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Southampton are taking significant steps in their search for a new manager after sacking Will Still last week.

The Saints, after an underwhelming start to the campaign, sit 19th in the Championship, just six points above the relegation zone, having won just three of their 14 league games so far.

Southampton’s turbulent season took another dramatic turn when the club parted ways with Still after just five months in charge. The 33-year-old’s brief tenure at St Mary’s came to an abrupt end following a 2-0 home defeat to Preston North End, their third consecutive loss and fifth straight game without a win at the time.

Still recorded a dismal average of just 0.92 points per game in the Championship, leaving Southampton chiefs with no choice but to pull the plug.

Will Still’s tenure at Southampton

Competition

Matches

Wins

Draws

Losses

Points

Points per match

Championship

13

2

6

5

12

0.92

EFL Cup

3

2

0

1

6

2.00

Total

16

4

6

6

18

1.13

via Transfermarkt

It marked yet another chapter in Sport Republic’s chaotic ownership, with Still becoming the latest in a long line of coaches sacked during their regime.

Still arrived with growing pedigree after a few successful years in France and was once regularly linked with a Premier League move, but struggled to translate that success to English football.

The Belgian native was tasked with securing an immediate return to the Premier League following last season’s relegation, but instead left Southampton perilously close to a second consecutive drop that would represent an unthinkable disaster.

Now, the process to hire his successor has begun, and there are a few noteworthy candidates who are being mentioned by the media.

Under-21s boss Tonda Eckert has been appointed interim manager and immediately guided the team to a 2-1 victory at QPR, temporarily halting the rot. However, Southampton’s hierarchy are actively searching for a permanent replacement.

Reports suggest high-flying Coventry City boss Frank Lampard is an ambitious option for Southampton, with the Saints also weighing up a reunion for Russell Martin.

A number of other candidates are being assessed too, including Stoke City manager Mark Robins (talkSPORT), England Under-21 boss Lee Carsley, and Gary O’Neil.

In terms of the latter, Telegraph reporter Mike McGrath shared news earlier this week that O’Neil is a strong contender for the Southampton job, and there’s now been another update on the Englishman’s potential appointment.

Southampton 'looking to finalise' Gary O'Neil deal after making approach

As per TEAMtalk, O’Neil is emerging as the clear frontrunner to take charge.

The south coast club have now made an approach to O’Neil over their vacant position, with talks expected to intensify in the coming days as both parties “look to finalise an agreement”.

O’Neil is said to be in pole position to become Southampton’s new manager, with the club having admirers of his previous Premier League work.

Southampton’s search has apparently narrowed to three main candidates. Former Manchester United star Michael Carrick, who was most recently manager of Middlesbrough, remains in contention due to his strong reputation, while Martin is also still a candidate and would be open to discussions about returning to St Mary’s after his Rangers dismissal.

O’Neil is said to be “highly respected” in Premier League circles after his work at Bournemouth and Wolves (Miguel Delaney), even if his tenures did end in sour fashion, and he was briefly considered for the West Ham job recently.

The 42-year-old steered a hapless Bournemouth side clear of relegation in his first season with limited resources, and took charge of Wolves in very difficult circumstances after Julen Lopetegui’s sudden exit — briefly steadying the ship at Molineux.

His track record suggests that O’Neil could be an astute appointment by Sport Republic, and given his free agent status, Southampton won’t have to fork out a compensation fee.

O’Neil has also been called an “underrated” tactician.

SA will also have to contend with playing the same team that bowled them out for 69, at the same venue, in their opening game

Vishal Dikshit28-Oct-20253:47

Do England have an advantage playing at Guwahati?

Big picture: Ghosts to bury for South AfricaWe often have poignant memories of certain places that come rushing back when we return to them. As much as they would want to avoid it, South Africa could experience this on their return to Guwahati, where they began their World Cup 2025 campaign by being dismantled for 69 in just 20.4 overs. On Wednesday, they will play a semi-final at the same ground, against the same opponents, England.South Africa’s batters had seemed to overcome that opening-match shock, firing in five successive wins, until they ran into Australia in their last match of the league stage. If they had succumbed to Linsey Smith, Sophie Ecclestone and Charlie Dean in the game against England, it was spin again that undid them now, the magic right wrist of Alana King sending them hurtling to 97 all out.Related

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South Africa take hurt, hope and hard lessons into the semi-finals

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If their net sessions on Tuesday were anything to go by, South Africa will look to counterpunch, whether England throw spin or pace at them. Their batters had a hit in the sun, hitting uninhibitedly in the air, getting plenty of appreciative yells and thumbs up from head coach Mandla Mashimbyi.It isn’t just spin demons that South Africa must exorcise to reach their maiden ODI World Cup final. Their only semi-final appearances so far came in the last two editions of the tournament, and England shattered their dreams both times, heartbreakingly in 2017 and more comprehensively in 2022.At the start of this year, England themselves wouldn’t have expected to be the second-best team at this World Cup, having changed their captain and coach after a 7-0 blanking in the Ashes. But they buried their own ghosts, overcame wobbles against Bangladesh, snatched a game from hosts India, and crashed Sophie Devine’s farewell party before flying to Guwahati.Despite their volatile results in recent times, England have a lot more World Cup pedigree: they are four-time champions, they have made the semi-finals in each of the last six editions, and have turned out in all but one of the last four finals. If South Africa want to beat their nemesis, they will hope to make the most of a helpful Guwahati strip to break open England’s middle order. This is perhaps the only base England haven’t covered yet; they tried to fix it in their last league match, bringing in the experienced Danni Wyatt-Hodge.2:33

Kapp vs Knight, and other key match-ups to watch out for

Form guideEngland WLWWW (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
South Africa LWWWWIn the spotlight: Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Marizanne KappDanni Wyatt-Hodge, 34 and in her fourth ODI World Cup, brings a wealth of experience that she finally brought to the XI when she came in for Emma Lamb well after England had booked their semi-final berth. She got all of seven balls to face in a modest chase of 169 against New Zealand, and will hope to channel the 2022 semi-final, which she dominated with a 125-ball 129 as opener. She has since moved down the order, hasn’t scored another hundred yet, and has gone past 50 just twice in 24 innings. She will hope she can put her hand up on Wednesday and put behind her an English summer during which she was dropped from the ODI set-up.Marizanne Kapp has hardly been herself at this World Cup, at least in terms of numbers. Barring her two half-centuries against Pakistan and Bangladesh, she hasn’t gone past 20 yet, and her seven wickets so far don’t quite reflect her body of work and skills with the ball. Having finished the 2017 edition with 13 scalps and the 2022 one with 12, she would definitely want to get into double-digits in her fifth ODI World Cup.Team newsSophie Ecclestone bowled just four balls against New Zealand and hurt her left shoulder while fielding. An MRI scan showed a “minor injury” close to her collarbone, and she trained on Tuesday evening, but bowled for barely 15 minutes before she switched to batting. While Ecclestone may not yet be 100% fit, England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt said she would be “wanting to get out onto that pitch regardless of how she’s feeling.” If she doesn’t make it, England could bring in legspinner Sarah Glenn, who has so far only featured in the rain-hit match against Pakistan.England (possible): 1 Amy Jones (wk), 2 Tammy Beaumont, 3 Heather Knight, 4 Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), 5 Danni Wyatt-Hodge, 6 Sophia Dunkley, 7 Alice Capsey, 8 Charlie Dean, 9 Sophie Ecclestone, 10 Linsey Smith, 11 Lauren Bell.South Africa may not feel the need to make any changes to their XI from the Australia game, unless they want to bring in a third frontline spinner for the slower conditions in Guwahati.South Africa (probable): 1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Tazmin Brits, 3 Sune Luus, 4 Annerie Dercksen, 5 Marizanne Kapp, 6 Sinalo Jafta (wk), 7 Chloe Tryon, 8 Nadine de Klerk, 9 Masabata Klaas, 10 Ayabonga Khaka, 11 Nonkululeko Mlaba.2:55

‘SA will be confident in their batting unit’

Pitch and conditionsGuwahati has not had a game in over two weeks, which effectively makes the pitch for the semi-final a fresh one. The surfaces here so far have offered plenty of purchase for the spinners, with grip, turn and a lack of pace that has made run-scoring more challenging than it has been in Indore, Visakhapatnam and Navi Mumbai. The weather in Guwahati looked ominous a few days ago, but has mostly cleared since.If there’s not enough time to complete the game on Wednesday, the reserve day will come into effect on Thursday.Stats and trivia Marizanne Kapp needs four more wickets to go level with Jhulan Goswami (43) at the top of the overall list of wicket-takers in ODI World Cups. Kapp and Megan Schutt are on 39, along with the retired Australian Lyn Fullston. England dominate the head-to-head between these two teams, with a 36-10 win-loss record. Laura Wolvaardt is 48 runs away from becoming the first South African woman to reach the 5000 mark in ODIs. Nonkululeko Mlaba needs just one wicket to reach 50 in ODIs Heather Knight (944) Tammy Beaumont (897) are closing in on 1000 ODI World Cup runs.Quotes”I think we were a totally different-looking side. They’ve got a lot of different players as well. So I think it’s sort of a fresh opportunity and it starts from zero. So I’m looking forward to the challenge and hopefully we’re able to learn from those semi-final victories that we’ve got and maybe stay a bit calmer under pressure.”
“That was obviously a long time ago in the tournament and I guess since then we’ve played a lot of games. But, yeah, South Africa obviously have had some brilliant games since then and are a dangerous side.”

Sri Lanka went into the game unchanged after Dunith Wellalage re-joined the team

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2025

Bangladesh won the toss and decided to bowl, as the Asia Cup Super Fours stage kicked off in Dubai. Chasing sides have a 70% win record at this venue and that played a big part in Litton Das’ decision. He also added that he was a little “confused” by how the wicket would behave.Sri Lanka are a side that prefers to chase in general, and Charith Asalanka said as much though, with this being a used pitch, he’s not too bothered by batting first.Sri Lanka have gone with an unchanged XI with Dunith Wellalage rejoining the team after leaving for home following his father’s death. Bangladesh have made two changes with Mahedi Hasan and Shoriful Islam coming back into the side. Offspinner Mahedi’s return is presumably to combat Sri Lanka’s left-hander heavy batting line-up.Related

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Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar during the pitch report noted that while the potential of dew means chasing might be easier, if it doesn’t come in and the pitch continues to get drier, that equation could change. In terms of ground dimensions, one square boundary is shorter than the other.Sri Lanka: 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Mendis (wk), 3 Kamil Mishara, 4 Kusal Perera, 5 Charith Asalanka (capt), 6 Kamindu Mendis, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Dunith Wellalage, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Nuwan ThusharaBangladesh: 1 Saif Hassan, 2 Tanzid Hasan, 3 Litton Das (capt & wk), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Jaker Ali, 6 Shamim Hossain, 7 Mahedi Hasan, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Shoriful Islam, 11 Mustafizur Rahman.

Thomas Tuchel brings an “aura” which can give England a major advantage in their quest to win the World Cup next summer, according to Harry Kane. The Three Lions captain has opened up about what it is like to play under the German head coach, whom he previously worked with during their period together at Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich.

• England have been perfect in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup

  England are looking to round off their World Cup qualifying campaign in style when they travel to Albania on Sunday. Tuchel’s men have been perfect in securing their place at next summer’s showpiece in Canada, Mexico and the United States, winning all seven of their games in Group K.

  The 1966 winners have also scored 20 goals and conceded none in what has been an impressive start to life under Tuchel, who replaced Sir Gareth Southgate at the helm in October 2024. Former boss Southgate stepped down after England’s 2-1 defeat against Spain in the final of Euro 2024.

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• AFP
  

  Three Lions captain Kane believes Tuchel can be ace in the pack

  And as England prepare for an Albania game which represents their final competitive outing before the World Cup, one eye is already being cast on what Tuchel’s side need to do between now and the start of the competition to ensure they are in the best shape in their quest for glory.

  And in Kane's opinion, England already have an ace up in their sleeve with the presence of Tuchel, whom he worked with at German giants Bayern between 2023 and 2024. Widely regarded as one of the greatest managers in world football, Tuchel has won numerous honours across successful spells with Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, including leading the Blues to the 2020-21 Champions League.

• Kane labels England boss as 'one of the best managers in the world'

  Lifting the lid on what life is like under Tuchel’s stewardship, Kane said ahead of the Albania game: "He's done a really good job. Coming in to being England manager is never easy, especially after Gareth who was one of our most successful managers. He's [Tuchel] tried to stamp his own feel into training, into meetings.

  "He comes with a lot of enthusiasm. Tactically we are really precise going into every game. He's been building different ideas leading up to next summer. Form now until then there will be more he would like to add. Tactically he has been fantastic.

  "He brings a personality, he brings an aura that represents an England manager. Going into a major tournament that is important as well. Other teams know he is one of the best managers in the world and that brings weight as well."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Bayern striker names two teams who will rival England for World Cup glory

  While England will head to the World Cup not just on the back of a fruitful qualifying campaign but having also reached back-to-back European Championship finals, Kane is well aware his side are merely one of a number of countries who will fancy their chances of success in North America.

  When asked who Kane believes could pose the biggest threat to England’s hopes of claiming just their second major honour, the Bayern striker tipped two familiar foes to impress on the biggest stage in world football.

  "France are going to play a big part in next year's World Cup, me and Michael [Olise, Bayern team-mate] get on and joke about it," said Kane.

  "Then most of the German team, they will want to go far in the tournament. There is healthy competition and healthy banter between the guys on who can get their hands on the World Cup next summer."

  England suffered a 2-1 quarter-final loss at the hands of France at the 2022 World Cup, while the Three Lions defeated West Germany in the 1966 final at Wembley – the greatest day in the national team’s history.

Southampton interim manager Tonda Eckert will be in the dugout for the next three Championship matches before a decision is made on his future at the club.

Sky Sports journalist Lyall Thomas added that the German tactician is bidding to land the role on a full-time basis, which makes these next three games an important audition for him.

He has already won his first two games in charge of the club, beating QPR 2-1 and Sheffield Wednesday 3-1, after stepping in because of Will Still’s departure.

Why Southampton need an upgrade on Will Still

The Saints need to find a manager who can be an upgrade on their previous head coach, as obvious as it sounds, because his track record before coming to St. Mary’s did not suggest that he was an obvious candidate.

Of course, finishing in midtable with two different Ligue 1 clubs as a 33-year-old head coach is impressive, given that it is one of the best leagues in Europe, but each manager has different skills that suit certain environments.

Southampton, from the outside looking in, appeared to need a leader who could galvanise the club after such a dismal relegation from the Premier League, whilst also having the coaching outlook required to mount a promotion push.

25/26 (Championship)

13

12 (21st)

24/25 (Ligue 1)

34

52 (8th)

23/24 (Ligue 1)

31

40 (11th)

22/23 (Ligue 1)

28

43 (11th)

20/21 (Pro League)

13

17 (9th)

17/18 (Challenger Pro League)

9

22 (3rd)

As you can see in the table above, Still, aside from nine games as an interim years before his first major job, had never been in an environment where he was expected to win consistently and be at the top of the table.

That lack of alignment between coaching and expectation may have been a contributing factor to Southampton ending up in 21st place in the table, with the benefit of hindsight.

Now, in what may be a controversial suggestion, Sport Republic could replace Eckert and find an upgrade on Still by returning to Russell Martin to hire him as their next manager.

Why Southampton should hire Russell Martin

It was reported earlier this month that the former Rangers boss still has admirers in the boardroom at St. Mary’s and it has been claimed that some first-team players and staff are open to his return, suggesting that he could be an option in their managerial search.

Like him or loathe him, Martin is a good communicator and can lead a group when there is buy-in and potential for positive momentum with results, which may not have worked out at Premier League level, or at Rangers.

The 39-year-old tactician’s style of play was described as “successful” and a “joy to watch” by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. Whilst they may have been untrue in the Premier League, it was certainly the case in the Championship, which is where Southampton are now.

Pass accuracy

87.7%

1st

Passes into the penalty area

594

1st

Progressive passes

2556

1st

Shot-creating actions

1255

1st

xG

79.8

2nd

Points per game

1.89

4th

When the Saints were promoted under Martin in the 2023/24 campaign, his team were incredible offensively, as shown in the table, above, as they went on to win the play-offs.

This shows that the ex-Swansea boss has the relevant experience required to take on the job at hand, as Southampton look to get promoted back to the top-flight, because he has been there and done it, which was not the case for Still in the summer.

There are major question marks over his Premier League capabability, due to one win in 16 matches last season in the division, which is why it would be interesting to see if he would consider a deal until the end of the season.

Bringing Martin in on a short-term deal until the end of this season to see if he can spark a reaction out of the players and use his experience to guide the team towards the play-offs, before a longer-term appointment is made with the Premier League in mind, could be a shrewd way to go about it.

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ByCharlie Smith Nov 21, 2025

Lauren Bell triggers 8 for 27 collapse to consign Welsh Fire to bottom of the pile

ECB Media28-Aug-2025Southern Brave 106 for 8 (Adams 30*, Matthews 2-16) beat Welsh Fire 77 for 9 (Beaumont 28, Bell 4-6) by 29 runsIn the final match before The Hundred Eliminator on Saturday – and with the teams already inked in for that game, which will decide who takes on the Southern Brave in Sunday’s final – this top versus bottom clash was a chance for the home side to maintain their unbeaten record, a feat never before achieved in The Hundred, or for the Fire to find a spark from the dying embers of their campaign.And it looked for all the world like the visitors would do just that, a disciplined bowling performance restricting an experimental Brave batting line-up to just 106 for 8. It took skipper Georgia Adams’ resolute unbeaten innings (30 off 26) to get them up to that mark, with no batter able to break the shackles imposed by Hayley Matthews and Katie Levick.The Fire, low on confidence as they doubtless were, will have gone in at the break believing they could chalk up a statement victory.For the home side, Danni Wyatt-Hodge (24 off 23) and Freya Kemp (18 off 19) were the only other batters to manage double figures, while Sophie Devine’s appearance at No.8 showed that the Brave were looking to give some other batters time at the crease before Sunday’s high-stakes final.A sprightly start by Sophia Dunkley and Tammy Beaumont (28 off 29) did nothing to dispel the Fire’s belief but slowly, surely, the Brave’s superb and well-marshalled bowling attack started to turn the screw. 50 for 1 in 56 balls became 56 for 5 in 68 and the Fire had lost four wickets for six runs in 13 deliveries as a slow and low pitch made strokeplay difficult. The Brave, brimming with confidence, took full toll.Freya Kemp’s brilliant run out of Georgia Elwiss, who had just hit the Fire’s first boundary for 40 balls, was the icing on the cake and Fire’s race was run shortly after.Lauren Bell continued an outstanding tournament by finishing with the stunning figures of 4 for 6 off her full allocation – becoming this year’s leading wicket-taker in the process – as the Fire limped to 77 for 9, having lost eight wickets for 27, to lose by 29 runs.Meerkat Match Hero Lauren Bell said: “It’s been a really good tournament and I feel in a good place. We bowled exceptionally as a unit; we talk about how dots are really important and we fielded great – we are an unbelievable fielding unit.”It’s massive to get eight from eight and we can take that momentum into the final now. We didn’t want to slip up here, and at Lord’s on Sunday we’ll keep our plans really clear, keep doing the basics and enjoy the day.”

Sitting to the side of the Bernabeu during Arsenal’s triumphant night inside the Bernabeu last season, Rio Ferdinand was left in awe of an 18-year-old strutting his stuff.

“I’m sorry, is Lewis-Skelly really 18? His date of birth is right, isn’t it?”

It’s a fair question to ask. Myles Lewis-Skelly made enormous strides during the 2024/25 campaign. At the start of he was playing U21 football. By the end of it he was nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year, was a full England international and had helped guide Mikel Arteta’s team to the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Not bad at all, is it? While Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman continue to be spoken about as generational talents, the most complete Hale Ender we’ve seen in years is Lewis-Skelly.

However, is everything now starting to unravel? It’s been a difficult campaign for the teenager to date.

Why Lewis-Skelly has struggled for game time at Arsenal

Arsenal’s injury problems last term were well-documented. To the benefit of Lewis-Skelly, Oleksandr Zinchenko could barely get a game and Riccardo Calafiori spent more time on the treatment table than on the field of play.

Such a sequence of events meant that even Kieran Tierney enjoyed something of a career revival at the Emirates Stadium.

For Lewis-Skelly, however, he was the biggest winner of Arsenal’s lack of depth throughout 2024/25. He enjoyed a phenomenal season as a result, featuring on 39 occasions for the senior team, assisting two goals and scoring that strike against Manchester City.

The celebration summed up everything the Hale Ender is about. He’s a jovial, unique and confident character. He’s certainly cemented himself as one of the finest young players on the planet.

2025/26 has been more challenging. Now 19, he is yet to start in the Premier League and has enjoyed just 86 minutes of top-flight action.

While the Champions League has seen the teenager start twice, he missed out on a spot in the starting XI last week when summer arrival Piero Hincapie was selected ahead of him in Prague.

There are several reasons for his lack of action, not least Calafiori’s improved fitness but also from a tactical point of view. There is a feeling that the Italian’s defensive discipline is stronger, while Hincapie’s overlapping ability, more aligned with the inverted Leandro Trossard’s skillset, is perhaps a stronger dynamic.

While Arteta is right to manage the youngster’s minutes, it did set off alarm bells, not just among supporters but also England boss Thomas Tuchel.

Lewis-Skelly has been a regular feature in Tuchel’s squads since he was given the Three Lions gig and the full-back even scored on his international debut towards the beginning of the year.

But, the German made it abundantly clear that he needed more minutes during October’s break. “Being a good citizen isn’t enough,” he warned the teen.

Lo and behold, he was left out of the fixtures for the November break. Tuchel stated that “Myles simply needs more starts, more minutes.”

Such news sparked fear regarding the academy graduate’s future at Arsenal. Sky Sports reported this week that he was being monitored by Premier League clubs, although the Gunners are not keen on selling anyone in the January transfer window.

Lewis-Skelly is still young but there may well be another figure in the defensive ranks growing more concerned about what the future holds.

£50m signing should be worried about his Arsenal future

Cast your mind back to the beginning of Arteta’s tenure in north London. The defensive ranks were not pretty at all.

Who can forget that day in August 2021 when Manchester City beat the Gunners 5-0? Their back five that day included Cedric, Rob Holding, Calum Chambers, Sead Kolasinac and Kieran Tierney.

How far they have come since. Arsenal now boast the best defence in the league having shipped just five goals. William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are easily the best centre-back partnership in the division, while they arguably have the two best full-backs in the form of Jurrien Timber and Calafiori.

All of that means that a certain Ben White has endured quite the downfall at Arsenal, not necessarily due to his own faults but the north Londoners have simply improved significantly.

Chalkboard

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

A big issue for White has been his fitness. Last season he missed a large portion due to injury which meant he only started 13 league fixtures.

This term, while he has improved his fitness and fought hard to put himself back in the reckoning, Arteta has preferred Timber. Understandably so, too.

The Dutchman has cemented his spot and in the words of the Standard’s Simon Collings, he is “the best right-back in the Premier League right now.” There is no escaping that for White, and his lack of game time proves it.

The full-back started the win over Manchester United on the opening weekend of the season but since then he has not played a single minute of Premier League football.

He has been an unused sub on eight occasions and is struggling to earn minutes in any other competition as well. The 28-year-old has just 82 minutes of Champions League football under his belt and while he has started the League Cup wins over Port Vale and Brighton, has only managed the best part of 70 minutes in both of those games.

2021/22

37

0

2022/23

46

7

2023/24

51

9

2024/25

26

2

2025/26

6

0

When White signed in a £50m deal from Brighton back in 2021, journalist Tom Barclay wrote that the Gunners had acquired “one of the best prospects in English football.”

That much was certainly true. Despite his price tag, he proved to be an inspired pick-up, perhaps one of Arteta’s best since becoming Arsenal manager.

Signed as a centre-half, he quickly became the number one choice at right-back and was an England regular for a period of time under Gareth Southgate until that alleged fallout.

He only missed one league game during his debut year at the Emirates, played 46 matches the following season and then reached over half a century of appearances in 2023/24. Indeed, in the words of one content creator, he was Arsenal’s “most reliable player.”

Not just a rock-solid defender, he had attacking quality in abundance, registering 16 goal involvements between 2022/23 and 2023/24. His link-up and combination play with star man, Bukayo Saka, was a huge weapon for Arsenal.

Now, however, he’s made to settle for a place on the bench and unlike Lewis-Skelly, he doesn’t really have time on his side.

Linked with Manchester City in recent weeks, Arsenal may not want to get rid, but it would not be a surprise if White forced Arteta’s hand next summer if he continues to be omitted from the starting lineup.

He’s 38 and was coming into this series without a fifty in his 13 previous Test innings, but he’s roared back with a 163 against one of his favourite oppositions

Andrew Fidel Fernando18-Jun-2025We didn’t, in truth, learn a lot about Mushfiqur Rahim across the first two days of the Galle Test. That is except to say that he’s still here. That he is not going away. That he can still do this. Which actually, when you’re 38 and by a distance the oldest member of the squad, this is more important than you might think.Mushfiqur is the last remaining Test combatant from Bangladesh’s first generation of greats, Tamim Iqbal, Mashrafe Mortaza, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mahmudullah no longer appearing. There is a level of respect and space afforded to players who have given as much as Mushfiqur has, but also the threat of the companion accusation of hanging on for too long, too selfishly. Against this, there is no better antidote for a batter than runs. “You think I’m past it? Oh yeah? Say that to this 163.”Related

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• Sri Lanka claw back after Mushfiqur 163, Litton 90

• Galle becomes Bangladesh's happy place again as top-order finds form

Still, there was little in this innings that was not Mushfiqur treading ground he had already trod. We already knew he could make runs on Sri Lankan tracks. Before this innings, he averaged 62.63 on the island (it’s up to 71 now). In fact several of his most memorable cricketing moments came here. In 2013, he hit Bangladesh’s first-ever double ton at this venue. In 2017, he was at the crease when Bangladesh claimed their first Test win against Sri Lanka at the P Sara Oval, having made a fifty in the first innings of that match. Next year, he’d bossed a Nidahas Trophy chase, his mocking celebration becoming a crucial staging post in the Naagin rivalry.Now that they have been made, these essentially seem like unsurprising runs from an unsurprising source. Mushfiqur has rocked it against better Lankan attacks, on much harder Lankan pitches. And he has always had the game to succeed in these conditions. He sweeps well and cuts even better, tends to read the direction of spin out of the hand, and has strong wrists, which, as several flicks through and over midwicket on day two proved, remained in good condition.And yet there was the big problem of his having arrived in Sri Lanka having not made a fifty in his 13 previous Test innings. Where in younger years this kind of lean stretch may have been viewed as a dip in form, when you are a couple of hops from 40, the accusation is that this is probably a terminal decline. At this stage of his career, Mushfiqur doesn’t need to show growth. Summoning a vintage performance? That’s the stuff.Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das added a century stand•Associated PressNajmul Hossain Shanto was the first to triple figures, and later Litton Das scored his runs more rapidly, but there was no more assured innings in this mammoth Bangladesh batting performance than Mushfiqur’s. There were no early jitters, no periods of the innings in which he appeared to get stuck, no bowler against whom he laboured, and even though he said he felt he got stuck on 99 a little, he only faced four scoreless balls before taking the single that took him to the hundred. It was no big deal, which was essentially the theme of Mushfiqur’s entire innings. A flat surface, an inexperienced opposition attack – why shouldn’t he be scoring runs here?”Mushfiqur has come back strongly and shown his character,” said Mohammad Salahuddin, Bangladesh’s assistant coach after Mushfiqur hit his 163. “He can inspire the team. He has great work ethic, and he is trying to improve all the time. It’s what you want from any senior player.”With the World Test Championship now introducing a “cycle” into the Test cricket consciousness, retirements now require a little more thinking about. “Can I last two more years?” is essentially the calculation Test cricketers in their mid-to-late 30s have to make now. On the Sri Lankan side, 37-year-old Dimuth Karunaratne had quit at the end of the last cycle, and 38-year-old Angelo Mathews is retiring at the very start of this one.Mushfiqur has shown no intention to bounce during this cycle, which is why, for him, at 38, and with 13 straight underwhelmings on his record, 163 is a pretty good number, it doesn’t matter that no new ground was broken.

Arsenal are now reportedly tracking one of Europe’s leading young talents in an attempt to hijack Chelsea’s move and deal their Premier League rivals a frustrating blow.

Whilst Arsenal will have been disappointed to see their clean sheet streak go against Sunderland as well as their recent winning run in a last-gasp 2-2 draw, they have plenty of reason to be positive.

Arsenal leading race to sign "explosive" gem ahead of interest from Barcelona

He’s a man in demand.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 10, 2025

Heading into the November international break, the Gunners sit four points clear at the top of the Premier League and on course to end their wait for glory under Mikel Arteta.

They’re doing it their way, too. Arteta is no longer simply a disciple to Pep Guardiola. His Arsenal side are far more pragmatic and could have one of the best defensive records that English football has ever seen come May. Meanwhile, in what is a reflection of Premier League football in 2025, Arsenal are benefitting from their position as set piece kings.

When you’re on top, however, it’s all about staying there and it’s no surprise that Andrea Berta is already eyeing potential incomings as a result. The champions-elect are reportedly interested in signing Malick Fofana from Lyon in an attempt to strengthen their left-hand side.

Both Martinelli and Leandro Trossard have competed for the role this season but with the former becoming inconsistent and the latter now 30 years old, there’s certainly room for another option to arrive.

Reports have even claimed that Arsenal are leading the race to sign Fofana ahead of 2026 in what would be another intelligent move from new sporting director Berta.

After Fofana, he may still welcome other options too. The Gunners have also been linked with a move to sign an impressive attacking midfielder ahead of Chelsea.

Arsenal eyeing Nico Paz hijack

According to Caught Offside, Arsenal are now tracking Nico Paz in what could see them hijack Chelsea’s move in unexpected fashion. The Como attacker is one of the best young players in European football and has attracted interest from the Premier League as well as Inter Milan as a result.

So long as Real Madrid don’t trigger their bargain buy-back options worth less than £10m in the next two years then the race to sign the 21-year-old will swing wide open. And that’s when Arsenal could swoop in.

If the Gunners are looking to find out more about the Argentine, meanwhile, then all they have to do is ask Cesc Fabregas. The former Arsenal midfielder is currently the manager of Como and has benefitted more than most from Paz’s brilliance.

With four goals and four assists in 12 games this season, the former Real Madrid star is undoubtedly the standout player under Fabregas, who could now make up for his transfer antics as a player by answering Arsenal’s potential call about his midfield sensation.

Arsenal "monster" is becoming the new Xhaka and he's not even a midfielder

Tom Taylor carries Worcestershire fight until the end as visitors stumble to target of 62

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay26-Sep-2025Sussex 350 (Simpson 129*, Coles 102, Taylor 4-106) and 63 for 7 (Taylor 4-22) beat Worcestershire 123 (Robinson 6-68, Unadkat 4-43) and 287 (Libby 72, Robinson 5-74) by three wicketsSussex survived a fourth-innings scare to secure a three-wicket win over Worcestershire on the third morning of their final Rothesay County Championship fixture of the season.The final four wickets of the Worcestershire innings fell inside 25 minutes, where the hosts could only add 16 runs to their overnight total, as Ollie Robinson took his second five wicket haul of the match. Requiring just 61 to win, Sussex made hard work of the chase, eventually knocking off the total despite Worcestershire seamer Tom Taylor finishing with 4 for 22 on his way to ending the season with 58 Division One wickets.With the fate of both sides already sealed, the visitors’ final flourish saw them secure a mid-table finish, whilst the Pear’s resilient efforts went unrewarded with relegation already confirmed.Ben Gibbon was the first wicket to fall on a troubling morning for Worcestershire, when he was pinned lbw after offering no shot to an Robinson delivery that nipped back and clipped the pad of the nightwatchman, bring an end to his stubborn knock of 13.Roderick was the next man to depart, when his innings of 27 was brought to a close by the impressive Jaydev Unadkat who claimed his seventh wicket of a match dominated by the Sussex seamers. Matthew Waite and Ben Allison were dismissed in successive balls as Robinson finished with five wickets in the innings, walking away with superb match-figures of 11 for 142.Chasing 61 to win, Sussex lost opener Tom Haines for 1 when an excellent, diving catch at slip by Rob Jones helped open the Worcestershire account.A seemingly routine chase was momentarily thrown into doubt however, as Sussex slipped to 28 for 4, losing Hughes and James Coles in consecutive overs courtesy of Taylor and Ben Allison, before Taylor struck for the 57th time this season in Division One to have Tom Alsop caught at slip.With just 16 required to win, Worcestershire refused to go down without a fight, as Matthew Waite claimed a wicket with his first ball of his spell, first-innings centurion John Simpson caught by Rehaan Edavalath after mistiming a pull shot into the deep.Taylor had time to claim his 58th wicket of the season before Waite struck for a second time with Sussex still requiring three runs, but Robinson hit his first ball through midwicket for four to ensure his side ended the season with a win.