New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm is expected to miss four-to-six weeks with an oblique strain, manager Aaron Boone told reporters on Friday.

Chisholm, who was acquired last season from the Miami Marlins, is hitting just .181 this season with seven home runs, 17 RBI in 105 at-bats. He also has six stolen bases.

Chisholm's injury leaves an absence at second base for the Yankees for upwards of a month of more.

The Yankees enter Friday night's game with the Tampa Bay Rays with an 18-13 record, good for first-place in the American League East through the month of April.

Leeds United will no doubt be disappointed after losing 3-2 against Manchester City this afternoon, but the fans can take some positives out of the clash at the Etihad Stadium.

Phil Foden’s first-minute goal could have signalled an afternoon of domination for Pep Guardiola’s men, but it wasn’t to be, with the hosts only boasting a two-goal lead at the break.

Daniel Farke’s substitutions at the break saw the Whites bring the game level within a matter of minutes, that’s despite many questioning his decision to withdraw Dan James and Wilfried Gnonto.

However, it wasn’t to be as Foden had the last laugh with his stoppage-time effort enough to secure all three points for the Citizens – resulting in a sixth Premier League loss in their last seven.

Despite the defeat, numerous players can leave Manchester with their heads held high, with one player deserving huge plaudits for his showing this afternoon.

Ethan Ampadu’s performance against Manchester City

For the 12th time in the league this season, midfielder Ethan Ampadu started at the heart of the Leeds side, doing so with the captain’s armband too.

His performance against Manchester City was one of a leader, with the Welshman putting in a phenomenal showing and one that was highlighted by his underlying stats.

The 25-year-old featured for the entirety of the contest, completing a staggering 46 passes, with such a tally the highest of any player in Farke’s squad.

He also completed 50% of the dribbles he attempted, whilst making two passes into the final third – often trying to hit the hosts on the counter in the second half.

Ampadu’s incredible showing was also evident without the ball at his feet, subsequently making four recoveries and winning 67% of his ground duels – arguably being one unsung hero at the Etihad.

He certainly wasn’t alone in producing a performance to remember against the former Premier League champions, with Farke needing to select one other player on a consistent basis.

The Leeds player who should be undroppable after City

Many people would have anticipated a dominant victory for City this afternoon, but Leeds certainly put up a fight – which is the least you can ask for given the current situation.

Farke will likely receive some criticism for failing to see out the game for a point, but ultimately, individual errors were the contributing factors to the late goal.

The supporters should also remember it was the manager’s bold call at the break that gave the side the opportunity to get back into the game in the first place.

He switched to a somewhat unfamiliar 3-5-2 system, with the impact of Dominic Calvert-Lewin at the top end of the pitch certainly putting the hosts under huge pressure.

The Englishman replaced Gnonto at the interval, a decision that proved to be an inspirational one given the talisman’s impact during the second half at the Etihad.

His first goal since September certainly wasn’t the prettiest, but it was a reward for his determined efforts at the top end, before poking the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The 28-year-old was also hugely involved in the Whites’ second goal of the contest, with Calvert-Lewin caught in the area by Josko Gvardiol – leading to Lukas Nmecha’s rebounded penalty.

The substitutes’ underlying figures were also massively impressive, with the target man putting doubt into the opposition’s backline after his introduction.

He completed 100% of the dribbles he attempted, whilst also winning 80% of the ground duels he entered – subsequently offering a dominant option during the fightback.

Calvert-Lewin also completed a pass into the final third, whilst also drawing three fouls, with the former Everton man playing a huge part in the side’s ability to get off the canvas.

As a result of his showing off the bench, the striker was handed an impressive 9/10 match rating from Leeds United journalist Graham Smyth – further showcasing his impressive cameo off the bench.

After such a showing, there’s little denying the manager simply has to start Calvert-Lewin on a consistent basis, with his assets constantly causing havoc for the opposition.

Ampadu, too, has showcased this season why he’s a solid Premier League option, which could see both play a huge role in the club’s survival bid come the end of the season.

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1

By
Dan Emery

Nov 28, 2025

Arne Slot is determined to put things right at Liverpool. Because it’s all gone very wrong this season, the champions 12th in the Premier League standings after losing five of their past six matches.

There is more than enough time for the Dutch coach to turn things around, but improvements are needed quickly if Slot is to repel rising noises regarding the security of his position in the hot seat.

The curious case of Alexander Isak. Liverpool’s record-breaking striker has flattered to deceive since joining from Newcastle United for £125m this summer, and getting him up to speed is paramount if the Reds are to fire on all cylinders going forward.

And with Mohamed Salah struggling and the Anfield side altogether imbalanced up front, FSG appear to be turning toward the transfer market once again.

Liverpool lining up new forward

Salah, 33, is waning. Then again, Liverpool have malfunctioned this season and the Egyptian superstar will surely rekindle his form after a lifetime of genius on Merseyside.

But, regardless, Liverpool need to draw up a succession plan, and they appear to have done exactly that after earmarking a former Premier League sensation to take his berth on the right wing.

As per Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool view Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise as a “future dream target” to replace Salah, who extended his stay on Merseyside until the end of the 2026/27 season in April.

Olise would cost a pretty penny, though, having been priced by Die Roten at a staggering €140m (about £122m).

Still, FSG have shown they will do business for such a fee in recent times.

Why Michael Olise would be perfect for Alexander Isak

Olise was immense throughout his debut season in Germany last season, steering Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title and earning acclaim for his dynamic attacking displays.

The 23-year-old has gone up a gear this term, posting nine goals and ten assists from 18 matches in all competitions, and TNT Sports pundit Owen Hargreaves said that he “could be as good as anyone” after one Champions League performance.

Whether Olise winds up at Liverpool remains to be seen, but his remarkable physical traits and natural playmaking qualities make him a tailor-made winger to accommodate Isak and Hugo Ekitike at number nine.

One thing’s for sure: he would provide a huge upgrade on this current version of Salah, whose wastefulness in front of goal is being matched by an inability to influence as he usually does across other areas.

Goals scored

0.63

0.34

Assists

0.63

0.17

Shots taken

4.62

2.43

Shot-creating actions

6.82

3.27

Touches (att pen)

7.55

6.21

Pass completion (%)

81.6

68.1

Progressive passes

6.40

4.19

Progressive carries

5.45

3.94

Successful take-ons

2.31

0.92

Ball recoveries

4.72

2.77

Tackles + interceptions

1.36

0.34

Isak is one of the best strikers in the world, but he needs service. The Sweden international darts upfield and finds space in between the lines. Olise could help activate this area of his skillset at Liverpool, averaging over six progressive passes per Bundesliga game this term.

Olise is also less focused on goalscoring side of the game. That’s not to say he’s not capable of show-stopping strikes, as has been seen numerous times in the Premier League, but serve as evidence that he could be the perfect counterweight in Liverpool’s attacking system to give rise to Isak’s striking ability.

Such an athletic and hungry wide forward with a proven pedigree in the Premier League could prove the key to success at Liverpool, whose forwards are toiling and surely need some fresh inspiration to lift them back into the ascendancy.

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ByAngus Sinclair Nov 25, 2025

There have been some miserable nights in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era at Manchester United, with Monday’s defeat to Everton ranking high on that list, having allowed the ten-man Toffees to secure a first away win at Old Trafford for former boss David Moyes.

Ironically, there were shades of Moyes’ own nadir – the 2-2 draw with Fulham back in 2013/14 – about that 1-0 loss, with Ruben Amorim again in danger of heading the same way as the Scotsman in the United dugout.

Indeed, a year in charge has yielded just 12 Premier League wins for the Portuguese coach, with the positivity of the recent five-game unbeaten run now tempered with the angle of three games without a win in the top-flight.

A key crux of the issue is the use – or rather misuse – of Bruno Fernandes in a deep-lying role, with the Red Devils crying out for a new creative hub ahead of him.

Man Utd's search for a successor to Fernandes

From netting 38 goals and assists in all competitions last term, the United skipper has been forced to almost play with the handbrake on, having even operated as the deepest midfielder following Kobbie Mainoo’s introduction against the Merseyside outfit.

Currently looking ill-suited to this 3-4-2-1 system, the 31-year-old – who came close to joining Al Hilal over the summer – might be at the centre of speculation again heading into next year’s World Cup, with his current deal set to expire in 2027.

He does still lead the way at United for big chances created (3) – alongside Amad and Bryan Mbeumo – although that is half as many as the division’s leader, Jeremy Doku (6), as per FotMob, with Fernandes’ powers perhaps on the wane in his new role.

In need of a new chief creator? Well, enter Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise, with reports in Spain suggesting that the Manchester side are among the clubs to have expressed an interest in the fleet-footed Frenchman.

Reportedly valued at around £123m, the 24-year-old is also attracting attention from both Liverpool and Arsenal, albeit with INEOS viewing him as someone who would bring a ‘significant leap in quality’.

Now in his second season in Munich, following a £50m move from Crystal Palace last year, the London-born star is shining in German football. Could he be just what Amorim is looking for?

Why Olise would be a perfect signing for Man United

After a hefty summer of investment totalling almost £250m, there might be a sense that INEOS have already put together their long-term frontline, in the form of Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.

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

As the recent loss indicated, however, a couple of injuries to that latter duo highlighted the lack of real depth, while the pair’s return of just three goals between them is also cause for concern.

Sesko, in particular, is far from the finished article, with Amorim potentially able to fashion a fluid attacking trio of Cunha off the left, Mbeumo through the middle and Olise on the right, with the Bayern gem currently looking so devastating in that role in Munich.

In the Bundesliga alone this season, the one-time Reading winger has chalked up six goals and six assists for Vincent Kompany’s side, while registering seven big chances created in total, as per Sofascore.

A “magician” – according to Bayern teammate Dayot Upamecano – in the mould of Fernandes, the left-footer has also averaged 2.3 key passes per game, while eclipsing that return from his five Champions League outings, with 2.4 key passes per game.

Three goals and assists and three big chances created have also come amid a standout start to this year’s league phase in Europe, with Olise now rightly lauded as “one of the best players in the world” by the likes of teammate Serge Gnabry.

That lofty status is more than warranted, as he currently ranks in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for assists and shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, while also ranking in the top 4% for progressive passes per 90.

Mason Greenwood

13

Michael Olise

13

Lamine Yamal

11

Antoine Semenyo

9

Ilan Kebbal

9

Christian Pulisic

7

Romain Del Castillo

7

Domenico Berardi

7

Ritsu Doan

7

Bryan Mbeumo

7

In essence, everything he does is with an attacking thought in mind, possessing that Fernandes-esque knack for being able to unlock a defence with a moment of genius.

There is also an at-times erratic quality that comes with that approach, like the Portuguese, having lost possession on average 17 times a game in Germany’s top-flight.

He is a risk-taker, however, and as Monday showcased, United could certainly do with more of that.

Having – perhaps rightly – allowed the likes of Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho to depart, while clipping Fernandes’ wings, this is a squad in desperate need of a game-changer. Olise might just be that.

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ByJoe Nuttall Nov 26, 2025

Liverpool suffered yet another defeat, their eighth in 11 games across all competitions, as the troubles continue to mount at Anfield. Arne Slot’s side were thrashed 3-0 at the hands of Nottingham Forest, who have now won away to the Reds in two consecutive seasons.

It was a dire performance once again from the Merseysiders, who looked short of any sort of creative ideas and weak at the back. The first goal came from a corner again, with Murillo peeling away into space and picking up a loose ball, which he fired past the returning Alisson to put Forest 1-0 up.

The East Midlands outfit thought they had a second, but Igor Jesus saw his goal disallowed for a contentious handball. Their second came seconds into the second half, with right-back Nicolo Savona ghosting into the penalty box and hammering home from ten yards or so.

Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White capped off a wonderful day out for his side in the 78th minute. After brilliant play from Omari Hutchinson, he saw his shot saved by Alisson. However, the Brazilian could only palm it into the path of Gibbs-White, who clinically finished to seal the win.

It was another poor showing from the Reds, with Alexander Isak struggling once again.

Alexander Isak’s stats vs. Forest

The start of Isak’s Liverpool career has been very stop-start. He’s missed six games in total, for various reasons, and hasn’t played in the Premier League since the 19th of October.

His return to top-flight action against Forest was disappointing.

The Sweden international, who is still searching for his first Premier League goal in Red, was hooked by Slot after just 68 minutes, with his side still searching for two goals to bring them back into the game.

Indeed, his numbers reflect just how poor a performance it was from Isak. He managed just 15 touches, losing possession seven times, and only had one shot, which accumulated an expected goals tally of 0.13xG.

Touches

15

Number of times ball lost

7

Passes completed

6

Duels won

0/7

Shots

1

Expected goals

0.13xG

One person who was critical of the Liverpool number nine was Goal journalist Stephen Darwin. He gave the Swede a 2/10 for his performance at Anfield, pointing out that he ‘wasn’t even close to breaking his duck’ when it comes to Premier League goals.

However, the blame cannot solely lie with the striker, who didn’t necessarily get the service he needed.

Two players who struggled to get the ball to Isak

One of the key things that Darwin stressed in his review of Isak’s performance was the fact that he ‘hardly had a kick’ of the ball. Of course, 15 touches makes for poor reading, but you still have to provide the ball for your centre-forward.

Two of the players who struggled with exactly that were wingers Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah. Generally speaking, it was not the worst performance, with Salah creating three chances and Gakpo one, although they were sloppy in possession, losing the ball a combined 53 times.

However, it was their service to the Reds centre-forward which was inadequate at best. According to Stats Zone, the Liverpool number ten passes to Isak just three times, and Dutch international Gakpo twice.

That is certainly not the level of service he needs to help him start finding his best form in front of goal. Perhaps it is due to the clash of profiles. Both Salah and Gakpo are inside forwards who like to cut inside, entering similar areas to those Isak operates in.

Alternatively, the problem could simply be a lack of time spent on the pitch with their new teammate. Isak has missed such a large portion of the season that it simply might take some time for the trio to gel.

Regardless, it is a problem Slot must fix quickly. The Reds’ form is a huge concern, as they slip further down the Premier League table. The Dutchman must get his big-money striker and first-choice wingers firing, as they look to rectify this poor form.

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ByAngus Sinclair Nov 21, 2025

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Rangers manager Danny Rohl has confirmed that as many as six players are currently injury doubts to square off against Livingston in the Scottish Premiership this Saturday.

It’s bad timing for the Gers, who are attempting to make it four league wins from four under their new manager. Victory over bottom side Livingston would also see those at Ibrox rise to third if Hibernian also fail to beat Dundee. It would be the result of the strong start that Rohl has made to turn things around following the disaster that was Russell Martin’s tenure.

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The German told reporters in the build-up to Rangers’ return to action that he believes they’re “in a good way”, but still need to work on breaking old habits on the pitch.

As January approaches, the former Sheffield Wednesday boss may also be eyeing up some potential improvements to his squad amid recent links with the likes of Kilmarnock’s David Watson.

The midfielder would add the kind of depth that the Gers could do with this weekend following the latest injury news.

Rangers vs Livingston team news

As revealed by Rohl, as many as six stars could miss Rangers’ game against Livingston this weekend following a frustrating international break. Mikey Moore, John Souttar, Derek Cornelius and Bailey Rice are all certain to be absent after picking up knocks, whilst Youssef Chermiti and Liam Kelly are facing a race against time to return to full fitness.

Rohl told reporters: “I am very happy and very proud of my players during the international break. We do have a couple of injuries from players returning, such as John Souttar, Micky Moore, and Derek Cornelius, who all have muscle injuries. Bailey Rice got injured during training, and Liam Kelly is a question mark at the moment.”

It’s a particular blow for Tottenham Hotspur loanee Moore, who scored his first Rangers goal against Dundee just before the international break. The 18-year-old, who was dubbed “brave” by former manager Martin upon arriving, has now seen his recent momentum halted by an untimely injury.

With Rangers set to face Braga in the Europa League next Thursday, Rohl will hope to have a positive update on several injuries just in time for what is a crucial game.

Rangers open talks to sign "quality" attacking star ahead of Aberdeen

Adil Rashid four-for ensures New Zealand fall well short in chase of 237

Vithushan Ehantharajah20-Oct-2025Phil Salt and Harry Brook combined to blow New Zealand out of the water in the second T20I, as England sealed a dominant 65-run win in Christchurch to take an insurmountable 1-0 lead in this three-match series.Both Salt (85 off 56 balls) and Brook (78 off 35) were independently brutal but came together in devastating fashion with a partnership of 129 from just 69 deliveries. England’s 236 for 4 was a new record T20I score at Hagley Oval, comfortably bumping off the previous best of 208 with 10 balls still to go in their innings. New Zealand were eventually dismissed for 171 with two overs to spare.Mitchell Santner’s decision to bowl first upon winning the toss was a case of rinse-and-repeat; both teams opting for the same XIs after Saturday’s washout in the first T20I. Unfortunately for the Black Caps skipper, this was a truer surface than the one which saw England scrape to 153 for 6.Drier with more pace, Santner’s bowlers were up against it from the off, with all six used posting double-figure economy rates. They were not helped by two dropped catches that would have given them a more realistic target.The one that mattered more gave Brook a life on 40, after he had successfully overturned a caught behind decision on 22. The visiting captain was at his destructive best, with 54 runs through boundaries, including five sixes, two of which were carted out of the ground. Despite Kyle Jamieson accounting for both Brook and then Salt in the space of three deliveries, Tom Banton’s unbeaten 29 from 12 added the record-busting cherry on top.Brydon Carse’s twin strikes in the second over clipped the Kiwis’ wings in pursuit of 237. And though Tim Seiffert and Mark Chapman restarted the chase with an engaging stand of 69, their respective demises to the spin duo of Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson all but confirmed the result.Santner did his utmost to inject some late jeopardy with a breezy 36 off 15, before falling to Rashid’s final delivery, the legspinner finishing a solid evening’s work with 4 for 32. Luke Wood then had the honour of capping off victory in the 18th over with two dismissals in four deliveries, with New Zealand losing all 10 wickets to catches.Salt in cruise modeThis new iteration of Salt is developing a knack of cashing in after missing out. His career-best 141 not out against South Africa in September came two days after a first-ball duck. And with as many days since 3 off 4 in the first T20I at Hagley Oval, he looked on course for a fifth century in the format.No doubt Salt will feel he missed out in a different way, falling for 85 when he was caught on the long-off sponge, 15 short of three figures with as many balls of the innings remaining. Once again he spearheaded a record total a month after leading the breaching of 300.He upheld his first-over responsibility by putting Matt Henry’s second ball on to the grass bank at midwicket, then whipping behind square leg along the floor once Henry had corrected. By the time Jos Buttler faced his second ball, Salt had already struck 20 from nine.That was as dominant as Salt was in his stands. Once Buttler was dismissed for 4, he adopted a secondary role during his work with Bethell (scoring 19 of their 44 together) and Brook (46 of their 129). Hardly a passenger but more than happy to cede the driving.Perhaps the best example of his continued intent was his dismissal, attempting a second six (and 13th boundary) two balls after Brook had holed out at deep midwicket. He now has more T20I runs than Jason Roy, despite 22 fewer innings, moving up to sixth for England run-scorers in the format, with a strike rate of 168.12 that is at least 16 ahead of any of those in the top 10.Brook does as he says”We’ve got such a strong batting line-up, we can keep going,” Brook said after a second coin toss of the series had gone against him on this tour. The response came after the England captain seemed nonplussed with being asked to set a total.And how. Arriving in the eighth over, Brook, a straight-talker, got straight down to business. He raced to 19 off six, courtesy of three successive boundaries off Santner, with two sixes – the first into the crowd, the second over the roof at midwicket – sandwiching a craftily ramped four.A second six beyond the confines of this boutique ground allowed him to knock two singles for a 22-ball half-century – his fifth overall in T20Is and first as captain.He celebrated with 21 off the returning Kyle Jamieson in the following over. Earlier, he had provided 14 of the 20 picked off from Jimmy Neesham’s one-and-only over.Both were examples of constantly putting bowlers under pressure, already a well-worn mantra in his six months at the helm. That knack of leading by example is not only why he was handed the keys to the white-ball job but instilled as Test vice-captain ahead of this winter’s Ashes.Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson successfully tied New Zealand down•Joe Allison/Getty ImagesDawson shows nousThat both teams opted for two spinners owed more to trending towards 2026’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. While New Zealand’s returned 1 for 77 from seven overs, England’s bagged 6 for 70 in eight.The fact both wanted to bowl first showed there was a collective misreading of conditions. And as the lights took over for the second half, the pitch did begin to grip. It was, in more ways than one, a great toss to lose.There is not much more to be said of Rashid, his status as one of England’s most-valuable white-ball cricketers set in stone long before becoming the first visiting bowler to take four or more in a T20I at this venue. But it was Dawson who laid down his credentials to partner the leggie for next year’s global tournament.The left-arm spinner’s wiliness was on show in his first three overs, manipulating his angles to remove Mark Chapman and then the dangerous Michael Bracewell. It took until Dawson’s 16th delivery for New Zealand to find a boundary off him – Jimmy Neesham smearing a four to midwicket – and even then, heading into his final over, the Hampshire allrounder had an impressive 2 for 15 by his name.Twenty-three conceded off a scatty fourth messed up those figures. Two sixes from Santner were responsible the untidy finish, triggering five wides as Dawson bunged a full toss down the leg side in an attempt to hide the ball from the home skipper’s arc. Nevertheless, Santner’s 0 for 41 earlier in the piece highlighted just how impressive England’s own southpaw twirler had been.NZ drop the ballFor all England’s enterprise with the bat, there was unnecessary generosity from their hosts. You do not usually associate slack fielding with New Zealand, but two drops tilted this match against them significantly in Christchurch.Tim Seifert was responsible for missing the first and tougher chance. Jacob Duffy, having pulled out of the previous delivery as Jacob Bethell gave himself room to the leg side, dug one in short with a bit of cut. Bethell, on 7, went for his pull shot, only to top-edge high towards short third.Seifert had tracked it well, but was done by the stiff north-west breeze, ending up on his back, palming the ball just before he hit the deck. Though Bethell “only” managed 17 more before being dismissed with the last ball of the sixth over, his back-to-back sixes off Bracewell lifted England’s powerplay score to 68 for 2.That it was the highest at this ground was a sign of things to come, but that, too, could have been avoided. At the start of the 13th over, Matt Henry returned and was greeted with a lofted straight heave from Brook. Somehow, Neesham, having just bowled an over that cost 20, botched a straightforward catch at long-on allowing Brook a life.They did not have to count the cost of dropping Sam Curran twice on Saturday, the allrounder’s 49 not out hustling England to a respectable total of 153 before the rain intervened. Here, the price of the combined errors was 55 – a figure New Zealand only made up for in their innings with the final ball of the powerplay.

Bayern Munich legend Oliver Kahn has given his verdict on veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s performance against Arsenal. Kahn insisted Neuer was fouled during the controversial opening goal but admitted the goalkeeper made a "mistake" for the third strike that sealed the first defeat of the season for Vincent Kompany and Co.

Neuer involved in controversial opener and decisive third goal

Bayern goalkeeper endured a difficult evening during his side's 3-1 Champions League defeat to the English team, with two of the goals conceded drawing significant scrutiny. Kahn provided a detailed verdict on the critical moments, defending Neuer over a controversial opener but admitting the veteran made a "mistake" on the goal that effectively ended the contest.

Bayern Munich's unbeaten Champions League run came to an end at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, with the spotlight falling firmly on the performance of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer regarding key moments in the 3-1 defeat.

Arsenal took the lead in the 22nd minute following a corner kick. As the ball was delivered into the six-yard box, Neuer appeared to be impeded by an Arsenal player, preventing him from making a clean attempt to catch or punch the ball clear. Amid the confusion and contact, Jurrien Timber finished to put the hosts ahead.

While Lennart Karl briefly equalised for Bayern, Arsenal regained control in the second half through Noni Madueke in the 69th minute. The critical moment that sealed Bayern's fate arrived in the 77th minute. Gabriel Martinelli struck Arsenal's third goal after Neuer came rushing up the field to challenge him, only to be left in the Brazilian's dust.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKahn argues Neuer was fouled for Timber goal

Kahn offered a robust defence of Neuer regarding the opening goal, arguing that the shot-stopper was the victim of a foul that went unpunished by the match officials and VAR.

Speaking to , Kahn analysed the corner kick incident: "As a goalkeeper, you're focused on the player taking the corner. That means you can't see what's happening behind you. And if someone comes along at that exact moment and gives you even the slightest nudge or bumps into you, you lack the coordination you need to bring the corner down or punch it away."

Kahn expressed strong disdain for such tactics used against goalkeepers in the penalty area. "I hated those kinds of disguised attacks. Even a small nudge is enough to make you lose the necessary coordination with the ball. In my opinion, VAR should have intervened and awarded a foul and a free kick."

Bayern legend admits 'mistake' on Martinelli strike

While Kahn defended Neuer over the first goal, he was less forgiving in his assessment of the decisive third goal scored by Martinelli in the 77th minute. When asked directly if Neuer had committed an error that led to the goal, Kahn's response was blunt.

"Was that a mistake, yes or no? Yes, if that's how you want to see it, then it was a mistake," Kahn admitted, acknowledging that the German international should have done better in that defining moment.

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Bayern Munich lack cutting edge despite possession

The defeat marked Bayern Munich's first loss in the Champions League group stage this season and dropped them to third place in the standings, three points behind new leaders Arsenal. Despite dominating possession with 55% of the ball and completing significantly more passes than their opponents, Bayern struggled to threaten the Arsenal goal consistently.

Kompany's side managed only two shots on target throughout the entire match, compared to Arsenal's eight, highlighting their issues in the final third against a disciplined Gunners defence. The result leaves Bayern level on 12 points with Inter Milan, making their final group fixtures crucial for securing a top seeding for the knockout phase.

Both teams have qualified for the knockouts, but the team that wins will get an extra day’s rest before their semi-final against India

S Sudarshanan24-Oct-20252:37

The secret to six-hitting in the women’s game with Katey Martin

Big picture: Winner faces India in semi-finalOn Wednesday, Chloe Tryon and Marizanne Kapp were on the opposite sides of the Holkar Stadium. Tryon was lofting throwdowns inside out from the practice nets towards the main pitch while Kapp was taking some high catches on the other side of the ground. Tryon and Kapp were on the same side and made vital contributions in the only ODI South Africa have won against Australia. They could once again be key in South Africa’s last league game of the Women’s World Cup, against the same opponents.This is a top-of-the-table clash. Australia are yet to lose a game, on 11 points, while South Africa are on 10. The winner on Saturday will go to Navi Mumbai for the semi-final against India, while the loser will head to the Guwahati semi-final, where England will be waiting.Related

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An Australia vs South Africa fixture has been an anomaly in women’s cricket. Before they played a multi-format series at the start of 2024, both the teams had last played a bilateral series in 2016 (only ODIs). Their meetings have often been restricted to ICC tournaments, where Australia have emerged victorious every single time – until the T20 World Cup semi-final last year.In the ODI World Cup in 2022, South Africa had done well to post 271. However, their sloppy fielding – they dropped four catches – meant Australia comfortably aced that chase, with Meg Lanning’s century eclipsing Laura Wolvaardt’s 90.This South African unit, though, not only knows how to reach knockouts but also keeps its nerves in check. That was on show in the two chases in Visakhapatnam in this World Cup, where they hunted down 252 against India despite being 81 for 5, and then chased 233 against Bangladesh from 78 for 5. This is not to say that only the lower order has fired for them. As many as five South Africa batters have scored 150 or more in the competition.4:19

Healy, Knight, Mandhana, Devine, Dottin – analysing the best six-hitters

However, Australia could pose a completely different challenge to them on Saturday. There are question marks over Alyssa Healy’s fitness, but Australia have shown they can line up strongly even without her. One thing that Australia promise is being relentless. They keep coming hard and offer little respite, be it with bat or ball. Annabel Sutherland will be crucial to their all-round excellence: she has been superb with both bat and ball in the tournament so far, while being supported by the spin battery.Australia are dominant. However, they will know that South Africa are a team with pedigree, as recent ICC tournaments show. At stake is not just the top spot in league standings but a semi-final in Navi Mumbai on a truer batting surface than Guwahati (plus an extra day in hand before a knockout match).Form guideAustralia WWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa WWWWWIn the spotlight – South Africa vs legspinSouth Africa have been quite good against legspin in the last two years. Since the start of 2023, their top five averages 44.76 against that style of bowling. This is telling, because only Pakistan have faced more legspin bowling in this time (917) than South Africa (883). Australia average more (47.09) against legspin but their top five has faced only 491 such deliveries. Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp and Laura Wolvaardt all average over 58 against legspin in this period. Brits and Luus also score quite quickly, and only have two dismissals each against legspin.2:11

The big question – Is Healy fit?

On Saturday, they will be faced with one of the most economical bowlers at this World Cup in Alana King. She has six wickets so far, but her X-factor has been the control she affords Australia in the non-powerplay overs. Against England, she was at her stingy best, which allowed other bowlers to pick up wickets from the other end. Australia also have another legspinner in Georgia Wareham, who has three wickets in the two matches she played when they rested Sophie Molineux. King has eight wickets in four ODIs and averages 13.25 versus South Africa. Before the Ashes where she took a five-for, her best bowling figures (4 for 26) came last year against South Africa.Team news: Is Healy fit?Alyssa Healy did a few rounds of the outfield before a half hour batting stint in the enclosed nets. Tahlia McGrath said Australia are taking it day by day with their captain, who missed the previous game with a minor calf strain. Beth Mooney did her wicketkeeping drills before nets on Friday. Is that an indication Australia don’t want to risk Healy before the semi-final?Australia (probable): 1 Georgia Voll, 2 Phoebe Litchfield, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Annabel Sutherland, 5 Beth Mooney (wk), 6 Ashleigh Gardner, 7 Tahlia McGrath (capt), 8 Sophie Molineux, 9 Alana King, 10 Kim Garth, 11 Megan SchuttSouth Africa are one of the two teams to use all 15 players in the squad. They could bring back seamer Masabata Klaas instead of offspin-allrounder Nondumiso Shangase against Australia. They could also bring back Anneke Bosch, who scored 44 in South Africa’s only ODI win over Australia and also scored an unbeaten 74 against them in the T20 World Cup semi-final last year.South Africa (probable): 1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Tazmin Brits, 3 Sune Luus, 4 Annerie Dercksen, 5 Marizanne Kapp, 6 Karabo Meso (wk), 7 Chloe Tryon, 8 Nadine de Klerk, 9 Nondumiso Shangase/Masabata Klaas, 10 Ayabonga Khaka, 11 Nonkululeko MlabaMasabata Klaas might slot into the side•Getty Images and Cricket Australia

Pitch and conditionsA fresh pitch will be used and this one will also be a black-soil surface. But a day out from the contest it had a lot of barren patches and very little green grass on it. Indore will be hot and humid, but there is a spell of thunderstorm in forecast in the afternoon. However, similar weather was in forecast for the last game on Wednesday, but rain did not make an appearance. Friday morning in the city was cloudy before Australia trained under the hot afternoon sun.Stats and trivia Both Marizanne Kapp and Megan Schutt have 38 wickets in ODI World Cups. Only Lyn Fullston (39) and Jhulan Goswami (43) are ahead in the list of most wickets in the competition Australia’s batters have scored five centuries at this World Cup, the most for them in a single edition Among those with at least 150 runs at this World Cup, Nadine de Klerk’s strike rate of 150 is the best, followed by Alyssa Healy’s 131.25 South Africa registered their first ODI win against Australia in February 2024 in their 17th attemptQuotes”We’ve been here for six weeks now. The fact that it’s South Africa doesn’t change much from our prep. We’ve been pretty consistent with how we prepare for teams. So, we looked at South Africa in detail this morning. We match up pretty well and are pretty thorough in our plans. Even though we haven’t played a lot against them, we feel as though we’re really well planned and prepared.”
“They are the best team in the world, it is very difficult to beat them. You have to do the basics really well. The team that does the basics better for longer and stays in control for longer becomes successful. Even when they were in difficult situations, they found a way to put the other team under pressure. Just doing the basics well and sticking to what we do well should give us the best chance.”