the eight games they played at their home ground, the Ekana Stadium, they won only two.LSG had made headlines at last year’s mega auction when they bought Pant for INR 27 crore (USD 3.2 million approx.), making him the most expensive player ever in the IPL. The team was built around him, but Zaheer put in place building blocks he felt were needed to grow stronger every season. Despite there being a lot of chatter about Pant opening the batting, Zaheer spoke to the wicketkeeper-batter early on and told him that the better strategy would be for Mitchell Marsh to open with Aiden Markram. That strategy, Zaheer impressed on both Pant and the leadership group, would reduce the burden on their best batter, Nicholas Pooran, who was the No. 3.The role clarity allowed the batters to play with freedom and perform consistently. Markram had never opened in the IPL before, while Marsh, despite having been in the IPL for more than a decade, had never made a major impact. The move worked: Marsh was the fifth highest run-getter in IPL 2025 with 627 runs at a strike rate of 163.70, Pooran made 524 runs at 196.25, and Markram 445 at 148.82.

Rajat Patidar named vice-captain while Deepak Chahar is set to return from injury

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Aug-2025

Kuldeep Yadav didn’t get a game in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy•Getty Images

After warming the bench through the recent five-match Test series in England, Kuldeep Yadav will return to action in the Duleep Trophy, where he will lead Central Zone’s spin attack.Vidarbha left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey, who broke the record for most wickets in a Ranji Trophy season when he picked up 69 in his side’s run to the title in 2024-25, will combine with Kuldeep and Rajasthan’s Manav Suthar for Central Zone.Dhruv Jurel, who had replaced the injured Rishabh Pant in India’s series-levelling win at The Oval, will captain Central Zone with Rajat Patidar named his deputy.Related

'I will do it – that's what is left' – stronger, fitter Khaleel waits to get back what he lost

Kishan ruled out of Duleep Trophy opener, Akash Deep advised rest

Shubman Gill to lead North Zone

Mohammed Shami in East Zone squad

Iyer, Sarfaraz in West Zone squad

Left-arm seamer Khaleel Ahmed, who had cut his county stint short with Essex for personal reasons will return to action and will lead Central Zone’s seam attack along with Deepak Chahar. Chahar, 33, had suffered an injury during IPL 2025 and missed two games for Mumbai Indians, but recently he was bowling at the India nets at Lord’s and The Oval.Yash Rathod, who was the top scorer in the previous Ranji season with 960 runs in 18 innings at an average of over 50, and his Vidarbha team-mate Danish Malewar, who scored 153 and 73 in the final against Kerala, were rewarded for their strong form. UP captain Aryan Juyal also made the cut along with Madhya Pradesh offspinner Saransh Jain and Chhattisgarh batter Sanjeet Desai. Vidarbha’s Ranji Trophy-winning coach Usman Ghani was named the head coach of the team.Fast bowler Kuldeep Sen, who has played a solitary ODI for India, was among the stand-bys.The Duleep Trophy has reverted to its traditional format of a zonal contest after a season where four teams – A, B, C and D – comprising players in the Test fray were picked by the Ajit Agarkar-led senior men’s selection committee. Teams for this year’s tournament will be picked by zonal selection committees, comprising one member from each of the state sides from the zone.Central Zone will start their Duleep Trophy campaign against North East on August 28 at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.Central Zone squadDhruv Jurel (capt, wk), Rajat Patidar, Aryan Juyal, Danish Malewar, Sanchit Desai, Kuldeep Yadav, Aditya Thakare, Deepak Chahar, Saransh Jain, Ayush Pandey, Shubham Sharma, Yash Rathod, Harsh Dubey, Manav Suthar, Khaleel AhmedStand-bys: Madhav Kaushik, Yash Thakur, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Mahipal Lomror, Kuldeep Sen, Upendra Yadav

Tottenham winger Mohammed Kudus has seriously impressed since arriving in a £55 million deal from West Ham in the summer window, and he’s now drawing comparisons with a Spurs legend.

Kudus made headlines this summer as the first player to transfer from West Ham to Spurs since Scott Parker in 2011 — effectively ending a 14-year unofficial transfer embargo between the fierce London rivals.

The move generated plenty of buzz, and with it, a weight of expectation that Kudus has so far handled with a blend of flair, work rate and dynamism.

Since then, Kudus has set about proving he belongs at the heart of Tottenham’s rebuild under Thomas Frank.

His first telling contribution on paper came at Leeds, where a deflected low finish from the Ghanaian opened his goal account and delivered the Lilywhites a crucial 2-1 win — all whilst ending their pre-international break curse and the home side’s year-long unbeaten run at Elland Road in the league.

Used primarily as an inverted right-winger, Kudus has routinely tormented full-backs with an outstanding dribble completion rate — quickly becoming the side’s most dangerous attacking outlet.

Kudus has completed more successful take-ons per 90 than any other winger in the Premier League, according to WhoScored, and is currently the division’s fifth-best performer by average match rating.

Mohammed Kudus

3.6

Iliman Ndaye

2.7

Yankuba Minteh

2.6

Jeremy Doku

2.4

Bukayo Saka

2.3

via WhoScored

The former Ajax sensation also has five assists to show from his opening nine Premier League matches, outshining fellow new arrival Xavi Simons, who has struggled to match Kudus’ scintillating form in the final third.

The early signs are that Spurs have acquired a genuine difference-maker, and he’s now drawn a very intriguing comparison with ex-fan favourite Mousa Dembélé, even if the latter played a completely different role.

Supporters look back on Dembele and remember him fondly as a real linchpin of Mauricio Pochettino’s midfield, with the Belgian making nearly 250 appearances before he departed for the now-folded Guangzhou City in China.

Mohammed Kudus draws Mousa Dembele comparison at Tottenham

Speaking to Tottenham News, pundit John Wenham explained exactly why Kudus is a regen of Dembele at Tottenham — specifically talking about his strength on the ball.

Frank has been equally blown away by Kudus since his arrival at N17, calling his one-v-one ability “crazy”.

Like Dembele, Kudus is remarkably difficult to dispossess, with the agility to spin away from challengers and the power to carry the ball through deep midfield areas or wide channels.

The feeling among coaches and analysts is that Kudus could become a more advanced and goal-threatening Dembele, with journalist Alasdair Gold also making that comparison in early October.

The sky appears to be the limit for him right now, and midfielder Joao Palhinha has some stern competition for the ‘best summer signing’ accolade as we slowly approach the halfway point of 25/26.

Tottenham told Xavi Simons "reality" as Thomas Frank already gets one thing wrong

The visiting spinners took six wickets between them in the fourth T20I on the Gold Coast

Andrew McGlashan06-Nov-2025

Glenn Maxwell was bowled by Varun Chakravarthy•Cricket Australia via Getty Images

Australia’s defeat to India on the Gold Coast made it the first time they have lost consecutive T20Is since their exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup, when the same opposition ended their tournament in St Lucia following a Super Eights loss to Afghanistan.That tells you Australia have been going nicely in the format: since that World Cup they have won 17 of their 21 completed T20Is. But the manner of the loss on Thursday did provide a glimpse at one area of their game that continues to hold a few questions – combating high-class spin on slower pitches offering some assistance. Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar took 6 for 49 in 9.2 overs combined at the Carrara Oval.”I don’t think we did much wrong tonight,” Nathan Ellis said after the game. “I think we played some really good cricket and there were some big moments that we potentially came out on the wrong side of and that’s what happens in T20 cricket.”We’ll get different surfaces wherever we go. I’m sure the Gabba in a couple of nights will be completely different again. Win, lose or draw, you’ve got to take what you can out of it and that’ll be no different tonight.”Related

• Short outlines clear pathway to next T20 World Cup

• Axar, Dube, Washington power India to 2-1 series lead

• Axar's deceptive simplicity dismantles Australia's threat

Since this lengthy run of T20Is began in the West Indies in late July, Australia have been all-in on all-out attack. Their aggressive approach, particularly in the powerplay and allied to Tim David’s elevation from his previous finishing role, has made this the most potent T20 batting line-up Australia has put together. Amid a couple of wobbles against West Indies in Jamaica and South Africa in Mackay, they largely just kept going.In the Caribbean, the West Indian spinners conceded 9.66 an over and took just seven wickets in five matches, though Akeal Hosein caused a few uneasy moments. Against South Africa’s spinners, Australia scored at 8.93 an over and lost only five wickets in three innings. In New Zealand, where it was almost still winter, the hosts bowled six wicketless overs of spin in three matches for 60 runs.However, this series against India, unsurprisingly, is proving a different beast. They have a formidable collection of T20 spinners. Such is their depth of resources that they were able to release left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav mid-series and still have three to call on (two of whom are also top-order batters).After a wet start in Canberra, they have certainly left a mark. In three matches, the spinners have 12 wickets with an economy rate of 7.71. Even in defeat at the MCG, world No. 1 Chakravarthy proved a handful, winning a mind-games battle with David. In Hobart, on a ground with enticing boundaries, Chakravarthy again showed his class, particularly when he ripped one through Mitch Owen first ball.Then, on the Gold Coast, a trio came together. This time Axar applied the initial pressure and claimed key wickets, then Chakravarthy all but sealed the game by befuddling Glenn Maxwell, leaving Sundar to run through the tail.”It almost felt like an Indian wicket in a way,” Ellis said. “To credit their bowlers, they bowled brilliantly tonight. I think Shubman [Gill] as well probably played in innings that you wouldn’t associate with T20 cricket in this day and age, but he soaked up a lot of balls and gave them a platform to go at the back end.”No one yet knows quite what role spinners will have across India and Sri Lanka at the T20 World Cup next February. On Thursday, the ICC shortlisted Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai as tournament venues along with Kandy and Colombo but, with three months to go, the fixture list is yet to be confirmed. It would be a surprise, however, if at some point over a month-long tournament there wasn’t a pitch that provided a set of conditions that will challenge Australia’s gameplans and technique.

USMNT star Johnny Cardoso was hit by another injury blow, which forced him out of Atletico Madrid's clash with Barcelona after just 14 minutes on Tuesday. The midfielder was named in the starting XI for the huge clash at Camp Nou but came off early on in the game after picking up another injury issue in a collision with Barcelona star Dani Olmo, and was replaced by Koke.

Cardoso's struggles continue at Atletico

Cardoso was handed a big chance to impress against Barcelona after being named in Diego Simeone's starting XI for the match. The USMNT star has made only four starts for Atletico so far this season, having previously been sidelined with an ankle injury, and will have been aiming to impress against the Catalan giants. However, it proved to be another disappointing evening for the 24-year-old, who was forced off early and looks to now be facing more time out. Atletico confirmed that the midfielder had suffered a knee injury, posting on X: "Johnny was substituted during the first half due to a hard knock to the knee."

Cardoso's injury wasn't the only disappointment for Atletico as they went on to lose the game 3-1 and end a run of seven straight wins in all competitions. An early goal from Alex Baena had put the visitors 1-0 up, but Barcelona hit back through strikes from Raphinha, Olmo and Ferran Torres to secure the win.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportAtletico had 'high hopes' for Cardoso

Atletico boss Simeone admitted he had been forced to adjust his tactics after the early departure of Cardoso. He told reporters: "Cardoso’s injury forced us to adjust. We had high hopes for Johnny, but he got injured and had to leave the game." Atletico must now wait and see the severity of Cardoso's injury and when he will be able to return to action for Los Colchoneros.

Cardoso reveals injury frustrations

Cardoso has spoken of his injury frustrations after making his long-awaited return last time out against Inter in the Champions League. He told ESPN Brasil: "Yes, now I feel very good, but as you said, it was a difficult moment. It was the ankle injury that kept me off the field the longest. I’d never been sidelined for that much time before. As I can say, it happened right at the start of my time here—a complicated situation to handle. But I had all the support from my teammates, the coaching staff, and obviously, my family was with me. It’s a moment where you have to keep a strong mentality, keep working, and recover well. It was a complicated injury that took time to heal. So I was eager to get back as quickly as possible, but I also knew I had to be smart about it so that when I returned, I could contribute and perform at my best on the field with the team."

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Injuries to cost Cardoso World Cup spot?

Cardoso's appearance for Atletico against Barcelona was his first in La Liga since starting the 1-1 draw with Alaves back in August. The midfielder's only other appearances this season have come against Elche and Espanyol in La Liga and Inter in the Champions League. Yet Atletico have demonstrated their faith in the USMNT star by handing him a new long-term contract back in October that keeps him tied to the club until 2030.

While his future at Atletico looks secure despite his recent injury problems, his lack of game time means his place in the USMNT squad for World Cup 2026 is far from secure. Cardoso has only managed four appearances for the national team in 2025 and missed all six of the USMNT's fall friendlies due to injury.

Morgan Gibbs-White has lifted the lid on what manager Sean Dyche wanted from Nottingham Forest following their thumping 3-0 win at Liverpool. Murillo fired the visitors in front from a corner after 33 minutes before Nicolas Savona scored shortly after the break. Gibbs-White put some extra gloss on the scoreline in a performance that was full of spirit and endeavour.

Dyche masterminds Liverpool victory

Dyche replaced the sacked Ange Postecoglou at Forest in late October and he has already fired them out of the relegation zone and up the Premier League table. After their 3-1 win over Leeds United earlier this month, they backed up that victory with a superb triumph against Liverpool on Saturday. The scoreline could have been even more one-sided had Igor Jesus not had a goal controversially ruled out for handball but Gibbs-White did not seem to care too much as he praised his team-mates and manager. 

He told Premier League Productions: "I didn't expect it but it's happened. I'm out there trying to help the team as much as possible. I thought the boys were brilliant today. Delighted we got the three points but I hope we're out of the relegation zone. We felt comfortable even though we didn't have the ball. We were defensively secure and that's credit to the boys and the manager. Delighted to get another goal but we got a clean sheet and three points at Anfield, which is an incredible thing. They're still a great team with incredible individuals. When you're in a tough patch, we know it's hard to get out of it. We knew we'd have a chance and it was about us being solid and taking our chance when we got it. When Sean Dyche came in, he made it clear the season starts now. He's been putting us to work, but we needed it to compete at the highest level. We've been running, running, running. Any game in the Premier League is difficult. We have to take it game by game." 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDyche proud of Forest players

Despite having just over 25 per cent possession at Anfield, Forest were deserved winners and, coupled with a strong defensive effort, earned them a hard-fought clean sheet. After the match, former Everton boss Dyche was delighted with how his team acquitted themselves on Merseyside and the timing of their second goal.   

He told PLP, "I thought they started really fast after a tough result at Man City. The defensive unit was great. I'm really pleased with that early stage. It's really tough to dominate the ball on a ground like this. I was super pleased with that [second goal]. Half-time when you're 1-0 up at Anfield is a strange thing. I wanted them to do the basics, but we went and scored. We did a very good job of seeing the game through. We want to build that competitive mentality. I always have a team that is competitive. That is a big marker for me. I do remind them that this is another step. The fans can have that one. Timing in football can be everything. Whether it's a player, a manager or a coach. I want to look after this football club, it's important for me to do everything we can."

Liverpool's woes continue

The defending Premier League champions dropped to 11th in the table with this demoralising loss on home turf. This result marked their sixth defeat in their last seven games, something Reds manager Arne Slot could not hide his dismay over.  

He told BBC Match of the Day: "Another big disappointment. We started off quite well for the first half an hour. We conceded the 1-0, and we weren't able to play the way we did in the first half hour. I don't know. I heard it wasn't offside, so if it's not offside, there's nothing to debate. We created and were waiting for us to score a goal. The set piece changed everything, and they scored two. If things go well or things go bad, it's my responsibility. We weren't able to create enough. I tried to adjust a few things, but it didn't work out. We were unable to score a goal. You never know in this stadium, if you score a goal, then things can work out."     

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AFPLiverpool face busy period

Liverpool don't have long to dwell on this defeat as they host PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday, before travelling to West Ham next Sunday. They then play a further four games in 10 days as the fixtures keep coming.     

Slot added: "In a few days, we have to play in the Champions League again and then play three Premier League games in a short space. Keep your head up and work incredibly hard. We are trying every single day. It's always helpful to have experienced and quality players. It's not working out at this moment." 

Ex-Manchester United winger Antony has admitted that the decision to turn down Bayern Munich during the summer transfer window was driven by a desire to prioritise his family, with Real Betis and the life he had started to build in Spain ultimately the better choice in that respect. The Brazilian was on loan with Betis last season and made that move permanent in September.

Kompan wanted Antony at Bayern

Although his Manchester United form, barring a goalscoring run in his first few Premier League games, made him one of the club's worst ever signings when considering the enormous fee, Antony still managed to attract interest from perennial Bundesliga champions. It came after resurgent form during a half-season loan at Real Betis reminded the football world of his ability.

Bayern lost Leroy Sane and Kingsley Coman during the summer, to Galatasaray and Al-Nassr respectively, making a winger an area for the recruitment department to target. Antony's 14 goals and assists for Betis in 26 La Liga and Conference League appearances prompted Bayern boss Vincent Kompany to personally get in touch, which took the player by surprise.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportAntony: Bayern interest really shook me up

"I'm going to be completely honest. It really shook me up," Antony told during an interview which addressed the Bayern interest.

"We're talking about a global giant, Bayern Munich, where a coach with that kind of history, Kompany, calls me. And we have a conversation there, he was super polite to me, said he always really liked my football, and this was at 11pm, a little after 11.

"Whether I wanted to or not, it really affected me. Because of the greatness of the club, the greatness of the coach, and the way he approached me, the way he talked to me."

Family matters more to Brazil winger

Antony got engaged to girlfriend Rosilene Silva towards the end of 2024, shortly after welcoming their daughter in to the world – the player already had a five-year-old son, Lorenzo. They made the move to Spain as a family when Manchester United agreed a short-term deal with Real Betis and they quickly fell in love with the city of Seville and a new life in southern Spain.

It was clear from an early stage that Antony wanted to return to Betis when the initial loan ended, but it was far from guaranteed for a long time because the finances of a proposed deal threatened to price the La Liga club out of keeping him. Ultimately, he held out, turning down opportunities to head elsewhere – Bayern included.

"What weighed heavily on my decision was also my family," Antony added. "It's about looking out for my children. Lorenzo loves this place, loves this city [Seville]. When we were on vacation in Brazil, without knowing anything, he always asked: 'Dad, when are we going back to Spain?'"

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Getty Images SportReal Betis could challenge for trophies

Bayern could have offered virtually guaranteed silverware, already six points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table only 10 games into the season. The Bavarian giants are also favourites to win Germany's DFB-Pokal and fancy their chances in the Champions League.

A trophy with Betis will be much more of a challenge, owing to the club's smaller stature. But they have started well in La Liga – only Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid (1 each) have lost fewer games than Betis’ two through 12 games – and are well place to challenge for a Champions League place.

Los Verdiblancos won the Copa del Rey as recently as 2021-22 and almost delivered a European trophy last season, reaching the Conference League and initially taking the lead against Chelsea. This season, they're unbeaten in the Europa League through four matchdays and look a good bet to reach the knockouts.

Antony is clearly happy too, starting 2025-26 the way he finished 2024-25. In his first 11 games as a permanent Betis player, it's eight goals and assists across La Liga, the Europa League and Copa del Rey.