Tottenham Hotspur have endured a topsy-turvy spell over the last couple of years, with Ange Postecoglou’s reign one that was as turbulent to say the least.

The Aussie achieved a fifth-placed Premier League finish in the 2023/24 campaign, but he was ultimately unable to replicate such levels in his final year in North London.

He could only guide the Lilywhites to a 17th-placed finish last time around, subsequently losing 22 games in the process – the most of any side who haven’t been relegated from England’s top-flight.

However, the 60-year-old did win the Europa League last campaign, ending the club’s 17-year wait for a trophy, but it wasn’t enough to keep him in the role in North London.

He was subsequently sacked in the summer, with Thomas Frank taking the reins as a result, with the Dane potentially wanting to offload numerous of the Aussie’s additions in the upcoming window.

The players who could leave Spurs in the January window

During Postecoglou’s tenure at Spurs, he made numerous high-profile additions, with Dominic Solanke arriving in a club-record £65m transfer from Bournemouth in 2024.

Such excitement was generated given the nature of the transfer fee, but ultimately, his move to North London has been a failure, with injuries massively halting his progress of late.

The 28-year-old has only featured for a total of 31 league minutes in 2025/26, with Frank often unable to call upon the Englishman when needed during the early months of his tenure.

As a result, the manager may look to move the centre forward on in January, according to recent reports, which could allow for added investment in a new striker to bolster the attacking department.

He could also be joined in departing the club by numerous other players, with Manor Solomon a player who is seemingly edging closer to the exit door.

Like Solanke, the Israeli international joined under Ange’s guidance, but he’s also struggled to make the impact he would’ve envisaged upon his switch to North London.

He’s only made six senior appearances for the Lilywhites, even being sent on various loan spells – with the 26-year-old currently spending the year on loan at Spanish side Villarreal.

However, his tally of five combined goals and assists in just six games could lead to a permanent exit, which could bring his two and a half year spell at the club to an end.

The Spurs player who may now need to leave

The lowly Premier League finish last season highlights the job Frank has had on his hands since taking over, but the Dane has been unable to fully fix the problems at Spurs.

His side currently sit in fifth place in the Premier League 2025/26, even sitting 10th in the Champions League table, but the underlying problems are still evident.

The Lilywhites have only won one game on home soil in England’s top-flight to date, with such a record placing them second bottom for home form in the division.

However, away from home, the club appear unstoppable, with Frank’s men winning four and drawing one of their five league outings – subsequently boasting the best record in the league.

Other problems are also evident within the first-team squad, with Brennan Johnson a player who has seen his form take a nose-dive over the last couple of months.

The Welshman joined in a £47.5m transfer from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023, with many supporters raising eyebrows at the nature of the fee.

Last season was by far and away his best of his career in North London, as the 24-year-old ended 2024/25 on a total of 18 goals across all competitions – the highest of any player in the squad.

However, Mohammed Kudus’ arrival has pushed the Welsh international down the pecking order and highlighted his struggles which were masked by his goalscoring tally last year.

Johnson has only started five times in the league to date, only scoring on two occasions, with his last effort in England’s top-flight coming way back in August.

His underlying figures further suggest he’s underperforming this year, with Frank desperately needing to sell the £100k-per-week star in the upcoming window.

Johnson has only completed 0.5 dribbles per 90 at a success rate of just 42%, which has led to criticism from the supporters over his lack of talent at getting past his opponents.

Games played

11

Games started

5

Goals scored

2

Dribbles completed

0.5

Dribble success rate

42%

Shots on target

0.3

Shot on target accuracy

30%

Big chances missed

2

In front of goal, he’s been just as terrible, only achieving a total of 0.3 shots on target per 90, at an accuracy rate of just 30% – with the winger unable to match his goalscoring heights from last year.

In the view of talkSPORT’s Simon Jordan, he’s a “work in progress” and a “speedboat without a brain”.

Given Kudus’ arrival and Johnson’s lack of impact, it would be a surprise to no one if the club decided to cash in on his services to avoid losing a small fortune on their investment.

It’s clear both parties need a fresh start in the months ahead, which could allow the club to invest needed funds in other areas to help them rise up the Premier League table in the second half of the season.

Spurs have another Kane in the making but he's likely to leave like Parrott

Tottenham have to watch from afar as Troy Parrott emerges as a clinical forward on the global stage.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 17, 2025

Leeds United have their eyes on a “fascinating” Brazilian forward in January after his name came up in “conversations with Red Bull”.

Leeds’ lack of goal threat in the Premier League

The Whites have struggled in front of goal so far in the Premier League, having the joint second-worst attack in the top-flight. Daniel Farke’s side have only scored 10 goals in 11 games, with bottom of the table Wolves the only team to score fewer (7).

The 49ers Enterprises didn’t exactly splash the cash in the final third over the summer either, with strikers Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin both joining on free transfers.

Noah Okafor was the most expensive attacking addition from AC Milan, and he has been one of a few bright sparks for Leeds going forward this season.

Centre-back Joe Rodon is Leeds’ joint-top goalscorer so far with two goals, highlighting the fact that the Whites need more firepower in the second half of the season to help their push to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.

Leeds looked at and failed with a deadline day move for Fulham attacker Harry Wilson, and now a new attacking target has emerged.

Leeds keen on signing Jhon Jhon

According to reports from Leeds United News, Leeds are eyeing up a move for Jhon Jhon, a versatile attacker who plays for Red Bull Bragantino in the Brazilian Serie A.

Journalist Graeme Bailey called Jhon a “fascinating player” and said that his name “has come up in conversations with Red Bull”.

“He’s a fascinating player. Very interesting. A bit of an attacking midfielder, can play as a forward. His name has come up in conversations with Red Bull, and he’s within the Red Bull name. He’s a good age, good player. Ticks a lot of boxes.

“Leeds aren’t the only ones looking. He’s come up in conversations, and one I’d not heard before until recently.”

The 23-year-old previously played for Palmeiras, but it is with Red Bull Bragantino where has has gone from strength to strength.

Jhon now holds a career-high €9m Transfermarkt valuation and has scored 15 goals in 69 appearances for his current employers, registering 12 assists.

2025 has also been Jhon’s best ever year in front of goal, and for the right price, he could be an interesting addition for the Whites.

The 49ers will more than likely need more firepower than just Jhon, though, but by the looks of things, his name will be one to watch heading into 2026.

He called Bielsa a "genius": Leeds can hire "one of the best coaches ever"

MatériaMais Notícias

De volta ao Brasil após um ano e meio na Europa, o atacante Lázaro, contratado pelo Palmeiras para reforçar o time em 2024, disse que não vê o retorno ao país como um retrocesso.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFutebol NacionalAbel toma decisão sobre situação de Breno Lopes, atacante do Palmeiras na mira do VascoFutebol Nacional09/02/2024PalmeirasEndrick faz mistério sobre contratação de Mauricio, do Internacional, pelo PalmeirasPalmeiras09/02/2024PalmeirasMelhor do jogo, Zé Rafael se enfurece com substituição em vitória do Palmeiras sobre o ItuanoPalmeiras08/02/2024

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Levado ao Almería em 2022 como uma das principais revelações do Flamengo, Lázaro não teve muitas chances na equipe espanhola, mas acredita que amadureceu como jogador enquanto esteve na Europa.

– Desde novo tive o sonho de jogar na Europa, graças a Deus realizei esse sonho. Poderia ter sido melhor em questão de oportunidades, mas peguei três trocas de treinadores. Não vejo como problema, e sim amadurecimento da minha parte. Na hora que surgiu o Palmeiras, quando se trata de um gigante, não tinha como recusar. Para mim não é um passo para trás, quero ajudar o Palmeiras para que seja um ano maravilhoso – explicou o atacante durante coletiva de apresentação na Academia de Futebol.

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A versatilidade do atleta de 21 anos foi um dos motivos para a diretoria do Verdão contratá-lo. O jovem jogador destacou que pode atuar em qualquer posição no ataque, mas afirmou sua preferência pelo lado esquerdo.

– Gosto mais da ponta esquerda porque alí corta para o meio e tem a opção de chutar, mais clareza para criar jogadas. Jogando na direita, esquerda, meia ou centroavante eu consigo me adaptar. Tenho inteligência e qualidade para isso, agora é trabalhar e entender o que o Abel tem para passar – comentou.

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➡️ Veja os grupos e datas dos confrontos no Paulistão

VEJA OUTRAS RESPOSTAS DE LÁZARO

BASTIDORES ACERTO COM O PALMEIRAS

Não tive conversa com o Abel por telefone, mas o Anderson me passou bastante confiança antes de ser acertado. Depois que eu soube da proposta, fiquei bastante feliz, não ficava com brilho nos olhos faz tempo. Foi um momento de felicidade, estava todo bobo dentro de casa.

AJUDA DE JORGE JESUS E PAULO SOUSA NO FLAMENGO

O Jorge Jesus me subiu ao profissional, sou muito grato a ele. Paulo também, foi bastante importante para mim, me deu apoio e confiança para mostrar meu futebol. Quando tive a primeira conversa com ele, foi uma mudança mental diferente.

PAIXÃO NO FUTEBOL

O que mais me fascina é fazer gols. Desde pequeno sou obcecado, se der para fazer gol todo jogo, quero fazer (risos). Ajudando, dando ou não assistência, marcando, dando carrinho, vou estar fazendo. Estou feliz pelo projeto do Palmeiras e ansioso para as coisas darem certo

Tudo sobre

Palmeiras

India legspinner steps in for contest against Hampshire at Utilita Bowl

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Sep-2025

Rahul Chahar, the India spinner, has joined Surrey for their season-ending fixture against Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl this week, as the club bids for their fourth County Championship title in a row.Chahar, 26, was registered to play for Surrey at the start of September, in line with ECB regulations, but was not required to play in the club’s home matches against Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire. That latter fixture ended in a thrilling 20-run loss that has handed Notts control of the title race going into the final week.Chahar has regularly featured for Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy, and also made a one-off appearance in this season’s IPL, as an impact substitute for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Overall, he has taken 87 wickets in 24 first-class matches at 26.12, with best match figures of 9 for 148.He also played one ODI and six T20Is for India between 2019 and 2021, around the same time that he played a key role in Mumbai Indians’ twin IPL titles in 2019 and 2020.”I’m excited to join Surrey for this week’s match,” Chahar said. “I’m coming here to have an impact and help the team in their final match of the season.”His call-up comes after Surrey lost both of their current spinning options, Will Jacks and Cam Steel, to injury. Alec Stewart, the club’s high-performance advisor, said: “Adding Rahul to the squad gives us another spin option at the Utilita Bowl.”We always knew that we would be missing players for the final period of the season and try to plan accordingly given the potential surfaces and the opposition we’re playing.”We had originally earmarked for Sai Kishore to return for the latter stages of the season but he unfortunately has a finger injury resulting in an operation has meant he was unavailable.”Surrey trail Nottinghamshire by 14 points going into the final round of matches, meaning that they must win their fixture, and hope that Notts accrue fewer than 11 points in their own final match against Warwickshire at Trent Bridge.

Como coach Cesc Fabregas believes that Argentine midfielder Nico Paz should not be restricted, describing him as an incredible talent. The former Barcelona and Arsenal midfielder compared Paz to a magician on the pitch, saying he can pull a trick out of his hat at any moment, which is why he should never be “caged”.

• Paz's entry into Serie A and his explosion

  Paz has quickly become one of Serie A’s brightest young stars since joining from Real Madrid in 2024 for a fee of €6 million (£5.2m/$6.9m). In his debut campaign, he delivered eight goals and six assists, earning the award for the league’s best young player. His impact has only grown stronger this season, where he has already contributed four goals and four assists, showing remarkable consistency and maturity for his age.

  A major reason for his rise has been his seamless fit in Fabregas’ system. Fabregas has given him the freedom to dictate the tempo, find pockets of space, and drive the team forward, allowing Paz’s intelligence and technical quality to shine. The coach has even placed him in the “Lionel Messi category” in terms of how opponents react, noting that rival teams do everything they can to stop him from receiving the ball. Paz is now beginning to show that he can be a worthy successor to Messi in the national team as their primary creative force.

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• Getty Images
  

  Fabregas' praise for Paz

  In an interview with , Como coach Fabregas praised Paz, saying the young midfielder does incredible things on the pitch, saying: “Nico does incredible things. He is a footballer capable of pulling a trick out of his hat at any moment.”

  Fabregas also highlighted Paz’s versatility and unpredictable nature, explaining that his ability to attempt and execute crazy ideas makes him difficult to contain. For this reason, Fabregas believes Paz should not be restricted this season, adding: “He does crazy things that are unpredictable, which is why he should not be caged.”

• Inter's interest in Paz and Madrid's buy back clause

  Inter are preparing to make a major statement in the upcoming transfer window by submitting a €58 million (£49m/$63m) bid for Paz. The club view the young midfielder as a long-term partner for Lautaro Martinez and believe his creativity and versatility would strengthen their attack for years to come. However, Inter face a significant obstacle in Madrid. The Spanish giants hold a buy back clause on Paz, reportedly valued at €8 million in 2025, €9 million in 2026 and €10 million in 2027. This contractual leverage gives Madrid the power to either block the move or bring the player back at a fraction of Inter’s proposed offer, complicating the Nerazzurri’s ambitious pursuit.

  Como President Mirwan Suwarso addressed Paz's transfer situation, explaining that Real Madrid are fully entitled to re-sign him based on the terms agreed in the original deal. He made it clear that the club respects the arrangement and that the player's future remains his own choice. Suwarso said: “I couldn’t care less. It’s a situation we agreed on from the beginning. Real Madrid are allowed to buy him back whenever they want. It’s up to Nico to decide what he wants to do with his future. We are very happy to have him. We like to build a home for him in Como. He chose to stay this season, and we take it day by day. We see how it goes. Does he go back to Madrid next season? Madrid have every right to do that. Will he stay with us? It’s up to him whether he wants it or not.”

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• Getty Images
  

  Paz’s Central Role in Como’s Success This Season

  Paz has been central to Como’s impressive campaign, with the club currently sitting seventh and pushing for European qualification. His performances have directly contributed to key results, including a memorable win over Juventus and a hard-fought draw against defending champions Napoli. With Paz in strong form, Fabregas will aim to shape his system around maximising the midfielder’s impact, ensuring he remains the driving force behind Como’s pursuit of a historic finish.

خاض نجم فريق ليفربول، محمد صلاح، مباراة اليوم ضد نظيره نوتينجهام فورست، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، موسم 2025/26.

واستضاف ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة فريقي ليفربول ونوتينجهام فورست، في إطار منافسات الجولة الثانية عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي، حيث سقط حامل اللقب بثلاثة أهداف دون رد.

وشارك محمد صلاح في مباراة ليفربول اليوم كأساسي، وخاضها حتى النهاية، ولكنه لم يتمكن من ترك بصمته المعهودة. ملخص لمسات محمد صلاح في مباراة ليفربول ونوتينجهام فورست

وانطلق محمد صلاح من الجهة اليمنى في الدقيقة الثامنة وحاول الضغط على منطقة نوتينجهام فورست، قبل أن تُقطع الكرة بفضل دفاع الخصم، وتتحول إلى ركنية، نفذها المصري بنفسه.

وقدم محمد صلاح مهارة فردية رائعة، في الدقيقة 15، بعدما راوغ دفاع نوتينجهام فورست بطريقة مميزة، ومرر كرة ناحية كيركيز، ولكنها سددها أعلى المرمى.

وتحصل محمد صلاح على رمية تماس بعد اقتطاع كرته من جانب أحد لاعبي فريق نوتينجهام فورست، في الدقيقة 29.

وانطلق محمد صلاح بطريقة رائعة من الناحية اليمنى وسدد كرة، في الدقيقة 45، وتصدى لها حارس مرمى نوتينجهام فورست، لتتحول إلى ركنية.

وعانى محمد صلاح من الرقابة الدفاعية في الشوط الثاني، خاصة بعدما عزز نوتينجهام فورست تفوقه على ليفربول بعدما سجل الهدف الثاني.

وسدد محمد صلاح الكرة ناحية المرمى في الدقيقة 59 ولكن أحد لاعبي نوتينجهام فورست شتت الهجمة، قبل أن يسدد كرة أخرى في الدقيقة 62 ومرت بجوار المرمى.

كما سدد محمد صلاح كرة سهلة في يد حارس مرمى نوتينجهام فورست، في الدقيقة الثانية من الوقت المحتسب بدلًا من الضائع للشوط الثاني.

Suryakumar Yadav had a poor tournament with the bat, scoring just 72 runs in seven innings, but he wasn’t fussed about it

Shashank Kishore29-Sep-20252:03

Chopra: Tilak understood the need of the hour

It was well past midnight on Monday in Dubai when Suryakumar Yadav walked into the press conference room. It had been a night mired in chaos and confusion. Who would present India the Asia Cup trophy? Would India accept it if it came from ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi? Would Pakistan even turn up for their press conference, amid rumours that their team bus had already left? We got the answers by and by.Suryakumar had endured a poor tournament, and the non-cricketing issues may or may not have taken a toll on his form.There was the unbeaten 47 in India’s second game of the tournament, against Pakistan, but he had scores of 0, 5, 12 and 1 to end the Asia Cup with. On Sunday, his dismissal attempting to loft Shaheen Shah Afridi on the up left India precariously placed at 10 for 2 in their chase of 147.Related

Tilak seals thriller to give India ninth Asia Cup title

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The night Tilak and Dube went from promise to performance

“I feel I am not out of form, I feel I am out of runs,” Suryakumar said. “I believe more in what I am doing in the nets and my preparation. So in matches, things are on autopilot.”His record as captain, though, has been impeccable. Since becoming full-time T20I captain, he has racked up series wins over Sri Lanka, South Africa and England and now at the Asia Cup, where India won seven games in a row to win their ninth title.Having answered the question on his form, Suryakumar directed the mic jovially the other way, egging journalists on to direct some of the questions towards Abhishek Sharma, the Player of the Tournament who sat alongside him. “I’ve felt personally that when you are not scoring runs, it is difficult to take the team along. But Surya is the same irrespective of whether he has scored runs or not,” Abhishek said, throwing his weight behind his captain.

“The boys took it [the controversies] in their stride. Since day one, I was just telling them to focus on cricket and enjoy the game”Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar had to contend with more than just cricket at the Asia Cup. It began with a handshake with Asian Cricket Council and PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi during the captains’ press conference – a routine gesture that quickly turned contentious and set the tone for what followed.Days later, at the toss on September 14, Suryakumar’s refusal to shake hands with Pakistan captain Salman Agha added fresh spark to the issue. Next came a series of gestures and confrontations from both sides, eventually forcing the match referee to step in for disciplinary hearings.”I feel it was not that difficult [to deal with],” Suryakumar said. “The boys took it in their stride. Since day one, I was just telling them to focus on cricket and enjoy the game. The boys took it in a positive way. We were very focused in every game.”Suryakumar stressed that despite everything that went on, there was a bigger sense of satisfaction around where India were at in the runway to the T20 World Cup early next year, where they are defending champions.Suryakumar Yadav pretends to carry a trophy he refused to receive•AFP/Getty Images”What we wanted to achieve in this tournament, we have achieved,” he said. “There are a lot of things which you don’t get to achieve in a bilateral tournament. This was like a knockout tournament.”As soon as we entered the Super Four, I told the boys that let’s approach it like a quarter-final, semi-final and final. So we played a semi-final type of game against Sri Lanka, and then it was a perfect final. There are nerves, responsibility and pressure, and it was a perfect final.”When asked about half-centurion and Player of the Match Tilak Varma, the only name barely touched upon in an unusually long press conference, Suryakumar chose to throw the spotlight on the entire team.”I wouldn’t want to point out one player,” he said. “From the first game to the final, a lot of players came in and stepped up at crucial moments. Tilak played an unbelievable knock in the final. We’ve seen him do that before. Kuldeep [Yadav] and Varun [Chakravarthy] came back with the ball. This is just not about the final. Throughout the journey in the tournament, we’ve stepped up and seized small moments. This was a collective effort.”

Leeds United “would sell” Wilfried Gnonto in the January transfer window, with it being revealed they would reinvest the money raised into a different key area of the squad.

The Whites may need to reshuffle their squad somewhat this winter, given that results have gone downhill considerably over the past few weeks, suffering defeats in four of their last five matches in the Premier League.

Losing games is one thing, but it will be particularly concerning for Daniel Farke that his side were beaten by fellow strugglers Burnley and Nottingham Forest, with Sean Dyche’s side running out 3-1 winners at the City Ground last time out.

There are some difficult fixtures on the horizon before Christmas, with the 2024-25 Championship winners set to take on Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool, which means they are at real risk of being cut adrift by the time the transfer window opens.

Leeds willing to sell Wilfried Gnonto to fund move for new striker

Consequently, Leeds may have to take drastic measures in an attempt to preserve their Premier League status, with top source Dean Jones revealing they are prepared to cash in on Gnonto, saying: “This is going to be a transfer window of opportunism and there are clubs who have been tracking Gnonto, wondering if he is finally going to leave. I expect someone to try their luck, and I have a feeling the player will have his head turned if a big enough side comes in for him.

“Leeds would sell him at the right price, I’m pretty sure of that.

“I get the feeling he’s a player they would now sell and then reinvest because they really are looking for some new life in their attack.

“Primarily that would be in the shape of a striker, but I wouldn’t rule out any player with attacking nous at this point because the club’s hierarchy know they have left the team short of options up top.”

The £40k-a-week winger has struggled on the injury front this season, being ruled out due to a calf issue, but he was unable to make a real impact even prior to being ruled out, failing to register a goal or an assist in his opening four Premier League games.

At 22-years-old, the Italian is still young, and he has previously received high praise from Junior Firpo, who said: “Nobody expected it, when he first came in. He is a shy guy, didn’t talk too much; on the pitch, too. But unbelievable from day one.”

However, Leeds clearly need to bring in a new striker, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin failing to hit the ground running, having scored just once in nine Premier League games, so it may be worth cashing-in on Gnonto to fund a move for a centre-forward.

Leeds and 49ers keen to sign Troy Parrott in January Related Leeds and 49ers keen to sign Troy Parrott in January after Ireland heroics

This would be much-needed for Daniel Farke.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Nov 17, 2025

With everything on the line, here's how Gotham FC can top the Spirit for the 2025 NWSL Championship.

For the second time in three years, Gotham have charged into the NWSL Championship after delivering upsets to higher-ranked teams. Jaedyn Shaw disagrees that they’re underdogs, per se (see: “underdog, my ass” comment after they downed Kansas City), but they’ve been the surprise story of the postseason. Saturday night, they could take their Cinderella run all the way to the title. Here’s a few reasons why they might:

Getty ImagesReason 1: Defensive strength

Simply put, Gotham is hard to score on. In part, that’s because they have one of the best goalkeepers in the league (more on that shortly). But notably, they also don’t allow their opposition many chances to score. With a team that defends from the front, a midfield that’s hard to cut through, and a solid defensive line waiting behind, Gotham finished the 2025 season having allowed just 76 shots on target. That’s an average of 3 per game and is tied with the first-place Shield winners, Kansas City, for fewest shots on goal allowed in NWSL. 

There’s a number of reasons they’re dynamic defensively, and it involves players across all of their lines. Emily Sonnett is in top form as a leader in their backline. Rookie of the Year Lilly Reale awaits her opportunity at left back to thwart Rose Kouassi creating from the right. Jaelin Howell, who just earned her first USWNT callup since 2022, could have a massive match as she jockeys for control of the midfield. 

As a team that likes to have possession, they’re also effective at limiting the opposition by reducing their opportunities to get on the ball. The Spirit are also hard to score on, but they allowed 107 shots on target throughout the season, averaging four per game. They also conceded 33 total throughout the year, compared to Gotham’s 25. In a game of margins, that could matter.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesReason 2: Ann-Katrin Berger

Gotham may have the Rookie of the Year (Lilly Reale), but they’re also stocked with veteran talent. One of Gotham’s most essential veterans is 35-year-old German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger. 

Berger was named Goalkeeper of the Year in 2024 and was nominated in 2025 after another strong season cleaning up the few shots that Gotham does allow. Berger’s steady presence has been pivotal for club and country the past few years. The German keeper helped see her team to an Olympic bronze medal in 2024 and a semi-final finish at Euro ‘25 with clutch penalty heroics and massive saves. 

This postseason, Berger has come through for Gotham multiple times. She made seven essential saves in their upset of Kansas City, and was called on to make a few key ones against Orlando to see them to the final. Saturday in San Jose, she could be a difference maker.

Getty ImagesReason 3: Peaking at the right time

The Washington Spirit finished the season in a comfortable second-place position and have been the more consistently strong team throughout the year. But Gotham is glistening at the moment, with multiple players hitting their top form at just the right time. 

That includes USWNT midfielder Rose Lavelle, who was out with injury in the first half of the year but has five goals and two assists in 16 games since returning. That also includes 20-year-old Jaedyn Shaw, who joined Gotham in early September and has looked like a unique talent finally in the right spot with the move. 

Shaw has been electric for Gotham in the postseason, scoring in both of their playoff tests, including the stoppage-time match-winner against Orlando. The team’s top scorer, Spanish striker Esther Gonzalez, is just returning from injury and hasn’t scored in five games, isn’t in her top form of the season. But Esther has scored game-deciding goals for Gotham in two previous trophy matches. If she catches fire Saturday night, it’ll be hard to discount this ‘underdog’ team that’s hitting its collective stride at precisely the right moment.

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Gotham FC will face the Spirit on Saturday, November 22 at 5pm ET on CBS and Paramount+.

The San Francisco Giants nabbed one of the most improbable walk-off wins you'll ever see Sunday as they played the Texas Rangers. Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos stepped up to the plate to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning in a tie game. When he hit a swinging bunt, there was no way he thought he'd cross home safely to win the game.

He made contact on the first pitch he saw, which dribbled into the shallow infield and was fielded by Rangers pitcher Luke Jackson. Jackson tried to make the play at first, but his momentum saw his throw go outside of first baseman Jake Burger and down the right-field line.

Ramos coasted into second base before he realized Burger was still tracking down the ball and then decided to head for third.

Burger's throw to third went wide and sent the ball down the left-field line, allowing Ramos to pop up and head for home where he slid in safely for a walk-off, Little League style home run.

You don't see that very often, let alone to end the game.

The improbable win continued the Giants' hot start to their 2025 campaign, sitting atop the NL West at 19-10 with a half-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Giants are only a half of a game behind the New York Mets for the best record across the MLB.

Sunday brought San Francisco's fourth win in their last five games. And it couldn't have happened in more thrilling fashion.