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The full round-up of records from England’s first-innings total of 657 in 101 overs

Sampath Bandarupalli02-Dec-2022657 England’s total in the first innings in Rawalpindi. It is the fifth-highest total in Test cricket for England and their highest against Pakistan, surpassing 598 for nine in 2015 in Abu Dhabi. It is also England’s second-highest total away from home, behind 849 all out against West Indies in Kingston in 1930.ESPNcricinfo Ltd6.50 England’s run-rate during their mammoth 657 all out. It is the highest run rate for any team in a Test innings of 100-plus overs. The previous highest was 5.36 by Sri Lanka during their 555 for five in 103.3 overs against Bangladesh in 2001.1 Number of Test totals against Pakistan in Pakistan, higher than England’s 657. India’s 675 for five in the 2004 Multan Test remains the highest ever against the home team in Pakistan. England’s 657 all out is also the fifth-highest total conceded by Pakistan in Test cricket.ESPNcricinfo Ltd398 Runs scored by England off boundaries, the fifth highest by any team in a Test innings. They are also the most boundary runs scored by England in a Test innings, surpassing the 372 against South Africa in 2016, and the most scored by any team against Pakistan. The tally rises to 402 with the four overthrows that Jack Leach received to get off the mark on Friday.115 Balls Harry Brook needed for his 150. It is the fourth-fastest individual 150 in the history of Test cricket and the fastest for England. The previous quickest for England was by Ben Stokes, off 135 balls against South Africa in 2016.ESPNcricinfo Ltd27 Runs scored by Brook in the 83rd over off Zahid Mahmood, the most scored by an England batter in an over in Test cricket. The previous highest is 24 runs, shared between Ian Botham (off Derek Stirling in 1986) and Brook himself, when he hit six fours in an over off Saud Shakeel on Thursday.235 Runs conceded by Zahid in the first innings in Rawalpindi are the most by a bowler in an innings on Test debut. The previous highest was 222 runs by Suraj Randiv against India in 2010. The 235 runs by Zahid are also the fourth-most conceded by a bowler for Pakistan in a Test innings.ESPNcricinfo Ltd7.12 Zahid’s economy rate during England’s first innings. It is the worst for any player to have bowled 150-plus balls in a Test innings. Only one bowler before Zahid had an economy of more than six runs – 6.15 by Yasir Shah against Australia in 2019 at the Adelaide Oval.

And who will accompany Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami in the bowling department?

Sidharth Monga14-Dec-2020As India travel from Sydney to Adelaide, a few selection questions will be on top of their minds. The middle-order batsmen – Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Hanuma Vihari – and the two fast bowlers – Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami – select themselves, but the other five positions are open with equally reasonable arguments for the various options available.OpenersMayank Agarwal and Prithvi Shaw are the incumbents, but India didn’t get a single significant partnership at the top the last time India played a series, in New Zealand. The outsider is Shubman Gill, who will be making his Test debut should he play. All three have batted positively in the warm-ups even though Shaw managed just one decent knock in four innings. The last time they batted, Agarwal and Gill both looked good for hundreds, but the SCG pitch had eased out significantly by then.WicketkeeperAt least for the first Test, the middle order is sealed. Rishabh Pant is India’s incumbent wicketkeeper and No. 7 as India have preferred him to Wriddhiman Saha in series outside Asia. The logic for Saha’s inclusion in home Tests is to provide the spinners with a more accomplished gloveman. Pant has been India’s wicketkeeper on their last three tours outside Asia: England, Australia and New Zealand. On the last of those tours, Saha was fit and available. However, Pant has been losing favour gradually this year. It will be interesting to see if that extends to Tests too.Last two bowlersBumrah and Shami are sure to play, leaving the final two bowling slots open. R Ashwin has started India’s last three tours outside Asia and should be the favourite, except there is a fair chance India might not play a spinner. Spin has averaged 49 runs per wicket in day-night Tests in Australia, and that is despite a superlative average of 25 for the home spinner Nathan Lyon. So it won’t be unreasonable if India choose not to play one. If India do play, Ravindra Jadeja is out of the equation, and Ashwin’s competition is left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav, who took a five-for the last time he played in Australia, prompting the coach to say he was the No. 1 choice in overseas Tests.Umesh Yadav has to be the favourite as the third fast bowler: he looked good in the first tour game, has been the No. 4 behind Ishant Sharma, Bumrah and Shami for a long time now and has the experience of bowling in a day-night Test before. The other options are Navdeep Saini and Mohammed Siraj, both yet to play a Test.

The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp hosted the Norfolk Tides in Triple A action on Tuesday. During the bottom of the first inning, the Shrimp got on the board thanks to a balk by Tides pitcher Roansy Contreras, who was in the middle of his windup when an especially loud crash of thunder filled the stadium.

Just about everyone in the area flinched, but only Contreras was penalized as the runner on third was granted home plate because that's just what the rules dictate.

Good job by Marlins prospect Jakob Marsee for stealing third base on the previous pitch to set up a situation where anything can happen. Everyone knows once you're on third you can score on a base hit, a wild pitch or the sound of the gods bowling.

Interestingly enough, Norfolk scored twice in the top half of the inning on a bases loaded hit-by-pitch and bases-loaded walk. If somebody steals home during this game fans can officially say they've seen it all.

Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly set to open a new private members club in Madrid. The Portugal icon is nearing the end of his career and it appears he is making more steps to prepare for life after football. Along with a host of business enterprises he already has, the 40-year-old forward is going into a new type of venture later this year.

• Ronaldo nearing his retirement

  Ronaldo will go down as one of the greatest footballers of all time. What he has achieved at Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and more, has helped him put together one of the most glittering careers in the sport's history. Even though he is now in his 40s, he is still prolific for Portugal and Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. But even the veteran striker knows that this will all have to come to an end eventually. Although he has a contract with Al-Nassr until the end of the 2026-27 season, the day when he hangs up his boots for good is fast approaching. 

  When asked about retirement, he said in an interview with Piers Morgan earlier this month, "Soon. I think I will be prepared. It will be tough, of course. Will be difficult, yes. Probably I will cry, yes… It will be very, very difficult but I've prepared my future since [I was] 25, 26, 27 years old. So I think I will be capable to support that pressure."

  Incidentally, some of his business enterprises include CR7 Clothing, CR7 Fitness, his own YouTube channel, and more.

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• Ronaldo's private club to open in Madrid

  According to Spanish publication , entrepreneur Inigo Onieva and Mabel Hospitality, the firm of Ronaldo and businessman Manuel Campos Guallar, have launched Vega Private Members Club. The report says it will 'redefine' how socialising and business is done in Madrid, with the opening scheduled before the end of the year at 88 Lagasca Street in the heart of the Golden Mile. The 1,000-square metre space will prohibit the use of mobile phones and photos and will be used for meetings, private offices, co-working and a podcast studio during the day. At night, the space will transform into a social meeting point with exclusive dinners and specialised bars. The 'club' will have three spaces to cover different times of the day: Casa Vega (contemporary bistro), Vega Restaurant, and Toto (Italian restaurant). There will also be a wine club that offers private cava and wine experiences. However, it will not be cheap. The most coveted membership, the founders' membership, can only be obtained by invitation and requires a one-time payment of €15,000. With it comes lifetime access, priority bookings and tailor-made experiences. Cheaper deals can be found from €2,400 per year plus an initial fee of €2,000. 

• Ronaldo looks to the future

  In the same interview with Morgan, Ronaldo said retiring from football will finally give him the time to pursue other things. But he admitted that the thrill of winning a game or scoring a goal will never be topped.

  "Nothing will compare to the adrenaline we have for football to score a goal. But I have other passions. [When I retire] I'm going to have more time for me, have more time for my family, to raise my kids. I want to be more a family person, more present," he said. "Also, to have my own hobbies. I like to see UFC, the fights. I like padel. I like and I want to learn more about my companies. I'll never be a [full-time] YouTuber, of course, but I want to be there. I'm going to spend more time on that to learn. I think I'm going to do funny things and things I'm not used to doing before. Because I live football 24 hours [each day] to do the right things and perform."

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  What comes next for Ronaldo?

  Before Ronaldo has one more crack at securing Portugal's first-ever World Cup triumph in 2026, he will be focused on firing Al-Nassr to silverware success after a trophyless spell at the club so far. They are on track to end that run, however, as they are top of the Saudi Pro League.

He thumped 60 off 22 balls as Afghanistan seek victory for a place in Super Fours

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Sep-2025

Sri Lanka dominated proceedings for 18 out of 20 overs, but in those two overs, Afghanistan and Mohammad Nabi grabbed the momentum, and indeed the upper hand, as Afghanistan tore into Sri Lanka – primarily Dunith Wellalage – to score a whopping 49 runs off the final two overs and end on 169 for 8.Nabi ended on an incredible 60 off 22 balls, run out off the final delivery of the innings, as he saved his best for last against Wellalage, who had earlier dropped Nabi when he was on 6.For context, Wellalage, a left-arm spinner, was left to bowl the final over after Maheesh Theekshana had been left out of the XI, and the seamers had been bowled out earlier in the innings. That gamble seemed to have paid off for large parts of this innings, as Nuwan Thushara picked up figures of 4 for 18, while Chameera was unlucky to go for 50 runs in his four.Dasun Shanaka, the nominal fifth bowler, had gone for 29 runs, but picked up a wicket, while Wanindu Hasaranga had gone wicketless but was miserly in giving away just 18. But none of that accounted for leaving Wellalage against Nabi, a specialist spin hitter, at the last.Wellage attempted to bowl quick and flat, but he was no match as ball after ball was sent into the stands – over long-off and cow corner, time and time and time and time and time again. It was a brutal display of hitting, and one that a player as young as Wellalage will do well to try and put out of his mind sooner rather than later.But for Afghanistan, it was just what they needed in a must-win game.

Joao Pedro has promised to do one thing for Chelsea team-mate Moises Caicedo after he helped end his nine-game goal drought in Saturday’s 1-0 victory at Tottenham.

Summer recruit Pedro started life at Stamford Bridge with two goals in his first three Premier League games, but had failed to find the net since August before his 34th-minute winner in north London.

Pedro, who was thwarted on three other occasions by Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, was indebted to Caicedo after he won back possession from Micky van de Ven and teed up the Chelsea forward to fire home.

Caicedo was later described as two of the best defensive midfielders in the world by boss Enzo Maresca along with Manchester City’s Rodri.

Pedro's plans for Caicedo after Chelsea winner

Brazil attacker Pedro echoed that sentiment and reflected on the importance of his goal in a period where he has struggled to train due to unspecified fitness problems and plans to take Caicedo out for dinner following his assist.

Chelsea’s fifth straight win at Tottenham helped them bounce back from a shock 2-1 home defeat to Sunderland on October 25.

It helped rebuild momentum for Maresca’s talented but youthful squad ahead of a midweek trip to Qarabag in the Champions League and Saturday’s visit of bottom-of-the-table Wolves.

Pedro added: “I think it was a big game, a derby and we know they are a good team.

“We knew we had to do 100 per cent to win this kind of game and we did. We won the game and now we need to look forward.”

Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank has major issues to solve in attack after they registered an XG (expected goals) figure of 0.05 – the lowest the club has recorded since records started in the 2012-13 season.

Maresca must drop Chelsea star who had fewer touches than Sanchez vs Spurs

What will not help Frank’s cause is the likely absence of Lucas Bergvall for Tuesday’s visit of Copenhagen after he was forced off with suspected concussion early on during the loss to Chelsea.

“That was a concussion, so he totally couldn’t stay on and I think the medical team did a good job in that aspect,” Frank reflected.

“And even if he wanted to stay on, it’s the right decision.

“Of course, we would have loved to have him continue. That’s why we picked him in the starting XI.

“Unfortunately, that couldn’t happen. So others will step in. Xavi (Simons) knew the game plan.”

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O Brasil encara a Colômbia em Barranquilla nesta noite de quinta-feira (16) e o jogo será especial para dois jogadores do Palmeiras.

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Endrick e Richard Rios se encaram pela primeira vez por suas respectivas seleções e vão viver um momento diferente na amizade que a dupla construiu desde que o colombiano chegou no Palmeiras, em abril de 2023.

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O santo de Endrick e Rios bateu desde o início, e a joia alviverde foi desde sempre um dos grandes amigos do ex-Guarani dentro do elenco alviverde, tanto que sempre que um dos dois marcam gols, eles celebram juntos, independente se um estiver no banco de reservas ou não.

No banco de reservas das suas respectivas seleções, Endrick e Rios lutam por uma oportunidade para entrarem em campo neste duelo importante pelas Eliminatórias da Copa do Mundo.

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Raphael Veiga, outro jogador do Palmeiras que foi convocado por Fernando Diniz, também deve ficar como opção no banco de reservas diante da seleção de James Rodriguez.

+ Aníbal Moreno supre carência do Palmeiras, ajuda Zé Rafael e será ‘dor de cabeça’ para dupla

A bola rola para Colômbia e Brasil nesta quinta-feira (16), a partir das 21h (horário de Brasília) e o jogo terá transmissão da Rede Globo e do Sportv.

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Paris Saint-Germain summer signing Lucas Chevalier is aware of the demands and the subsequent criticism at his new club if he fails to meet the expectations. The former Lille goalkeeper, who replaced Gianluigi Donnarumma in a team that lifted the Champions League last season, admitted that any player who underperforms at Paris Saint-Germain gets "put six feet under."

Chevalier signed as Donnarumma exits PSG

PSG made a shock move for Chevalier over the summer, signing him from Lille for a €40 million (£34m/$47m) fee. This came after reports during the summer claimed that PSG had informed Donnarumma that he would no longer remain the first-choice goalkeeper, with head coach Luis Enrique wanting to sign a new goalkeeper that fit the requirements of his system. Eventually, Donnarumma departed Parc des Princes and joined Manchester City in the Premier League.

AdvertisementAFPChevalier's first few months at PSG haven't been spotless

Chevalier has started the 2025–26 season as Luis Enrique’s undisputed first-choice goalkeeper, but his performances have at times fallen short of expectations. The former Lille star has shown moments of lapses in concentration and made questionable decisions, underscoring the need for further experience to thrive at a club of PSG’s stature.

That vulnerability was on full display at the Stade Velodrome in the 1-0 loss to Marseille in September, when Chevalier failed to deal with a cross from the right, allowing Nayef Aguerd to rise unchallenged and score with a commanding header. The goalkeeper was neither close to the ball nor in control, his right arm flailing and his back turned. The early strike immediately put PSG on the back foot, handing Marseille the chance to dictate the tempo of the match.

Chevalier’s struggles have not been limited to that encounter. In PSG’s 3–3 draw against Strasbourg, he was again culpable for costly errors, leaving the team exposed at critical moments. His performance drew scathing criticism from former France goalkeeper Lionel Charbonnier.

"He's not doing enough. He didn't do the job. In the first goal, at first I thought it was a complicated header and after analysing it, he was moving backwards. He shouldn't be moving backwards, he should be moving forwards," the 1998 World Cup-winning keeper told after the defeat to Roberto De Zerbi's side.

"He's leaning back, so he's jumping backwards and that's unacceptable. "On the second goal, he tried to stretch his leg out, his studs got caught in the turf. For me, for the moment, the suit is too big for Chevalier. You put it with his performances at Lille, he doesn't concede the two goals. He's very small. When you look at him, you get the impression that the goal is huge. He doesn't have the charisma at the moment. But he will grow, we have to give him time."

Chevalier learning to deal with the demands at PSG

Speaking to , Chevalier explained that he's slowly starting to adjust to life at PSG. "Everything is scrutinised, you can't afford to make a mistake, you have to be good right away," he said. "Honestly, they look for the little things… Good is normal. Not-so-good isn't. But ultimately, it's good to have that from the start. I think that when you're very good here, you're really put on a pedestal, more so than at Lille. But if you're not good, you're put six feet under.

"I'm feeling better and better. My arrival really accelerated in the last few days, and we immediately started preparing for the European Super Cup against Tottenham. So, the first few months, at least the first month and a half, there was a bit of discomfort. I was still staying in a hotel. And I'm quite a creature of habit, quite methodical, and at that point, it was a bit of a free-for-all. At the very beginning, it wasn't easy in general. But now, I'm starting to get into a routine, whether it's at the club, how I train, or outside of it."

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AFPLuis Enrique has complete faith in Chevalier

Ahead of PSG's clash against Bayer Leverkusen last month, Luis Enrique leapt to Chevalier's defence. He said: "It's the same every year, I'm very happy with your feelings. I'm very happy with Lucas Chevalier! For me he's one of the best options or THE best option. I'm very happy with his performances. And when we recruit a player, we think over a long period of time.

"And what I can say about Lucas Chevalier is that I like his personality, his level as player. We are very confident that he will be very important to the team for many years to come. That is the confidence we have in our player, and especially for me, when I see Lucas Chevalier's performance during these matches, I see what I want to see. And for me, that is enough."

Luis Enrique also voiced his disapproval of the media’s treatment of both Chevalier and Donnarumma. The PSG manager acknowledged that Donnarumma had faced considerable media criticism during his time at the club but conceded that such scrutiny is an inevitable aspect of playing for a club of Les Parisiens' stature.

"He has personality, he showed it and he still shows it in training and in matches. What I like… I think you don't remember for how many years you criticized Gigio Donnarumma. I remember perfectly!" he added. "The last four years, you killed him. You killed Gigio Donnarumma sportingly. So please… even when I wasn't the coach of Paris Saint-Germain. I felt all the time that you criticised Gigio Donnarumma. When you are a goalkeeper of a club like Paris Saint-Germain, you have to learn to live with that."

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O lateral-direito Júnior Caiçara foi anunciado, nesta quarta-feira (30), e aproveitou a ocasião para falar da sua relação e torcida pelo Santos. Diante da oportunidade de defender o time de coração, o jogador se emocionou e contou a motivação de tirar o time da atual situação.

– Eu queria dizer que estou muito feliz. Dá até vontade de chorar hoje aqui. Eu vivi minha vida inteira fora do Brasil e vestir essa camisa significa muito para mim. Para minha mãe, meu pai e meus irmãos. Eu tenho certeza que tá todo muito feliz hoje. Quero agradecer o torcedor santista pela recepção calorosa que me deram. Sei o que significa esse momento para o Santos. Vou me doar ao máximo. Tem muita gente me cobrando por ficar esse período parado. Espero retribuir dentro de campo para tirar dessa situação o mais rápido possível – disse o novo reforço do Alvinegro Praiano.

+ Já atualizou sua camisa de 2023? Confira os novos uniformes do Peixe!

Sem jogar uma partida profissional desde janeiro, o atleta sofreu com uma lesão e um longo tempo de recuperação. Porém, Caiçara diz se sentir pronto fisicamente.

– Tive uma microcirurgia no meu tendão que eu precisava fazer. Estava jogando com dor, conversei com o Istanbul Basaksehir e optei pela cirurgia. Infelizmente fiquei um tempo longo parado. Trabalhei para estar pronto para esse momento. Sabia que Deus ia me honrar para hoje estar aqui. Quero contribuir e estar na expectativa do torcedor – declarou o jogador.

VEJA OUTRAS RESPOSTAS DE JÚNIOR CAIÇARA:

TRABALHO DO TREINADOR DO SANTOS

Diego tem mostrado um trabalho incrível mostrado dentro de campo contra o Grêmio e também no primeiro tempo contra o Atlético-MG. O time está muito bem e vai sair dessa situação o mais rápido possível

SONHO DE VESTIR A CAMISA DO SANTOS

(Eu sinto) um pouco de tudo. É um clube que eu sempre sonhei em jogar, eu cresci aqui e meus parentes todos são daqui. Vestir essa camisa significa muito, não só para mim. Qualquer jogador que vestir isso daqui tem que se sentir emocionado. O torcedor não merece passar pelo que está passando.

JOGA CONTRA O AMÉRICA-MG?

Eu poderia ter viajado para enfrentar o Athletico. Acredito que a comissão está feliz com o meu rendimento dentro de campo. Quando se tem um treinador inteligente isso acontece. Não adianta treinar só uma semana e chegar para jogar. Eu estava empolgado para ir e me sinto pronto para jogar. Espero poder estar em campo neste fim de semana, se o Diego deixar isso.

LESÃO E RECUPERAÇÃO

Eu estive trabalhando. Agradeço à Portuguesa Santista por abrir as portas para mim. Se não fosse isso, não estaria me sentindo tão bem quanto estou me sentindo para estar ajudando o Santos. Quem pode dizer isso é a comissão técnica. Acredito que, dentro daquilo que sempre joguei, me sinto pronto fisicamente. Para mim também é um momento muito especial na minha carreira.

CARACTERÍSTICAS DE JOGO

Eu me coloco como um lateral mais ofensivo, mas o futebol de hoje exige que o lateral trabalhe bem e venho evoluindo meu nível de futebol. Venho melhorando na defesa também, venho demonstrando isso na minha carreira. Espero que assim eu consiga ajudar o Santos.

PORQUE A CONTRATAÇÃO NÃO ACONTECEU ANTES

Na verdade eu não trabalho dentro do Santos. Eu sempre quis estar aqui. É a cereja do bolo da minha carreira. Eu acredito que os treinadores que estavam aqui achavam que meu futebol não se adequava ao estilo de jogo, acha que o diretor que estava aqui achava isso também. Queria estar aqui antes, mas hoje estou e estou feliz demais.

DIMINUIÇÃO DO TEMPO DE JOGO

Eu fiquei um período fora e quando eu voltei era o final da competição. Fiz uma boa pré-temporada, mas acabei sentindo um desconforto do outro que foi o que me impediu de jogar o meu melhor futebol. Graças a Deus estou trabalhando forte sem dor e sem nada.

SEMANA DE TESTES

Fiz várias ressonâncias magnéticas. Fiz trabalho na esteira e surpreendi o pessoal da fisiologia do Santos. A questão era só ganhar tempo de campo. Eu vejo no olhar dos jogadores que a gente sabe da importância desse momento. O trabalho está sendo intenso. Eu via de fora, como torcedor, e eu não via o Santos jogando bem. Agora, eu estou vendo diariamente o trabalho que está sendo feito e o pessoal está se dedicando ao máximo para tirar o Santos o mais rápido possível dessa situação, e tenho certeza que vai acontecer.

* Gabriel Teles sob supervisão de Sidney Daguano

Arsenal continued their strong run of form in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Mikel Arteta’s side played host to Greek outfit Olympiacos and picked up their second win of the campaign.

The Gunners ran out 2-0 winners in the end, and while they could have scored plenty more, the visitors put up more of a fight than some would have been expecting.

With that said, almost everyone who featured for the hosts put in a strong showing, including someone who could end up becoming a new Bukayo Saka for Arsenal.

Saka's rise at Arsenal

Saka was handed his Arsenal debut by former manager Unai Emery back in November 2018. He came off the bench in a game away to Ukrainian side Vorskla Poltava, and then made his full debut for the club a few months later at home against Qarabağ.

However, while the Hale Ender showed some real promise early on, he didn’t make all that many appearances under the now Aston Villa coach.

In fact, before Arteta was appointed in December 2019, the dynamic winger had made just 16 appearances for the first team, most of which came on the left-hand side, either in left midfield or at left-back.

Fortunately, the 24-year-old began to be moved over to the right more in the following campaign, and by the start of the 2021/22 season, he was well and truly established as the Gunners’ first-choice right-winger.

More than that, though, the youngster would then develop into the team’s most important attacking outlet, a role he still fulfils to this day, as reflected in his incredible numbers.

For example, despite still being only 24 years old, the talismanic winger has made 269 appearances for the North Londoners to date, scoring 72 goals and providing 72 assists.

Unfortunately, with him being so key to the club’s attacking threat, the last couple of years have seen opposition teams double and triple up on him, making it far harder for the incredible talent to create opportunities for Arteta and Co.

Saka’s Arsenal career

Appearances

269

Starts

233

Minutes

20358′

Goals

72

Assists

72

Goal Involvements per Match

0.53

Minutes per Goal Involvement

141.37

All Stats via Transfermarkt

The good news is that Arsenal have added more quality to the side to help mitigate that problem, including someone who could be like a new Saka for the side.

The Arsenal star becoming a new Saka

Arteta and Andrea Berta did well to add a few new attacking talents to this Arsenal squad over the summer, from the direct and tricky Noni Madueke to the versatile and mercurial Eberechi Eze.

Chalkboard

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

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However, when it comes to the player who has the best chance of embodying some of the things that make Saka such a star for this team, it has to be Viktor Gyokeres.

Now, some of you will rightly point out that the pair play in different positions, and that, as things stand, the former Sporting CP star has not scored as many goals as some would’ve hoped.

Yet, there are still elements in his game that are similar to the Hale Ender’s, most notably his gravitational effect on the game.

That might sound like an odd way to talk about a footballer, but this essentially means that, just as the Englishman has spent the last few years being double and triple-teamed by defenders, the Swedish international is already dragging opposition defenders all over the pitch this season.

He might not be scoring with the regularity that some would like, but the 6 foot 2 “powerhouse”, as described by data analyst Ben Mattinson, is already starting to make the right runs, get into the correct positions, and this, combined with the fact that he has a lethal shot on him, means that defenders cannot leave him alone.

This was on full display on Wednesday night, particularly for the first goal, as his charge towards the penalty area saw two defenders converge on him and left space for Gabriel Martinelli to tap the ball into the back of the net after his shot was saved.

Just imagine the gravitational impact he’s going to have on defenders when he’s up to speed and putting away the chances so many know he can.

Ultimately, Gyokeres isn’t on the same level as Saka and has plenty of differences in his game with the Englishman.

However, he is one of the few players capable of striking a similar level of fear into opponents and one of the few attackers who’ll force them to converge on him.

Related Outclassed by Odegaard: Arteta must drop Arsenal dud who lost the ball 14x

Arsenal secured a 2-0 win over Olympiacos in the Champions League.

Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 2, 2025