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Liam Scott made his maiden first-class century and Jake Lehmann also made a ton as South Australia dominate Tasmania

AAP06-Dec-2025

Liam Scott celebrates his maiden Shield century•Getty Images

Liam Scott had the finest day of his cricket career, scoring a maiden first-class century and helping South Australia to a commanding position over Tasmania.After team-mate Jake Lehmann also made a ton, Scott plundered 147 as the home side surged to 426 and a first-innings lead of 231 at Adelaide Oval.Tasmania then went to stumps at 73 for 3 in reply, still trailing by 158 runs at the end of day two after being all out for 195 on Friday.A win would be vital for South Australia, who entered this round in fourth spot on the ladder, just behind Tasmania.And their dominance was best summed up by Scott’s innings, with the bowling allrounder having shown talent with the bat since his debut in 2019-20.The 24-year-old fired from the moment he arrived at the crease, attacking Billy Stanlake and cutting him for five separate boundaries. He also took to the spinners, bringing up his century and pumping the air in joy after one of two slog-sweeps that went for six off Ruwantha Kellepotha.Another six came when he used his feet and hit Nivethan Radhakrishnan back down the ground, before he later took Jackson Bird and Gabe Bell over the legside boundary.Scott’s innings came with Lloyd Pope (36) offering support in a 76-run ninth-wicket stand that completely took the game away from Tasmania.It came after Lehmann reached his second century of the summer, continuing on a late-career resurgence that began at the end of last season.He reached 100 from 96 deliveries, before being bowled next ball when chopping onto his own stumps off Brad Hope.After being put to the sword in the field Tasmania then slumped to 42 for 3 early in their second innings, with Jordan Buckingham removing both Radhakrishnan and Hope.

He put on a dominant performance in his first innings of the season while Kurtis Patterson also made an excellent century

AAP29-Oct-2025Steven Smith issued an ominous warning to England ahead of the Ashes, slamming 118 for New South Wales in his first game of cricket in more than two months.Fresh off a six-week stint in New York where he didn’t pick up a bat, Smith looked in imperious touch as he helped NSW to 349 for 5 in the Sheffield Shield against Queensland.Related

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After the opening day’s play at the Gabba was washed out through rain, Kurtis Patterson also hit 122 while youngster Will Salzmann impressed with 65 while opening.The only sour point for NSW was Sam Konstas being bowled middle stump for 10, leaving a ball from left-armer Hayden Kerr that angled straight into his wickets.Konstas is now essentially no chance of retaining his spot as Australia’s opener, and could benefit from a summer out of the spotlight in the Shield.But there is no question mark over Smith’s form heading into the first Test in Perth on November 21, where he will captain Australia in place of the injured Pat Cummins.Smith played out 21 dot balls to start his innings on Wednesday, but from the moment he on-drove Sam Skelly to the boundary to get off the mark, the right-hander looked on.A flurry of drives and pull shots followed, with the 36-year-old treating the Gabba as his playground and looking every bit at his best three weeks out from the first Test.Sam Konstas was bowled by Hayden Kerr•Getty ImagesSome 86 of his runs came in boundaries, including a big six down the ground of Mitchell Swepson when he charged the legspinner and took him on.Three boundaries came in three balls at one stage off quick James Bazley, with the first two crunches through the covers and the last a classic straight drive.Once renowned for being a cricket nuffy who perhaps trained too much, Smith insisted last week he now needed only two hits in the nets to prepare for a summer.And by the time he drove Tom Straker to bring up his century off 158 balls on Wednesday, the proof of that was clear and England had been put on notice.Smith was eventually well caught by Matt Renshaw at gully, but by then he looked well placed to set himself up for a big Ashes summer.Arguably Australia’s best-performing batter in Ashes history aside from Don Bradman, Smith has hit 12 career centuries against England and averages 56.01.His runs on Wednesday came as England’s ODI side collapsed on Wednesday across the Tasman, all out for 175 in a five-wicket defeat to New Zealand.Smith’s century also overshadowed the superb innings of Patterson. The former Test batter found form following a lean start to the Shield season, after his late-career revival last summer was one of the best stories of Australian cricket.Patterson cover-drove superbly and hit 14 boundaries in total, before being caught behind trying to drive Marnus Labuschagne late in the day.For NSW to win this match they will likely need to score big and only bat once, while Queensland’s hopes are effectively gone through Smith and Patterson’s 202-run third-wicket stand.

Leeds United fans will be fearing the worst regarding their lowly team when you glance at the slog of Premier League fixtures coming the Whites’ way across the rest of November and December.

Indeed, November ends with two tough contests versus Aston Villa and Manchester City, with Daniel Farke’s men needing to make home advantage count against the Villans, before travelling to the Etihad to take on the Erling Haaland-led Citizens.

December then throws up clashes with Chelsea and Liverpool, with Farke’s precarious position in the Elland Road dug-out no doubt on even shakier foundations if the losses continue, and Leeds slip into the bottom three in the league.

The pain of poor results across these winter months can always be somewhat remedied by the January transfer window opening, as Leeds attempt to turn around their fortunes with a big signing or two…

Where Leeds can bolster their forward line in January

Based on current rumours coming out of West Yorkshire, it’s clear that a new striker addition is a priority.

In recent days, Leeds have been tipped to make some statement moves, with an audacious swoop for Ivan Toney alleged. Moreover, FC Midtjylland centre-forward Franculino has been on their radar as Farke attempts to move away from solely relying on Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha.

On top of talk of Toney and Franculino, Leeds are also chasing after the services of AZ Alkmaar goal machine Troy Parrott, who is very much in the limelight now for his Republic of Ireland heroics.

A report from Dutch outlet Voetbal Neuws, which has been relayed by Sport Witness, states that Leeds have entered discussions to sign the clinical 23-year-old, after being interested in the Dublin-born striker’s signature since the summer.

Now, with a hat-trick under his belt for his nation against Hungary, the ex-Tottenham Hotspur wonderkid is a hot commodity once more, with a bid in the region of £26m expected to be enough to prize him away from the clutches of his Eredivisie employers.

How Parrott can be Leeds' next Rutter

Splashing out such a big amount on an attacker could see Leeds pick up their next iteration of Georginio Rutter, with Rutter eventually going down as a fan’s favourite at Elland Road, after departing Hoffenheim for some lavish bucks.

After a wobbly start mid-way through the 2022/23 season, arriving in a whopping £35.5m deal, Rutter would find his feet under Farke during the following season.

In total, the attacker scored eight goals and tallied up a bumper 18 assists for the Whites, before leaving the building for a Premier League opportunity at Brighton and Hove Albion for £40m. Despite only being around for 66 matches, the skilful Frenchman is still very much fondly remembered, with pundit Jeff Stelling labelling him as a “class act” to watch in West Yorkshire.

Much like Rutter made everything look effortless and smooth donning Leeds white, Parrott has made goalscoring look like clockwork lining up for AZ Alkmaar.

He has netted a ludicrous 13 goals this season in all competitions from only 14 outings, meaning the Irishman is very much living up to his billing of being a “natural goalscorer”, which was handed to him by one of his former coaches in Darragh O’Riley, way back in 2019.

The hope would just be that Parrott would be able to enter the English game and be a hit from the first second he entered the Elland Road turf, with Leeds’ survival chances perhaps resting on the 23-year-old’s lethal instincts getting Farke and Co out of some sticky situations.

Parrott’s career goal record
Stat	Parrott
Games played	248
Goals scored	97
Assists	26
Career hat-tricks	6
Top goalscorer awards	2x
Sourced by Transfermarkt

If he can be a reliable source of goals towards the foot of the difficult division, he will easily be able to reach the same fan favourite status as Rutter before him, with a mighty 97 career goals next to his name at the time of writing.

Parrott could well hit a century of goals in West Yorkshire; therefore, with his former international manager, Stephen Kenny, also noting that the in-demand centre-forward can “elevate” himself to that next level with ease, which could stand him in good stead to become a feared Premier League marksman.

Leeds would have to put their money where their mouth is in landing Parrott, but if the tale of Rutter is anything to go by, it could be worth splashing the big bucks in January as a new fan favourite is potentially unearthed.

Leeds can forget signing Ivan Toney by unleashing 17-year-old goal machine

Leeds United can forget about pursuing a move for Ivan Toney by unleashing one of their homegrown youngsters into the first team mix.

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 17, 2025

The Chicago Cubs are tied atop the NL Central with the Milwaukee Brewers, with both teams tied for the best record in Major League Baseball. In such a tight a race, every out becomes a little more important. With that, players want to make sure they make every routine play they can in the field.

Well, that's not what Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki did in the first inning of Wednesday afternoon's tilt against the Royals at Wrigley Field. Instead, he looked like a Little Leaguer while dropping what should have been an easy first out of the inning.

What made this mistake even better was that a hot mic caught a fan in the crowd gleefully yelling, "Seiaya all you, baby! Yup, can of corn!" as the ball sailed toward Suzuki. A can of corn, of course means that it's an easy catch to make and one that should be handled as such by a professional baseball player.

Narrator: It wasn't a can of corn.

Not great!

Making things worse for Suzuki was that the Royals scored two runs after that to take an early lead right of the gate. They are currently up 2–1 in what looks like a beautiful day for baseball in Chicago.

Tottenham Hotspur are stuck in a cycle of repeated mistakes, time and time again struggling to establish a winning formula on home turf and struggling also to weave Thomas Frank’s tactics into their identity.

Much has been made of Spurs’ attacking problems this season, but defensively, there are imbalances too. The north Londoners’ xGD (Expected Goals Difference) stands at -6.8, marking them 18th in the division for that metric.

Despite adding a range of talented additions to their ranks after winning the Europa League last season, the residual issues that stemmed from a torrid Premier League campaign remain, and Frank has to show that he has what it takes to wipe out the recurring patterns that are threatening an exciting season.

The likes of Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons were welcomed to the ranks, but Frank has yet to pull it all together

The potential Frank replacements ENIC should consider

It has been reported that Frank is not under immediate pressure in the Tottenham hot seat, but after picking just two points up from his past five outings, the Spurs boss will know that results need to improve, especially with the win over Burnley in August standing as a lonely win down N17.

Kudus might be the joint-top assist maker in the division so far, but Tottenham’s creativity is a big concern, and ENIC Group may have the perfect replacement they can fall back on.

Back at the start of the summer, ESPN reported Tottenham had whittled their shortlist down to two candidates, Frank being one, Fulham manager Marco Silva being the other.

The Portuguese tactician is a well-seasoned Premier League manager, having led 221 matches across four different tenures.

Known for establishing stability and a clear tactical vision, the 48-year-old has earned his share of praise, with pundit Jamie Carragher among those to suggest Silva may well be a tailor-made fit for the Lilywhites.

Why Carragher has "always seen" Silva at Spurs

Carragher remarked on The Overlap this week that he has “always seen Silva at Tottenham”, with his blend of pragmatism and shrewd ideas potentially instilling the secure and balanced foundations the club have been lacking in recent years.

Implementing a 4-2-3-1 formation, Silva, whose Cottager side beat Tottenham away from home only last weekend, seeks to strike a balance between possession-based play and counter-attacking football, with both sides of that coin on show against Spurs.

There is an emphasis on overlaps and wide play that could also give rise to Kudus’ qualities. The Ghanaian – who England fans will be threatened by at the 2026 World Cup next year – has made a positive start to life in north London, but there’s a sense that there is more to come from the versatile wideman.

As per FBref, the 25-year-old ranks among the top 3% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for successful take-ons per 90.

Matches (starts)

13 (13)

Goals

2

Assists

5

Touches*

52.4

Shots (on target)*

1.5 (0.5)

Accurate passes*

20.9 (87%)

Chances created*

1.6

Dribbles*

3.1

Ball recoveries*

5.1

Tackles + interceptions*

1.9

Duels won*

6.5

Kudus needs to score more, and he also needs to make more of his inherent creative skills. Silva’s system could help achieve this.

Transfer reporter Dean Jones has even gone as far as to label Silva a “genius”, with his subtle and nuanced approach to the managerial game something Spurs may need to adapt to different situations and rediscover their fluency both in defence and attack.

Whether Tottenham decide to cut their ties with Frank down the line will be a matter of time and perserverance, but should an upswing fail to materialise, Silva could be the shrewd successor to finally take this team to a sustainable level at the top.

Spurs star is becoming Frank's own version of Kane & he's not even a forward

This Tottenham star is becoming a talismanic force for Frank’s side.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 5, 2025

Since the start of last season, Tottenham Hotspur have only won six home games in the Premier League.

A big response was needed ahead of Saturday’s clash against Fulham, but the relegation-threatened Cottagers swept into a two-goal advantage after six minutes, and the damage was done.

(1) Man City

2nd

24.2

(2) Chelsea

3rd

22.9

(3) Crystal Palace

9th

21.1

(4) Arsenal

1st

21.8

(5) Brentford

10th

21.1

(17) Tottenham

12th

11.9

This, sadly, is no uncharted territory, with Ange Postecoglou’s incredible Europa League triumph unable to save him from the axe as the Lilywhites limped to a 17th-place finish in the Premier League.

Thomas Frank was snapped up, the former Brentford boss having done so well in west London.

But things have hardly gone swimmingly several months into the Danish tactician’s stewardship.

Spurs could consider summer target

Frank still believes he can turn things around at Tottenham, but he’s running out of time. The fans are fed up, and there is a widening chasm in regard to the connection between manager and supporter.

To dare is to do, but Spurs daren’t spread their wings and showcase their attacking quality, it seems. Frank might employ a grittier, more pragmatic defensive and build-up structure than his predecessor, but he will fall by the wayside without taking off the fetters.

And with Oliver Glasner likely still on ENIC Group’s radar after summer interest, a solution may be right there for the taking.

In June, Tottenham chiefs held talks with the trophy-winning Crystal Palace manager before opting instead to push ahead with Frank, though the Austrian said he was committed to the Eagles cause after his stunning FA Cup win.

However, rumours of Glasner’s departure from Selhurst Park have since persisted, and the fan view from south London is that the 51-year-old will leave the club by the end of the season.

Why Spurs should appoint Glasner

Glasner has worked wonders since replacing Roy Hodgson at Crystal Palace, claiming the FA Cup and Community Shield in 2025, but also fashioning this side into a genuine contender at the front end of the Premier League. They are currently competing in the Conference League.

Described as a “top-five manager in the world” by one Premier League content creator, Bayern Munich wanted Glasner’s signature before pushing ahead with Vincent Kompany, and competition is sure to be thick if he remains the Eagles boss next summer.

Typically employing a three-man backline, Glasner would find players in north London who have already established a measure of understanding in a similar system.

His aggressive duelling style and fluidity in set-up could actually play into Xavi Simons’ hands, the Netherlands midfielder having struggled since signing from RB Leipzig this summer.

Simons, 22, has lacked sharpness and physicality in the final third for the Lilywhites, but there’s no question that he is a top talent and that his numbers in the Bundesliga, both in regard to output and athleticism, suggest he has what it takes to cut the mustard.

And if you hark back to that xG-related table, you will observe that Palace sit third in the standings there. Frank will feel hard done by, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski still recovering from injuries picked up last season, but there can be no excuse for the manner of Spurs’ performances. More should be given from the players on the pitch.

You need only look at Simons’ prolific campaigns in Germany to understand that this is a special player, varied in his attacking approach, creative, combative, crafty when on the ball.

Matches (starts)

32 (32)

25 (25)

Goals

8

10

Assists

11

7

Shots (on target)*

2.5 (1.0)

2.0 (0.9)

Touches*

62.6

68.0

Pass completion

82%

83%

Big chances created

14

12

Key passes*

2.5

2.0

Dribbles*

2.6

1.3

Ball recoveries*

5.2

5.1

Tackles + interceptions*

1.4

1.6

Duels won*

6.3

5.4

The young Dutchman is a “game-changer”, as said by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and he has the capacity to become a superstar in the Premier League.

Tottenham haven’t exactly provided him with arable land to root in his skills and grow into a leading man down N17. Frank proved at Brentford that he is a good manager, but maybe he just isn’t right for this Spurs project.

Glasner, however, would be a jackpot appointment, and his previous success in shaping Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise into elite creators on the biggest stage suggests that he would be the manager to revive Simons’ potential.

Under Glasner’s wing, Olise posted seven goal involvements from the eight games he was involved, injured for much of his early time at the helm. Eze scored 20 goals and assisted 14 more across 56 outings before completing a big-money move to Arsenal.

The security and balance of Glasner’s tactical set-up would free Simons’ playmaking quality up, and if Frank is dismissed, this would be the coach to go for.

Spurs flop has become their biggest "embarrassment" since Aurier

It’s gone from bad to worse for Spurs, and this Conte signing’s time at the club could be coming to an end.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 1, 2025

William Saliba will not play for Arsenal against Chelsea in a top of the table clash on Sunday afternoon. The defender picked up a knock in training and will not be fit enough to play for the Gunners at Stamford Bridge. With Gabriel also out injured, Mikel Arteta has entrusted Pierro Hincapie and Christhian Mosquera as his centre-half pairing for the London derby.

• Gunners lose key defender

  The injury to the Frenchman is a bitter blow for Arteta, who will have to play without one of Saliba or Gabriel in the middle of his defence for only the second time in the Premier League since Saliba made his debut at the start of the 2022-23 season. It represents a key test to Hincapie and Mosquera, both new signings in the summer, who play in the Premier League together for the first time. Hincapie impressed last week for the Gunners in their 4-1 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur, but Chelsea will provide a different test to the young defender on loan from Bayer Leverkusen.

  On Saliba's absence, Arteta said: "He was uncomfortable yesterday, so we need to explore a little bit more what happened.

  "I don’t think it’s something major, but enough not to be involved in the game."

  There is some good news for the Spanish coach however, with Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres returning to the Arsenal squad and taking their place on the substitutes' bench. Jesus has hardly played for the Gunners in 2025 having sustained an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament in January. The Brazilian’s return is a huge boost for Arteta, who will be hoping the former Manchester City man will provide something different to his existing options.

  Gyokeres will also be hoping to get back onto the field and could provide an impact off of the bench for the Gunners, who have been relying on Mikel Merino to lead the line in recent weeks. The Spaniard has chipped in with a couple of assists, against Sunderland and Spurs, but Arteta will be relieved to have the Swedish goal machine back from the medical table.

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• Getty Images
  

  Huge six pointer at top of Premier League

  Sunday’s clash represents a huge chance for the Gunners to pull yet further away at the top of the Premier League. They will go seven points clear of second-place Manchester City with victory over the Blues, but will have been frustrated to see Phil Foden steal a late winner against Leeds on Sunday. Had Pep Guardiola’s team drawn against the Yorkshire side, Arsenal could have been as many as nine points clear by the end of the weekend.

  Arsenal also know that defeat in west London could bring them back down into the thick of a title race. Chelsea can move within just three points of the league leaders and will be desperate to show their city rivals and the rest of the division that they are a genuine challenger for the title. The Blues are also uplifted by the return of an injured star, with Cole Palmer back as an option off the bench for Enzo Maresca.

• Madueke returns to west London

  Arsenal will also be without Leandro Trossard, who limped off the field against Bayern Munich on Wednesday. The Gunners do have reinforcements to call upon however, with Gabriel Martinelli getting the nod to start on the left-wing.

  Noni Madueke returns to Stamford Bridge for the first time since joining Arsenal in the summer, but is only named amongst the substitutes. The English winger was on hand to grab his first goal as a Gunner in the 3-1 win over the German champions and will be relishing the chance to show his former side what they are missing.

  Meanwhile, Martin Odegaard could make his first appearance in the Premier League in almost two months having sustained an injury to his knee against West Ham on 4 October. The Arsenal captain will hope to get some more minutes under his belt, but might struggle to dislodge Eberechi Eze in the Gunners' midfield.

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  Chelsea look to stop rampant Gunners

  Enzo Maresca's Chelsea side will be desperate to put a stop to a superb Arsenal, who have been one of the best sides in Europe this season. The Blues will hope their home support, as well as a weakened Gunners defence, can halt their opponent's title charge.

The Milwaukee Brewers suddenly find themselves with one of the best records in baseball, and they are reportedly acting the part.

The Brewers are finalizing the acquisition of catcher Danny Jansen from the Tampa Bay Rays, according to a Monday afternoon report from Jeff Passan of ESPN. Jansen, a 30-year-old native of Elmhurst, Ill., has spent his entire eight-year career in the American League East division with the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Rays.

Jansen has played in 73 games for Tampa Bay this season, slashing .204/.314/.389 with 11 home runs and 29 RBIs. He remains better known for his glove, with his 1.2 defensive bWAR exceeding his 1.1 offensive bWAR.

According to Will Sammon of , the Rays will take back High-A infielder Jadher Areinamo in the deal. Tampa Bay is also reportedly acquiring catcher Nick Fortes from the Miami Marlins to spell Jansen, per Ken Rosenthal of .

His current one-year contract carries a mutual option for 2026. The Rays are 53-53, and sit three games back of the AL's final wild-card slot.

Milwaukee, on the other hand, is on a protracted tear that has the team tied with the Chicago Cubs for the NL Central lead.

India’s batting fragility has been exposed at a crucial time, just before their tour of Australia

Ian Chappell03-Nov-2024It’s never good to experience batting failures but India’s capitulation against New Zealand’s pace and spin bowling came at the worst possible time.With a demanding tour against a very strong Australian bowling attack looming, India needed to exude strength not fragility.Of India’s two deflating losses, the second in Pune on a pitch favouring spin was the worst. They were bowled out for a paltry 46 on a seaming pitch in Bengaluru but they’ve recovered from a previous rout. In Australia in 2020 they collapsed for an abysmal 36 but fought back tenaciously to claim a series victory.Related

• Why rank turners actually reduce India's home advantage

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• India need Kohli and Rohit to regain their old aura

• Nothing's changed, India say, but the evidence suggests otherwise

However the loss in Pune was on India’s favoured surface – one that assists spin – and they failed dismally. Amazingly, India had been undefeated on home surfaces for 18 series – an incredible span of 12 years.Not only did India lose at Pune, they were palpably outbowled and outbatted by a resourceful New Zealand. Undoubtedly the worst feature of India’s loss was their extremely poor batting on a surface that spun.This should have been a time for India to shine rather than capitulate.To then read about the response to those two monumental failures was nonsensical. Apparently India practised in Mumbai with lines drawn on the pitches and a serious focus placed on the sweep shot.Some of England’s batting of late on surfaces that spin has been laughable. The Indian reaction to their two deflating defeats is in a similar category.Top-class batters don’t need lines on a pitch. They already know how to bat, along with which balls to play and those to leave alone. The question should have been, why was there such a disturbing lack of decisive footwork from India’s premier batters in Pune?England’s infatuation with the different varieties of the sweep shot is ludicrous. Have a look where it got them: consecutive drubbings against Pakistan’s spin duo, who captured an amazing 39 wickets out of 40 to fall.Those figures are a painful reminder of England’s Jim Laker capturing an incredible 19 out of 20 Australian wickets on a crumbling Old Trafford pitch in 1956. Debacles are humiliating.

The reverse sweep in Tests can be a dangerous shot because it’s premeditated. Precise footwork on the other hand is tailored to the actual length of the delivery

Regarding the supposedly all-important sweep shot, who is the insensitive coach who preached that the reverse sweep is safer to play in Test cricket rather than employing decisive footwork? The danger of the reverse sweep in Tests was adequately revealed with the senseless dismissal of Yashasvi Jaiswal in the Mumbai Test.The reverse sweep in Tests can be a dangerous shot because it’s premeditated. Precise footwork on the other hand is tailored to the actual length of the delivery. The odd player is very good at all types of sweep shots but the majority should rely heavily on decisive footwork to negate good spin bowling.And while we’re on the reverse sweep – the shot where the batter changes the order of his hands or feet should be deemed illegal. A batter who employs these methods is doing so mainly to disrupt the field placings, which are set for an opposite-handed player.The reverse sweep, when it’s adopted by a person who changes batting style in mid-delivery, might be spectacular and also skilful, but it’s not fair. Fairness should be a consideration in framing the laws and playing conditions.New Zealand’s superiority in Pune was embodied by left-arm slow bowler Mitchell Santner. He’s a solid white-ball bowler but not one who should capture 13 wickets in a Test.Star batter Virat Kohli’s first-innings dismissal was the perfect example of India’s lack of decisive footwork. Kohli was clean bowled by a delivery from Santner that if the batter had taken even a small pace out of his crease he could have hit on the full. However, instead of Kohli’s lack of decisive footwork being the culprit, his shot selection was questioned.Calamitous displays against New Zealand exposed weaknesses in India’s batting. There’s no good time for batting fragility but on the eve of a tough tour of Australia it’s asking for trouble.

The Champions League remains the pinnacle of the European game, showcasing the very best that the continent has to offer, both collectively and on an individual basis.

Paris Saint-Germain romped to the title in emphatic fashion last time around, yet with talisman – and Ballon d’Or winner – Ousmane Dembele seeing his impact limited this time around due to injury, who else is now leading the way instead?

Ranking factors

• Current form
• Importance to team
• Reputation and honours

50-41

50. Xavi Simons	Spurs
49. Desire Doue	PSG
48. Phil Foden	Man City
47. Ivan Perisic	PSV
46. Carlos Forbs	Club Brugge
45. Rayan Cherki	Man City
44. De Ketelaere	Atalanta
43. Virgil van Dijk	Liverpool
42. Noni Madueke	Arsenal
41. Couhaib Driouech	PSV

A fair few new entrants to our top 50 this week, with Xavi Simons notably securing that final spot following his standout display against Slavia Prague, while Rayan Cherki also gets a nod following his stellar performance as Man City saw off Real Madrid.

Perhaps the performance of the week, at least from a Premier League perspective, came from Arsenal’s Noni Madueke, however, with the Englishman’s first of the night against Club Brugge an early contender for goal of the competition.

40-31

40. Serhou Guirassy	Dortmund
39. Eberechi Eze	Arsenal
38. Harvey Barnes	Newcastle
37. Scott McTominay	Napoli
36. Trincao	Sporting
35. Goncalo Ramos	PSG
34. Lennart Karl	Bayern
33. David Raya	Arsenal
32. Lamine Yamal	Barcelona
31. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	Marseille

A fresh face also emerges in this next batch of names, with Bayern Munich’s teen sensation, Lennart Karl, deserving of a first inclusion, having now scored in three Champions League games in a row – the youngest player to have achieved that feat.

Elsewhere, Madueke’s ever-reliable teammate, David Raya, also surges up our list, having kept yet another clean sheet away at Brugge – his fifth in just six outings in this year’s edition.

30-21

30. Kenan Yildiz	Juventus
29. Gabriel	Arsenal
28. Marc Cucurella	Chelsea
27. Hakan Calhanoglu	Inter
26. Marcus Thuram	Inter
25. Estevao	Chelsea
24. Jeremy Doku	Man City
23. Micky van de Ven	Spurs
22. Alejandro Grimaldo	Leverkusen
21. Gabriel Martinelli	Arsenal

It’s a bit of an Arsenal theme this week, with a word also needing to be said for Gabriel Martinelli, following his stunning second-half effort. The Brazilian speedster already has five goals in this season’s Champions League, despite making just three starts.

It also proved to be another positive outing for Bayer Leverkusen’s talisman, Alejandro Grimaldo, with the in-form left-footer denying Newcastle all three points late on in the BayArena.

20-11

20. Marquinhos	PSG
19. Anthony Gordon	Newcastle
18. Dean Huijsen	Real Madrid
17. Denzel Dumfries	Inter
16. Julian Alvarez	Atleti
15. Lautaro Martinez	Inter
14. Achraf Hakimi	PSG
13. Kvicha Kvaratskhelia	PSG
12. Enzo Fernandez	Chelsea
11. Nuno Mendes	PSG

The top 20 sees Anthony Gordon retain his place, having now scored five times himself this season, while Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez also deserves his own surge up this list after netting the opener against PSV Eindhoven.

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s shock defeat away to Atalanta sees Enzo Fernandez drop out of the top ten, with the Serie A side coming from behind to win 2-1 in Bergamo.

So, who is included in the top ten after match week five?

10

Pedri

Taking Enzo’s place in this top ten is Barcelona genius, Pedri, with the Spaniard again putting on a midfield clinic in the 2-1 triumph over Eintracht Frankfurt.

108 touches. 100% of his dribbles successfully completed. 100% of his tackles won. Need we say more?

9

Jurrien Timber

Heralded by some as the best right-back in the world after helping Arsenal beat Bayern at the end of November, Timber has showcased himself to be a phenomenal signing by the Gunners.

The Dutchman may have missed the clash with Brugge, but it would be harsh to dislodge him from his place in this top ten.

8

Victor Osimhen

Victor Osimhen has stormed into the top ten following his stunning hat-trick away at Ajax in match week four.

He didn’t play in game week five, and failed to fire this time around against Monaco, but still sits second in the scoring charts, now up to six goals from just four appearances in 2025/26.

7

Marcus Rashford

There can be a perceived lack of interest or importance placed on these league phase fixtures, although Marcus Rashford has already served up reasons to be entertained, notably lashing home that stunner at St James’ Park, while producing an early contender for assist of the season after picking out Ferran Torres against PSG.

With two more goals under his belt against Olympiacos, having also picked out Jules Kounde in stunning fashion in midweek, the 27-year-old is finally looking back to his brilliant best.

6

Michael Olise

Bayern Munich must be rubbing their hands with glee at having prised Michael Olise from Crystal Palace for ‘just’ £50m, with the France international going to new heights at the Allianz Arena.

With four goals and assists already in this year’s competition, the fleet-footed winger is already looking deadly again.

5

Declan Rice

Last season, Rice powered Arsenal to the Champions League semi-finals courtesy of two remarkable free-kicks against Real Madrid, deserving of the Puskas award. If you didn’t think he couldn’t get any better, think again.

He may have sat out Brugge through illness, although he memorably rocked up against Bayern Munich in match week five to deliver a virtuoso man-of-the-match display.

Is there a better midfielder in world football? Perhaps there’s one.

4

Vitinha

From struggling against Chorley in the FA Cup for Wolves, the Portuguese midfielder has come a long way since. He’s a Champions League winner and arguably delivered his finest performance in the competition to date against Tottenham in match week five, scoring a stunning hat-trick which included a cracking equaliser in the first half.

Thomas Frank remarked after the game that he is “the next Ballon d’Or winner”. Any complaints? Very few.

3

Harry Kane

The fastest player this century to reach 100 goals for one club, the England skipper is in the form of his life right now, notching up five goals already to kickstart his – and Bayern’s – bid for an elusive Champions League crown.

He was the finest player in the competition to date until he came up against Arsenal in match week five, having also failed to fire against Sporting in Bayern’s comeback 3-1 win.

2

Erling Haaland

Excluding the obvious duo of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the modern era hasn’t witnessed such a prolific presence as Erling Haaland, with the Norwegian already ripping it up in the new campaign.

A star for club and country, the 25-year-old arguably only ranks behind a certain Harry Kane as the continent’s finest number nine, scoring for the sixth time in the Champions League this season against Madrid.

1

Kylian Mbappe

Having somewhat upset the apple cart after joining then-holders Real Madrid last summer, Kylian Mbappe is back in the groove again under Xabi Alonso.

He may have missed the Man City clash through injury, but with nine goals in just five games, there’s no one better for the top spot.

Yamal this, Yamal that. The Frenchman is the greatest in the world right now.

Ballon d'Or 2026 Power Rankings

Who will be lifting the individual honour in 2026?

By
Charlie Smith

Nov 6, 2025