كشف صحفي شبكة سكاي سبورتس، فابريزيو رومانو، عن آخر تطورات إصابة نجم نادي ريال مدريد، وذلك عقب نهاية الجولة الثامنة من بطولة الدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى.

ريال مدريد عاد من جديد إلى سكة الانتصارات، وذلك عقب الانتصار الثمين الذي حققه الفريق الملكي على حساب فياريال يوم السبت الماضي بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف واحد.

واستغل ريال مدريد خسارة برشلونة القاسية أمام إشبيلية بأربعة أهداف مقابل هدف واحد يوم أمس الأحد في ملعب رامون سانشيز بيزخوان، ليتصدر الميرنجي الترتيب.

ويفتقد ريال مدريد إلى عدد من اللاعبين في تشكيلة الفريق الأساسية، ومن بين هؤلاء اللاعبين ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد، وأنطونيو روديجير، وداني كارفاخال، وفيرلاند ميندي.

ويعاني أرنولد من إصابة عضلية أبعدته عن تشكيلة ريال مدريد منذ مواجهة أوليمبيك مارسيليا الشهر الماضي، ضمن الجولة الأولة من مرحلة الدوري في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

اقرأ أيضًا .. جوتي ينصح لاعب ريال مدريد: عليك الرحيل

وأكد رومانو اليوم الإثنين، أن عملية تعافي أرنولد من الإصابة تتم بشكل جيد للغاية، حيث يبدو الظهير الأيمن واثقًا من العودة إلى صفوف ريال مدريد بعد نهاية فترة التوقف الدولي الحالي.

وأضاف الصحفي الإيطالي، أن أرنولد من المتوقع أن يتعافى بشكل تام من إصابته في غضون أسبوعين، وأن لاعب ليفربول السابق يهدف إلى المشاركة في الكلاسيكو أمام برشلونة.

ريال مدريد سوف يستضيف برشلونة يوم ال26 من شهر أكتوبر الجاري على ملعب سانتياجو برنابيو، في قمة الدوري الإسباني، والتي سوف تكون حاسمة في صراع المنافسة على البطولة المحلية.

Manchester United are now “very optimistic” they’ll wrap up a deal for an “elite” Manchester City target within the next two days, a journalist has revealed.

Amorim has work to do before transfer deadline

There was a sense of cautious optimism after Man United’s opening game, despite losing 1-0 at home to Arsenal, but the 1-1 draw against Fulham at the weekend was a reality check, with Gary Neville stating he believes there is work to do before the deadline.

“I said this last week and it’s a little bit worrying: Fulham got a lot stronger when they made their substitutions, I actually thought United got worse when they made theirs,”

“Sesko, at the moment, let’s just say it, he’s nowhere near in terms of fitness or just getting up to speed. I love Mbeumo, I love Cunha, Bruno had a bad game today, but my biggest worry is the goalkeeper situation isn’t addressed and the striker situation isn’t addressed.”

Goalkeeper has been a problem position for quite some time, with Ruben Amorim alternating between Altay Bayindir and Andre Onana at times last season, and the former received widespread criticism for failing to deal with Declan Rice’s corner, which led to Arsenal’s goal.

Amorim defended the Turkish shot-stopper in the wake of the performance against the Gunners, but former scout Mick Brown believes the manager is “raging” because he “can’t rely on his current options” in goal.

As such, Man United have recently stepped up their pursuit of a new goalkeeper, with Royal Antwerp’s Senne Lammens, who is thought to be valued at £22m by the Belgian club, emerging as a major target.

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ByAngus Sinclair Aug 27, 2025

There has now been a promising update on United’s pursuit of Lammens, with journalist Christopher Michel revealing they are now “very optimistic” about finalising a deal “in the next two days”.

The Royal Antwerp goalkeeper has also been targeted by Man City, but it appears as though the Red Devils are set to win the race, with Pep Guardiola’s side focusing on Paris Saint-Germain’s Gianluigi Donnarumma.

"Elite" Lammens could be solution to Man Utd's problems

It would be a risk to bring the Belgian shot-stopper in as the new number one straight from the off, given that he is just 23-years-old and unproven in a major league, but there are indications he could be an upgrade on Onana and Bayindir.

Amorim simply cannot persist with Bayindir, who has already made one high-profile error this season, while Nemanja Matic infamously dubbed Onana “one of the worst goalkeepers” in Manchester United’s history last season.

Lammens, on the other hand, is very highly regarded by scout Ben Mattinson, who lauded him for his “elite shot-stopping”, while also praising the 6-foot-4 colossus for his “composure” in possession.

The Antwerp star is still relatively inexperienced, having made 64 appearances for his current club at senior level, but with Donnarumma seemingly heading to Man City, there aren’t a great deal of options for Man United, who desperately need a new goalkeeper before the deadline.

Tottenham Hotspur have made a new bid worth £43m to sign an attacking midfielder similar to former target Eberechi Eze.

Tottenham move on from Eze with 2-0 win at Man City

Spurs were dealt a major transfer blow last week when Eze decided to snub a move to Thomas Frank’s side in favour of heading to north London rivals Arsenal.

Eze actually phoned Gunners boss Mikel Arteta in order to return to his boyhood side, with Tottenham being forced to look at other attacking targets before the deadline.

However, on the pitch, Spurs put their Eze transfer blow behind them to seal an impressive 2-0 at Manchester City. First-half goals from Brennan Johnson and Joao Palhinha were enough for Frank’s side to make it two wins from two without conceding a goal.

Talking after the game, Frank was only interested in talking about those that had joined Tottenham.

“I think it’s fair to say that we’ve got a few questions about the transfer market yesterday – a lot about why not, and what if, and all that. What is 100 per cent sure is that we brought two top players into the club, (Mohammed) Kudus and Palhinha. Both of them performed very well, which I’m very pleased with.

“And Palhinha, wow. You know, sometimes players need confidence, and they need to be on top. “I actually don’t think he’s fully fit yet where I want him to be, but very pleased with his performance and he’s definitely helping the team.”

Asked if he had used the Eze situation as inspiration, Frank said: “I think that’s very, very easy – never ever use one word about anything that is not in our club.”

Related Tottenham hold talks to sign £40m+ UCL winner who Son called "incredible"

The Lilywhites are scrambling to attempt a late move.

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With Spurs not back in action until Saturday 30 August, Daniel Levy and co have plenty of time to make progress with a number of alternative targets, and it looks as if they are getting straight to work with one attacking midfielder.

Tottenham make improved Nico Paz offer

According to Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio, Tottenham have made an improved offer for Como’s Nico Paz.

Spurs had an initial €40m (£34.6m) bid turned down, with those in north London now raising their offer to €50m (£43m). Como or Paz are yet to respond to Tottenham’s latest bid, with the Serie A side previously valuing the 20-year-old at €70m (£60m).

Di Marzio adds that Paz remains a top target for Tottenham, with talks continuing. Should the Argentina international sign for Frank’s side, they will be getting a talent called “incredible” by Lionel Messi.

Attacking midfielders/wingers similar to Paz

Club

Jude Bellingham

Real Madrid

Bruno Fernandes

Man Utd

Eberechi Eze

Arsenal

Morgan Gibbs-White

Nottingham Forest

Maghnes Akliouche

Monaco

As can be seen, FBref have also likened Paz to Eze and other star names in the last 12 months, making his potential move to north London one to watch before the deadline.

Former Worcestershire opener takes charge amid strained relations between ECB and players’ union

Matt Roller16-Jan-2025

Daryl Mitchell had a 16-year playing career with Worcestershire before joining the PCA•PA Photos/Getty Images

Daryl Mitchell has been promoted to become chief executive of the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) after filling the role on an interim basis for the last six months.Mitchell, who scored 39 first-class hundreds and captained Worcestershire, spent four years as PCA chair from 2017-21 before becoming director of cricket operations and then chief operating officer. He has served as interim chief executive since Rob Lynch stepped down to join MCC as director of cricket and operations, and has now been appointed on a permanent basis after the role was advertised publicly before Christmas.The appointment comes at a time when the PCA is looking to mend its relationship with the ECB after a testing period, which prompted the players’ union to suggest the sense of “genuine collaboration” between the two parties had evaporated late last year. Mitchell said in a statement he will try to build “closer working relationships” with the ECB and counties in his new role.Related

Rob Lynch stepping down as PCA chief to join MCC

PCA chief: Counties will be 'discerning' about players' franchise availability

The PCA were particularly frustrated at what they described as “a severe lack of communication and consultation” in two policy areas late last year: the new stance on No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) and the split of extra money in the Hundred’s salary pot. The men’s county schedule has been another long-standing pressure point between the two parties.”I am delighted to have been entrusted by the PCA players’ committee and the board to lead the association as the chief executive,” Mitchell said. “Representing players has been a key part of my life since I became a PCA rep in 2009.”Evolution is the key to the future of our members and the PCA and forging even stronger relations with players is crucial to the future of our game. Being a cricketer in today’s world provides a wealth of opportunity, albeit with challenges and greater complexities than ever before for our members to navigate, both collectively and as individuals.”Mitchell will be working with a new chair, with James Harris’ second term set to run out in February, while his previous role is now vacant. Harris was part of the interview panel for the chief executive hiring process, along with PCA president Eoin Morgan, and said Mitchell was “the standout candidate from a very strong field”.

Glenn Maxwell may not be touring Sri Lanka, but in a silver lining he’ll be part of the BBL finals after Melbourne Stars’ remarkable regular season turnaround was complete with a comprehensive victory over Hobart Hurricanes at the MCG.Stars needed a win to leapfrog Perth Scorchers into fourth place and qualify for the finals. They took care of business against a Hurricanes team with little to play for.Maxwell continued his purple patch with 76 not out off 32 balls before quick Mark Steketee claimed three early wickets as Stars reached the finals for the first time since BBL 09.Related

• Handscomb comes to Stars' rescue for BBL finals

• Maxwell on Test snub: Would have made same call

After a woeful start to the season with five straight defeats, Stars have gained significant momentum with five straight wins to book a knockout final against Sydney Thunder at the Showgrounds.The match was essentially a tune-up for Hurricanes, who had already locked up top spot and a home final in the Qualifier against Sydney Sixers.

Maxwell ignites again after Webster’s half-century

All eyes were on Maxwell. But the big crowd at the MCG had to wait for their hero as openers Sam Harper and Thomas Rogers laid a solid platform.Stars have badly struggled at the top of the order with Harper particularly out of form. But they peeled off 19 runs in the first two overs in the best opening stand of the season for Stars.Harper whacked four early boundaries, but Stars couldn’t get through the powerplay unblemished with Rogers succumbing to a clever change of pace from quick Nathan Ellis.Having ended a run of five straight single digit scores, Harper could not go on with it after he was trapped lbw by the spin of Nikhil Chaudhary.With Beau Webster struggling with his timing, Marcus Stoinis tried to regain Stars’ momentum with numerous powerful blows to race to 32 off 19 balls. But like countless times this season, Stoinis could not launch off the platform and his dismissal brought Maxwell to the crease.Maxwell, fresh off his extraordinary 90 against Renegades, started fast and smashed Chaudhary down the ground for six on his fourth delivery. His presence had a profound effect on Webster, who shook from his slumber to put the foot down.Webster hogged the strike, but didn’t cop the wrath of Maxwell’s legion of fans as he powered to his half-century with a six down the ground.Maxwell took over after Webster’s dismissal and had the crowd in the palm of his hands when he got under a slower short delivery from left-arm quick Marcus Bean and with a flick of the wrists whacked it over fine leg.He was unstoppable at the death, clubbing a six off quick Cameron Gannon to reach his half-century and then smashing two more into the crowd as Stars powered past 200.It brought some cheer for Maxwell, whose Test career looks over after he missed out on Australia’s squad to Sri Lanka.Mark Steketee took three wickets in his first two overs•Getty Images

Hurricanes experiment with their attack

With little to play for, Hurricanes decided to play it safe. Spearhead Riley Meredith did not play while Nathan Ellis only bowled one over with Ben McDermott on the broadcast saying he was managing a sore groin.Ellis used the match to experiment and seven bowlers were used. Tim David’s handy offspin opened the bowling, while Chris Jordan bowled in the backend in his return from a back injury but struggled amid Maxwell’s onslaught.With injured quick Billy Stanlake to miss the finals, his position is up for grabs and seemingly a race between Bean and Gannon, freshly signed as Stanlake’s replacement.Bean, plucked out of Tasmanian club cricket, impressed in his professional debut against Brisbane Heat at the Gabba. Sporting a change of hair colour, from gold to silver, Bean enjoyed the wicket of Stoinis with an awkward delivery that climbed and hurried the batter.But he suffered in the backend and so too did Gannon, who was playing in the BBL for the first time in three years. He’s been in outstanding Sheffield Shield form, but Gannon struggled with his lengths to finish with 0 for 48 off 4 overs. Bean took 1 for 45 off his 4.Hurricanes were also extremely sloppy in the field to cap a forgettable performance.

Steketee continues strong form

Veteran quick Steketee has been a key part of Stars’ revival with 15 wickets in five matches. He’s been impactful with the new ball and so was the case again. In the second over he dismissed opener Caleb Jewell after Stoinis took a blinder with a full-stretch dive running backwards at mid on.Steketee struck again two balls alter when Charlie Wakim drove straight to backward point. He trapped McDermott lbw in his next over before claiming Ellis at the end to finish with 4 for 24 off 3.3 overs.

Owen unleashes early but in vain

Mitchell Owen has been the breakout player this season with his move up the order being a considerable success for Hurricanes. Their hopes in the chase largely rested on Owen getting off to a flier and he tried his best by bludgeoning left-arm quick Joel Paris for a couple of big sixes in the opening over.He also took a liking to veteran quick Peter Siddle with several mighty blows, unleashing his considerable power, to motor to 34 off 10 balls. But he slowed down slightly before holing out on 38 as Hurricanes’ slim chances effectively ended.Ellis top-scored with a rapid 40 at the end until he holed out to – quite fittingly – Maxwell, who pumped his fist to the jubilant fans knowing Stars’ season will continue.

MatériaMais Notícias

Sport e Avaí se enfrentam nesta quarta-feira, às 19h, na Ilha do Retiro, no Recife (PE), pela 11ª rodada da Série B. O Leão é sétimo colocado, com 17 pontos, mas tem dois jogos a menos do que os demais times e pode, claro, subir na tabela.

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+ Confira a classificação atualizada e veja a tabela completa da Série B

SPORT X AVAÍ

Data/Hora: quarta-feira (7), às 19h
Local: Ilha do Retiro, Recife (PE)
Árbitro: Yuri Elino Ferreira da Cruz (RJ)
Auxiliares: Thiago Rosa de Oliveira (RJ) e Daniel do Espirito Santo Parro (RJ)
Onde assistir: SporTV e Premiere

PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES:

SPORT: Renan, Eduardo, Sabino, Alisson e Igor Cariús; Fabinho, Ronaldo Henrique, Jorginho, Luciano Juba e Fabrício Daniel; Vagner Love. Técnico: Enderson Moreira.

AVAÍ: Ygor Vinhas; Roberto, Thales, Alan Costa e Natanael; Jean Cléber, Giva e Marquinhos; Dentinho, Waguininho e Gustavo Santos. Técnico: Gustavo Morínigo.

Celtic have had a strong start to the Scottish Premiership this season, winning both their opening games with clean sheets and sitting comfortably with an early four-point lead over Rangers.

Celtic have made numerous additions to their title-winning team, including Arsenal’s Kirean Tireny on a free transfer. Additionally, Brendan Rodgers has continued the pattern that his predecessor, Ange Postecoglou, started and has once again delved into the Japanese market to bring in Shin Yamada and Hayato Inamura, who become the 7th and 8th Japanese players to join the club this decade.

Rodgers had also planned on bringing in Go Ahead Eagles winger Jakob Breum, but that deal now seems to have been indirectly foiled by their rivals.

Rangers scupper Celtic transfer hopes

In July, a move for Breum looked likely. Celtic had begun negotiating a price, the player and agent were ready and willing, and the Go Ahead Eagles director spoke candidly about their willingness to sell for the right price. Fast-forward to the present, and Go Ahead Eagles are looking less inclined to sell.

The main reason for this is that the club has received a £6.6 million cash windfall, which means they don’t have to sell Breum if they don’t want to. Last season, the winger registered 15 goal involvements in 26 league appearances, which is likely why the club are inclined to keep hold of him.

In a bitter twist for Celtic, it’s now being reported by Football Insider that a significant factor in Go Ahead Eagles’ reluctance to sell Breum is because of the money they received from Rangers when they signed Oliver Antman.

Rangers brought Antman in from Go Ahead Eagles on Monday for an initial fee of £3 million. This income, partnered with the £3.6 million that the Eagles will receive from their qualification to the Europa League, has changed the Dutch side’s financial situation to the point where a sale of Breum is no longer necessary and attractive.

While it’s almost certain that Rangers had no idea that their deal would scupper Celtic’s move for Breum, it will likely be a cherry on top of the Antman signing that many Rangers fans will take some joy from.

Celtic's next move…

It’s a pain to have a long-term transfer target fall through, and that pain is only exacerbated by Rangers’ involvement, but there is still plenty of time left in the window for Celtic to get their winger.

One other issue that has arisen from the Antman/Breum debacle is that Football Insider also report that Celtic were waiting on the signing of Breum to green-light a sale of Hyunjun Yang to Norwich City. With the season underway, Celtic don’t want to be left shorthanded and so were waiting for their new signing before Yang on. This will now have to wait until they secure an alternative.

One player that Celtic may now go for is Brondby winger Clement Bischoff. TeamTalk had reported earlier this week that Bischoff was a player on the radars of both Celtic and Sunderland. Celtic would have to be willing to spend more than they had planned to spend on Breum, however, as Brondby want £6.3 million for the 19-year-old.

Continuing their chase for a shot-stopper, West Ham United are now reportedly plotting a move to sign an alternative option to Botafogo’s John Victor this summer.

Callum Wilson: West Ham move a "great opportunity"

Of course, before the Hammers have got the chance to solve their goalkeeper problem, they’ve welcomed a much-needed attacking reinforcement in the form of Callum Wilson. The experienced Premier League striker has arrived in a bargain deal after leaving Newcastle United as a free agent earlier this summer.

Delighted to have completed a move to the London Stadium, Wilson told West Ham’s official website: “I’ve spoken with Michail, and he only mentioned positive things about the Club, said it’s a great opportunity, and yeah I think I’m looking forward to meeting the other players.

“I’ve been in the England squad with James Ward-Prowse before and you play against these guys week in week out, so I’m guessing they’ll have a different opinion of me when they meet me in the dressing room as opposed to when you come up against an opposition player.

“On the pitch, you obviously have to put away the smile and be a little bit more serious, a little bit more aggressive, so yeah it’d be nice to actually be friends with the guys rather than in opposition!”

Whilst there will be some concerns about his injury record, West Ham will be more aware than most just how clinical the 33-year-old can be in front of goal, given that he’s scored 12 goals against them throughout his career.

Now set to benefit from his goalscoring prowess, the Hammers can tick one of their top priorities off the list and turn towards a man to prevent the goals at the other end. And although they’ve already reportedly submitted an offer to sign Botafogo’s Victor, those at the London Stadium still seemingly have one other option in mind.

West Ham considering Viktor Johansson move

According to Swedish newspaper Sportsbladet, as relayed by Sport Witness, West Ham are now plotting a move to sign Viktor Johansson from Stoke City this summer. The Championship side reportedly value their shot-stopper at more than €8m (£7m) as they aim to at least make some profit from one of their key players.

Starts

46

25

Save Percentage

71.8%

64.3%

Saves per 90

3.28

3.07

Clean Sheets

14

5

In terms of being good enough to compete with Areola and potentially take his place, there should be no concerns about Johansson’s ability. Simply put, if West Ham fail in their pursuit of Victor, then signing the Stoke City goalkeeper would be their next best option.

Described as “ambitious” by former Stoke boss Narcis Pelach, Johansson could realise that ambition with a move to West Ham this summer. As the Hammers continue to chase a fresh shot-stopper, the Swede could find himself in a battle to join the London club against Victor.

SA20 commissioner talks up SA20’s investment in local cricket, saying “We see ourselves as very different to the ILT20. We’re a South African league, with a majority of South African players”

Firdose Moonda08-Jan-2025T20 franchise leagues that do not field a majority of locally based players are “not good for the game”, according to SA20 commissioner Graeme Smith.Speaking ahead of the league’s third season, which, once again, clashes directly with the UAE’s ILT20, Smith argued that what sets the SA20 apart is how rooted it is in the South African system and what it does for the country’s cricket.”We see ourselves as very different to the ILT20. We’re a South African league, with a majority of South African players and our ultimate goal is to benefit South African players,” he said at the captain’s day press conference in Cape Town. “We’ve been built up against ILT20, so it’s very difficult for me to not come across like I’m bad-mouthing them, but I do feel like a league like that is not good for the game; that there’s that many international players required to build a team; there’s no investment back into local cricket. That is a challenge for the world game and something that needs to be managed going forward.”Related

ILT20 cut team salary caps by 20% after avoiding direct clash with SA20

ILT20 2025: Are MI Emirates favourites again? Who are the players to watch out for?

South African cricket and SA20 learn to co-exist

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ILT20 2025 to start and end in Dubai amid clash with SA20, BBL, BPL

While the SA20 follows an IPL-style model that allows for teams to field four internationals per XI, the ILT20 allows a maximum of nine internationals. All six SA20 squads are restricted to 19 players, must contain a minimum of 11 South African players and international places in the squads are limited to seven. They are also required to contract a rookie player, a South African under the age of 22 who has not been contracted to the tournament before. The ILT20 requires that at least two UAE players are included in the playing XI and four in the squad overall, and that squads contract two players from Associate nations, who do not get any special provision in the SA20.For Smith, the SA20’s focus is on developing as much local talent as possible while also offering international players the opportunity for tough competition. “We’re a Full Member nation. Our priority is to put on a global league, but to benefit South African cricket. That’s important for us,” he said. “What we have focused on is building the SA20 to the point where we are now being recognised as one of the biggest leagues outside the IPL. That’s important for us, and that’s the feedback we’re getting. And what we’ve seen from a player group is that this is where players want to play because it’s competitive, there’s good crowds, the standard of cricket is good, and this is the place to come and challenge yourself.”The SA20 has already attracted the likes of Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan – who played a season at the ILT20 and then returned to South Africa – Trent Boult, and some of England’s most high-profile Test players for this season, Joe Root, Johnny Bairstow and (before he was injured) Ben Stokes. But several players have also made the move from the SA20 to the ILT20 such as Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, Adil Rashid and Phil Salt, and there have been and may yet be instances where players whose teams are knocked out of one tournament fly across to play in the knockouts of the other. Smith described that as a situation the league does not have “control” over.

What they do manage is their own initiatives, both in the four-week period that the tournament takes place and outside of that. This year, the SA20 started a schools league for both boys and girls that ran from September 2024 and will conclude in March. They have hired former national assistant coach Vincent Barnes to work on the project, which includes over 500 schools. They have also run camps for Under-19 women’s cricketers ahead of the age-group World Cup but talk of a women’s SA20 has gone quiet after the WPL moved into the January-February window from 2026. ESPNcricinfo understands that over the next 18 months, the SA20 will look at how to develop a women’s competition but for now will continue to work with younger players.”There’s a lot of really cool grassroots programmes that we’re putting in place that hopefully will unearth some incredible talent on both the girls and boys side,” Smith said. “Our franchises are also starting to build academies and scouts and do things on the ground which will really benefit the ecosystem. We’re hoping in the next coming two to three years that you’ll really see the impact of SA20 at the grassroots level.”For its part, the ILT20 launched a development tournament ahead of its second season, which ran in Dubai and for which more than 300 local players signed up to the draft.The other measurable comparison between the two leagues is fan engagement. Last season, the SA20 boasted ten sold out matches and 70% of the overall tickets available were sold while the ILT20 reported a 300% increase in stadium attendances.For Smith, public support for the SA20 is one of the standout features which makes the competition “an established product now that has elevated itself to probably the biggest league outside of the IPL.” “I’ll never forget seeing you know the fan bases and the colours of each team being supported,” he said. “The feedback we get globally is when people tune in, they see a happy South Africa in summer with full stadiums and incredible cricket.”

Arsenal left it late to secure a 1-1 draw against Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday, with Gabriel Martinelli coming off the bench to equalise in added time. The result leaves the Gunners five points adrift of early table-toppers and reigning champions Liverpool having won three, drawn one and lost one of their opening five matches this season.

With just under ten minutes on the clock, Arsenal went behind after a smooth City breakaway. Tijjani Reijnders led a counter attack right through the centre of the pitch, teeing up Erling Haaland to finish from close range.

The hosts scarcely troubled their visitors during the opening 45 minutes, and Mikel Arteta sought to make amends by bringing on Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze for the start of the second half. The latter forced Gianluigi Donnarumma into a save with a neat half-volley soon after coming on, much to the delight of a frustrated home crowd, while David Raya produced a low stop to keep out Haaland at the other end.

Heading into seven minutes of added time, there seemed little hope of Arsenal finding a leveller, but one move changed everything. Eze picked out the run of Gabriel Martinelli over the top, and the Brazilian produced a piece of magic to dink Donnarumma and snatch a point for the resilient Gunners.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Emirates…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

David Raya (6/10):

Made a smart stop to keep out Haaland in the second half though had no chance getting to the Norwegian's opener.

Jurrien Timber (5/10):

Usually a lock-down defender, Timber will probably happy to see the back of the rejuvenated Jeremy Doku. Taken off for Martinelli late on with Arsenal chasing a goal.

William Saliba (5/10):

Made his first start on return from an injury sustained in last month's defeat at Liverpool, which may have explained why he was so tentative with his indecisive defending leading to City's early strike.

Gabriel Magalhaes (5/10):

Pushed high into the City half leaving Saliba hugely exposed for Haaland to break the deadlock.

Riccardo Calafiori (6/10):

One of Arsenal's most progressive players with his willingness to get forward, both overlapping down the line and underlapping inside.

AdvertisementAFPMidfield

Martin Zubimendi (6/10):

A calm head in the storm, getting his head up to keep possession ticking. Unfortunately, he was still second-best to compatriot Rodri in this department. Taken off for Mosquera in stoppage time at the end of the second half.

Mikel Merino (5/10):

Offered very little in the midfield battle and was withdrawn for Eze at the break.

Declan Rice (5/10):

So often has Rice come up trumps in these huge games for Arsenal that we now expect the outrageous from him in them. Alas, this was a quiet performance by his standards.

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Noni Madueke (6/10):

Arsenal's brightest performer in what was a pretty turgid first half. Sacrificed at half-time for Saka.

Viktor Gyokeres (3/10):

Stuck out like a sore thumb in the worst way possible. Couldn't get the ball to stick to him, couldn't connect with his team-mates and fluffed his lines on the rare occasions he was within striking distance.

Leandro Trossard (5/10):

A surprise starter when the lineups were announced, and you'd have forgiven Arteta for hooking the Belgian. More of a source of inspiration in the second half, at least. Withdrawn for Nwaneri for the closing stages.

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Bukayo Saka (6/10):

Introduced at the break for Madueke, marking his own comeback from injury. Gave the Gunners that initial shot in the arm as hoped but couldn't sustain that impact.

Eberechi Eze (8/10):

Dropped out of the starting lineup but was restored to the XI for the second half. Like Saka was positive to begin with, faded away, before blossoming again with an incredible assist for Martinelli.

Gabriel Martinelli (8/10):

Subbed on for Timber in hope of reproducing his heroics off the bench at Athletic Club on Tuesday, and there was an even more dramatic finale on this occasion. Excelling as a 'finisher' for this deep squad.

Ethan Nwaneri (N/A):

Brought on for Trossard for the last few minutes.

Cristhian Mosquera (N/A):

Came on in stoppage time for Zubimendi.

Mikel Arteta (6/10):

Got the starting lineup wrong with so many conservative choices, though did rectify this after only 45 minutes of football.