David Moyes’ blistering start back to life in the Everton dug-out feels like a very long time ago now.

Indeed, the Scotsman was just the antidote the Toffees needed after the wheels came off Sean Dyche’s miserable reign, with just two defeats picked up from his opening ten games back in charge of the Premier League titans last season, steering them comfortably away from relegation.

The Merseyside outfit is still six points clear of that dreaded relegation zone in the here and now, but there are concerns in the air at the Toffees all the same, with Everton only coming out on top with a win in the league once across their last five matches.

A 3-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday would have only added to those worries, as former Everton hero Richarlison stood out for Thomas Frank’s away side.

Richarlison's potential Everton return

Richarlison has often found his time at Tottenham Hotspur to be fraught with bumps, but he would put the game beyond all doubt on Sunday evening when heading into the path of Pape Matar Sarr to make it 3-0.

The passionate Brazilian only has 23 goals next to his name for Spurs from 104 total appearances, but recent reports – as perTEAMTalk – suggest that the North Londoners are willing to cash in on their one-time £60m buy in January, and that Everton are circling.

It would well be a masterstroke of a return as the Toffees attempt to feel comfortable about their striker options again.

CF

77

23 + 6

LW

51

24 + 8

RW

22

6 + 1

While Richarlison might be remembered most fondly by those on Merseyside for his gung-ho performances down either wing, it feels unlikely that the South American – despite his previous heroics at the club – would be able to displace the likes of Jack Grealish on his favoured left channel at the moment.

Consequently, he stands his best chance at making waves on his return as an out-and-out centre-forward, when assessing Richarlison’s previous goal tally as a striker at Everton, with 23 goals picked up from 77 outings, leading to one of his ex-managers at Goodison Park in Carlo Ancelotti, hailing him as a “fantastic” finisher of chances.

Despite murmurs that Spurs want to offload their hot-and-cold number nine in the coming months, he is also able to boast a healthy haul of three goals and two assists next to his name from nine clashes this season.

Bringing back such a former beloved figure could signal the end for Beto in Everton blue, with the Lisbon-born striker struggling once again to get going yesterday evening, to the dismay of his impatient fanbase.

Why Beto is on borrowed time at Everton

You would think a striker in Moyes’ current set-up would be licking their lips at the prospect of how many goals they could put away, with the likes of Iliman Ndiaye and the aforementioned Grealish tricky customers intent on putting chances on a plate for the chosen marksman leading the line.

Unfortunately for Moyes and Co. though, Beto often fluffs his lines when a golden opportunity comes his way, with the former Udinese striker desperately unlucky not to find the back of the net on Sunday evening, when an acrobatic effort in the second half – with the scoreline still standing at 2-0 – was somehow clawed away by an alert Guglielmo Vicario.

That’s about as good as it gets for the under-fire 27-year-old, however, with his minimal 14 touches of the ball meaning he often cut an isolated figure at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, so much so that Jordan Pickford even managed to accumulate more touches himself, having tallied up 36 in total.

With just one goal next to his name in the Premier League this season, it isn’t a great shock to read all the widespread backlash he is receiving for his recent dismal displays, with Everton-based podcaster Paul Brown stating at full-time that the goal-shy number nine is “hopeless”.

Moreover, another Toffees podcaster in the form of Steven Kelly also stated that the ongoing striker situation is “killing” Moyes’ side at the moment.

It really does look like Beto is on borrowed time on Merseyside, therefore, with his precarious position in the starting XI becoming ever more shaky if the passionate South American potentially returns to the blue half of Liverpool shortly.

Alongside Beto: Moyes must drop 4/10 Everton star who lost possession 19x

Everton were humbled on their own patch as Tottenham Hotspur ran out convincing 3-0 winners.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 27, 2025

The last international break of the year is finally coming to an end this weekend, meaning Arsenal can once again continue their title charge.

However, instead of looking over their shoulder at Liverpool, the new hunter is, unfortunately, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.

The Citizens have already gotten the better of Mikel Arteta’s side in two Premier League title races, in large part thanks to the outrageous goalscoring ability of Erling Haaland.

The Norwegian is an unstoppable machine of a player, but fortunately, it feels like Arsenal now have their own version of him, and he’s not even a striker.

Haaland's record vs Arsenal

There are more than a handful of players Arsenal fans have dreaded seeing play against their team over the years.

Chalkboard

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

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When he was at Chelsea, Didier Drogba was a nightmare for the North Londoners, as was Harry Kane when he played in N17.

Unfortunately, even though he hasn’t been in the league anywhere near as long, Haaland has become another goalscorer who just seems to have the Gunners’ number.

For example, while he didn’t score against them in the FA Cup three years ago, or the Community Shield a year after that, he has made a habit of putting the ball in their net in the league.

In the seven appearances he’s made against the North Londoners in the competition, he has scored five goals, with the two blanks coming home and away in the 23/24 season.

Interestingly, while he provided two assists in the 22/23 game at the Etihad, the former Borussia Dortmund star has never scored more than one goal in a match against Arteta’s side.

In all, Haaland scoring against Arsenal feels practically invincible, even this season, when Arteta has built an almost impregnable defence, one that features the club’s own version of the Norwegian.

Arsenal's own Haaland

Now, while people might try to argue that Viktor Gyokeres or Bukayo Saka could be Arsenal’s answer to Haaland for their goals and where they play, they’d be wrong.

Instead, and this might sound odd to begin with, it’s Gabriel Magalhaes.

After all, City’s biggest strength is their attack, and their best attacker is the Norwegian, while the Gunners’ biggest strength, and so far this season, the Brazilian has been their best defender.

Moreover, like the former Dortmund star, the 27-year-old is a monster of a centre-back, someone who makes full use of his 6 foot 4 frame to bully opposition players off the ball or block their path entirely.

He is not a stereotypical ball-playing defender; he’s an old-school blood and thunder type, someone who relishes the physical battle and celebrates a well-timed slide tackle just as much as a goal.

However, unlike some other players of his ilk, the former LOSC Lille ace is also a tour de force in the opposition’s box.

Since moving to the Emirates, the São Paulo-born titan has scored 22 goals and provided eight assists in 227 appearances, and with five goal involvements already this season, he’s only becoming more of an attacking threat.

Gabriel’s Arsenal Record

Appearances

227

Starts

216

Minutes

19391′

Goals

22

Assists

8

Points per Game

2.02

All Stats via Transfermarkt

It’s this combination of being incredible in all phases of play that led to Jamie Carragher suggesting that he could “be seen as the most influential player in the Premier League” only last month.

It also lends plenty of credence to Statman Dave’s claim that he’s one of the best defenders “on the planet.”

Ultimately, while he’ll never get the adulation of a striker, Gabriel has slowly become Arsenal’s own Haaland-like player, and the sooner he’s back from injury, the better.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 18, 2025

It wasn’t necessarily pretty, but Arsenal did what they needed to against Brentford.

Following a brutal run of fixtures that ended in a trip to Chelsea on Sunday, Mikel Arteta’s side had the tough task of hosting Keith Andrews’ Bees in a midweek Premier League fixture on Wednesday night.

Fortunately, despite looking a little underpar in the second half and losing another defender to injury in Cristhian Mosquera, the hosts came away with all three points, restoring their five-point lead over Manchester City.

While it wasn’t a classic performance, a few Arsenal players put in a good showing, though a couple probably played themselves out of the team as well.

Arsenal's best players vs Brentford

When it comes to those Arsenal players who really stood out for the right reasons on Wednesday night, it’s impossible to look past Ben White.

After all, the right-back was named the Player of the Match by Sky Sports, and it was entirely deserved.

On top of maintaining Jurrien Timber’s defensive solidity at the back, the Englishman reminded fans just how useful he can be in attack, and, in the words of one content creator, put in an “absolute vintage” performance.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion star ended the game having taken 86 touches, playing two key passes and creating one big chance, which led to Mikel Merino’s opener.

Speaking of the Spaniard, he was another starter who put in a brilliant account of himself.

The former Real Sociedad star might not be the most pleasing of players to watch, and can certainly misplace a pass, but he has become irrefutably efficient in 2025.

On top of scoring his goal, he also played the ball into Bukayo Saka, which led to the all-important second goal.

Next up, Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori deserve to be singled out for their performances.

Like White, the latter perfectly married up his defensive and attacking duties, ending the game with four recoveries, three clearances, and one interception, as well as taking two shots on target and completing two dribbles. When it comes to the Englishman, what more is there to say about him?

It was another match in which he was here, there and everywhere, doing all the dirty work, while still finding time to get forward, take three shots and play three key passes – fans will be hoping it was only fatigue that forced him off at the end.

Finally, Noni Madueke and David Raya deserve some plaudits; the former for his direct play that led to the opener, and the latter for his incredible save in the first half.

With all that said, there were two Arsenal players who were underwhelming against Brentford and should be dropped from the side.

The Arsenal stars who didn't play well

It feels harsh to single out players after a win, but the standard at Arsenal is so high now that anyone who doesn’t reach it stands out like a sore thumb.

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To some extent, that was the case with Martin Odegaard against Brentford.

Now, it was the captain’s first start since returning from injury, so it’s not exactly surprising, but he was frustrating throughout the match and warrants being dropped for Saturday.

For example, in his 96 minutes of action, the Norwegian failed to create a single big chance, failed in 100% of his dribbles, lost six of seven duels, misplaced 100% of his crosses and failed to register a shot on target.

It was not the performance Arteta would have wanted from what was his most creative midfielder in the starting lineup, and more than justifies the 5/10 match rating he received from the Express’ Tom Parsons.

Minutes

96′

Expected Goals

0.04

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.08

Assists

0

Crosses (Accurate)

1 (0)

Shots on Target

0

Dribbles (Successful)

1 (0)

Lost Possession

12

Ground Duels (Won)

5 (1)

Aerial Duels (Won)

2 (0)

Dribbled Past

1

Odegaard wasn’t the only starter who played himself out of the side, though, as the same thing could be said about Gabriel Martinelli.

The Brazilian was handed his second start on the bounce in Leandro Trossard’s absence, but as was the case on Sunday, he only showed why he might be better suited as an impact player.

For much of his time on the pitch, the former Ituano gem was anonymous, and then, when he did get a chance to make a difference, like the chance towards the end of the first half, he fluffed his lines.

He didn’t impress Parsons either, who also gave him a 5/10 match rating, writing that he ‘lacked an end product and will be concerned about keeping his place in the coming weeks.’

Minutes

61

Expected Goals

0.08

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.02

Assists

0

Shots on Target

0

Touches

34

Lost Possession

11

Dribbles (Successful)

2 (1)

Crosses (Accurate)

1 (0)

Passes

16

Ground Duels (Won)

8 (3)

Aerial Duels (Won)

1 (0)

Fouls

1

That might sound harsh, but it’s backed up by the statistics, as in his 61 minutes of relative inaction, he registered a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.10, failed to register a shot on target, took 34 touches – 18 fewer than Raya -, failed in 50% of his dribbles and 100% of his crosses.

Ultimately, Wednesday night was largely positive for Arsenal, but, like Odegaard, Martinelli should be dropped for the game against Aston Villa at the weekend.

Mikel Arteta says "very powerful" Arsenal star has took him completely by surprise

He wasn’t expecting it.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 3, 2025

Rookie batter Tommy Boorman compiles match-winning 38 as hosts hold their nerve

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay10-Aug-2025Rookie batter Tommy Boorman compiled a superb match-winning innings of 38 not out under intense pressure to carry Gloucestershire to an impressive three-wicket victory over Leicestershire in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.Making only his third List-A appearance, Boorman struck two fours and two sixes and staged an unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 35 in 18 balls with Craig Miles, who helped himself to a brace of sixes in making 18 not out as Gloucestershire reached their victory target of 286 with nine balls to spare.Gloucestershire appeared to be cruising when James Bracey compiled an eye-catching 96 from 106 balls and staged an opening stand of 105 with Cameron Bancroft, who contributed 40. But seamer Alex Green turned the tide back in Leicestershire’s favour, taking 5-52, dismissing both openers and dangermen Ben Charlesworth and Jack Taylor to set up a tense finale.Peter Handscomb could count himself unlucky to finish on the losing side, Leicestershire’s skipper raising a brilliant 107 from 125 balls with nine fours and a six and sharing in a substantial partnership of 115 for the fifth wicket with Ben Cox, who contributed a run-a-ball 61, as the Foxes recovered from 76 for 4 to post 285 for 7.Liam Trevaskis produced a hard-hitting 30 not out as the visitors added 61 runs in the final five overs, but Gloucestershire seamer Josh Shaw excelled with the new ball, returning figures of 3 for 40 to keep last season’s beaten semi-finalists in check.Gloucestershire’s decision to bowl first was justified when Shaw claimed 3 for 20 with the new ball to reduce the Foxes to 22 for 3. The Yorkshireman bowled Rishi Patel between bat and pad without scoring, had Sol Budinger held at deep third via a top-edged cut and then had Lewis Hill caught at the wicket in the act of cutting, at which point he had dismantled Leicestershire’s top order in the space of 15 deliveries from the Ashley Down Road end.Having mustered just three boundaries in the powerplay, the visitors were under duress in the face of variable bounce on a slow pitch. But Shan Masood and Handscomb effected a partial recovery, staging an important alliance of 54 in 13.3 overs. The fourth-wicket partnership was beginning to flourish when Ben Charlesworth made a breakthrough with his first ball, persuading Pakistan Test captain Masood to top-edge a pull shot to deep fine leg and depart for 35 with the score 76 for 4 in the 19th.That was as good as it got for Gloucestershire. New batter Cox looked to disrupt the home side’s smooth progress from the outset, clearing the rope behind square for the first six of the innings when Matt Taylor dropped short as the Foxes reached halfway on 113 for 4.The batters managed to get on top for the first time against spinners Ollie Price and Jack Taylor, Handscomb and Cox combining excellent running between the wickets and clever placement in raising a 50 partnership from 57 balls. Averaging a half-century every four innings in List-A cricket, Handscomb went to his 42nd fifty from 76 balls, while Cox attained the same landmark via 45 deliveries with five fours and a six.Gloucestershire needed a wicket and Akhter obliged, bowling Cox to terminate a partnership that had revitalised Leicestershire. Cox had scored a run-a-ball 61 and helped establish a platform from which the visitors could launch a late assault.Matt Taylor removed Ian Holland cheaply, but there was no shifting Handscomb, the Australian going to his ninth List-A hundred by launching Akhter over long-off for six. He received staunch support from Liam Trevaskis with a quickfire unbeaten 30 from 22 deliveries in a valuable seventh-wicket alliance of 51 in 35 balls as the Foxes smashed 61 runs in the final five overs.Gloucestershire openers Bracey and Bancroft were initially circumspect in the face of the new-ball threat. But Bracey soon warmed to his task, greeting Tom Scriven with a pick-up for six over midwicket and a pull for four next ball as the home side advanced to 47 without loss at the end of 10 overs. So dominant was Bracey, that Bancroft contributed just seven runs to the 50 partnership.Bracey went to an authoritative half-century from 58 deliveries, reaching that landmark with his ninth four, causing Handscomb to turn to spin. The opening partnership had realised three figures before the Foxes made the breakthrough they so desperately needed, Bancroft edging a catch behind off Chris Wright in the 20th over.Ollie Price proved adept at rotating the strike thereafter and Gloucestershire were well-placed on 134 for 1 at the halfway stage, requiring a further 152 at 6.1 an over. These two posted a 50 partnership from 65 balls, but Price fell for 29, hitting Green straight to Handscomb at midwicket.Green then struck a telling blow, having Bracey held at deep square leg, at which point Gloucestershire still needed 108 to win with two new batters at the crease. Charlesworth hit a quickfire 19, only to succumb to a leg-side strangle as Green made another important intervention.Sensing an opportunity, Leicestershire kept up the pressure and Trevaskis dismissed Joe Phillips for 14 to further reduce the home side, still 61 short of their target with nine overs remaining.Boorman helped himself to a six and a four off Holland, but Gloucestershire’s task was made harder when Green accounted for Jack Taylor and Akhter with successive deliveries in the 46th over.Miles hit a straight six off Green and Boorman repeated the feat off Trevaskis as the eighth wicket pair held their nerve. Miles hit the winning six in the penultimate over.

Lunch England have grabbed the fifth Test with both hands. In the space of 21.4 overs on day two, Gus Atkinson’s fourth five-wicket haul snuffed out India’s first innings for 224, before a bombastic opening stand between Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett propelled England to 109 for 1 at lunch, trailing by just 115.England’s openers were boundary happy, smoking 92 off just 77 deliveries, punishing India for every slight error in line or length. Duckett was the main driver, reverse-pulling Akash Deep over the cordon, then “conventionally” ramping Mohammed Siraj into the sponge for the first two sixes of the match.Duckett fell to Akash Deep attempting a third, departing for 43 with the bowler putting his arm around the left-hander, as much in jest as respect.Crawley was no slouch either, motoring on to a third half-century of the series in 42 deliveries, and second in a row after a tidy 84 in the fourth Test. His 24th score of fifty or more featured just four singles, with 12 fours, some along the ground, and three lifted serenely over cover.Zak Crawley raced to a fifty•PA Photos/Getty Images

Teeing up England’s speed run through to the break was Atkinson’s 5 for 33 upon his return to the side after two months out. He made light work of what remained of India’s first innings when they arrived on Friday morning on 204 for 6.It was all the more important after news this morning that Chris Woakes would play no further part in the match after a suspected dislocated shoulder sustained in the field last night. And the Surrey quick, on his home ground, took three of the remaining four wickets that India had up their sleeve.It was Josh Tongue who made the first key incision, albeit with a choatic approach that would get any surgeon struck off. His first over, opening from the Vauxhall End, went for nine, but he was able to remove Karun Nair for 57 in his second. A sharp delivery that nipped into the stumps – Nair no doubt expected something short and wide either side of them – pinned the right-hander on the back leg. Plumb in front, Nair took one of India’s three reviews with him.Washington Sundar should have assumed the responsibility at that point as an elongated tail became exposed, but he fell five deliveries later, waltzing into a short ball trap, heaving Atkinson to deep square leg, where Jamie Overton sprinted in to take a smart catch.Atkinson would then skittle Siraj before Prasidh Krishna felt for a delivery outside off, completing a collapse of four for six in 18 balls. It also leaves Atkinson with an average of 21, the fourth best for an England seamer with fifty or more dismissals, and the second best strike rate, ever, at 34.9, for those who have taken 60 wickets.

Ben Stokes took five to restrict India to 358 before India’s bowlers fluffed their lines

Alagappan Muthu24-Jul-20250:49

What makes Crawley and Duckett click as a pair?

0:52

Manjrekar: India batted in different bowling conditions from England

Pant’s willingness to put his body on the line – he is set to miss the fifth Test – ushered India to an above-par total. He finished with 54 off 75 balls and hit the 90th six of his Test career, equalling Virender Sehwag who holds the national record. He also went past 465 runs on this tour, which meant he eclipsed Alec Stewart and now has the highest tally for a wicketkeeper in a Test series in England. Not bad for a man who came to the office wearing a moonboot.Stokes continued his stellar series with the ball, picking up 16 wickets – a new career-best going past his efforts on debut in the 2013-14 Ashes. It is often said when he has the ball in hand that he makes things happen. That’s possibly because he is never afraid of having a punt. Sometimes, he bowls too full and that works because he gets movement both ways – Thakur found that out the hard way. Sometimes, he bowls way too short for way too long and that works because he has the strength to hurry batters up – Washington Sundar found that out the hard way. A peach brought him his fifth wicket – angled in, nipping away, taking Kamboj’s outside edge for a duck.3:28

Thakur: Pant’s pain-bearing capacity is really high

England built on their captain’s hard work with Duckett especially showing how little the margin of error is to him now. He turned a pretty good ball, on the base of off stump, maybe even outside, into a boundary through midwicket that kept two fielders interested all the way through and the crowd absolutely loved it. They went “oooooooohhhhh…yaaaaaaaayyyyyy” as Siraj and Washington were beaten. Given he was able to do that, it was barely a surprise that any time India went too straight, Duckett was able to access the square-leg region to great profit. He went to fifty without a single boundary on the off side and celebrated the landmark with a back-foot punch for four through cover.Crawley, at the other end, had to be a lot more circumspect. He took 14 balls to get off the mark and those runs came with a reminder of the danger the pitch still posed as a Jasprit Bumrah delivery rose up sharply to rap him on the bottom hand. That is why India would feel like they have let themselves down. There was help to the fast bowlers right through the day. Those late wickets they picked up resulted in a mini-session where it was revealed how hard it was to bat out there when the ball was in the right areas. Just that it was difficult to find for a bowling unit that isn’t used to this kind of bounce. Their stock length coupled with the movement on offer kept beating the edge. So they went fuller, only to stray a little too close to the pads or the half-volley mark.Crawley, in particular, played some sumptuous drives through cover and down the ground, and it looked like the opening partnership itself might see England through to stumps. India did raise their game towards the close and they need to raise it again on the third day to keep themselves in the fight. Otherwise the revellers in the party stand – repurposing the Mitchell Johnson song for Siraj – would be proven right. India bowled to the left. They bowled to the right. Their bowling was, well…

Three of the four semi-finalists have overcome personal and structural hardships to beat the best in the world at this T20 World Cup

Firdose Moonda19-Oct-20242:54

Carson leads the way, West Indies’ injuries costly

The Sharjah outfield received a hard smack from Zaida James’ bat as she walked off, with West Indies 11 runs away from the T20 World Cup final. James, 11 days away from turning 20, contributed 14 runs off eight balls batting at No. 9 and had believed she could “bring it home”. Ashmini Munisar, just a year older than James, came in next and gave James a reassuring pat on the helmet as they swapped places. Munisar would do her job and get off strike but had to watch from the other end as the match was lost.That West Indies’ last hopes lay with two of the youngest players in their squad spoke volumes about what they lacked in this tournament, and also about what they may have to look forward to. There is talent, but it must be nurtured and more of it must be found in a region where resources remain scarce. All of this makes West Indies’ final-four finish that much more remarkable.”Honestly speaking, we probably just don’t have it like a lot of the rest of the teams,” Hayley Matthews, the captain, had said after West Indies knocked England out of the tournament on Tuesday. “Back home in the Caribbean, sometimes we don’t have facilities and a lot of our girls come from very humble beginnings. To be given this opportunity to come out, represent your nation, and make a living out of it, for every single person it changes their lives.”Related

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While West Indies have central contracts for the women’s team, the regional system is only on the cusp of professionalising. Creating a year-round high-performance system remains a challenge. Ahead of international assignments, players get taken to centralised camps, which Matthews says are “really difficult on the girls because they are not able to stay in their homes with their friends and their families”. She would like to see them “be able to just get proper cricket training whilst they’re home”, because “we’ve got enough good coaches around the Caribbean that something can be done or put in place for everyone to be able to stay in their own territories and be put in a proper system where they can continue to improve there”.Legspinner Afy Fletcher, who is currently the joint-second-highest wicket-taker at the T20 World Cup, is one example. She is the only player in the West Indies team from Grenada, an island whose players compete alongside four others as Windward Islands. When she is not on regional or national duty, she practices with her partner, a former club cricketer, because it is her only option.”Fletch just goes to the nets with someone she knows, maybe her partner, and he throws balls at her a lot of the time. So it’s amazing for her to be able to come out here and perform the way she does,” Matthews said. “For all of our players to come out and perform the way they do – that’s why I feel as though you can never really be too hard on them because I think a lot of the time with what we’re given and what they’re given we’re still exceeding expectations every single time.”While Matthews has experience in the WBBL, the Hundred and the WPL, where she plays alongside other internationals, most players in her West Indies team have to “learn on the international scene and that can be so difficult”. She would love a system as advanced and professional as Australia’s, for example, which is designed “to create players who are ready to step onto the big stage”.Hayley Matthews tries to hide her emotions after the loss•ICC/Getty Images”I’m watching the T20 Spring Challenge right now in Australia and I’m seeing 13- and 15-year-old girls doing some insane things,” Matthews said. “I would absolutely love it if we had a system like that in place where our girls could come out from the regional system and be at a certain level.”The challenges for West Indies lies in creating this from the geographic spread of the islands to their economies but they will receive a big boost from this T20 World Cup. As losing semi-finalists, West Indies will take home US$ 675,000, some of which may be invested back into the women’s game. That thought won’t dry Matthews’ tears on a night when she thought her team had a World Cup final in the bag, but as someone who, in the words of the team coach Shane Deitz, is “really driving” the legacy-building aspect of the women’s game, it may provide some comfort in the days and weeks to come.Then, perhaps, Matthews and West Indies will be able to look back and appreciate the significance of what they achieved by getting to the semi-finals at a World Cup where better-resourced teams like England and India did not. New Zealand, who advanced to their first final in 14 years, already know that especially after they identified a lack of depth as their primary concern despite a developed domestic system.

“For all of our players to come out and perform the way they do, that’s why I feel as though you can never really be too hard on them because I think a lot of the time with what we’re given and what they’re given we’re still exceeding expectations every single time.”Hayley Matthews

In March, their captain Sophie Devine told ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast that “there’s not much depth coming through” in a country with a small population. After getting to the semi-final by beating Pakistan in the UAE, she repeated and expanded on that: “We’re not India, we don’t have a billion people to sort of pick from.”But they do have some, and Devine recognised that as a start. “Look at who’s on the bench. Molly Penfold’s been outstanding the last 12 months, she’s come on in leaps and bounds and you’ve still got players like Jess Kerr, Hannah Rowe and Leigh Kasperek – it’s those small, wee things where it’s going to take time to build depth, especially in a country as small as New Zealand. It’s not going to happen overnight. It’s going to be a continual work on for us.”New Zealand do not suffer from poor finances like West Indies and were the first country to introduce equal match fees, but have to deal with several other competing sports that attract some of their best athletes. Netball is their most popular women’s sport, followed by rugby union. But cricket is gaining ground.That is reasonably similar to the situation that their opponents in the final, South Africa face. Netball is also the most popular female sport in participation numbers in South Africa but cricket is growing. South Africa are the third country out of the four that advanced out of the group stage, whose players have battled personal and structural hardships to beat the best in the world.Ayabonga Khaka is an integral part of the SA women’s team•Getty ImagesAlmost every one of them has a story but Ayabonga Khaka, who was born in the small town of Middledrift in the Eastern Cape two years before democracy came to the country in 1994, is a standout example. Khaka was born into “impoverished circumstances”, as Eddie Khoza, CSA’s pathways manager, told ESPNcricinfo. She went on to become one of the first women at a boys’ academy when she joined the University of Fort Hare’s facility under the tutorship of former international Mfuneko Ngam. She has a degree in human movement science, she invests in farming in her community, and Khoza calls her “a living example and an icon who has achieved things on and off the field and could inspire the next generation of cricketers”.In Khaka, South Africa have a player whose quiet consistency and confidence has proved how much is possible. She has played in two ODI World Cups – both times reaching the semi-final – and four T20 World Cups and has lived and breathed the gains and misses of each of them. Her message to “people from the parts that I come from” is: “anything you want, you can do it”.That sums up what this World Cup has said for the progression of women’s cricket. Two of the Big Three – England and India – did not reach the semi-final, and Australia’s grip on the trophy was released. Three of the four semi-finalists come from places where their players put their passion ahead of the struggle, even when it seems that the odds are stacked against them. They know that desire alone doesn’t win a World Cup. It’s a combination of planning, luck and the muscle memory of dealing with pressure and if nothing else, they now know a bit about that. As James said, “I take this as a learning experience”, which may mean next time will be better.

Andre Onana & Altay Bayindir were slammed for Manchester United errors as former Newcastle star Shay Given lavished Senne Lammens for steadying the ship. When Onana was signed from Inter Milan, he was hailed as the modern-day saviour after David de Gea. He was comfortable with the ball at his feet, and United hoped to bring back authority while playing out from the back. Instead, his United spell became a nightmare reel of errors and misjudgments, with each mistake hammering another nail into the Red Devils’ fragile confidence.

From one calamity to another: Bayindir’s false dawn

By the time Onana was shipped off on loan to Trabzonspor, he had run out of excuses. His fall from grace was swift and was largely emblematic of United’s broader crisis. After Onana’s departure, manager Ruben Amorim turned to Altay Bayindir. The Turkish international had been quietly waiting in the wings, but his audition for the No.1 spot quickly descended into chaos. The United hierarchy had no choice but to invest in a new goalkeeper, and Lammens, the 23-year-old Belgian, was snapped up from Royal Antwerp for £18 million on deadline day. Few outside Belgium had heard of him, but inside Old Trafford, that gamble may already be paying off. Three wins and a draw in their last four matches have led to a surge up the table, and suddenly, they find themselves just two points behind second-placed Manchester City.

AdvertisementGOALShay gives his verdict on United keepers

Former Newcastle and Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Given didn’t hold back in his analysis of United’s keeper carousel, and his praise for the Belgian newcomer was glowing. 

In an interview with , he said: "Both Bayindir and Onana were struggling at times, there’s no getting away from it. There’s no hiding the fact that they just weren’t playing well enough and couldn’t stake a real claim to the position.  don’t know if it was just psychological or a talent problem, but the position really needed to be sorted out. I think what Lammens has brought is a real calmness.

"Any team, if you have a goalkeeper with a presence and a calmness, it just helps reduce the madness that goes on in front of him. His debut, what really stood out for me wasn’t the good saves, but that when a high ball came in, he claimed it.

"The whole ground stood up, and it was like, finally, we have a goalkeeper who does what a goalkeeper is meant to do. The ball is there to be won, and he won it. He came, he caught it, and the fans and players had just been crying out for that for years."

For Given, consistency is everything: "When you have a goalkeeper, you don’t want someone giving a nine out of ten one week, then three the next. You just need a solid seven out of ten each week, no worries, no panic. I think that’s what Lammens brings United. That’s what Ruben Amorim wants."

Given also addressed speculations that Onana had asked for a pay rise earlier this season, even amid his struggles.

"I’d be surprised, as I thought he was making too many mistakes, and he wasn’t consistent enough," he said. "In terms of negotiations, I wouldn’t have thought that was the best time to ask for a new contract! So if he really did ask for a raise, I’d be surprised."

Lammens remains firmly grounded

In contrast to the chaos before him, Lammens comes across as refreshingly humble as he is more concerned with the basics than unnecessary bravado.

"When things go badly, you're immediately put down," he said. "And when things go well, they praise you to the skies. I'm not really concerned with what 'people' say about me. But I did realise how important my debut against Sunderland would be. I had to make a good first impression. And I succeeded. Not that I made any spectacular saves, but I did radiate calm. I'm proud of that."

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Getty Images SportA crucial November awaits United

United are staring down a crucial run of fixtures with Tottenham Hotspur up next on Saturday, away from home, before the international break. After a brief gap of two weeks, they will play Everton and Crystal Palace on November 24 and 30, respectively, to close the month. Amorim knows momentum is everything. United have stumbled too often this season, being the victims of their own instability. But with Lammens between the sticks, there’s a sense that, for the first time in a long while, the team can build from the back without fear.

A sight no Tigers fan wanted to see occurred on Wednesday during the club's 6–2 victory over the Mets. Lights-out relief pitcher Kyle Finnegan, one of the Tigers' savvy trade deadline pickups and one of the best relievers in all of baseball since the July 31 deadline, appeared to suffer an apparent injury while warming up in the bullpen. The Tigers broadcast showed Finnegan firing a warmup pitch in the bullpen, then squatting down in discomfort. Finnegan then walked through the Tigers dugout and headed down the steps towards the clubhouse.

Will Vest began wamring up in the bullpen in Finnegan's stead, with the former eventually entering the game in the top of the seventh inning, tossing 1 1/3 scoreless in relief. The Tigers announced that Finnegan experienced right groin tightness while warming up, according to Cody Stavenhagen of .

In 14 1/3 innings pitched since his acquisition by Detroit, Finnegan has yet to allow an earned run and has struck out 19 batters.

Calling home runs on Independence Day is a little bit played out, but the Chicago Cubs truly earned such a comparison this year.

By the end of the seventh inning, Chicago was leading the St. Louis Cardinals at home 11-1 on the Fourth of July off a slew of home runs from the bats in the lineup.

Two players hit multiple home runs, Michael Busch with three and Pete Crow-Armstrong with two. But the real highlight was the franchise record being set: The eighth home run from the Cubs off the bat of Busch broke the previous team record of seven home runs in a game.

Seiya Suzuki, Dansby Swanson and Carson Kelly all added dingers as well.

Just stunning stuff from the Northsiders.

Chicago leads the NL Central by several games and is in a flirtatious spot with the top seed in the National League. Coming into the day third in home runs with 131, the Cubs will launch all the way to first in MLB, pending the results of the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers games this afternoon and tonight, the two teams ahead of Chicago.

The Cubs also join the Yankees as the only other team to hit eight or more home runs this year. New York hit nine home runs in March, breaking its own franchise record in that game.

The Cardinals attempted to rally back, scoring two runs in the top of the ninth inning, but the deficit was too much. Chicago won 11-3.

The record for most home runs in an MLB game is 10, set by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1987. The only other team to hit eight or more home runs on the Fourth of July is the Boston Red Sox in 1977.