Idrissa Gueye vs Michael Keane, Lee Bowyer vs Kieron Dyer & the most infamous football team-mate fights

Everton secured their first victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford for 12 years on Monday night despite a first-half red card, but the game will be best remembered for the bizarre manner in which the Toffees were reduced to 10 men. In a rare example of the lesser-seen on-pitch team-mate bust-up, midfielder Idrissa Gueye and defender Michael Keane completely lost it with one another under the eyes of 74,000 fans and plenty more watching on at home.

There is little doubt that Gueye was the aggressor in this case; the 36-year-old sold the centre-back short with a weak pass deep in his own half, and Bruno Fernandes seized on the loose ball to flash a first-time shot just wide of Jordan Pickford's far post. Refusing to take accountability for his own error, Gueye launched into a frenzied tirade and gesticulated furiously at his team-mate as they came together in their own box.

After Keane had pushed him away, the Senegal international responded by planting a slap on his cheek and was swiftly given his marching orders by the watching referee, with a combination of Pickford and Iliman Ndiaye struggling to restrain their still-incensed colleague as they escorted him from the pitch. Gueye was swift to apologise, and he has his team-mates to thank for holding on to grab a remarkable and rare away victory over Man Utd.

This was the latest entry in the limited catalogue of players on the same team coming to blows. Below, GOAL looks back on some of the most infamous incidents of football infighting of all time…

AFPRicardo Fuller vs Andy Griffin

At the peak of their Barclays era under Tony Pulis, Stoke City's XI was full of hard-man players that you simply would not want to mess with, but in December 2008 two of them turned on each other in an ugly incident that was very similar to Gueye's clash with Keane at Old Trafford.

Stoke had been leading West Ham at Upton Park, but a poor clearance from captain Griffin inside his own box allowed Carlton Cole to equalise with a fine finish on the turn. That error led to the defender being berated by his own team-mate, striker Fuller, as the two exchanged words before the game had resumed. The flashpoint ended with Fuller planting a slap on his skipper and having a red card flashed in his direction after being restrained by his team-mates. Ugly stuff.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesEmmanuel Adebayor vs Nicklas Bendtner

Two former Arsenal players who were no strangers to controversy, Bendtner has admitted in an interview with that he "didn't get on at all" with fellow striker Adebayor at the best of times during their period as team-mates at the Emirates Stadium – but training ground tensions boiled over onto the pitch in January 2008.

With Arsene Wenger's side 4-1 down to arch-rivals Tottenham in the dying embers of their League Cup semi-final second leg at White Hart Lane – on their way to a crushing 5-1 defeat – there was a flare-up between the two frustrated centre-forwards. The pair started pushing and shoving each other off the ball, and the Dane was even left bloodied after Adebayor's head made contact with his nose.

To make matters even worse, Arsenal's fierce north London foes would go on to lift the trophy at Wembley the following month.

Getty Images SportHugo Lloris vs Son Heung-min

Tottenham legends Lloris and Son are still team-mates to this day, after the attacker followed the goalkeeper to LAFC in MLS, so presumably they put this incident behind them – but that didn't make in any less bizarre. Amid the Premier League's 'Project Restart' in July 2020 against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, the pair became embroiled in a furious half-time bust-up during a home clash with Everton.

Lloris took issue with Son's failure to track back, charging up to the South Korean on the half-time whistle and repeatedly shoving him and yelling at him. Amazon Prime's documentary, which followed Spurs at the time, showed that the dispute continued into the dressing room as the stopper screamed: "Make the run! One minute to go, we nearly concede a goal! Make the run for the team". Defender Serge Aurier and then-manager Jose Mourinho were then forced to keep the pair apart before tempers eventually simmered down.

Tottenham would ultimately hold on to their 1-0 lead to win, and Son and Lloris embraced after the game.

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Getty ImagesFrank Ribery vs Arjen Robben

The iconic 'Robbery' partnership between revered wingers Robben and Ribery was notorious for terrorising defences across the Bundesliga and Europe, but on one high-stakes Champions League night the revered duo turned on each other in the Bayern Munich dressing room in an incident that the Dutchman later described as an 'explosion'.

Bayern trailed Real Madrid 2-1 at the break at the Santiago Bernabeu in the second leg of their semi-final in April 2012 after a brace from Cristiano Ronaldo and a Robben spot-kick, with the scores locked at 3-3 on aggregate. The legendary wide men had argued over who should take a free-kick on the stroke of half-time, and Ribery reportedly punched his team-mate as the spat erupted behind closed doors in the belly of the stadium.

"We've always got on really well and it exploded between us once," Robben said in an interview with five years later. "But the incident only made us stronger." Ribery added: "Sometimes these things happen in football."

Stats: RCB's record win in playoffs

Key numbers from RCB’s thumping win over Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025

Sampath Bandarupalli29-May-20252:10

Moody: Iyer totally misread the game situation

60 Balls remaining when Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) completed their chase against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Thursday – the biggest such win for any team in an IPL playoff (or knockout) match. The previous record was by 57 balls for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in last year’s final.2 IPL wins for RCB with ten or more overs to spare, including the victory against PBKS on Thursday. In 2018, they defeated then-Kings XI Punjab by 71 balls to spare. The two defeats to RCB are the only instances of the Punjab franchise losing with ten or more overs to spare in the IPL.101 PBKS’ total against RCB in New Chandigarh, the joint-third-lowest by any team in the IPL playoffs (or knockouts). The lowest is 82 all out by Deccan Chargers against RCB in the third-place match in 2010, followed by 87 all out by Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the semi-final in 2008.14.1 Overs PBKS batted on Thursday. It is the shortest all-out innings while batting first by any team in the IPL. The previous shortest was 15 overs by RCB against RR in 2014. Overall, it’s the sixth shortest all-out innings in the IPL and the shortest in the playoffs (or knockouts).9 Number of RCB players to win a Player-of-the-Match award this year, including Suyash Sharma on Thursday. Only Mumbai Indians (MI), ten in 2017, had more players winning the match award in an IPL season, while Delhi Daredevils had nine in 2009.27 Runs scored by Shreyas Iyer in five matches in New Chandigarh this season. His average of 5.4 is the second lowest for a top-seven batter at a venue in an IPL season (minimum five innings). Shahid Afridi averaged 5.2 at Hyderabad in 2008, scoring 26 runs in five innings.576 Balls Phil Salt took to complete 1000 IPL runs. Only two batters have got to the 1000-run milestone quicker – Andre Russell (545 balls) and Travis Head (575).4 RCB made it to their fourth IPL final, having been there previously in 2009, 2011 and 2016. Only Chennai Super Kings (ten) and MI (six) have been in the more IPL finals, while KKR made four appearances.15 out of 15 Times the team finishing No. 2 in the league phase made it to the final since the playoffs system was introduced in 2011. RCB are the latest to do so.145 Balls the PBKS-RCB match lasted, the joint-third shortest completed game in the IPL (excluding shortened matches). The MI-KKR game at Wankhede in 2008 lasted only 125 balls, and the KXIP-RCB game in 2018 in Indore 140.

The best since Henry & Vieira: Arsenal star is "the best in the world"

In the almost six years since he took the job, Mikel Arteta has helped to utterly reshape Arsenal.

He’s pulled a team out of midtable mediocrity and turned them into serious contenders for the Champions League and Premier League.

Now, part of this transformation is down to his philosophy and tactics, but also to the sensational players he has promoted and signed.

In fact, one of his signings is now undoubtedly one of the world’s best players and arguably Arsenal’s best since the likes of Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry.

Vieira and Henry's Arsenal legacies

Arsenal signed Vieira from AC Milan in the summer of 1996, after a season in which he sat on the bench watching the Italian giants win the Scudetto.

Chalkboard

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

However, he certainly wasn’t a bit-part player in North London; he ended his first campaign having made 31 Premier League appearances, and as the years went by, he only became more and more important to the Gunners.

For example, following Tony Adams’ retirement in May 2002, Arsène Wenger made the all-action midfielder the club’s new captain, and in the eyes of many, he is one of the best to ever wear the armband.

By the time the Dakar-born monster left the club for Inter Milan in 2006, he had made 405 appearances, in which he scored 32 goals, provided 47 assists, won three titles, four FA Cups and led the North Londoners on their legendary invincible campaign.

Now, for most clubs, the iconic midfielder would probably be considered their greatest ever player, but for the Gunners, there is only one man who can hold that title: Henry.

The legendary forward joined the North Londoners from Juventus in the summer of 1999, and while it sounds absurd today, he didn’t have the best of starts.

He failed to score a single goal across his first eight appearances for the club and later revealed in an interview that he had to “be re-taught everything about the art of striking” during that period.

Whatever Wenger taught him in those few months must have been pretty special, as he’d end his first season in red and white with a tally of 26 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances.

By the time the Les Ulis-born superstar left the club for Barcelona in 2007, he had chalked up a frankly astounding tally of 226 goals and 104 assists in 370 appearances and won two Premier Leagues and three FA Cups.

He returned for a brief spell in the 11/12 season, scoring twice in seven appearances.

Overall, when it comes to Arsenal legends, few players can match up with Henry and Vieira, but one of Arteta’s best signings is undoubtedly on his way.

Arsenal's future legend

The good news for Arsenal fans is that the squad is full of players who could go on to become club legends, but when it comes to someone performing at a world-class level, it’s hard to ignore Declan Rice.

The £105m man has been incredible for the club since his move in 2023, but towards the end of last season, and especially this year, it feels like he has taken another step forward.

Whether it’s hunting opposition players to steal the ball from them, marauding up the pitch with it at his feet or creating chance after chance with his outrageous set-piece delivery, the Englishman is operating at a truly unbelievable level.

In fact, he’s playing so well and has become so important in everything the Gunners do that it’s become increasingly hard to disagree with Thomas Frank’s assertion that he is among “the best in the world.”

That might sound hyperbolic to some, but it really, truly is not, and for those still unconvinced, you only need to look at his underlying numbers.

Goals + Assists

0.49

Top 3%

Corner Kicks

3.15

Top 4%

Assists

0.27

Top 5%

Progressive Carries

2.75

Top 5%

Crosses

4.92

Top 5%

xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals

0.22

Top 6%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.22

Top 7%

Shots from Free Kicks

0.18

Top 7%

Key Passes

1.92

Top 8%

Switches

0.69

Top 9%

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 3% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for goals plus assists, the top 5% for progressive carries and crosses, the top 8% for key passes and more, all per 90.

Moreover, something else that will help him reach the levels of Henry and Vieira is his mentality.

The England international is clearly someone who gives everything in every performance, and while he hasn’t got the armband, he is also undeniably a leader and will be a big reason for the Gunners winning anything this season.

Ultimately, while he needs those medals to get the respect he deserves, Rice is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world and will become an Arsenal legend.

He's becoming a Saka & Eze hybrid: Arsenal have signed an "agent of chaos"

The increible international has the ability to be as important as Saka and Eze for Arsenal this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

Chase: India tour 'a stepping stone' for West Indies as a Test-playing nation

WI captain saw their improved performance in Delhi after being forced to follow as a positive sign

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Oct-20253:56

What made Campbell and Hope stand out?

Roston Chase saw encouraging signs in West Indies’ performance against India in Delhi, despite the visitors losing by seven wickets.Shai Hope and John Campbell made centuries, the first two for West Indies in 2025. The team also batted 80-plus overs in both innings after failing to get to that mark all year, improvements that meant more coming against a strong Indian bowling outfit that included Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja.”Yeah, I think this is the kind of fight that I wanted to see from us, from matches before”, Chase said at the post-match press conference. “So, I think this is a stepping stone, a building step for us to go forward and improve as a Test-playing nation. This is a performance that I think will give us the confidence and boost us in terms of that belief that we can do it against proper Test-playing nations.Related

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“I just want to see the guys continue in this vein and don’t let us go back to those ways. Even if it’s for us to lose, we have to lose in a good way. In a positive way, where we can have a lot of positives coming out of the game.”West Indies came to India without two of their best fast bowlers, Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph, who were both laid low by injuries. Ultimately, it wasn’t the bowling that let them down though. Chase understood that his side needed to improve their batting to get their first points in this new cycle of the World Test Championship.”I think where we could improve mainly is our batting,” Chase said. “I think that’s what let us down for the last two series. I think we have a good bowling attack, we had a few injuries. I just think that once we can put good first-inning totals on the board, we will be able to fight for some wins in the Test Championship.”John Campbell and Shai Hope put on West Indies’ highest partnership of the 2025 so far•AFP/Getty ImagesBut this process is complicated by the way the West Indies cricket system currently functions.”When a lot of our players come into the international level, they play like 20 first-class games, 15 first-class games,” Chase said. “While other teams, when guys come into international cricket, they have like 80 first-class games, 100 first-class games.”Domestic competitions help batters learn how to score big runs and replicate the process over an extended period of time. West Indies, though, are having to manufacture success without that essential ingredient. This is part of why they have had one-off wins, against Australia in Brisbane and against Pakistan in Multan, but are struggling for consistency.”So for us, it’s always learning on the job,” Chase said. “So if a guy can get a little longer run [playing Test matches] so that he can adjust and adapt to this level and see what it takes for him to improve and to be consistent at this level, I think that’s good. And I just think that the fight that we showed in this last game will, as I said, give us that belief and that confidence to know that we have what it takes to perform at this level.”One bright spot for West Indies on this tour of India was the allrounder Justin Greaves, who finished the series with an unbeaten 50 from No. 7 and showed good skill in combating India’s spinners.”Yeah, well, actually, if we had batted first, he [Greaves] would have batted at No. 6,” Chase. “But obviously him being the allrounder, bowling allrounder, bowling many [14 out of 134.2] overs first, we just wanted to give him some rest. So we just put him at No. 7. But yeah, I think he’s a capable batsman. I know him for a long period and I personally think his batting is better than his bowling.”West Indies’ next Test match is in December against New Zealand. Chase accepted the first year of this WTC cycle has been hard on his team but hoped for better returns in 2026.”And I think that we had a chat and this first year in the cycle, we always know it was going to be tough with opposition like Australia, India and then we go to New Zealand. But I think that once we learn from what we’ve done in those series and take it into the next year where we have guys like Sri Lanka and Pakistan, guys that we are closer to in the rankings, I think that we can be more competitive against those once we learn from these games.”

Tarik Skubal Appeared to Profanely Disagree With Umpire’s Very Bad Call

Tarik Skubal had his shortest outing of the season on Friday against the Angels. The reigning Cy Young winner went just 4 2/3 innings against Los Angeles and gave up six hits and four earned runs.

While he retired all three batters he faced in the top of the 1st, he did experience some real frustration thanks to home plate umpire Tom Hanahan, who called two straight pitches in the zone balls during Mike Trout's at-bat.

While what was called ball two caught the very top of the zone, the pitch that Trout took to make the count 3-0 was a brutal miss by Hanahan. Skubal dropped into a crouching position and as he stood up he looked towards home and appeared to mouth "that's f—— horrible" twice.

Thanks to MLB.com, you can see just how bad that ball three call really was. As if the starting pitcher from the All-Star game making eye contact with the home plate umpire to repeatedly tell him he made a horrible call in the 1st inning wasn't enough of proof for you.

Tarik Skubal did not agree with at least one call in this sequence. / MLB.com

Hopefully things go better for Skubal when he's back on the mound Wednesday against the White Sox.

Stats – A hat-trick of run-outs, and Karun Nair's seven-year gap

Stats highlights from Delhi, where DC’s four-match winning streak in IPL 2025 came to an end

Sampath Bandarupalli13-Apr-202515-0 Mumbai Indians’ (MI) record while defending a target of 200-plus runs in the IPL. The highest successful chase against MI in the IPL is 196 by Rajasthan Royals (RR) in 2020.MI and Delhi Capitals (DC) are the only teams with a 100% win record while defending 200-plus targets in the IPL. DC have won all 13 IPL matches while defending 200-plus targets.2520 Days between Karun Nair’s previous two fifties in the IPL – against CSK in 2018 and MI on Sunday. It is the longest gap between fifty-plus scores for any batter in the IPL. Nair, however, batted only six times during this seven-year gap.Related

Karn: Karun Nair's wicket broke DC's momentum

Mumbai Indians clinch thriller to end Delhi Capitals' unbeaten streak

Travis Head had the previous longest gap between his fifties with 2516 days – against KKR in 2017 and MI in 2024. Head batted only once during that gap and did not feature in any of the six seasons between 2018 and 2023.

3 Run-outs off three consecutive balls to end DC’s chase. It is the first instance of run-outs on three successive deliveries in the IPL. It was only the fifth instance where there have been run-outs in three consecutive balls in men’s T20s (where fall-of-wickets information is available).1 Tilak Varma’s 59 on Sunday was his first half-century in the IPL to end up on the winning side. Each of his previous seven fifties in the IPL came in a losing cause.

83.7 Win probability for DC as per ESPNCricinfo’s forecaster after 11.3 overs in the chase. They needed 71 further runs off 51 balls with eight wickets in hand.DC’s win probability was 70.84 % at the end of the 13th over before the change of ball. DC needed 61 runs with six wickets in hand, but lost all those for only 48 in six overs.4 Consecutive wins for DC in IPL 2025 before ending their unbeaten run by losing to MI on Sunday. There have been six instances of a team starting an IPL season with four consecutive wins previously, but only two teams managed to win their first five – Kings XI Punjab in 2014 and RR in 2015.26 Runs that Nair scored off Jasprit Bumrah in the nine balls he faced. All those came in the powerplay, the most any batter has scored off Bumrah in this phase in a T20 match (where ball-by-ball data is available).5 DC won five consecutive matches for the first time before their close defeat against MI. In addition to their four wins in IPL 2025, they won their last fixture of IPL 2024.

Jasprit Bumrah doing 'exceptionally tough job' at Asia Cup

India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate says Sanju Samson is still adjusting to his role in the middle order

Shashank Kishore23-Sep-20253:50

Aaron wants India to save Bumrah for final overs

Jasprit Bumrah has taken only three wickets – with an economy rate of 8.36 – in three games in the 2025 Asia Cup, but the India team management is satisfied with his performances, considering the “exceptionally tough job” he’s been given in the UAE.Bumrah has bowled three overs in the powerplay – and his fourth at the death – in every game so far. Before India’s tournament opener against UAE, the previous time he bowled three out of the first six overs of a T20I was in 2019.”He’s doing a very tough task,” India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said on the eve of the Super Four game against Bangladesh. “You don’t see many bowlers in this format bowling all three overs in the powerplay. So it’s quite strenuous as well. But we feel it’s the right amount of work going into the Test match [against West Indies] and obviously the importance of this competition as well.”Related

India go in as strong favourites against upbeat Bangladesh

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Bangladesh ready to 'ride the hype' against India

After taking 1 for 19 against UAE and 2 for 28 in the group game against Pakistan, Bumrah went wicketless and conceded 45 in the Super Four game against Pakistan. “It wasn’t his most polished performance against Pakistan the other night,” ten Doeschate said. “But we also understand that he’s doing an exceptionally tough job to bowl the first three overs, the two [fielders] out, and the last over and the second last over where guys are going as well.”There’s going to be days where he doesn’t get wickets and he’s going to go for runs. But in terms of how we set up the team, obviously with two seamers and going spin-heavy, we feel at the moment that’s the best job.”Bumrah has bowled 11 overs in the Asia Cup so far – he was rested for India’s final group game against Oman – and is likely to bowl another 12 if India get to the final. Ten Doeschate indicated he was unlikely to be rested for another game in this tournament.”It’s very unlikely that you [India] go into the last game knowing you’ve qualified,” ten Doeschate said. “So I’d say it’s unlikely that he’ll get a rest. Also bearing in mind we have a Test match starting [next] Thursday. So it’s actually quite good preparation in terms of workload management … So if we have the luxury to have that option [of resting Bumrah] in the last game, we can look at it. But I’d say we’re going to pick our best team for every game. He obviously fits into that picture.”Sanju Samson is getting used to life at No.5•Associated Press’Samson still figuring out how to play at No. 5’The other player with an unfamiliar role at the Asia Cup is Sanju Samson, who’s batting in the middle order despite having had most of his success for India – and in the IPL – in the top three.Samson didn’t get to bat in India’s first two matches. He was sent in at No. 3 in the dead rubber against Oman in Abu Dhabi, where he top-scored with 56 off 45 balls on a pitch that most Indian batters struggled to get going. He was back down at No. 5 in the Super Four game against Pakistan, and made 13 off 17 before he was bowled attempting to pull Haris Rauf.”There’s two outings now, two decent chances and he’s still figuring out how to play that role,” ten Doeschate said of Samson in the middle order. “I think the wicket was a little bit tired in the Pakistan game. But certainly with the way Shubman [Gill] and Abhi [Abhishek Sharma] are going at the top and you’ve got your captain batting at three and the way Tilak’s [Verma] played, we’re really looking for a No. 5. So we believe Sanju is the best man for that job and we’ve got no doubt that he’ll figure out how to play that role in the future.”Ten Doeschate said the format of the Asia Cup with little room for error also meant there was little room for giving chances to the bench strength – Jitesh Sharma and Rinku Singh haven’t played a game yet. “The boys are doing excellent work with training and you probably have to look at bilateral series more realistically as a chance to get guys in to show what they can do and also to give guys a chance to show how flexible they are with their positions.”But certainly now with the format of this competition, four games, two wins doesn’t even guarantee you going through. So it’s not like you can take your foot off the pedal at any time and that’s been an unfortunate consequence of what we’re trying to achieve by trying guys in different positions.”India go into Wednesday’s game against Bangladesh as favourites. Both teams won their first Super Four game, and whoever picks up two points will be primed to make the final. “Our general principle is – respect everyone, fear no one,” ten Doeschate said. “It’s more about our process and what we’re trying to achieve. We actually thought we were a bit scrappy against Pakistan. We weren’t happy with that performance. We just had a team meeting now and as we always do, we try to address the things we feel we can be better at and more clinical at.”We respect Bangladesh. I think they’re a side on the rise. They’ve kind of adapted their cricket as well to the new style of T20. Some nice attacking players up front and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

How Middlesbrough feel about Raphael Wicky as Swiss manager holds Riverside talks

Still searching for their next manager, Middlesbrough are now reportedly serious about hiring Swiss manager Raphael Wicky, who has emerged as an early candidate to take the job.

Unlike other managerial vacancies in the Championship, coaches would be walking into a fairly healthy environment at Middlesbrough. The Teesside club currently sit second in England’s second tier and five points behind leaders Coventry City. As things stand, they will be earning promotion to the Premier League come May.

A lot can still change, however, and Boro must get their next manager right whilst they are in such a positive position. Just who that next manager is remains the question. Steven Gerrard, Tony Mowbray and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink have all been mentioned as early candidates, with Gerrard the most interesting option of the three.

The former Rangers boss recently rejected the chance to return to Ibrox, but is keen to make a return to the dugout for the right job. With Boro on course to fight for automatic promotion in the Championship, it’s tough to pick out a reason why most managers of Gerrard’s calibre wouldn’t want to walk straight into the job before the end of the international break.

Replacing Rob Edwards, who chose to leave for Wolverhampton Wanderers, will be no easy task for any potential candidate. As much as he has ruined his reputation with those in Teesside, the former Luton Town boss certainly steered the club in the right direction and attempted to explain his decision in a recent statement.

Boro fans are unlikely to forgive or forget any time soon, however, and must instead hope that the club’s next appointment continues their push for automatic promotion.

Middlesbrough get serious about appointing Raphael Wicky

As reported by Sports Boom, Middlesbrough are now serious about appointing Wicky after he impressed Riverside chiefs with an unofficial presentation. The Swiss manager is currently a free agent and will be easier to convince as a result, but that’s not to say the 48-year-old isn’t an impressive candidate.

During his time in Switzerland, Wicky won the league and cup double with BSC Young Boys and his 4-4-2 diamond system proved to be incredibly successful. If Middlesbrough fail to hire the likes of Gerrard, then the former Young Boys manager is someone who’d offer them similar experience and success.

Middlesbrough keen on Championship title-winning manager alongside Gerrard

Steve Gibson’s search for a new permanent Boro boss is underway.

1 ByCharlie Smith Nov 13, 2025

The manager’s style also includes an exciting high press, which could yet help Boro bridge the gap on an exciting Coventry side at the top of the Championship.

The fact is, although they run the risk of getting their next appointment wrong, Riverside chiefs could also take their side up another level entirely if they get things right.

As things stand, the battle seems to be between Gerrard and Wicky for the job. With both holding similar reputations though, it remains to be seen which direction Middlesbrough head towards.

Middlesbrough make "impressive" manager top target to replace Edwards

The tough runs that propelled McSweeney to new world of opening

With various doubts, from age to technical, over the specialist openers in the debate, McSweeney has risen to the top

Alex Malcolm10-Nov-20242:20

Malcolm: ‘McSweeney could be a future captain if he finds his feet’

With Australia’s newest Test match opener Nathan McSweeney standing just a few metres away outside the MCG, chair of selectors George Bailey was asked whether his selection had been the toughest he had made in his tenure in the job.Bailey is never one to give much away. Nor should you ever read too much into his comments. But there was just a momentary pause before he answered.”Not necessarily,” Bailey said. “I think it’s a good thing when you’ve got options, and there’s players that are putting their hands up for different roles. So I think, not necessarily difficult on that front, but always looking for what you think the best balance will be and the sort of make-up of that team.”Related

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The reality is this was a challenging selection. Despite the insistence from the selectors that this wasn’t a bat-off, or “the great Australian bake-off” as Bailey jokingly put it, the way the Australia A teams were selected and the batting orders, on top of the public debate, clearly showed there was no standout candidate even if the selectors had an idea of which way they were leaning from a long way out.Age, Bailey insisted, was not a factor despite McSweeney being 25 and a “super age”, as Bailey called it, compared to a 32-year-old Marcus Harris and a soon to be 32-year-old Cameron Bancroft.The non-selection of 19-year-old Sam Konstas and a host of decisions this panel has made in recent times would be evidence in their eyes that they do pick for the here and now. But it is hard to believe that either consciously or unconsciously, a panel as thoughtful and analytical as Bailey, Andrew McDonald and Tony Dodemaide did not at least consider the possibility that selecting an exclusively over 30s XI in Perth was not the ideal way to future-proof a team that is hurtling towards a transition period.Where they have been consistent is with the insistence that batting positions don’t matter, and they are intent on picking the best players in the country for the Test team.This is where McSweeney’s selection is fascinating. He is set to open the batting in Perth having never done it at Sheffield Shield level and having only done it at first-class level for the first time against India A in the last five days.

Over the last 12 or 15 months, seeing a player whose growth is on a great trajectory, very organized, composed player at the crease, and got a game that will really suit Test cricketGeorge Bailey on Nathan McSweeney

“I don’t think it’s a huge adjustment to go from three to opening,” Bailey said. “I think in the 15 or so games that he’s been batting at three for South Australia, I think he’s been in before the 10th over about 20 times. He’s had plenty of experience. I think his game and the way he plays, I don’t think the adjustment will be too much.”It’s worth drilling into those numbers. The 15 Bailey refers to is the overall innings McSweeney has batted at No. 3 in Sheffield Shield cricket (one of those came for Queensland before the move to South Australia which accelerated his rise). He has averaged 30.86 with one century and three half-centuries that have all come this calendar year in his last seven hits in the position.It is understood Australia’s selectors did a deeper dive into the candidates’ performances against the best Shield attacks on the Test venues in the recent past to find a separator amongst them. McSweeney stood out.Last season he made 64 and 100 in a low-scoring game against a New South Wales attack featuring Jackson Bird and Chris Tremain, 112 not out at the Gabba against Michael Neser, Mark Steketee and Mitchell Swepson, and 117 against the Shield finalists Tasmania on a brutal wicket at Bellerive where the next highest score in the game was 68. This season he scored 55 and 127 not out against NSW at Cricket Central in Sydney where Nathan Lyon took eight wickets across 63.3 overs. His 39 and 88 not out against India A were standout performances in Mackay on a surface assisting the quicks.Nathan McSweeney has impressed at a time when Shield runs have been at a premium•Getty ImagesBut it’s worth noting he batted at No. 3 in just two of those eight innings, No. 4 in five of them and No. 5 once. His entry points were in the 26th, 18th, 46th, 19th, 24th, 11th, 4th and 25th overs respectively. Two of those four centuries came batting behind a nightwatcher.Steven Smith averages 67.07 at No. 3 in Tests with eight centuries, including a double, and though he won’t admit it publicly, even he found the adjustment to opening difficult.For this reason, Harris and Bancroft have a right to feel aggrieved. For 12 months the selectors have pointed to past success stories of Usman Khawaja, Justin Langer, Simon Katich and Shane Watson as converted Test openers to support their stance that batting positions do not matter. But there is a chance they are outliers depending on how you view things. As Smith showed, and as most grizzled openers will attest, there is a distinct difference between occasionally walking out early at one or two for not many to face the new ball and doing it day in, day out for over a decade as Harris and Bancroft have.Harris’ Test scores of 79 and 70 at the SCG and Perth Stadium against a Jasprit Bumrah led India attack in 2018-19, and 76 against James Anderson, Mark Wood and Ben Stokes on an MCG minefield in 2021-22, do not seem to have overturned perceptions around his inability to convert starts and the large gulf between his first-class record at the bowling graveyard of the Junction Oval compared to the Test venues.His 74 against India A on Friday appears to have been too little too late, despite no other top three batter in the game, including McSweeney, passing 25. His play against spin would also be a factor. He looked far from comfortable against Tanush Kotian’s offspin. Australia’s hierarchy are wary of giving R Ashwin a look at four left-handers in the top seven.Marcus Harris’ hopes of resuming his Test career will now likely depend on injury to others•Getty ImagesFor Bancroft, perception about his technical deficiencies are becoming reality. After he was overlooked in January having dominated the Shield for two summers, he was never going to be selected having returned 29 runs in eight first-class innings this season. Bailey insisted the door wasn’t closed for either Harris or Bancroft. But brutally for both men, it is clear they are the wrong side of 30, and despite higher career averages than McSweeney, those too are the wrong side of 40 despite this being a difficult era for batters in Shield cricket.It is noteworthy that McSweeney’s consistency of mechanics, method and decision-making have been praised in the aftermath of his selection.For Konstas, his time is coming but it’s not quite now. When Khawaja will end remains a mystery, but the 19-year-old appears perfectly poised to assume his position with more first-class experience under his belt.Ultimately, McSweeney is in the right place at the right time. He has been identified as a future Australian leader and his first-class form is matching that standing.”[We’re] really thrilled with Nathan’s game,” Bailey said. “Over the last 12 or 15 months, seeing a player whose growth is on a great trajectory, very organized, composed player at the crease, and got a game that will really suit Test cricket. I think he’s wonderful person. He’s clearly had some good leadership exposure now, good catcher, bowl’s some good off spin too. So the package is really impressive.”He is, however, about to step into a new world.

Brave scrape home to seal top-three finish

Jess Jonassen’s 4 for 10 is in vain as Welsh Fire remain winless

ECB Media20-Aug-2025Top-of-the-table Southern Brave continued their unbeaten start to this year’s women’s competition in the Hundred and guaranteed themselves a top-three finish with a nervy penultimate-ball victory over a spirited Welsh Fire.Needing six runs from the final five, Mady Villiers was run out coming back for two from the first delivery of the set before Georgia Adams was almost brilliantly caught in the deep as she and Rhianna Southby scampered back for two and got Brave over the line with a ball to spare.Put into bat, Welsh Fire lost the big wicket of Hayley Matthews early, lbw to Sophie Devine for a first-ball duck.Sophia Dunkley looked to be continuing her form from The Kia Oval on Saturday, starting brightly and hitting four commanding boundaries.Brave made another important strike when Lauren Bell had Tammy Beaumont (7) brilliantly caught by Maia Bouchier at mid-on as the Fire reached 32 for 2 at the end of the powerplay.The impressive Tilly Corteen-Coleman returned to the attack to see the back of Dunkley (31), the spinner inducing a false cut shot to have the England batter caught behind by Southby.Georgia Elwiss reached a run-a-ball 36 not out as the Fire closed their innings on 111 for 6. Bell changed her pace and length expertly to finish with figures of 2 for 21.Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge played positively and untroubled, taking the score to 32 without loss after the powerplay and reducing the runs required to just 80.Fire then struck back to stay in the game. Wyatt-Hodge (18) was caught fantastically by Jess Jonassen at mid-off off Georgia Davis and Jonassen then came into the attack and removed Bouchier (35) and Laura Wolvaardt (3).Devine countered with a huge slog-swept six off Davis to relieve some pressure and Freya Kemp then deposited Freya Davies into the stands to take Brave closer to their target, but Kemp (17) fell soon after, caught by Shabnim Ismail at long-off off Jonassen.Chloe Tryon then went for a duck as Jonassen finished with exceptional figures of 4 for 10 before Devine (25) skied Matthews to Davies to leave her side needing 10 from the last 10 and then six from the final five.Meerkat Match Hero Devine said: “Credit has to go to the Welsh Fire there. We were probably cruising at the halfway stage and the way that they were able to fight back and take it to the last set, full credit to them.”It wasn’t our best day today, we’ll be the first ones to admit that. To get over the line is really pleasing and now we move forward.”I’m really pleased we were able to restrict them to what we did and finally get over the line there with the bat. We wanted to get ahead of the run rate and Dan and Bouch were outstanding and put the pressure back onto the Welsh Fire.”Then we probably got a little bit of the wobbles unfortunately but to be able to get over the line and people to keep their heads there at the end was really pleasing.”

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