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Manchester United and Ruben Amorim could now be without one Red Devils star for their next five Premier League games.

Man Utd injury latest on Martinez, Mainoo, Maguire

The Red Devils have been without Lisandro Martinez for the majority of 2025 due to an ACL injury, however, the Argentine defender appears to be closing in on a return.

Back in full team training, Martinez wanted to travel with the side for the draw against Nottingham Forest and has since been training with his national side during the international break.

Meanwhile, Kobbie Mainoo missed the 2-2 draw with Tottenham last time out, whereas Harry Maguire was replaced with a hamstring issue, however, both could return in time as Man Utd host Everton at Old Trafford on Monday.

Summer signing Benjamin Sesko also joined the injury list prior to the international break after being replaced late on against Spurs. Amorim admitted that he was “concerned” with Sesko’s injury and not his form.

“That [his recent form] is not the biggest concern now. I’m concerned with an injury, because it is in the knee, and I don’t know. We need Ben [Sesko] to be a better team. We have to check. He has something in his knee. Let’s see.”

Now, Amorim has found out how long the Slovenian will be missing for.

Man Utd handed Sesko injury update

As reported by Sky Sports, Sesko has avoided a major knee injury after further scans.

The forward will now undergo a period of rehab running into December and is expected to be sidelined for a month.

Should that prove accurate, Sesko will miss United’s next five Premier League fixtures and could return just before Christmas against Aston Villa on December 21.

Man Utd games Sesko will miss

Date

Man Utd vs Everton

November 24

Crystal Palace vs Man Utd

November 30

Man Utd vs West Ham

December 4

Wolves vs Man Utd

December 8

Man Utd vs Bournemouth

December 15

This will come as a blow to Amorim, who hailed the £160,000-a-week striker following his performance and goal in the 2-0 win over Sunderland.

“He has time, he’s going to stay here for a lot of years. The media puts a lot of pressure on the goals for the striker but for me it’s the effort that is the most important thing. Every time we kick the ball he’s fighting for it, that’s massive for us. To win the second ball and give us time to breathe. I’m really happy with that.”

Now, Amorim will have to find a way to cope without the towering striker, whether that be by bringing back someone like Joshua Zirkzee or using Matheus Cunha as a forward with captain Bruno Fernandes playing in a more advanced midfield role.

Forget Bruno and De Ligt: Man Utd "monster" is looking like a new captain

Through the many storied decades of MLB postseason history, there's only been a few recorded instances of no-hitters or perfect games.

There have been just two no-hitters in MLB playoff history, while there's only been one perfect game—and it happened nearly 70 years ago. These are two very rare occasions in baseball in general, so it's even more difficult to achieve under the pressure of the playoffs.

A no-hitter is when the pitcher allows zero hits over the course of the game, while a perfect game is when the pitcher doesn't even allow a runner to reach base (no hits and no walks). It's extremely tough for pitchers to accomplish these feats because the game has so many talented batters nowadays.

The First No-Hitter in MLB Playoff History

The MLB postseason's first no-hitter actually happened to be a perfect game, too. New York Yankees pitcher Don Larsen allowed no hitters and no walks against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1956 during Game 5 of the World Series. Jackie Robinson was the closest Dodger to reaching base in the game. Larsen threw 97 pitches to accomplish this difficult feat.

Perfect Games in MLB Playoff History

Larsen's perfect game in 1956 remains the only perfect game in MLB postseason history to this day. That just shows how tough it is to achieve this piece of history. There's been just 24 perfect games in all of MLB history.

No-Hitters in MLB Playoff HistoryRoy Halladay – NLDS, Phillies vs. Reds, 2010

There's only been two no-hitters in MLB history. The first sole no-hitter in MLB postseason history didn't happen until the 2010 season when Philadelphia Phillies starter Roy Halladay accomplished the feat in the NLDS against the Cincinnati Reds.

The Phillies went on to sweep the series and advance to the NLCS, but lost to the San Francisco Giants before the World Series.

It was Roy Halladay's first postseason start at 33 years old. Halladay had thrown a perfect game during the MLB regular season in 2010, too. He won the Cy Young Award that year. Additionally, Halladay was inducted into the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame, and his No. 34 jersey was retired by the Phillies.

Astros Combined – World Series, Astros vs. Phillies 2022

The Houston Astros pitchers in Game 4 of the 2022 World Series combined for a no-hitter vs. the Phillies. Starting pitcher Cristian Javier first had six no-hit innings to begin the game. The relief pitchers Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly followed up by continuing the no-hitter.

It was the second combined no-hitter that Javier was involved in during the 2022 season. This time, it was during the World Series when the Astros were down 2–1. It helped propel them to become the eventual champions.

The two most recent playoff no-hitters were both thrown at Citizens Bank Park, the first being thrown by a Phillies pitcher, and the second being against the Phillies. Coincidentally, Dusty Baker was involved in both no-hitters in these games—first with the Reds, then with the Astros.

Near-Misses: Almost No-Hitters and Perfect Games in the MLB Playoffs

There's been 10 close calls in MLB playoff history. Here's a quick rundown of all of those games.

Braves Combined – World Series, Braves vs. Astros, 2021

During Game 3 of the 2021 World Series between the Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros, the combined pitchers of Ian Anderson, A.J. Minter, Luke Jackson and Tyler Matzek went seven innings with no hits. Starter Anderson had walked three batters during his five innings. When Matzek took over in the eighth, Aledmys Díaz hit a single to end the Braves' no-hitter campaign.

Aníbal Sánchez – NLCS, Nationals vs. Cardinals, 2019

Washington Nationals starter Aníbal Sánchez was on track to record a no-hitter in Game 1 of the NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals until Jose Martinez hit a single in the eighth inning with two outs.

Michael Wacha – NLDS, Cardinals vs. Pirates, 2013

Michael Wacha almost recorded a no-hitter in his postseason debut during his rookie season in the 2013 NLDS vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates. Wacha, who is currently in the playoffs with the Kansas City Royals, had no hits until Pedro Alvarez hit a solo home run in the eighth inning. The Cardinals still won Game 4.

Tigers Combined – ALCS, Tigers vs. Red Sox, 2013

The Detroit Tigers' pitching staff of Aníbal Sánchez, Al Alburquerque, Jose Veras, Drew Smyly and Joaquin Benoit attempted a combined no-hitter. Starter Sánchez walked six through six innings. The relief pitchers closed out the innings until Daniel Nava hit a single off of Benoit in the ninth inning.

Jim Lonborg – World Series, Red Sox vs. Cardinals, 1967

Jim Lonborg had bids for a perfect game and a no-hitter, until he gave up a walk in the seventh inning, and then a double in the eighth inning. The Red Sox won Game 2, but the Cardinals ended up winning the World Series.

Bill Bevens – World Series, Yankees vs. Dodgers, 1947

Bill Bevens walked 10 batters during his no-hitter campaign during Game 4 of the 1947 World Series. The ninth inning was where it all went wrong for Bevens and the Yankees—Cookie Lavagetto hit a walkoff double and brought in two of the batters Bevens had walked earlier in the inning. The Dodgers won the game, but the Yankees went on to win the World Series.

Red Ruffing – World Series, Yankees vs. Cardinals, 1942

Yankees starter Red Ruffing walked five batters, including two in the first inning, but didn't allow a hit until the eighth inning when Terry Moore hit a single.

Monte Pearson – World Series, Yankees vs. Reds, 1939

Monte Pearson fulfilled a shutout in Game 2 of the World Series, but his no-hitter bid ended when Reds' Ernie Lombardi hit a single in the eighth inning. Pearson only walked one batter during the game.

Burleigh Grimes – World Series, Cardinals vs. Athletics, 1931

Burleigh Grimes walked three batters, but his no-hitter campaign ended in the eighth inning when Bing Miller hit a single. It happened to be the first time Miller ever got a hit off of Grimes.

Herb Pennock – World Series, Yankees vs. Pirates, 1927

Herb Pennock was close to recording the first perfect game in MLB playoff history as he entered the eighth inning—that was, until Pie Traynor hit a single. The Yankees still won the game and the World Series.

“There’s no second dip at it. We have to make sure we hit the ground running and are nice and sharp come day one”

Firdose Moonda08-Jun-20252:58

Finch: Australia’s batting gives them the edge over SA

South Africa’s schedule of two-Test series throughout the World Test Championship has an unintended benefit in preparing them for getting off the starting blocks quickly, which could come in handy in a one-off final. Or at least, that’s the line Aiden Markram came up with, and is sticking to, three days out from the biggest Tests of his and his team-mate’s careers.”A lot of our series have been two-game series, so in order to win, you can’t start slow. That’s helped us along the way,” Markram said after South Africa’s first training session at Lord’s. “We know the importance of starting well, trying to get ahead of the game early and how important each session is going to be. There’s no second dip at it. We have to make sure we hit the ground running and are nice and sharp come day one.”A prominent example of South Africa taking time to get into matches was on their 2012 tour to England, where England got to 267 for 3 on the first day and South Africa appeared lethargic. But they soared back to win that match, the series and the mace, albeit with a completely different generation of players. The luxury of allowing themselves a meander does not exist in a one-off final and has not existed over the course of the cycle because of how few Tests South Africa have played. They could not afford to slip up, much less when they effectively forfeited a series in New Zealand by sending an understrength side in February 2022, which meant they had to win seven out of their next eight Tests.Related

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Still, there are concerns over whether a team that has not played a Test in six months and whose warm-up match only had one full day of cricket will be ready for an occasion like Lord’s and specifically whether their batting line-up will be. Temba Bavuma is the only player in the top seven who has played more than 50 Tests and, before October, one of only three batters – Markram and Kyle Verreynne being the others – to have scored a Test hundred.South Africa’s inexperience is stark, especially when compared with the opposite in the Australian camp. As one illustration, Steven Smith has played two fewer Tests than Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham and Verreynne – South Africa’s top seven without Bavuma – combined. It’s no secret that South Africa’s batting is considered their weaker suit and all eyes will be on how they front up to Australia’s much-vaunted attack. Markram knows that and, after a few days facing his own bowlers in the nets, believes he is ready.

“The few of us that have been a part of previous ICC events that didn’t go our way have chatted to each other and made sure we’ve buried it and taken some good lessons from it”

“When you’re opening the batting, obviously your responsibility is to calm the changing room down, get the team off to a good start and get us ahead of the game,” he said. “That’s the challenge, that’s what excites us. When you’re preparing against your bowlers who are world-class, it can only help you as a batter, as uncomfortable as it can be at times. But that’s the gauge – that you judge where your game is at.”At Lord’s on Sunday, Markram faced Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen for a lengthy period of time, and with five fifties from 13 innings at the IPL, he considers himself to be in good form. “I’m feeling good. I feel like I’m moving well,” he said. “The IPL is obviously a completely different format but it was nice to come into a game feeling good. I’m pleased to be in that headspace at the moment and when you’re feeling like this, it’s really about cashing in and trying to make a difference for the team.”Temba Bavuma and Pat Cummins with the Test mace ahead of the final•ICC via Getty ImagesMarkram also has the unique experience of being the only other captain to lead South Africa in an ICC event final this millennium (Hansie Cronje led them in the 1998 Wills International Cup final) – and he has done it twice. Markram was in charge when the South Africa U-19 won the age-group World Cup in 2014 and last year, when the senior side got to the final of the T20 World Cup in Barbados. The latter was the apex of a few weeks of intensity as South Africa reeled off eight consecutive wins to reach the final. In Tests, they’ve now won seven in a row. Are there any similarities?”It has a different feeling, to be very honest,” Markram said. “I think because it’s a one-off game and there hasn’t been a consecutive build-up to it, it does feel slightly different, at least for the time being. Maybe the night before, all of a sudden, it might all align. But for now, it’s got a different feel about it. Also, knowing it’s multiple days of cricket, not just three hours and it’s done.”All the reasons that make red- and white-ball cricket different (time, pressure, narrative) is why this South African team cannot be lumped with the ODI and T20I squads who failed to cross the final hurdle before them, but nuance can often get lost. South Africa know that, so “the few of us that have been a part of previous ICC events that didn’t go our way have dealt with it, chatted to each other and made sure we’ve buried it and taken some good lessons from it”, Markram said. “From now on, it’s more about the excitement of having another opportunity to do the job.”And that will require even temperaments and an understanding that they have to start strongly. “It’s about each guy making sure that they don’t peak too early and get too excited too early, because then you end up draining yourself,” Markram said. “So, managing your loads at training, managing specifics at training, instead of trying to flush everything out in one session, have that gradual build-up so that by the time you get to day one, you feel like you’ve ticked every box, but it hasn’t been at 100 miles an hour. We have to respect the Test match format. It takes a lot out of you from an energy point of view and a psychological point of view. We need to be fresh and ready to go on day one.”

تعجبت جماهير فريق مانشستر سيتي من قرار المدرب بيب جوارديولا، المدير الفني للسكاي بلو، تجاه النجم المصري عمر مرموش في مباراة اليوم ضد بورنموث، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

واستضاف ملعب “الاتحاد” مباراة مانشستر سيتي وبورنموث، في الجولة العاشرة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي، حيث فاز أصحاب الأرض بثلاثة أهداف لهدف.

اقرأ أيضًا.. هالاند عن استبداله بـ مرموش أمام بورنموث: البعض ليسوا سعداء.. ويجب سؤال جوارديولا

وشارك مرموش في تلك المباراة كبديل، حيث دفع به المدرب بيب جوارديولا في الدقيقة 81 بعد خروج إيرلينج هالاند.

وتعجب عدد من جمهور مانشستر سيتي، عبر موقع إكس، من نزول سافينيو في الدقيقة 73، في حين كانوا يرون أن مرموش هو الأحق بالمشاركة مبكرًا.

وجاءت ردود أفعال جماهير مانشستر سيتي تجاه قرار جوارديولا بشأن مرموش، على النحو التالي:

“كيف يمكن الدفع بـ سافينيو قبل مرموش يا رجل؟ سئمت من هذا!”.

Seriously, how can you bring on Savinho ahead of Marmoush man. I’m tired of this. — Radu Cristian (@radhoo12) November 2, 2025

“أعتقد أن مرموش قد لا يكون لائقًا بالقدر الذي يحتاجه بعد اللعب في منتصف الأسبوع ولكن نعم يبدو الأمر غريبًا”.

Thinking Marmoush might not be as fit as he needs after playing mid week but yeah feels odd — YannCity (@YannchesterCity) November 2, 2025

“يحتاج مرموش إلى اللعب كجناح بجوار هالاند وليس كبديل لـ هالاند”.

Marmoush needs to play wing Haaland not a sub of Haaland. — PHANTOM (@revolutionpep) November 2, 2025

“أوافق تمامًا، كان ينبغي لـ مرموش أن يحصل على دقائق أكثر في هذه المباراة”.

Completely agreed. Marmoush should have got more minutes in this game. — HV (@F1withHV) November 2, 2025

“يجب على جوارديولا أن يجرب مرموش على الجناح الأيمن لأنني سئمت من سافينيو”.

Guardiola should try Marmoush on RW cause I’m sick and tired of Savinho. — Mark Thaus (@MarkThaus) November 2, 2025

“لا بد من الدفع بـ مرموش بدلًا من سافينيو”.

Should’ve put Marmoush on instead of Savio tbh — sai (@imnotreal170) November 2, 2025

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca wanted a centre-back in the summer transfer window, but the west Londoners could be set to finally grant his wish in January.

Chelsea's defensive struggles laid bare after 3-1 defeat to Brighton

Blues legend José Mourinho returns to Stamford Bridge tonight as Chelsea take on Benfica in the Champions League, and the ‘special one’ will be well aware of just how fragile his former club look defensively right now.

Trevoh Chalobah was sent off for denying a goal-scoring opportunity in Chelsea’s last outing, a humbling 3-1 defeat at home to Brighton, where Fabian Hurzeler’s side made the extra man count and ran out deserved winners in the English capital.

Levi Colwill’s ACL injury, which is expected to keep him out for most of 2025/2026, has undoubtedly contributed to Chelsea’s weakness at the back, and Maresca is left with precious few options right now with Tosin Adarabioyo and Wesley Fofana also injured.

Chelsea are winless in the Premier League since this time last month and have conceded 11 goals in their last five outings across all competitions, with BlueCo arguably paying the price for not signing a centre-back in the summer.

Despite being one of the division’s biggest spenders, Chelsea’s priority at the time was to bring in new attackers, with no room left to bolster Maresca’s backline.

The Premier League’s biggest summer spenders

Team

Spent

Received

Net Spend

Liverpool

£415,000,000

£187,000,000

£228,000,000

Chelsea

£285,000,000

£288,000,000

-£3,000,000

Arsenal

£255,000,000

£9,000,000

£246,000,000

Newcastle

£250,000,000

£152,000,000

£98,000,000

Man Utd

£216,000,000

£68,000,000

£148,000,000

Nottm Forest

£205,000,000

£107,000,000

£98,000,000

Tottenham

£181,000,000

£36,000,000

£145,000,000

Sunderland

£162,000,000

£44,000,000

£118,000,000

Man City

£152,000,000

£53,000,000

£99,000,000

West Ham

£124,000,000

£55,000,000

£69,000,000

via BBC

Chelsea did try to sign Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth, before the Spaniard’s £50 million move to Real Madrid, and Maresca strongly suggested towards the end of the transfer window that they needed another body in that area.

Since then, reports have claimed that Chelsea could dip back into the market for a new defender mid-season, with journalist Pete O’Rourke sharing an update on this.

Chelsea and Maresca agree on "priority" signing as club work to sign centre-back

According to the reporter, in a piece for Football Insider, Chelsea and Maresca are in alignment about signing a centre-back.

Both the club and manager feel that bringing one is now a “priority” for January, with Chelsea believed to be working on defensive reinforcements for when the window reopens.

It is imperative that Chelsea back Maresca and provide the Italian with another world-class option. Tosin and Fofana’s injuries have added to his woes, as Chelsea brace to take on table-topping Liverpool this weekend with a very weakened backline.

Benoit Badiashile’s return to the fold couldn’t have come at a better time, but Chalobah will be suspended for their Stamford Bridge clash against Arne Slot’s side.

Luckily for Chelsea, the Cobham academy graduate will only serve a one-match domestic ban before returning after the international break against Nottingham Forest.

In the meantime, Chelsea’s recruitment team must get to work on finding the right profile for January, with Club Brugge starlet Joel Ordonez among BlueCo’s potential targets alongside Benfica’s Antonio Silva (Simon Phillips).

Ibrahima Konate was fiercely defended by Liverpool head coach Arne Slot amid his rising errors at the back as the Reds look to end their losing run. The French centre-back was shaky against Crystal Palace, gifting two gilt-edged chances in a disastrous first half and picking up a booking in the process. A similar story unfolded at Galatasaray on Tuesday, where his hesitant defending and loose touches under pressure left fans biting their nails.

• Konate's rough patch

  Against Galatasaray, Konate's struggles were compounded by a costly pass that set Victor Osimhen free, forcing goalkeeper Alisson Becker into a desperate sprint. The Brazilian hurt his hamstring in the process and now faces an extended spell on the sidelines, adding to Liverpool’s mounting defensive headaches.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Not at ease with the ball at his feet

  Konate’s acknowledged weakness on the ball has long been an area of concern. While the Reds continue to work on improving this aspect of his game, the spotlight is firmly on the Frenchman as Liverpool try to halt a worrying slide. Even going forward, Konate has been frustrated. From corners in both matches, he sent headers wide that should have been hammered home.

• Slot refuses to panic

  "If you are losing a game of football, it doesn’t help if you lose the ball a few times very easily," Slot said at a press conference on Friday. "Ibou has been one of them, but definitely not the only one. Against Galatasaray, apart from the penalty, maybe they got three or four other moments, all from us losing simple balls without any pressure, which happened to him once in the Palace game and once against Galatasaray.

  "If you lose there is so much focus on that moment and, all of a sudden, 90 minutes have been very poor. That’s not the way I analyse a game when I watch it back. I see what we did well and what we did wrong. In the last two games, it has been obvious and clear we have made a few errors, not only him, but also others we are not used to. If you do things that people are not used to then normally the manager gets criticised."

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• AFP
  

  Worrying record for Slot

  Liverpool's record this season tells a worrying story: only two clean sheets in ten games and four in 21 since a 1-0 win against Paris Saint-Germain back in March. Contrast that with four clean sheets in the first six games of last term, and it’s clear Liverpool’s defensive issues run deeper than any one player. It remains to be seen if Slot chooses to stick to Konate against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge or tries out Joe Gomez. 

Arsenal are a club that have been utterly transformed over the last five years or so.

Mikel Arteta has taken a side that were spiralling down into mid-table mediocrity and has helped craft one of the best teams in Europe, let alone the Premier League.

While his philosophy and tactics have played a significant role in the North Londoners’ rejuvenation, so have the signings they’ve made.

Under previous Sporting Director Edu Gaspar and Andrea Berta today, the Gunners have become far more effective at identifying and signing brilliant players in the transfer market.

However, Arsenal still have a problem selling stars, and have seen more than their fair share leave for nothing, including an international who could be described as being Arteta’s own Alexander Isak.

Arsenals players who left for nothing

There were signs of improvement with the likes of Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe and Aaron Ramsdale all leaving for decent money last summer, but in the previous four or five years, Arsenal have had too many players leave for nothing.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

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For example, perhaps the most exciting signing the club have ever made, the player whose arrival promised the ushering in of a triumphant period for the club that never arrived, Mesut Özil, ended up leaving for nothing.

The German superstar famously agreed to a bumper £350k-per-week contract renewal in January 2018, and it was pretty much downhill from that moment until he left for Fenerbahçe three years later.

Another big-money signing who left for free was Nicolas Pepe.

The Ivorian was a better player for the Gunners than people gave him credit for, racking up 48 goal involvements in 112 games, but he could never live up to his £75m price tag and, after several middling loans, had his contract terminated by mutual consent.

Going further back, to Unai Emery’s time at the club, and Aaron Ramsey’s exit was another disaster from a financial perspective.

After 369 games for the club, in which he scored 64 goals, provided 60 assists and played a significant role in several FA Cup triumphs, the Welsh legend left the Gunners to join Italian giants Juventus.

With all that said, none of these stars could realistically be compared to Liverpool’s new superstar Isak, which isn’t the case for another ace who left for nothing under Arteta’s watch.

The Arsenal star who was Arteta's Isak

Since taking the job at Arsenal, Arteta has overseen the exits of some notable players, including the aforementioned Ozil, but perhaps the most controversial one was Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The Gabonese international was the club captain for part of the Spaniard’s tenure, but following a drop in form and his late arrival for a North London derby in March 2021, the writing was on the wall for his Gunners career.

The former Borussia Dortmund star was eventually let go for nothing in January 2022, and while he endured a lacklustre year and a half with Barcelona and Chelsea, he quickly found his form in the south of France.

In one season with Marseille, the Laval-born monster scored 30 goals and provided 11 assists in 51 appearances, which was enough to earn him a big-money move to the Saudi Pro League.

The 36-year-old was able to amass an impressive tally of 24 goal involvements in 36 games for Al-Qadsiah last season, but has now returned to Marseille, where he is already outperforming Viktor Gyokeres, producing three goal involvements in three games.

Aubameyang’s recent form

Season

23/24

24/25

24/25

Appearances

51

36

3

Minutes

4005′

3196′

186′

Goals

30

21

2

Assists

11

3

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.80

0.66

1.00

Minutes per Goal Involvement

97.68′

133.16”

62′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

With all of that said, then, what was it about Auba that meant we could describe him as being like Arteta’s Isak in the past?

Well, the first reason is that, prior to going off the boil somewhat, the “world-class” striker, as dubbed by Behdad Eghbali, was a lean, mean goalscoring machine for the manager.

For example, in the 19/20 season, he racked up a sensational haul of 29 goals and three assists in 44 appearances, totalling 3725 minutes.

That comes out to an outrageous average of a goal involvement every 1.37 games, or every 116.40 minutes.

Moreover, like the former Newcastle United star, he’s a lanky striker but undeniably elegant centre-forward, who was capable of a plethora of finishes, but was particularly adept at coming in from out wide and slotting home.

In fact, like the Swede, he may be a striker first, but he has spent a considerable amount of time in his career playing out wide on the wings.

Finally, just as the Reds’ new star helped his former side with the League cup, the former Gunners star played a crucial role in Arteta lifting the FA Cup in his first season as manager.

Ultimately, while there were valid reasons for getting rid of Aubameyang, we can’t help but wonder how useful he’d be in this Arsenal squad, as he clearly still has an excellent ability to put the ball in the back of the net.

Related He's "England's future LB": Arsenal sold Hale End's own Hincapie last year

The promising full-back looked brilliant in Arsenal’s academy.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 4, 2025

Steven Smith has retired from ODI cricket effective immediately following Australia’s semi-final loss at the Champions Trophy. He will continue to be available for Tests and T20Is.Smith, 35, informed his team-mates immediately after the loss to India in Dubai on Tuesday that he had played his last ODI match, meaning he will not be part of Australia’s team for the 2027 ODI World Cup despite standing in as captain for the Champions Trophy in Pat Cummins’ absence.”It has been a great ride and I have loved every minute of it,” Smith said in a statement. “There have been so many amazing times and wonderful memories. Winning two World Cups was a great highlight along with the many fantastic team-mates who shared the journey.Related

• Hundred's 'transition' year is relying on Test star Steven Smith as headline act

• 'Not the immediate plan' – David parks ODI thoughts ahead of big T20I year

• Glenn Maxwell retires from ODI cricket, available for T20 World Cup

• Steven Smith as captain: a litany of what-ifs

“Now is a great opportunity for people to start preparing for the 2027 World Cup so it feels like the right time to make way.”Test cricket remains a priority and I am really looking forward to the World Test Championship final, the West Indies in the winter and then England at home. I feel I still have a lot to contribute on that stage.”Smith has long said that he was a series-by-series proposition in every format as questions have been posed to him in recent years about when he would retire from international cricket.Having referenced the Ashes later this year, he would appear committed for at least another home summer, but what happens beyond that remains to be seen. There is the prospect of away series against India and England in 2027.He is not currently in Australia’s T20I plans after being left out of the 2024 T20 World Cup squad, but has stated that he would like to represent Australia at the 2028 Olympic Games in T20 cricket and remains available for selection if called upon.