Henry and Nathan Smith dismantled Zimbabwe before Conway and Young completed a perfect day for the visitors

Firdose Moonda30-Jul-2025New Zealand 92 for 0 (Conway 51*, Young 41*) trail Zimbabwe 149 (Ervine 39, Henry 6-39, Smith 3-20) by 57 runsMatt Henry’s 6 for 39 scythed through Zimbabwe, who were bowled out for their lowest total in seven innings and second-lowest in 2025, and their lead has already been reduced to just 57 runs by the end of the first day. New Zealand wiped off 92 of the 149 runs in the 26 overs they faced and hold the advantage in all departments. Their batting was solid and bowling was incisive where Zimbabwe’s has not been throughout their last few home Tests.Henry took wickets with the new and old ball, with full and short deliveries, and followed up perfectly from finishing as the leading wicket-taker in the T20I tri-series. He was well supported by Nathan Smith, who picked up 3 for 20 in his third Test. Those figures do justice to bowlers that had the batters completely confounded with subtle changes in line and length.Related

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According to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data, Zimbabwe edged 22 deliveries in total, and had a control percentage of just 68.8%. Only two Zimbabwe batters, Craig Ervine and Tafadzwa Tsiga, got past 30 and both were dropped before they had reached 20. They also shared in Zimbabwe’s best partnership: a sixth-wicket stand of 54. New Zealand have already surpassed that with their opening pair.New Zealand’s threat was apparent from the outset as they found the edge six times in the first three overs, which ended with the opening wicket. Brian Bennett – who inside-edged the first ball of the match, then edged one just out of the reach from short leg and then got four as another edge went between gully and the cordon – stayed back to a slightly fuller ball from Henry and this time, the edge flew to Will Young at third slip. Ben Curran, his opening partner, went the same way but only after Henry had changed angles to go around the wicket in his fourth over.Sean Williams was fortunate not to run out Nick Welch when he got off the mark with a single that chanced Mitchell Santner’s arm, but could not find any fortune against Smith. He tried to steer past third and inside-edged onto his stumps to leave Zimbabwe in a mess at 31 for 3 after the first hour.Nathan Smith took three wickets and offered good support to Matt Henry•Zimbabwe Cricket

Welch and captain Craig Ervine used up deliveries and time but did not get many runs for most of the second hour. It took Ervine 23 balls to get off the mark, and he did it with a push past mid-off off Will O’Rourke.Santner, captaining in place of the injured Tom Latham, brought himself on in the 20th over and the introduction of spin allowed Welch to get comfortable. He swept both Santner and Michael Bracewell, who he also reverse-swept for three boundaries in nine balls to get Zimbabwe over 50. But his fun only lasted until Henry was brought back. Welch edged the second ball of the fast bowler’s second spell to second slip to send Zimbabwe to lunch on 67 for 4.Henry completed his over after the break with the wicket of Sikandar Raza, who tried to take on the short ball but gloved it high for Tom Blundell to take a simple catch. Henry could have had Tsiga in his next over but the edge fell short. Tsiga got his own back when he flicked Henry off his pads for four and then drove Smith down the ground to show his range.Ervine was on 18 when he offered Smith a return catch but it hit him on the boot. Nine overs later, Tsiga could have been O’Rourke’s first of the match when he cut him to gully but Devon Conway put it down. Ervine brought up the 50-run stand with a well-timed punch down the ground for four.The pair looked like taking Zimbabwe to tea without further damage but it was not to be. Ervine was given out lbw when he missed a flick off Smith, though the ball seemed to be sliding down leg. With no DRS in place, he could not review. Tsiga was also out lbw, when he was beaten on the inside edge and hit on the back leg in what seemed a better decision. At tea, Zimbabwe were 138 for 7.Devon Conway and Will Young gave Zimbabwe a solid start•Zimbabwe Cricket

Henry took his fifth with a snorter, short and aimed at Newman Nyamhuri’s head. He ducked and the ball took the shoulder of his bat and was caught, again, by Young. Vincent Masekesa was run out after his partner Blessing Muzarabani did not respond to his call for a single and he had to make his way back to the striker’s end. Muzarabani only lasted into the next over, when he got a leading edge off Henry and was caught by Santner at cover to give Henry his sixth. Zimbabwe were bowled out inside 61 overs.If they gave the impression run-scoring was difficult, New Zealand swiftly dispelled the notion. They raced to 40 without loss in the first ten overs when Young hit a short, wide Muzarabani ball for four and Conway took three boundaries off Tanaka Chivanga’s fourth over: a cut, a drive and a pull.Zimbabwe had their best chance when Nyamhuri, in his second over, appealed for lbw against Young when he hit him on the boot with a yorker but it was given not out.New Zealand brought up their 50 off Nyamhuri when Conway cut him for four in the 14th over. Nyamhuri continued to cause problems for New Zealand and hit Conway on the knee – too high for lbw, but enough to cause some pain. Conway continued and reached his half-century off 83 balls with a single of Raza in the penultimate over of the day. Young is nine runs away from his and with the pitch showing few signs of bother and Zimbabwe already using the spinners, both will eye going bigger on the second day.

The New York Yankees' recent struggles hit another new low on Saturday when they dropped to third place in the AL East after a second straight loss to the Miami Marlins.

Aaron Boone's team has been making too many errors and some costly mental mistakes lately, which have been not been sitting well with the team's fanbase.

The team's play also hasn't impressed two of the its former legends. Derek Jeter broke down their struggles on Saturday, saying: "They make way too many mistakes. Way too many mistakes."

Alex Rodriguez also weighed on on the team's struggles, and he painted a pretty bleak picture for their future.

“You can’t make this up,” Rodriguez said on the MLB on Fox studio show. “I mean, look, you can bring in nine relievers, it’s not going to make a difference. I don’t care if you bring back their ’98 bullpen with Mariano [Rivera], Mike Stanton, and Jeff Nelson, if your pitchers are going 3⅓, 4⅓, it’s not going to work.”

He added: “Here is my biggest concern—You bring in seven guys and you’re still miles away from winning a world title. … You’ve got to restructure this roster. I like a lot of the players individually but together it just doesn’t work.”

The Yankees are 4-6 in their last 10 games and on Sunday they'll try to avoid being swept by the Marlins in their three game series in Miami.

With the playoff push in full swing, the Yankees need to clean up a lot of issues if they want to be serious contenders come October.

Australian cricketers might be well-practised in the art of the verbal duel, but this youthful Indian side was not afraid to give it back at the first available opportunity

Alagappan Muthu26-Nov-2024In a Champions Trophy match in Kenya 24 years ago, right after being pulled to the boundary, Glenn McGrath unleashed his frustrations on Sachin Tendulkar, who hit back with two very simple words: the first one started with an “F” and the next one an “O”.Australia vs India has always been more than just the cricket, which is why this Border-Gavaskar Trophy was originally meant to be such a difficult tour for some of the newer members of the India side. The game here isn’t just restricted to the bat-ball stuff. It spills over.Verbals. Stare downs. Insults (but the clever kind, so they just about skirt the right side of the line). Australia use these things to carve out an edge for themselves and often what they meet in response is either silence – in which case they just keep going – or a little bit of weakness – in which case they go a bit harder.Related

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Race to the WTC final: India back on top after Perth win

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From Tendulkar, on that day, they got neither, and that’s why on most days, they didn’t bother trifling with him. From India, over the past four days, they got a whole lot more than they ever bargained for.Mitchell Starc tried to spook Harshit Rana into not bowling short balls. “I bowl faster than you. And I have a long memory.” The next day – right after knocking down a short ball with the utmost ease – Yashasvi Jaiswal told Starc, “You’re coming on too slow.” Tendulkar gave it back to Australia after ten years of dominating the sport. Jaiswal did it at the first available opportunity.Mohammed Siraj lobbed his volleys both on the field – where he often extended his follow through to engage with the batter and fire himself up – and off it. “I had a lot of fun. Especially with Marnus [Labuschagne, who made 2 off 52 and 3 off 5 in Perth],” he told the host broadcaster after the Perth win, “He is under so much pressure right now that he is trying to leave the ball as much as possible, not trying to play them. When he defends, he is trying to show that he is confident, but he isn’t.”It isn’t quite the same as the “scared eyes” comment from David Warner (which Warner has since rolled back) during the Mitchell Johnson Ashes, but it’s not nothing either. And though it might have been coming from a place of the high after the victory was sealed, there was plenty of evidence even in the lead-up to the Test that this team, its coaches and its management are not burdened in the way others that have reached these shores have seemed.Ajit Agarkar made five back-to-back ducks here. Gautam Gambhir averaged 22. They know how quickly bad luck and bad form perpetuates when on tour, especially in Australia. Now as chief selector and head coach, respectively, they started from a place where Rohit Sharma, the regular captain, was likely to miss the first Test of the tour and the recovery of Mohammed Shami, a senior fast bowler, was taking longer than expected. They had to adapt on the fly when that list grew to include an injury to Shubman Gill, a key top-order batter, at the last minute. And every call they made has paid off so far.2:50

Jaiswal: ‘I back myself to take brave decisions’

India’s greatest win on these shores – Brisbane 2021 – was built on the back of young, almost-unknown players, but that wasn’t the plan. It simply worked out that way. This one in Perth was entirely deliberate.R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Akash Deep were all available for selection. Tried and tested performers. They were replaced by Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rana. A fingerspinner, who had only just broken a period of three years in Test-match wilderness, and two debutant allrounders with first-class records that were patchy at best. And somehow each of them ran roughshod over Australia.Reddy top scored for India during a difficult first innings. He’d been all keyed up. “I still remember, last practice when we were having, after the practice I had a chat with Gautam sir,” Reddy said, “and he mentioned when you get any bouncers or something like that, sharp spells, you just take onto the shoulders, something like that. Just feel like you are taking a bullet for your country.”Rana went right up to Labuschagne after hitting him on the inside thigh, stared him down for a second or two and, just before turning around, blew him a little kiss. It was his first over in Test cricket.Harshit Rana checks on Mitchell Starc after a blow to the helmet•AFP/Getty ImagesJaiswal went from 95 to 100 with a six, ramped over the wicketkeeper. He actually saw no reason not to. “To be honest, I knew that he [Josh Hazlewood] is going to bowl me a bouncer because the field was set for it and he was trying to bowl [a good line] outside off stump [as a set-up] but I knew that he will do something and I was ready for that ball. So, in my mind, if he is going to bowl me a bouncer, I am going to play that shot, and luckily he did and I played that shot. I enjoyed it.”The much more experienced KL Rahul, who was at the other end when that happened, and who took pains to rein his partner in early in the innings and make sure he played under his eyes and close to the body, didn’t bother stopping Jaiswal this time. If anything, he enabled him, because they had done the hard work and put themselves in a really strong position.Same with Jasprit Bumrah, whose triple-wicket opening spell in the first innings paved the way for Rana to start his work and straightaway feel confident enough to tease the opposition batters. Virat Kohli is another significant influence on the youngsters, both those in the squad and those still coming through. His success and his larger-than-life personality has had a top-down effect. A whole bunch of next-gen players are coming up with the same beard, similar tattoos, and a steadfast never-back-down attitude.1:48

Manjrekar: ‘India’s selection calls made cricketing sense’

The IPL could have had a hand in this as well, connecting the likes of Rana with Starc and Reddy with Pat Cummins, where they have had a chance to get to know the person behind the athlete, which does sometimes help in terms of mindset. You are less likely to be overawed going up against superstars after spending weeks at a time with them in fairly close quarters. Plus there’s India’s rise as a cricketing power. Increased resources mean increased opportunities in rounding the players out and get them used to fight-or-flight situations.The clout also helps. The team was able to train on their terms, with very little disturbance, which isn’t always the case when you’re travelling abroad on the back of a 3-0 defeat at home.Wins like Perth don’t come very often. Right at the start of a 43-day tour in conditions that favour the opposition, with an under-strength side. Adelaide might unfurl entirely differently. Australia are well versed in pink-ball cricket. India are not. They have a few days – and a tour game – to bridge that gap and if they are able to adapt even half as well as they did this week, this series is going to get really, really interesting.

Alyssa Healy offered her endorsement as well, saying this was the “most stable” Indian team she has seen

Sruthi Ravindranath13-Sep-20253:00

Harmanpreet: ‘We’re at a stage where everyone thinks we can beat Australia’

The last time India won an ODI against Australia at home was in 2007. They’ve won just one out of 10 ODIs against Australia in the last five years. They’ll be facing long odds when the two teams meet again in New Chandigarh on Sunday, but India captain Harmanpreet Kaur believes her side can “beat Australia on any day”.”We are a team that has worked hard throughout the year, and are improving day by day,” Harmanpreet said. “But Australia have had a good set-up for some years now, and they have been dominating for some years now. We have just come into that race, and have done well in the last one to one-and-a-half years. We were working hard [to beat them before]. But now, we have worked a lot on fielding and fitness, and results are starting to show.”India are coming off a strong period in ODIs: they’ve lost just two out of the 11 ODIs they’ve played this year, and recently won 2-1 against England away. The three-match series against Australia could be an important marker in the lead-up to the home World Cup, which starts on September 30.Related

India, Australia aim to fine-tune their prep for ODI World Cup

Bhatia ruled out of Australia series, World Cup with injury

“No doubt, they [Australia] have been very dominating; they have played well all over the world and dominated. But we are also as a stage where, as a captain, we have the belief we can beat them on any day,” Harmanpreet said. “The processes in the last one-and-a-half years have been good; we have improved quite a lot. Even in England, we beat one of their best sides. These show that we are on the right track. This group of players has played together for a while now. Everyone knows what they need to do for the team. There is belief that we can beat any team on any day, which is very important. If you have the belief, the results follow.”Australia captain Alyssa Healy, meanwhile, said this was the “most stable” Indian team she has seen.”It feels like to me in the women’s game, India’s been a bit of a sleeping giant for a long period of time and probably haven’t had the stability that I think they do right now,” she said. “They’re a really dangerous side, and I think they’re fully aware of that and what they can do to other teams. We watched them go to England and play some really good cricket and challenge a really good side.”This is the most stable Indian team I’ve seen, and I think they’re in a really good place heading into this World Cup. So I’m looking forward to that challenge, and like you said, the rivalry continues to grow. I know how much they love beating Australia and I know how good they are in their home conditions, and that’s really a challenge for us. I think it’s going to be a really enjoyable, hard-fought series.”1:11

Healy: ‘India a sleeping giant for a long time now’

Harmanpreet credited the Women’s Premier League (WPL) for bridging the gap between domestic and international cricket. She has noticed younger players coming into the team with more confidence than before.”I think their [youngsters’] approach has been very special to see, especially as a captain,” Harmanpreet said. “When I look to 4-5 years ago, we’ve been talking about the gap between domestic and international cricket, so it’s difficult for a player to transition. In the last 5-6 years, we have been playing back-to-back games, and it has also been telecast. The girls who are playing now are ready, and know how to push themselves for the international level.”We can see that in players like Kranti [Goud] and Pratika [Rawal] – they look ready. It’s not that they need time or opportunities – the way they have prepared themselves, they are showing they are ready for the opportunity. We were hoping that something like the WPL would start for a long time so that the gap between international and domestic cricket reduces, and we have seen that in the last three years. I hope they keep performing like this.”Australia have not played an ODI since January this year. But for Healy, that’s not a big issue. While she has got a unit that has played together for a long time, she also said Australia may rotate players in the three ODIs, especially with left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux out of this series and in a race against time to be fit for the World Cup.Back in the side is Renuka Singh, whose return from a lengthy injury layoff will benefit the other bowlers•BCCI

“It’s been a little while since we’ve played cricket together as a group, but in saying that, the group’s in a really great place to tackle this World Cup but also the ODI series,” Healy said. “India are probably red-hot favourites in their own conditions coming into a World Cup, but I feel like the squad of 15 players we’ve got to contribute in this series is really well-placed. I think, ironically, with the 15 players we’ve got, I think we can pick a best XI and use all 15, so I think we’re pretty lucky in that regard.”But obviously playing for Australia at any moment in time is an important feature, no matter if there’s points attached to it or not. So we’ll obviously be playing our best XI we can, but it’s also a good opportunity for us to try a few different things and get some different combinations in place looking ahead to what is a big four to five weeks after this series. So experimentation is probably a big word, but you might see a little bit of rotation here.”Harmanpreet indicated India may look to give all the players in the squad a chance too. Back in the side is fast bowler Renuka Singh, whose return from a lengthy injury layoff will benefit the other bowlers in the side.”Renuka’s played a very important role in the side always, really happy she’s back in the side,” Harmanpreet said. “She has worked really hard. She’s keen to be part of the team. She was the one who was leading our medium-pacer department, so it feels good that she’s back. It’s good for people like Kranti and Arundhati [Reddy] too – she played a big role in that aspect too.”This series is very important for us. We are happy we got the opportunity to play one of the best teams before going for the World Cup. These three games are important, and we are thinking of giving opportunity to everyone, so that everyone’s fresh for the World Cup.”

Well, it appears that Liverpool are back in their biannual rut. Just as the Anfield side have shown themselves to be capable of hitting staggering heights over the past decade or so, they have also battled through several challenging campaigns in recent years.

This is, sadly, a crisis for Arne Slot, whose tactics aren’t working after a summer transfer window of sweeping change.

The likes of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak have been disappointing, and no mistake. However, Liverpool’s wider systematic issues have made it difficult for such players to bed in.

Could it be that, against the cascade of arrivals on Merseyside, sporting director Richard Hughes oversaw one too many sales too?

How Luis Diaz has sparkled at Bayern Munich

After 11 Premier League fixtures this season, Liverpool are eighth in the standings. It is not so much Arsenal’s eight-point advantage over last year’s champions as the difference in fluency and solidity that has made the gulf insurmountable.

The upheaval could have been eased, to be sure, had certain measures not been taken this summer. For example, it was probably a mistake to have sold Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich. He has been rampant since moving to Germany, scoring 11 goals in his first 17 matches.

The 28-year-old had stepped toward the penultimate year of his contract at Anfield, and despite efforts to spark a renewal, it became clear from all parties that a deal could be struck if Liverpool’s valuation was met.

And it was. The Bundesliga champions paid £65.5m for the versatile forward; the money was good, but Liverpool lost a winger who scored 17 goals and provided eight assists last season, and offered so much pressing impact and tenacity, both on and off the ball.

However, Diaz’s departure was an understandable one, given the circumstances, and there’s another Redman whose efforts overseas this season have shown that Slot and co made a big error in letting him leave.

Hughes made a bigger mistake than selling Diaz

Liverpool are bound to smooth out the creases in Slot’s side at some stage, but there’s no escaping the fact that it hasn’t been good enough this season.

Out of the Carabao Cup and facing a fight for Champions League qualification, let alone the Premier League title, Liverpool have a whole host of problems, but there’s unquestionably been something missing in central midfield, and Tyler Morton might have been able to do something about it, had he not been sold to Lyon in France for around £15m in August.

Hailed for his “incredible IQ” by journalist Bence Bocsak, the 23-year-old Morton is a creative and enterprising midfielder, industrious in his work ethic and more than happy to cover ground across the engine room, working hard to protect the defence and win back the ball before driving it forward and into the danger area.

He is early into his career with Lyon in Ligue 1, but the Wallasey-born midfielder has demonstrated remarkable confidence and maturity to make headway after a difficult, peripheral year under Slot’s wing, commenting since leaving that he didn’t “feel the trust” from the Dutch coach, not handed a single minute in the Premier League.

His league form so far this season would suggest that a mistake has been made, especially when considering Slot’s reluctance to play veteran Wataru Endo.

With Morton so early into his career and without the top experience of many ahead of him, there’s so much reason for Lyon to be excited about this talent and where he might take them.

Not Liverpool, though. Morton has been released from the books, and this might just come back to bite Slot, with the homegrown star’s sale more puzzling than that of the 28-year-old Diaz, who wanted to leave.

Liverpool star is quickly becoming their biggest "disaster" since Keita

Arne Slot has a Naby Keita-style situation on his hands with this expensive Liverpool flop.

2

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 13, 2025

Alessia Russo scored two second-half headers as holders Arsenal came back from behind to earn a much-needed 2-1 victory over Real Madrid in the Women’s Champions League on Wednesday. The striker combined with Lionesses team-mates Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead as the Gunners got back on track with their first win since the start of the month.

Meeting for the first time since their thrilling Champions League quarter-final last season, Arsenal started the better of the two teams and perhaps should have taken the lead when midfielder Frida Maanum headed just past the post from close range. However, Real quickly grew into the game through forwards Athenea del Castillo and Linda Caicedo and they took the lead when Scotland international Caroline Weir came back to haunt her former club with a stunning volley towards the end of a tight opening 45 minutes.

In a reversal of the first half, it was Pau Quesada’s Real who flew out of the traps after the break, with Caicedo first hitting the side netting before Weir forced Arsenal goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar into a comfortable save. However, the European champions soon sparked into life when Kelly’s 53rd-minute cross was brilliantly headed home by Russo, who had to generate all of the pace. Canada forward Olivia Smith then got into a dangerous position inside the visitors’ box, but her effort went straight at Real goalkeeper and captain Misa Rodriguez.

Continuing to push Real back, Arsenal soon took the lead when Russo scored yet another superb header – this time from substitute Mead’s teasing corner. The 26-year-old then combined well with Maanum but she couldn’t make it a hat-trick, firing just past the post. Liga F side Real drove forward in search of a last-gasp leveller but Renee Slegers’ side were able to hold on for their first victory since the 4-1 Women’s Super League success over Leicester City on 2 November. 

They failed to win any of their previous three games before Wednesday's clash, losing 3-2 to German giants Bayern Munich either side of league draws with Chelsea and north London rivals Tottenham.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Meadow Park…

• AFP
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Daphne van Domselaar (6/10):

  The Netherlands shot-stopper couldn't do anything to prevent Weir's excellent goal, though she did make a decent save to deny the midfielder after the break.

  Emily Fox (7/10):

  While Real were sharp down the left through winger Athenea, the USWNT defender stood up well to the challenge.

  Lotte Wubben-Moy (6/10):

  The centre-back made a number of sharp, well-timed interventions to thwart Real, though she was a little bit careless on the ball at times.

  Steph Catley (5/10):

  The Australian will be disappointed she failed to get enough distance on her header in the build up to Weir's terrific strike.

  Katie McCabe (7/10):

  Up against the electric Caicedo, the defender didn't take a step back, doing everything she could to frustrate the Colombia international.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Midfield

  Frida Maanum (6/10):

  Perhaps should have scored a header in the first half but the midfielder was a threat, almost teeing up Russo in the first half but the striker was offside.

  Kyra Cooney-Cross (7/10):

  Like many of her team-mates, she was neat and tidy on the ball as Arsenal pushed and probed throughout.

  Mariona Caldentey (7/10):

  Conceded the free kick which brought about Real's opener but the Spain international was industrious, making 14 recoveries for Arsenal.

• AFP
  

  Attack

  Chloe Kelly (7/10):

  Lively down the right-hand side, the England forward tested Real's resolve with a few teasing crosses, with one of them leading to Russo's equaliser.

  Alessia Russo (9/10):

  Receiving little service in the first half, the Lionesses star – as always – showed up when Arsenal really needed her, scoring two excellent headers after the break. She is now the joint-top goalscorer in the UWCL, alongside Real's Weir and Wolfsburg striker Lineth Beerensteyn, having netted four times in as many games.

  Olivia Smith (7/10):

  Effortlessly gliding away from her markers, the Canada star got into a number of good positions and all that was missing was the finish.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Subs & Manager

  Beth Mead (7/10):

  A second-half substitute, the forward recorded yet another assist this season as Russo headed home from her dangerous corner.

  Caitlin Foord (6/10):

  Introduced after the break, the Australia international was quiet in what was a low-key performance.

  Stina Blackstenius (6/10):

  The Sweden forward helped Arsenal see out a massive win, making a couple of good runs late on.

  Taylor Hinds (N/A):

  Brought on too late to make an impact.

  Laia Codina (N/A):

  Not on the pitch long enough to influence things.

  Renee Slegers (7/10):

  The Dutchwoman made three changes to the side who drew 0-0 with Tottenham, with Kelly and Smith producing good displays in particular. She also introduced Mead in the second half and the England star provided the assist for Russo's winner.

Over the years, Manchester United has been the home to numerous elite-level centre-forwards, with Robin van Persie one who captured the hearts of the fanbase.

The Dutchman joined in a controversial deal from Premier League rivals Arsenal for a reported £24m back in August 2012 – a deal that proved to be an absolute bargain.

He ended up making 105 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring a total of 58 goals, with his total of 26 league goals in 2012/13 helping Sir Alex Ferguson win his final top-flight title.

Van Persie also managed to notch 16 assists during such a period, taking his total goal contributions to 74, resulting in an average of 0.7 goals or assists per game over a three-year period.

Such a record has undoubtedly cemented his place in the Red Devils history, but numerous managers have been unable to rely upon similar talents at Old Trafford.

Ruben Amorim is the latest manager to try and unearth his own version of the talisman, subsequently spending big on a new centre-forward during the recent summer window.

The reasons behind Benjamin Sesko’s struggles at United

After taking the reins back in November last year, Amorim had to rely upon the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee to provide the goods at the top end of the pitch.

However, the duo’s tally of just seven combined goals in the Premier League last season highlighted the need for reinforcements during the summer transfer window.

The board handed the manager over £200m worth of funds to make the desired changes, which resulted in three huge names making the move to Old Trafford.

Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo were just two of the additions made by the hierarchy, with Benjamin Sesko the player brought in to operate alongside the pair in the final third.

The latter of the trio cost a reported £74m from RB Leipzig during the summer, with real hope generated by the fans that he would be the man to solve their issues.

However, his start to life in Manchester has been far from plain sailing, as seen by his tally of just two goals in his first 11 league outings – even going four games without a goal.

His early struggles will no doubt present cause for concern, with his underlying numbers also highlighting his lack of impact in recent months after his big-money switch.

He’s only registered a total of 3.6 touches in the opposition box per 90, which has ranked him in the bottom 20% of all other centre forwards in England’s top-flight.

Such a figure showcases that he’s either unable to get himself into the right positions, or he’s not being provided the goods – which could explain his lowly goalscoring tally.

However, Sesko has been hugely reliant upon players around him, with his tally of 0.2 dribbles completed showcasing that he’s unlikely to create a chance on his own.

Like the aforementioned tally, it has placed him in the bottom 20% of other strikers in the league, which could also be contributing to his lack of goals at present.

The United star who could end Sesko’s Man Utd career

There’s no doubt that Sesko will need added time to flourish in England, with his big-money transfer to United in the summer presenting a huge culture change for the 22-year-old.

He’s had to move to a new country, league and surroundings, which is certainly a daunting task for a young talent – which too could be having an effect on his lack of output.

But the lack of quality in such a department has no doubt ramped up the pressure on the Slovenian international to provide the goods in front of goal at Old Trafford.

Amorim will no doubt have to manage Sesko personally to get the best out of the centre-forward, but it’s unclear how much patience the manager will present to the new addition.

The fans, too, will need to cut him some slack, but it will no doubt be tricky, especially given the form of the previous talents in such a role – including the likes of Van Persie.

However, the club may have their next talisman in the form of Chido Obi, with the young star already matching the Dutchman in making the move to Old Trafford from rivals Arsenal.

At just 17, the fans will have to be patient with the Dane, but there’s no doubt excitement has been generated by his incredible goalscoring record in the youth setup.

He scored 13 times in just 11 appearances for the U18 outfit last campaign, living up to the billing he is a “goalscoring machine” in the words of scout Jacek Kulig. Such form has seen him make the step-up to the U21 squad over the last couple of months.

Obi has now made 22 appearances at such a level, scoring nine times and registering four assists in the process – even managing to thrive at an age group four years above his own.

Given the lack of quality in the centre-forward department last season, Amorim even handed the teenager his first taste of senior football in an attempt to improve the situation.

The Dane made a total of eight first-team appearances in 2024/25, but failed to find the back of the net once – however, it didn’t stop the youngster from receiving huge praise.

Teammate Leny Yoro previously waxed lyrical about the youngster, even claiming that he could become “one of the world’s best” in the years to come should he continue on his current path.

After returning to youth level, Obi has backed up Yoro’s statement, averaging a goal every 100 minutes and registering a staggering total of 2.2 shots on target per 90 this season.

Games played

8

Games started

3

Goals scored

3

Mins per goal

100

Shots on target

2.2

Dribbles completed

68%

Touches in opposition box

6.6

Fouls won

1.7

He’s even completed 68% of the dribbles he’s attempted, massively starring in such an area, something which Sesko has been unable to do over the last few months.

Obi has also dominated countless backlines lately, as seen by his tally of 4.7 duels won, with his physical presence potentially perfect for Amorim’s current side.

Whilst he’s just 17, the future is massively bright for the Dane at Old Trafford, with the club desperately needing to streamline his progress into the senior ranks.

Sesko’s inability to impress could certainly hand the manager the perfect chance to allow him to stake his claim and nail down the position as his very own for many years to come.

If he can match Van Persie’s level during his own time with the Red Devils, he will certainly be a fan-favourite and a player who can take the first-team back to their former glory.

An Mbeumo repeat: Man Utd to make £52m bid for "best winger in the country"

Manchester United look set to make another huge bid for a new attacker for Ruben Amorim.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 18, 2025

Abhimanyu Easwaran first turned out for India A in July 2018. Over the years, he has played 30 first-class matches for India A – KS Bharat is second with 21 – but the Test cap has not come his way yet, despite being in five Test squads, including the one in England earlier this year. He is back with India A, for the two four-day games against Australia A, and back to the grind, which can’t be getting easier at 30. But Hrishikesh Kanitkar, the India A coach, expects Abhimanyu to “stay very motivated to challenge himself,” as always.”Abhimanyu is an experienced player. He has captained Bengal and played a lot of cricket at the higher level. So there isn’t much need to say a lot to him because he knows how cricket is played,” Kanitkar said at a press conference ahead of the first four-day match in Lucknow.”It was not a big challenge to talk to him because he is already prepared. He knows what to do if opportunities don’t come. One good thing is that he stays very motivated to challenge himself, push himself, perform well. And if he gets a chance at the higher level, do well there too. He is mentally very strong, prepared, and is also playing well.Related

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“He is batting well. He is in good form and in good touch. He is a very, very good player who has done it [for India A] many times. So I think he is ready for the challenge now. He is in a good place right now in terms of batting and the way managing his cricket.”Lucknow is a city that will evoke fond memories for Abhimanyu. He has played three first-class matches there, and has scored a century each time to average 117.75, with a total of 471 runs in five innings.Last year, while playing in Lucknow for Rest of India in the Irani Cup match against Mumbai, Abhimanyu scored 191 while opening the batting. Ten days later, he played a Ranji Trophy match at the same ground for Bengal against Uttar Pradesh and scored an unbeaten 127. The call-up to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad followed.No one in India has possibly been on the fringes of Test cricket for this long without making the cut. But now, with India A again, Abhimanyu will walk out to open and will be expected to play the same sort of calm, responsible, long innings he has made a name for, and hope the Tests at home against West Indies next month are the ones he had been waiting for.

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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Posts ByEthan Lamb Nov 11, 2025

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.