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Celtic provided the perfect response to their 3-2 defeat to their rivals before the international break with a 3-0 win over Hearts at Parkhead on Saturday.

The Hoops had allowed their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership table to be cut down to 13 points by losing to Rangers, but immediately bounced back with a convincing win over the Jam Tarts.

Daizen Maeda took his tally for the season to 30 goals in all competitions for the Bhoys with his two strikes against Hearts, whilst Jota added another goal to his collection since his return to Parkhead in the January transfer window.

Whilst many will focus on the attacking talent that was on display, as Jota and Maeda stole the headlines with their goals, the presence of Callum McGregor in the middle of the park was equally as important.

Why Callum McGregor's performance was important for Celtic

The retired Scotland international missed the 3-2 defeat to Rangers before the break through injury and returned to show the Hoops what they missed with a sublime display in midfield.

Celtic’s captain lined up alongside Reo Hatate and Arne Engels in the midfield three against Hearts on Saturday and stood out as the star performer in that area of the pitch.

Pass accuracy

89%

81%

99%

Passes completed

59

34

66

Key passes

1

0

2

Big chances created

0

0

1

Tackles + interceptions

0

1

2

Dribbled past

1x

0x

0x

As you can see in the table above, McGregor outperformed his positional peers in the match with his exceptional use of the ball and his reliability defensively.

This illustrates why his display was so important for Brendan Rodgers against Hearts because it highlights the quality he brings in and out of possession.

The left-footed star provides a metronomic presence at the base of the midfield for Celtic with his ability to complete passes efficiently under pressure, completing 94% of his passes overall in the division this season.

McGregor, who completes 73 passes per game on average, can control games for the Hoops by dictating the tempo of matches with his passing quality, whilst also frustrating opposition teams because of his press resistance on the ball, forcing them to drop back deeper.

This is part of the reason why Celtic struggled without their captain when they faced Rangers at Parkhead before the break, as Engels is not best suited to that role as the number six.

Why Arne Engels struggled against Rangers

The former Augsburg star started at the base of the midfield, with Luke McCowan and Hatate in the number eight positions, and struggled against the Gers.

Engels is usually tasked with playing as one of the more advanced midfielders, looking to score and create goals, but had to step up in a deeper role against Rangers because of his captain’s injury.

Pass accuracy

88%

94%

Touches

76

89.1

Passes

51

73.2

Ground duel success rate

20%

59%

Possession lost

14x

7.2x

Tackles + interceptions

0

1.7

As you can see in the table above, the Belgium international failed to live up to the standards that the skipper has set for that position in or out of possession, losing the ball far too frequently and offering little protection to the back four.

The 21-year-old starlet should not be expected to be as effective in that role, though, because he is an attack-minded player who has a future as a number eight for Celtic, rather than as a deep-lying conductor of play.

Engels has racked up ten goals and 12 assists in all competitions for the Scottish giants this term, which shows that he has excelled at his natural game – scoring and creating goals.

The former Bundesliga whiz is not the long-term successor to McGregor, because that is not his natural game, and that is why he struggled in the game against Rangers before the break.

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Rodgers, though, may have already unearthed his next version of the Celtic captain by bringing 19-year-old academy starlet Jude Bonnar into the first-team group.

Why Jude Bonnar could be the next Callum McGregor

The teenage dynamo has been in the matchday squad on five occasions in all competitions since the start of February, and got ten minutes off the bench in a 5-1 win over Aberdeen in the Premiership.

That ten-minute cameo, in which the Scotland U21 international completed all four of his attempted passes, was his first-team debut for the Hoops and the manager spoke to his suitability for the team after the match.

Rodgers told the Daily Record: “He’s got a good profile and fits how we want to play. So that is a nice little taster for him.”

This suggests that the Northern Irish boss sees potential in Bonnar and believes that the teenage talent has the technical skills and know-how to suit the way that his team lines up, with a number six and two eights in a midfield three.

The B team star, whose ability was described as “unbelievable” by former coach Alan McGrillen, spoke to Celtic TV after the game and admitted that he looks up to McGregor as a role model, because of how he acts on and off the pitch every day.

Bonnar has already shown a tiny glimpse of his metronomic qualities, completing 100% of his passes in his cameo against Aberdeen, and Rodgers could look to help him develop and refine that ability to mould him into the new version of McGregor in the future.

The Scottish youngster has also shown the potential to offer a goal threat, as the captain has with eight goals in 28 league matches this term, with a return of ten goals in 46 B team games.

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This is only the start of the road for Bonnar, though, and there is plenty more time left for him to progress as a player and forge his own way in the game, hopefully at Celtic.

The very early signs, however, are that the potential is there for him to develop into McGregor 2.0 for Rodgers as a composed and controlling midfield star who can also provide a goal threat.

Jadeja dominated England’s batters, Axar disrupted their spinners. It added up to a fine match-winning combination in Nagpur, but what if they have to pick between them at the Champions Trophy?

Karthik Krishnaswamy06-Feb-20252:41

Manjrekar: Axar’s promotion could keep Pant out of XI

From a philosophical point of view, umpire’s call is among the most fascinating things in cricket. It lends the same ball a Schrodinger-esque duality: it could, with equal validity, be out or not out.Ravindra Jadeja got Joe Root lbw on Thursday afternoon with one such ball, and this one came with an extra layer of duality.It was a classic Jadeja dismissal, the batter beaten on the back foot by the ball turning less than expected and hurrying onto him, and ball-tracking suggested it would have gone on to clip the top of the bails. At the first level of duality, it could have been out or not out, depending on what umpire KN Ananthapadmanabhan thought of it.Related

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At a level beyond that, this was a ball that almost had to be an umpire’s call kind of ball to give Jadeja the chance of beating Root in this way. It was the shortest possible length that could still threaten the stumps, and perhaps the fullest possible length that could make Root go on the back foot. Any shorter, and the ball would likely have bounced over the stumps. Any shorter, and Root may have had more time to adjust to the lack of turn. Any fuller, he might have elected to get on the front foot.This was umpire’s call, and it could have been not out on another day. But in order to be out, it kind of had to be umpire’s call.This was the 15th ball Jadeja had bowled in this match, his first ODI since the World Cup final of 2023. And he was already all over it. This was the fourth time he had dismissed Root in ODIs, and the 12th time across formats. Jadeja has now dismissed Root more often than any other batter. And no spinner has dismissed Root more often.Soon after this lbw, the broadcasters played back footage from the Kochi ODI of 2013. This was the first time Root had ever batted in the format, and he made 36 before being bowled by the curly-mopped, 2013 version of Jadeja. Different hairstyle, same bowler: a skidder sneaking past the inside edge as Root unwisely aimed square of the wicket with an open bat face.

Axar and Jadeja are both allrounders who bowl left-arm orthodox and bat left-handed, but they’re very different in some ways. Jadeja is a more rounded bowler, and he’s scored Test-match runs all over the world, but in any format, in situations where you want one of them facing spin, it’s likely Axar you’d turn to.

All these years later, Root was vigilant enough to try and play him down the ground, but sometimes that makes no difference when Jadeja is hitting his lengths, attacking the stumps, and getting variable turn off the surface.On Thursday in Nagpur, Jadeja put on a masterclass of stump-to-stump bowling and finished with figures of 3 for 26 in nine overs. Bowling from around the wicket to both the right- and left-hand batters, he kept the stumps in play in hypnotically relentless manner, narrowing the batters’ shot choices, giving them a judiciously curated list of scoring options. If they wanted anything beyond that, they’d need to take chances.This was the kind of ODI pitch where there was turn, but you needed to give the ball a rip to find it. The kind of pitch where batters worried about both edges of their bat while facing Jadeja, but not necessarily when they faced Axar Patel.Their respective abilities to extract turn from this pitch, and the specific geometries of their bowling styles, also influenced the lines Jadeja and Axar were able to bowl. Axar also bowled from round the wicket to England’s left-handers, but with his wider arm at release, and with the smaller amounts of turn he was able to generate, he had less of a chance of hitting the stumps with balls pitching in line with the stumps.3:18

Manjrekar: Harshit Rana is a great wicket-taking option

And this opened up more scoring areas for England’s batters. Nowhere was this more apparent than in how often, and how effectively, they were able to sweep India’s spinners. They played variants of the sweep or reverse-sweep 10 times against Axar and scored 15 runs without losing a wicket. They also scored 15 off six such shots against Kuldeep Yadav’s left-arm wristspin.Against Jadeja, however, it was a different story. They attempted three sweeps, scored one run, and lost two wickets: Jacob Bethell lbw and Adil Rashid bowled. To borrow from : come at the stump-to-stump king, you best not miss.It’s been nearly 16 years since his ODI debut, but Jadeja endures.The remarkableness of this feat became more apparent as the day wore on, and India got into their chase of 249. It became especially apparent when they lost their third wicket with 113 on the board, and sent Axar in.This was precisely the sort of situation that makes Axar so valuable. There was just one left-hand batter in India’s regular top six, and the situation called for a left-hander, with the legspinner Adil Rashid beginning to find generous amounts of turn and the left-arm spinner Bethell having just dismissed a dangerous Shreyas Iyer in Jadeja-esque manner, lbw sweeping a stump-to-stump ball.Axar and Jadeja are both allrounders who bowl left-arm orthodox and bat left-handed, but they’re very different in some ways. Jadeja is a more rounded bowler, and he’s scored Test-match runs all over the world, but in any format, in situations where you want one of them facing spin, it’s likely Axar you’d turn to.Axar Patel did the job with the bat•MB Media/Getty ImagesAnd you soon saw why. The second ball he faced from Rashid was dangled well outside off stump but dropping onto a dangerous sort of length, and Axar took on the invitation. The length made him reach for the ball, but he used his long levers expertly to control his slog-sweep, prioritising placement – there was a deep square leg but no deep midwicket – over power.Soon after, facing his eighth ball, he saw another opportunity for the slog-sweep, with Bethell on this occasion tossing one right up in his arc. This time he went with a full, unfettered bat-swing and cleared the boundary with ease.And just like that, Axar was well into his job of disrupting England’s spin plans. By the time he was bowled by a ripping Rashid legbreak, he had scored 52 off 47, put on 108 with Shubman Gill for the fourth wicket, and taken England’s spinners for 33 off 30 balls.There couldn’t have been a better illustration of the quality, and specific qualities, of India’s two left-arm-spin-bowling allrounders.This, of course, was always set up to be a game for both Jadeja and Axar: a pitch that allowed India to play three spinners, and an opposition line-up, dominated by right-hand batters, that allowed them to play two left-arm orthodox spinners.There will likely be pitches and oppositions during the upcoming Champions Trophy that will allow India to pick this combination again. There may also be times, though, when they might have to leave one of them out: either to pick Washington Sundar (or possibly even Varun Chakravarthy) or an extra fast bowler.Who do India play then? The better bowler or the more versatile batter? To quote once again: it sounds like one of them good problems.

Khulna Tigers, Chattogram Challengers and Dhaka Dominators are out of the tournament with eight matches left in the league phase

Mohammad Isam04-Feb-2023Rangpur take final spot
Following their two-wicket win against Dhaka Dominators, Rangpur Riders became the last team to make it to the BPL’s playoffs. Captain Nurul Hasan played a captain’s knock, promoting himself to No. 4 and scoring 61 off 33, but the side also survived a late batting collapse to get to the win.But Rangpur’s confirmation also means that the other three teams – Khulna Tigers, Chattogram Challengers and Dhaka – are all out of the tournament with eight matches left in the league phase. There’s been a clear gulf between the top four and the bottom three teams this season. The four teams that have qualified – Rangpur, Comilla, Barishal and Sylhet – have shown consistency. They picked the right combination when building their teams, and have followed up with mostly consistent selection calls during the tournament.Chattogram and Khulna, meanwhile, could never replicate the success they had last season. Khulna lost four games in a row to bow out of the competition. Dhaka have won just three out of 11 games.Dearth of newcomers
There have been five debutants in this BPL season. Among those, Ashiqur Zaman (Victorians) is the only player who is part of the top four teams. But he hasn’t made a splash, and neither have the other debutants – Abdullah Al Mamun, Nahid Rana, Khawaja Nafey and Habibur Rahman Sohan.None among the four has played more than three matches, although Rana and Mamun are likely to feature in the remaining matches for Khulna and Dhaka respectively. However, Rana and Ashiqur have impressed Allan Donald, Bangladesh’s fast bowling coach, during a recent camp, while Mamun was the NCL’s Player-of-the-Tournament this season. Nafey is from Pakistan, but he has built a big-hitting reputation in the Karachi circuit.Batter of the week: Johnson CharlesJohnson Charles vs Khulna Tigers lit up the BPL this week. First, he slammed five sixes in his 22-ball 39 on January 28, before laying into them with a 56-ball unbeaten 107. This innings had eleven sixes and five fours as he powered Victorians to a record-breaking highest chase in the BPL. But this wasn’t Charles’ first century in the BPL. Five years ago, he hit his first century, coincidentally against Comilla, when he made 105 off 63 balls.Bowler of the week: Azmatullah Omarzai
It has been a productive week for Azmatullah Omarzai who has become an important player for Riders. The Afghanistan allrounder has been lethal with the new ball. Among all the BPL bowlers this season, he has the most wickets in the powerplay. Omarzai has not broken through yet in the T20 franchise world like his compatriots, but his new-ball chops and big-hitting ability make him a marked man for franchises around the world.

Team faces questions around captaincy and fast-bowling combination ahead of IPL 2021

Sruthi Ravindranath02-Nov-20203:37

Aakash Chopra: Rajasthan Royals’ bowling attack didn’t have enough

Where did they finish?
They finished last, with six wins in 14 games and a net run rate of -0.569.What went right?
Jofra Archer’s brilliance with the ball – and at times with the bat – throughout the tournament, along with some outstanding individual performances from a few batsmen and spinners.An in-form Sanju Samson got their campaign off to a rollicking start with two big wins. Rahul Tewatia came along and produced the innings to remember from IPL 2020. They were on the top of the table one week into the tournament, and there were questions about whether they were missing Ben Stokes at all.However, their campaign derailed a bit from there, with four consecutive losses, before reviving with a superb chase led by the young Riyan Parag against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Later, there was a masterclass from Stokes against the Mumbai Indians in a tall chase. He played another match-winning innings against the Kings XI in their penultimate fixture.Royals have been a side known for promoting young Indian talent, and there was some of that time around too. Kartik Tyagi – whom they picked in the last auction – and Parag provided a glimpse of a bright futures.What went wrong?For one, they never got their batting order right. The inconsistency in their performances, to a significant degree, could be down to the constant chopping and changing. They never quite settled on an opening combination until the very end, trying five different combinations at the top.A few questionable captaincy decisions also hurt them at crucial moments in a few matches – for instance, bowling Jaydev Unadkat instead of Archer in the penultimate over against the Royal Challengers when the Royals had 35 to defend, and not giving Archer another over in the powerplay against the Delhi Capitals when he had picked up two early wickets. Steven Smith had a dull season with the bat, to boot, so having him as captain meant the other overseas options such as Tom Curran, David Miller and Oshane Thomas got few or no chances at all, especially after Stokes’ arrival.Key numbers Archer finished with 20 wickets in the tournament while the other seven fast bowlers in the side tallied just 21 Tewatia finished the league stage as the only Indian player to score over 200 runs and get 10 wickets in IPL 2020 Star performersNeed early wickets? Want to rattle a set, experienced batsman? Want to keep the opposition quiet in the death overs? Call Jofra.Fast bowlers, in general, had a great tournament, but Archer was on a different level. He carried the team’s bowling load single-handedly, impressing in the powerplay and at the death alike. He bowled regularly in excess of 145kph, used the bouncer to full effect and nailed the yorkers consistently. He conceded just 4.34 runs per over in the powerplay – the best in the period this season; in fact, he has the best economy rate (5.35) for a fast bowler in this phase in the IPL overall (minimum 100 balls bowled).Tewatia was a revelation for the Royals this season. The superb comeback he staged in the match against Kings XI made oppositions wary of him in the games to follow. Still, he was the complete all-round package for the Royals – he was explosive with the bat and also had good returns with his legspin on a few occasions. He racked up 255 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 139 and finished with 10 wickets. After the Royals crashed out with a loss to the Kolkata Knight Riders, Smith conceded that there was not enough support for Archer and Tewatia, especially from the top-order batsmen.What needs immediate fixing?A change in captaincy – albeit unlikely – could possibly help them. If the mega auction does happen before the next season, they can look to rope in an Indian captain. They have one of the best overseas units in the tournament so having an Indian captain could help rotate and utilise their overseas options more effectively.They are also in need of an experienced Indian or an overseas fast bowler to bowl alongside Archer, especially at the death. Tyagi, although quite impressive at times, is a tad too inexperienced to share the load, while the likes of Unadkat, Ankit Rajpoot and Varun Aaron were expensive.

Having already enjoyed great success by signing players from Old Trafford, Napoli are now reportedly working on a 2026 deal for yet another Manchester United ace.

Hojlund thriving at Napoli

It’s a rotten case of de ja vu for Man United, but the reality is that one of their struggling players is once again thriving at Napoli.

Last season, it was Scott McTominay, who even earned himself a Ballon d’Or nomination, and this time around it’s Rasmus Hojlund, who’s found his golden touch away from Manchester.

The Dane has been in electric form since joining Napoli, whilst United’s big-money signing Benjamin Sesko is only gradually beginning to find his feet after scoring two goals in his last two games.

Speaking about the £66m man, Ruben Amorim told reporters after he scored in a comfortable victory over Sunderland last time out:

“The most important thing is to win games.

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“That will give confidence for everybody in the team. Of course, he was anxious for his first goal. The thing I like most in Ben is, even when things are hard for him with the ball, he is working hard in every minute of the game. That is the most important thing in the moment.”

Although Hojlund’s sudden burst of form may look frustrating from afar, United should be more than happy with Sesko’s start. Napoli, meanwhile, don’t look likely to go away anytime soon. Reports are now suggesting that the Italian giants are already working on a 2026 deal to sign another Man United star.

Napoli already working on Mainoo deal

According to Italian journalist Emanuele Cammaroto, Napoli are already working on signing Mainoo in the January transfer window and are waiting to see if the midfielder is available to complete a loan move.

“The strong temptation is to sign Mainoo,” the reporter told Napolimagazine live on Radio Punto Zero, via Area Napoli.

“But there we need to understand whether United are open to a loan with an option to buy. The parties are working on it.”

The Carrington graduate was very open about his desire to leave on loan in the summer, only for Amorim to deny him that chance and instead tell him to fight for his place. Since then, though, Mainoo has not started a single Premier League game.

Previously dubbed “special” by Paul Scholes, the 20-year-old will be desperate for the game time that Napoli could offer him. He, like everyone else, would have noticed their impact on Hojlund and McTominay and may want to follow suit in the new year.

That said, former Man United scout Mick Brown still has faith that Mainoo is being readied to replace Bruno Fernandes if he leaves for Saudi Arabia in the near future.

He told Football Insider: “It seems to me like Mainoo is being lined up as the perfect choice to step into his place, because the manager has been clear that he sees them as competition for the same role.”

Have Liverpool rediscovered how to win football games?

There’s no question that this has been an incredibly difficult start to the season for Arne Slot and his Premier League-winning Liverpool squad, but while the defeats have come in droves in recent months, Saturday’s confident win over Brighton & Hove Albion has rubber-stamped the mini-revival.

The Reds have returned to the top six, with the noise surrounding Mohamed Salah’s recent troubles being silenced for a while, the Egyptian replacing the injured Joe Gomez in the first half and putting in a strong display, whipping in the corner for Hugo Ekitike’s second-half strike.

Ekitike now has four goals from his past two Premier League matches, and he is becoming quite the player for the Merseyside club.

Ekitike's performance vs Brighton

After Ekitike joined Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt in an initial £69m deal this summer, he found his big move somewhat overshadowed by the Alexander Isak saga that swallowed the transfer discourse.

But it’s the Frenchman, 23, who has better established themselves, with his latest brace taking his tally to ten goals and an assist across 23 appearances in all competitions, and he’s rediscovered his Midas touch in the Premier League.

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to argue against Ekitike taking precedence over Isak, England’s record signing at £125m, the Les Bleus star so much sharper, so much more fluent.

While many of FSG’s summer signings have flattered to deceive over the past several months, Ekitike has established himself as one of the most exciting goalscorers in Europe, well worth the pennies paid.

However, another of Liverpool’s summer recruits shone just as brightly against the Seagulls, and he might have even put in his best performance since making the move in June.

Liverpool prospect just put in his best performance

Liverpool have been in a rut this season, and it’s made it difficult for new signings to acclimatise. Florian Wirtz and Isak being two cases in point.

However, Milos Kerkez has arguably suffered the toughest start of the lot, with the Hungarian left-back so far removed from the fluid and fearsome Bournemouth full-back from last season.

Matches (starts)

38 (38)

15 (13)

Goals

2

1

Assists

5

0

Touches*

59.6

49.5

Accurate passes*

28.6 (80%)

26.9 (86%)

Chances created*

1.0

0.7

Dribbles*

0.6

0.3

Recoveries*

4.7

2.5

Tackles + interceptions*

2.6

1.8

Clearances*

2.6

2.8

Duels won*

4.0 (54%)

3.9 (60%)

Errors made

4

2

The 21-year-old, who signed after a £40m deal was agreed, has so much more to give, with his bouncy athleticism not best represented as Slot’s tactical vision has struggled to take shape.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher called him a “nervous wreck” earlier in the season, but Kerkez looked more like the 2024/25 PFA Team of the Year inclusion at the Vitality Stadium, with Liverpool World acknowledging his ‘well-utilised aggression’, flawless save for one moment up against the tricky Yankuba Minteh.

It tells much of Kerkez’s combative performance that he won eight duels, energetic as he provided an outlet down the left flank and completing 89% of his passes and creating one chance.

Having endured such a challenging start to life at one of the biggest clubs in Europe, the young and talented Kerkez showed that he has what it takes, and it might even have been his finest showing in a Liverpool shirt.

It’s curious to note that Cody Gakpo was absent on the wing, having earlier this week been ruled out by Slot for the next few weeks. Kerkez’s connection with the inswinging Dutchman has been limited this season, one-dimensional.

Liverpool have taken several confident steps in the right direction, and though there is a long way to go before Slot can say that his system has stabilised and focus can be placed on winning trophies, we are beginning to see the signs that the recruits are worth their price tags, albeit with a few more still to demonstrate sustained improvement.

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Minus Zian Flemming’s late penalty for Burnley at St James’ Park, Newcastle United’s 2-1 win over the relegation-threatened Clarets on Saturday was rather straightforward.

Scott Parker’s men never gave in, but after Anthony Gordon stroked home his fourth penalty of the season, there was a sense of inevitability that the Magpies were going to secure a sixth Premier League victory of the campaign, especially as the away side had to play all of the second half with just ten men.

It was far from vintage, but Newcastle will be pleased that they now enter into the upcoming Tyne-Wear Derby with a confidence-boosting win under their belt.

Then, it’s a tough encounter with Chelsea in league action, before more and more clashes come their way across the bumper Christmas period.

Before you know it, Eddie Howe’s men will be concerning themselves with matters in the January transfer window, as plenty of new signings are tipped to move to Tyneside.

Newcastle's transfer latest

Away from any new arrivals, though, Yoane Wissa lining up for Howe and Co against Burnley would have felt like a fresh signing in itself, as the injury-plagued striker finally pulled on Toon black and white, after exiting Brentford in the summer.

Still, even with Wissa’s return, Newcastle have been credited as being interested in the services of Bees goal machine Igor Thiago, as Keith Andrews fears another Magpies swoop could be forthcoming.

Of course, there is also constant talk bubbling away that Elliot Anderson might well seal a Tyneside return from Nottingham Forest.

Yet, with a ludicrous £100m price tag above the England international’s head, Newcastle might well be better placed to seek out cheaper alternatives, as Hungarian sensation Alex Tóth is allegedly catching the Premier League side’s eye.

Already garnering a lot of hype in his native country for Robbie Keane’s Ferencváros TC, Football Insider has now revealed that a £13m bid could be accepted down the line for the 20-year-old’s services, with Newcastle and Bundesliga clubs eyeing up the emerging talent.

Newcastle could be tempted to land such a promising midfield gem if he is available at such a cut-price fee, with the lingering disappointment of letting Anderson go prematurely, softened somewhat by the Budapest-born star’s arrival.

How Toth could be Anderson 2.0

Newcastle must still have restless nights about the decision to sell Anderson to Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2024, after the homegrown Toon prodigy had made 55 promising appearances in the first team ranks.

He was only just getting started at St James’ Park, though, with hindsight on side, as the 23-year-old is now a regular in Thomas Tuchel’s England set-up, and for good reason.

He’s made a mind-blowing 8.4 ball recoveries per game this season in Premier League action, and won 7.8 duels per match, gifting him the label of being an “elite” performer at the very top by analyst and social media personality Statman Dave.

Likewise, journalist Bence Bocsak has tipped the Ferencváros number 64 to go to “the top” too, with a new Anderson-style project potentially on Newcastle’s hands if they land Tóth this January.

Tóth’s league numbers

Stat (* = per 90 mins)

24/25

25/26

Games played

17

12

Goals scored

2

1

Assists

7

1

Touches*

65.9

54.5

Accurate passes*

37.6 (84%)

32.8 (87%)

Big chances created

8

4

Ball recoveries*

4.2

2.0

Total duels won*

4.8

4.0

Stats by Sofascore

Winning four duels per fixture his season in Fizz Liga action, Tóth isn’t a million miles off the high-octane approach Anderson is known for. He even regularly lines up for Hungary, alongside Liverpool faces Milos Kerkez and Dominik Szoboszlai, off the back of these well-drilled showings, with three ground duels successfully won against the Republic of Ireland, just last month.

But, as per analyst page Football Wonderkids, it’s also his well-rounded ability to chip in with goals and assists and tidily play the ball about the pitch that makes him a “special talent” worthy of a Premier League switch, with a standout 11 goal contributions tallied up across his last two league seasons. Like Anderson, therefore, he’s got a goal involvement from the middle of the park in him too.

This has further led to the aforementioned Bocsak hailing the £13m asset as a “modern day midfielder” who is capable of everything, much like Anderson, who has three goals and seven assists for the Tricky Trees in total, yet is also known as a “warrior” for his defensive grit by Como scout Ben Mattinson.

Of course, if Tóth were to make the move to England, he wouldn’t become an Anderson-like talent overnight in his new, intimidating surroundings.

But, for just £13m, it’s surely worth the gamble that he could morph into Newcastle’s second coming of their departed midfielder in time.

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He desperately needs a move.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Dec 7, 2025

New York Yankees pitcher Max Fried lost his no-hit bid in the strangest of ways Sunday—while he wasn't even on the mound.

The left-hander was just six outs away from pulling it off when the Rays' official scorer changed what had been recorded as an error earlier in the game into a hit before the start of the eighth inning.

The sent Yankees announcer Michael Kay into a furious rant about the scorer's decision to wait a few innings to make that change. After the game, the scorer, Bill Matthews, had a very short explanation for his move, saying: "I made a decision."

Here's the play in question.

While it's easy to see why that was scored a hit, the timing of the decision wasn't great.

Fried ended up giving up two hits and got the win to improve to 4-0 on the season.

Pumas are now reportedly happy to let manager Efrain Juarez join Celtic, who could take full advantage of their former star’s secret release clause at the Mexican club.

The Bhoys once again struggled on the European stage in midweek, losing 3-1 against Midtjylland, as Martin O’Neill saw their problems in full for the first time. The interim boss has continued to distance himself from the permanent job, despite recent reports suggesting that he could yet be the next man to take the hotseat.

For now, the 73-year-old is set to remain in the dugout for Celtic’s Scottish Premiership clash against Kilmarnock this weekend, but Parkhead chiefs are continuing their search.

Recent reports have claimed that Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna is now open to joining the Scottish giants, but it remains to be seen whether he’d leave Portman Road in the middle of a campaign which has so far been disappointing.

Meanwhile, Nicky Hayen is also a reported candidate. The Club Brugge manager knows all about beating the top clubs in Scottish football, having smashed Rangers 9-1 on aggregate in the Champions League qualifiers earlier this season and defeated Celtic last season. Now, he could be on his way to the home dugout in Glasgow.

Once again, however, luring him away from Club Brugge will not be an easy task. Instead, the Hoops may have no choice but to turn towards former player Juarez, who has previously shared that he dreams of managing the club.

Pumas happy to let Juarez join Celtic

As reported in Mexico and relayed by Sport Witness, Pumas are now happy to let Juarez join Celtic, who could trigger a release clause that allows the 37-year-old to leave for free when a European club comes knocking.

Celtic discover extent of Callum Osmand injury that has "never happened to him before"

More bad news for the Bhoys.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 7, 2025

It would save Celtic a transfer fee and it would welcome someone who knows the standards of the club, given that Juarez played for the Bhoys between 2010 and 2012. Whether he has the right managerial experience for the role is another question, though, and the Scottish club may find that out after reportedly scheduling an interview over zoom.

The former player, who uses a 4-2-3-1 system, has taken charge of just two sides and is yet to even reach 100 games as a manager. At this point in time, it should be questioned whether Celtic can afford to take such a gamble.

Games

33

Wins

11

Draws

10

Defeats

12

Juarez’s time at Pumas hasn’t exactly been the greatest success, either. The Mexican has lost more games than he’s won and averaged just 1.3 points over 33 games in charge. It suddenly makes the club’s willingness to let him leave make all too much sense for Celtic to make their move.

For the time being, those at Celtic Park should trust O’Neill with the job until a suitable candidate emerges.

Celtic schedule first interview with Efrain Juarez

Sufyan Yousuf, Zikria Islam, Faisal Shah and Nadeem Khan are the uncapped players in the 17-man squad to be led by Jatinder Singh

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Aug-2025

Jatinder Singh will lead Oman at the Asia Cup•ICC/Getty Images

Oman have named as many as four uncapped players for their maiden Asia Cup appearance next month. Sufyan Yousuf, Zikria Islam, Faisal Shah and Nadeem Khan are the uncapped players in the 17-man squad which will be led by experienced opener Jatinder Singh.”It is real that we are participating in the Asia Cup – a major tournament and a fantastic opportunity for our players to showcase their skills on a global stage,” Oman head coach Duleep Mendis said while looking ahead to their first Asia Cup. “Playing against teams like India and Pakistan is a moment to embrace for any cricketer. Anything can happen in a fast-paced T20 game, where one over of brilliance can change everything.”Our build-up has been strong, with the ongoing National T20 tournament providing competitive exposure, and our training sessions have been intense and focused. It’s not just about skills – in high-pressure games against elite teams, mental strength is equally crucial. We are hopeful of making an impact in this Asia Cup and showcasing Oman as a growing cricketing nation.”Oman enters the Asia Cup with a blend of experience and youth, determined to leave a mark against Asia’s cricketing powerhouses. The tournament will not only test their skills but also their mental toughness on one of the most watched platforms in the sport.”Oman are in Group A and begin their Asia Cup campaign on September 12 against Pakistan before taking on UAE on September 15 and India on September 19.Oman’s most recent appearance was in the Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 in Lauderhill in the USA in May. This will be their second appearance in a major multi-nation tournament after the T20 World Cup last year.Oman squad for Asia CupJatinder Singh (capt), Hammad Mirza, Vinayak Shukla, Sufyan Yousuf, Ashish Odedara, Aamir Kaleem, Mohammed Nadeem, Sufyan Mehmood, Aryan Bisht, Karan Sonavale, Zikriya Islam, Hassnain Shah, Faisal Shah, Muhammed Imran, Nadeem Khan, Shakeel Ahmed, Samay Shrivastava.