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Enzo Maresca has conceded that Liam Delap could be set to spend another period on the sidelines, after the Chelsea striker was taken off in the 32nd minute of his side's 0-0 draw with Bournemouth following a shoulder injury. The 22-year-old has already spent two months out of action with a hamstring injury since arriving at Stamford Bridge for £30 million ($40m) from Ipswich Town, and could see his frustrating start to life at Stamford Bridge continue.

• Delap could be set for another worrying injury lay-off

  Maresca spoke to reporters at full-time and revealed his concerns surrounding Delap, who has already missed 11 matches this season and was replaced mid-way through the first half following a shoulder injury. The Blues are set to assess Delap’s injury in the next 48 hours to determine for how long he will be on the sidelines.

  With both of Joao Pedro and Marc Guiu on the bench the Blues have a range of attacking options – though Maresca questioned the quality of his side's depth after defeat to Leeds United in midweek – but there is no doubt that injuries have curtailed Delap’s progress in west London since his big move from the Tractor Boys, which came with lofty expectations after 12 goals in his first top-flight season.

  Delap looked in clear pain after he was bundled to the ground by Marcos Senesi and subsequently taken off, ahead of what would go on to be a disappointing goalless draw for Maresca’s side.

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  'He has been unlucky' – Maresca reacts to Delap injury blow

  Maresca said in his post-match press conference: “Unfortunately he has already been out for two months and he has to be out again. We don't know for how long, but it looks quite bad, his shoulder.

  “He has been unlucky," Maresca added. "We are also a bit unlucky because we need that kind of a No.9.”

• Maresca reflects on goalless draw for his side after Delap's injury

  Maresca added on the result on the south coast: “I think it was a game where we lacked and we missed a little bit of quality in the last third. For me, there were many mistakes. We missed some passes in the last third, some moments that we could shoot and didn’t.

  “But overall, when you are not able to win, we have said many times, that it's important that we don't lose. I think it is because of a lack of quality in the last third for me, personally, in terms of last pass, some crosses, some moments.

  “We know that we are not going to score every game. I didn't know, to be honest, that [Chelsea had scored in every game] since Crystal Palace. Now we're going to try to score on Tuesday, but it's important at least to keep the clean sheet that gives us at least the chance to take points."

  Maresca also referenced Cole Palmer on his first start since September, and was asked by reporters if the reason his side lacked the cutting edge on Saturday was due to a lack of individual confidence from his players.

  He responded: “No, no, no, not because of this. I think it's a normal mistake that can happen, you know, a last pass in the last third. It's just that. I think Cole [Palmer] was quite good on that, he played half an hour the other day, played one hour today. So now it's important that he can build his physical condition.”

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  What next for Chelsea and Delap?

  Chelsea have faced a challenge keeping players fit so far this season, with the after-effects of the Club World Cup and a lack of pre-season apparent for Maresca and his players. While the return of Palmer is a welcome one, another injury blow for Delap is concerning for a young player still becoming accustomed to his new club and team-mates.

  Injury has prevented the 22-year-old from having enough of an opportunity to settle in on the pitch at Stamford Bridge, and Maresca will hope that he can get the England Under-21 international back on the field to help the team as soon as possible.

  Currently in fifth place, the Blues face a challenging end to 2025 – with Atalanta next up in the Champions League, and league fixtures with Everton, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Bournemouth once again set to test Chelsea’s resolve over the festive period.

Liverpool’s season went from bad to worse at the weekend, with Sean Dyche’s Nottingham Forest condemning Arne Slot to a 3-0 Anfield defeat and a fifth loss in six Premier League matches.

Though FSG retain the faith in the Dutch coach, who so confidently won the league title last season, it’s clear that results and performances need to improve quickly, else the Reds will find themselves shackled to mid-table and a campaign of misery.

It’s also clear that sporting director Richard Hughes will consider making another signing this January, having overseen a summer transfer window in which Liverpool paid over £400m on new players, and Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo has been earmarked as the perfect fit.

However, Liverpool don’t have a bottomless pool of resources, and it may be the other end of the field which requires attention.

Liverpool ready to sign centre-back this winter

It almost feels absurd to think Liverpool need to spend in January after their record-breaking summer, but there’s no question that Liverpool would become threadbare if, say, Virgil van Dijk succumbed to a months-long injury setback.

Ibrahima Konate’s form has gone beyond the pale, and Liverpool’s full-back system is plumbing to imbalanced depths that were surely unfathomable after an ostensibly satisfactory spending spree.

That’s why Liverpool are considering a winter bid for Marc Guehi, having seen a deal for the Crystal Palace centre-half fall through on transfer deadline day at the start of September.

According to reports from Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Liverpool remain in pole position to sign Guehi and will be emboldened to learn that the Eagles are setting their sights on Sporting Lisbon’s Ousmane Diomande as his replacement.

Reports from Spain in the last 24 hours corroborate those claims, suggesting that things are ‘practically a done deal’ and that ‘after several months of negotiations, the agreement appears to be almost finalised’.

Guehi is out of contract at the end of the season but Palace are expected to accept offers of £35m in January should one arrive.

While FSG would be wary of paying out for a player who can be snapped up for free only months down the line, Guehi is a rare talent, and Liverpool desperately need a defender.

Why Liverpool should sign Guehi now

Liverpool have already strengthened at centre-back this year through the £27m signing of Giovanni Leoni. The former Parma defender is only 18, but he’s among the most exciting talents in the world. He is also sidelined for nearly a year after rupturing his ACL on his Reds debut.

The uncertainty around Konate’s contract, and the Frenchman’s abject performances this year, emphasise the need for more depth, and Guehi has already been profiled extensively; he’s the man for the job.

The 25-year-old has played an instrumental part in Palace’s rise under Oliver Glasner’s wing, winning the FA Cup and then the Community Shield. The Londoners are currently fifth in the Premier League, with two losses from 12 games.

Liverpool, conversely, can’t stop losing, and they are leaking goals and lacking any semblance of security at the back. Guehi would fix that. Not only is he a “monster in defence”, as has been noted by Palace reporter Bobby Manzi, but he is also among the most dynamic and intelligent modern centre-halves out there.

His range of passing is exactly what Liverpool need. Van Dijk is getting old, and Konate is hardly a convincing proponent of play-out-from-the-back football.

This is outlined by FBref’s data. According to the digital platform, the Three Lions star ranks among the top 9% of centre-backs in the Premier League this season for progressive passes and the top 3% for shot-creating actions per 90.

This underscores Guehi’s confidence on the ball, and that’s exactly what Liverpool need, with analyst Raj Chohan saying that, partnered with Conor Bradley on the right side of the defence, the “build-up combination is horrible”.

Guehi, meanwhile, is two-footed and a driver of Glasner’s progressive vision in possession. He is also proving himself to be a more stable and convincing defender.

Though Konate remains a convincing aerial battler, his overall game has left so much to be desired, with errors rife and sure to be disabling any kind of confidence from his teammates.

He has actually been criticised by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher for being at the epicentre of all of Liverpool’s woes. Not quite, but there’s no denying he’s the weakest link in a fragile backline, and Slot cannot afford to persist with him for the duration of the campaign, not if he wishes to salvage things.

While Semenyo would be a neat addition, it’s true that Liverpool could crumble, truly, if they suffer a damaging defensive setback. Moreover, Rio Ngumoha has shown his class already this term and will be convinced that he has more to offer over the coming months.

Whether Liverpool opt to go this way or that this summer remains to be seen, but there’s no question that the Anfield side need to pull off a change or two, else they will flake away and be condemned to a truly disastrous campaign.

Guehi would ease the concerns and then some. The plan was to bring him over this summer, and the plan remains to seal his signature come the end of the season. Why not now?

He's "as good as Bellingham": Liverpool submit record bid for Fabinho 2.0

Liverpool are getting ready to add new flavours to their flagging midfield.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 25, 2025

Kiwi legend’s stint at Lord’s reflects changing priorities for the modern grandees of the game

Matt Roller28-May-2025Kane Williamson will call Lord’s his home ground for the coming months and looked the part in his box-fresh Middlesex training kit on Wednesday. His deal for the English summer covers the T20 Blast, at least five County Championship games and the Hundred, and he will base himself in north London with his young family throughout.Williamson hitched a lift to St John’s Wood with Stephen Eskinazi, his new captain, and pulled a Karachi Kings kitbag – barely used in an abbreviated PSL stint – out of the boot on arrival. He briefly caught up with Nathan Lyon – an early arrival ahead of the World Test Championship final – on the Nursery Ground, before his first net as a Middlesex player.He later revealed his plans to extend his ‘casual’ arrangement with New Zealand Cricket (NZC) for 2025-26, with his commitments in NW8 overlapping with an upcoming tour to Zimbabwe. Williamson’s first day at Lord’s served as an allegory for the modern game: he turns 35 in August, and while he sees red-ball cricket as the sport’s “soul”, his own priorities are changing.”My wife’s English, so we were keen to come over here,” he said. “To come here and call Lord’s home for a little bit, it’s quite special… I’ve got three kids, and they’re all quite small, so there’ll be a few parks and things we’ll visit, but it’s nice to be in one place for a [long] period of time. I’ve always enjoyed my time here, and summer has always got a nice buzz in London especially.”Williamson declined an NZC central contract last year, enabling him to skip a bilateral white-ball series to take up an SA20 deal. “I’ll be continuing with that,” he said. “Obviously, the landscape is changing really fast. I played a pretty large volume of international cricket in the last contract year, so we will be working through that again this season… It’s just a work in progress.”Williamson catches up with Nathan Lyon•Ryan Pierse/Getty ImagesThe 15 years since his international debut have seen the sport’s structures transform, driven primarily by the IPL. “I feel really grateful that I started when I did, personally,” Williamson said. “The opportunities now are vast, and that’s an amazing thing, and the growth of the game – more so in one format than the others – is, overall, a great thing for a lot more people.”But I talk about the soul of the game, and I still see that as the red ball… The bond that you have with a team when international cricket is the only pathway that you aspire to play, and there is this journey that you’re on… That’s slightly harder to achieve when you’re playing in all different competitions, and it comes and goes a little bit.”Williamson’s signature was the indirect result of Middlesex’s outlier status among English counties. They are merely tenants at Lord’s, and the ground’s owners, MCC, effectively brokered the move on the county’s behalf; he will also captain London Spirit, the franchise which MCC will soon run alongside a Silicon Valley tech consortium, in the Hundred this summer.Related

Virat Kohli retires from Test cricket

Kane Williamson to play for London Spirit and Middlesex

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Test cricket's young Fab Four

It is a unique arrangement, but one that should prove beneficial to all parties. Williamson’s first assignment is to revive Middlesex’s T20 fortunes: champions in 2008, they have only twice reached the quarter-finals since (in 2016 and 2019). When they last won a Blast match at Lord’s, Eoin Morgan was England’s white-ball captain, and Boris Johnson was prime minister.The competition itself is struggling, too. Middlesex sold 108,144 tickets for their four Blast games at Lord’s in 2019 but only 64,351 last year, and are braced for a poor crowd against Sussex on Thursday night. The blame is shared between the Hundred’s impact on the fixture list, rising living costs, the pandemic’s effect on London working habits, and the club’s own results.Although the Blast has flagged since he last played in it, for Yorkshire in 2018, Williamson’s presence at Lord’s is proof that English cricket retains a certain pull. “When you see Test cricket on TV in this part of the world, it always gives you a lift,” he said. “To see full houses, often, is special to me… Seeing that appreciation and passion in that format over here is great.”Williamson heads to the nets on his first day with Middlesex•Ryan Pierse/Getty ImagesYet Williamson’s own future in the format is unclear as he gradually tapers back his international commitments. He could return to England for New Zealand’s three-match series next year, but the recent Test retirement of Virat Kohli – a fellow member of Martin Crowe’s ‘Fab Four’ – prompted a level of introspection.”You do start to reflect a little bit,” he said. “When some of those decisions are made, you go, ‘Oh gosh, there’s an end point.’ Before that, you’re on the journey, and there’s a pursuit there. It’s not connected to those other three, but we’ve all been playing at the same time and competed against each other for a long time… We’ve chatted a lot over the years.”You do realise that you’re not just cricketers as well: you’re human beings, and your life situation changes, and you go through a lot over the 14 or 15 years that we’ve all been doing it together… Until the decision is made, you assume that’s not happening; then it does, and you go, ‘Ah, I can understand it. It’s life.'”The underlying message is clear. Williamson will not be around forever, and while his reputation as a T20 batter may have dipped in recent years, there is no such doubt around his superstar status. Middlesex’s hope is that if anyone can revive their T20 fortunes – and the standing of the Blast itself – then it is him.

For Oman, Kaleem and Faisal picked up three wickets each

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Sep-2025Innings By no means the perfect innings for Pakistan, but 160 should be enough on this Dubai wicket. A fiery return to form for Mohammad Haris, who scored 66 off 43 deliveries, was the primary contribution that helped Pakistan to that figure.Either side of him, Pakistan struggled. They managed just two boundaries in the first five overs, which produced just 31 runs, with Saim Ayub falling for a golden duck. Sahibzada Farhan, put down early, scratched through his innings for 29 off 29, and it was left to Haris, promoted up the order, to inject impetus into the innings.Sixteen came off the final powerplay over, and that was the start of the onslaught. Until then, Haris had 16 off 18. His next 25 balls would produce 50 as Pakistan raced up close to eight runs per over, but once again, Oman pegged them back. Aamir Kaleem, the left-arm spinner, was the pick of the bunch as he had Haris drag on, before Salman Agha lapped a full toss off his first delivery to deep midwicket.It produced another barren spell for Pakistan and the boundaries dried up again. Fakhar Zaman struggled for timing and Hasan Nawaz, so often a hammer at the death, couldn’t get himself in, and holed out off his 15th ball for nine runs. It wasn’t until Mohammad Nawaz arrived in the 17th over, his cameo ensuring Pakistan got past the 150 mark. On a slow wicket in Dubai, that might just do the job, but Oman’s bowlers have ensured their batters get a sniff.

Even if you're not a big fan of the New York Yankees and think their mystique is overstated, there's something about a player making their Major League debut at Yankees Stadium that adds just a bit of extra intensity to the moment. And when the player comes out of the gate with a measure of success, well, it's tough to imagine many cooler introductions to the sporting world.

Cam Schlittler fit the bill last night, working into the sixth inning and holding the Seattle Mariners at bay to pick up up a victory in the Yankees' 9-6 win. The 6'6" right-hander impressed right out of the gate, striking out seven batters a formidable fastball.

Everything came together perfectly for him to get the moment of his life as manager Aaron Boone strode out to take him out of the game in the sixth inning. Schlittler received a well-deserved standing ovation from the Bronx crowd and YES' cameras honed in a heartwarming moment from his parents as they shared a hug.

That's the good stuff right there.

It was only a few months ago that Schlitter was pitching for the Somerset Patriots. Now he's out there on a massive stage against a playoff-caliber team making it look easy. Hard to imagine the sense of pride and joy going on in that hug.

The Schlittlers may have more opportunities to tell everyone in their section that there as he slots potentially as a key aide in their quest to win the American League East.

Tottenham Hotspur have been a club known to produce elite talent over recent years, with many of them making the jump into the professional game and having a huge impact in the first-team.

Harry Kane is arguably the biggest example in recent years, as the Englishman rose through the academy setup before cementing his place as the Lilywhites’ starting centre forward.

He racked up a total of 280 goals during his decade in the first team in North London, with such a record still remaining as the best tally of any player in their club’s history.

However, it wasn’t enough to catapult the side to any Premier League glory, with Thomas Frank the latest boss try and achieve such a feat in the near future.

His chances of potential success in the role could well be boosted in the years ahead, especially if one player is able to make a jump similar to Kane during the Dane’s tenure.

Why Williams-Barnett could be the future of Spurs

Spurs fans have been given yet another youngster to be excited about in the past couple of months after the emergence of academy star Luca Williams-Barnett.

The 17-year-old attacking midfielder joined the youth setup at U10 level, subsequently spending seven years in the ranks, with the last few months seeing the teenager enjoy a breakthrough.

He’s already made his first-team debut, coming off the bench in the Carabao Cup against Doncaster Rovers this campaign, but it’s his numbers in the youth ranks which has caught the eye.

In his 14 appearances across all competitions, Williams-Barnett has already racked up an incredible tally of 22 goal contributions – broken down into 15 goals and seven assists.

The youngster played in the UEFA Youth League clash against Slavia Prague on Tuesday night, with the attacker registering five goals in their 9-1 triumph over the Czech outfit.

After such a showing, Frank named the teenager on the substitutes bench for the first-team for the Champions League clash last night, but he was unable to get onto the pitch.

However, at just 17, there’s no denying the future is bright for the youngster, with Williams-Barnett undoubtedly a player who could be a key asset in North London for many years to come.

The Spurs star who’s a bigger talent than Williams-Barnett

Despite the academy producing numerous top-level talents in years gone by, the hierarchy have also invested money in the transfer market to try and land players for the future.

Lucas Bergvall joined the Lilywhites last summer for a reported £8m from homeland club Djurgarden, with many expecting the teenager to originally link up with the youth team.

However, the massive injury crisis in North London during 2024/25 handed the Swede the chance to stake his claim, subsequently making 45 appearances across all competitions.

Even after Frank’s appointment, he’s remained as a key member of the squad, as seen by his tally of 19 outings – even netting his first Premier League goal against West Ham United.

Bergvall isn’t the only top young talent who could have a huge impact in the near future, with centre-back Luka Vuskovic another player who could be a first-team regular in the years ahead.

The Croatian joined in a £12m deal from Hajduk Split despite being just 16, with his move to join the Lilywhites only being confirmed during the recent summer window.

The defender, who’s now 18, has already racked up 74 senior appearances despite his tender age, with all of which to date coming away from North London.

Such numbers undoubtedly make him a bigger talent than Williams-Barnett, especially considering he’s already starring in one of Europe’s top-five leagues in 2025/26.

Vuskovic is currently spending the season on loan at Bundesliga side Hamburg, which has resulted in the teenager producing some remarkable figures at both ends of the pitch.

The youngster, who’s been labelled a “freak of nature” by one analyst, has already netted twice this season – including an incredible scorpion kick effort in the recent clash with Werder Bremen.

However, his underlying stats in the defensive third are just as impressive, which highlights why he’s already a bigger talent than Lilywhites star Williams-Barnett.

Vuskovic has been a sensational option in possession this campaign, as seen by his tallies of 86% passes completed and 100% dribbles completed to date.

Games played

11

Goals scored

2

Pass accuracy

86%

Dribbles completed

100%

Duels won

7.5

Duel success rate

67%

Aerials won

5.3

Aerial success

81%

Recoveries made

4.1

Such numbers could make him the perfect ball-playing option in Frank’s system, whilst also having the potential to improve in the future given his tender age.

However, out of possession, the Croatian star has also dominated, as seen by his tally of 7.5 duels won per 90 and his 81% aerial success rate in Germany’s top-flight.

The club’s £12m investment in his signature two years ago is no doubt already appearing to be a bargain, with Vuskovic undoubtedly their long-term solution at the heart of the defence.

His immediate impact on the professional game is nothing short of phenomenal, with his recent showings for Hamburg already handing the fanbase reasons to be excited for the future.

Fewer touches than Vicario & only 9 passes: Spurs flop must now be dropped

Thomas Frank must now drop one Tottenham Hotspur player after the Slavia Prague victory.

ByEthan Lamb 2 days ago

Manchester United were deservedly booed off the pitch as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home to an Everton side who played the vast majority of the game with 10 men. Idrissa Gueye's bizarre sending off for snapping at his team-mate Michael Keane gave United the perfect advantage but they completely blew it, falling behind to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's stunning long-range hit then failing to react.

Everton had made such a strong start that United barely managed to get out of their own half for the first 10 minutes. But the visitors shot themselves in the foot in a truly remarkable turn of events which saw Gueye sent off in the 13th minute for striking Michael Keane in the face. Gueye vented his fury at Keane just after Casemiro had fired a shot on goal in United's first attack of the game, shoving the defender and twice raising his arms to his face before goalkeeper Jordan Pickford intervened. 

It was a very rare instance of a player being sent off for confronting a team-mate, reminiscent of Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer's infamous scrap in Newcastle's defeat against Aston Villa 20 years ago which saw both players dismissed. And yet, the Toffees responded to the setback in the best way possible, continuing to harry United and taking the lead with a brilliant strike from Kiernan Dewsbury Hall, who beat Fernandes and  Yoro before arrowing into the top corner from outside the area.

United dominated the play but were completely toothless and unimaginative. Patrick Dorgu and Amad each fired wide in the first half while Fernandes' threatening shot was tipped over by Pickford. Ruben Amorim changed things in the second half but United still lacked creativity and, worst of all, belief.

The weekend's results gave them the opportunity to climb into fifth in the Premier League table but instead they are left stranded in 10th and it feels like they are back to square one, all the progress of their positive results in October and early November going out the window.

GOAL rates Man United's players from Old Trafford…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Senne Lammens (5/10):

  Question will be asked of his failure to stop Dewsbury-Hall's shot but it had real power and direction on it. He didn't have to do much else given how Everton sat off once in front.

  Matthijs de Ligt (4/10):

  Struggled in the early stages amid Everton's bright start. Backed away from Dewsbury-Hall instead of trying to close him down. Was then too cautious, not capitalising on the man-advantage by stepping forward.

  Leny Yoro (4/10):

  Should have done more to stop Dewsbury-Hall, getting a foot to the ball but then letting his opponent win it back to score. Otherwise defended pretty well and played on the front foot in the second half. 

  Luke Shaw (4/10):

  Struggled to contain Iliman Ndiaye in the early stages. Tried to support the attack in the second half but his crossing wasn't good enough.

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  Midfield

  Noussair Mazraoui (4/10):

  Struggled to make much happen at right wing-back, making just one memorable move down the flank before being taken off at half-time.

  Casemiro (4/10):

  A flat performance, not disrupting Everton's play as he needed to and missing the target with a decent sight of goal. Removed shortly after being booked.

  Bruno Fernandes (3/10):

  A very poor performance by his usual high standards. Made little effort to stop Dewsbury-Hall in his tracks, another sign of the risks of playing him in the deeper role. His passing was also sloppy and he couldn't inspire United when he needed to, firing a good opportunity over the bar in the second half.

  Patrick Dorgu (4/10):

  Didn't get at Everton enough and on the one occasion he got in a good position – a brilliant one at that – he fluffed his lines and fired wide of the near post. Taken off for Dalot.

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  Attack

  Bryan Mbeumo (6/10):

  He at least looked determined to make a difference and provided some spark but didn't pack his shooting boots, slicing a good opportunity well wide.

  Joshua Zirkzee (4/10):

  Had the chance to make his mark while Sesko is out but was largely toothless. Took until the 80th minute to have his first shot although he did at least have a flurry of late attempts, twice being denied by Pickford.

  Amad Diallo (6/10):

  Had a couple of good dribbling moments but was isolated in the first half in the attacking midfield role. Combined better with Mbeumo when restored to wing-back.

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  Subs & Manager

  Mason Mount (6/10):

  Gave the team some urgency and bite going forward and was unlucky not to equalise.

  Kobbie Mainoo (5/10):

  Another opportunity wasted to endear himself to Amorim as he made very little happen.

  Diogo Dalot (5/10):

  Gave the team a bit more balance but rarely looked like making a difference.

  Ruben Amorim (4/10):

  Playing Mazraoui and Dorgu as wing-backs did not work but the fact that his team lost at home to 10 men speaks of a much bigger malaise. 

Even though India were not far from a 3-1 series loss, they dominated control, batting, and bowling metrics for the series

S Rajesh07-Aug-20252:39

Harmison: Magnificent series ‘just behind’ the 2005 Ashes

A 2-2 scoreline looks fair for an incredibly hard-fought series. All Tests save the second one at Edgbaston were close, and the India team and their fans would have felt hard done by had the series ended 3-1, given that they dominated most of the post-series stats tables: their batters averaged 39.77 to England’s 37.57, scored 12 hundreds to England’s nine, and their players occupied four of the top six spots for run-scorers and wicket-takers.Another metric that India dominated was the control percentage – a measure of how many errors the batters made. This is measured as a binary in ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball scoring system – a ball middled or left alone is marked in control, while those where the batter edged, or was beaten or dismissed is marked not in control. On this metric too, India were ahead: in control of 84.6% of the deliveries they faced, compared to 78.2% for England’s batters.