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The Mets saw first baseman Pete Alonso walk in free agency as the five-time All-Star agreed to sign with the Orioles on a five-year, $155 million deal on Wednesday. This is the second key player the Mets have lost this week, after closer Edwin Díaz joined the Dodgers on a three-year, $69 million deal. Earlier this offseason, the Mets also traded longtime outfielder Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien.

Both Nimmo and Alonso were homegrown players that had spent their entire careers with the Mets prior to this offseason. Not only did the Mets let Alonso walk, but they did not even issue a formal offer to him once they saw that the years and dollars from other teams’ bids went beyond their “comfort zone.” This notably comes a year after they signed Juan Soto to a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million deal.

Read More: The Seven Ripple Effects of Pete Alonso’s Mega Deal With the Orioles

With three key players already leaving the team, the Mets are already seeing multiple significant shakeups take place, and a number of fans aren’t pleased with these moves.

Mets owner Steve Cohen, who apologized to his fanbase at the end of September after his team failed to make the postseason, acknowledged those concerns on Wednesday. He said in a text to Jon Heyman of the , “I totally understand the fans’ reaction. There is lots of offseason left to put a playoff team on the field.”

Read More: How Mets Can Replace Pete Alonso at First Base

Cohen’s message seems to indicate he is confident they have plenty of time to make the moves needed to compete. The pressure will certainly be on for Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns to make the moves necessary to replace those players and better the team for next season. The Mets began the season at 45–24, the best record in baseball, before falling off and failing to make the playoffs altogether. They’ll need better results next year to help appease the fanbase.

Arsenal captain Leah Williamson returned to action for the first time in four months following a knee injury. The 28-year-old sustained the issue during the Lionesses' Euro 2025 final triumph over Spain and has not featured since then. However, she is back playing after coming off the bench in the Gunners' 3-1 Women's Super League win at Everton on Saturday.

• Williamson suffers post-Euros blow

  The centre-back guided the Lionesses to a second straight Euros title over the summer but in that herculean effort, she injured her knee, which required a small clean-up operation in late August. Williamson missed Arsenal's pre-season training camp in Germany earlier that month after reporting swelling in her right knee. Following surgery, she began her rehab at a time when the north London team badly missed her in the backline. Then, last week, head coach Renee Slegers said the defender should be back playing before Christmas.

  "She's progressing well," Slegers said. "She did her first session on pitch yesterday, which was good. Exact timeline, we'll have to see day by day, week by week, but we hope to see her back before Christmas. That will be great. But then everything has to go to plan.

  "Of course, it was unfortunate for her to sustain that injury in the Euros and she had to work hard to come back from it. She is in a really good place and has been spending a lot of time on the pitch. Maybe the timing of the international break extended that as there was no opportunity to train in big groups with 11 v 11 and in chaotic moments. But she is very ready and we will be very happy to have her back. The players who have been playing have been doing really well."

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  Arsenal welcome back Williamson

  Arsenal leapfrogged defending WSL champions Chelsea into second in the table after an exciting 3-1 win over Everton. Katie McCabe gave the visitors an early lead with a half volley before Honoka Hayashi responded with a brilliant long-range strike. Alessia Russo marked her 100th WSL appearance by restoring Arsenal's lead before substitute Olivia Smith ensured all three points headed back to London. Moreover, Williamson was introduced into the action for the final 10 minutes and came through her cameo unscathed, with the experienced campaigner getting a good reception from the fans. Both Chelsea and Manchester United can overtake Arsenal in the division if they win this weekend, however.

• Williamson on the growth of the women's game

  During her time on the sidelines, Williamson spoke about how the Arsenal women's side used to get small crowds at Meadow Park in Borehamwood. But now, tens of thousands come to watch them at Emirates Stadium, helping them become "household names". 

  She told the New Statesman: "We started with a very small community of 200 or 300 spectators [at Meadow Park]. We don’t want to lose that. But the demands of the game are also increasing. You want to keep that connection, but it’s not always possible anymore… If the game stayed small, you wouldn’t see the quality we have now, and you wouldn’t have the players, because people couldn’t afford to be a footballer.

  "We've gone from being just female footballers to household names. That's a strength and a weakness, but every player has to deal with it. It’s safer in general to be at the Emirates; it’s a lot safer for us as players as our profiles grow. You notice a difference now I’d be lying if I said I didn’t. You’re more accessible. It’s a five-metre difference [between the players and the fans]. So, the dynamic changes from being in a stadium where you can hear a boo or a cheer to then a personal remark."

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  What comes next for Williamson?

  Before the WSL heads off for the winter break, Arsenal have two more games to look forward to. On Wednesday, they resume their Champions League campaign, this time away at OH Leuven. The Gunners, who have already guaranteed a spot in the play-offs for the quarter-finals as they try to defend their European crown, then start their Subway Women's League Cup journey away at Crystal Palace next Sunday. It remains to be seen how much football Williamson will get in those fixtures.

South Africa left-arm seamer Nandre Burger has suffered a hamstring injury that curtailed his participation in the second ODI against India in Raipur and could impact the rest of his season.South Africa suffered another injury scare when Tony de Zorzi pulled up towards the end of their chase and retired hurt for 17 after the 45th over.”It didn’t look too good, to be honest – Nandre not being able to finish his overs and Tony also walking off,” captain Temba Bavuma said at the presentation. “If need be, we do have other guys waiting in the wings come Saturday.”Related

• Markram ton trumps Kohli, Gaikwad centuries for nervy win

Burger had started his seventh over when he lost his run-up twice and appeared to struggle to land on his right leg. He held onto his right knee before walking off the field. Aiden Markram delivered the next five balls to complete the over.ESPNcricinfo understands that Burger was assessed and is still experiencing discomfort in his right hamstring. He will continue to be monitored by South Africa’s medical staff. In the immediate term, it affected South Africa in this match, where Markram bowled 5.5 overs in total, and will impact team selection for the third ODI on Saturday. Burger is not part of the T20I squad, where Anrich Nortje will make his return, and he may be called on earlier if South Africa feel they need extra pace. They are already without Kagiso Rabada, who has a rib niggle, and Gerald Coetzee, who was not picked for this tour.Later in the match, South Africa suffered a second injury blow when de Zorzi pulled up as he completed a second run. De Zorzi was on 17 off 11 balls when Corbin Bosch called him through and though he reached the non-striker’s end safely, de Zorzi hobbled the last third of the way. He received treatment on field and decided to continue. But after Bosch hit the next ball for four and de Zorzi had to hop on one leg, he left the field, with South Africa 27 away from victory after 45 overs. De Zorzi walked off unaided, but very gingerly, suggesting the injury is serious. He has an SA20 deal with Durban’s Super Giants.Burger has a long history of injuries, including a lower-back stress fracture which kept him out of the game from October 2024 until September this year. He missed last year’s SA20 but was re-signed by the same team, Joburg Super Kings for this year’s edition for R6.3 million, and they will be sweating on his availability. The tournament begins on Boxing Day, in just over three weeks’ time.

He is the only addition to their squad from their last series, which they lost 1-0 in Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Nov-2025Top-order batter Mahmudul Hasan Joy has returned to the Bangladesh squad that will face Ireland over two Test matches in Sylhet and Dhaka later this month.Joy has played 18 Tests and was seen as a highly promising addition to the team after scoring the first-ever Test match century by a Bangladesh batter in South Africa, in 2022. He lost his place in the side after averaging 14.92 in seven Tests since the start of 2024 but good form in the new season of the National Cricket League, during which he scored 127 and 51 for Chattogram Division against Rajshahi Division, has helped him mount a comeback.Najmul Hossain Shanto leads the 15-member team. He had quit as captain at the end of Bangladesh’s last Test series in June, which they lost 1-0 to Sri Lanka, but the BCB has reinstated him and said he will remain in charge until the end of this World Test Championship cycle in 2027. Anamul Haque, Mahidul Islam Ankon and Nayeem Hasan, who were part of that Sri Lanka tour, have been left out.Related

Ashraful named Bangladesh's batting coach

Ireland name five uncapped players in Test squad for Bangladesh

Shanto reinstated as Bangladesh Test captain until end of WTC cycle

Mushfiqur Rahim, should he play both matches against Ireland, will become the first Bangladesh cricketer to play 100 Tests. The 38-year-old made his debut back in 2005 and is already their most capped player and their highest scorer in the format. He is also in form having made 115 for Sylhet Division at the same ground where the first Test against Ireland will take place.Bangladesh have picked four fast bowlers in Ebadot Hossain, Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud and Khaled Ahmed to complement their three spinners Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam and Hasan Murad, who is still awaiting his Test debut. Murad picked up a match haul of 9 for 135 for Chattogram in the NCL in October. Taijul, meanwhile, is 10 short of going past Shakib Al Hasan and becoming Bangladesh’s highest wicket-taker in Tests.The two matches against Ireland are scheduled for November 11-15 in Sylhet and November 19-23 in Dhaka. They are not part of the WTC.Bangladesh Test squad for Ireland seriesNajmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury, Hasan Murad.

Ashmini Munisar’s 3 for 21 including a maiden went in vain after she brought back Amazon Warriors into the contest

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Sep-2025Barbados Royals seemed down and out with 27 needed off 16 balls. With just three wickets in hand, Shreyanka Patil, batting for the first time in WCPL 2025, walked in to face the hat-trick ball. She reverse hit the first two balls she faced to release the pressure. Aaliyah Alleyne then hit a four and a six in the following over that went for 15. And soon after, Royals were rejoicing as they had not just registered a come-from-behind win in the title clash against Guyana Amazon Warriors, but also completed a three-peat in the WCPL.While Royals soaked it all in – team-mates rushing to try and get Alleyne, who was flat on her back after hitting the winning run, up on her feet – Amazon Warriors’ Ashmini Munisar couldn’t contain her tears. She was involved in four of the seven Royals dismissals and picked up 3 for 21 in her four overs that included a maiden.It was Munisar, 21, who turned the game on its head with a wicket-maiden in the 14th over of the chase. She dismissed the set Kycia Knight for 31 off 37 balls to leave Royals needing 56 off 36 balls. In her last over, the 18th of the chase, she got rid of Courtney Webb, who was controlling the chase with her 27-ball 31. With her next ball, Munisar got Afy Fletcher stumped to pick up her eighth wicket in the competition, the joint-highest. She had earlier taken a stunning catch at backward square-leg to remove the dangerous Chinelle Henry, Royals’ captain in Hayley Matthews’ absence. But Patil and Alleyne scored the remaining 27 runs in just 14 balls to etch their names on the trophy again.Ashmini Munisar kept Amazon Warriors’ hopes alive with 3 for 21•Randy Brooks/CPL T20/Getty ImagesThe start of each innings highlighted the contrast in the batting between the two sides. Chamari Athapaththu hit two fours in the opening over of the 137-run chase, including one on the first ball. Royals hit eight fours in the powerplay whereas Amazon Warriors earlier hit their first on the 20th ball, and just four fours in the first six overs.Opting to field, Royals managed to keep Amazon Warriors in check despite not picking up a lot of wickets. Opener Amy Hunter, who finished second on the run-scorers’ charts, hit just four despite batting till the 13th over. Stafanie Taylor was on 15 off 12 balls when she had to be stretchered off with a leg injury. She did not participate in the game after that.Laura Harris looked Amazon Warriors’ best batter, hitting two fours and a six in her eight-ball 18 before missing the line against Alleyne’s in-ducker. Their total only gained some respectability thanks to the unbroken 56-run partnership between captain Shemaine Campbelle and Dane van Niekerk.Royals were off to a fluent start with Player of the Tournament Athapaththu leading the way. Even after she fell, Knight and Webb kept up with the ask. Unbeaten through the competition, a collapse of 5 for 29 briefly threatened to undo Royals’ good work. Munisar was threatening to make it a happy ending for her. Only for Alleyne and Patil to deny her.

انتهت مباراة العراق والإمارات، في الملحق الآسيوي المؤهل إلى كأس العالم منذ قليل على ملعب محمد بن زايد.

واستضاف المنتخب الإماراتي نظيره العراقي، في ذهاب الملحق الآسيوي المؤهل إلى كأس العالم، حيث حسم التعادل الإيجابي بنتيجة 1-1 اللقاء.

طالع.. المنتخبات الآسيوية المتأهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026 بعد نهاية التصفيات

 وسجل منتخب العراق هدفه في الدقيقة 9 عن طريق علي الحمادي بينما جاء هدف الإمارات في الدقيقة 18عن طريق لوان بيريرا.

ويقام الملحق الآسيوني بنظام الذهاب والإياب، بين الإمارات والعراق، والفائز منهما يتأهل إلى ملحق عالمي يقام في مارس 2026، يتأهل من خلاله منتخبان من جميع القارات التي ستخوض الملحق إلى نهائيات كأس العالم 2026. موعد مباراة العراق والإمارات في إياب ملحق كأس العالم

وتقام مباراة الإياب بين العراق والإمارات يوم الثلاثاء 18 نوفمبر الجاري في تمام الساعة السادسة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، السابعة مساءً بتوقيت بغداد ومكة المكرمة، الثامنة مساءً بتوقيت أبو ظبي.

Arsenal are so good at set-pieces it’s boring. Their long throw-ins are ridiculous. They need to find other ways of scoring.

Those are not our words but the words of various pundits and neutrals in recent weeks.

Mikel Arteta’s men have won all three of their Champions League encounters and sit top of the Premier League.

It’s not been a captivating start to the new campaign for the Gunners but they’ve been super effective. Their core strengths, namely set-pieces and their defensive record, have formed the bedrock of Arteta’s success in recent years.

Arsenal are as solid as they’ve ever been, conceding just one open play goal all term in the top-flight. Yet, with a reliance on dead-balls again, some wonder just how sustainable this model will be.

The fact is, that as Arsenal showed this week, they are not over-reliant on those situations and have a great deal more than that in their locker.

Despite what pundits say, they are not boring. You don’t beat Atletico Madrid, one of the most defensively sound sides in Europe, 4-0 if you’re dull.

Indeed, their win over Diego Simeone on Tuesday evening was a statement to the rest of their continent, and while they did score from two set plays, their performance in the final third was perhaps their most impressive of the campaign.

Gabriel, Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Martinelli found themselves on the scoresheet but truth be told, it was Arsenal’s midfield that helped springboard them to this win.

The progression of Arsenal's midfield under Mikel Arteta

At this current moment in time, it feels like this squad of Arsenal players are the most complete set they have ever had under the Spaniard.

The backline has been bolstered beyond belief and they now arguably have the greatest depth in defence across Europe’s top five leagues, ensuring that no matter who plays, they will be solid.

GK – Bernd Leno

RB – Ainsley Maitland-Niles

CB – Sokratis

CB – David Luiz

LB – Bukayo Saka

CM – Lucas Torreira

CM – Granit Xhaka

CAM – Mesut Ozil

RW – Reiss Nelson

LW – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

CF – Alexandre Lacazette

The forward line has been less of a priority but when you spawn Bukayo Saka from the academy and sign Gabriel Martinelli for just £6m, there wasn’t a huge amount wrong with it until last season. No player hit double figures for goals for the first time since the 1923/24 campaign.

The midfield, however, has really taken Arsenal to the next level in recent years.

Gone are the likes of Thomas Partey, Jorginho and Granit Xhaka. They all play elsewhere now but in a bid to replace them, they have done so superbly well.

Declan Rice was never going to flop and indeed, despite setting the club back a whopping £105m, has been a game breaker.

His tally of nine goals and ten assists in 2024/25 was a career high, while that pair of free-kicks against Real Madrid will never be forgotten. In the words of Sky Sporters reporter Sam Blitz, he’s also now “the best set-piece taker in the world”. It’s hard to disagree with that statement considering all four of his assists this season have come from dead-ball scenarios.

He’s now surrounded by some of the best midfield talents around. Tempo-setter Martin Zubimendi, another Martin in Odegaard and Eberechi Eze all make the Englishman’s job easier by either sitting behind him in Zubimendi’s case or providing the creative spark as Odegaard and Eze do so well.

When Odegaard is fit, it really does feel as though the midfield has everything you could want: power, creativity, goals and reading of the play.

Arsenal's new Xhaka is playing his part

When Xhaka arrived at Arsenal in 2016 under the stewardship of Arsene Wenger, it was a deal that was met with scepticism.

The Gunners had spent £30m on a talent from the Bundesliga, a rather unknown one at that, and the opening few years of his time in north London were a rollercoaster.

Xhaka was a defensive midfielder by trade when he arrived but his defensive work simply wasn’t up to scratch, quickly becoming known as a walking red card, picking up two in his opening season.

While the Swiss midfielder’s discipline did improve, fans grew impatient with his displays over a number of years and it all came to a head under Unai Emery.

He was now the captain but was swiftly relieved of his duties after chucking the armband to the floor and gesticulating towards the Emirates crowd when he was booed off the field during a game with Crystal Palace.

Xhaka’s revival under Arteta, therefore, was quite the sight. The Spaniard gave him a freer role as a left-sided 8 and he repaid the manager’s faith by delivering the finest campaign of his career to date in 2022/23.

That season, the now 33-year-old scored nine times and registered seven assists. The redemption arc was complete, only for him to leave in the summer of 2023 for Bayer Leverkusen.

Now back in the Premier League with Sunderland, Xhaka has rolled back the years, providing three assists in his first eight matches for the Black Cats.

But, who embodies the spirit of Xhaka in the present Arsenal squad? You may well think the aforementioned Rice is a strong candidate but in Zubimendi, they have someone who delivers similar attributes.

Now, it must be stated, the former Real Sociedad star is certainly classier on the ball and more disciplined than Xhaka ever was in Arsenal colours.

Yet, there are certainly parallels. Xhaka arrived as a defensive midfielder, a deep-lying playmaker, before going on to become a threat in the final third.

The same can be said of Zubimendi. He was declared “the best #6 in the world” by some after his dominant display during Arsenal’s 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid.

Minutes played

73

Accurate passes

41/46 (89%)

Touches

56

Key passes

3

Big chances created

1

Accurate long balls

2/2

Accurate crosses

1/1

Distance covered

8.3km

Successful dribbles

1/1

Interceptions

2

Clearances

3

That he may well be, but the 26-year-old is also a threat in the final third, just as Xhaka became in the latter stages of his Gunners career.

Zubimendi has already scored twice in the Premier League, netting a brace in the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest.

His vision and eye for a pass are simply awe-inspiring too. Xhaka was known for a defence-splitting pass but Arsenal’s new Spaniard is cut from a similar cloth in that regard.

He provided a delicious assist for Viktor Gyokeres’ first goal for the club in pre-season and has often been the man to provide the pre-assist.

It was Zubimendi’s lovely ball in behind the West Ham defence for Eze that eventually led to Rice’s goal in the game and to pinpoint another example, he very nearly provided a remarkable assist for Gyokeres again on Tuesday night, popping the ball up and playing it behind.

The Basque midfielder has been a sensational addition, billed as “one of the best Emirates era signings” by Arsenal podcaster and content creator, Jamie Kent.

He’s not had a bad game yet and perhaps saved his finest performance in the famous red and white for Simeone’s men earlier in the week.

The big-money summer arrival completed 89% of his passes, created that big chance for Gyokeres and left the field with three key passes. He also won three of his five duels.

An all-round package, there is a reason that former Ballon d’Or winner Rodri has said that he is “leaving him the keys to the [national] team.”

As aggressive and eccentric as Xhaka he may not be, but the passing range and ability to pop up with key attacking contributions are certainly alike. You may well argue that Zubimendi is the best of both Xhaka and Rice. What a mighty fine combination that is.