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How do bowlers deal with dew? Dale Steyn and Ajit Agarkar tell us

Interview by Nagraj Gollapudi and Raunak Kapoor23-Apr-20213:33

Dale Steyn – ‘I’ve seen many a bowler run in and bowl waist-high full tosses’

No IPL in India goes by without dew becoming a talking point. It has an impact on the toss and overall game plans. The 2021 tournament has been no different, with MS Dhoni, the Chennai Super Kings captain, saying the early start times (7.30pm as opposed to 8pm) give an unfair advantage to the team batting first because the dew is yet to set in. KL Rahul, the Punjab Kings captain, suggested teams bowling second be allowed to change a wet ball.What exactly is the problem that dew poses, particularly to fast bowlers in the death overs? We asked former international fast bowlers Dale Steyn and Ajit Agarkar to break down the challenges.What happens to the ball when it is wet? Ajit Agarkar, former India fast bowler: It’s leather, so the water keeps seeping in, the seam becomes greasy, and it is very difficult to hold the ball on the seam.Personally, because my foot landed at an angle and then there was a pivot, I used to struggle a lot if the bottom of the shoe was a little wet or greasy, or if there was a lot of mud on it. When the foot landed, it didn’t stick in the [damp] pitch for the pivot to happen; and when the foot slipped, I had no control of what happened at the other end.When the ball is slipping through your fingers, you don’t really have control over the length. You set the field for a particular ball but the execution doesn’t happen like you want it to.Plus, it skids off the pitch, which becomes a little bit easier for the batsman. To consistently bowl the balls you want becomes a lot harder.Dale Steyn, former South Africa fast bowler: I back everything he said. Your run-up becomes difficult when you land. You feel like you are a little bit unstable because you can slip. The ball becomes extremely greasy in your fingers. The seam and the leather just become extremely slippery.And once the ball hits the deck, it also loses that bounce, because it is now a little wet. So if you were to going to bowl a back-of-a-length ball, it often doesn’t get as much bounce, which means that if you like to hit the stickers of the bat, now you are hitting more of the centre of the bat, where you don’t exactly want to hit.The ball actually completely loses its swing. So if you are thinking at the back end of an innings to target a little bit of reverse swing or get the ball to dip, because it’s dry on one side and a little wet on the other, that goes completely out the window too.A slippery, greasy, wet ball is probably one of the most difficult things to control when it comes to bowling.Can you practise by getting the ball wet during training? Steyn: You can. It is less practice with the ball and more mental practice – training your brain that this is the situation. You can’t exactly create the same amount of dew in practice as you would have in a game. No two [wet] balls will be the same. You can’t be certain the ball is going to be wet as opposed to a dry ball, where you know, okay, I can run in and if I let it go like this, it’s gonna land exactly there. It is really just training your brain to understand that this is going to be extremely

“Jasprit Bumrah he looks like he just nails his yorker regardless. Lasith Malinga was another one that just seemed to, regardless of the dew, nail his lengths”Dale Steyn

When you are doing it in practice, and you get maybe seven out of ten, you do feel a little bit better as opposed to going out in the game and it being completely foreign to you. You are just thinking to yourself, “That’s it, this game is over”, when, effectively, you could get the ball in the right place having known you have done it in training.So you can’t exactly simulate the situation while preparing? Agarkar: Obviously not. Plus, the ground is not wet either [during training]. I mean, try bowling with a wet bar of soap. It can be practically impossible when there’s a lot of dew. It makes life easier for the batsman, but as a bowler it just becomes so much harder to land the ball on a spot. Then it becomes difficult to control the runs as well.Does the dew hurt more when you are bowling second? Agarkar: It gets progressively worse as the game goes on. That’s why one-day [day-night] games now start a bit earlier in India – at 1.30pm as opposed to 2.30pm. The team fielding second are at more of a disadvantage because it just keeps getting worse. It does not matter how much chemical is sprayed or how much the rope [to mop up the dew] goes around or [whether] the Super Soppers are used.How does dew tend to mess up bowling plans at the death?Steyn: Sometimes you are thinking of a particular way you want to bowl. You go “Okay, cool, tonight you know the plan is that to this batsman we are going to bowl yorkers.” And then you come across the dew factor. I’ve seen many a bowler running in and bowl two waist-high full tosses, almost shoulder high. And that’s it. You are out of the attack. It can really go pear-shaped.That’s when you have to start to think on your feet a little and drag your length back.Commentators or people watching the game might start to go: “Why did that guy bowl a back-of-a-length slower ball as opposed to running in and bowling a yorker when we know that, as an example, [Kieron] Pollard’s not good at [facing] a yorker?”That really is because you are scared that the outcome is not going to be what you want it to be. You have bowled one yorker and it’s a full toss. You have been given the warning. Now your captain comes to you and says, “Another one like that, my friend, and you are out of the attack.” So you start to change your thinking.Dew diligence: when dealing with a wet ball and a wet surface, bowlers often lose control of not only the ball but also the way their feet land•Arjun Singh/BCCISo what is the best length to bowl in such situations? Agarkar: It depends on the day. There might be days where it is wet but you are still getting the ball full enough or landing it well. I found it a little bit easier to bowl length. My [bowling] arm was anyway a little bit lower, so the ball did skid through and if I did bowl that in-between length, I had a chance of getting away with it if there was no real room or it wasn’t too short. Maybe the batsman can’t time it properly [against the skidding ball] if you are straight enough.The yorker is the toughest ball to get right when the ball is wet, because from landing on the crease to keeping your action depends on trying to bowl full and quickly. Cross-seamers are something that a lot of bowlers try because it becomes difficult to grip the seam [upright], but the control or execution of every ball then becomes a challenge.Steyn: I preferred to bowl a hard back-of-a-length. Bowling a yorker is hard at the best of times with a normal ball. And now you are trying to do that with this wet bar of soap. It becomes impossible.In T20 cricket, at least, you are using one ball. When you are playing one-day cricket, you can be bowling from the one end and the ball might not be as wet, and you are absolutely nailing your yorkers. But then your captain switches you to the other side. You run in, bowl a full toss and you just know you’ve got to completely change your game plan. I have to go cross-seam and bowl hard lengths. You really have to play it on how you are feeling out in the middle, explain it to your captain, get the right field setting, and you just have to back it and hopefully it comes off.Are there some bowlers, in particular, who have done well in these conditions? Steyn: I have never really played with somebody like Jasprit Bumrah, but he looks like he just nails his yorker regardless. Lasith Malinga was another one that just seemed to, regardless of the dew, nail his lengths. But I guess that was his go-to ball. He just felt confident he can do it. And maybe the guys who run in slightly slower. When they land on the crease, they are more in control of themselves. They are probably going to bowl at the same speed, but everything is a little bit more in control.And like Ajit said, when running in as a fast bowler and trying to bowl as quickly as you can, a little bit of a slip here, a little bit of a movement here – this game is by inches. You miss your yorker, it’s a waist-high full toss, and the ball goes out of the ground.So probably for Bumrah and Malinga, the dew never seems to bother them, but I can guarantee you, for the rest of the world, it’s always in the back of your mind.Some IPL captains have suggested the ball be replaced during the second innings to compensate for the dew. What do you think? Steyn: Yeah, it can be. But then, you know, teams are also going to be holding out against it because the team that batted first may not have had the ball swapped over as many times.What about a pre-decided change for both innings? Steyn: I guess so. Also, for the safety of the sport. You are going to be running in and looking to bowl yorkers. There’s a chance that the ball can slip out of your hand. When I played a game for the Royal Challengers last year, I actually asked the umpire: “Please, can we change this ball? This is a crucial time of the game and I feel like I’m going to bowl a waist-high full toss.” He opted not to. I had to bowl the back-of-a-length ball.It was the last batter. He got under it and got caught on the long-on boundary. Had they changed the ball and had it been a newer ball, it probably would have gone for six. So I was both lucky and unlucky at the time. Maybe if you are looking to come into the back end to bowl and there is extreme dew, changing the ball is the best way. But you’d be almost doing it once every two or three balls.Agarkar: That seems to be the best solution. How you get it done is a challenge. Certainly it is a completely different ball game when it is a drier ball in your hand.

Glasgow Rangers finally confirmed their new head coach on Monday afternoon after a search that lasted just over two weeks, following the sacking of Russell Martin.

The Light Blues decided to part ways with the former Scotland international after their 1-1 draw with Falkirk, but they were unable to have a manager in place for their next Scottish Premiership match against Dundee United two weeks later.

Danny Rohl has, now, come through the door at Ibrox, though, and will be in charge of the Scottish giants when they face Brann in the Europa League on Thursday.

The German head coach has signed a deal that will take him through to the summer of 2027, having left Sheffield Wednesday at the start of this season.

After five wins in 18 matches so far this season in all competitions, supporters are understandably lacking in patience and want to see an instant improvement in the team’s form.

So, with this in mind, what can the fans at Ibrox expect from Rohl once his team walks out onto the pitch to play their first game against Brann on Thursday?

What Rangers fans can expect from a Danny Rohl team

The word ‘pragmatism’ is often misused in football. It gets used as a substitute for saying a manager plays defensive or passive football that is awful to watch, instead of the actual meaning of the word, which is to play logical football that makes sense with what you have at your disposal and who you are up against.

Rohl, fans may be pleased to read, is a pragmatist in the literal sense of the word. The German tactician, who worked as an assistant at Bayern Munich and for the German national team, changes his tactics and style of play to give his team the best chance of winning.

An interesting example of this came in March when Sheffield Wednesday travelled to Norwich City. They went direct in the first half, attempting to use physicality to gain possession, and found themselves 2-0 down at the break.

At half-time, Rohl brought on Nathaniel Chalobah and Michael Smith and looked to take control of the game in possession, dominating in midfield, and it led to a brilliant comeback to secure a 3-2 win, capped off by a winning goal from Djeidi Gassama.

League finish

20th

12th

Points

53

58

xG

50.2

62.7

Goals scored

44

60

Goals conceded

68

69

xGD

-8.4

-0.2

As you can see in the table above, the Owls significantly improved from the start of Rohl’s tenure to the end of it, as a result of his pragmatism and willingness to adapt and evolve his side.

Despite his willingness to change styles and formations, one thing that was almost a constant for the German boss was that he played with one striker. Per FBref, 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, 4-1-4-1, 5-4-1, and 3-4-3 were his most-used formations in the Championship last season.

This suggests that, irrespective of what style he chooses to go with for each match, he is likely to go with one central striker in his team for the Light Blues.

With this in mind, there is a centre-forward on the books at Ibrox who could find himself on the chopping block when the January transfer window opens for business.

Chalkboard

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

The first player Rohl should look to brutally ditch from his Rangers squad after the turn of the year is Brazilian forward Danilo, as it seems unlikely that he will play a major role for the new head coach.

Why Rangers should sell Danilo in January

Rangers splashed a whopping £8m on Youssef Chermiti and another £4.2m on Bojan Miovski to bolster their options in the number nine position.

This means that the club have spent over £12m on two strikers to be ahead of Danilo in the pecking order, which makes him the third-choice striker for a manager who predominantly wants to play with one player in that role.

Danilo, therefore, is in a difficult position at Ibrox. That is further evidenced by the fact that he has not played a minute in the Scottish Premiership since August, and has been an unused substitute in four of his last five appearances in the matchday squad.

The Brazilian striker started against Motherwell on the opening day of the season, and pundit Kris Boyd immediately stated that it was not working with him in the team.

Danilo has scored one goal and provided one assist in 11 appearances in all competitions this season, per Transfermarkt, so it is hard to disagree with Boyd’s assessment.

The £26k-per-week centre-forward, who was once described as being “sloppy” on the ball by pundit Steven Thompson, is also a constant injury concern for the Light Blues, as he has missed far too many games through injury in the last couple of years.

Type of injury

Broken cheekbone

Knee injury

Knee injury

Date of injury

September 2023

December 2023

September 2024

Return date

October 2023

May 2024

November 2024

Days out

43

171

65

Matches missed

9

32

12

As you can see in the table above, Danilo has missed 53 matches through injury since his move to Ibrox to join Michael Beale’s side from Feyenoord in the summer of 2023.

This means that there should be doubts over both his durability and his quality in a Rangers shirt, which is not a good combination for a player who reportedly earns £26-per-week.

Therefore, Rohl should immediately sell the Brazilian striker from the squad when the January transfer window opens for business, to save money on wages and bring in funds to bring in players in other positions.

As the manager typically likes to play with one centre-forward, it makes logical sense to go with Miovski and Chermiti, who were both signed in the summer, and sell Danilo instead of paying a third-choice striker £26k-per-week to sit on the bench, or miss out on the matchday squad.

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ByDan Emery Oct 20, 2025

After an incredible few months, Arsenal suffered their first defeat since August 31st at the hands of Aston Villa on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta’s side went behind in the first half, and while they did pull one back in the second, they were the victims of a 95th-minute Emiliano Buendía winner.

It wasn’t a terrible performance from the Gunners, but it was also some way off their best, and one of the players who has received plenty of criticism from the fans has been Martin Odegaard.

The captain was certainly not to blame for the result, but he did look a little off the pace at times, and after his underwhelming season last year, he is under the microscope more than most.

While his place in the team is safe for now, there are three players who could replace him in the coming years, and none of them is Eberechi Eze.

Chalkboard

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

3 Ethan Nwaneri

Starting with the player who is perhaps the closest to eventually challenging Odegaard for a place in the starting lineup: Ethan Nwaneri.

The Hale End star is already a regular in the match-day squads, and while there has been some concern from fans over his lack of game time this season, it’s important to remember he is still just 18 years old.

Moreover, due to injuries, he ended up playing a far more significant role in the team last season than anyone would have predicted, and to say he impressed would be an understatement.

Appearances

37

Minutes

1378′

Goals

9

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

Minutes per Goal Involvement

125.27′

For example, the “phenomenal” prospect, as dubbed by former professional Stephen Warnock, scored nine goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances, totalling 1378 minutes.

That works out to a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or more crucially, one every 125.27 minutes, which helps to justify Joe Cole’s claim that “he’s the most exciting footballer in England and maybe Europe.”

Now, a lot of his game time did come out wide, in place of Bukayo Saka, but the Enfield-born gem is first and foremost an attacking midfielder, as it’s where he spent most of his time in the academy and where his combination of shooting, passing and dribbling abilities are best placed.

There is little chance of Nwaneri replacing the Norwegian this season, but in a couple of years, if he fulfils his potential, there could be a real battle for that ten position.

2 Max Dowman

After Nwaneri, the Arsenal gem who feels like they could seriously rival Odegaard in a few years, is, of course, Max Dowman.

The 15-year-old might just be the most talked-about prospect in the country this season, and based on his form in the academy and for the senior side, it’s not hard to see why.

For example, when it comes to the former, the Chelmsford-born phenom has racked up a comical tally of six goals and one assist in just four appearances across the U19S and U21S.

Then, when it comes to the first team, he has already, in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson, started “humiliating Premier League players.”

For example, he ran rings around Leeds United on his league debut, then became the youngest player in the club’s history to start a game in the Gunners’ League Cup clash with Brighton & Hove Albion.

Finally, if all that wasn’t enough for someone who hasn’t even finished his GCSEs yet, he also became the youngest player in Champions League history when he came off the bench against Slavia Prague.

Now, like with Nwaneri, Dowman is not going to be a serious rival for Odegaard this season, but at the rate he is progressing, that time could come far sooner than most are expecting.

1 Holger Quintero

Last but by no means least, the final Arsenal player who could one day be the star to displace the captain from the team is Holger Quintero.

Now, just a week or so ago, most fans would have absolutely no idea who the 16-year-old was, but now, after the Gunners signed him and his twin brother Edwin Quintero, he has become one of the most exciting youngsters on the club’s books, and for good reason.

According to Mattinson, the Ecuadorian wonderkid is a “skilful attacking midfielder with 1v1 prowess to take on players”, which sounds quite a bit like Dowman, which can’t be a bad thing.

He appears to be more than just another promising youngster, though, as respected talent scout Jacek Kulig has stuck his neck out, labelling him “one of the most exciting U17s in South America.”

He is also someone who could potentially play the probing through balls that Odegaard has started to bring into his game, with Mattinson claiming he has an “excellent weight of pass” and is a “decisive creator with a killer final ball.”

However, due to rules around foreign-born youngsters, the midfielder won’t be able to join up with his new teammates until January 2027, so he is probably the last in line to compete with Odegaard.

Ultimately, the captain’s place in the team is currently safe, as it should be, but with three of the most exciting players in the game coming up behind him, Odegaard might have to step up his game over the next few years.

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1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 8, 2025

Glasgow Rangers have officially confirmed that they have parted company with both CEO Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell, less than 12 months on from both of their arrivals at Ibrox.

Chairman Andrew Cavenagh reveals that the Light Blues ownership made the decision to move Stewart and Thelwell on as they believe that they need different people running the project moving forward.

This decision comes after Thelwell arrived from Everton in April and made numerous less-than-well-received decisions, including the appointment of Russell Martin and the signing of Youssef Chermiti for £8m from Everton.

Fraser Thornton has been made the acting CEO and it will be interesting to see what the club do with the sporting director position, given that the January transfer window is on the horizon.

Rangers submit offer to sign exciting winger

Despite the decision to part ways with Stewart and Thelwell, it appears as though there has been work going on behind the scenes to bolster Danny Rohl’s squad.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to a report from Kazakhstan, via Scouts in Eurasia, Rangers have submitted an offer to sign 22-year-old Yelimay Semey left winger Galymzhan Kenzhebek, ahead of the January transfer window.

It claims that the Scottish giants have made the most attractive offer to the young starlet, and that has made them the frontrunners in the race for his signature.

Dundee United and Olympiacos are also said to be interested in a deal to land the Kazakhstan international in the winter window, but they are yet to make an offer that is more attractive than the one that Rangers have put down.

Whoever has the final say on transfers in January, which remains to be seen after Monday’s events, could make a better signing than any move Thelwell made in the summer by getting a deal over the line for Kenzhebek.

Why Rangers should sign Galymzhan Kenzhebek

The Gers should push to bring the 22-year-old winger to Ibrox because his form for club and country this season suggests that he could be an exciting addition to the squad.

With 12 Scottish Premiership matches played, none of the summer signings made by Thelwell have delivered more than two goals or one assist in the league, per WhoScored, which illustrates how ineffective his additions have been.

Kenzhebek is a forward who could come in and light up Ibrox in the second half of the season if he can adapt to Scottish football, which would make him a better addition than any of the signings that Thelwell made.

Galymzhan Kenzhebek’s form this season
Stats	Kazakhstan Premier League	World Cup qualifiers
Appearances	11	8
Goals	6	2
Big chances missed	N/A	0
Key passes per game	1.7	1.0
Big chances created	N/A	1
Assists	4	1
Dribbles completed per game	8.6	1.4
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the young forward has been on fire domestically with ten goals and assists in 11 appearances, whilst also showing his class on the international stage with three goal involvements in eight outings.

Rangers-supporting writer Kai Watson described his dribbling numbers as “incredible”, and it is hard to disagree with that assessment when you consider that no Rangers player has completed more than 2.0 dribbles per game in the Premiership, per WhoScored.

Whilst supporters may question the level of the Kazakhstan Premier League, it is worth pointing out that Hearts signed Claudio Braga from the second division in Norway and Alexandros Kyziridis from the Slovakian top-flight, and they have combined for 14 goals and assists in the league, per WhoScored.

Perhaps dipping into a lesser-known market to sign Kenzhebek, instead of signing experienced Championship players and Premier League flops, could serve them better.

If the 22-year-old attacker can arrive at Ibrox and deliver the kind of attacking quality he has shown for his current club, he would be an even better and more effective signing than any of the moves that Thelwell made during his short stint in Glasgow.

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By
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The New York Mets and New York Yankees are set to square off in a spring training exhibition on Monday, marking the first time Juan Soto will face his former team since making the big-money move to Queens during the offseason.

Ahead of the game, Aaron Boone was asked if he'd spoken to Soto, and the Yankees manager revealed his message to his former outfielder.

"I told him he looked terrible in that uniform," Boone said jokingly.

"Good to see him. Obviously, Juan was great for us. But, just as important, he's a great guy in our room, great guy in our clubhouse. Honestly, it was actually really good to see him and just catch up for a minute. But yeah, thought he looked terrible in those colors," Boone added.

Despite the Yankees' efforts to retain him in free agency, Soto swapped one New York jersey for another when he agreed to a 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets.

After Monday's game, the two sides won't face off until the Subway Series during the regular season, which runs from May 16–18, at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees will play at Citi Field for the second Subway Series of the campaign on July 4–6.

What to make of Everton? In the first half at the Stadium of Light, David Moyes’ tactics worked a treat, with Sunderland unable to match the visitors’ intensity and, crucially, unable to prevent Iliman Ndiaye’s brilliance.

This was a display of resilience and grit, though it was reduced to that samey standard by Everton’s own unravelling of their progressive play. Moyes’ side reverted to type, you could say, not quite shelling up but releasing their hold on the fluency that had played the Black Cats off the park in the early rounds of the fight.

As it is, the point gained on Monday night moves the Toffees a point ahead of Fulham and into 14th place in the Premier League, though one win in seven fixtures is admittedly a concern.

Moreover, Everton have now gone six matches without a clean sheet. Jarrad Branthwaite’s continued absence is affecting the Blues, of course, but inviting pressure will invite goals, and that’s something Moyes’ side have been guilty of doing.

There’s a real chance to take this season by the scruff of the neck and push for a place in the top half of the table. After all, with Ndiaye (and Jack Grealish) in the side, such dreams are achievable.

Iliman Ndiaye strikes again

Everton made their pressure count after 15 minutes in Sunderland, with Ndiaye collecting from the right and shimmying his way down into the box and sending a perfectly-placed shot past Robin Roefs.

Presenter Jamie O’Hara described the 25-year-old as “one of the best players in the Premier League”, and the division is indeed waking up to the fact that this might be true. There is so much good about Ndiaye’s game; so often he is the difference-maker for Moyes’ team.

This season, he has scored four times from ten outings in the Premier League, assisting one goal too.

In fact, the Senegalese’s sumptuous finish has seen him peel away from Beto as the top goalscorer at the club since Moyes returned in January.

David Moyes’ Top Scorers at Everton (2nd spell)
Player	Apps	Goals
Iliman Ndiaye	27	10
Beto	31	9
Abdoulaye Doucoure	17	3
Charly Alcaraz	26	3
Michael Keane	16	2
Jake O’Brien	20	2
Data via Transfermarkt

Ndiaye’s ability has been widened this term, though. Last year, the electric-paced winger was something of a direct force. You might even say he was a touch one-dimensional.

No longer. Grealish’s arrival has prompted a shift to the right, and while Ndiaye’s striker’s instinct remains, he has now added creativity to his game, averaging 1.3 key passes per match, as per Sofascore, and opening up dimensions from which the centre-forwards are not taking advantage.

Everton have attacking problems, alright, but we’ve perhaps forgotten how a blow Branthwaite’s absence might have been. Last season, for example, the Three Lions defender’s early-season unavailability sparked a four-match losing run that laid the foundation of Dyche’s demise.

But this time around, the Merseysiders are stronger at the back, and much is owed to one man in particular.

The Everton star thriving under Moyes

Everton need to improve under Moyes this season. There is enough quality to challenge higher up the standings, even with the strikers proving so wasteful in front of goal.

But some players have stepped up, and Michael Keane epitomises this, having come within a whisker of leaving the club at the end of his contract last season, instead adding one more year to his stay.

As Branthwaite languishes in the infirmary, Keane has stepped up and emerged as one of the key pillars of the campaign at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, starting all ten of Everton’s Premier League fixtures and playing every minute save for the win over Crystal Palace, when he was withdrawn after the hour mark.

Something of an aerial monster, the 32-year-old has been resourceful alongside the skipper James Tarkowski, who in truth has not been at his best over the past several months.

Keane, conversely, has shone, still limited technically and on the ball, but coming out on top across 62% of his ground battles. Furthermore, his 85% pass success rate suggests he is keeping things cool when playing out of defence.

And, of course, Keane has something of an unnatural instinct for goal, having scored twice under Moyes’ wing despite limited game time.

A contentious handball scare aside, Keane produced a rather faultless performance against Sunderland, standing strong against the second-half onslaught and winning five of seven contested duels, also blocking three shots and, incredibly, making 13 clearances (as per Sofascore), that final metric perhaps underscoring how deep Everton had sunk as the hosts cranked up the pressure.

Liverpool World actually awarded the 12-cap England international a 9/10 match rating, hailing his beast-like display in defence as he swept up the danger and made one brave header to prevent a certain goal during one frenzied scramble.

Everton pulled off a lot of business this summer. Moyes knew he’d enjoyed a successful window of wheeler-dealing, but the shrewdest deal of them all might have been extending Keane’s contract by an additional year.

The veteran defender has arguably outplayed Tarkowski beside him, and for a player whose career on Merseyside looked done and dusted, this is quite the resurgence for a side who, in hindsight, desperately needed someone of his ilk to steer them past the latest Branthwaite blow that has not derailed Moyes’ season so far.

In 2022, talkSPORT pundit Perry Groves said that the Toffees defender was “always struggling” for the club, so awkward on the ball that he looked like he was “not in control of his own body.”

Now, he has been revived, owing much, no doubt, to Moyes’ deep-rooted defensive principles. This is a player who is becoming every bit as undroppable as the flashy and fantastic Ndiaye this season.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 4, 2025

Erling Haaland set a new Champions League record with a goal against former side Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night. Haaland added to an extensive fine haul in Manchester City's welcome of the German giants as he netted his fifth Champions League goal of the season on the half-hour mark. And the first-half strike saw the Norwegian goal machine make history.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Haaland's flying form for club and country

  Haaland has made a rampant start to the season for both club and country. The Norway international went into Wednesday's game having scored in 17 times of 13 matches in the 2025-26 campaign, failing only to net in league defeats to Tottenham and Aston Villa.

  The 25-year-old was hand on rifle past Gregor Kobel after being picked out by Jeremy Doku on the half hour mark as Manchester City eased to a 2-0 first-half lead over Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium. Phil Foden opened the scoring for the Cityzens midway through the first half as City looked to claim a third successive win in all competitions.

  Pep Guardiola's side have made an unbeaten start to their Champions League campaign as a 2-2 draw at Monaco was sandwiched between a 2-0 home triumph over Napoli and a 2-0 win at Spanish side Villarreal. Haaland has scored in all four European games for City this season, and combined with his brace against Real Madrid on home turf last season, saw the striker write his name into the history books.

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• Norwegian makes more history

  Haaland's first half goal for City against Dortmund saw the striker become the first player to score in five consecutive Champions League games for three different clubs. He missed the second leg Champions League play-off defeat to Real Madrid back in February due to injury. 

  The powerhouse forward had previously achieved the feat with former sides Dortmund and Red Bull Salzburg. Haaland only made six Champions League appearance for Salzburg but scored in five of those in the 2019-20 European campaign, which included a goal in a 4-3 loss at Liverpool in October 2019.

  Haaland then scored in five consecutive matches for Dortmund in the 2020-21 Champions League season as he netted against Lazio, Zenit St Petersburg, Club Brugge and Sevilla before he moved Manchester City in 2022.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  'His influence is so big'

  Haaland's record-breaking night comes shortly after City head coach Pep Guardiola compared the striker to football icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The duo dominated world football in their heyday, while Guardiola, who managed Barcelona between 2008 and 2012, was instrumental in Messi's rise to superstardom.

  After Haaland bagged a brace against Bournemouth at the weekend, the City boss played down the idea that they are too reliant on the striker. Guardiola insisted that a team is naturally going to see an individual as dominant as Haaland lead the scoring charts.

  "This is what it's like if you play with Messi or Ronaldo, his influence is so big," Guardiola said. "You see the numbers of that guy? Of course he's that level. Messi and Ronaldo have done it for 15 years, but this is the level. The first goal, the way he shoots the ball, it's like 'I am going to score'. He has that hunger. It's top. I said how incredibly coachable and manageable he is.

  "I am tough sometimes with Haaland, but he is open-minded. He lives for the goals and sometimes the pressure cannot sustain 90 minutes, but that's normal. Without him it would be tough to be honest, but we are lucky that Omar is back, and we have fit players, it's good."

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• 'I am just Erling'

  Haaland, though, played down the comparisons with Messi and Ronaldo as the City star chose to bat away the idea that he is matching either, or both, icons.

  "No, not at all!" Haaland insisted when told of Guardiola's words about the striker and the duo. "No one can get close to them two, so no… I am just Erling, a Norwegian guy scoring goals. That won't change."

  Haaland leads the Golden Boot race in the Premier League this season having scored 13 times, a return he'll look to add to when City take on Liverpool this weekend.

Leeds United’s start to the 2025/26 Premier League season has been impressive. The Whites have begun strongly in their return to the top flight, after two seasons in the Championship.

Of course, their promotion campaign last term was one of complete dominance under Daniel Farke.

They’ve already picked up eight points this season, which, according to Understat, is actually below the number of expected points. That tally sits at 9.96xPTS, which places the West Yorkshire outfit 10th in the table for that specific metric.

After a big summer transfer window, this Leeds side has a new look, with a few of their integral player from the Championship success struggling to get into the side this term.

The Leeds promotion stars who can’t get into team

It might be strange to see a couple of players from Farke’s dominant side last season, now struggling to get any sort of regular gametime this term. One of those is midfielder Ao Tanaka, who was a key cog in the middle of the park in 2024/25.

Yet, the Japanese international simply can’t get a look in, with Farke’s midfield signings of Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach preferred.

Last season, he played 43 times in the Championship, chipping in with seven goal involvements. So far this term, he’s only played 181 minutes of top-flight football.

Midfielder Tanaka is not the only player who falls into this category. Centre-forward Joel Piroe was a key player for Farke last season, scoring 19 times in 43 games, backing up his 13 goals from the season before.

He even bagged four goals in a single game against Stoke City.

After signing Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha, however, Piroe simply can’t get a look in. He’s played fewer minutes in the top flight than Tanaka, racking up 147 across just three appearances this season.

He hasn’t scored yet, either.

There is one Leeds player who has played even fewer minutes this season, despite an important role in the 2024/25 campaign.

Why Leeds need to sell the "best in the league"

The start to the new season has shown that Farke is not afraid to make some big calls and replace the players who were so integral last season. You could call it a lack of loyalty, although it is a decision that is proving to be correct so far.

Another player who falls into the same category is goalkeeper Illan Meslier. Once described by Farke as “the best goalkeeper in the league,” he’s now fallen down the pecking order and can’t get into the Whites’ starting lineup.

Last term, the 25-year-old was, for much of the season, Leeds’ first-choice shot-stopper. He played the first 39 games of the season, but for the last seven, he was dropped from the side, following a string of mistakes.

That included his remarkable error against Sunderland.

It was not just that moment against the Black Cats, but “numerous monumental errors,” that cost him his place, according to Jonathan Buchan, BBC Radio Leeds Sports Editor.

As a result, Meslier has not played a single minute this season.

There are stats that back up this poor form on display from the goalkeeper, who was born in Lorient. For example, last season he averaged minus 3.11 goals prevented, meaning he conceded three extra goals than he should have.

Meslier – 24/25 Championship

Stat

Per 90 mins

Season total

Goals conceded

0.7

27

Saves made

1.7

65

Long balls completed

98

2.5

Goals prevented

-0.08

-3.11

Stats from Sofascore

Perhaps it is time for Leeds to move on from the Frenchman. He is the second choice behind Karl Darlow at the moment, and when summer signing Lucas Perri returns, it is surely safe to assume he will become Farke’s third choice.

It is a sad fall from grace for a goalkeeper once so highly rated by Farke. Yet, with the number of mistakes made by Meslier over the last 12 months in particular, it is understandable why he has been dropped, especially in the pressure cooker of the Premier League.

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Posts ByDan Emery Oct 15, 2025

There has been a general acceptance across the opening weeks of the 2025/26 season that Liverpool have not quite clicked into gear yet.

Arne Slot’s side have struggled to control games and win comfortably, instead drawing upon their deep-rooted winning mentality to come up trumps in the late stages of fixtures.

But against Crystal Palace in the Premier League last weekend, the Reds were on the receiving end of a last-minute winner, ending their flawless start. And in the Champions League on Tuesday night, in Istanbul, Liverpool were soundly beaten by Galatasaray.

Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have been pillars of strength for so many years for the Anfield side, but these veteran talismans need some support. They need some younger Liverpool superstars to step up and accept some responsibility.

Liverpool's leaders need more support

Much has been made of Liverpool’s defensive fragility this season, but the blame cannot be attributed to the captain. Van Dijk has been as redoubtable as ever at the rear, but he’s been failed by unpolished full-backs and an error-stricken partner in Ibrahima Konate, who was woeful once again against Galatasaray.

Salah is 33 years old, and he practically hauled Liverpool’s frontline to the Premier League title last season, scoring 34 goals and supplying 23 more across all competitions.

Yes, he’s not been at his sharpest or liveliest this season, but he hasn’t exactly been helped out by a fully functioning frontline and a robust and active build-up system behind him.

The Egyptian King was benched for the midweek European clash, but this shift mattered little as Liverpool toiled away and lacked any sense of fluency.

There was one man whose poor performance perhaps went under the radar, but whose performance was the most detrimental of the lot.

Ryan Gravenberch has been a revelation under Slot’s wing, but he suffered a truly wretched showing against Galatasaray.

Gravenberch's worst game under Slot

Gravenberch has been incredible since Slot replaced Klopp in the Liverpool dugout. The disparity in performance between the Dutchman’s first two terms in the Premier League bears testament to that.

Ryan Gravenberch in the Premier League
Stats (* per game)	23/24	24/25
Matches (starts)	26 (12)	37 (37)
Goals	1	0
Assists	0	4
Touches*	28.8	66.5
Pass completion	83%	89%
Key passes*	0.6	0.7
Dribbles*	0.9	1.0
Ball recoveries*	2.8	5.2
Tackles + interceptions*	1.5	3.5
Total duels (won)*	2.8 (47%)	5.0 (57%)
Stats via Sofascore

Already the 23-year-old has scored two goals and assisted one more in the Premier League this term, making gains in advancements and beginning to add an invaluable dimension to his game.

It goes without saying that Gravenberch, the 24/25 Hublot Young Premier League Player of the Year, is crucial to the Slot machine operating at full capacity.

And so it’s no surprise that his poor showing in Turkey directly impeded Liverpool in their build-up play and their control – or lack thereof – in the centre of the park.

Indeed, courtesy of data from Sofascore, Gravenberch lost 85% of his duels on the evening (five out of six), and failed to make even a tackle or interception in spite of the hosts’ relentless press.

He was hooked shortly after the hour mark. While Slot will have had one eye on the strip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday, it also begs the question as to whether the coach had seen enough and felt a tactical change was needed too.

Journalist Beth Lindop remarked only a few weeks ago that “he’s on par with Salah and Van Dijk as Liverpool’s most important players.”

This remains true, but perhaps shines a brighter light on his importance. If Gravenberch has an off-day, Liverpool are currently lacking the answers to overcome that ever-larger hurdle.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Sep 29, 2025

West Ham United have more than one potential successor for Graham Potter on their managerial shortlist, as pressure grows on the tactician following a very lacklustre start to the 2025/2026 season.

The managers under consideration by West Ham as Potter exit likely

Reports of a potential sacking for Potter are not going away any time soon, and some suggest that the 50-year-old could be shown his P45 if West Ham suffer defeat against Crystal Palace on Saturday (Hammers News).

If that is the case, David Sullivan and the boardroom are believed to be assessing multiple candidates to succeed Potter, including some very intriguing names.

9. Sam Allardyce

30.7%

10. Julen Lopetegui

30%

11. Gianfranco Zola

27.8%

12, Graham Potter

27.3%

13. Avram Grant

18.9%

via StatMuse

Former West Ham and Chelsea star, Frank Lampard, who’s now doing a stellar job at Coventry City and nearly guided them to Premier League promotion last season, has been linked this month.

Meanwhile, it is also reported that West Ham have their eyes on free agent Nuno Espírito Santo, who’d arguably come as the best option considering his excellent work at Nottingham Forest last season.

Nuno was shown the door thanks to a public fallout with Evangelos Marinakis, but guided Forest back to European football for the first time since 1995 after a fairytale 2024/2025 season.

José Mourinho is off the table after agreeing to join Benfica (Fabrizio Romano), though Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna was an apparent guest of the West Ham boardroom last weekend during their 3-0 London derby defeat to Tottenham.

However, in the last 24 hours, news has come to light that Sullivan favours a return for ex-boss Slaven Bilic, who could now re-join the Irons after leaving Saudi Arabian side Al-Fateh last year.

West Ham discuss appointing Sean Dyche amid Slaven Bilic interest

That is according to GiveMeSport’s Ben Jacobs, who reported via X that Bilic is joined on West Ham’s radar by former Everton and Burnley boss Sean Dyche, with internal discussions held.

The tactician helped to briefly steady the ship at Everton and performed wonders at Burnley in the Premier League for years, despite a serious lack of funds or squad investment compared to their top-flight rivals.

Would Sean Dyche be the right manager for West Ham?

If Dyche were to come instead of Bilic, the London Stadium would undoubtedly see a very well drilled, committed and hard-to-beat side.

There are question marks, though. Dyche’s style of play is often criticised as too pragmatic, which was a regular complaint of David Moyes’ methods during his final year in charge, and West Ham supporters may crave more expansive football after years of grinding results.

He has also never managed a squad with genuine top-six ambitions, so expectations could test his limits, not to mention the toxicity and fan unrest surrounding West Ham right now.

Dyche isn’t helped by his ties to Millwall either, with the tactician making 75 appearances for West Ham’s bitter rivals during his playing career and earning real admiration at The Den.

That being said, he is highly-rated by his managerial peers, like Tottenham boss Thomas Frank.