Back-to-back wins for Tottenham Hotspur. What is this? Yes, we know, shock horror, right?

Thomas Frank’s time in charge of the Lilywhites has not been smooth sailing so far and prior to Spurs’ win over Brentford last weekend, they had not won a game of football since the end of October.

November was a horror month for Frank, one that already raised questions about his future. However, the north Londoners are now on the right track again and they have Xavi Simons to thank for two inspirational displays in the last two games.

Xavi Simons' Spurs turnaround

While Simons’ goal against Slavia Prague in their 3-0 win on Tuesday came from the penalty spot, this has been a much-improved few days for the Dutchman who appears to be coming good in Spurs colours at long last.

Simons also found the net in the win over Brentford on Saturday and appears to be a lot happier with how things are going now.

Speaking after the game, the Netherlands international said: “It is really nice to score the goals, but feeling great on the pitch, that is the most important for me and I’m enjoying it. So, really happy to be in this moment.”

Also making an appearance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday was club legend, Son Heung-min.

The South Korean left Spurs behind in the summer for a new adventure with LAFC in MLS and he was back in England this week to finally wave goodbye to fans after a decade of service.

Simons commented: “I didn’t meet Son (before) personally and now a little bit. He is a big legend for the club and it’s a real pleasure for me to take this number and build my own legacy, so really happy to meet him.”

Son waves farewell to Spurs

Son scored 173 goals in 454 appearances for Spurs, with his final competitive appearance in the historic Europa League triumph over Manchester United back in May.

The South Korean paraded the trophy around the stadium days after that victory in Bilbao, but left in pre-season to sign for LAFC. Thus, he did not have the chance to say goodbye until this week.

An emotional evening started with Son’s mural being unveiled on the High Road before he spoke to the crowd and promised, “I will always be Spurs.”

Speaking to Korean media after, he stated: “First of all, I’m happy to be back in a place where I spent my youth and is like a home. I’m so grateful that so many fans welcomed me and cheered for me. It was a little hard (on Monday) because the flight time was longer than I thought, but I had a really happy day. Thank you so much.”

Mathys Tel, who was only drafted into Spurs’ Champions League squad this week as a replacement for the injured Dominic Solanke, was delighted to see Son.

Tel added: “Sonny is like my big brother. He is always texting me, his support is always behind me, so back in the Champions League, we won and Sonny was there… a lot of good things. Sonny is a big legend at Tottenham, so when a guy like Sonny comes after he did everything, you give everything for him.”

Related Spurs star showed why he could become a "future £100m" player vs Slavia

Tottenham Hotspur have yet another gem on their hands after the victory over Slavia Prague.

Posts ByEthan Lamb 5 days ago

علق فاروق جعفر، لاعب الزمالك السابق، على اختيارات حسام حسن المدير الفني لـ منتخب مصر، لقائمة اللاعبين المشاركين في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025 بالمغرب.

وأعلن حسام حسن، قائمة تضم 28 لاعبًا لخوض المعسكر الأخير، قبل خوض منافسات بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا القادمة بنهاية شهر ديسمبر الجاري.

طالع | قائمة منتخب مصر استعدادًا لـ كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025

وقال جعفر خلال تصريحات عبر برنامج “نمبر وان” المذاع على قناة “سي بي سي”: “قائمة منتخب مصر التي أعلنها كابتن حسام حسن دائمًا ما يكون المدير الفني له وجهة نظر، لأنه يرى اللاعبين في الملعب ويعرف مستواهم الفني، وأكيد يفضّل اللاعبين الذين يلعبون في البطولات الإفريقية، ونحن هنا نتكلم عن الأهلي والزمالك وبيراميدز”.

وأضاف: “حسام حسن لديه الخبرة ويختار اللاعبين الذين سيستفاد منهم، والقائمة مقنعة وليس بها ظلم، وعن ناصر ماهر، والاختيار سيكون بين الثلاثي ناصر ماهر وزيزو وإمام عاشور، لو أنا سأختار إمام وزيزو بالفعل مثل اختيار حسام”.

وتابع: “زيزو لديه خبرات عالية جدًا، وإمام عاشور أسهمه عالية جدًا، وفي المباراة السابقة مع النادي الأهلي لعب دقائق معدودة وأحرز هدف”.

بخصوص اختيار صلاح محسن مهاجم المصري، أوضح جعفر: “صلاح لاعب مميز، وآخر مباراة أحرز هدف مميز جدًا”.

وأكمل :”هناك فرق بين اللعب في الدوري المصري يشاهده 15 أو 20 ألف، وفرق بين من يلعب في بطولة إفريقية بها أفضل لاعبين في العالم، وفرق بها خبرات كبيرة تريد الفوز بالبطولة ومنافسات معنوية كبيرة”.

واستمر: “المدير الفني يبحث عن اللاعبين الذين لديهم المستوى الفني القريب من بعض، هذا الأساس يتم عليه اختيار لاعبي المنتخب”.

وأتم: “محمد صلاح من أفضل اللاعبين في العالم، والمنتخب يحتاج إلى اللاعبين أصحاب الخبرات، والأداء الفني لديهم قريب من بعض”.

Liverpool are in uncharted waters, with these deep fathoms threatening not only the future of Arne Slot, who won the Premier League a matter of months ago, but that of Mohamed Salah, one of the greatest players in the club’s history, too.

Where is the respite? At the moment, Liverpool can’t catch a break, fumbling a two-goal lead to draw 3-3 at Leeds United on Saturday after previously drawing against well-worth-their-money Sunderland at Anfield. All told, the Reds have won only two of their past ten league fixtures, losing six.

But Liverpool have sculpted this disaster themselves. They have patented a startling ability to wreak havoc on their own progress, with tactical imbalances sparking crises of confidence, sparking mutiny.

Salah’s flaming interview at Elland Road will go down in the history books, and though FSG have since underlined their faith in Slot’s stewardship, the severity of this crossroads cannot be understated.

The latest on Slot's Liverpool future

Slot is in an unenviable position, with Salah’s outburst proving the latest and most damaging in a long line of mishaps since the summer.

While FSG retain the faith in the 47-year-old, who led Liverpool to the Premier League title last year after Jurgen Klopp stepped down, there’s an acceptance that results are needed quickly if something is to be salvaged from this campaign.

The fact of the matter is that Slot’s Liverpool started wobbling well before the end of the 2024/25 campaign, and he now needs to show that he can sort out the defence and restore balance to the team. He needs to show that quickly.

27

Games

52

23

Wins

26

3

Draws

10

1

Losses

16

2.66

PPG

1.69

73

Goals scored

91

27

Goals conceded

69

Liverpool are in big bother, and though FSG have been steadfast in their backing of the Dutchman, their leniency will only stretch so far, especially when there is such an exciting successor for Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes to consider.

Liverpool could hire Slot upgrade

Last week, it was reported that FSG have been considering Julian Nagelsmann as a candidate to replace Slot, should the Reds coach be sacked, though they will face a tough task in wrestling him away from the German national team, especially with the 2026 World Cup looming large.

Nagelsmann, 38, is among the world’s finest young coaches, having managed Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich in his homeland.

Would he be willing to park his international ambitions? Probably not. That’s why it’s anticipated he could be lined up ahead of the start of next season, meaning Liverpool would need to find an interim boss if Slot is dismissed before the end of the term.

What Nagelsmann would offer Liverpool

Nagelsmann has been described as the “best young coach in Europe” by journalist Josh Bunting, and though he’s the junior of practically all of the game’s standout managers, he’s hardly inexperienced, with a keen tactical mind that could be the remedy to a Liverpool team who have fallen by the wayside.

This is a fluid and interchangeable tactician. Nagelsmann employed a counter-pressing system at Leipzig before changing to a more dominant playing style at the Allianz Arena. He recognises the quirks and whims of the players at his disposal, and he crafts a system that caters to his troops.

Journalist Kai Iliev has even named him a “world-class manager” for his ability to fix a range of flaws within Germany’s national set-up. Now they are contenders. Now they believe again.

Liverpool could do with a bit of that, right? The appointment of Nagelsmann might even play into keeping Salah at the club; with the Egyptian King’s relationship under Slot having broken down, something has to give.

Liverpool, of course, will now back Salah over Slot. To do the contrary would result in anarchy. But this latest splinter in an outfit splitting wide open is not the root cause. Slot’s system is in a tailspin, and if he cannot establish form and fluency quickly, he will find that he has exhausted all the credit in the bank, and Edwards and Hughes will be forced into making a tough call.

The German coach’s principal 4-2-3-1 set-up would accommodate new signing Florian Wirtz and allow Salah to arc inwards once more and find passages into the danger area. This season, the 33-year-old has only posted five goals and three assists across all competitions.

Who could have expected this when Liverpool lifted the Premier League title? Salah was not the main man but the author of his long-term outfit’s illustrious success.

It’s not controversial to suggest that many, many Liverpool supporters would be dejected if Salah were to leave this winter, and it would be sure to put more than just a dampener on Slot’s reign at the Anfield helm.

If results do not continue over the coming weeks – with Salah off to AFCON after Liverpool host Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League this weekend – FSG will have to face the reality of theirt spiraling situation and make a change.

Could that prompt Salah to stay? Working under Nagelsmann on Merseyside, it just might, though whether the Reds are able to keep the African legend appeased and reach a decision that would see him remain at the club he has served so well over the past nine years remains to be seen.

In any case, this is a staggering, stomach-sinking situation, one that nobody could have foreseen, and Liverpool’s powers that be need to make sure an upswing is found – quickly.

Sell him before Salah & Konate: FSG must bin Liverpool's "major issue"

Liverpool have collapsed this season, and some tough decisions need to be made.

1 ByAngus Sinclair 6 days ago

MatériaMais Notícias

Apesar do imbróglio judicial envolvendo o associativo e a 777 Partners, o Vasco tem trabalhado de maneira unificada em busca de dias melhores e para dar alegrias ao torcedor. Prova disso é a tentativa de repatriar Philippe Coutinho, cria de São Januário que está próximo de um acerto com o clube.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasVascoReforma de São Januário: Pedrinho encontra com vereadores e discute pontos da modernização do estádio do VascoVasco28/05/2024Fora de CampoNarrador prevê narração memorável em futuro título do Vasco: ‘A chance de entrar pra história é muito grande’Fora de Campo28/05/2024Fora de CampoMuralhas da Colina: Fernando Prass relembra momentos no Vasco ao lado de Carlos GermanoFora de Campo28/05/2024

➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Vasco

Com a 777 Partners em cena, a relação era mais fria e a sensação de quem olhava de fora era de distanciamento entre as partes. A decisão judicial fez com que o Vasco associativo assumisse o controle da SAF.

Com isso, Pedrinho pôde se aproximar, participar e ajudar mais da SAF. O presidente do Vasco mantém contato frequente com o CEO Lúcio Barbosa e o diretor de futebol Pedro Martins.

continua após a publicidade

O Pedrinho tem feito contatos comigo e com a SAF, olhando para o bem do Vasco, independente de batalhas jurídicas. Tem questionado sobre o planejamento, temos passado todas as informações para ele. O Vasco já tinha um planejamento que vem sendo executado. Qualquer mudança de rota será feita em conjunto com o CRVG e todos os envolvidos nessas decisões

---

afirmou Pedro Martins após o Conselho Técnico Extraordinário na sede da CBF

Quando se trata de Philippe Coutinho, Pedrinho foi diretamente em pessoas próximas ao meia-atacante. Já Pedro Martins conversou com os representantes. No momento, o que impede o retorno do jogador é a rescisão com o Aston Villa, da Inglaterra.

Philippe Coutinho não foi o único grande nome a ser trabalhado por Pedrinho. Segundo informações apuradas pelo Lance!, o meia Thiago Alcântara, filho de Mazinho, que foi ex-jogador do Vasco e da Seleção Brasileira, chegou a receber uma sondagem do Vasco. No entanto, é um negócio improvável de acontecer em razão da vontade do jogador de ainda permanecer na Europa, do alto salário do astro e da condição física do atleta.

continua após a publicidade

Thiago Alcântara jogou apenas cinco minutos na temporada 2023/2024.

– Nunca foi minha intenção retomar o futebol. Sempre usei as palavras colaborar e contribuir. Tudo que eu possa vir a indicar futuramente, eu indiquei para a 777 lá atrás. Indiquei membros para a comissão técnica, jogadores com números financeiros bons e capacidade técnica acima da média, acreditando que eles tinham dinheiro, por que eu faria isso se quero o mal da 777? Indiquei profissional que hoje serve à seleção brasileira (Rodrigo Caetano) para ser diretor. Sempre quis o bem do Vasco – afirmou Pedrinho em coletiva.

Na última semana, a Justiça do Rio teve um movimento favorável ao Vasco associativo ao manter a liminar obtida em primeira instância. Dentro das quatro linhas, o Cruz-Maltino volta a campo neste domingo (2), às 16h, para fazer um clássico. O rival será o Flamengo pela 7ª rodada do Brasileirão.

Tudo sobre

Futebol NacionalLúcio BarbosaPedrinhoPedro MartinsVasco

Left-arm quick’s T20 World Cup hopes all but dashed after being ruled out of the entire BBL with an ongoing back injury

Alex Malcolm03-Dec-2025

Spencer Johnson’s hopes of playing for Australia in the T20 World Cup early next year have been dealt a hammer blow after he was ruled out of the upcoming BBL season because of a back injury.Johnson has not played since the IPL, where he suffered back pain that he initially thought was a recurrence of a disc issue he had dealt with previously. The 29-year-old left-arm quick then suffered more pain while training ahead of the July T20I tour of the West Indies and scans showed a stress fracture.He underwent months of rehab which included pilates and swimming while waiting for the bone to heal. He had another scan in October and was hopeful he would be cleared to play in the BBL in the new year.Related

All the BBL and WBBL squads for 2025-26 season

Power-packed, but not bulletproof: where Australia stand ahead of T20 World Cup

But Brisbane Heat confirmed on Wednesday that their title-winning quick would be unavailable for the entire season.”Spencer continues to recover from a back injury and pleasingly, this is improving. However, the latest time-frame for his return to play does not enable him to participate in the BBL this season,” Heat CEO Terry Svenson said. “We’re all disappointed for Spencer but will provide him with ongoing support as he continues to recover.”Australia’s first game of the T20 World Cup is on February 11, which means it is almost certain he will not be fit in time to push his case for selection in the final 15-man squad. Johnson was seen as a potential long-term replacement for Mitchell Starc, who has retired from T20I cricket. But while Johnson has been injured, Australia have won three of their four T20I series with a pace attack of Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis, Ben Dwarshuis and Xavier Bartlett gelling nicely. Pat Cummins could also return for the World Cup if fit.Johnson will continue to do his rehab in Adelaide where he lives and is domestically contracted with South Australia. Johnson has nominated for the IPL auction at the second-highest base price of 150 lakh (AUD$252957) and is hopeful of being fit and available for the tournament if bought after being released by Kolkata Knight Riders at the end of last season.”I’ve had plenty of expert support from everyone involved in the process and I am very confident that I will be back and doing what I love as soon as possible,” Johnson said.Meanwhile, England left-arm quick Reece Topley has signed with Sydney Thunder as an overseas replacement for Lockie Ferguson. Topley will play with Thunder for the first half of the season while Ferguson is at the ILT20. Topley will head to the SA20 when Ferguson returns to the BBL for the second half of the season.

Rinku Singh and Nitish Kumar Reddy were dropped from the T20I side

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Dec-20252:14

Hardik back in T20I squad; Washington preferred over Rinku

Hardik Pandya has been named in India’s 15-member squad for the T20Is against South Africa after an injury layoff kept him out of action for over two months.India’s T20I vice-captain Shubman Gill, who has been recovering from a neck injury he sustained in the first Test in Kolkata, was also named in the squad, but his participation will depend on his fitness clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (COE). Suryakumar Yadav will lead the squad for the five-match series starting on December 9.There was no place in the side for Rinku Singh and allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy who had toured Australia recently for the T20I series. Those were the only two omissions from India’s last T20I assignment.ESPNcricinfo LtdHardik returned to action on Tuesday in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), India’s domestic T20s, for Baroda. He opened the bowling for figures of 1 for 52 and then batted at No. 4 to smash an unbeaten 77 off 42 balls with four sixes and seven fours for a seven-wicket win over Punjab. That was his first match since the Asia Cup Super Fours match against Sri Lanka on September 26.Rinku didn’t bat at all on the Australia tour and was picked in the XI only for the last T20I of the series, in Brisbane, which was washed out after 4.5 overs. That was his only international outing since hitting the winning runs in the Asia Cup final and he is currently playing in the SMAT for Uttar Pradesh.Reddy also didn’t get any chances in the T20Is in Australia but his exclusion was expected once Hardik was fit again.If Gill doesn’t regain his fitness in time, Sanju Samson could open along with Abhishek Sharma, which he has been doing while leading Kerala in the ongoing domestic T20s. In Australia, Samson batted at No. 3 in the only chance he got, in the second T20I in Melbourne. He was also in the XI for the opening game but Suryakumar batted at No. 3 and the match was washed out after 9.4 overs.Jitesh Sharma is the second wicketkeeper in the side. Jasprit Bumrah will lead the fast-bowling attack along with Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana. Hardik, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are the allrounders while Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav are the frontline spinners.The five matches will be played on December 9, 11, 14, 17 and 19 in Cuttack, New Chandigarh, Dharamsala, Lucknow and Ahmedabad respectively. South Africa won the two-Test series 2-0 and India led the ODI series 1-0 when the T20I squad was announced during the second ODI in Raipur on Wednesday.India’s T20I squad for South Africa seriesSuryakumar Yadav (capt), Shubman Gill (vice-capt)*, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar
*Subject to fitness clearance from BCCI CoE.

In the aftermath of their 217-run defeat to Bangladesh, Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie was still proud of the fight put up by Curtis Campher, Gavin Hoey and Jordan Neill on the fifth day in Dhaka.The visitors batted 59.3 overs on Sunday, holding Bangladesh up till almost the tea break, when Hasan Murad removed Hoey and Matthew Humphreys with successive deliveries. Nobody could remove Campher though. He made an unbeaten 71 having faced the greatest number of balls by an Ireland batter in the fourth innings of a Test match (259). Hoey was second on the list with 104.”[Curtis Campher] is someone that is hard to get out when he is in his bubble,” Balbirnie said. “He is very determined not to get out even when he is in the nets. He has such a strong defense, he showed that today.”Bangladesh were pushed to a little bit of an extreme, bowling 100 overs for the first time in the fourth innings at Shere Bangla National stadium. Campher played a big part in that.Related

• Earthquake stops Bangladesh vs Ireland Test for three minutes on third morning

• Unassuming Taijul wears the crown of the best Bangladesh bowler

• Taijul and Murad star as Bangladesh break Ireland's resistance for 2-0 win

“If he puts his mind to it, he can do it,” Balbirnie said. “It is a shame that no one from the top and middle order could hang around for long enough. I think the batters showed fight today, to bat till just before tea on the fifth day. We were behind the game a lot. Bangladesh deserved to win the series 2-0.”Balbirnie also talked about Hoey and his recently-developed skillset as an allrounder: “I play with Gavin in club cricket in Dublin. I have known him since he was a kid. His dad was an Irish international in the 1990s. He was a legspinner as well. I think [Hoey] has only been bowling legspin since [Covid] lockdown, so it’s been five years. He was a seam bowler [earlier].Andy Balbirnie was candid about Ireland’s inability to bat for long periods•ECB/Getty Images

“So to have that skillset in this short time is really impressive. He will get better and better from experiences like this. We have to make sure that he gets enough overs under his belt. We need to have our spinners develop consistency so that we do well in these conditions.”Ireland had some hope of batting the day out and coming away with a draw. “[There were expectations] probably just before Murad took the two wickets,” Balbirnie said. “There was a small bit of excitement in the dressing room at that drinks break. Credit to the Bangladesh spinners. They don’t miss their line and length too often. They test batters a lot. The two wickets in two balls put an end to that [hope] pretty quickly. It was an enthralling day’s play. I think Curtis can be proud of his work today.”The fact that the Test match stretched to the fifth day was also a tribute to the type of pitch prepared for the encounter. “A lot of us had seen the West Indies ODI series. We were a bit nervous coming here,” Balbirnie said, referring to pitches that had, on one occasion, witnessed fifty overs of spin in the first innings. “When we arrived, we thought [the pitch] would break up quickly, but it held together. There was turn, but it wasn’t every ball. It was a good cricket wicket. I thought it was a pretty fair wicket. We had two good wickets over the two Tests.”Balbirnie was also candid about what Ireland hoped for from the series. “We had won three Tests in a row before coming here, so there was confidence in the group,” he said. “We had to manage our expectations. You are coming to places that have experienced cricketers.”We are trying to get that consistency. Our top-order didn’t fire for the last two games. Bangladesh’s top-order showed us how to do it – to bat for a long time and get big hundreds. [Their batting] was the big difference. We weren’t competitive against Bangladesh for longer periods. They showed their class over the nine days,” he said.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has picked out a surprising player for praise after returning to Arsenal to train. The former Liverpool midfielder is staying match-fit by training with the Gunners, having had his contract terminated by Besiktas back in August after two seasons in Turkey.

• Oxlade-Chamberlain training without a club

  Oxlade-Chamberlain has been welcomed back into the Arsenal fold by manager Mikel Arteta, who he shared a pitch with 73 times during their spells as players with the Gunners. The 32-year-old is without a club after a two-season stint with Besiktas came to an end but is getting the opportunity to see how arguably England's best current team train while he searches for his next side as a free agent. That means regularly sharing a training pitch with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and William Saliba among others.

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• Getty
  

  Midfielder praises 'impressive' and 'sharp' Gabriel Jesus

  The former Southampton prodigy has got to train with some of the best players in the United Kingdom but, when asked by who he had been most impressed by so far, the 35-time England international went for a left-field pick and chose Gabriel Jesus, who has been struggling over the past year or so with an anterior cruciate ligament, though he is now set to make his return to the pitch.

  “What a player he is,” he says. “I’ve played against him many times, but just seeing how he trains, the way he works, how sharp his finishing is, he’s really impressive. 

  “And I’ve been really impressed by the young guys, like Max (Dowman), Ethan (Nwaneri) and Myles (Lewis-Skelly). Ability-wise and the way they are as characters, it’s really impressive at such a young age.”

• Oxlade-Chamberlain praises old team-mate Arteta as a manager

  Arteta has guided Arsenal through some difficult years to the point where they are genuine contenders for every competition they feature in, which wasn't the case when he succeeded Unai Emery in 2019.

  Oxlade-Chamberlain added: “I wouldn’t say surprised, knowing the character he is and how much he helped me as a player. But to see it up close, the attention to detail and the way he delivers messages, it’s really impressive. 

  “It’s that thing all the top modern-day managers have. He leaves no stone unturned. It’s the small details, but also the way he delivers the bigger ideas. And seeing the way it’s all put into place, the way they work on set pieces as well as general play, there’s something really strong going on down there. I’ve been really, really impressed — and I’ve had some top, top managers.”

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  What comes next for Oxlade-Chamberlain?

  While he will continue training with Arsenal in the short term, Oxlade-Chamberlain still has a desire to compete and will hope to find a new club over the coming months.

  He added: "I want to play. I don’t feel old. I’m fit, and I’ve still got that hunger.”

Chelsea have received a massive Liam Delap boost as the striker is set to make a swift recovery from his shoulder injury. Delap looked set for more time on the sidelines after being forced out of last weekend's game against Bournemouth in the Premier League at the Amex Stadium with a shoulder injury. The English forward landed heavily and looked to be in real pain in the first half of the game.

Fresh injury setback for Delap

After spending close to two months on the sidelines with a hamstring injury at the start of the season, Delap returned to action in November. He featured in Enzo Maresca's starting against Bournemouth last weekend but lasted less than half an hour due to injury. The Chelsea forward appeared to dislocate his shoulder after a heavy fall and was replaced immediately. Delap had caught the eye in the opening exchanges against Bournemouth for his physical approach and was perhaps fortunate not to have been booked for catching Marcos Senesi with a stray arm twice before he had to be taken off.

After the game, Maresca sounded worried about Delap's fresh setback, as the Italian coach had said: "Unfortunately, he has already been out for two months and he has to be out again. We don't know for how long, but it looks quite bad, his shoulder. He has been unlucky. We are also a bit unlucky because we need that kind of a No.9."  

AdvertisementGetty Images SportChelsea's massive Delap boost

According to , Delap did not fracture his shoulder and he is expected to recover from it in the next three or four weeks. This means that in the New Year, Delap will fully recover and will be ready to take the field for the Blues. However, the English forward is set to miss matches against Atalanta in the Champions League, Cardiff City in the Carabao Cup and then Everton, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Bournemouth in the English top-flight. 

Providing a positive update on Delap's condition, Maresca had said before the Atalanta clash: "Liam is fortunately not any fracture. We had Liam two months out [earlier in the season]. Joao Pedro plays as a No 9, Pedro Neto too, also Tyrique [George] as a number nine. We try to find solutions. We know Liam needs to play games to be fit and be better and better. Now, unfortunately, he is out again."

Emegha to remain at Strasbourg

Following Delap's injury, reports emerged that the Blues might fast-track Emmanuel Emegha’s arrival from Strasbourg. However, the later reported that Emegha won't be rushed to Stamford and the youngster would rather join the Premier League giants in the summer of 2026, as decided earlier. Now, with Delap's latest update, Emegha is sure to stay in France for six more months. 

Chelsea opted to bring back Marc Guiu from his Sunderland loan back in August after Delap's earlier injury, and the plan is to stick with the former Barcelona star yet again to provide cover for Delap. Guiu replaced the injured Englishman against the Cherries, with Maresca explaining that the physical nature of the match suited the teenager more than using Joao Pedro as a makeshift centre-forward. 

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AFPPalmer fails to make Champions League squad

Despite starting in the Premier League last weekend, Palmer was not included in the Chelsea matchday squad for their Champions League fixture against Atalanta on Tuesday.

Explaining his decision to omit the starting attacker, Maresca said: "[He] played half an hour the other day, played one hour today. So now it's important that he can build the physical condition."

The Italian coach had earlier called for protecting Palmer as much as possible, as he had said: "We need to protect Cole for sure, 100%. Not only Cole in my personal view, because as I said now, because of the Club World Cup or because we never stop, we need to manage and protect different players. The solution with Cole, I don’t know, now we have a meeting with the medical staff, and we will decide the best solution for him. But it’s also a kind of injury that is not like black and white. It’s an injury that someday you can be better. It’s not that you have pain and tomorrow will disappear. Sometimes you can be better, sometimes you can be worse. That’s why we need to manage day by day." 

The Houston Astros are reuniting with their World Series champion shortstop Carlos Correa.

According to a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Minnesota Twins, who have been very actively selling their roster at the deadline, have agreed to trade the three-time All-Star shortstop back to Houston. Correa waived his no-trade clause to secure the reunion with the Astros.

Correa played his first seven seasons with the Astros before leaving the franchise in free agency ahead of the 2022 season. He helped the Astros capture the 2017 World Series title.

Correa, 30, is hitting .267 this season with seven home runs and 31 RBI in 364 plate appearances. He will likely spend the rest of his career back in Houston, as he is under contract until 2033, when he will be 38 years old.