India haven’t prepared any differently for Pakistan than they would for any other match, but are certainly respectful of people’s sentiments. So said Ryan ten Doeschate, India’s assistant coach, ahead of Sunday’s Asia Cup fixture in Dubai.”It’s a very sensitive issue and I’ve got no doubt the players share the compassion and feeling of the vast majority of the Indian public,” ten Doeschate explained. “The Asia Cup was in limbo for a long period of time and we were just waiting. We didn’t think we were going to be coming at one stage.”You know what the Indian government’s stance is and now the team and particularly the players, you have to put those sentiments and the emotions behind. That’s something we addressed in the team meeting today.”We’re aware of people’s feelings, at the same time we’ve got to go out, and the guys get a chance to play for their country, and they’ll be as professional and focused as they can be given the circumstances.”Related

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In explaining the process of trying to focus on the task, ten Doeschate revealed coach Gautam Gambhir’s message to the team. He also said there was no need for the team management to insulate the players from the external chatter.”The waiting period of knowing whether this [Asia Cup] was going to happen was the most frustrating part,” he said. “Once we knew we were going to be here, and playing, we have tried to get on with the business of it. This game, particularly, we haven’t prepared differently, like I said, but we are obviously aware of the sentiments and strong feelings.”Gauti’s message has been sort of very professional about not worrying about things that are not in our control and being emotionless when approaching the cricket side of things. The guys are professional enough, I am sure.”Individuals have different levels of feeling on the spectrum of where they feel the whole situation [geopolitical tensions] is, but the messaging has been to focus on the cricket, and try to focus on the one game tomorrow.”The cricket world has shifted its collective gaze towards Suryakumar Yadav’s India vs Salman Agha’s Pakistan•AFP/Getty Images

Asked if the team was looking at sport as a tool to protest, ten Doeschate was clear that they were here to do what they were asked: to play cricket.”The other side of the argument is you separate sport and politics, and people have got different opinions on that,” he said, “Hopefully the way we play can represent how players feel about the country. I understand the position and, like I explained, the sentiment. We are following the direction of what the BCCI and Indian government have decided is right for the country at the moment.”In being as honest as he could be around the slightly delicate circumstances around which India are playing Pakistan in the tournament – the Pahalgam attacks and the aftermath of what followed taken into context – ten Doeschate explained their “processes” were very similar to how it would be for other games, while being mindful of what their opponents will come up with, given they are a young team wanting to play in a new direction.”I’ll be honest, no,” he said when asked if there was a little “something extra” for this match. “I was expecting a lot more niggle at the Champions Trophy game. I didn’t really feel that either. Certainly, the preparation and focus this week haven’t been any different to our preparation for any other important game.”Pakistan have started to come to terms with how they want to play T20 cricket, so it’s going to be a slightly different challenge from maybe the last 24 months. But we want to focus on what we’re doing and how we want to play is the most important thing for us, given we have the potential of playing Pakistan a couple of times in this tournament, and obviously in the next six months as well, there’s going to be a World Cup.”Again, it goes back to what we said about controlling those emotions, and we want to prepare for every single game in the same manner.”

Despite dropped points at the Stadium of Light, Arsenal supporters are rightly feeling generally pretty good about things.

On Saturday night, goals from Bukayo Saka and then Leandro Trossard turned the game around and had the Gunners on course for a precious three points on Wearside, only for Sunderland to snatch a 94th minute equaliser.

Prior to this, Mikel Arteta’s team had won ten successive matches across all competitions, keeping eight consecutive clean sheets too, equaling the club record set in 1903, so go into a huge week in which they’ll take on Tottenham, Bayern Munich and then Chelsea four points clear of a rather ominous-looking Manchester City.

Nevertheless, in hindsight, it was remarkable that Arsenal managed to string together so many victories considering they currently have six attackers sidelined.

Four of those sidelined forwards are forecast to be back in time for the North London derby, but which member of this sextet will be hoping to dislodge the Gunners’ most productive attacker?

Where Leandro Trossard ranks at Arsenal this season

During the summer, if reports are to be believed, numerous clubs were interested in signing Trossard, Aston Villa, Brentford and Fenerbahçe to name just a few, and many Gooners were of the opinion that an upgrade was required and now was the time to cash in on the 30-year-old.

Well, Arteta certainly did not agree, even rewarding the Belgian with a pay rise, and this decision has been vindicated, given that Trossard currently leads the way at Arsenal this season for combined goals and assists, as the table below documents.

Viktor Gyökeres

6

0

Bukayo Saka

6

0

Leandro Trossard

4

4

Gabriel Martinelli

4

1

Mikel Merino

3

1

Declan Rice

2

5

Jurriën Timber

2

2

Gabriel

2

3

Martín Zubimendi

2

1

Eberechi Eze

2

3

Riccardo Calafiori

1

2

Ethan Nwaneri

1

0

Myles Lewis-Skelly

0

3

Martin Ødegaard

0

2

William Saliba

0

1

Max Dowman

0

1

As the table documents, Trossard ranks first at Arsenal in terms of combined goals and assists with eight.

To date, all four of his goals have come away from home, netting at Athletic Club, Port Vale and Fulham, (bet those three clubs have never been in a list together before!), before this rocket that fired his team in front at the Stadium of Light on Saturday night.

Thus, Trossard remains a key figure in this team, almost certainly set to start against Spurs after the international break, but, as the season progresses, he could once again find himself beginning matches as a substitute.

Equally, in the long-term, while he did receive a bumper wage increase, his contract length was not actually extended, ensuring his current deal will still expire in the summer of 2027 – placing doubt on whether he will still be on the books beyond next summer.

Set to turn 31 next month, the former Brighton star is almost certainly nearer the end than the start of his Emirates journey, with a potential replacement already in the building.

The Arsenal attacker aiming to take Trossard's spot

As already alluded to, the Gunners currently have six attackers sidelined, hence why Arteta has had to return to the well that is Mikel Merino up front in Prague and on Wearside last week.

There is optimism that Gabriel Martinelli, Viktor Gyökeres, Martin Ødegaard and Noni Madueke could all be involved in the North London derby, with the returns of Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus likely to be another few weeks away.

However, it is Madueke who the majority of supporters are most looking forward to seeing in action once again.

The 22-year-old’s £52m move from Chelsea in the summer was controversial, albeit this was nothing to do with him personally, with a certain section of, how shall we put this diplomatically, vocal online supporters simply tired of signing Chelsea’s cast-offs.

Nevertheless, Madueke, who reportedly earns £150k-per-week, quickly proved his worth, starting the second Premier League game of the season against Leeds on the left-hand-side.

During that match however, Saka suffered an injury, meaning Madueke deputised on the right for the next four matches, before himself suffering a knee injury against Manchester City, the day Saka made a timely return.

Of course, with Man City leading 1-0 at half time, everyone was pleased to see Saka introduced, but there was general bewilderment that Madueke was the man replaced, given how sharp he had been both in the first 45 minutes but in general, fans in the stadium not yet aware that this was an enforced change due to injury.

In total, Madueke has only played 396 minutes for Arsenal, about the same as the flight time from London to Lagos, which is not very much at all, leading to the feeling that what we’ve seen so far is merely an amuse-bouche of what is to come.

When he arrived, Arteta asserted that the “exciting and powerful” 23-year-old is “one of the most talented wide forward players in the Premier League”, showing glimpses of this potential before his injury.

Meantime, back in September, former Manchester United defender Paul Parker exclaimed, “I actually think he’s better than Bukayo Saka”, after Madueke, also deputising for his club team mate at international level, scored his first goal for England during their 5-0 demolition of Serbia at Stadion Rajko Mitić.

That is obviously an bold assertion and, if there is one thing we’ve learned during Arteta’s six-year reign, it is that if Saka is fit and available, he is going to play.

Thus, it is unrealistic to suggest that Madueke can dislodge the Gunners’ joint-top scorer on the right, but the left flank is very much up for grabs.

Martinelli and Eberechi Eze have both started there at various points this season, with Trossard the current tenant, further underlining that the position is up for grabs.

With games against Spurs, Bayern Munich and then his former side Chelsea next on the agenda, Madueke’s electric dribbling and explosive pace will add an extra dimension to the Gunners attack and will prove invaluable assets, suggesting he could make the left-wing spot his own, permanently demoting Trossard to the role of super sub.

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One Serie A star is believed to be strongly considering joining Chelsea as talks slow down over a new contract, according to one media source.

Sticking to the pitch, Enzo Maresca is looking to put that disappointing 2-2 draw against Qarabağ in Azerbaijan behind him, with Chelsea preparing for their second meeting against the Premier League bottom side in just 11 days.

Qarabağ 2-2 Chelsea – best players	Match Rating
Estevao	8.2
Alejandro Garnacho	7.5
Leandro Andrade	7.4
Matheus Silva	7.0
Marko Jankovic	7.0
via WhoScored

In late October, Chelsea came out the other side of a thrilling seven-goal thriller at Molineux with a 4-3 victory in the Carabao Cup, but Maresca will be hoping for a much more routine win this time round as he looks to kickstart a consistent run of form.

Managerless Wolves remain the only team in the league without a win, making Maresca’s side the overwhelming favourites, and the statistics paint a very grim picture for the visitors.

The Old Gold have picked up just two points in 10 top flight games this season from two draws and eight losses, and every single Premier League side in history with two or fewer points at this stage of the campaign has gone on to be relegated.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are likely to extend their unbeaten streak across all competitions to three games, with Joao Pedro looking to impress once again, having been involved in six goals in his last nine Premier League appearances. His next game will be his 100th in the competition, becoming the 31st Brazilian to reach that milestone.

However, while Chelsea are expected to pick up all three points against Wolves, there are still gaping holes in the team that Maresca needs to address.

Defensively, it is believed that Chelsea are prioritising the signing of a centre-back in January after Maresca appeared to demand one in the summer window, but they could also sign a new goalkeeper.

Robert Sanchez committed five errors leading to goals last season, more than any other Premier League shot stopper, and Chelsea attempted to bring in AC Milan star Mike Maignan as an alternative earlier this year.

The 30-year-old, who’s poised to leave Milan as a free agent in 2026, is still attracting serious interest from Stamford Bridge heading into the new year, and Chelsea could offer Maignan a pre-contract in January ahead of a Bosman move next summer.

Mike Maignan "quite firmly leaning" towards Chelsea move next year

According to journalist Marco Pasotto, speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Milan News), Maignan himself is pretty keen on the idea of joining Chelsea.

The Rossoneri had wanted to extend his deal, but those talks have apparently slowed down, opening the door for Maresca’s side to move for him.

Maignan is among the best goalkeepers in world football and France’s undisputed number one, captaining Les Bleus in their last game against Iceland, so signing him on a free would be one of the biggest transfer snips of next year.

Chelsea haggled over Maignan’s price in the summer and couldn’t reach an agreement before September deadline day, but with Milan soon to be out of the equation, the only worry for BlueCo is rival interest from abroad.

Liverpool keeper Alisson has branded him an “elite” shot stopper and one of world football’s finest too, so it could be deemed a no-brainer to at least attempt finally getting him over the line.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has been a breath of fresh air since the club decided to bring him in as the long-term successor to Russell Martin at Ibrox.

The German manager, who left Sheffield Wednesday in the summer, has won all three of his Scottish Premiership matches in charge of the Light Blues, after they had won one of the eight games in the division prior to his arrival.

Rangers ran out 3-0 winners against Dundee at Dens Park in the Premiership on Sunday in their last match before the international break, and two players scored their first league goals for the club.

Mikey Moore, who is on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, opened the scoring with a clinical finish into the bottom left corner from the edge of the box, before Djeidi Gassama scored a brilliant goal from distance in the second half.

It will be frustrating for the club that it has taken until the 11th game of the campaign for their first-choice wing pairing to score their first league goals of the season.

Moore and Gassama both need to add more consistency to their play in the final third so that they can begin to make up for the productivity that they lost when Vaclav Cerny left in the summer.

What Vaclav Cerny is up to since leaving Rangers

The Czechia international spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan with the Scottish giants from Bundesliga side Wolfsburg, and caught the eye with his impressive performances on the right flank.

During his time with the Light Blues, the left-footed attacker contributed with 18 goals and nine assists in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he offered a consistent threat in the final third.

12 of those goals and four of those assists came in the Premiership, per Transfermarkt, and this means that Moore and Gassama both have a long way to go if they want to match his goal output this season.

After his loan spell came to an end, Rangers were either unwilling or unable to sign him permanently, and the 28-year-old forward signed for Turkish giants Besiktas for a fee of around £6m.

Since his permanent move to Turkey, the former Light Blues star, who had so much success as a loanee at Ibrox, has showcased his attacking quality in the Super Lig.

Appearances

8

xG

1.69

Goals

1

Key passes per game

1.6

Big chances created

3

Assists

4

As you can see in the table above, Cerny has been involved in five goals in eight games for Besiktas in the league so far, with an assist every other appearance on average.

These statistics suggest that the Light Blues messed up by not bringing him back to Ibrox on a permanent deal in the summer, as he is shining in Turkey, whilst the club’s current wide options have had slow starts to the 2025/26 campaign.

Gassama and Moore will need to step up their performances and provide more, in terms of goals and assists, in the coming months to prove that the Gers were right not to sign the Czechia international.

Chalkboard

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

Whilst Gassama and Moore are trying to emulate Cerny’s success in the final third, there is another Rangers star who is quickly becoming this season’s version of the ex-Wolfsburg man, and he is not a winger.

The Rangers star who is becoming Ibrox's new Vaclav Cerny

The Light Blues swooped to sign Derek Cornelius on loan from Marseille during the summer transfer window, and he has been an excellent addition to the squad so far.

Like Cerny, the left-footed star is an Ibrox loanee who is shining in Scottish football. He has been particularly impressive since Rohl came through the door to replace Martin in the dugout, proving his worth at the heart of the defence.

Despite being a centre-back, Cornelius, who was branded a “monster” by international teammate Richie Laryea, has scored as many goals as Gassama and Moore in the Premiership for the Light Blues, with his one league goal.

Defensively, the Canada international has also been very impressive. Per WhoScored, he ranks first among central defenders in the squad for tackles made per game (2.1) and clearances per game (6.3), which speaks to how aggressive his defending is and how impressive his positioning is defensively.

On top of that, Cornelius has won 67% of his ground duels and 61% of his aerial duels in the Premiership so far this season, per Sofascore, which shows that he has been incredibly dominant in physical battles with opposition forwards on the deck and in the air.

Minutes

82

Tackles won

3/3

Clearances

6

Ball recoveries

4

Ground duels won

3/3

Aerial duels won

4/4

Dribbled past

0x

Pass accuracy

93%

As you can see in the table above, the left-footed centre-back was virtually faultless defensively in the 3-0 win over Dundee on Sunday in the last match before the break, as he won 100% of his duels and was not dribbled past a single time.

Cornelius has started all three of Rohl’s league games in charge, which has seen Rangers win three times and concede one goal, and he won 13 out of 20 ground duels in those matches, per Sofascore.

These statistics suggest that he is on course to become the club’s new version of Cerny because he is a loanee at Ibrox who is already an incredibly important part of the team because of his fantastic performances.

Unlike Cerny, though, Rangers confirmed that they do have an option to sign the Canadian titan on a permanent deal at the end of the season for an undisclosed fee. This means that they can snap him up permanently, without having to negotiate a new deal with Marseille, next summer.

Not Gassama: Future "superstar" is Rangers' biggest talent since Tillman

This future superstar is Glasgow Rangers’ biggest talent since Malik Tillman was at Ibrox.

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On current form, the Gers must surely already be thinking about exercising their option to sign him permanently next year, to avoid repeating the situation where they now look on in envy as Cerny shines elsewhere.

India overseas star underpins hosts’ reply, to leave Durham looking towards Southampton clash

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay25-Sep-2025Yorkshire 314 for 5 (Agarwal 175, Lyth 69) trail Durham 346 (Raine 101, White 5-69) by 32 runsYorkshire had the better of day two of their final-round Rothesay County Championship clash with Durham at Headingley to boost their hopes of avoiding relegation, with Mayank Agarwal’s superb 175 in turn increasing their visitors’ fear of the drop.This was a batter’s day in sunny Leeds, where two men posted centuries. Durham allrounder Ben Raine was the first, advancing from 87 not out overnight to a superb 101. Unfortunately for him, though, Durham could only convert a 322 for 7 score into 346 all out, with new-ball seamer Jack White completing an impressive 5 for 69.Indian overseas batter Agarwal – 20 fours and five sixes in 195 balls – followed Raine to three figures as the hosts then replied with a commanding 314 for 5 from 86 overs. He shared a second-wicket 127 either side of lunch with opener Adam Lyth, whose 69 came on his 38th birthday.Yorkshire started this week seventh in Division One on 146 points, six clear of second-bottom Durham but with a better most-wins tiebreaker record. They needed 10 points to survive. Five of those have been accrued, and a draw will be enough from here.For Durham, although it’s not yet certain, they will likely have to win this game to stay up. Should Hampshire lose to Surrey, a draw would be enough. Hampshire have the advantage in Southampton.Durham’s innings was wrapped up inside an eventful first eight overs of the day which saw White claim all three wickets and Raine reach his second career first-class century.White bowled Matthew Potts and Daniel Hogg in the 100th over, his second of the day. Potts, bowled through the gate, lost his middle stump and Hogg was beaten on the outside edge and lost off. Raine and Potts had shared 87 for the eighth wicket from late evening onwards on day one, aggressively advancing Durham from 245 for 7.Raine reached his hundred off 101 balls as he took the majority of the strike away from last man Shafiqullah Ghafari before top-edging a swish at White to third-man to end the innings.Raine’s influence on the contest was extended amidst a tight start to Yorkshire’s reply, him trapping Fin Bean lbw stuck on the crease as the score slipped to 9 for 1 after seven overs. Potts and Raine started with three successive maidens before the latter’s strike.So, despite good batting conditions, Lyth and Agarwal had to be watchful. They were, but not so much that the runs didn’t come. Lyth was strong through the off side and Agarwal full of touch as he recovered from two ducks in three previous innings for Yorkshire.Touch, yes. But there was also increasing power. Both he and Lyth reached afternoon fifties, the latter first off 102 balls. Agarwal’s came off 84 balls with a six down the ground off Afghan Ghafari’s legspin.Shortly afterwards, Ghafari had Lyth caught at slip by Potts via a deflection off wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson – 136 for 2 in the 41st over. But Durham needed more.Agarwal then took on Ghafari, hitting him for three more sixes before tea – two down the ground in an over and another pulled over midwicket to get him to a 122-ball century.Yorkshire reached the break at 198 for 2. But shortly afterwards, Raine bowled James Wharton and then had Jonny Bairstow caught behind with 203 on the board.Agarwal’s presence was a calming influence, however, and went on to 150 off 176 balls. He pulled Potts for another six. Ghafari did gain revenge for the earlier sixes when the 34-year-old right-hander miscued to long-on at 281 for 5 in the 75th over, Yorkshire’s deficit now 65.Matthew Revis and George Hill whittled that down further to 32 through to close and will begin day three on 28 and 23 respectively.

Karun Nair left out of the 15-man squad while Pant remains injured

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Sep-20253:28

What does the squad for the WI Tests tell us?

Ravindra Jadeja has been named the vice-captain of the India Test squad for the two West Indies matches next month – it’s his first time in the position, though he has been vice-captain in ODIs and T20Is in the past.Shubman Gill will lead in his second Test series after debuting in the position in England earlier this year, but the injured Rishabh Pant, who was the vice-captain on the tour of England, hasn’t recovered sufficiently to make the squad. Pant, who had fractured his foot while batting in the fourth Test in England, is currently recovering at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. Dhruv Jurel and N Jagadeesan are the two specialist wicketkeepers in the squad, with Jurel expected to be the first choice to stand behind the stumps.Jasprit Bumrah is also part of the squad, although there is only three day’s gap between the Asia Cup final, on September 28 in Dubai, and the start of the first Test against West Indies from October 2 in Ahmedabad.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

From the expanded squad that toured England, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Akash Deep, Anshul Kamboj, Arshdeep Singh and Shardul Thakur have missed out, along with Pant. Abhimanyu, Akash Deep and Kamboj have been included in the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup, which will be played against Vidarbha from October 1 in Nagpur. Of them, Akash Deep had reported to the CoE recently to recover from a niggle he had picked up in England, which kept him out of the Duleep Trophy and recent India A matches.Coming in are Axar Patel, Devdutt Padikkal and Jagadeesan, who had been flown in for the final Test after Pant picked up his injury.On the exclusion of Nair, who had scored 205 runs in eight innings in England with a best of 57, chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar said at a press conference in Dubai while announcing the squad: “We expected more from Karun. Padikkal offers a little bit more at this point. Wish we could give everyone 15-20 Tests, unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. Padikkal was in the Test squad in Australia, played against England in Dharamsala, got a fifty there. He’s shown some decent form. Frankly, we expected a bit more from Karun.”Related

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Meanwhile, one of Nair’s likely replacements, Sarfaraz Khan, is currently recovering from an injury.The rest of the squad wears a familiar look, and with spin expected to play a bigger part at home than pace, India have named Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Axar as the three spin-bowling allrounders, as well as Kuldeep Yadav. Nitish Kumar Reddy is the fast-bowling allrounder, with Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna the frontline quicks.On Bumrah’s availability – it had been confirmed before the five-Test tour of England that he would play only three Tests to manage his workload – Agarkar said, “This team has been picked for both the Tests, so he’s available for both Tests. We’ve had a fair break after England. He didn’t play the fifth Test [at The Oval] either. So there’s been a five-week break. Even this tournament [Asia Cup] has been fairly spaced out till the last week. So no, he’s ready and keen to play both Test matches.”India’s two Tests against West Indies, starting on October 2 in Ahmedabad and October 10 in Delhi, is their second of six series in the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle. Their cycle began with the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series in England, where India drew the five-Test series 2-2.Having earned 28 out of the maximum of 60 available points for five Tests, India are third in the WTC points table, with 46.67 percentage points. Australia and Sri Lanka are above them with 100 and 66.67 percentage points respectively. West Indies have zero percentage points, having lost three Tests to Australia in June-July.India’s squad for West Indies TestsShubman Gill (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, B Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (vice-capt), Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, N Jagadeesan (wk)

For the second time in three seasons, Gotham FC are NWSL champions after a 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit in San Jose. U.S. international Rose Lavelle – who scored against Gotham for the Seattle Reign in the 2023 Championship defeat – secured her first NWSL title with the game-winning strike. Trinity Rodman also featured for the Spirit in what could be her final game in the league.

GettyWhat happened

Gotham and Washington traded momentum throughout the match, but remained deadlocked until the 80th minute. Gotham’s season-long record of formidable defending – alongside Kansas City, they allowed the fewest shots on target in the league throughout 2025 – and their aggressive pressing limited Washington’s time in their attacking third. Rookie of the Year Lily Reale (later replaced by Bruninha) did solid work at left back – alongside the rest of Gotham’s impressive backline – to disrupt Rosemonde Kouassi’s dynamic link-up with Gift Monday, as the Spirit’s attacking pair failed to combine for a goal for the first time this postseason.

Gotham spent more time in Washington’s defensive third, outshooting them 13 to seven and three to nil on target. Still, much of the match was played in the middle third, with both teams battling to break through the other side’s elite defensive lines.

As the second half wore on, the Spirit were building momentum. With USWNT star Trinity Rodman entering in the 57th minute, there were stretches where Washington looked capable of taking the lead. But everything shifted when defensive midfielder Hal Hershfelt left the pitch in clear ankle pain. She limped back on while awaiting a substitution, but Gotham immediately capitalized on the space her injury created. Bruninha set the move in motion with some sharp footwork, laying the ball off to Lavelle, who struck home her second Championship goal in three seasons. This time, her finish sealed the trophy.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportA budding dynasty?

Gotham’s underdog story is undeniable. They finished the regular season in eighth place in a tightly packed table and had to beat first-place Kansas City and reigning champions Orlando just to reach the final. Still, players were adamant that they had the talent to compete with anyone in the league, even if their results didn’t always reflect that potential.

"We've had a rollercoaster of a year so I think to get this is the icing on the cake," Lavelle told ESPN's "Futbol W."

"We know that we underperformed during the season. But with that being said, we know the talent that we have in the locker room, and we knew when we bring our best, the sky's the limit. We can do so much with this group. So, I think we really leaned on that during this playoff run, and it worked out.

"We have such a special group, and I'm so excited to be able to win this with them."

But they found their stride exactly when it mattered. Jaedyn Shaw, who signed in September and celebrated her 21st birthday this week, helped spark their late-season dynamism. Emily Sonnett delivered massive defensive moments on Saturday, continuing the form she showed down the stretch. And Lavelle, who started the year injured, finished it as the team’s second-highest scorer behind Esther, with five goals and two assists in Gotham’s final nine matches. Her ascendant form sealed not only the title, but also the NWSL Championship MVP.

Gotham leaned all the way into their Cinderella arc this postseason – storming past a record-setting Kansas City side, then knocking out the defending champions en route to San Jose. After a temperamental season, they delivered on a roster stacked with elite talent and peaked at the perfect time. With two titles in three seasons (and a top-four finish in 2024), it’s safe to say this squad has the ambition and the quality to stay at the top.

The MVP

While Gotham defense deserves credit, Rose Lavelle's impact was clear here. She was the Woman of the Match. 

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GettyThe big loser

The Spirit’s attack, meanwhile, left a lot to be desired. Trinity Rodman, who came off the bench, stayed active but couldn’t produce the game-changing spark she’s so often delivered in the past. Still working back to full fitness, she didn’t register a shot, assist, cross, or key pass – an unusually quiet outing for a player of her influence. 

"We've gone through a lot as a team, and obviously this sucks. Two years in a row [with a defeat] to add, on top of everything," she said. "But at the end of the day, there needs to be a winner and, like, Gotham's deserving, obviously. Like, kudos to them. They played a great game."

With Rodman now a free agent, there is also real concern that this may have been her final match in the NWSL. 

"Like I've always said, we're sisters forever,” she said. 

And with Gotham’s back line in complete command, even the Spirit's top scorer, Gift Monday, struggled to find space, managing only a single shot all evening.

Nervy three-wicket win over Phoenix concludes fourth-placed campaign

ECB Media27-Aug-2025Trent Rockets concluded their campaign with a third successive win, Nat Sciver-Brunt’s third half-century of the competition setting up a nervy three-wicket victory over Birmingham Phoenix to nudge her team up to fourth in the table.Sciver-Brunt finished as the leading run-scorer in last summer’s women’s competition and the England skipper’s thrilling innings of 52 from 29 balls at Trent Bridge moved her up to second place in this season’s batting charts, behind Meg Lanning of Oval Invincibles.After the Rockets had been set 124 for victory, Em Arlott clean bowled the dangerous Bryony Smith for 10 with a superb slower yorker but Sciver-Brunt was quickly into her stride, sharing a second-wicket stand of 46 with Grace Scrivens (16) before Scrivens holed out to Arlott off the impressive Phoebe Brett.Ash Gardner struck two quick boundaries before falling to Megan Schutt via a stunning catch in the deep by Ailsa Lister and the Rockets threatened to implode when Sciver-Brunt chipped to extra cover off Hannah Baker immediately after bringing up her fifty and Brett dismissed Heather Graham and Ellie Threlkeld in the space of four deliveries, the young left-arm spinner finishing with figures of 3-19 as the hosts slipped to 109-6.Alana King made a crucial 9 to settle the nerves a little and when she edged behind off Schutt (2-24), courtesy of a superb catch from Amy Jones, it was left to Jodi Grewcock to hit the winning boundary with three balls to spare, securing a first home win of the season for the Rockets.Earlier, Emma Lamb’s second half-century of the competition had steered the Phoenix to 123-6, the England opener batting through the innings to finish unbeaten on 56 from 42.It was tough work at times for Lamb, who struck five boundaries, but she played judiciously as the Rockets’ high-class spin triumvirate of Kirstie Gordon (2-24), King (1-21) and Gardner (1-18) served up very few loose deliveries.Ellyse Perry (14), Marie Kelly (14) and Lister (12 off 6) played useful cameos to help push the visitors up to a competitive target but ultimately it wasn’t enough to prevent them slipping to a sixth defeat in eight.Sciver-Brunt, the Meerkat Match Hero, said: “I would have liked to be there at the end and made it a bit calmer for everybody but it wasn’t to be. In the three games I have made runs that’s not been the case, so that’s something to think about in future.”As a batting group, we’ve always said if we can get ahead of the game, try and stay ahead of the game. That was the tempo I wanted to go at. Getting out at that point, had we not been ahead of the game as we were, it probably would have been even more stressful.”It’s always nice to win at your home ground in front of your home fans and we haven’t been able to do that until today. The wicket is quite specific, it’s quite slow, and we probably didn’t adapt to that as quickly as we wanted to.”

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta oversaw one of the busiest and productive summer transfer windows in recent memory at the Emirates, but an unmissable January opportunity could be too good to ignore.

Berta broke the club’s total transfer window record with an unprecedented summer spending spree nearing £270 million, backing Mikel Arteta to the hilt as Arsenal attempt to end their 22-year wait for a Premier League title.

The Gunners made eight major additions to their squad, addressing key areas of weakness and adding real depth that had been lacking in previous campaigns.

The jewel in Arsenal’s summer recruitment crown was Viktor Gyokeres, who arrived from Sporting Lisbon to finally solve the club’s long-standing centre-forward problem. The Swede’s agent even waived his £6 million commission to help facilitate the deal after two seasons of Gyokeres free scoring in Portugal, and while he hasn’t exactly hit those heights just yet, it could simply be a matter of settling in as he also fights to return from injury.

Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atletico Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Martin Zubimendi was another major coup, with the ex-Real Sociedad maestro bolstering Arsenal’s engine room and allowing Declan Rice more freedom to roam forward. Arsenal beat Tottenham to the signing of Eberechi Eze as well, tempting the former Crystal Palace star from under Thomas Frank’s nose in what was one of the best transfer hijacks in recent memory.

Noni Madueke — who seriously impressed prior to being sidelined with a knee injury — Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Christian Norgaard made up the rest of Berta’s recruitment drive, and all of them have barely set a foot wrong thus far when fit and available.

Given Arsenal aren’t usually active in January, with the exceptions of Jorginho, Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior in recent years, alongside their record-breaking summer, you could be forgiven for thinking that the winter could look fairly quiet at N5.

However, recent reports indicate that may not be the case.

Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard’s deals both expire in 2027, meaning Arsenal must think about the long-term when it comes to Arteta’s left wing.

As such, some media sources believe that Arsenal could make a move for Lyon’s Malick Fofana, and they retain an interest in Real Madrid forward Rodrygo.

Arsenal given £35m Rodrygo discount as Real Madrid star vies for January move

The Brazil international was a summer target for Arsenal, according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, and exploratory talks were held over a potential deal back in May.

Links continued into 2025, but the cost of a deal and difficulties surrounding the mere logistics appeared to thwart a transfer to north London.

However, according to TEAMtalk, Arsenal remain keen on Rodrygo ahead of January, and the ‘frustrated’ Real forward is increasingly tempted to leave the Bernabeu in pursuit of more game time.

What’s more, Arsenal have been handed a significant boost in their pursuit of Rodrygo, with Xabi Alonso’s side dramatically reducing their asking price by £35 million — opening the door for Berta to potentially strike a deal.

His summer price tag was around £88 million, but Real have now slashed it to around £53 million amid interest from Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool.

The 24-year-old’s situation at Real has become increasingly uncertain after falling down the pecking order and starting just two La Liga games this season, with Rodrygo struggling to cement a regular position and casting doubt over his place in the team.

With the 2026 World Cup looming, Rodrygo will be desperate to play regularly and ensure a place in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad.

Arsenal could offer him a route out, but it is also believed that title rivals City are the favourites for his signature as things stand. Despite not being fancied by Alonso, teammate Jude Belligham has previously called Rodrygo the club’s most “gifted” and “underrated” player.

Pep Guardiola cut an irate figure after Manchester City's 2-1 loss to Newcastle United at St James' Park. The former Barcelona manager got into an intense discussion with Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes, the match officials, and even a cameraman on Saturday night. The result also somewhat took the wind out of City's Premier League title bid in a day to forget for the visitors.

• Man City lose dramatic game

  A Harvey Barnes brace, either side of Ruben Dias' strike, secured Newcastle all three points on home turf. But the game was not without controversy as City felt they should have been awarded a first-half penalty when Phil Foden went down in the box after a late tackle from Fabian Schar. And there were question marks about Barnes' second goal, as goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma claimed he had been fouled and Bruno may have been offside in the build-up. The loss means City could fall seven points behind table-toppers Arsenal on Sunday if they beat Tottenham in the north London derby.

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• Guardiola loses his cool

  At the full-time whistle, Guardiola got into a very animated chat with Bruno, with both individuals looking testy at times. The 54-year-old also appeared to argue with a cameraman as he struggled to keep his cool. 

  By the time he was interviewed, the ex-Bayern Munich manager gave little away. 

  When questioned on the matter, he said: "No questions, everything is fine. I said how good he [Bruno] is [but that conversation] is for private situations. Everything is fine."

• Guardiola unhappy with Man City stars

  Despite being the top scorers in the Premier League with 24, Guardiola believes his team have to be more clinical in front of goal. They had 68 per cent possession and 17 shots to Newcastle's nine, but only had four efforts on target. Moreover, they created an Expected Goals (xG) tally of 1.88 in a wasteful display that showed they cannot always rely on Erling Haaland, who has scored 14 of their league goals this term.

  Guardiola added: "Tight game. Entertaining game. They had chances. We had chances. In the end they scored one more goal. Two or three chances that he [Haaland] always have because he is the best. And yeah, go to the next. Two or three chances that he always have because he is the best. And yeah, go to the next."

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  What comes next for Man City?

  City don't have long to rest on their laurels as they host Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday, before entertaining lowly Leeds United in the Premier League next Saturday.