Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer brought quality, intensity and fire to proceedings

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jul-2025

Nitish Kumar Reddy is distraught after falling on the last ball before lunch•Getty Images

England came to Lord’s looking for six wickets. They bagged four of them before lunch in an inspired morning’s play where their captain Ben Stokes and their returning talismanic fast bowler Jofra Archer brought quality, intensity and fire to proceedings.India were in the mire early when Rishabh Pant, hampered by the injured finger on his left hand, fell on the third over of the day. Three overs later, Stokes got one to nip down the slope at the Nursery end to trap KL Rahul lbw. Stokes bowled a nine-over spell this morning, constantly threatening everyone who made the mistake of standing 22 yards away. This time, the England coaching staff weren’t interfering with his plans. They just let him do his thing.Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Reddy got together with the score at 82 for 7. India’s hopes looked quite dire at the time, but a packed crowd, with a loud Indian contingent cheered them on with every block, every leave, every run scored. Eventually the ball started to lose its hardness and batting became slightly easier. There were 12 false shots leading to the three wickets in the first hour. But only eight in the second.Just as it looked like India would go to the break with their last two recognised batters intact, Chris Woakes gave them a different challenge. Swing instead of seam. And eventually he was able to prise Reddy out for 13 off 53. There remained a fair bit of needle through the morning session with Archer giving Pant a send-off, Stokes and Reddy having a fairly amiable chat at the end of overs and Brydon Carse and Jadeja actually colliding with each other.England were on point with their fielding as well, spurred on by Stokes who was loath to let the intensity drop. Archer took a fine one-handed catch, diving to his right to get rid of Washington Sundar.

Manchester City are set to mount another Premier League title challenge and could now be primed to raid South America to sign a promising starlet.

Man City mark Premier League return with win over Everton

The international break is always a time to reset for players and managers alike, and Manchester City seem to have lived up to that mantra after claiming an impressive victory over Everton on Saturday.

Erling Haaland’s goalscoring exploits and Tijjani Reijnders’ industry in midfield proved to be crucial on a day where Pep Guardiola was able to celebrate, albeit, the Catalan boss made it clear that he expects more from his attacking support players to ensure there isn’t an over-reliance on the Norwegian.

He stated: “(I’m) disappointed he did not score four or five. All jokes aside, really pleased but we can not rely on just him, we need other players. Wingers, attacking midfielders. They have to make a step up and score goals. We play to provide Erling with quality and passing but other players have to step up.

“The chances were clear and they have to score. At this level they have to demand themselves. Chances from Savinho and Jeremy and Tijjani – they have to score. They have to do it otherwise we can’t do what we want to do.”

Either way, Manchester City find themselves only three points off league leaders Arsenal after ironing out some of their earlier issues in the campaign, representing a stark contrast to their shaky form at this stage last season.

Notoriously, the Citizens’ plethora of attacking talent has offered them a platform to compete across several fronts, and they may now be about to repeat the trick amid developments involving a potential target.

Man City eye move for River Plate youngster Ian Subiabre

According to TBR Football, Manchester City are among a host of clubs keen on River Plate youngster Ian Subiabre, who has been in fine form for Argentina at the Under-20 World Cup with two goals in six appearances.

In a prospective transfer, which could see the youngster embark on a path similar to that of Julian Alvarez, he has registered a goal and an assist in 15 appearances for the South American giants in 2025.

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Capable of featuring on either flank, Subiabre is on the radar of Premier League clubs such as Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal, Brighton and Hove Albion, Fulham, and Crystal Palace.

Intriguingly, Manchester City made contact with the 18-year-old around the time they brought in Claudio Echeverri, and they remain keen on doing a deal as his stock continues to rise in Europe.

Now, it remains to be seen if they can beat competitors to his signature, with Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Monaco and RB Leipzig offering further options for Subiabre to further his career. Addressing his situation, Graeme Bailey has made it clear that a 2026 move could appeal to all parties, though didn’t give much away on his potential destination.

He said: “Speaking to scouts and clubs, the belief is now that we see Subiabre move in 2026. It is likely in the summer, but don’t be surprised if someone gets a deal done in January.”

Juventus are reportedly ready to sell star forward Jonathan David in January, just months after his summer arrival, according to Sky Sports. The Canadian has scored just once in 11 games, with his team now contacting major clubs like Tottenham and Bayern Munich. With new boss Luciano Spalletti snubbing him, a "quick exit" is now being considered by the Bianconeri.

David's struggle to adapt to Serie A

Juventus have placed David on the transfer market and are considering a shock January exit, just months after he joined the club, according to a report from Sky Sports.

The 25-year-old striker has struggled significantly to establish himself in Turin following his summer switch from Lille. His entourage has reportedly been in constant contact with several major European clubs, with Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich both inquiring about the conditions for a potential winter transfer.

David arrived at Juventus with a prolific reputation, having scored 25 goals and provided 12 assists in 49 games for Lille during the 2024-25 campaign. However, he has failed to replicate that form in Italy.

According to Sky Sports, David has featured in 11 matches for the Bianconeri but has played only 51 per cent of the available minutes. His statistical return has been minimal, registering just one goal and one assist. That lone goal came in the season's opening fixture against Parma in August, and he has failed to find the net since. This lack of output has alarmed the Juventus hierarchy, prompting them to explore a "quick exit."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTottenham lead chase amid attacking crisis

Tottenham have emerged as a primary suitor, driven by a desperate need for attacking reinforcements. Sky Sports journalist Sacha Tavolieri reports that Spurs have made a formal inquiry regarding the conditions for a January deal.

The North London club are reeling from a long-term injury to striker Dominic Solanke, which has left their frontline severely depleted. Head coach Thomas Frank is overseeing a dismal run of form that has seen Spurs win just one of their last five matches across all competitions. Most worryingly, they have failed to score in three of those five games.

The club's current backup strikers, Randal Kolo Muani and Mathys Tel, have been unable to step up, managing just one goal between them all season. This has forced the club to seek an immediate solution in the winter market, with David's potential availability seen as a timely opportunity.

Bayern Munich also monitoring situation

Spurs are not the only European giant monitoring the situation. The report states that David's representatives have also reached out to Bayern Munich. The Bundesliga champions have similarly inquired about what it would take to sign the Canadian, as they assess their own forward options heading into the second half of the season.

The involvement of both Spurs and Bayern suggests a competitive market could form if Juventus formally commit to a sale, despite David's poor run of form.

Any hope that a change in the dugout would immediately revive David's Juventus career appears to have been misplaced. The club dismissed Igor Tudor last week following a disastrous eight-game winless run.

New manager Luciano Spalletti was appointed on Thursday and oversaw his first match on Saturday—a nervy 2-1 away win against Cremonese. David's role in the victory was minimal, as he was left on the bench until the 85th minute, coming on for just five minutes to help see out the result.

Spalletti’s starting XI sent a clear message, preferring a front three of Dusan Vlahovic, Lois Openda, and Filip Kostic. This selection indicates that the former Italy boss currently views David as "impact cover" rather than a key part of his starting plans.

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Juve 'open' to sale as free transfer guarantees profit

From the Bianconeri's perspective, a January sale is financially appealing. A report from Gazzetta dello Sport claims Juventus are "open" to letting David leave.

Crucially, David arrived on a free transfer during the summer after his contract at Lille expired. This means any fee received for the 25-year-old would represent 100 per cent profit on the club's balance sheet.

Despite his struggles in Turin, David’s market value is still estimated to be around €45 million (£39m/ $52m), a valuation reflecting his stellar record at Lille, where he scored 109 goals, provided 30 assists, and won a Ligue 1 title in 232 games. This financial incentive may outweigh the sporting desire to wait for the player to find his form.

أثار النجم الأرجنتيني ليونيل ميسي، لاعب إنتر ميامي الأمريكي، شكوكًا برسالة مفاجئة عبر حسابه الرسمي على “إنستجرام”، موجهة لجماهير فريقه الأسبق برشلونة الإسباني.

وغادر ميسي صفوف برشلونة في صيف 2021 حيث لم يتمكن النادي من تجديد عقده بسبب وضعه المالي.

وانضم ميسي في صفقة انتقال حر إلى باريس سان جيرمان، وعقب ذلك انتقل إلى فريقه الحالي إنتر ميامي الأمريكي.

وكشف ميسي عن زيارته لملعب “كامب نو” عبر حسابه على إنستجرام برسالة مؤثرة، عقب يوم من قيادته إنتر ميامي للفوز 4-0 على ناشفيل في نصف نهائي القسم الشرقي من الدوري الأمريكي لكرة القدم، حيث أحرز هدفين.

اقرأ أيضًا | لابورتا يوجه رسالة إلى ليونيل ميسي بعد افتتاح ملعب “كامب نو”

وكتب ميسي عبر “إنستجرام”: “عدتُ الليلة الماضية إلى مكانٍ أفتقده من كل قلبي، مكان كنت فيه في غاية السعادة، حيث جعلتموني أشعر بألف مرة أنني أسعد إنسان في العالم”.

وأضاف: “أتمنى أن أعود يومًا ما، وليس فقط لأقول وداعًا كلاعب، وهو ما لم أتمكن من فعله”.

ويعد ميسي أحد أبرز أساطير نادي برشلونة الإسباني، وتوج بما يقارب من 35 لقبًا مع الفريق الكتالوني، ما بين الدوري الإسباني، كأس ملك إسبانيا، كأس السوبر الإسباني، دوري أبطال أوروبا، كأس السوبر الأوروبي، كأس العالم للأندية.

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Newcastle United are now reportedly keeping close tabs on a “generational” star who could be ready to complete a big move to the Premier League in 2026.

Howe heaps praise on "relentless" Newcastle in Fulham victory

Following a routine victory over Benfica in the Champions League, Newcastle were once again made to work for a result in the Premier League.

The Magpies, who had won just twice in eight league games in the build-up, desperately needed to find a way past Fulham on Saturday and did just that courtesy of Bruno Guimaraes’ last-gasp winner.

Having his say on the much-needed win, Eddie Howe told reporters: “It was end-to-end. I thought it was a really attacking performance from both teams; both teams were going for the win. We’re delighted to get it ourselves.

“I thought it was a really good last 20 minutes from us; we were relentless in our pursuit to try and win. Eventually, one of those chances fell for us. Those points are so precious, but you also carry forward the belief that you can win in any situation, even when it doesn’t look like you will.”

That said, celebrations from the weekend can’t last very long. Newcastle’s focus must instantly turn towards facing Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night. In search of defending their crown, the Magpies must find a way past an in-form side searching for more silverware, themselves.

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Given how important the Carabao Cup was to Newcastle’s season last time out, it will be interesting to see whether Howe chooses to rest players or field his strongest side in the competition. There’s no doubt that, with European football to balance with domestic duties, he must get things right.

Of course, adding another piece of silverware after last season would be no bad thing and it would certainly go a long way towards attracting the next generation of stars.

Newcastle keeping tabs on "generational" Monga

As reported by The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Newcastle are now keeping tabs on Jeremy Monga as the Leicester City star continues to enjoy an impressive rise.

Still just 16 years old, Monga has already made more first-team appearances than Arsenal’s Max Dowman and Rio Ngumoha and is one of the most sought-after young players in English football.

It would represent a major coup if Newcastle managed to sign Monga ahead of Manchester City and they could even land a bargain deal for what would, in many ways, be their own version of Arsenal’s Dowman.

Leicester are unable to tie their teenage sensation down to a senior contract until he turns 17 next June, which means he could leave for a compensation fee rather than what would be a hefty transfer fee.

Now we have a crisis. West Ham United are not doomed, but a little over two months into the season, there’s a real sense of foreboding as the relegation-threatened Hammers struggle to climb out of the drop zone.

Leeds United were well worth their win as they saw off Nuno Espirito Santo’s side on Friday evening at Elland Road, with shaky West Ham lacking any of the principled, well-drilled defensive solidness that Nuno sides come to be defined by.

Early days yet, but it’s concerning that the Portuguese tactician has failed to structure his squad effectively across his opening Premier League matches at the London Stadium, drawing at Everton on his debut but since losing three on the bounce.

Journalist Jacob Steinberg commented on the issues, criticising the manager for fielding “inexplicable line-ups” and even saying he has “botched both games this week”, having slumped to a home defeat against Brentford on Monday.

But, equally, the players needed to step up against the newly-promoted Whites, and that they did not do.

West Ham's biggest villains at Leeds

West Ham didn’t turn up. Though Mateus Fernandes claimed his first goal for the club when heading Jarrod Bowen’s whipped cross into the net late on, it wasn’t enough and the Londoners retreated with none of the spoils, and the knowledge that they have just four points from nine fixtures thus far.

Bowen was as lively as ever, nearly sealing a show-stopping moment when his bicycle kick was saved in the first half, the Hammers 1-0 down.

But this was about the extent of the positives. Tomas Soucek was particularly poor. An industrious player and one of the finest stalwarts from the illustrious David Moyes era, the 30-year-old’s lumbering limitations were exposed, and aside from that chance which went begging, he was too high too often, leaving Andy Irving exposed.

Crysencio Summerville also flattered to deceive against his former side, but in fairness, he was a victim of tactical confusion, starting on the right and then moving to the left following Ollie Scarles’ first-half injury. There was a lot of huff and puff without any end product.

The 23-year-old has looked bright this term after an injury-hit 2024/25 campaign, but he remains inconsistent and needs to be more outgoing in front of goal.

Electric and inventive, he adds something different, and though the Netherlands-born talent shouldn’t be dropped, there’s little question that he needs to offer more.

However, there’s another member of the starting line-up who has proved he’s not cut out for the task at hand, and Nuno must surely think about dropping him soon.

The West Ham star who must be axed

After the full-time whistle screeched in Leeds, it was made known that West Ham have suffered their worst start to a top-flight campaign in 52 years. Nuno has yet to win a game since replacing Graham Potter.

What, then, needs to be done? Well, for one thing, United’s messy defending needs sorting out – and quickly. And to achieve this, it might be worth pulling Jean-Clair Todibo from the starting line-up, with the Frenchman putting in another poor performance on Friday.

Todibo, 25, spent last season on loan in east London before completing a permanent £35m transfer earlier in 2025. He had been coveted by Juventus and was regarded in France as one of the most athletic and exciting ball-playing defenders in the business.

But the Premier League is a different beast, and after lacking clarity and conviction in his performances last year, Todibo has now fallen by the wayside, with West Ham Fav TV contributor Nick Marsh saying after the match that he and Max Kilman are “comfortably the two worst centre-backs in this league.”

One website even saw it fit to brand Todibo with a lowly 3/10 match rating, and this was echoed across social media, with supporters fed up with the limp and unconvincing defensive displays.

Todibo’s quality in the air must be questioned, and he leaves so much to be desired when dealing with whipped deliveries. Herein lies the crux of West Ham’s issues, and Todibo is very much a part of the problem.

Looking at it across the span of the season, he doesn’t win enough duels – albeit proving strong in the few ground battles he has won – while failing to muster the creativity and initiative on the ball that drew such acclaim while with OGC Nice in France.

Matches (starts)

4 (4)

Touches*

60.0

Clean sheets

0

Accurate passes*

43.8 (88%)

Key passes*

0.0

Recoveries*

3.0

Tackles*

2.0

Interceptions*

0.8

Clearances*

3.5

Ground duels won*

2.8 (73%)

Aerial duels won*

1.5 (38%)

Standing at 6 foot 3, to be averaging success in just 38% of his aerial duels is inexcusable. Todibo must be dropped. But who comes in?

Former Brighton & Hove Albion defender Igor Julio continues to languish on the sidelines, though there are suggestions that the 27-year-old has impressed in training and could be in line for a debut soon, having only made one substitute appearance so far this term.

Meanwhile, Soungoutou Magassa has played in central defence before and has already been shown some trust by Nuno, starting twice in the Premier League this year.

In any case, changes are needed in east London. West Ham boast plenty of quality in their squad and cannot allow themselves to tumble from the first tier. If dropping Todibo is a means toward this goal, then so be it.

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MatériaMais Notícias

São José e Portuguesa Santista se enfrentam neste sábado (14), às 15h, no Estádio Municipal Martins Pereira, em São José dos Campos (SP), pela partida de volta da final da Copa Paulista. O jogo terá transmissão do Youtube do Paulistão e da TV Cultura. O grande vencedor da decisão poderá escolher entre estar na Copa do Brasil ou na Série D do ano que vem.

+ Veja tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro-2023 clicando aqui

O primeiro compromisso terminou com vitória da equipe do litoral paulista nos instantes finais, após o árbitro assinalar um pênalti em uma partida que ficou bastante marcada pela forte chuva.

+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

Para chegar nesta grande decisão da competição, a Briosa deixou para trás o Noroeste e o XV de Piracicaba. Essa é a primeira grande final que a Portuguesa chega neste torneio.

Do outro lado, a Águia do Vale batalha em busca de uma vantagem na primeira partida. Para alcançar o derradeiro estágio do certame, o clube teve que derrotar o Marília e o Grêmio Prudente para chegar com tudo na decisão do torneio.

FICHA TÉCNICA
SÃO JOSÉ X PORTUGUESA SANTISTA
FINAL DA COPA PAULISTA – JOGO DE VOLTA
Local: Estádio Municipal Martins Pereira, em São José dos Campos (SP)
Data e horário: sábado (14/10), às 15h00 (de Brasília)
Onde assistir: Youtube Paulistão e TV Cultura

Brian Anderson is as good as anyone doing sports play-by-play and yet his name is often omitted from such conversations. He is underrated because he is understated, which is meant to be a compliment. Few announcers are better at calibrating their volume and excitement, rationing it out to match the excitement of the moments while being cognizant that there always must be room to go up to 11 should pure insanity occur. That in and of itself is a long game that requires patience and is tough for an audience that's been conditioned to expect immediate gratification in the loudest, most over-the-top package.

But all of this context and framework is what made his work during the Cleveland Guardians' incredible come-from-behind victory over the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series on Thursday night land so perfectly.

Anderson went into another stratosphere as Jhonkensy Noel's game-tying blast in the ninth inning did the same. Everyone watching the game had the same stunned immediate reaction and very few could have delivered clever lines as Noel rounded the bases and Progressive Field became a madhouse.

An inning later David Fry hit a walk-off and Anderson again got to provide a soundtrack to remember, gradually building excitement as the ball carried over the left-field wall and carried the Guardians back into the series.

It's crazy to think, as it is after so many of these dramatic postseason games, how close we came to just never having any of these moments. Or the calls that will go down in history with them. The Yankees were one out away from a 3-0 series lead and now it's very much a dogfight. And that, too, comes through in Anderson's vocal explosion.

Awesome stuff.

The Juan Soto free agency courting continues on, with the New York Mets reported to be the latest team to have traveled to Southern California to sit down with the All-Star outfielder to pitch their case for him to sign with them.

Jon Heyman reports that the Mets met with Soto on Saturday. He described the presentation as a "very detailed," and "big production." General manager David Stearns, who joined the team last offseason, and manager Carlos Mendoza, were there for the meeting that also included big-spending Mets owner Steve Cohen.

Two other teams, the Red Sox and Blue Jays, are reported to have met with Soto this past week. All meetings were described as positive by various reporters with sources obtaining knowledge of the situation. To Boston, he reportedly inquired about three specific factors: Their winning commitment, their talent evaluation, and their facilities.

The general thinking as far as a timeline goes is thought to be the Winter Meetings, which take place from Dec. 8 to 12. Soto should have no shortage of teams looking to sign him to what is expected to be the largest non-deferred contract in MLB history.

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani often conducts his postgame interviews with an interpreter by his side. Ohtani can speak English, but he is more comfortable handling his media availability sessions in this way.

But during Friday's World Series parade and subsequent ticketed celebration event at Dodger Stadium, Ohtani made an exception.

The Dodgers superstar took the microphone, and speaking in perfect English, delivered a speech to the crowd at Dodger Stadium.

"Uh, this is such a special moment for me," Ohtani said as the Los Angeles crowd roared its approval. "I'm so honored to be here and to be part of this team. Congratulations, Los Angeles! Thank you fans!"

It's not the first time he has spoken in English publicly—he also did so during his 2023 American League MVP acceptance speech in January of 2024, among other instances—but it was perhaps the most memorable time, given Ohtani's special message to the fans, as well as the crowd's excitement.

What a moment.