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Pakistan captain Salman Agha critical of India’s behaviour during the Asia Cup

Danyal Rasool28-Sep-20253:23

‘Clueless batting from Pakistan’

Pakistan captain Salman Agha has criticised India for what he called their “disappointing” behaviour during the Asia Cup.”What India have done this tournament is very disappointing,” Agha said at the press conference after the final. “They’re not disrespecting us by not shaking hands, they’re disrespecting cricket. Good teams don’t do what they did today [refusing to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi]. We went to pose with the trophy on our own because we wanted to fulfil our obligations. We stood there and took our medals. I don’t want to use harsh words but they’ve been very disrespectful.”After Pakistan lost the Asia Cup final to India in the last over in Dubai on Sunday, there was more than a 90-minute delay before the presentation ceremony began, but India refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who is the ACC president and PCB chairman, and also the interior minister of Pakistan.Related

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It was the culmination of a series of incidents where India have looked to limit any contact with Pakistan players or officials during the tournament.Agha said he did not have an issue with India captain Suryakumar Yadav. He claimed that if it had been up to Suryakumar, he would have shaken hands with Agha before the tosses at the three matches the teams have played against each other.”He shook hands with me in private at the start of the tournament,” Agha said. “Both at the pre-tournament press conference and when we met in the referee’s meeting. But when they’re out in the world in front of the cameras, they don’t shake our hands. I’m sure he’s following the instructions he’s been given, but if it was up to him, he’d shake hands with me.”Suryakumar Yadav pretends to carry the trophy he didn’t accept•AFP/Getty ImagesReiterating his position before the final, Agha said he did not believe there was a precedent in cricket for a team refusing handshakes, saying it was “detrimental” to the spirit of cricket. The manner in which the post-final presentation unfolded, with India holding up an imaginary trophy, was “a consequence of everything they had done before”.”This is the first time I’ve ever seen this happen,” Agha said. “Whatever happened in this tournament was very bad, and I hope it stops at some stage because it’s bad for cricket. Everything that happened today was a consequence of all that happened [before]. Of course, the ACC president will give the trophy to the winners – if you won’t take the trophy from him, how will you get it?”As with the previous two India-Pakistan matches in this tournament, there were no handshakes at the toss at the final or following the game, and the teams stood apart in their huddles while waiting for the presentation ceremony to begin. Agha said all that had taken place had not set a good example to those following the game in either India or Pakistan, but placed the blame squarely on the opposition.”I’m not just a Pakistan captain, I’m a cricket fan,” Agha said. “If a kid is watching in India or Pakistan, we’re not sending them a good message. People think of us as role models, but if we’re behaving like this, we’re not inspiring them. What happened shouldn’t have happened, but you should ask the people [India] responsible for this rather than me.”

It’s an excellent time to be an Arsenal fan at the moment.

Mikel Arteta’s side are four for four in the Champions League, through to the next round in the League Cup and top of the Premier League.

However, the North Londoners still have their problems, such as the growing number of injuries.

Moreover, Arteta now has to make do without summer signing Viktor Gyokeres, although the good news is that he has a solution in Arsenal’s best finisher since Robin van Persie.

Arsenal's solutions to Gyokeres' injruy

With Kai Havertz still out and Gabriel Jesus only just returning to first-team training, Arteta can get a little creative with his Gyokeres replacement.

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

One option could be moving Leandro Trossard into the middle, as, unlike last season, he seems to be getting back to his dangerous best.

In fact, the Belgian international has already amassed an impressive tally of three goals and four assists for the side in 13 appearances.

Moreover, while the 30-year-old is primarily a winger, he’s no stranger to playing up top, having done so 49 times across his career.

However, should the manager wish to keep Trossard on the right, he could go with an even bolder choice: starting Ethan Nwaneri up top.

After all, only last season he told the press that the youngster “can play as a right winger and there is another position I think he can develop into – No9.”

Moreover, with an impressive tally of nine goals and two assists in just 1378 minutes last season, the teenager clearly has an eye for goal that’s hard to teach.

However, while Trossard and Nwaneri would probably do a fine job leading the line for a game, there is another player Arteta will almost certainly turn to, a player who could be looked at as Arsenal’s best finisher since Van Persie.

Arsenal's best finisher

While he does have a few options at his disposal, it seems almost certain that Arteta will opt to play Mikel Merino up top against Sunderland.

After all, over the last year or so, the Spaniard has put forward a very good case for him being the club’s best finisher since Van Persie.

Now, that is not to say that he’s been the best centre-forward since the Dutchman, as he hasn’t and wouldn’t even claim to be one.

However, his quality of finishing is superb, and his utterly outrageous catalogue of goals proves as much.

For example, in his very first game as the side’s striker, against Leicester City last season, he scored an excellent header and another one-touch finish into the bottom corner.

Then, at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League, he once again scored a sensational one-touch goal, but this time from the edge of the penalty area.

In fact, when looking back on the goals he has scored for the club, it becomes apparent that he’s at his very best when he has less time to think and has to finish with a single touch.

Fortunately for him and the rest of the team, he is something of a “magnet in the box,” per Arsenal writer Adam Keys, and so he often has just one opportunity to bury a chance.

Ultimately, it might sound hyperbolic, and Arteta won’t want him playing up top for much longer, but it’s hard to deny that Merino currently looks like Arsenal’s best finisher since Van Persie.

Arsenal have their next Xhaka who's one of the best in "world football"

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 7, 2025

One of the biggest pieces of the puzzle for Manchester United under Ruben Amorim is who will play at wing-back. The right-hand side seems much clearer, with Amad seemingly securing that spot for himself.

The Ivorian – who netted at the City Ground a week ago – has impressed at right wing-back in recent outings.

However, the other flank is proving to be a bit more of a conundrum for Amorim. Patrick Dorgu is only 21 years of age and has great promise, but is not being rushed. Luke Shaw has played that role before for England, but is thriving on the left of United’s back three.

The first choice left wing-back this season has been Diogo Dalot.

Dalot’s struggles at left wing-back

26-year-old Dalot has certainly struggled at times as a left wing-back. It might not be a surprise, given that he is a right-back by trade.

At times, he is operating as the highest player on the pitch, on the opposite flank to where he is most comfortable.

Amorim has placed a lot of trust in the former FC Porto academy player as a left wing-back. This season in the Premier League, he has picked his countryman nine times, with six of those appearances coming from the left flank.

Dalot has struggled, too. In those six games from the left-hand side of United’s midfield, their number two has registered just a solitary assist. He does pose an attacking threat from that area, though, and got an assist for Bruno Fernandes in the FA Cup last season.

Generally speaking, though, it has not been easy for the 26-year-old. Blame can be given to Amorim for playing a right back as the furthest player in United’s attack on the wrong side.

United content creator Dev Bajwa says the Portugal star has “got to be dropped.”

In United’s most recent game, a 2-2 away to Tottenham Hotspur, Dalot was actually dropped from the side. Amorim chose to bring Dorgu into the starting lineup, with the United number two having to settle for a 10-minute substitute cameo.

If Amorim does decide to rotate Dalot out of the side again in the future, there could be a homegrown star waiting in the wings.

United’s in-house Dalot replacement

There are definitely options for Amorim if he thinks the time is right for a more permanent change at left wing-back. Danish international Dorgu could keep his place, or Shaw could move further up the pitch, coinciding with the return of Lisandro Martinez.

However, if the Red Devils boss decides to lean into the DNA of the club, then he could call upon Bendito Mantato. The 17-year-old has impressed for United’s academy over the past few years, and could be the attacking option Amorim needs at wing-back.

The England under-17 international, who is currently on national team duty at the Under-17 World Cup, is a winger by trade. However, he plays as a left-back for the Three Lions, and has done so for United, too.

One thing that you can guarantee from Mantato is that he will add a creative spark at left wing-back. His record for the under-18s side at Carrington is exceptional, with 15 goals and three assists in just 25 appearances.

Games

7

11

Minutes

602

833

Goals

6

7

Assists

2

0

Mins per G/A

75

119

Speaking of that inventiveness in the final third, the Manchester-born attacker has great instinct in attacking areas.

This goal he scored in the FA Youth Cup away to Arsenal last season, where he darted in between two defenders to fire home, really sums up his quality.

Mantato has already been involved with the first team under Amorim. Not only has he trained with the seniors, but he’s been on the bench twice in last season’s Europa League.

That certainly shows how highly he is rated by the Red Devils manager.

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Academy Scoop, a page on X dedicated to United’s academy, was full of praise for the 17-year-old. He called Mantato “one of the biggest talents at the club,” highlighting his excellent ability.

It will be fascinating to see whether Amorim takes a risk and brings him into the first team fold at the expense of Dalot on the left flank.

Man Utd "monster" is fast becoming their own Gabriel & it's not De Ligt

This Man Utd star has been crucial for his side this season

1 ByJoe Nuttall Nov 5, 2025

After scoring one goal and missing ten ‘big chances’, per Sofascore, in his first 12 appearances for Leeds United, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has finally found his feet at Elland Road.

The former England international has scored in successive games, against Manchester City and Chelsea, to take his tally to three goals in the Premier League.

Calvert-Lewin joined the Whites on a free transfer from Everton in the summer transfer window, and had looked to be a poor signing after his dismal start to the campaign in front of goal.

Daniel Farke will now be hoping that these two quickfire goals from the striker are not a flash in the pan and are a sign of things to come from the experienced forward.

Leeds offered the chance to sign Serie A striker

Despite Calvert-Lewin’s upturn in form in the Premier League in recent days, the Whites have been linked with a possible move for a player in his position in the January transfer window.

Transfer Focus

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According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Leeds United have been “offered” the chance to sign AC Milan centre-forward to bolster their options in the final third.

The accompanying report from TEAMtalk adds that Sunderland, Fulham, and West Ham United have also been contacted by intermediaries, who are looking to secure a January move for the striker.

It reveals that Milan are open to approaches for the Mexico international, almost a year on from his move to Italy from Feyenoord, but it remains to be seen how much they would demand for his services.

TEAMtalk also does not outline whether or not Leeds are willing to take up the offer to pursue a deal to sign the Mexican marksman, who could come in as an upgrade on Calvert-Lewin.

Why Leeds should sign Santiago Gimenez

The Whites should push to bring Gimenez to Elland Road when the January transfer window opens for business because he could add more quality to the manager’s options in the number nine role.

It has been a difficult year for the 24-year-old marksman since his move to Milan, with just five Serie A goals in 2025, per Sofascore, but that could make this the perfect time for Leeds to sign him.

If he were still at Feyenoord and scoring over 20 goals a season in the Netherlands, Gimenez would be unattainable for Farke’s side. That is why his disappointing form for Milan should be viewed as an opportunity for Leeds, rather than something that should put them off a move for him.

Based on his form for Feyenoord in the previous three seasons, the Mexico international has the potential to arrive at Elland Road as a big upgrade on Calvert-Lewin, whose goal return is nowhere near as impressive as the Milan flop’s.

As you can see in the table above, Gimenez scored 22 goals or more in each of his last three full seasons, whilst the English striker has not hit double figures for goals since the start of the 2021/22 campaign, which suggests that the former could offer significant more in front of goal.

The Milan forward, who was hailed as a “machine” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has a particularly impressive record in European games, with six goals in 11 Europa League outings and eight goals in 11 Champions League appearances, per Transfermarkt.

Gimenez, as illustrated in the first goal in the clip above, is a penalty box striker who has the strength and composure to hold off physical defenders to get his shot away, which suggests that the physicality of the Premier League would not be an issue for him.

The Mexican number nine won 57% of his aerial duels in the Eredivisie last season, per Sofascore, whilst Calvert-Lewin has won 41% of his aerial contests in the Premier League this term for Leeds.

This suggests that he has the potential to be an excellent option for the Whites as both a goalscorer and as a physical presence up front, if he can get back to the form that he displayed at Feyenoord, which would make him a big upgrade on Calvert-Lewin.

Gimenez, who scored 22 goals from 15.77 xG last season (Sofascore), is at a low point in his career, with one goal this season, but that is why this could be such a shrewd deal for Leeds.

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The 49ers and Farke could gamble on the striker and hope that this has just been a blip in what has otherwise been a prolific career, which would see him arrive at Elland Road in January and get back to his best as an upgrade on Calvert-Lewin.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has defended Lamine Yamal following a difficult Champions League performance against Chelsea, while also challenging the teenage forward to "step up" and prove his quality. Flick acknowledged the difficulty of facing Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella, whom he described as "one of the best in the world," but insisted that Yamal needs to lead the team's recovery from their 3-0 defeat.

AFPFlick challenges Yamal after difficult Chelsea outing

Yamal endured a difficult night against Cucurella as Barca were overpowered at Stamford Bridge and ended up being substituted with 10 minutes left. The winger's reaction to his withdrawal sparked caught attention in the media, but Flick moved to defend the 18-year-old and stressed he expects better against Deportivo Alaves on Saturday.

"Lamine is fine and feels good. Many players aren't happy when we substitute them," he said at a press conference. "I was a player myself, and many times I didn't react as I should have. Cucurella is one of the best full-backs in the world; he's a very good player. But, for me, now it's Lamine's turn to step up and show that we need to forget the Chelsea game. This is when he has to show how good he is."

AdvertisementBarcelona seek reaction after 'tough' Champions League loss

Barcelona's 3-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge was a significant setback, with an own goal from Jules Kounde and strikes from Estevao and Liam Delap condemning them to a heavy loss. The result left them in 18th place in the Champions League group stage table with seven points from five matches, placing them in the play-off positions rather than the automatic qualification spots.

Flick admitted the defeat was "tough" and that the team was "feeling down," but he refused to solely blame the defence for the result. "When we lose and when we concede three goals, it's easy to say it wasn't a good match or that it wasn't the Barca we'd like to see. Ultimately, some people don't understand what we need to play with that high defensive line," he explained. "It's our own style; it's not just about the defenders. The forwards and midfielders also initiate the press. That's what I need from the players. The blame seems to fall on the defense, but that's not fair. If we don't all press effectively, we'll have problems, I want to make that clear."

Injury updates and squad news ahead of Alaves clash

Ahead of the league fixture against Alaves, Flick provided updates on several key players. He confirmed that Ronald Araujo will miss the match due to a stomach virus, adding to the defensive concerns after his red card against Chelsea.

Midfielder Fermin Lopez is also out after feeling discomfort following the match at Stamford Bridge. "The tackle from Athletic Club affected him, but he wasn't seriously injured. It was after the Chelsea game that he felt discomfort. There's no other explanation. This is football, and things like this happen. Sometimes it's related to new boots. Now they have a new color every month," Flick stated.

However, there was positive news regarding Pedri, who is expected to feature as a substitute in the second half as he continues his return to full fitness. Flick also mentioned that Marc Bernal, returning from injury, will get playing time, and Andreas Christensen could be an option in midfield, where he has been trialled alongside Eric Garcia.

Raphinha, who Flick described as "one of the most focused players on the team," is also keen to make an impact after the coach admitted he had missed the Brazilian's influence.

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gettyWhat next for Barcelona?

Barcelona face Alaves at Camp Nou in La Liga on Saturday. Flick stressed the importance of securing three points to maintain their lead at the top of the table. "Our goal tomorrow is the three points. Anything else is secondary," he said. Following the domestic fixture, Barcelona will look to improve their Champions League standing in their remaining group matches to secure a more favourable position for the knockout stages.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has revealed that the north Londoners will soon benefit from a “very unpredictable” weapon that is set to add something new.

This weekend, Sunderland are next in line to try and break down Arsenal’s imperious defence, which hasn’t been breached since their dramatic 2-1 win away to Newcastle back in September.

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 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

The Black Cats, led by their arguable player of the season so far in ex-Arsenal star Granit Xhaka, are no easy customers and have made one of the best starts by a newly-promoted side in Premier League history.

However, the numbers suggest Regis Le Bris’ side might have their work cut out for them at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Arsenal haven’t just kept eight clean sheets in a row across all competitions, but they also boast the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues and have marked themselves out as England’s set piece specialists in that time.

No other Premier League side has scored more goals from dead ball situations than Arsenal so far this season (12), with Arteta’s side bringing the dark acts back into fashion.

While Arsenal have been criticised by some for their perceived ‘boring’ style of play, especially from ex-Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara, Arteta won’t be fussed in the slightest as his team sit pretty at the top of the table.

Arsenal’s water-tight backline and threat from set pieces are undoubtedly the two main reasons why they’re currently in pole position to win their first Premier League title in 22 years, but speaking ahead of their clash with Sunderland, Arteta revealed they’re about to have another weapon at their disposal.

Mikel Arteta says "very unpredictable" Gabriel Jesus will add something new to Arsenal

£265,000-per-week striker Gabriel Jesus hasn’t played since Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat to Man United back in January after rupturing his ACL, and reports once claimed that the Brazilian might not be back in action until next year.

However, Jesus has now returned to training, so his comeback is nigh, as Arteta explains how “thrilled” he is by the news.

The 28-year-old has been repeatedly linked with a January exit following the arrival of summer signing Viktor Gyokeres, who is expected to return from injury in time for the North London derby at the end of November.

That being said, it appears Arteta still has big plans for Jesus at Arsenal, with the forward capable of playing out wide as well as at centre-forward.

It will be very interesting to see how the former Man City star fits into Arteta’s tactical set-up, especially once their full complement of attackers in Gyokeres, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke return from injury too.

The match referee at the centre of the handshake row has been entrusted with the Super Fours game on Sunday

Shashank Kishore20-Sep-2025Andy Pycroft, who was at the centre of the handshake row when India and Pakistan met on September 14 at the Asia Cup, will be the match referee for the Super Fours fixture between the two teams in Dubai on Sunday as well.The PCB had sought Pycroft’s “immediate removal” after he had requested the captains Salman Agha and Suryakumar Yadav not to shake hands during the toss of the September 14 game. Pycroft stayed, and the row spilled over into Pakistan’s next game, against UAE. After they cancelled a pre-match press conference, Pakistan didn’t arrive on schedule for the match, which had to be pushed back by an hour, as they conducted backroom talks with the ICC.It wasn’t until a late meeting between Pycroft and the Pakistan team management just prior to toss – which snowballed into another controversy – that Pakistan agreed to take the field.Related

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It is in this backdrop that India and Pakistan square off again at the Dubai International Stadium, and Suryakumar made it clear that his team’s focus was on the game and nothing else.”I feel our preparations have been really good leading into the tournament. And we had three good games also,” Suryakumar said on Saturday. “So we are actually focusing on what we can do best. We want to follow all the good habits, which we’ve been doing in the last two-three games. And we’ll take it one game at a time.”But yeah, it doesn’t give us an edge because we played them once and we had a good game. Of course, it will be a good game. We’ll have to start well from scratch. And whoever plays well will win the game.”Having wrapped up their group fixture against Oman on Friday night and having travelled back to Dubai in the wee hours, India will have an optional training session on Saturday. Pakistan, meanwhile, are slated to have a full training session at the ICC Academy in the lead up to Sunday’s match.

ZC cites Williams’ “history of disciplinary issues and repeated unavailability” for decision to not renew his contract beyond 2025

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Nov-2025Sean Williams, the veteran Zimbabwe batter, will not be considered for national selection and his central contract will not be renewed after Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) said he disclosed to them that he has been struggling with drug addiction.In a statement, ZC referred to “a history of disciplinary issues and repeated unavailability, which has impacted team preparations and performance”.Williams, 39, has played 273 matches for Zimbabwe across all formats in an international career spanning more than 20 years, but ZC confirmed that his contract will not be renewed beyond the end of 2025.Related

Williams released from Zimbabwe squad for T20 WC Africa Qualifier

Sean Williams has been around the block and then some

Williams had most recently withdrawn from the Zimbabwe squad on the eve of the Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers, citing “personal reasons”. On Tuesday, ZC revealed that they had conducted an internal investigation to understand the reason for his unavailability, after which Williams had disclosed to the board that he has been struggling with drug addiction, and had voluntarily entered into rehab.”ZC expects all contracted players to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, discipline and compliance with team protocols and anti-doping regulations,” the board said in its statement. “While ZC commends him for seeking rehabilitation, withdrawal from team commitments under circumstances involving potential testing raises serious concerns regarding professional and ethical standards.”Since making his international debut in 2005, Williams has scored more than 8000 runs across all formats for Zimbabwe. He was most prolific in ODIs, making 5217 runs at an average of 37.53, with eight hundreds and 37 fifties. Earlier this year, he overtook James Anderson to become the longest-serving active international cricketer.Williams, however, was also never far from controversies or from a fractured relationship with ZC. Although he led the U-19 side in the World Cup in Sri Lanka in February 2006 – the highlight being a win over England – there were rumours both before and after the tournament that he was not happy with the board. Williams subsequently turned down a central contract the following month, opting to look for a more settled career overseas. However, he changed his mind three months later, thus returning to play for Zimbabwe. The on-off farrago resurfaced in 2008 when he again quit for a contract in South Africa, only to return weeks later.In late 2014, despite being one of Zimbabwe’s best players of spin, Williams was not considered for the tour of Bangladesh after interruptions in his involvement in a training camp, and an aborted disciplinary hearing.”ZC sincerely acknowledges and appreciates his immense contribution to Zimbabwean cricket over the past two decades,” the board said. “Williams has played a pivotal role in some of the most significant moments in our recent history, leaving a lasting legacy both on and off the field. ZC wishes him strength in his recovery, and every success in his future endeavours.”