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Arsenal are riding the crest of a wave in the Premier League this season, and are well-placed to win the title after winning back-to-back-to-back silver medals.

It’s been a long time coming, and this envious position is a result of hard, meticulous work from Mikel Arteta and his team. Arsenal are rock-solid at the back, industrious in the middle and crafty up top, arguably boasting the most complete team in Europe.

But with title rivals Manchester City closing in on Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo ahead of the January transfer window, Arteta has made it clear that he’s ready to plug any gaps in his squad, with a midfielder being eyed.

Arsenal consider winter midfield upgrade

Arsenal lack defensive depth, with a number of Gunners stars out injured. Technical director Andrea Berta also continues to search for a left-sided forward, but Arteta is also keen on bringing a centre-midfielder over to the club.

Mikel Merino, for example, flattered to deceive during Arsenal’s recent win over Aston Villa, and with Declan Rice missing that one out due to injury, the Emirates side might want to pounce on one of their central targets.

Just after Christmas, it emerged that Arsenal have been keeping tabs on Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay, who has been a revelation in Italy but may be somewhat disgruntled in Naples.

According to Caught Offside, the Gunners are ready to rival Manchester United, the 29-year-old’s former employers, for his signature in 2026, and it is expected to cost them around £60m.

Why Scott McTominay would be a Merino upgrade

McTominay has bloomed into a remarkable, talismanic player since leaving Manchester United and joining Napoli, someone who could make more of an impact in the Premier League than Merino. That’s no discredit to the Spanish star, rather, an illustration of the Scottish hero’s quality.

Arsenal gave Aston Villa a hiding before the New Year, but Merino did drift through that one, slightly incongruous beside the fluent Martins in the middle. Football.london saw it fit to hand the 29-year-old a match-low 5/10 rating.

That’s not to say that Merino hasn’t been indispensable at times since moving to the club from Real Sociedad in 2024, but in McTominay, Arteta would land a slight improvement who could have a significant impact in affecting the subtleties of a title race against one of Pep Guardiola’s sides.

After all, the 2024/25 Serie A MVP has changed the narrative that dogged him during his Old Trafford days, hailed by content creator Adam Joseph as being a “true superstar of European and world football”

The two players are actually quite alike. Data-driven platform FBref liken Merino to McTominay, and it’s clear to see why. It’s also easy to read that McTominay has a more rounded game, more progressive on the ball and crisper in his distribution.

McTominay vs Merino (past 12 months)

Stats (per 90)

McTominay

Merino

Goals scored

0.37

0.39

Assists

0.13

0.24

Touches

43.21

42.27

Shots taken

2.53

1.75

Shot-creating actions

2.27

2.55

Pass completion (%)

84.4

76.5

Progressive passes

3.42

4.04

Progressive carries

1.46

0.86

Successful take-ons

1.17

0.40

Ball recoveries

4.07

4.25

Tackles + interceptions

1.83

2.64

Aerials won

1.85

2.97

Data via FBref

Once described as a “physical monster” by ex-Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær, McTominay has the grittiness to match the glamour, and it is for this season that he would be such an interesting addition to Arsenal’s outfit, adding a different dimension. In Serie A this season, he has averaged 5.5 duels per game.

Subscribe to the newsletter for Arsenal transfer analysis Curious how midfield additions could tilt a title race? Subscribe to our newsletter to access deeper transfer insights, tactical context, and data-driven comparisons that unpack how potential signings might reshape Arsenal’s prospects.

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But perhaps most critically, McTominay has a big-game presence that could help tip the odds for Arsenal as they chase down football’s biggest prizes.

It’s important that Arteta uses any titles secured this season as a springboard for a sustained period of glittering success. Merino is a core part of this project, but Arsenal have reached a position from which they can be picky.

If it is deemed that a midfield upgrade is needed in the not-too-distant future, then McTominay would represent the subtle upgrade who can make all the difference for a side with greater ambitions than most.

Related Modern day Vieira: Arteta's 9/10 lieutenant is driving Arsenal to the title

Arsenal secured a title-defining victory over Aston Villa in the Premier League.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair

Defending SA20 champions MI Cape Town failed to complete the tournament’s highest successful chase in their two home games and have also stumbled attempting to hunt down the biggest target in Paarl. They remain winless after four games and lost a thriller at Boland Park, where they were defeated by one run to remain at the bottom of the table.Victory was sweet for their noisy neighbours, Paarl Royals, who started well and scored briskly to reach 181, their highest score at this venue, and then defended it fiercely on a slow pitch. Most pleasing for Paarl will be the return to form of their young opener Lhuan-dre Pretorius, whose T20 career-best 98 anchored their innings and the way their bowlers stuck to the task.A target of 160-plus had only been successfully chased in the SA20 at Boland Park once before, but MICT were off to a good start. They were 109 for 1 after 12 overs before Ottneil Baartman and Sikandar Raza sparked a massive collapse.MICT lost five wickets for nine runs in 18 balls and the cat-and-mouse game began. MICT needed 50 runs from the last four overs, 30 from the last two and 15 off the last one, thanks to a 51-run partnership from George Linde and Rashid Khan for the seventh-wicket. Baartman broke the stand in the final over and picked up the wicket of Kagiso Rabada to finish with 4 for 51. In the process, Baartman also became the second bowler, after Marco Jansen, to reach 50 SA20 wickets.Lhuan-dre Pretorius’ big hits took Paarl Royals to a competitive total•SA20

The openers sparkling start

The last time Paarl played at home, they were bowled out for 49, but they shelved those memories and more than doubled that score in the first half of their innings today. Pretorius and Asa Tribe combined to put the much-vaunted MICT attack to the sword. They took 13 runs off Rabada’s first over and 16 off each of Dane Piedt and Rashid’s opening overs with an array of boundaries in the V.Tribe was particularly good at attacking short balls and Pretorius’ use of his feet, especially against Rabada. The pair put on Paarl’s third-highest opening stand in SA20 history before Tribe was caught on the deep mid-wicket boundary off Rashid. Pretorius went on to register his ninth fifty in T20s and seemed set to double up.

Chasing the century

On a track that is known to slow down, Paarl were kept quiet for the five overs between 10 and 15 and managed just 30 runs despite the presence of their big-hitting captain, David Miller. In the 16th over, Pretorius slog swept Linde for six to enter the 60s, but two more quiet overs and the departure of Raza followed.Paarl and Pretorius worked their way to their last over on 166 for 3 and 84 respectively. Rabada would deliver the last six balls. He started with a slower ball that Pretorius edged wide of Ryan Rickelton for four. Then he bowled a wide. Pretorius dragged the next delivery from outside off over the leg side to enter the 90s. His partner, Delano Potgieter, ran hard for him as they took three twos of the next three balls, leaving Pretorius on 98 with one to face. Rabada’s death bowling outsmarted the 19-year-old batter, and he finished with a wide yorker that Pretorius could not make contact with.Rassie van der Dussen struck 59 off 42 balls•SA20

Remember Rassie?

Rickelton was the subject of much discussion after his T20 World Cup exclusion and began making his case with 30 runs from the first 15 balls he faced. Rassie van der Dussen, on 15 off 16 in the same time, only had an outside chance of making the national squad but served up a reminder of what he can do in a stunning takedown of Paarl’s premier seamer, Baartman, who was also left of the T20 World Cup playing group.In the final over of the powerplay, van der Dussen sent Baartman out of the ground, then over square and then over extra cover for three sixes in four balls and took his score to 33 off 21 deliveries. MICT ended the powerplay on 64 without loss and van der Dussen went on to make 59 off 42 balls.

Jason Smith in the spotlight

The biggest surprise in South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad, which was named earlier on Friday, was Jason Smith, amid many questions. Smith has only played two T20Is, was the 19th highest run-scorer in the T20 competition but has a reputation as a big-hitter. He wasn’t able to show that in Paarl. He pushed the first ball he faced from Baartman a single and then missed a cross seam delivery that he tried to whip over mid-wicket. He was struck in front of the middle and leg and wanted to review but Nicholas Pooran convinced him not to, and rightly so. Smith was out for 1 and will know all eyes will be on him as the tournament progresses. Smith was the second wicket in that Baartman over and the second in a spectacular MI collapse of five wickets for nine runs.

First Division

	Near miss: Neil Edwards is run out for 99 at Taunton © Getty Images

Darren Pattinson bowled his first over on the opening day at Trent Bridge at around 11.05 am and also bowled the final over at around 6.30 pm. During that time 20 wickets tumbled as Pattinson ripped Lancashire apart with a career-best 6 for 30 before Nottinghamshire were removed for 202. It was the second time in two matches that Lancashire had been involved in such a day, following their game against Durham last week. Pattinson took a five-wicket haul on his county debut in the opening match of the season against Kent, but had to move aside while Ryan Sidebottom and Stuart Broad were available. With those two on England duty, Pattinson had another chance and responded in destructive fashion. Lancashire’s top order – missing Mohammad Yousuf who has had some minor visa issues – slumped to 16 for 4, and later the last six wickets went for 12. In between Stuart Law (55) and Steven Croft began a recovery but Mark Ealham started the second collapse by having Croft caught by Graeme Swann. Wickets continued to fall as Nottinghamshire slipped to 43 for 3. Samit Patel produced the best innings of the day, adding 93 with Mark Wagh (55), and Patel’s 74 off 71 balls took his team into the lead before Gary Keedy – the first spiner of the match – grabbed two quick wickets. Croft then swiftly wrapped up the innings with his medium-pace, although the lead of 89 is useful on a lively surface. The pitch inspectors are on their way for the start of the second day.Chris Tremlett continued the promising form he showed for England Lions last week with five wickets as Hampshire had a productive first day against Surrey at The Rose Bowl. He removed Jon Batty for a duck and returned to have Scott Newman bowled via an inside edge when he appeared set. Mark Ramprakash, searching for his 100th hundred, was caught behind for 17 as plenty of Surrey batsmen made starts without capitalising. Mark Butcher, well caught by Sean Ervine at midwicket, and Usman Afzaal fell in the forties despite being dropped three times between them. Matthew Nicholson’s 40 gave the total some respectability and the day ended on a positive note for Surrey when Jimmy Ormond removed Michael Carberry in his first over.The Somerset top order enjoyed the conditions at Taunton and Sussex endured a tough day in the field. James Hildreth scored his first Championship century of the season as the visitors were made to toil in typically batsman-friendly conditions. Chris Adams put Somerset in, perhaps swayed by last week’s match when Somerset were 23 for 6 against Hampshire. Neil Edwards was within touching distance of his own century but, having advanced out of the crease against Ollie Rayner, was run out for 99 by some swift work from Chris Adams at slip. Marcus Trescothick hit 74 with 11 boundaries before becoming Corey Collymore’s first Championship wicket.Click here for John Ward’s report of the first day’s play between Durham and Yorkshireat Chester-le-Street where Michael Di Venuto dominated with an unbeaten 184.

Second Division

Chris Taylor and Steven Snell hit centuries to haul Gloucestershire out of a hole against Worcestershire at New Road. The pair added 222 in 53 overs for the sixth wicket after the top order had fallen against the new ball to leave them struggling on 85 for 5. Simon Jones struck twice in his first spell, but Taylor and Snell carried the game away from Worcestershire. Snell began his cricketing life on the Isle of Wright and has now been preferred ahead of Stephen Adshead in the Championship. He reached his first century off 179 balls while Taylor hit four sixes in his 137 before being caught behind off Gareth Batty. But the momentum was now with Gloucestershire, a point emphatically hammered home by Mark Hardinges’ 43-ball half-century during the final session.Jonathan Clare continued the impressive form, which has earned him a contract extension, and his unbeaten 70 boosted a mediocre batting performance by Derbyshire at Sophia Gardens. The Glamorgan attack made early inroads as James Harris helped reduce Derbyshire to 66 for 3. Chris Rogers made 69 before being caught behind off David Harrison, but Clare and Graham Wagg (32) started the fightback with a stand of 50. Robert Croft worked his way through the tail to end with four wickets, including his 900th for Glamorgan. Matthew Wood fell early to Wagg, but Gareth Rees gave Glamorgan a solid platform to their reply.2nd dayJacques du Toit hit his maiden first-class century as Leicestershire piled up 527, their highest total for nearly two years, against Northamptonshire at Grace Road. He built on the solid work from the top order on the opening day, adding 129 with Paul Nixon (79) for the seventh wicket. Even when Nicky Boje removed them both the problems didn’t stop for Northamptonshire as Jermaine Lawson clubbed 35 off 29 balls at No. 11. Niall O’Brien built a solid response after Lawson removed Stephen Peters with a leg-stump yorker, finishing the day unbeaten on 76.

‘As a team, we’ve not been able to climb out of the doldrums so that will remain on my mind’ © Getty Images

Brian Lara has said that he retired from international cricket on his own terms in spite of his surprising announcement at the end of West Indies’ unsuccessful 2007 World Cup campaign.Lara had initially planned only to retire from one-day internationals at the end of the tournament but was expected to be part of the ongoing tour of England. “We needed a new direction, someone who was willing to see some sort of change,” Lara said in an exclusive interview in . “I was willing to do that. I wanted to come to England but I had also said I wanted to finish with one-dayers. It’s not ideal but then how many things in life are?”Lara also indicated that he could be playing cricket again in six to eight months although he refused to be drawn who for and at what level. “I think I am going to play cricket again. If I go six or eight months without cricket I would lose it and I don’t want to lose it yet.”He was part of a West Indian side that suffered a massive slump in form over the last decade. Lara, in fact, has been involved in 63 Test defeats, the most for any player. “I’ve done what I could do so I’m happy with me,” he said when asked if he felt fulfilled. “As a team, we’ve not been able to climb out of the doldrums so that will remain on my mind. That does not rest well with me. I leave West Indies cricket with my head held high. I’ve tried my best and I’ve worked my arse off. Maybe I could have done things differently but I’ve done things my way – that’s the most important thing.”

If a man wants to fault me, then fine. But respect me for trying and that I didn’t short-change anyone

If a man wants to fault me, then fine. But respect me for trying and that I didn’t short-change anyone.”Lara insists that the problems with West Indies cricket ran deep. “It’s that we don’t have a good infrastructure for young guys to develop. West Indies have a great Under-15 side. I know a 16-year-old guy in Trinidad who’s awesome but I worry for him because of the facilities. A mediocre Australian cricketer at 17 or 18 will be slapping everyone all over the world five years later. If you don’t have facilities and you don’t have employment then you have a negative atmosphere.”It’s a cliché that cricket is the only unifying force in the Caribbean. It is but there are a lot of other factors that keep us apart. Success in sport and war will always unite but you need to have a greater foundation and a greater core. That has been tested through the decline of West Indies cricket and we have seen how divided we are as a people.”

Lara would like to see Jermaine Lawson back in the side © Getty Images

Joey Carew, convenor of West Indies’ selection panel, has declined to comment on Brian Lara’s plea to include a bowler of genuine pace in the squad for the third Test. With the St Kitts Test due to start on Thursday, Carew has, however, agreed with Lara on the fact that pitches in the Caribbean need improvement.In response to Lara’s suggestion that Jermaine Lawson be considered for selection in the absence of Fidel Edwards, sidelined since the first Test with a hamstring injury, Carew told the : “Brian said that he spoke to some people who said that Jermaine Lawson, the quickie from Jamaica, is ready, but we still have our doubts about his bowling action. He has been called internationally for throwing, and even in a local match. For Lawson to be included in the team, we must see him bowling at top pace with a clean action.”Carew, a former Trinidad and Tobago captain and West Indies opener, was of the opinion that the ideal bowling combination would be three fast bowlers, a spinner, and Dwayne Bravo, the allrounder. “You see when you have this kind of composition, you have an attack that can perform on any surface, because there is variety at your disposal,” he said. “I think that pretty soon, these guys will break the ice and start winning matches for us. So far, we have had some encouraging signs, and it is just a matter of time before they make the breakthrough.””We need better pitches in the Caribbean,” Carew added. “Look at India, they cannot even bowl us out twice. Looking at our bowling attack, a major factor has so far been the absence of Fidel Edwards through injury. He was an essential part of our attack and would have provided the pace that is necessary to be penetrative on such pitches.”Carew said he believed West Indies would begin winning Test matches soon. “What I would like to see happening at present is our batsmen compiling more runs,” he explained. “We have been drawing matches, and even if we cannot win matches presently, then they should not be struggling to draw games.”Carew gave no reasons as to why Dave Mohammed, the left-arm spinner, was omitted from the 13-man squad for the third Test.

Shane Deitz provided the highlight for South Australia’s 2nd XI and in the process helped his side recover to be 294/5 at the end of the first day of their ACB cup clash with Western Australia’s 2nd XI at Tompkins Park in Perth yesterday.Western Australia won the toss and, on a cold damp blustery morning atMelville Cricket club’s home ground Tompkins Park, asked South Australiato bat first.Jack Smith and Daniel Harris opened to the attack of Michael Clark andStuart KarppinenIn the fourth over Smith was dropped by second slip Adam Voges off Karppinenwithout scoring. Four overs later he was caught at point by Brett Jonesoff Karppinen for two (26 balls) to leave South Australia 12/1.After only a brief but successful spell, Karppinen was replaced at the Riverend by Callum Thorp who carried on through to the drinks break. However, justbefore that break, Voges (who was still in second slip) earned the ire ofthe change bowler Thorp when he dropped his second catch of the day – thistime off Ben Higgins when that batsman was on eight. Voges was soonbanished to the outfield.When the first session drinks break was taken after 14 overs had beenbowled, Harris had scored three (46) and Higgins fourteen (21) and the SouthAustralian score was 1/30.Andrew James replaced Clark at the Canning Road end. The former Canberranquick spraying the ball either side of the wicket in his first over with sixruns being taken off it.James’ next over had a double breakthrough. Playing well away from his bodyoutside off, Higgins was unlucky to have played the ball off the inside edgeand into the stumps behind him after scoring 27 runs (38). Two balls laterMark Cosgrove was out edging to the ‘keeper Ronchi without scoring and fromthe last ball of the over. James followed this up with a sharp maiden over.James was replaced by Beau Casson who bowled two economical overs beforethe lunch break, and lunch was taken with the weather improving and SouthAustralia steady at 3/75 after 28 overs.Wes Thomas 15 (47) was caught in the 34th over when he edged to the ‘keeperLuke Ronchi from the bowling of Michael Thistle (bowling from the River end). South Australia were 4/85. By drinks in the middle session, Daniel Harris (38) and Deitz (15) had moved the score to 114.Deitz pulled at a short ball from James sending it high and deep overfine leg where it fell dangerously close to a river. The six took hisscore along to 36.Before tea, Thorp replaced Karppinen at the River end and then Cassonreplaced James at the Canning Road end. Tea came and the ground was againdark and gloomy with the score on 4/167 with Harris 60 andDeitz 41 after 57 overs.Harris was on 60 (172) when he fell as he pushed out to a ballfrom Thorp and nicked it through to the ‘keeper Ronchi when the score was 168.Michael Thistle came in for some punishment after he replaced Thorp at theRiver end with 26 runs being taken off six overs in his final spell.James replaced Casson as WA took the new ball after 80 overs and the scoreon 5/242. His first two overs of this spell were maidens keepingFerguson quiet. With Deitz on strike for the next two overs he conceded nineruns.The cloud cover had returned when Deitz brought up his centuryturning the ball from James into the leg-side and coming back for thesecond. The South Australians were right onto that fact and gave him agoodly round of appreciation from their positions under the club houseeaves. The Western Australian supporters too were equally generous. Inthree and a half hours of batting Deitz entertained with shots to allparts of the ground with measured aggression at times and respect atother times.At stumps, with picturesque shafts of light bursting through the cloudslow on the horizon, South Australia had taken their score along to 294/5 wickets. Deitz was the story of the day, his unbeaten knockof 114 (197) was chanceless. Harris gave a chance which wasn’t taken andwent on to make 60 before becoming Thorp’s only scalp. Ferguson 48 (117)also remained unbeaten at day’s end, a stalwart ally for Deitz in the unbroken sixth wicket stand of 126.For Western Australia there can be only a measure of disappointment atthe end of this day after chances went begging, allowing the batsmen to take full advantage. Double wicket-taker James was wayward and expensive. Thistle andKarppinen probably could have done more. Callum Thorp was impressivelydisciplined but largely went unrewarded for his efforts and Casson and Clarkboth bowled courageously but without any luck.This game will continue for the next three days with the weather outlookbecoming fine. The facilities at the Melville CC’s ground are fantastic.

Australia 401 and 375 beat Sri Lanka 407 and 248 (Jayasuriya 51, Samaraweera 53, Warne 4-92) by 121 runs, and won series 3-0
Scorecard

Shane Warne turned things around with four wickets in the final session© Getty Images

Sri Lanka stopped Shane Warne from overhauling Courtney Walsh’s 519-wicket world record – but could not prevent Australia from inflicting their first series whitewash on home soil with a 121-run victory at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. Warne played his part, snapping up four wickets in the final session, as Sri Lanka came within eight balls of saving the game before they were finally bowled out for 248.During the afternoon, the band played, Warne toiled, and the threat of SriLanka’s first home whitewash seemed to be fading as Thilan Samaraweera and Mahela Jayawardene battened down the hatches after lunch, and added 64 in 160 balls for the third wicket.Warne had failed to make any headway despite the dusty dry pitch, and Australia’s seamers were also beginning to show signs of tiredness after an exhausting tour, although Michael Kasprowicz was still gunbarrel-straight and Jason Gillespie occasionally conjured up some real devil from the placid surface.But as tea approached, Darren Lehmann – the Man of the Match after 153 in the first innings and five wickets in the game – reclaimed the initiative for Australia with the wickets of Samaraweera and Jayawardene. At 186 for 4, the Sri Lankans sipped their tea nervously.Samaraweera, pushed up to No. 3, had bedded down on his favourite home pitch (he has scored all three of his Test tons here) and looked set for a long stay as he passed 50 again. But then he was drawn down the pitch and stumped (156 for 3). Then Jayawardene, who had batted so well and watchfully for his 97-ball 37, was given out caught behind off Lehmann, although the TV replays showed the ball had only brushed his pad (181 for 4).After tea, Warne finally claimed his first wicket of the innings as KumarSangakkara – who was shifted down toNo. 5 after Samaraweera’s promotion – patted a legbreak defensively which then spun between his legs onto the stumps. He made 27 (191 for 5).

Until he was lured down the pitch, Thilan Samaraweera played resolutely for his 53© Getty Images

Hashan Tillakaratne and Tillakaratne Dilshan held Australia’s bowlers at bay for nearly an hour. Tillakaratne blocked each delivery, while Dilshan played his natural free-spirited game, hitting five fours and speeding to 31 from 44 balls. But Dilshan’s aggressive approach eventually proved his downfall, as he miscued an attempted inside-out drive over cover and was caught at mid-off (232 for 6). The breakthrough opened up Sri Lanka’s lower order – and, crucially, the new ball was just moments away.Tillakaratne’s last innings as captain ended shortly after the start of thefinal hour when he was trapped in front by Jason Gillespie, who was hunting for his 200th wicket with a shiny new ball. Warne returned to the attack to snare Nuwan Zoysa four overs later.Chaminda Vaas resisted for 74 minutes for his 9, eschewing thedaring approach that had cost Sri Lanka dearly in the second Test at Kandy, but was finally trapped lbw by Warne in the 13th over of the final hour. Next over, the penultimate of the series, Kasprowicz pinned Rangana Herath leg-before for a duck, to seal Australia’s victory.Sri Lanka’s morning had started brightly, with Sanath Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu extending their opening partnership to 45. Jayasuriya cut a couple of early boundaries and Atapattu drove crisply straight down the ground. Kasprowicz was denied Jayasuriya’s wicket on 28 when Adam Gilchrist floored a difficult one-handed chance.But Kasprowicz was not to be deprived for long, as Atapattu’s off stump was sent cartwheeling by an offcutter, a carbon copy of his first-innings dismissal. He made 14 (45 for 1). It was the sixth time in 11 innings during this tour that Atapattu’s stumps had been rattled, a worrying statistic for an opening batsman.Jayasuriya’s 131 at Kandy was an electric innings, a knock that carried SriLanka to the brink of a famous win, but today’s was more sedate. There was the odd signature rifle-cracking boundary through the off side, an area the Australians protected with a deep point, but he stopped short of an all-out assault.Nevertheless, Sri Lanka were scoring at a good rate, and local dreamers might have started to ponder a remarkable victory. But an umpiring blunder quashed those hopes when Jayasuriya was given out caught at backward short leg off Lehmann’s first delivery of the morning. Like Jayawardene’s dismissal later on, the ball appeared only to brush the pad.It was that sort of day for Sri Lanka. And the news didn’t get any better after the match, when it was revealed that Chris Broad, the match referee, was reporting Muttiah Muralitharan’s bowling action to the ICC. Broad, it seems, has reservations about Murali’s newish doosra delivery.

Wacken Hut CC lifted the glittering Abdul Quddoos Sheikh Memorial cricket trophy, after inflicting a heavy 92-run defeat over Dawn Group, at the UBL Sports Complex on Sunday.Winning the toss and electing to bat, Wacken Hut got off to an electrifying start when Arif Rao (40) and Hassan Arshad (23), put on 61 runs for the second wicket in only six overs. However, spinners Zafar Iqbal four for 20 and Imtiaz Iqbal two for 39, managed to curb the run rate as Wacken Hut were dismissed for 159 runs in 24.5 overs.Skipper Amjad Ali Baig (23) and Hanif Malik (18), were also among the runs.Chasing 160 runs for victory, Dawn Group lost an early wicket. But with Arshad Azam (21) and Irfan Ali stroking the ball well, seemed to be coasting along comfortably when disaster struck. Both batsmen fell in quick succession and never recovering from this tragedy, Dawn Group were soon dismissed in 19.2 overs with only 67 runs on the board.Paceman Hassan Arshad, later named the Man of the Match was the pick of the Wacken Hut attack, claiming three for 22. Spinners Nisar Abbas weighed in two for 16 and Farhan two wickets for one run.City Nazim Naimatullah Khan,was the chief guest on the occasion and presented the trophies to the winners and runners-up.Ifran Ali from (Dawn), was declared the best batsman of the tournament, Shoukat Mirza (Waken Hut) the best bowler and Adnan Jaffery (Aga Khan University Hospital), best player of the tournament.

New Zealand One-Day International opener Mathew Sinclair finished the first part of his summer with Yorkshire club Cleethorpes on Saturday with a resounding win which lifted the club to fourth place in the Yorkshire premier league.Playing against Driffield, and bowling first, Cleethorpes dismissed the home team for 61.It took Cleethorpes, and Sinclair and captain Mike Smith in particular, only 9.4 overs to hit the winning runs.Sinclair, who is to join the CLEAR Black Caps in Sri Lanka for the Coca-Cola Cup series with Sri Lanka and India, hit 42 not out off 26 balls as the victory was achieved.Sinclair has scored 1108 runs in his season to date with Cleethorpes.Tama Canning, who is playing for Accrington in the Lancashire League had his game washed out before a ball was bowled at the weekend.Sinclair’s New Zealand team-mate Lou Vincent warmed up for his trip by scoring 78 for his side Esholt in the Bradford league against Bankfoot and taking three wickets for 50 runs from eight overs.It wasn’t enough for a win however, as Esholt fell 46 runs short of Bankfoot’s 206/8.

Liverpool fans have been locked in purgatory this season, Arne Slot’s side so far removed from their title-winning selves last season.

But we have seen some progress in recent weeks. Liverpool are unbeaten in four Premier League matches, and their 2-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League has tightened their foothold on ascension to the knockout phase.

And yet Slot’s side need to improve. The Reds have shown themselves to be tactically imbalanced this year, and with each loss, more confidence has been stripped away, leaving the Premier League champions denuded of their reputation as one of Europe’s most dangerous forces.

Slot deserves respect, and it’s clear that FSG are not ready to push the button and eject him from his seat. But something still needs to give, and with the January transfer window less than a fortnight away, sporting director Richard Hughes is weighing up a bid for Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo.

Liverpool's plans to sign a winger

Liverpool want Semenyo this winter, but so, it seems, does the rest of the Premier League. His signature is red-hot, and while Liverpool stand as good a chance as anyone in the race, it would be negligible not to sound out alternatives.

There’s no question that Liverpool miss Luis Diaz, whose pace and directness in the final third now belong to Bayern Munich.

But Nico Williams shares with Semenyo and Colombian similar physical and athletic attributes, and Spanish sources believe FSG are preparing a €95m (equating to about £83m) offer.

The Spain international came close to joining Barcelona in the summer, but he remains with Athletic Bilbao, who are struggling for attacking fluidity in La Liga.

With Semenyo the top target, Liverpool may want to look at the wider picture, with Williams bearing the potential to become one of the very best in the world.

Why Liverpool want Nico Williams

When Spain won the 2021 European Championship, they did so with Williams taking centre-stage. Now 23, Williams was only announcing himself at the time, growing into his skin as one of Spain’s brightest talents.

He isn’t yet as refined as Semenyo, but the sky is truly the limit for this one. Williams’ blistering speed and ability on the ball have caused critics to marvel, gushing over qualities that some defenders simply don’t have answers for. In this, he is already “world-class”, as has been said by journalist Zach Lowy.

While Williams’ output has decreased for Bilbao, this year and last, this speaks of deeper offensive issues at the Basque club. They have scored 15 league goals all season, which means the Spanish winger has been directly involved in 40% of the goalmouth action.

Nico Williams – La Liga Stats by Season

Season

Apps

Goals + Assists

25/26

13

3 + 3

24/25

29

5 + 5

23/24

31

5 + 13

22/23

34

0 + 0

21/22

2

0 + 0

Data via Transfermarkt

Williams hasn’t been in the finest fettle this season, but he’s still one of the most dangerous and dynamic wingers in the game. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 11% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions and the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90.

Even so, it would be ridiculous to try to deny his quality and potential. Hailed as a “nightmare for defenders” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Williams matches Semenyo’s thrill factor, that fleet-footedness which differentiates him.

Semenyo, of course, is riding the crest of a wave in the Premier League. The 25-year-old has scored seven goals and supplied three assists in the division this season. The talk of the town, he boasts a formidable array of underlying metrics, winning 6.6 duels and averaging 1.6 tackles and dribbles per game in 2025/26, as per Sofascore.

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But Williams is several years his junior, and he has already demonstrated a capacity to thrive and stand out on the biggest stages. Liverpool need a winger, and while Semenyo would provide instant results, Williams might just be worth the longer investment. He really is that good, and he’s only getting better.

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Posts ByRobbie Walls