Pakistan left-arm spinner Noman Ali has rocketed up four places to No. 2 in the ICC Men’s Test bowling rankings after his ten-wicket haul in the first Test against South Africa in Lahore, which included a first-innings six-for. His 853 rating points are also a career-best for the spinner.South Africa quick Kagiso Rabada, who earlier occupied that second position, slipped down three positions to fifth after picking up just two wickets in Lahore.Allrounder Marco Jansen also saw a drop in his ranking, as he slid out of the top ten after he was left out of the South Africa XI in Lahore.
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Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi moved up three places to 19th after his second-innings 4 for 33 helped Pakistan seal a 93-run win.Ryan Rickelton, who made 71 in the first innings against Pakistan, moved into the top 50 for the first time in the batting rankings.Meanwhile, Josh Hazlewood moved up six spots to 10th in the ODI bowling charts after Australia’s win over India in a rain-affected game in Perth. Mitchell Starc moved up four spots as well, to 21st.Adil Rashid, meanwhile, claimed figures of 4 for 32 in England’s win over New Zealand in Christchurch and shot up three spots to third among T20I bowlers.
The India women’s batter has broken records in her first six matches, but she’s relentlessly working on herself to get even better
Shashank Kishore26-Apr-2025
Pratika Rawal, 24, smiles at the wonder of it all – wearing the India blue and sharing the dressing room with idols she once watched from behind the boundary ropes.After a heady initiation into international cricket – the 444 runs scored by her are the most by any batter in their first six innings in women’s ODIs – she’s now coming to terms with where she’s at.”It was surreal at the start,” she says, smiling, “now it feels like I belong here.”Rawal has quickly formed a strong opening partnership with Smriti Mandhana, prompting selectors to overlook Shafali Verma despite Verma’s stellar WPL 2025 performance. Now, with a tri-series against Sri Lanka and South Africa coming up, a solid run-in to the 50-over World Cup that India will host later this year, Rawal has a chance to cement her place in the team.If you watched her bat against West Indies and Ireland in 2024-25 – crisp footwork, clean strokes, an uncluttered mind – you might have assumed Rawal’s calm is second nature. But it wasn’t always this way.Related
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Her poise has been earned, over years of tireless work and small, deliberate choices: making her bed, decluttering her room, and slowing down her speech to match the pace of her thoughts.”The way you’re off the field is going to reflect how you’re going to behave on it,” she says. “I used to react a lot. I was short-tempered, I spoke very fast. But I worked on that too. I had to.”Rawal had a guiding hand in Deepti Dhyani, her coach, mentor, and unwavering anchor. “She doesn’t get enough credit,” Rawal says. “She worked on every part of me, my routines, diet, fitness, mindset. Everything.”There was a bit of technical work involved too. “Like punching the ball off the back foot, I didn’t know how to do it, I didn’t even know it was a shot when I started,” she says.Rawal credits her coach, Deepti Dhyani (left), for shaping her as a player and person•Pratika RawalAs Rawal started breaking ground in age-group cricket – she made her Delhi Under-19 debut at 14 – Dhyani also taught her how to carry herself after scoring a hundred, and how to rise again after a duck. Recently, conversations have revolved around channelling disappointment. Away from training, Rawal’s mother anchors her with her simplicity and faith. “She often says, ‘Whatever happens, happens for the best.’ And it stuck with me.”That mindset helped when Rawal wasn’t picked at the WPL auction ahead of the 2025 season. It must have hurt, especially after the high of her maiden India call-up just a day earlier. But Rawal looks at it differently. “It was an opportunity to improve. You need to have that hope. Like mom says, maybe it was all part of the plan.”Rawal began playing cricket around the time she was ten years old. Back then, she barely knew the names of players in the Indian women’s team. It wasn’t until her father told her about Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami that she began to follow the women’s game and see the possibilities. In 2017, when she watched India play at the World Cup final at Lord’s, Rawal’s motivation grew manifold.”Harry ‘s 171 in that tournament was epic, it got me even more excited. I knew I wanted to play like her,” Rawal says. Last year in Pune, she stood at training, trying to summon words in front of Harmanpreet Kaur when their paths crossed for the first time in domestic cricket. “I wanted to tell her how big a fan I was… but the only thing I managed to say was, ‘Good morning, .'”Off the field, Rawal brings her mind into the game with the help of psychology – not just as a subject, but a way of life. “One of my professors once said, ‘Psychology isn’t just about understanding others. It’s about understanding yourself.’ That hit home.”She still remembers when the former India allrounder and India women’s coach at the time, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, helped her connect the dots between a dropped head and a misjudged flick shot during a camp at the National Cricket Academy. “That’s when I realised even body language can cloud your decisions. He told me I was playing the shot perfectly in the nets, even to balls from outside off. But somehow in a match, I was lbw flicking a leg-stump half-volley.”Cricket, Rawal believes, is as much a mental game as it is physical. “If you’re nervous, your body language gives it away. Opponents can sense it. So why can’t we flip it – use our own mindset as a weapon?”She has seen that power first-hand, for instance, when she didn’t score in last year’s Senior Women’s Multi-Day Competition but then walked into a high-performance NCA camp and found resolve from Kanitkar’s critique. Or the time she stepped back from basketball – a sport she played at the national level – to give wings to her cricketing dream.Smriti Mandhana and Rawal’s 233-run opening partnership set India up for a record-breaking 304-run win over Ireland women earlier this year•BCCI”It was too much. I used to get injured – dislocated [my] shoulder and all,” she says. “My dad told me, ‘If you want to excel, you’ll have to choose.’ I chose cricket. It made me feel something different inside.”While cricket took priority, she was clear her education needed to progress in parallel. “I dropped U-19 once for my board exams,” she says. She also switched schools, moving to the well-regarded Modern School in Delhi, which she says helped develop confidence, not just in academics but as a communicator.”I wanted to be good at public speaking. I was shy. But I learnt how to express myself there.” Now that she’s done with her graduation, her parents are happy, and her coach is already nudging her towards doing a master’s in psychology.Rawal’s journey has been shaped by structure but not rigidity, as she has explored her interests and grown through the opportunities she has been given, like when she moved teams, from Delhi to Railways – a powerhouse side loaded with India players – after the 2023-24 season. Rawal saw it not as a step away from Delhi but a challenge worth embracing. “It’s hard to break into that side that is full of India players. But I like being challenged.”The first time she trialled for them in 2023-24, she wasn’t picked. So she worked harder. Scored runs. Then came the call. “When you get picked on performance, that respect, that’s what matters,” she says.Rawal remembers a semi-final in the Inter State Women’s One-Day Competition last year, when she scored a fifty for Delhi against Railways. “At the player-of-the-match ceremony, the match referee mentioned my name, and the entire Railways team hooted for me. That felt like respect.”When Rawal is not training, she’s sketching, which she says helps her focus. Or watching on repeat. Or gossiping with her mom. “I love staying at home. You’re out so much with cricket,” she says.And yes, she dreams of the World Cup. But she’s in no hurry. “I visualise things a lot – like how I celebrated my first hundred [against Ireland] by kissing the India flag. I’d seen that in my mind so many times before it happened.”Does she believe in manifestation? “Yes,” she says, without blinking. “Absolutely. Holding that World Cup trophy.”
In an astonishing set of quotes, Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah has thrown his own future at Anfield into doubt after being left on the bench in the 3-3 draw with Leeds United on Saturday.
The Egypt international has been a substitute for the last three matches for the Reds, and has claimed that someone at the club does not want him there.
Salah also revealed that he has told his parents to go to the Brighton game because it is his last match before the African Cup of Nations and that he “doesn’t know what is going to happen” whilst he is there, during the January transfer window.
However, the situation could develop if there is a change in the dugout at Anfield in the coming days or weeks, as the Reds are reportedly looking at potential replacements for Arne Slot.
Liverpool considering Arne Slot replacement
According to Dave OCKOP, Liverpool have their eyes on managers to step in, as an interim or permanent appointment, if they decide to part ways with Slot.
Manager Focus
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The Dutch head coach has lost ten of his 23 matches in charge of the club this season, per Transfermarkt, and the Reds are currently eighth in the Premier League with six losses in 15 games.
This latest report claims that Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has been sounded out as a possible candidate to come in as an interim replacement for Slot, should he be sacked.
The English head coach, who has managed Aston Villa and Rangers, is under consideration to take the top job at Anfield, and it is a move that Salah would love.
Why Mo Salah would love Steven Gerrard at Liverpool
Gerrard, who was described as “a true legend of the game” by Xabi Alonso, played 710 matches for the club during his playing days, per Transfermarkt, and scored 186 goals.
Without trying to sound too cliché, the 45-year-old boss is a manager who would ‘get it’ at Liverpool and arrive as a unifying figure who could create a positive mentality at Anfield again, as a personality already loved by supporters.
Salah, in particular, would love it if Gerrard were appointed as Slot’s replacement because he would know that the Englishman respects and rates him incredibly highly.
Speaking earlier this year, Gerrard named Salah as the one player in history that he would have loved to have played with during his playing days.
As you can hear in the clip above, the Liverpool legend also declared the Egyptian as his favourite player in 2023, which is further evidence of the respect that he has for the left-footed superstar.
Al-Ettifaq
55
1.33
Aston Villa
40
1.18
Rangers
192
2.15
Liverpool YL
8
2.25
Liverpool U18
24
1.71
Gerrard, as evidenced by the statistics above, is not a proven top-level manager who has won numerous league titles in the major leagues in Europe, but he did enjoy a good spell with Rangers when tasked with managing a dominant team.
He may not be the long-term solution in the dugout for Liverpool, although you never know, but as an interim appointment to steady the ship and repair the club’s seemingly fractured relationship with Salah, it could make a lot of sense.
Getting Salah, who produced 34 goals and 23 assists last season (Sofascore), back onside and at his best could be a better move than any tactical changes that a manager could make to the system, which is why Gerrard could be a shrewd appointment.
Bringing in a head coach who loves the Egypt international and would want to make him a key member of the team again could solve this problem, which has emerged from these latest quotes from Salah, and bring a feel-good factor back to Anfield.
As bad as Konate: Slot must axe 6/10 Liverpool star who made 0 tackles
Liverpool blew a two-goal lead to draw 3-3 against Leeds United at Elland Road.
ByAngus Sinclair 5 days ago
This could then buy Liverpool time to assess Gerrard’s suitability for the job on a permanent basis, whilst also giving them time to look at and identify a long-term successor to Slot.
Former Inter and Belgium defender Zinho Vanheusden has announced his retirement from professional football aged just 26, with the centre-back releasing a heartbreaking statement confirming his surprise decision. Vanheusden plied his trade in Italy, Belgium and Netherlands before heading to Spain this summer as he signed for third-tier club Marbella, but has now called time on his career.
A promising talent in Inter's youth system
After spending seven years in Standard Liege's youth academy, Vanheusden was scouted by Inter youth coaches and was brought to the club's academy in 2015. At 16, the defender was considered as one of the brightest prospects in Europe and was expected to shine for the Serie A giants' senior side in the future.
However, his progress halted at Inter due to a series of injuries as he never got to play for their senior side. He was on Inter's book, though, until 2025 as he played for clubs like Standard Liege, Genoa and AZ on a series of loan spells. Finally, in the summer of 2025, he exited Inter to join third-tier Spanish club Marbella to revive his career.
At the start of the season, he made seven appearances for the club before a third anterior cruciate ligament tear of his career forced him to announce his retirement at the tender age of 26. Vanheusden also represented Belgium at the youth level and made his senior professional debut in 2020 against Ivory Coast in an international friendly which ended in a 1-1 draw. It was his first and only international cap.
AdvertisementAFPVanheusden released heartbreaking statement
On Instagram, the 26-year-old wrote: "Today I am making a decision I never thought I would have to make at this age. After 22 years of soccer — from my fourth year until now — my life as a professional soccer player is coming to an end. Football made me who I am today. It gave me a life I never dared to dream of as a child. From supporting my favourite club for years as a child with my dad at Sclessin, to then playing a hundred games for it myself, to scoring for the Ultras and even getting the honour of being a captain here. It didn’t stop there… I got the opportunity to make my national debut and to play in Serie A. All things that seemed unreal when I started.
"Besides all that beautiful, the last few years were tough. Much heavier than I ever seemed. Injuries, operations, injections, medication… I gave everything to go back, but it got harder every time. I was constantly searching for my level, overplayed through pain too often and lived after every workout or game uncertain about how my body would react the next day. I kept fighting to be the player I wanted to be, but every time a new fight came. In my heart I will always want to be a footballer, but my body has been saying enough for a while now. And that’s why — out of respect for myself, for my health and for my responsibility as a father — I am making this decision. As surreal as it feels writing this. But I want to be able to walk in my life without pain, play with my son and enjoy life with my family… I don’t know what it will be like to get up without football, but I’m going to find out now."
Ex-Inter star named after famous Brazilian footballer
Zinho's father Johan Vanheusden, in 2017, revealed that he had named his son after famous Brazilian footballer Zinho, who starred for the Selecao in their 1994 World Cup win.
Speaking to , Johan had said: "The 'h' in Zinho is actually pronounced like a 'j,'" said Johan Vanheusden. "Like in Portuguese. Our son is named after the Brazilian footballer Zinho. I thought he was fantastic at the '94 World Cup'. Five years later, in 1999, the name for a son was quickly chosen."
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AFPWhat will Vanheusden do next?
The 26-year-old will now work hard to regain full fitness and recover from the fresh setback. The former defender does not have clarity at the moment about his future, but like other retired footballers, he might try and get into management to remain in touch with the game, which he dearly loves.
Bangladesh couldn’t counter the dew, and that wasn’t their only problem in Sharjah
Mohammad Isam23-May-2025Bangladesh bowlers made it easy for UAE to swing hardIn terms of numbers, Bangladesh hit more sixes than UAE in the three-match series, but UAE hit more fours, and that meant they led the boundary count. UAE also had two other factors in their favour. They hit fours and sixes in clusters, and since they chased in all three games, they timed those clusters well.This was mainly due to how the Bangladesh bowlers missed their lengths. Granted that there was dew whenever they bowled, but they couldn’t quite grasp how big-hitters like Muhammad Waseem and Asif Khan operated. Both batters often telegraphed their intention to go leg side, but the bowlers, particularly spinners Mahedi Hasan and Tanvir Islam, still allowed them the room to swing their arms to take the ball high over the midwicket or mid-on boundaries.And fast bowlers Nahid Rana and Hasan Mahmud were far too wide or far too short far too often. Tanzim Hasan found it hard to grip the ball, and Shoriful Islam started off well in both appearances, but then lost his steam, losing pace and losing his lengths.UAE tackled the dew, Bangladesh complained about itUAE’s Haider Ali said after the third T20I that he often bowls with the wet ball in training to prepare for the familiar Sharjah dew. Although it is not clear whether the Bangladesh bowlers did the same, their captain Litton Das complained about the dew after each match. Dew can only be encountered with practical methods. Complaining about something that affects a lot of games in Asian conditions took Bangladesh nowhere.When they beat West Indies 3-0 without many of their top players in December, Bangladesh seemed to adjust better to conditions. It’s also true that Bangladesh like pitches that produce 140-150 runs, which was the case in Kingstown then. They won all three games defending low totals, with their spinners bowling well under lights. There was no dew then, though, something that frustrated them in Sharjah.Parvez Hossain Emon’s century in the first T20I was one of the few highlights for Bangladesh•Emirates Cricket BoardBatters have a hit-and-miss seriesDespite putting up scores like 191 and 205, Bangladesh’s batting generally lacked consistency. Parvez Hossain Emon struck a century and Tanzid Hasan got a half-century. The openers generally gave the team good starts – Tanzid went well in all three matches. But more was expected from Litton and Towhid Hridoy.Litton is slowly coming back into some batting form. But Hridoy couldn’t get the team out of trouble when he had the opportunity in the third game.There also appears to be some lack of clarity about Najmul Hossain Shanto, who got to play only the second game. Jaker Ali took his opportunity in the third game when the top and middle order collapsed, but Mahedi and Shamim Hossain have hit-or-miss roles that they couldn’t capitalise on.The missing pace frontmanEven before the Bangladesh players boarded their flight to the UAE, there was confusion about their squad composition. Delhi Capitals (DC) had announced that Mustafizur Rahman would be joining them at IPL 2025, but the BCB said it hadn’t been approached for the no-objection certificate. Once the documents came through, the BCB allowed Mustafizur to leave for the IPL after the first match against UAE.That made a difference, Bangladesh losing a bowler who returned 2 for 17 in the first T20I, which was the only one they won. His absence became all the more glaring as the inexperienced bowlers failed to contain the UAE batters in the next two games.Carrying the scars to PakistanBangladesh would have expected to have a fairly easy time of it in Sharjah heading into the bigger series in Pakistan. How things have changed! It is now crucial that the players pick up the pieces from the series against the 15th-ranked team in T20Is. Not to forget, they had earlier lost 2-1 to USA last year. Against UAE, Bangladesh’s lack of game awareness stuck out. Pakistan are next, a team that is much better than UAE, that too in home conditions. Can Bangladesh lift themselves in Lahore?
Pakistan, meanwhile, set a couple of follow-on records in a high-scoring second Test in Cape Town
Shubh Agarwal06-Jan-20257 – With the win at Newlands, South Africa have registered seven consecutive Test wins. It is their second-longest streak of wins behind their nine in a row in the 2002-03 season, which also involved two home Tests against Pakistan. On the flip side, this was Pakistan’s ninth consecutive Test defeat in South Africa – the longest streak for any team in South Africa. Bangladesh have lost all their eight Tests here while South Africa themselves lost their first eight Tests at home back in the 19th century.3 – It was only the third time in Test history that a team knocked off a first-innings deficit of 400 or more. The previous two instances feature Pakistan overcoming a 473-run deficit against West Indies in 1958 and South Africa getting past a deficit of exactly 400 against Australia in 2002.478 – Pakistan’s second-innings total is the second highest by any team following-on and ending up on the losing side. The highest is India’s 510 in the follow-on against England at Leeds in 1967.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1348 – The most runs scored in a Test match in South Africa since the Cape Town Test against England in 2016.145 – Shan Masood now has the highest individual score by a Pakistan batter in South Africa. He surpassed Azhar Mahmood’s 136 in Johannesburg in 1998.54 – Kagiso Rabada completed an unfortunate fifty on day four, bowling his 50th no-ball in this World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. The next on the list is Alzarri Joseph with 35 no-balls. In the Newlands Test alone, Rabada bowled 17 no-balls with 13 coming in the second innings.4 – It was only the fourth time in the 21st century that three or more South African bowlers had conceded over 100 runs in an innings in a home Test. Rabada, Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj all gave away over a 100 runs in the second innings. The last time this happened was also in Cape Town, against England in 2016. Overall, South Africa have suffered this fate 14 times in their 254 home Tests.
With Kagiso Rabada missing the Kolkata Test with a rib injury, the visitors have bolstered their fast bowling stocks
ESPNcricinfo staff19-Nov-2025Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi has been added to South Africa’s squad for the second Test against India in Guwahati which starts on Saturday.Ngidi’s inclusion suggests Kagiso Rabada, who missed South Africa’s sensational victory in Kolkata with a rib injury, is a doubtful starter again. The visitors’ other fast bowling options on tour are Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch and Wiaan Mulder.Ngidi joined the team at their Kolkata hotel on Tuesday before their scheduled departure to Guwahati on Wednesday.Ngidi has played 20 Tests in his career so far, but only three since making a comeback in Cape Town against India in January 2024. His last red-ball appearance was the World Test Championship final against Australia in June. He has played just one Test match in India, going wicketless in Ranchi in 2019.Related
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Ngidi does have overs in his legs having been part of South Africa’s ODI and T20I series in Pakistan in October and November. Last week, he played a game for Titans in the CSA T20 Challenge.At Eden Gardens, South Africa’s quicks sent down 40 overs and returned six wickets as the team registered their first Test win in India since 2010. That Kolkata pitch provided enough assistance for the seamers but it is still unclear what the conditions in Guwahati will be like given the venue has never hosted Test cricket before.
His stocks dipped with lean IPL and domestic form across 2024 and 2025, but he seems to have rediscovered his groove since his return to Delhi
Daya Sagar01-Sep-2025Nitish Rana marked his return to Delhi cricket with a statement performance in the crunch games of the Delhi Premier League (DPL), leading West Delhi Riders to the title. In the three playoff matches, he produced one century and one half-century, finishing unbeaten each time with scores of 134*, 45*, and 79*. It was a decisive response from a player who had been searching for form across the past two years and had started the tournament poorly. His unbeaten 134 off 55 balls in Qualifier 1, with eight fours and 15 sixes, was the defining knock of the tournament.”In big matches, it is very important for big players to perform because there is a lot of pressure in these games,” Rana said afterwards. “Big players know a little better how to handle pressure, and I place myself in that category of players who can steer the game under pressure situations.”As an experienced player, you know whether you are in good touch or not. I knew I was batting well, but the runs were not coming. I continuously backed myself. I knew I was only one big innings away, and luckily it came when the team needed it most. Now we are champions.”Related
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The Qualifier also featured an exchange of words with South Delhi Superstarz spinner Digvesh Rathi, which went viral online. Rana did not want to linger much on the episode. “It would be very unfair if I only share my side of the story and Rathi doesn’t get to say anything,” Rana said. “All I can say is that he started it and poked me, so I replied. I was born and raised in Delhi, and I have hot blood too. If someone pokes me, I am not the kind of person to stay quiet… He got disturbed in his line and length, and I responded with sixes.”The DPL title followed one of Rana’s toughest periods. In 2024, despite Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) lifting the IPL trophy, injuries and team balance meant he featured in only two matches. His domestic returns were no better. For Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy that season, he was dropped after scoring just one fifty in six innings. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy that followed, he averaged 13.88 with a strike rate of 114.43 across nine games, while in the Vijay Hazare Trophy he was left out after one game. In IPL 2025, playing for Rajasthan Royals, he scored two half-centuries but made six single-digit scores in 11 innings. Soon after, Rana returned to Delhi for the 2025-26 season, citing family reasons.Nitish Rana takes a selfie with his UP team-mates after a win•ESPNcricinfo LtdIt was not his first setback. In 2022-23, he scored only 71 runs at 17.75 in the Ranji Trophy and was dropped after three games, prompting a move from Delhi to Uttar Pradesh in search of opportunities. Looking back, Rana said: “I went to Uttar Pradesh because I thought maybe I would play better in a new place. But it didn’t work out that way. Now I have left those things behind and returned to the same Delhi dressing room where I learned to score runs. It’s not that I had to prove something, but personally, these DPL innings are very important for me.”Cricket is a game of experience. When you grind yourself, go through bad times, it becomes very important to try to learn from those situations. I too have had many bad patches, I have fought with myself, punished myself too. But I trust myself a lot. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I fail. But all this is part of the game.”In the seven seasons from 2017 to 2023, Rana was one of a few batters to score at least 300 runs in every IPL. In 2021, during the Covid-19 period, he earned an India call-up, playing one ODI and two T20Is in Sri Lanka. Since then, the door to the national side has stayed closed, though he has remained a regular contributor in domestic cricket and has on occasion captained his Ranji and IPL teams.For now, he is not looking beyond the immediate. “There are a lot of things to think about,” Rana said. “I also want to make a comeback to the Indian team, but by thinking about it, I will only put pressure on myself. That’s why I don’t think too much now. I only focus on things that are in my control. Right now, my cricket is in my control, and I am only focusing on that.”
Newcastle United fans will be growing extremely restless with how poor their beloved side’s away form continues to be.
The inconsistent Magpies must wish they could play in front of their passionate St James’ Park masses every week, with another away day loss in the Champions League against Marseille meaning the Toon have lost their last four matches on the road.
In stark contrast, Eddie Howe’s men have won their last six matches in a row back on home soil.
Of course, home advantage is a common phrase uttered in football – hence the labelling of certain home grounds as fortresses – but this Jekyll and Hyde form will seriously be worrying Howe, with TNT Sports pundit Joe Cole saying “there’s too much of a gap” between the strugglers at their very best and their very worst, after the defeat in France.
Anthony Gordon is seriously letting his side down wherever they’re lining up at the moment, though, with a regret now possibly in the air that PIF didn’t cash in on the up-and-down performer when they could’ve.
Latest on Gordon's future at Newcastle
Indeed, during the summer of 2024, Liverpool were reportedly keen to tempt the England international to Anfield, with last summer also seeing them come back with more interest, as he was touted to have a bumper £100m price-tag above his head.
Gordon warranted all this fervent interest, too, with 37 goals and assists coming his way across two campaigns for Howe’s men.
His confidence was so sky-high that the Liverpool-born forward even labelled himself a “nightmare” for defenders to contain, amid interest also coming from top-flight rivals Arsenal.
Now, however, he has thudded back to reality, with zero goals or assists coming his way from seven Premier League games so far this season, with just 40% of his dribbles accurately completed, as per Sofascore, as he continues to look a worrying shadow of his former self.
Consequently, Liverpool have moved on to another batch of high-profile targets in attack in the form of Michael Olise and Antoine Semenyo, with writer Thomas Hammond stating that a forthcoming sale of Gordon would be “favourable”, just to get him off the books, concerning his ongoing no-shows.
While he has contributed massively to his own downfall, his Newcastle career could be in even more tatters by the emergence of this promising star on Tyneside, who PIF signed on a free transfer earlier this year.
The "explosive" star who can end Gordon's career
Howe could soon have to be bold with what he does in the St James’ Park hot seat, with the current state of affairs unfolding, leading him down the unwanted path of a dismissal.
For the tie at the Orange Velodrome, Howe did bravely decide to gift 16-year-old Sam Alabi a chance from the substitutes bench, with Antonio Cordero another promising star that might be in line for some first team chances soon, partcularly if Gordon continues to frustrate.
For the time being, the former Malaga winger is out on loan in Belgium with KVC Westerlo, but when he returns, he will have even more senior action under his belt, as he attempts to unsettle Gordon, with his standout time in the senior squad at Malaga, leading to one analyst page hailing him as an “explosive” talent.
Despite only being 19, Cordero – who has also been labelled as “exciting” by former Magpies sporting director Paul Mitchell – managed to tally up a weighty 60 appearances for the senior side, with goals and assists aplenty also coming his way.
Cordero’s Malaga stats by position
Position
Games
Goals + Assists
LW
33
5 + 6
RW
16
2 + 3
AM
2
0
RM
1
0
Sourced by Transfermarkt
Looking at the table above, Cordero would manage to tally up a blistering 11 goal contributions for his former employers down Gordon’s usual left-hand side from just 33 appearances.
The hope will be that Newcastle landing the teenage sensation for nothing proves to be a masterstroke in time, with Cordero further capable of also playing as a right winger, or as a number ten if needed.
The promising youngster has even been noted as being “like Gordon” by analyst Ben Mattinson, with Newcastle perhaps better served now to look to the future and put their energy into the Spaniard, than persisting with Gordon to come good.
In a few years, he might well be a household name on Tyneside, with the ex-Everton attacker off the Magpies roster, subsequently.
Alongside Pope: Howe must bin Newcastle hero who won 0 duels vs Marseille
Eddie Howe must now ditch this Newcastle United defender alongside a woeful Nick Pope.
Just months after being written off as a Barcelona flop, Vitor Roque has reignited his career in spectacular fashion. Now Palmeiras' top scorer and a key figure in their title chase, the 20-year-old has earned a Brazil call-up from Carlo Ancelotti – a moment he calls “the best phase of my life”. From struggling in Spain to thriving back home, Roque’s resurgence underscores how the right environment and consistent game time can revive a player’s career.
From prodigy to pressure – Roque's Barcelona struggle
When Roque signed for Barcelona in July 2023 for €35 million, he was hailed as Brazil’s next great striker. Fresh from 15 goals with Athletico Paranaense and a standout U-20 Championship, expectations were sky-high. But the dream quickly soured. Rushed into the squad midseason at then-coach Xavi’s insistence, Roque struggled to adapt to the club’s intense demands, managing just two goals in 16 appearances.
The January arrival proved ill-timed – as Barcelona sporting director Deco later admitted – leaving the teenager overwhelmed by pressure, language barriers, and tactical rigidity. A loan spell to Real Betis in 2024 offered little reprieve, and by early 2025, Roque looked like another South American talent who had flown too close to the European sun.
Now starring for Palmeiras, Roque has rediscovered his confidence and form by scoring 19 goals across competitions in 2025. His performances have powered Palmeiras' title charge and earned him a long-awaited call-up to the Brazilian national team by Carlo Ancelotti. From doubts and disappointment to a national recall, Roque’s resurgence marks one of the most impressive turnarounds of the season.
"I always say that football is very fast-paced. Six months ago, nothing was going right, and today, thank God, I'm very happy. Palmeiras helped me in an extraordinary way; I got back to playing the football I always used to, and, thank God, things are flowing, which is the most important thing," Roque said after receiving his first national call-up.
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Joining Palmeiras and the turning point
Rejecting a lucrative offer from Al-Hilal, Roque returned to Brazil with Palmeiras in February. At first, it wasn’t easy: 900 minutes without a goal tested his confidence. But Palmeiras stood by him, and gradually, the goals began to flow. With 19 goals in 2025 across all competitions, including 15 in the Brasileirao, he’s become one of the league’s most lethal forwards.
His impact has been immediate, leading Palmeiras to the top of the Serie A table with 65 points, just ahead of Flamengo. In addition, his brace against Santos and a crucial goal in the Copa Libertadores semi-final against River Plate showcased his ability to deliver in big moments. He ranks among the league’s top three scorers, behind only Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Kaio Jorge, both with 17 goals.
For Roque, this is redemption not just in statistics but in mindset. “It’s one of the best phases of my life,” he told reporters. “I arrive at the national team with my feet on the ground, working with humility. First at Palmeiras and then there as well.” His chemistry with teammates like Flaco Lopez and Raphael Veiga has been key, the trio have combined for 38 goals in all competitions this season.
A national recall and growing European interest
Ancelotti’s decision to include Roque in Brazil’s squad for friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia marks a new chapter in his young career. Former Brazil international, Rivaldo, admitted he was surprised but impressed: “I was also struck by the fact that he brought in Vitor Roque from Palmeiras, who has been playing well for a few games now. He started with some difficulties, but now he's in good form and it's a good opportunity for him. The coach is still testing some players; I was even hoping there wouldn't be any more of these tests, but I believe he already has the core group formed for the World Cup.”
Ancelotti’s approach to Brazil’s roster has focused on blending established stars like Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo with emerging domestic players who can bring hunger and rhythm from the Brasileirao. Roque’s selection fits that strategy perfectly.
"I see that Ancelotti is starting to shape the national team. He certainly already has a base of players for the World Cup. Of course, he's doing some tests with athletes who stand out in the Brazilian Championship. I really liked the call-up of Fabrício Bruno, from Cruzeiro, even after the mistake against Japan. It's a good attitude and shows that the coach has a good heart and trusts him. Many criticised the player, he shouldn't even have hope of being called up, and Ancelotti showed that he believes in him, that he doesn't just look at the mistake, but everything the athlete has done well in his career," explained Rivaldo in an interaction with Betfair.
Meanwhile, Roque’s resurgence hasn’t gone unnoticed abroad. His agent, Andre Cury, confirmed that Premier League clubs are already preparing bids. According to reports, Manchester United are leading the race, with Chelsea and Tottenham also monitoring the 20-year-old forward. Barcelona, who retained a 20% sell-on clause when selling him to Palmeiras, could receive around €10m if a deal materialises.
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A comeback that could reshape Roque's future
As things stand, Roque’s focus remains firmly on Palmeiras and Brazil. His goals have put the club on course for another league title and deep into the Libertadores campaign, and his national team call-up could pave the way for a spot in Ancelotti’s 2026 World Cup plans. His first task is to impress the Brazil boss for continued chances as Brazil face Senegal on 15 November and then Tunisia on November 19.
Goals and contributions in these games can be crucial for continued call-ups to the national team and a starting place in next year's World Cup.