All posts by h716a5.icu

Injury-hit Rockets fail to fire as best team in tournament history extend their dominant run

Matt Roller31-Aug-2025In this world nothing can be certain, except death, taxes, and Oval Invincibles winning the men’s Hundred. They have topped the group stage to qualify directly for the Lord’s final for three consecutive seasons, and each night has ended with Sam Billings lifting the golden ‘H’ trophy. After two tight finals, this was a demolition job.The Invincibles have relied on continuity as their greatest strength, and three of their usual suspects performed when it mattered: Will Jacks and Jordan Cox added 87 off 55 balls to underpin their total of 168, and the livewire Nathan Sowter derailed the chase with three wickets in his first seven balls. All three have been with them since inception; so too Billings and coach Tom Moody.They joined a select handful of teams to pull off a ‘three-peat’ in short-form leagues, and achieved it without breaking a sweat. If they have not quite lived up to their moniker, then Invincibles’ record across the last three seasons is still remarkable: 21 wins, one tie and only five defeats. In a format designed for unpredictability, they have become a winning machine.In fact, the Invincibles may have been too successful for their own good. The ECB are lining up a squad “reset” next year – in the style of the IPL’s mega-auction – as new investors arrive in the Hundred. It is designed to uphold the ‘any given Sunday’ philosophy at short-form cricket’s core; on any given Sunday in the men’s Hundred, however, the Invincibles are usually winning.Sam Billings parades the trophy after Oval Invincibles’ third Men’s Hundred title•Matt Lewis/ECB via Getty ImagesSowter’s starring momentThe Invincibles’ core is built around England players with international experience, with a single exception. Sowter, a journeyman legspinner, wondered if his professional career was over when Middlesex released him three years ago but has become an unlikely linchpin in the Invincibles attack, and saved his best performance of the season for the biggest stage.The Rockets were 35 for 0 after 30 balls when Sowter came into the attack, with Tom Banton and Joe Root struggling for fluency. Ten balls later, they were 38 for 3: Root holed out to long-on, Rehan Ahmed missed a straight one to depart for second-ball duck, and Banton picked out long-off. Sowter celebrated each wicket with a huge roar, and added an excellent catch at deep backward square leg to his night’s work.Adam Zampa had flown in from Australia specifically for the final – a 20,000-mile round-trip for 20 balls – and finished with typically frugal figures of 1 for 21. But despite the wicket of David Willey, brilliantly stumped by Billings, he was ultimately upstaged by his legspin partner.Jacks, Cox lay foundationsJacks made a statement off the very first ball of the final, crunching Willey through mid-off for four, then slashed the third through the off-side ring to become the first man to score 1,000 runs for the Invincibles. His opening partner Tawanda Muyeye fell after three early boundaries, but his dismissal brought in the tournament’s leading run-scorer in Cox at No. 3.Cox has been in stunning form this month and was soon up and running with two rasping cuts. Jacks had a life on 28, plinking a full toss to midwicket which was deemed a no-ball on height, and was quick to make use of it, reverse-sweeping Rehan for four before launching him into the upper tier of the Grandstand.Cox belted Rehan for six more before toe-ending him behind, but Jacks sensed his chance to put his foot down. He eventually fell for 72 off 41 after another flurry of boundaries and while the Invincibles were uncharacteristically quiet at the death, adding 25 off the last 20, that only served to underline the quality of Jacks and Cox’s strokeplay.Will Jacks produced the defining innings of the final•Matt Lewis/ECB via Getty ImagesRockets misfortuneIs there a plague on the city of Nottingham? Andy Flower’s side have had no luck with injuries. With Adam Hose, Tom Alsop and Max Holden already out, they lost two seamers in the 24 hours before the final: first Sam Cook, who broke a thumb when Dan Lawrence smacked one back at him in the Eliminator; then Lockie Ferguson, whose hamstring went in the warm-ups.Dillon Pennington was called upon to make his debut at 20 minutes’ notice and he struck with his first ball, smiling wryly as Muyeye edged a short, wide one behind. His figures of 1 for 23 from 20 were the Rockets’ best, but their bad luck was not over: George Linde could not complete his allocation after damaging a digit while attempting a return catch off Cox.Marcus Stoinis did his best to keep the chase alive, belting five sixes in his innings of 64 off 38 balls, but the asking rate soared out of the Rockets’ control. They nominally needed 27 to win off the final ball, and Invincibles got their celebratory moment when Saqib Mahmood trapped him lbw to clinch their third straight title.

The second annual All-MLB Weekend presented by MGM Rewards is taking place in Las Vegas, highlighted by the All-MLB Awards Show on Thursday night . Comedian Roy Wood Jr. is back to host for a second straight year as the program brings current baseball stars and former legends together to celebrate the season and those who exceled. And with an incredible year in the rearview, capped by a spectacular World Series, there's plenty of good vibes.

Wood, a lifelong baseball fan himself, spoke to about hosting the unique event, how the sport helped him find his comedic voice and what he hopes the annual event can become.

Sports Illustrated: What's your personal history with baseball? What's it meant to your life?

Roy Wood Jr.: I started playing Little League like most kids about first grade or so and just never left it. I got cut my freshman year of high school and still stayed on to be an equipment manager for varsity just so I could watch. Just so I could see if Let me watch them and then maybe that will get me better. It did not get me better but it is where I developed my sense of humor.

SI: Why do you say that? Just being in the dugout with the guys or what?

RW: Yeah, you know man, growing up in the 90s heckling was a form of art. I would literally sit and think of angles all day in class. We would then walk to the field that night or that evening and just yell them. So the objective became to make the opposing parents laugh or to get the umpire to break. If you got the umpire to break then that's the same as a standing ovation at Radio City. It had to be really insane. We would talk about your car, your clothes. We would talk about parents. It didn't matter. We were trying to win, so I need you angry at me so you swing at this slider outside.

But also my father did a radio show with Ernie Banks for some years in Chicago in the 70s. Coming home from school and all of that, it was nothing for the Cubs to just be on. And in those days in the South‚ in Birmingham, Cubs and Braves was all you're getting. You can root for whomever else you want but you ain't going to see them until they play the Cubs or the Braves. That became, to a degree, the thing that was always on in the background of my childhood. I just fell in love with the sport. As I got older and started doing standup, I've always just been pretty open with my baseball fandom.

SI: When you're getting to hang out with the players who are the top of the sport, do you go back and think about what it would mean to the kid who was cut in high school or had the game on in the background? How do you go about putting a show on together with guys?

RW: Baseball was the one thing that I could always come back to. Calm. Peace. I use it as a tool to help teach my son how to deal with failure. It's something that we use to grow closer. To be trusted by Major League Baseball to host the night where the best players from that year are honored while the best players from yesteryear are in attendance, I have to pinch myself. Like, I met and had drinks with Fred McGriff. Then turned around and walked on stage and did a joke about him only having 493 home runs and then turned and saw Fred McGriff laughing.

Because these are the people who have brought me so much joy, there's an air of reciprocity in it. I remember owning a Sports Illustrated For Kids in 1989 that had Ken Griffey Jr. on the cover. I'm performing for the men whose batting stances I imitated. Gary Sheffield is going to be there. Everyone was doing that bat flip. Him and Julio Franco, those were my two over-the-head batting stance guys. Baseball, I think separate and apart from a lot of other sports, baseball is a very specific fraternity of people who only deal with folks who get it. I honestly do not feel like this is the type of award show that anyone could do. You have to have a legitimate appreciation for what has been accomplished. And have a little know-how about it. In terms of meaningful gigs that I have hosted, it's top of the list, even more so than the White House Correspondents Dinner. I think the big difference was that this is a night of love, appreciation and revelry. I'm not going to roast everybody and do a bunch of mean jokes. We're going to celebrate.

SI: Athletes aren't together in a big group like this very frequently. This being in the offseason, with the competition in the past, I would imagine you could feel that fraternity you mentioned.

RW: Yeah, and it felt like that last year. Bartolo Colon is hanging out with Ronald Acuna. Where else would you see that unless Colon was at a Mets-Braves game where he's being honored for something. And even then, Ronald's mind is on preparing for the game. It's interesting because this isn't something that's been done often by Major League Baseball. To even attempt something like this and have players agreeing to come out and kick it is cool. If you're going to get Mookie Betts in the room, then make it worthwhile. The fact that Mookie is there and I get to have a quick conversation with him about almost having his left arm ripped off at Yankee Stadiu. There's nowhere else we can sit as a baseball family and reflect and laugh about the season while paying tribute to a lot of players who busted their ass this year.

SI: How does prepping for something like this and the writing process compare to the White House Correspondents Dinner?

RW: It's very simple. The Correspondents Dinner is a critique of the people in the room. All-MLB is a celebration of the people in the room. Once you start from that magnetic north, everything that you do after that is all in a celebratory place. It really is about wanting the players to loosen up a bit and also trust me. The job title of comedian carries a lot of preconceived assumptions. To just hold the job title of comedian and host doesn't mean you're going to be trusted out there. To be able to come back Year 2 means I did something right. What I really hope for awards to come is that the players themselves all want to come out and hang out. Let that be their bar after the season. Let it be a proper week of hanging out and playing golf with your buddies. Even if you don't come to the show, just come be in Vegas. See a lot of your friends and treat it like that pizza party at the end of the school year.

SI: Or like that travel ball coach who has his crew under a gazebo in the park, breaking it all down.

RW: Right. That last week at the end of the season when you're at a Golden Corral getting trophies. As it grows I really believe this event is going to be the place for current players and veterans to all sit and just feel the love that they have for each other. Let it be the thing other players see and think they missed out on.

For five games of the 2024 World Series, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and New York Yankees skipper Aaron Boone sat in their respective dugouts and attempted to outmaneuver each other en route to a championship. Roberts won the battle and the war, as the Dodgers secured a World Series title with Wednesday's 7-6 win over the Yankees in the Bronx.

But don't think that the competitiveness between Roberts and Boone had any effect on the respect the two managers have for each other. After the game, the two managers met outside the visitors' clubhouse and shared a long embrace. Chelsea Janes of managed to snap a photo of the wholesome moment.

Roberts, who spoke to the media after the World Series victory, told reporters that Boone had "sought him out."

"Aaron is an absolute professional," Roberts said. "He sought me out. Wanted to congratulate me personally. We have a long history of competing against one another. A mutual respect."

"And I think Aaron's the only one in baseball that can really relate to my job in the sense of, either win a World Series championship or you've failed and you're not doing a good job in the respective markets."

Both Roberts and Boone could teach a course on how to handle winning—and losing—in professional sports. Kudos to both for handling the World Series aftermath with class.

The 49ers finally ended their hunt for a new manager by hiring Danny Rohl earlier this week and they’ve now revealed the criteria that the German met to be handed the Rangers job.

Cavenagh: Rohl knows "winning is the only option"

Welcoming their new manager after a managerial search full of twists and turns, Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh was full of praise for Rohl and told reporters that the German is well aware that “winning is the only option” at Ibrox.

The pressure will be on the 36-year-old from the off, but he represents a young manager full of ambition and full of the style that Russell Martin otherwise lacked in Scotland.

Rohl also admitted his own excitement after taking the job, saying: “I’m really looking forward to being part of this amazing football club. We want to win, we need wins because we want to turn around the position at the moment. I am looking for an ambitious club, a club that is wanting more. This club has everything for all these goals.

“My job is clear. My focus is on my person, what I can bring to this football club. We want to create chances, we want to create goals. We want to defence as a team. We have to win games then we can speak about playing attractive football.”

Secret Rohl talks took place while everyone thought Rangers were after Muscat

This is an intriguing update.

ByHenry Jackson Oct 20, 2025

He may not have been Rangers’ first choice, but Rohl has ticked a number of boxes in his own right at the 49ers have since revealed exactly why they turned towards the former Sheffield Wednesday boss.

49ers reveal how Rohl met Rangers criteria

Speaking candidly to the fans in a meeting this week, Cavenagh, Kevin Thelwell and Patrick Stewart revealed the criteria that Rohl met to land the Rangers job.

They told supporters that they were looking for a manager who could get the Gers back to winning ways right away, win sustainably over time and win in a way that fans will enjoy watching. Rohl ticked every one of those boxes in the interview stage and beat out two other candidates after Muscat and Gerrard dropped out of the race.

With his counter-pressing system, Rohl’s Rangers side should certainly entertain. Whether that’ll be enough to secure victory is the big question and one that fans will get an answer for this Thursday against Brann in the Europa League.

South African returns from Test duty with a bang to reignite Northamptonshire’s Blast hopes

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay11-Jul-2025Matt Breetzke blazed 93 off 45 balls, just one short of his highest T20 score, to reignite Northamptonshire Steelbacks’ Vitality Blast campaign by setting up a 13-win over bottom-placed Derbyshire.The victory puts the Steelbacks’ quest for qualification back on track, after they lost their previous five games, following six straight wins at the start of the tournament.Back from Test duty with South Africa, Breetzke adjusted instantly to the change of format, setting the pace with nine fours and five sixes in a partnership of 125 in 10.4 overs with skipper David Willey who made 53 off 33 deliveries (six fours, two sixes).With Saif Zaib also making an unbeaten 53 from 20 balls (three fours, four sixes), Northamptonshire finished with 237 for four, equalling their highest ever T20 score scored away against Yorkshire earlier this season.Derbyshire looked on course to chase down the target and post their highest ever T20 total. In a display of ferocious hitting, Aneurin Donald smashed 71 off just 22 balls (eight fours, six sixes) in a blistering opening stand worth 112 in just 7.4 overs with Caleb Jewell (39). But Australian leg-spinner Lloyd Pope made the crucial double breakthrough, removing both Donald and Jewell in his opening over. George Scrimshaw then struck twice in his second over to further arrest Derbyshire’s hopes.The match saw the highest aggregate score between these two sides in T20 cricket.Earlier, Allah Ghazanfar trapped Ricardo Vasconcelos lbw and almost picked up Breetzke but shelled a simple return catch. The South African responded by pulling Aitchison for six and taking three consecutive boundaries off Zak Chappell as Northamptonshire finished the powerplay on 51 for one.Breetzke progressed to his half-century off just 24 deliveries, pummelling Alex Thomson through extra cover before dispatching consecutive sixes.Willey got into the groove too, hitting Aitchison over his head before running a single to bring up the Steelbacks’ 100 at the end of the tenth over. Breetzke then flat-batted Ghazanfar straight for six to bring up the 100 partnership off 54 balls. Later in the over, Derbyshire incurred five penalty runs for a Level 2 disciplinary offence when Ghazanfar threw the ball in what was deemed an inappropriate or dangerous manner.Willey hit Samit Patel for consecutive straight sixes before he was caught in the deep. Such was their rate of acceleration, he and Breetzke had added 81 in the previous six overs.Zaib made a blistering start, clubbing Patel down the ground and sweeping for six. Meanwhile Breetzke paddled Aitchison round the corner for a huge six, but fell next ball, edging behind. The 200 came up courtesy of four overthrows, while Zaib continued his assault.Donald struck five boundaries off Willey’s opening over in the chase. He attacked Scrimshaw too, the former Derbyshire man leaking 24 off his opening over, Donald sending one ball sailing over fine leg for six, Derbyshire reaching 50 off just 19 balls.Jewell went after left-arm spinner Zaib too, sweeping him for six. But Northamptonshire missed a tough chance to remove Donald on 41 when keeper Lewis McManus slipped attempting a catch off a skier.Donald pulled Willey for six to close out the powerplay at 85 without loss before bludgeoning consecutive sixes off Luke Procter to reach his half-century and Derbyshire’s 100.But Pope’s double-wicket strike lifted the spirits of the home fans, as first Jewell was trapped lbw before Donald was caught behind chasing a wide one. Scrimshaw then struck twice in the 11th over, having Ross Whiteley caught at mid-on and bowling Martin Andersson.Wayne Masden (29) and Harry Came (35*) continued to attack before Masden holed out in the deep off Procter. While Northamptonshire shelled other chances, McManus made no mistake in the final over, catching Patel off a skier, off Procter’s bowling.

It promises to be an important and busy summer at Celtic.

Despite being on the brink of a sixth domestic treble in just nine seasons, progress in Europe remains Brendan Rodgers’ primary ambition, so he’ll want to bolster his squad, seeking to better Celtic’s run to the Champions League first knockout round this season.

Well, just to get into next term’s league phase, the Hoops will have to come through a play-off in August, which certainly will not be straightforward, given that their opponents are currently projected to be one of Crvena zvezda, Bodø/Glimt, København, Ferencváros or Dinamo Zagreb.

Thus, Rodgers will be eager to get Celtic’s summer business done as early and as expediently as possible. The need to replace Jota is an important matter.

The latest on Jota's injury

Earlier this month, Rodgers confirmed what every Celtic supporter had feared, revealing that Jota had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament at Tannadice against Dundee United, meaning he will be sidelined for “six to nine months”.

The Portuguese winger only returned to Glasgow as recently as January, rejoining from Stade Rennais for a reported fee of £8m, having been sold to Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League for a club-record £25m a year and a half earlier.

Jota marked his return by scoring against Motherwell at Fir Park, on target five times in 16 appearances for the Celts since returning in total but, sadly, we will not see him on a pitch any time soon.

Thus, in need of a new wide attacker, could Celtic secure a very highly-rated winger?

The Jota replacement that Celtic must sign

Reports from Spain back in January suggested that Celtic were ‘considering’ a move to sign Real Valladolid winger Raúl Moro.

During the winter transfer window, Ajax technical director Alex Kroes went public with the Dutch giant’s interest in Moro, exclaiming “we are interested… yes”, adding that the 22-year-old “can play on both the left and right wings”.

Moro joined Valladolid permanently from Lazio, following a one-year loan spell, last summer for a reported fee of €2.5m (around £2.1m), but reports now believe he is valued at £8.5m.

Los Blanquivioletas though, are under pressure to sell, having been relegated from La Liga, collecting just 16 points all season, making Moro’s eye-catching performances all the more impressive.

Ryan McDonald of the Daily Record describes the Spaniard as a ‘rising star’ whose career has ‘exploded into life’ this season, while data analyst Berk Bekgöz believes he has been “one of the standout players in La Liga​​​​​​​” this year, praising his “speed, agility, and effective dribbling”.

​​​​​​​So, let’s assess how Moro and Jota compare.

Appearances

26

32

Minutes

1,144

2,256

Goals

6

5

Assists

3

6

Shots

21

44

Shots on target %

52.4%

36.4%

Progressive carries

17

103

Attempted take-ons

19

125

Take-on success %

36.8%

43.2%

Big chances created

3

8

As the table outlines, Moro’s statistics this season are almost universally more impressive, while taking into account he’s played over 1,100 minutes more, but this is surely offset by the fact that Valladolid are one of the worst teams in La Liga history.

The highly-rated youngster is surely not going to stick around for a campaign in the Segunda División, so will more than likely be on the move this summer and, while they face competition from other clubs, Celtic should do all they can to secure his services.

Dream Jota replacement: Celtic line up move for "wonderful" £10m-rated star

Celtic could land a dream replacement for the injured Jota by signing this star.

ByDan Emery May 14, 2025

And just like that, Arsenal’s season has come to a bitterly disappointing end.

Mikel Arteta’s side started like a house on fire against Paris Saint-Germain last night, but two goals from Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi were enough to dash their hopes of only a second Champions League final in the club’s history.

Bukayo Saka managed to pull one back late on, but it all proved too much for the visitors, and once again, they came up short when it really mattered and looked utterly bereft of ideas for much of the game.

While it wasn’t a terrible performance from the North Londoners, a few players let themselves down, like Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and another who has to be axed this summer.

Arsenal's poorest performers vs PSG

Like the team overall, Odegaard and Martinelli started the game relatively well last night, with the former forcing Gianluigi Donnarumma into an incredible save down low to his left and the latter getting past his markers several times.

However, as the game progressed, both starters began to fade into the background, with The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid claiming the captain put in a “completely anonymous display in the second half,” and the same could be said about the latter.

It might sound overly harsh, but we aren’t alone in this opinion, as Alex Turk of the Express was particularly scathing of the pair.

He awarded the Norwegian a 4/10 and the Brazilian a 3/10, writing that the former ‘goes missing in these crunch games far too often’ and the latter was both ‘invisible’ and ‘not near the level required.’

It’s a damming assessment of their performances, more than justified by some of their statistics, as, across his 95 minutes of action, the captain amassed a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.22, while the former Ituano gem failed in 100% of his crosses and lost 50% of his ground duels.

However, while neither player looked anywhere near their best last night, there is still some clear upside in keeping them for next season, which cannot be said about another of the Gunners’ biggest disappointments from Pairs.

The Arsenal star who has to be axed

While William Saliba and even Mikel Merino looked off the pace last night, neither of them should be moved on in the summer, which cannot be said for Thomas Partey.

The former Atlético Madrid star was absent for the first leg of the tie due to a stupid incident off the ball against Real Madrid, but it would be hard to say he added much of anything to the team in the second leg, bar some rather underwhelming long throws.

For example, while he kept the ball moving fairly well in the first half, he slowly became more and more of a problem in possession, losing the ball at an increasing rate, including for Hakimi’s tie-ending goal late in the second half.

Chalkboard

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

Again, while it sounds harsh, we aren’t alone in being disappointed with Turk awarding him a paltry 3/10 match rating at full-time, while Catterson-Reid simply described his showing as “so so bad.”

Minutes

95′

Touches

61

Completed Passes

31

Crosses (Accurate)

3 (1)

Long Balls (Accurate)

4 (2)

Shots

0

Ground Duels (Won)

7 (4)

Aerial Duels (Won)

2 (0)

Lost Possession

19

Dribbled Past

1

Unsurprisingly, the 31-year-old’s statistics more than back up the scathing reviews of his display, as, in 95 minutes of action, he made just 31 passes, misplaced two of three crosses and 50% of his long balls, failed to have a single shot, lost 100% of his aerial duels, lost the ball a staggering 19 times and was dribbled past once.

It was the sort of showing that makes talk of him being offered a new contract seem utterly ridiculous, as with him turning 32 in the summer, there is no reason to believe he’ll improve, let alone maintain his form into next season.

Ultimately, while the team clearly put in the effort at points last night, there were a few too many players who weren’t at the level, including Partey, who should be thanked for his service in the summer and sent on his way.

A dream for Saka: Arsenal submit bid to sign "monster" £30m striker

The free-scoring forward would be ideal for the Arsenal talisman.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 7, 2025

Everton are planning to buy this summer, but David Moyes is already presented with something of a dilemma. Not only are 15 of his club’s senior stars out of contract in the coming months, but one of his Toffees linchpins is attracting interest from some high-profile suitors.

Jarrad Branthwaite is one of Everton’s most important players, but the 22-year-old is also an attractive option and may well be sold to deepen the transfer purse this summer.

Multiple additions are needed, after all.

The latest on Jarrad Branthwaite's Everton future

Branthwaite is a monstrous defender, still so young yet rocketing up to the top level on English shores.

He’s kept eight clean sheets in the Premier League this term, winning 72% of his ground battles and averaging an incredible 6.6 clearances per game, as per Sofascore.

His efforts haven’t gone unnoticed.

Caught Offside reported last month that Manchester United are looking to reignite their interest in the Three Lions defender and will test Everton’s resolve with a £50m offer. Chelsea are also keen.

He’s important, but Everton seem to be resigned to losing him at some stage, for the right price, of course.

Moyes and his team will hope to retain his services, but he’s not the only one, with a much older Toffees teammate actually proving himself to be indispensable in the fold, with a fresh contract being prepared.

Everton veteran is more important than Branthwaite

While Idrissa Gana Gueye is 35 years old, his tough-tackling, combative style in the middle of the park has been instrumental for Everton across two tenures this season.

Illustrating his influence, Gueye is part of the bloated ranks currently awaiting the end of their contract this summer, but Football Insider have recently reported that TFG have opened talks with the star over a new deal.

Gueye’s age has not detracted from the level of his performance, with such commanding displays vital for the success of Moyes’ system. The level of his displays does suggest that he’s becoming increasingly important, maybe even more so than Branthwaite.

Described as Everton’s “heartbeat” by Sky Sports reporter Ben Grounds, Gueye might be getting on a bit but his performances have been nothing short of exemplary this season.

It’s not as if his athleticism has deserted him, having covered much ground and flown in with so many tackles for his team this season. More tackles, in fact, than any other player in the Premier League, just rubberstamping his importance to the cause.

1.

Idrissa Gueye

Everton

123

2.

Daniel Munoz

Palace

109

3.

Noussair Mazraoui

Man Utd

102

4.

Moises Caicedo

Chelsea

100

5.

Joao Gomes

Wolves

99

With so much change mooted to be afoot this summer, it makes a whole lot of sense to renew the £120k-per-week veteran’s deal, having benefited greatly from his presence.

Gueye, indeed, has started every one of Everton’s Premier League matches since Moyes returned to the helm, providing monstrous support for Branthwaite and co while contributing offensively too, completing a dribble and a key pass every two matches, as per Sofascore.

The Senegalese midfielder has racked up three assists this season.

It’s clear that Gueye – who was described as a “monster” by former teammate Presnel Kimpembe – has more left in the tank, and it’s a good thing that efforts are being made to extend his deal for another year.

He earns a pretty penny but his value is too great to part with at this critical juncture.

He could finally replace Onana: Everton lead the race for £10m "machine"

David Moyes is hoping to make a host of impactful signings at Everton this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 29, 2025

Wrexham are one of the most exciting clubs outside the Premier League as the League One side has plenty of ambition to surge up the English football pyramid.

Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney became the owners of the club back in February 2021, and the club have been on the ascendancy ever since.

The 2022/23 season saw them win the National League to finally escape the division, 15 years after slipping out of the Football League.

Last term, Wrexham made it back-to-back promotions as they finished second in League Two to secure their place in the third tier of the pyramid for the first time since 2004/05.

The onus is now on them to achieve promotion to the second tier – though this is unlikely to be the final aim, especially with the money that Reynolds and McElhenney have injected into the club.

With just a few months left of the campaign, Wrexham will need to be at their very best to secure either a first or second-place finish, thus making the move into the Championship.

Birmingham City have now been confirmed as champions, and Wycombe Wanderers are their main rivals for the final automatic promotion spot.

Will promotion be achieved this year, or will they require another year in League One? Here, we analyse the latest results and fixtures along with delving into whether they can achieve promotion this season.

Wrexham’s Racecourse Ground: Capacity, expansion latest and travel guide

Everything you need to know about the home of Wrexham AFC.

ByStephan Georgiou May 7, 2024 How League One works

There are 24 clubs in League One, with all teams playing each other twice for a total of 46 league matches across the campaign.

This is the same number of games as in League Two and the Championship, should they get that far – but there are some notable differences between the bottom two divisions of the EFL.

In League One, there are only two automatic promotion spots, compared to the three on offer in the division below.

Teams who finish between 3rd and 6th will qualify for the play-offs. There are also four relegation spots compared to two in League Two.

Last season, sixth-placed Barnsley earned 76 points to qualify for the play-offs, while Portsmouth and Derby County – who were promoted automatically to the Championship – both accrued over 90 points during the 2023/24 season.

At the other end of the table, Burton Albion survived with 46 points, just two more than relegated Cheltenham Town.

Can Wrexham get promoted from League One?

Wrexham will be making history if they secure promotion to the Championship, as three successive promotions has never happened at this level of English football.

Due to their financial backing, Wrexham were tipped as one of the favourites to secure a third promotion in a row before the season started.

The club started rather well in the third tier, taking 10 points from their first four matches, which included a win over promotion rivals Wycombe.

Now in the thick of the run-in, just a point separates Wrexham from the Chairboys, with automatic promotion in the Welsh side’s hands with four games remaining.

Elsewhere, Wrexham suffered penalty shootout heartbreak in the EFL Trophy, with a late Peterborough United comeback denying the Red Dragons a place in Wembley’s final.

The season is now at the business end, and every point counts. It appears that Wrexham or Wycombe will take the final automatic promotion place, though Charlton Athletic – who have to play both clubs before the end of the campaign – could yet have a say.

There is no doubt that Wrexham have acquitted themselves well in the third tier. The question now is whether they can make one more step on their journey to the Premier League.

Wrexham fixtures, results and standings

Rank

Team

P

GD

PTS

Birmingham City

40

+44

Wrexham

42

+27

Wycombe Wanderers

42

+30

Stockport County

41

+24

Charlton Athletic

41

+19

Reading

41

+8

Bolton Wanderers

41

+4

Huddersfield Town

41

+13

Leyton Orient

41

+16

Blackpool

41

+10

Via BBC Sport (last updated 12th April, 3pm)

As it stands, the table suggests the fight for promotion could go down to the wire – with the final round of matches taking place on Saturday 3rd May.

Birmingham City secured promotion and were confirmed as champions following Wrexham’s goalless draw at Wigan, but the Red Dragons are still in control of their destiny heading into the last four games.

Despite dropping points, Wrexham remain a point ahead of Wycombe, who grabbed a late winner to defeat Stevenage and heap the pressure on Phil Parkinson’s side.

Their final four opponents are mostly mid-table outfits, with their clash on the penultimate weekend against Charlton the trickiest on paper, particularly with the in-form Addicks harbouring promotion hopes of their own.

Date

Competition

Opposition

H/A

Kick-off (GMT)

Fri 18th Apr

League One

Bristol Rovers

H

3pm

Mon 21st Apr

League One

Blackpool

A

3pm

Sat 26th Apr

League One

Charlton

H

5.30pm

Sat 3rd May

League One

Lincoln

A

3pm

Via BBC Sport

Overall, Wrexham have been in solid form, losing just one of their last 10 matches and keeping eight clean sheets in that run. But with Wycombe breathing down their necks, they may need to win all four of their remaining fixtures to secure promotion to the Championship.

However, they may be encouraged by the Chairboys’ fixture list, with all of their remaining opponents inside the top nine ahead of kick-off on Saturday.

Date

Competition

Opposition

Result

Sat 12th Apr

League One

Wigan

D 0-0

Sat 5th Apr

League One

Burton Albion

W 3-0

Tue 1st Apr

League One

Cambridge

D 2-2

Sat 29th Mar

League One

Exeter

W 2-0

Sat 22nd Mar

League One

Stockport

W 1-0

Via BBC Sport

With just four games to go, it is all about getting over the line for Wrexham. With a point advantage, four wins will be enough to secure Championship football for next season, though one slip-up could let Wycombe in, particularly as the Chairboys have a better goal difference as it stands.

Wrexham's most expensive signings of all time

Football FanCast takes a look at Wrexham’s record signings.

ByCharlie Smith Dec 30, 2024

Off the back of a 30-goal season in 2022/23 under Erik ten Hag, it would have appeared ridiculous to suggest that just under two years later, Manchester United’s academy sensation, Marcus Rashford, would be lining up for anyone other than the Red Devils.

As it is, the Englishman – who left the club on loan in February – is now part of an Aston Villa side chasing FA Cup and Champions League glory, with a top-five finish also in reach for Unai Emery’s high-flying side.

Three goals and four assists have come the 27-year-old’s way in just 13 games in his new temporary home, with Emery even opting to start his red-hot forward ahead of compatriot, Ollie Watkins for Wednesday’s first-leg clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

There may be those ruing Ruben Amorim’s decision to let Rashford depart, although it’s worth remembering that the 2022/23 campaign was merely an outlier in what had been a turbulent last few years for the £300k-per-week star back at Old Trafford.

2024/25*

24

7

3

2023/24

43

8

6

2022/23

56

30

11

2021/22

32

5

2

2020/21

57

21

18

With Rashford already outlining his desire for “a new challenge” back in December, this is surely the beginning of the end for his United journey. Now, INEOS need to acquire a suitable replacement.

Man Utd's search for a new forward

The name doing the rounds at present is that of Wolverhampton Wanderers talisman, Matheus Cunha, with reports earlier this week suggesting that contact has already been made with the Brazilian’s agent, ahead of a potential summer swoop.

It would appear that the Red Devils are putting together a contingency plan in case they aren’t able to land the 25-year-old, however, with GIVEMESPORT outlining that Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo is also under consideration.

As per the report, Amorim and co are on ‘red alert’ after assessing the data surrounding Mbeumo’s displays for the Bees this season, with there said to be ‘increasing confidence’ that the Cameroon international could reignite United’s misfiring forward line.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The piece outlines that while it would take a sizeable offer to land the 25-year-old, believed to be in the region of £50m, the wing wizard could be up for grabs as he enters the final year of his contract at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Capable of operating off the right flank or through the middle, the France-born sensation could represent the perfect addition to Amorim’s attacking ranks, ahead of next season.

How Mbeumo compares to Rashford & Elanga

Not only have United seen Rashford find form again away from the Theatre of Dreams, but another academy graduate – Anthony Elanga – has also dazzled since moving to Nottingham Forest on a £15m deal back in 2023, having notably scored the decisive goal in stunning fashion against his former club last week.

The Swedish speedster has racked up 29 goals and assists in 74 games since moving to the City Ground, albeit with Amorim seemingly refuting claims that it had been a mistake to sell the winger, after he was given a “chance” to impress back in Manchester.

Even so, there is a lingering frustration over the decision to cash in on the 22-year-old on the cheap, albeit with the signing of Mbeumo allowing those of a United persuasion to forget all about Elanga – and Rashford – due to his status as “one of the best players in the Premier League”, according to Sky Sports’ Dan Bardell.

Indeed, the former Troyes starlet – who joined Thomas Frank’s side in 2019 – has scored 16 goals and provided a further five assists in the top-flight in 2024/25 to date, coming close to bettering Rashford’s best ever tally of 17 league goals, which he achieved in 2019/20 and 2022/23.

Described as “unplayable” at times by the aforementioned Frank, Mbeumo has lit up the division in recent times, with the left-footer ending last term with 15 goals and assists to his name, despite being hampered by injury.

Goals

0.52

0.35

0.27

Assists

0.16

0.21

0.37

Progressive carries

3.33

2.55

3.61

Progressive passes

3.75

2.34

3.10

Pass completion

67.1%

73%

65%

Shot-creating actions

3.78

3.46

3.69

Successful take-ons

1.23

1.21

1.00

Tackles

1.10

0.92

0.78

Interceptions

0.42

0.35

0.23

Interestingly, too, the two most statistically similar forwards to the Brentford talisman in the league, as per FBref, are actually Rashford and Elanga, with Mbeumo possessing the searing pace of the latter, as well as the centre-forward instincts of the former – seemingly the perfect hybrid.

As indicated in the table above, it is the Bees man who comes on top across a string of attacking and defensive metrics in 2024/25, indicating that while he may possess the characteristics of his two Premier League counterparts, he would actually represent an upgrade as far as Amorim is concerned.

With 54 goals and assists in 129 top-flight games to date in English football, Mbeumo would represent the ready-made solution that United are desperately craving in the forward line.

Amorim already has his own Matheus Cunha in Man Utd's "sensational" talent

Man Utd have been heavily linked with a summer swoop for the Wolves sensation…

1 ByRobbie Walls Apr 10, 2025