Palmeiras quer manter longo tabu contra o Criciúma no Brasileirão; veja números

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O Palmeiras volta a enfrentar o Criciúma após dez anos e com direito a tabu em jogo. O duelo válido pela sétima rodada do Brasileirão acontece neste domingo (2), às 16h, no gramado do Heriberto Hülse. O Verdão não sabe o que é perder para este adversário desde 1997, quando o resultado foi 1 a 0 no antigo Estádio Palestra Itália.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão

As melhores e mais variadas ofertas para o Brasileirão estão no Lance! Betting! Abra já a sua conta!

De lá para cá, as equipes se enfrentaram outras seis vezes, com direito a cinco vitórias do Palmeiras e um empate. Além disso, foram 11 gols marcados pelo Verdão neste período e seis sofridos.

No total, foram 11 confrontos entre Palmeiras e Criciúma na história, com sete vitórias palmeirenses, dois empates e duas derrotas. Na última vez em que as equipes se enfrentaram, pelo Brasileirão de 2014, o time paulista venceu por 1 a 0, com gol de Cristaldo, no Pacaembu.

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O time comandado por Abel Ferreira busca sua terceira vitória neste Brasileirão. Com apenas oito pontos em seis jogos, o time precisa vencer para saltar na tabela de classificação e colar no G6.

Este será o primeiro jogo da equipe após a despedida de Endrick, e o treinador já “quebra a cabeça” para ver quem ficará com a vaga da joia palmeirense, que vai para o Real Madrid. Sem Flaco López, suspenso, Rony, Lázaro, Luis Guilherme e Rômulo brigam por vaga no ataque ao lado de Estêvão.

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All-round Green leads NSW to comprehensive win against South Australia

Gilkes (99), Patterson (73) and Green (38*) took NSW to 288, before Green and Sangha shared eight wickets

AAP20-Sep-2025NSW wicketkeeper Matthew Gilkes had been run out for 99 but spinners Tanveer Sangha and Chris Green wreaked havoc in a crushing 131-run One-Day Cup win over defending champions South Australia in Sydney.Gilkes (99 off 107 balls) was run out by a direct hit from Jason Sangha in the 44th over after pushing for a quick single in his quest to bring up his century in Saturday’s clash at Cricket Central.Despite that heartbreak, the bulk of the damage had already been done, with Gilkes and Kurtis Patterson (73 off 84 balls) having combined for a 140-run stand earlier in the innings as NSW posted a competitive 288 for 7.Green added a handy 38 not out off 19 balls in a blistering late cameo that featured three sixes and three fours.In reply, South Australia were skittled for 157 in 36.3 overs after being torn to shreds by legspinner Sangha (4 for 35) and offspinner Green (4 for 25), securing NSW the bonus-point win.The Redbacks were well placed in their run chase at 84 for 1 after 15 overs following a solid knock from opener Mackenzie Harvey (60 off 55 balls). But Sangha’s first wicket, the scalp of Daniel Drew, sparked a collapse of 7 for 30 as the run chase ended limply.Sangha followed up the dismissal of Drew by snaring dangerman Alex Carey for 8. And by the time Green snared a sharp caught-and-bowled chance to send Harvey packing, and then Sangha dismissed Jake Lehmann for a duck, South Australia had slumped to 100 for 6, and it was effectively game over.

If not Steven Smith, then who? Australia's opening debate

Smith made a big play for the role last season but it remains uncertain if he’ll do it against India

Alex Malcolm17-Sep-20242:39

‘I’ll bat anywhere the team wants me to’ – Steven Smith

It’s the major debate in Australian cricket: will Steven Smith be Usman Khawaja’s opening partner for the Border-Gavaskar Test series against India in two months?Australia’s exit from the T20 World Cup in the Super Eight phase did not gain much traction back home, nor has there been a fervent following of the current white-ball tour of the UK for insights on the future direction of the T20I side or hints on how the ODI World Cup-winning side will look without the retired David Warner ahead of the Champions Trophy next year. There is still eight ODIs and three T20Is before Australia play Test cricket again.Related

  • Green in doubt for India series with surgery on the table

  • 'He can be successful as an opener' – Watson thinks Smith should stay put

  • Travis Head is not the answer to Australia's Test opening problem

  • Australia sweat on Green as selection for India becomes complicated

  • Cameron Green out of remainder of England ODIs with back injury

But such is the nature of how Australians follow the men’s team, the long-term replacement for Warner in the Test side is of significant interest. Smith’s four-match run as an opener has been roundly picked apart. Team-mates, former players, commentators, columnists and fans have, with the exception of the odd voice, said he should be moved back to No. 4 despite Smith being the one who requested to open in the first place.Smith’s move allowed Cameron Green to return to the side at No. 4 and he responded with a match-winning 174 not out against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in March. Smith, however, endured a difficult tour of New Zealand as an opener. Having made 91 not out in his fourth innings in the role against the West Indies in January, proof in his own words that he could succeed in the role, he returned scores of 31, 0, 11 and 9 in Wellington and Christchurch on pitches that were very helpful for new-ball bowlers.Steven Smith made 91 against West Indies but had a lean time in New Zealand•Getty ImagesHis comments on the opening position since have been noteworthy. Back in January, he spoke about a desire to open to give himself a fresh challenge late in his career and suggested that he was in for the long haul. Since then, he hasn’t explicitly backtracked, but he did publicly note Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne’s comments about their preference for him to return to No. 4. Khawaja was particularly pointed this week in doing Smith’s bidding.”He’ll just probably never say it, so I’ll say it for him,” Khawaja told . “Opening is a very important spot … I still think we have the best Test player of my era in the side, in Steve Smith, and his best spot has been No. 4. I feel like the best balance for our team is Labuschagne three, Smith four.”It puts Australia’s selectors in a bind. Coach Andrew McDonald said on last week that no decision had been made and discussions were ongoing, although he reinforced that, barring injury, the incumbent top six from the New Zealand series would remain as the top six for the first Test against India. There will likely be an indication of the plans when the multi-format players are available for Shield cricket next month.So, if it’s not Smith who opens alongside Khawaja, which it still could be, then who is it?Marnus Labuschagne’s moving up one spot could be an option•Getty Images

Marnus Labuschagne

This represents the simplest and least disruptive option to the current status quo, although it doesn’t get Smith back to No. 4. Labuschagne and Smith could simply swap positions in the order. Labuschagne has opened 15 times in first-class cricket including as recently as May this year when he made 111 for Glamorgan against Middlesex. He has as much experience opening in first-class cricket as Smith, Green, Travis Head, and Mitchell Marsh combined, with Green and Marsh having never done it.Labuschagne only averages 34.86 opening in first-class cricket but he has scored two centuries, including one at the WACA back in 2016 when he was still trying to establish himself as a first-class player. He’s also walked out to bat eight times in Test cricket with his team yet to score and countless other times in the opening overs.Smith has eight Test centuries batting at No. 3 and averages 67.07 in that spot, higher than his 61.50 at No. 4, but he has not batted there since 2017. Part of Smith’s desire to open was driven by the fact he had become frustrated by waiting too long to bat at No. 4 and first drop could be a comfortable halfway house for him. It would also mean that Green, Head and Marsh stay in their preferred spots at Nos. 4, 5 and 6.But moving Labuschagne up from No. 3, where he has 11 Test centuries and averages 51.78, to open only to get Smith back to No. 3 might not appease the masses let alone Smith, Labuschagne and Khawaja.Giving Cameron Green a chance to settle in the middle order would appear the preferred outcome•Getty Images

Cameron Green

There was a brief period prior to Warner’s retirement when there was a very real possibility that Green could open the batting. Green was preparing for it, spending time with batting coach Michael Di Venuto facing the new ball during Warner’s final Test in Sydney when the allrounder was running the drinks. The selectors were seriously weighing up the option in their desire to pick their best six batters and add a sixth bowling option. Green was only spared the monumental task when Smith put his hand up.Moving him to open just two Tests after he made a career-defining 174 not out at No. 4 in Wellington seems an undesirable option. Former Australia allrounder Shane Watson said earlier this year that Green had the skill to do it, with Watson having done it successfully as an allrounder. But captain Pat Cummins is already bracing for his two allrounders in Green and Marsh to have heavier bowling workloads in an intense and condensed five-match series against India.Asking Green to add the opening role to his heavy portfolio would limit his bowling availability. Green is also on record stating that No. 4 is his preferred position, having dominated in that role for Western Australia, saying he feels a lot more comfortable there than he does at No. 6.Could Travis Head carry is blazing strokeplay to the top of the order?•Getty Images

Travis Head

Khawaja has nominated Head as the best option to partner him and allow Smith to move back to No. 4. It is a theory that is gaining legs publicly, particularly given Head’s white-ball wizardry at the top of the order and that he has opened the batting in Test cricket in India. But Australia’s selectors made it very clear at the time that it was a horses for courses move to allow Head to try and get his side off to a rollicking start in conditions where the new ball rarely shifts sideways and there is very little extra bounce.Head’s mediocre record starting against spin in the subcontinent was also a factor. He was shifted back to No. 5 the moment Australia left India and immediately pounded 163 in the World Test Championship final against the same opposition. Head could well open the batting in Sri Lanka later in the summer, but the selectors clearly prefer his counterattacking brilliance at No. 5 in home conditions.Head was asked last summer about potentially opening ahead of Warner’s farewell and said his preference was to remain at No. 5 in Australian conditions, although it is unknown whether his stance has shifted.It is understandable how Head has become a viable candidate in many people’s eyes given his dominance at the top of the order in limited-overs cricket over the last 12 months. But it needs to be remembered that’s Warner’s ability to translate a devastating limited-overs opening record into becoming Australia’s most prolific Test opener in history made him a unicorn in Australian cricket. Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist were outstanding ODI openers but remained counterattacking middle-order players in Test cricket for good reason.There is one global example that could give Australia’s selectors pause to consider Head as a full-time opener. India’s Rohit Sharma started his first-class and Test career as a middle-order player while being a powerhouse at the top in white-ball cricket. Now he has carved out an excellent Test record as an opener in all conditions. Moving Head would allow Smith to move back to No. 4 and Green can slot in at No. 5 where he also has an outstanding first-class record.Mitchell Marsh’s counterattacking has been key at No. 6•AFP/Getty Images

Mitchell Marsh

The case against both Green and Head also applies to Marsh. The West Australian has also made it very clear he would not be comfortable moving to the top of the order after taking so long to find his happy place at No. 6. He was Australia’s most consistent Test batter last summer and rescued the side time and again with bold counterattacking innings coming in at four-down.He has also been explicit in saying that his technique is not suited to batting any higher in the order, let alone against the opposition’s best fast bowlers with a brand-new ball in seaming and bouncing conditions. Marsh’s record in Shield cricket is testament to that where he remarkably averages just 29.98 for WA across 95 innings and has never batted higher than No. 5.Like Green his bowling will be important across the summer, but his body is more fragile than Green’s and will need even more management and rest. It is for that reason he could potentially not bowl a ball on Australia’s 11-game white-ball tour of the UK.Like Head, Marsh’s form against the new ball in white-ball cricket has led to calls to use him at the top of order in Test cricket to accommodate Smith moving back down. Marsh would do anything for the team and would give it his best shot if he was asked to do it, but it is unlikely the selectors would put him in that position given they are getting career-best form out of him.

Afridi arrives to raise the heat for Brisbane: 'That's why I'm here'

Mitchell Starc can take some of the credit as Shaheen Shah Afridi arrives in Australia as part of a star-studded Pakistan contingent to lead Brisbane Heat’s depleted attack in the BBL.Afridi, the towering left-arm quick, is a hardened three-format international at just 25, and was taken with the first pick by Heat in June’s draft. A season-ending injury to Spencer Johnson and Michael Neser’s Test duties mean Johan Botha’s side will be leaning heavily on the man who recently took over as Pakistan’s ODI captain.”They [Johnson and Neser] are experienced bowlers for this team and I hope I play my role, that’s why I’m here,” Afridi said on Wednesday. “In all three [disciplines]… fielding, and if I need, chipping in batting as well, I’ll give my best. It’s not a small league and [is] well-renowned as the best league and… the best cricket with the best players.”Related

  • Maddinson eyes comeback with Sydney Thunder in BBL

  • Knee surgery rules R Ashwin out of BBL 2025-26

Afridi will line up against Melbourne Renegades on his BBL debut on Monday, and will be pitted against the man he replaced as Pakistan’s white-ball skipper, Mohammad Rizwan.Babar Azam (Sydney Sixers), Hasan Ali (Adelaide Strikers), Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars) and Shadab Khan (Sydney Thunder) will also feature in the tournament, which begins on Sunday.”First game against Rizzy… a world-quality player. And Babar’s here as well,” Afridi said. “They know me, I know them. Hopefully we play some good cricket here. And we’re really hopeful we get the Pakistani support, and the Asian community as a whole.”Afridi has taken 126 wickets and gone for less than eight runs an over in 96 T20Is, while his Test average (27) and strike rate (52) are up there among the best in the current game.Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are among the many Pakistan players in the BBL this year•AFP/Getty Images

Starc’s 414th Test wicket at the Gabba last week saw him overtake Afridi’s compatriot Wasim Akram as the most lethal left-arm fast bowler in Test history.”The greats are always great,” Afridi said of Akram, but also talked about the exposure to Starc, ten years his senior, on his first international tour as a 16-year-old, which he said had played a huge part in his own story.Afridi, whose older brother Riaz had already played Test cricket for Pakistan, was plucked from the country’s popular tape-ball circuit for a development tour of Australia, and played Test cricket himself barely three years later.”He [Starc] is a legend and last time when we chatted, I told him I watched his 2015 [World Cup] bowling spell and that’s why I bowled fuller to the batsman,” Afridi said. “I can say he’s a role model for any youngster… he’s been the best for Australia for many years.”

He's a dream for Tounekti: Celtic making moves to hire "unbeatable" manager

Celtic are back in action in the Europa League on Thursday as they travel to Denmark to take on FC Midtjylland in their latest match in the League Phase.

It will be Martin O’Neill’s first venture into Europe since he took over as interim head coach after Brendan Rodgers tendered his resignation at the start of last week.

With the Scottish giants still looking for a permanent successor to Rodgers, who won two Scottish Premiership titles in two seasons back at the club, O’Neill will be in the dugout again on Thursday.

The 73-year-old manager won his first two games in interim charge against Falkirk and Rangers, sealing a place in the League Cup final with a win at Hampden Park on Sunday,

Two wins from two games as the interim manager means that O’Neill has provided the board with a chance to take their time to find a long-term successor to Rodgers.

The latest on Martin O'Neill's future at Celtic

There has been speculation that the experienced head coach, who is in his second spell in the dugout at Parkhead, could stay on in the position beyond the upcoming international break.

O’Neill, who won three Premiership titles in his first stint at the club, is a safe pair of hands who could keep the seat warm until the next manager comes in with the summer transfer window ahead of them next year.

When asked if he would be open to extending his stay at Parkhead, the Northern Irishman said: “The very obvious answer would be yes, I would do. But I genuinely don’t know what to expect.

“When I saw the games they had and then the international break, I thought they’ll have a couple of weeks to think about it. I haven’t even spoken to him since that. In a perverse sort of way I’ve enjoyed the two games – but not a lot.”

Football Insider reported at the end of last month that O’Neill could take the job until the end of the season if his spell as the interim is a success, which suggests that the next two matches against Midtjylland and Kilmarnock could be pivotal.

Midtjylland

Europa League

Kilmarnock

Premiership

St Mirren

Premiership

Feyenoord

Europa League

Hibernian

Premiership

Dundee

Premiership

Hearts

Premiership

Roma

Europa League

Falkirk

Premiership

St Mirren

League Cup final

The Hoops have nine more games left to play, including the next two matches before the international break, before the League Cup final clash with St Mirren at Hampden Park.

However, it currently remains to be seen whether or not O’Neill will get the chance to lead the team out at Hampden for a second time, after winning the semi-final there on Sunday.

Whilst O’Neill’s short-term future at Parkhead remains up in the air, there is work going on behind the scenes to identify the long-term successor to Rodgers.

Celtic are making moves for Belgian head coach

According to Voetbal Nieuws, as relayed by Sport Witness, Celtic are interested in a deal to bring Club Brugge tactician Nicky Hayen to Glasgow.

The report claims that the Hoops are eyeing up the Belgian head coach as a potential option to replace Rodgers, and that they are making moves behind the scenes to make it happen.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

It adds that Hayen has a release clause in his contract with Club Brugge, which would make negotiations slightly easier for Celtic, but it does not reveal how much that clause is worth.

The outlet also relays comments from the Club Brugge boss when he was asked about interest from the Scottish giants. He said: “I haven’t thought about that for a second. I have someone who looks after my interests and who also knows exactly when to inform me. That’s not on the agenda yet.”

It was a fairly coy response from Hayen, who did not suggest that he would not be interested in the move, and the Hoops must, now, press ahead with a deal for his services.

Why Celtic should appoint Nicky Hayen

On face value, the Scottish giants should appoint the 43-year-old head coach because he has shown that he can win trophies as a manager.

Hayen, who one analyst on social media has described as “tactically unbeatable”, has won three trophies, including a Pro League title, in less than 100 matches in charge.

On top of his credentials as a winner, the Club Brugge boss could be the perfect appointment to develop players at Celtic, who have a rich history of developing and selling talent, including the likes of Matt O’Riley, Jeremie Frimpong, and Virgil van Dijk.

Hayen’s impressive work with Brugge forward Christos Tzolis suggests that he has the coaching skills to make Sebastian Tounekti a superstar at Parkhead.

Tzolis was signed by the Belgian giants for a fee of around £5.7m in the summer of 2024, after a spell of three goals in 30 games with Norwich in England, per Transfemarkt.

The Greek international racked up 21 goals and 16 assists in 56 appearances in all competitions on the left of Hayen’s 4-2-3-1 formation in the 2024/25 campaign, which attracted interest from the Premier League.

Crystal Palace had an offer of £26m turned down for the winger, who was valued at £35m by Brugge, which shows that his value has soared by millions under the Belgian coach.

xG

1.33

Top 35%

Goals

1

Bottom 48%

xA

1.41

Top 12%

Chances created

15

Top 7%

Cross accuracy

37.5%

Top 19%

Assists

0

Bottom 3%

Successful dribbles

11

Top 21%

As you can see in the table above, Tounekti has shown signs of promise in the Premiership for Celtic since his £5m move from Hammarby in the summer, but he needs to add consistency to his end product if he wants to be a superstar.

The Tunisia international, who has scored two goals for the club so far, has been exciting to watch with his dribbling skills and direct play, and Hayen could help him to take the next step in his career.

Club Brugge’s head coach helped Tzolis to add consistency to his play in the final third, leading to goals and assists on a regular basis from the former Norwich man, and he could do the same with Tounekti, who plays in the same position.

Therefore, Celtic could turn their Tunisian winger into a superstar by appointing Hayen to help with his development for the Hoops.

Their own Klopp: Celtic can replace O'Neill with "kamikaze" 4-3-3 manager

Celtic could find their own version of Jurgen Klopp by hiring this reported managerial target.

ByDan Emery Nov 5, 2025

فيديو | منتخب المغرب يفوز على السعودية ويحسم تأهله لدور ربع النهائي في كأس العرب 2025

تأهل منتخب المغرب إلى دور ربع النهائي في بطولة كاس العرب 2025، المقامة حاليًا في قطر، بعدما حقق الفوز على السعودية اليوم الإثنين.

وتواجه منتخب المغرب مع السعودية، في إطار منافسات الجولة الثالثة والأخيرة من عمر مباريات دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس العرب.

وحقق منتخب المغرب الفوز بنتيجة 1-0، وسجل الهدف لاعبه كريم البركاوي في الدقيقة 11، ليخطف لـ أسود الأطلس 3 نقاط غالية وثمينة تؤهله إلى دور الـ 8 من بطولة كأس العرب. هدف فوز منتخب المغرب على السعودية اليوم في كأس العرب 2025

وشهدت المباراة إهدار لاعب منتخب السعودية عبد الله الحمدان، ركلة جزاء في الدقيقة 69 من عمر اللقاء. ركلة الجزاء المهدرة لـ السعودية أمام المغرب في كأس العرب 2025

طالع | ترتيب مجموعة المغرب والسعودية في كأس العرب 2025

وكان منتخب المغرب يتنافس على بطاقة التأهل الثانية مع منتخب عمان، بعدما كان منتخب السعودية حسم التأهل من الجولة الثانية.

وبذلك، يتأهل منتخبا المغرب والسعودية إلى دور ربع النهائي من بطولة كأس العرب، ليلتحقا بمنتخبات العراق وسوريا وفلسطين والأردن. ترتيب المجموع الثانية من بطولة كأس العرب 2025 بعد نهاية دور المجموعات

1- المغرب، 7 نقاط.

2- السعودية، 6 نقاط.

3- عمان، 4 نقاط.

4- جزر القمر، بدون نقاط.

Blue Jays Fans Watching at Rogers Centre Were So Fired Up for Game 4 Win

The World Series will return to Toronto after the Blue Jays won Game 4 on Tuesday night 6–2 to even the series vs. the Dodgers 2–2.

While the Blue Jays have been in Los Angeles the past two days, Toronto fans still packed Rogers Centre with thousands of fans sitting in the stadium for watch parties. And those fans in Toronto were definitely happier on Tuesday night with the win rather than on Monday night after the nearly seven-hour, 18-inning long Game 3 that resulted in a Dodgers win.

Videos captured the Rogers Centre on Tuesday night after the Blue Jays recorded the final out in the bottom of the ninth. It's safe to say the stadium went absolutely nuts. Take a look of the 30,000 fans erupting in cheers as their team secured the Game 4 victory.

It'll be electric to see what the Rogers Centre is like come Friday when the series returns to Toronto for Game 6. In the meantime, the Blue Jays still have one more game in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.

Steven Smith hits a new high, Rohit Sharma falls to a new low

Stats highlights from the second day’s play of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne

Sampath Bandarupalli27-Dec-202410 Steven Smith’s centuries in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the most for any batter, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.11 Test hundreds for Smith against India – the most by any batter, overtaking Joe Root’s ten centuries against India.201 Number of innings Smith took to score his 34th Test hundred. Only Sachin Tendulkar (192 innings) and Ricky Ponting (193 innings) were quicker among the 11 batters with 34 Test centuries.ESPNcricinfo Ltd99 Runs conceded by Jasprit Bumrah in Australia’s first innings, the most he has conceded in a Test innings .The 84 innings by Bumrah are the most for any bowler without conceding 100-plus runs in an innings (Among specialists and bowling all-rounders). Former England fast bowler Mike Hendrick is second with 54 innings.11.07 Rohit Sharma’s batting average in Tests in the 2024-25 season – the second lowest for an Indian batter in a season (minimum of ten innings in the top six). The lowest is 10.00 by Chandu Sarwate in 1947-48.ESPNcricinfo Ltd2 Number of 100-plus partnerships for India in their first innings in nine Tests in the 2024-25 season. Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin had a 199-run stand against Bangladesh in Chennai, while Yashasvi Jaiswal added 102 with Virat Kohli in Melbourne.4 Four-wicket hauls for Bumrah in Australia’s first innings in four Tests this series – the first time a bowler has achieved this since Shane Warne in the 2005 Ashes.

2016 The previous time India conceded multiple 400-plus totals in a Test series. England scored three 400-plus totals in the five-Test series in India in 2016.

Ademola Lookman told to never speak to Atalanta manager again after touchline spat

It’s been a turbulent six months for Ademola Lookman, who didn’t get his summer move and has now been told to never speak to Ivan Juric again after a touchline spat with the Atalanta manager.

The Nigerian reportedly handed in a formal transfer request in the summer, but saw his exit blocked by Atalanta. Taking to social media to reveal the news, Lookman said: “I feel I have no choice but to speak out for what I believe is right and I feel that enough is enough. I can confirm I have now handed in a formal transfer request.”

That move never arrived, however, and the former Everton player was forced to stay put at Atalanta as the summer transfer window came to a close. Since then, Atalanta have struggled to get going in Serie A – falling to as low as 11th.

Lookman, himself, has also struggled to find form and has scored just once in nine appearances across the Champions League and Serie A. Compared to last season’s 20-goal total, it’s fair to say that his standards have dropped.

It’s worth noting, though, that his current form has not been enough to dissuade Tottenham Hotspur. The Lilywhites have reportedly made Lookman their top target in 2026 as they look to sign the 28-year-old who is desperate to leave Atalanta.

This time around, the Italians may have no choice but to let the Nigeria international leave after his public spat with manager Juric. The former Southampton manager took hold of Lookman after he decided to substitute the winger in a 1-0 win over Marseille in the Champions League, before the pair exchanged heated words.

Fans flocked to social media in the aftermath to request a transfer on the winger’s behalf.

Lookman told to never speak to Juric again after touchline spat

Several pundits have had their say on the incident since the full-time whistle was blown in Italy, including former Premier League forward Troy Deeney.

The former Watford star went as far as to suggest that Lookman should never speak to Juric again, saying: “When you physically put your hands on somebody, at that point me and you are not going to have a conversation again. There’s nothing you can say today, tomorrow, next week, that makes me forget you did that to me in front of everyone.”

The one benefactor to the argument may well be Spurs. If those in North London were watching, then they’ll be well aware that things have reached boiling point in Italy – allowing them to take full advantage.

Ever since being denied a move in the summer, both Lookman and Atalanta have struggled to find top form. It begs the question as to whether they made the right decision to block the exit of an unhappy player.

Charlotte Edwards takes confidence from England's strong warm-up displays

Head coach says team is not dwelling on the past, and backs captain Sciver-Brunt to play full part with ball

Valkerie Baynes01-Oct-20252:05

Edwards: Just as excited in 2025 as I was in 1997

England have touched upon some strong form heading into their World Cup campaign, now head coach Charlotte Edwards wants to see them translate it onto the big stage.Edwards took over ahead of the English summer, which consisted of 14 games – six of them ODIs – in a dominant performance against West Indies before twin white-ball series defeats at the hands of India.But a training camp in Abu Dhabi combined with four wins from as many warm-up games – against New Zealand, India and Australia – has Edwards’ team right where she wants them heading into their World Cup opener against South Africa on Friday.”The players are really responding well, certainly to a slight change of style,” Edwards said on Wednesday. “Hopefully we’ve seen the results over the last four games, which have been really positive. We’re not getting carried away, don’t worry, but we know that we’re on the right track and we’re tracking really well moving into the first game.”England followed two tight wins against New Zealand by beating co-hosts India by 153 runs and Australia, the defending champions, by four wickets.Among the most notable performances for England were Heather Knight scoring runs in her first match since tearing her hamstring in May. Knight made 41 off 48 in the first warm-up with New Zealand and Edwards described her as “vital to our success out here”.Middle-order batters Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey and Emma Lamb all made runs, Lamb particularly impressive with three half-centuries in four outings.England head coach Charlotte Edwards and Alice Capsey spare time during training•ECB via Getty ImagesNat Sciver-Brunt, who took over the captaincy from Knight this year following the Ashes defeat that also cost then-head coach Jon Lewis his job, proved she would be key for England by retiring out on 120 as her side amassed 340 for 9 in their win against India.Legspinner Sarah Glenn shone with 5 for 32 from seven overs to help reduce Australia to 247 all out from 34.4 overs. Prior to that, she had played just twice for England during their home summer, in one ODI and one T20I against West Indies before being overlooked for India’s tour.”There’s never a friendly against an international opposition, so I think we’ve taken a lot of confidence, not necessarily around the result, but the way we’ve played,” Edwards said. “I feel we’re really nicely placed.”England’s struggles in the field and their ability to cope under pressure had been talking points since their group-stage exit at last year’s T20 World Cup and the Ashes, where they lost all seven matches contested in the multi-format series. But Edwards insisted there were no lingering scars from those experiences.”You’ll be pleased to hear we’ve been fielding really well, that’s something that we obviously wanted to work on,” she said. “So I’m really pleased with how the four games have gone and we’ve been put in some pretty tough situations at times as well. Under pressure, the players have responded really well.Related

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“I’ve not spoken about anything about the past,” she added. “It’s all about looking forward with this group now. We’ve created an environment where it’s about taking accountability now and we’ve got real clarity on how we want to play the game.”Hopefully that clarity is going to help this team under pressure, because I don’t think we’ll leave a stone unturned in terms of our prep. The signs have been really strong so far in terms of the development I’ve seen in the last six months. I’m just hoping we can take that now onto the big stage.”Edwards has vast World Cup experience in India, having made her first and last appearances at the tournament there, in 1997 and 2013. More recently in Indian conditions, she has coached WPL side Mumbai Indians to two titles in three years of the competition.And while Sciver-Brunt has been her standout self with the bat, it is her ability to bowl that remains under the spotlight. Because of a long-standing Achilles injury, Sciver-Brunt has bowled just 9.3 overs since the WPL final in mid-March, in which she took 3 for 30 in an eight-run victory over Delhi Capitals.She took 2 for 23 in 5.3 overs during the second warm-up with New Zealand on September 20 and conceded 22 off four wicketless overs against India five days later.The luxury of a four-pronged spin attack reduces England’s reliance on the seam bowling of Sciver-Brunt, whom Edwards expected to be able to bowl a full match allocation of ten overs if required.”We are very lucky, we’ve got four of the best [spinners] in world cricket in my opinion,” Edwards said. “We knew that they were going to play a big part when we selected this squad. That comes from my experience of coaching out here, that spin’s played a massive factor even in T20 cricket and WPL cricket.”Nat’s ready to go. She’s bowling. She hasn’t bowled in every warm-up game, but she’s doing lots of training overs as well. She’s in a really good place physically, so we are hoping to get ten overs out of Nat.”We’re going to have to really monitor her workloads throughout this tournament clearly, like any of the fast bowlers, depending on how hot it gets,” Edwards added. “Nat loves bowling and I think it helps her batting. She’s been probably one of the most successful bowlers in the WPL over the last few years. So we’re hoping to continue that form into ODI cricket.”

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