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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.”

Manchester United suffered their first defeat of the WSL season, falling 1-0 to a spirited Aston Villa side. The visitors broke the deadlock in the 35th minute, with Miri Taylor firing in from the edge of the box for her first goal as a professional. The Red Devils were uncharacteristically listless in attack as Mark Skinner's side failed to score for the first time in the 2025-26 season.

United entered the game as heavy favourites, sitting in third at the start of the day's play and the visitors winning just once in their first seven league games. 

Villa frustrated the hosts in an uneventful first half. Taylor's strike came after the hosts failed to clear their lines from a corner. The Scottish midfielder managed to keep the bouncing ball down, driving the ball into the corner of Phallon Tullis-Joyce's net. 

Ella Toone produced United's first shot on target shortly after the hour mark. Her scrambled effort was gallantly cleared off the line by a lunging Villa defender. Skinner's substitutions could do little to influence the game, with United failing to create a clear cut chance until Rachel Williams' header was comfortable stopped by Sabrina D'Angelo in the 85th minute. 

GOAL rates Manchester United's players from the Leigh Sports Village.

Goalkeeper & Defence

Phallon Tullis-Joyce (5/10):

There was little she could to stop Taylor's effort as she was left unsighted by a sea of bodies from the uncleared corner. Dealt with Villa's otherwise tame efforts with minimal fuss.

Jayde Riviere (6/10):

Provided some attacking impetus, but her delivery was inconsistent. 

Dominique Janssen (5/10):

Was caught high up the pitch on a couple of occasions. Bailed out by her centre back partner and the covering Miyazawa.

Maya Le Tissier (6/10):

Fierce battle with player of the match Kirsty Hanson. Stood up to the striker physically, and made some well timed recovery tackles. 

Gabby George (4/10):

Failed to push on with any threat. Pulled in the 55th minute. 

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Hinata Miyazawa (6/10):

An outstanding covering tackle stopped Villa from extending their lead on the hour mark. Unable to dictate play in possession. 

Lisa Naalsund (4/10):

Subbed before the hour mark. Another victim of Villa's compact defence. 

Ella Toone (5/10):

Struggled to impact the game until her snatched chance in the box was cleared off the line. 

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Jess Park (4/10):

Floated in and out of the game. Showed little sign of the attacking threat she has provided so far this season. 

Fridolina Rolfo (4/10):

One jinking run in the first half resulted in a poor effort on her weaker foot. An anonymous performance otherwise. Pulled before the hour mark. 

Elisabeth Terland (5/10):

Next to no service before getting the hook in the 55th minute. A frustrating afternoon.

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Melvine Malard (6/10):

Provided a physical presence in the box that almost lead to a Toone goal. Her willing runs down the channel turned the Villa defence. 

Anna Sandberg (6/10):

Retained possession well in the final third. Her floated cross for Williams could have set up the break through.

Leah Galton (5/10):

One headed effort screwed harmlessly wide. Little to talk about otherwise. 

Julia Zigotti Olme (4/10):

Little to report. Tidy enough on the ball, but like many of her peers, provided no sustained attacking threat. 

Rachel Williams (N/A):

Could have done better with her headed chance as time expired. 

Mark Skinner (4/10):

His side looked a shadow of the attacking threat they have provided over the season to date. Some of the subs had an impact, but it wasn't enough to break down the visitors' low block. 

The Mariners made the first big splash of MLB free agency on Sunday night, agreeing to a long-term contract that will keep Josh Naylor in the organization for another five seasons.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan provided some further information on the agreement between Naylor and Seattle on Monday, indicating that the contract would be worth a total of $92.5 million. As such, Naylor will collect an annual average value of $18.5 million throughout the course of the deal. The contract does not include any deferred money. Additionally, Naylor’s deal to return the Mariners comes with a full no-trade clause.

The $18.5 million Naylor is due in 2026 would make him the third-highest earner on Seattle’s roster, behind only Luis Castillo ($24.15 million) and Julio Rodríguez ($20.19 million). His $92.5 million deal overtakes Ichiro Suzuki for the eighth richest contract in franchise history. Robinson Canó’s 10-year, $240 million contract still stands as the largest deal ever given to a Mariners player.

It’s a big commitment from the Mariners, but it shows just how highly regarded Naylor has become within the organization since arriving at the trade deadline in a deal with the Diamondbacks. Naylor quickly became a fan favorite in Seattle, and now he’s set to remain with the franchise through the 2030 season.

Last season, in 54 games with the Mariners, Naylor logged a .831 OPS with nine home runs, 33 RBIs and 19 stolen bases.

Sunderland are preparing a stunning €30 million (£26m) move for AC Milan striker Santiago Gimenez, with reports in Italy claiming the “monster offer” has already satisfied the Rossoneri hierarchy. They are ready to accept a loan-with-obligation deal in January, leaving the Premier League side now working to convince the hesitant Mexico international to join their ambitious project.

• Sunderland want AC Milan's Gimenez this winter

  Sunderland have accelerated their push to sign Gimenez, submitting an offer worth around €30 million that AC Milan reportedly view as acceptable. Italian outlets suggest the Black Cats initially pursued a loan, but the structure has shifted to a loan with a conditional obligation to buy due to Milan’s financial needs. Gimenez has registered one goal and two assists in 11 games this season, and despite his struggles, Sunderland believe he is the right profile to boost their attack in January.

  Milan appear ready to offload the striker, as Massimiliano Allegri seeks a different type of forward for his system. Previous reports indicated Sunderland and Brentford were both monitoring the player, but the Black Cats have now moved ahead by formally contacting his agent, Rafaela Pimenta. Although the Rossoneri are happy with the bid, the transfer remains dependent on Gimenez himself, who is still evaluating the project before making a final decision.

  Sunderland’s interest comes at a time when the club is determined to reinforce their frontline ahead of a push for Champions League qualification. Their defensive performances have kept them high in the table, but scoring has been inconsistent, with just 14 league goals in 12 matches.

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  Sunderland prepared to make 'monster bid' after initial loan deal

  The proposed €30m deal is highly appealing to AC Milan, who are eager to secure funds for their own striker search in January. According to La Repubblica, the offer is “adequate to avoid capital losses” and provides crucial liquidity to unlock their incoming transfer plans. The Rossoneri signed Gimenez from Feyenoord with high expectations, but his limited output and stylistic mismatch under Allegri have prompted a willingness to let him go immediately.

  For Sunderland, the move represents a continuation of their ambitious new-era strategy under Regis Le Bris, who is determined to elevate the squad into a stable top-six Premier League contender. The Black Cats have been evaluating attacking reinforcements for weeks, particularly given the vast financial inequality between themselves and the league’s elite. Adding a striker entering his prime years, already capped by Mexico and proven in Europe, offers significant value compared to typical Premier League market inflation.

  The player’s hesitation stems largely from his desire to succeed at childhood club AC Milan and his previous rejection of Nottingham Forest. Nevertheless, close sources indicate he is seriously considering the Premier League switch due to the opportunity for guaranteed minutes. With the 2026 World Cup taking place in Mexico, consistent first-team football is now a priority for the 24-year-old forward.

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  Gimenez still uncertain about Sunderland move

  Gimenez’s proposed move follows several weeks of back-and-forth between Sunderland and his representatives, with Pimenta reviewing the club’s six-month loan proposal and its mandatory €30m purchase clause. The structure benefits all parties: AC Milan recover the majority of what they spent on the striker, Sunderland delay the financial hit until summer, and the player gains a pathway back to prominent form. This delay also allows Sunderland to manage their sporting budget depending on where they finish in the league table.

  The Mexican international excelled at Feyenoord before his transfer to Italy, but has struggled to replicate that impact under Allegri. Milan’s tactical shift away from his strengths has reduced his minutes and confidence, creating the conditions for a mid-season departure. Sunderland believe his pressing intensity, movement and finishing, well-suited to Premier League football, will flourish in a system built around faster transitions and structured attacking phases.

  Gimenez’s camp understands that Premier League exposure ahead of the World Cup could drastically improve his standing with the national team. Sunderland’s sporting project is being sold to him as an opportunity to become the team’s primary No.9 and an instant fan favourite. While the player remains cautious, his entourage acknowledges that this may be the best available January pathway for his long-term development.

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• Sunderland hopeful of coup

  Sunderland will now focus on convincing Gimenez personally, as AC Milan have already indicated they will accept the €30m package. The Black Cats want the deal completed early in January, but will not wait indefinitely if the striker hesitates too long. 

Whether this is his final season at Manchester United or not, there will come a time sooner rather than later when the Red Devils will line up without Bruno Fernandes in tow, with the Portuguese’s future likely to again be a talking point next summer.

As the 31-year-old revealed in a tell-all interview ahead of making his 300th United appearance last month, he had held talks with Saudi side Al Hilal over the summer regarding a potential move, only to eventually opt to stay put in Manchester with his business still seemingly unfinished.

Also the subject of interest from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024, the club’s long-serving talisman has rightly courted admiring glances amid his stunning form over the past five years or so, racking up 100 goals and 89 assists in his 302 outings to date.

While five of those goal involvements have come in this season’s Premier League already, it does appear that the baton is finally being passed, however, with Ruben Amorim’s influential skipper no longer the sole star attraction.

Indeed, all eyes are on INEOS’ £71m signing Bryan Mbeumo following his return of six goals in his first 12 games for the club, with Fernandes quietly pulling the strings in a deeper role.

With Amorim also outlining the prospect of his captain needing to adjust to potential “rotation” next season, should United return to European competition, the gradual phasing out of the playmaker might well have started…

The candidates to replace Fernandes as captain

Fernandes himself was awarded the honour back in the summer of 2023, with then-boss Erik ten Hag taking the decision to strip Harry Maguire of the captaincy, with reports subsequently stating that the Englishman was heading to West Ham United.

To his credit, the latter man stayed to fight for his place, since securing cult hero status with a string of vital goals, be it his last-gasp clincher against Lyon, or the late winner against Liverpool this season.

With the 32-year-old facing his own Old Trafford uncertainty amid his expiring contract, however, it would be unlikely to see him outlast Fernandes at the club, with other candidates in the running to take the armband.

Indeed, at present, Matthijs de Ligt – the hero against Tottenham Hotspur last time out – is showcasing captaincy material, albeit while not actually having been included in Amorim’s self-appointed leadership group in pre-season.

Instead, that experienced bunch includes Fernandes, Maguire, Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot, with the ex-Sporting CP boss singling them out as the leaders in his first-team ranks.

Like Maguire, however, Casemiro’s current deal expires in 2026, while Martinez may be more concerned with getting back fit and firing again, having been absent since sustaining an ACL injury back in February.

Mazraoui, too, has also endured an injury-hit start to 2025/26, with the Moroccan defender also no longer a guaranteed starter, following Amad’s emergence in that right wing-back berth.

The form of the Ivorian – which includes his stunning equaliser against Nottingham Forest – has also plunged Dalot’s long-term future into doubt, with the Portuguese full-back potentially in line for the axe before too long.

Why Man Utd's 'future captain' needs to be sold

The merits of Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system have long been debated, although amid United’s five-game unbeaten run, it looks like a corner may have been turned, with the squad beginning to find its feet at both ends of the pitch.

Most used players under Amorim

Player

Games

Bruno Fernandes

52

Noussair Mazraoui

45

Diogo Dalot

45

Manuel Ugarte

44

Leny Yoro

44

Rasmus Hojlund

40

Alejandro Garnacho

40

Harry Maguire

40

Matthijs de Ligt

39

Stats via Transfermarkt

One area which remains something of a headache is at wing-back, however, with the 40-year-old coach having flitted between Patrick Dorgu and Dalot on that left-hand side in recent weeks.

While the latter man did assist Mbeumo from that role against Burnley, he has largely looked rather uncomfortable in an unorthodox role, having notably failed to prevent Nicolo Savona from converting at the City Ground two weeks ago.

In a system that demands an attacking intent from those on the flanks, even on his favoured flank, the one-time Porto man has hardly flourished in that sense in recent times, racking up just nine goals and 18 assists in 220 games for the club to date.

While once something of a “standout” under Ten Hag – having claimed the Players’ Player of the Year award at United in 2024 – Dalot no longer appears to have a defined role under the new regime, putting his future into doubt heading into 2026.

With a contract that expires in 2028, it could prove the perfect time to try and cash in on the £24m-rated defender – as valued by Transfermarkt – with the INEOS regime no doubt needing to do what they can to reshape the squad in Amorim’s image.

Of course, Dalot appears to be an influential figure under his compatriot, as his place in the leadership group showcases, having reportedly produced something of a rallying cry in the dressing room following the 3-3 draw with Porto last season.

It is for acts like that that the £90k-per-week star had emerged as one of the club’s “future captains” – as relayed by Samuel Luckhurst – although with his own form now under scrutiny, his Old Trafford stay should be coming to an end.

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While things might not have ended as well as they could have, there are few figures more legendary in the history of The Arsenal than Arsène Wenger.

The Frenchman ushered in a period of immense success in the late 1990s and early 2000s that the club have not even come close to matching since.

However, with how things are going this season, that could soon be about to change.

Moreover, it would be fair to say that Mikel Arteta now has a star in his squad who’s undoubtedly the best player Arsenal have had since Wenger retired.

Arsenal's best players since Wenger retired

When looking at the best players signed by, or developed by, Arsenal since Wenger stepped away from management, there are more than a handful of names you could pick out.

Chalkboard

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

For example, for everything he did wrong, Unai Emery signed off on William Saliba’s move in the summer of 2019, and then just a year later, Arteta made his best defensive acquisition by bringing in Gabriel Magalhães from LOSC Lille.

Together, the centre-back pairing have been nothing short of exceptional over the last few years, and as things stand this season, have conceded just three goals in all competitions and should they win it, could go down as the best defensive partnership in Premier League history.

Ferdinand & Vidic

120

0.71

Keown & Adams

97

0.73

Campbell & Toure

59

0.73

Terry & Carvalho

85

0.76

Lescott & Kompany

58

0.76

Gabriel & Saliba

93

0.78

Van Dijk & Matip

72

0.81

Moving into the middle of the park, and, in this conversation, it’s impossible to ignore club-record signing Declan Rice.

The former West Ham United captain made his way to the Emirates under a tremendous amount of pressure, but from his first game to today, he’s proven to be worth every penny.

From his ability to break up play, carry the ball from deep, score important goals and deliver the ball with pinpoint accuracy from set-pieces, he, without a shadow of a doubt, is a “world-class” midfielder.

Staying in midfield, and while he had a down season last year, and has had some terrible luck with injuries this term, Martin Odegaard deserves to be in this conversation.

The Norwegian international was made club captain in the summer of 2023, won back-to-back Player of the Season awards, and, at his best, can be utterly mesmerising to watch on the ball.

However, with all that said, when it comes to the club’s best player since Wenger left, there is one star who stands head and shoulders above the rest.

Arsenal's greatest player since Wenger retired

While fans will have their own favourite players, it would be hard to deny that, as things stand, Bukayo Saka is the best player Arsenal have had since Wenger retired.

The Hale End icon made his first team debut under Emery in a Europa League game away to Vorskla Poltava in November 2018, and then earned his first start at home against Qarabağ FK a month later.

However, it’s been under Arteta that the Englishman has transformed from a versatile utility player who often popped up at left-back, into one of the best right-wingers in world football.

Not only that, though, but the 24-year-old game-changer has become the club’s talisman and the face of its rejuvenation over the last few years.

It shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise then that, following his hamstring injury and surgery last season, the Gunners became far less potent in attack.

Appearances

274

Minutes

20713′

Goals

74

Assists

72

Goal involvements per match

0.53

Minutes per goal involvement

141.86′

In his career to date, the North Londoners’ “legend in the making” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored 74 goals and provided 72 assists in 274 first-team appearances, totalling 20713 minutes.

That comes out to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.87 games, or every 141.86 minutes, which is made all the more impressive by the fact he’s made 21 appearances at left-back.

As if his record at club level wasn’t enough, he has also won 46 senior caps for England, in which he’s scored 13 goals, provided nine assists and been named Player of the Year twice.

Ultimately, there is still much to come from Saka, but based on his already astounding record and the fact that he has become the club’s poster boy, it’s clear that he has been Arsenal’s best player since Wenger left the dugout.

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Manchester United are now willing to outbid Real Madrid to win the race for Tijuana wonderkid Gilberto Mora, who starred at the recent U20 World Cup.

It was recently revealed that Ruben Amorim is putting a heavy emphasis on bringing young players through the ranks, having introduced a number of academy stars to first-team training, with 18-year-old winger Shea Lacey particularly catching the eye.

Amorim plans to rebuild the link between the academy and the senior squad, and Lacey is one of the main youngsters who could push for a place in the match-day squad before the season comes to a close.

Bringing players through the academy has always been a part of United’s DNA, and their current manager has made it clear he wants to continue that tradition, saying: “We want to maintain it. The past of Manchester United is built on kids.

“I don’t want to be the guy that breaks that.”

The Red Devils have also set out to sign impressive up-and-coming talents from elsewhere, with it recently emerging they are in concrete talks to sign AIK Fotboll striker Kevin Filling, and they are now looking to sign another young attacker.

Man Utd willing to outbid Real Madrid for Mora

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Man United are willing to put a lot of money on the table to win the race for Tijuana attacking midfielder Mora, following his impressive performances at the recent U20 World Cup.

Such is United’s level of interest, they are willing to raise the price to a point where Madrid would be forced to back out of the race, but there could be competition for his signature, with Paris Saint-Germain also prepared to spend big.

In order to win the race, the Red Devils are aware they will need to move swiftly, with a deal expected to amount to €4.5m (£4m).

The 17-year-old certainly caught the eye at the U20 World Cup, receiving plaudits from scout Jacek Kulig courtesy of his performances in the group stage.

Not only that, but the teenager has already gained a plethora of experience for Tijuna at first-team level, having made 44 appearances for the Mexican side, during which time he’s amassed seven goals and two assists.

Mora is yet to prove himself in a major league, but his performances for both club and country have been extremely impressive, and it would be a real statement if Man United were able to beat Real Madrid to his signature.

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MatériaMais Notícias

O Santos largou na frente no primeiro jogo da final do Paulistão contra o Palmeiras. Sob os olhares de Neymar em uma Vila Belmiro lotada, o Peixe venceu o jogo por 1 a 0, gol de Otero, neste domingo (31), e vai com a vantagem para o Allianz Parque, no próximo dia 7.

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

Com o resultado, o Palmeiras perdeu sua invencibilidade na competição. Para conquistar sua terceira taça seguida, o Verdão precisará tirar a diferença em casa de um gol em casa. Uma vitória simples do time de Abel Ferreira, levará a decisão para os pênaltis. O empate dá o título ao Peixe.

⚽COMO FOI A PARTIDA?

O duelo começou pegado, mas com o Santos mais ofensivo e disposto a sair da Vila Belmiro com a vantagem, enquanto o Palmeiras parecia estudar mais o jogo e pouco levar perigo ao gol de João Paulo. Aos 4 minutos, Flaco López teve a primeira chance do jogo, mas desperdiçou e, a partir daí, o domínio santista aconteceu. A melhor chance saiu dos pés de Guilherme, que bateu rasteiro, perto da trave direita de Weverton.

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No segundo tempo, não demorou para o Santos abrir o marcador diante de sua torcida. Após bela jogada de Guilherme pela esquerda, Otero aproveitou o cruzamento e, de cabeça, mandou para o fundo da rede. Depois do gol, o confronto passou a ficar mais equilibrado, principalmente, com as mudanças de Abel Ferreira. Rony teve duas das melhores chances do segundo tempo. Na primeira, parou em grande defesa de João Paulo, e depois mandou para fora. Pedrinho, nos minutos finais, arrancou sozinho e parou em Weverton na finalização. Nos acréscimos, Lázaro quase empatou, mas parou em João Paulo.

O que vem por aí?

Antes dos rivais voltarem a campo para a decisão paulista na próxima semana, o Palmeiras fará sua estreia na Libertadores na quarta-feira (3), às 21h30, contra o San Lorenzo, na Argentina. O Santos, por sua vez, não entrará em campo antes de domingo (7), no Allianz Parque, às 18h, para decidir com o Verdão quem ficará com a taça do Paulistão.

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➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários do Paulistão

✅ Santos 1 x 0 Palmeiras
Final – Jogo de ida

Data e horário:domingo, 31 de março de 2024, às 18h (de Brasília)
Local:Vila Belmiro, em Santos (SP)
Árbitro:Flávio Rodrigues de Souza
Cartões amarelos:João Schmidt e Morelos (Santos) / Zé Rafael e Aderlan (Palmeiras)
Cartões vermelhos:-

Gol:Otero

⚽ ESCALAÇÕES

SANTOS
João Paulo; JP Chermont (Aderlan), Gil, Joaquim e Felipe Jonatan; João Schmidt (Rincón), Diego Pituca e Giuliano (Cazares); Otero (Pedrinho), Guilherme e Julio Furch (Morelos). Técnico: Fábio Carille.

PALMEIRAS
Weverton; Marcos Rocha, Murilo, Luan e Piquerez (Vanderlan); Aníbal Moreno, Mayke (Estêvão), Zé Rafael (Richard Ríos) e Raphael Veiga; Endrick (Lázaro) e Flaco López (Rony).Técnico: Abel Ferreira.

Tudo sobre

Campeonato PaulistaFutebol NacionalPalmeirasSantosVila Belmiro

Once again, the San Diego Padres' bats fell silent when they needed them most.

Last October, San Diego had the Los Angeles Dodgers on the ropes, leading 2–1 in the National League Division Series with a home game on deck. Then, L.A. shut the Friars out over the next 18 innings, won the series and cruised to a World Series title. In all, the Dodgers held San Diego scoreless for 24 consecutive innings.

A year later, the same problem reared its ugly head again.

The Padres were eliminated by the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, dropping their NL wild-card series 2–1 after three tight games. San Diego’s batters scored five total runs in the three-game set and looked helpless against every pitcher Chicago threw at them. Perhaps most crucially, the top three in the Padres lineup, Fernando Tatis Jr., Luis Arráez, and Manny Machado, combined to go 4-for-33 (.121) in the series, and as a group went 0-for-11 with three strikeouts in both Game 1 Game 3.

It wasn’t a shocking outcome if you’ve followed San Diego’s offense this season. Manager Mike Shildt and his staff have focused the team on a contact-heavy, small-ball approach all year. The result was a shocking absence of power given some of the names in the lineup. As a team, the Padres slugged .390, which ranked 22nd in baseball, and they totaled only 152 home runs as a team, which ranked 28th. That philosophy has gotten them unceremoniously dumped in the postseason in back-to-back seasons.

Something has to change.

San Diego’s Approach Needs an Overhaul

The Padres don’t hit enough when it counts. They ranked 25th in OPS with runners in scoring position this season (.707), which continually bit them in big spots. In the three wild-card games against the Cubs, San Diego was 3-for-26 in those situations, including 0-for-8 in the decisive Game 3.

Jackson Merrill and Xander Bogaerts struggled with injuries this season, and neither really got things going until late in the campaign. Bogaerts was the team's best hitter in the wild-card series and closed the season well. Merrill is too good to slash .264/.317/.457 with only 16 home runs next season. If he's healthy, San Diego can count on him to be better.

Expecting bounce-backs from those two and having trade deadline acquisition Ramón Laureano for all of 2026 should be a boost. But that won't be enough.

The impending departure of the high-contact, no-power Arráez will free up the Padres to add a first baseman with pop. Gavin Sheets far exceeded expectations this season with 19 home runs and a .746 OPS, and could take the job, but the team should aim higher. Sheets fits as a potential DH as well, and they could attempt to bring trade-deadline pick up Ryan O’Hearn back.

Tatis produced 6.1 fWAR this season, primarily as the team’s leadoff hitter. But his wRC+ (131) was down slightly from 2024 (135), and he slashed .268/.368/.446. His .814 OPS was fine, but below where a player of his caliber should be. He did have a career-high 89 walks and lowered his strikeout rate by a full 7%, but while his average exit velocity of 93.9 was in the 95th percentile, his launch angle dropped to 9.4, continuing a downward trend since he logged 13.8 in 2021. Tatis also swung at the first pitch in 42% of his at-bats—not exactly the approach of an ideal leadoff guy.

The 26-year-old isn’t the only one who needs to do some tweaking. Machado hit 27 home runs, drove in 97 runs, and slashed .275/.335/.460. His OPS was .795, down .002 points from 2024, but has significantly dropped from a high of .898 in 2022. Some of that is likely age-related, but he did produce 3.8 fWAR, his best total since 2022. The 33-year-old future Hall of Famer can still get it done, but his chase, whiff and strikeout rates have continued to inch up over the past few years.

Frankly, the biggest issue isn't that Tatis and Machado haven't come through enough. The problem is that if they don't, the Padres are sunk. There simply isn't enough thump throughout the lineup to make up for it if one or both of them struggle.

That much was obvious over the past three games.

Padres Face a Big Offseason

Arráez, O’Hearn, and Jose Iglesias could all bolt the team this offseason, along with pitchers Dylan Cease, Robert Suarez and Michael King. As long as the incredible Ruben Niebla is in charge of the rotation and bullpen, there isn't much room for concern there, but the team’s offense needs more pieces to be successful.

San Diego’s pitching staff will remain among the best in baseball for the foreseeable future, but the lineup needs to be upgraded to match. I’m not sure how they’ll do it, but with Bogaerts and Machado aging and after A.J. Preller has traded piles of prospects over the past few years, the franchise needs to treat this like an urgent problem.

The Friars sold out in 72 of their 81 home games this season and finished second in attendance, trailing only the Dodgers, as 3,437,201 fans entered Petco Park. Despite a long history of losing, the team has reached the playoffs in four of the last six years. By current standards, this is a wildly successful franchise that needs to continue pushing forward.

San Diego isn’t far from having a championship-caliber roster. A few more pieces could get the team over that sizable hump. For now, the reason the Padres failed in 2024 and ’25 is clear: they simply don’t have the bats or approach to compete when it matters.

That needs to change if they hope to bring the city its first World Series title.

Liverpool’s issues run far and wide this season, and Arne Slot’s second season is falling from a concern to a calamity. Nottingham Forest pitched up at Anfield on Saturday and won 3-0. That’s six defeats from seven Premier League matches for the champions.

The fact that Liverpool produced a confident and front-footed performance for the first half-hour, before Murillo pounced after a corner, is immaterial. Even the residue of the fluent and coherent and tenacious spine has deserted Slot’s side.

Things can change quickly in football, but on the basis of the current evidence, Liverpool will struggle to secure a place in next season’s Champions League, let alone challenge high-flying Arsenal for the title.

Change is needed, a strange thing to say given the Reds’ record-breaking summer of spending. But with such glaring tactical problems, it feels likely that FSG will authorise a signing or two this winter.

Liverpool search for winter signings

With Ibrahima Konate so horribly out of sorts and free to talk to overseas suitors in January, out of contract at the end of the season, there is an understandable anxiety about Liverpool’s defensive depth, let alone the stability of the backline.

This club’s reputation as masterful strategists has disintegrated over the past few months. The squeals of delight from rival fans are loud, and it goes without saying that it’s crucial that sporting director Richard Hughes gets it right if dipping back into the market come January.

Liverpool need a centre-back, sure, but that’s not the extent of their issues, with Slot actually hinting in the past week that his club’s transfer arm may extend in a different direction.

Well, according to Spanish sources, Liverpool are preparing to launch a statement bid for Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise, who has been earmarked as an alternative to Antoine Semenyo, admired by FSG and with a £65m release clause that becomes active in January.

Liverpool might have broken the British transfer record on Alexander Isak this summer, but they are now looking to smash that once again with a deal for the French winger, who is valued at €200m (about £177m).

Change is needed at Anfield, and with Olise added to the fold, the intensity and sparkle that have been so sorely lacking may be rekindled.

What Olise would bring to Liverpool

Liverpool have been lacking something out wide this season, and a large part of that has been the failure to effectively replace Luis Diaz.

Diaz, sold to Bayern Munich this summer, was so dynamic and dangerous, and in his new teammate Olise, Liverpool could restore that style of wide forward to their set-up.

Olise has been described as “easily a top-five right winger in the world” by analyst Ben Mattinson, and with the need for a Mohamed Salah replacement intensifying, this could be the perfect move to go for, the Les Bleus star only continuing to go from strength to strength.

Whether Liverpool opt for the cheaper route in signing Semenyo remains to be seen, but this would be a statement, and Olise has proven his capacity to succeed in different systems and different areas.

Of course, there is a big difference between playing for Bournemouth and starring for Bayern Munich. The Cherries are an attractive and impressive outfit, but they lack the offensive freedom of Die Roten at the peak of the Bundesliga.

Goals scored

0.63

0.55

Assists

0.63

0.27

Shots taken

4.62

1.91

Shot-creating actions

6.82

3.28

Touches (att pen)

7.55

3.64

Pass completion (%)

81.6

69.4

Progressive passes

6.40

3.55

Progressive carries

5.45

3.19

Successful take-ons

2.31

1.91

Ball recoveries

4.72

5.28

Tackles + interceptions

1.36

1.82

Olise would be able to transfer his elite-level experience back over to the Premier League, where he has played so spectacularly before, and provide Slot’s side with creative and physical upgrades, echoing Semenyo’s skills in that regard.

But he would also give Liverpool the Diaz-like presence they have missed since the summer. The Colombian’s energy and core strength made him a fearsome Premier League winger, and with 17 goals and eight assists across all competitions last term, he was instrumental in propping up Slot’s reputation.

Podcast host Ryan Dilks said five years ago that Olise was a “superstar in waiting”, destined for the top, and now that has been put into practice, with the 23-year-old in his second season at Bayern and currently boasting nine goals and ten assists across 18 matches in all competitions this season.

It cannot be understated how much of a detrimental effect Diaz’s sale has had on Liverpool’s form and fluency this season. Olise would fix that. As per Sofascore, he has won 4.4 duels per game in the Bundesliga this season. His final season in the Premier League with Palace? Olise averaged 5.7 duels per match.

Liverpool are crying out for this kind of winger, and while Semenyo would add qualities that the club need, Olise is equally tenacious and physical, and he’s far superior from a technical standpoint and proven as one of the game’s most prolific wide forwards around.

Liverpool have slipped and slid into a morass of their own making. There are many circumstances surrounding this current crisis, but Slot is making many questionable tactical decisions and the players themselves have lost every shred of confidence and work-rate, two fixed points of the Dutch coach’s successful first season in charge.

It’s clear that there isn’t enough width and energy down the flanks, and so Olise could be the perfect Semenyo alternative to replace Salah by handing back to Merseyside a bit of Diaz-esque flair.

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1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 24, 2025