ESPNcricinfo staff10-May-2015..And Mumbai Indians’ fielders were helping his cause with a few dropped catches•BCCIIt took a fantastic diving catch from Lendl Simmons to dismiss Gayle in the third over•BCCIFrom then on, AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli put on 215 runs, the highest for any wicket in Twenty20 history•PTI De Villiers flayed the bowlers to all parts of the park with some classical cricket shots•BCCISlowly, more than just Sarfaraz Khan’s family started cheering for de Villiers as the ‘Mumbai-Mumbai’ chants turned to ‘AB-AB’•BCCIThe duo powered Royal Challengers to 235 for 1, the highest team total yet this season, and left Rohit Sharma and Mumbai’s team management with a lot to ponder over•BCCIA brilliant throw from Kohli and some quick glove work from Dinesh Karthik resulted in the run-out of Parthiv Patel•PTI Despite the fall of Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard tried to give some life to the chase with his 24-ball 49 but got out miscuing a S Aravind delivery to Mitchell Starc at sweeper cover•BCCISimmons managed to remain unbeaten on 68 off 53 balls but had little support from the other end as Royal Challengers ran away with a 39-run win•PTI
In what would be one of the most shocking moves of 2025, Manchester City have reportedly opened talks with the representatives of a Premier League title rival’s player in an attempt to land a Raheem Sterling repeat.
Man City transfer news
For the first time since Pep Guardiola’s debut campaign, Manchester City are in need of a host of reinforcements. From an ageing backline to similar issues in midfield, the Premier League champions must turn towards the transfer window in 2025 if they want to prevent their recent blip from becoming a gradual fade away from the title picture.
Man City entertaining idea of signing "promising" ace as soon as January
The Premier League champions desperately need a defensive rebuild.
1 ByTom Cunningham Dec 7, 2024
With that said, it’s no surprise that the Citizens have been linked with Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes in recent weeks. The Brazilian midfielder would be an instant upgrade on Ilkay Gundogan, whose return included plenty of sentiment, but ultimately failed to make the positive impact that City had hoped.
The German, now 34 years old, is past his best and among the players that City will need to replace when they get the opportunity to do so. And Guimaraes isn’t the only Premier League talent that they could turn to in terms of reinforcements.
According to CaughtOffside, Manchester City have opened shock talks with Trent Alexander-Arnold over a potential move to the Etihad Stadium when his current £180,000-a-week Liverpool contract expires in the summer.
Trent Alexander-Arnold for Liverpool
To say that the move would shock the Premier League would be an understatement. Alexander-Arnold would likely have a strained relationship with Liverpool fans if he decided to move to Real Madrid, but a move to Man City would end that relationship entirely.
He wouldn’t be the first to swap Anfield for the Etihad, as a certain Raheem Sterling did the same in the summer of 2015, with City splashing out a reported £49m to sign the Liverpool winger, who went on to enjoy incredible success under Guardiola.
Despised by the Reds ever since, Sterling is a prime example of what Alexander-Arnold may have to prepare himself for if he completed such a move.
"Fantastic" Alexander-Arnold would reach new level under Guardiola
Throughout history, there are several examples of dream partnerships which the world of football never quite got to see play out on the pitch, with Steven Gerrard and Jurgen Klopp near the top of that list.
And by the end of his career, the world of football may well be left wondering just how Alexander-Arnold would have excelled under Guardiola unless he shocks the rest of English football this summer.
The England international is undoubtedly one of the best right-backs in Premier League history and we’ve already seen how the detail of Arne Slot’s tactical approach has created a new version of the Liverpool star.
So there’s no telling just how much Alexander-Arnold would evolve under the guidance of one of football’s greatest minds in Guardiola.
Dubbed “fantastic” by former Liverpool manager Klopp last season, it feels unlikely that Alexander-Arnold would shatter Liverpool hearts to such a degree at this stage, but he certainly has a decision to make in the coming months.
Mills replaces Topley for England while UAE’s Nawaz is pushed up to the main squad after Fahid fractured his left foot
ESPNcricinfo staff19-Oct-2022Right-arm fast bowler Kasun Rajitha has replaced fellow speedster Dushmantha Chameera, who suffered a grade two tear in the calf of his left foot, in Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup squad. Rajitha, who last played a T20I in October 2019, is in Sri Lanka and will travel to Australia as soon as possible.In addition to Chameera, batter Danushka Gunathilaka has also been ruled out of the T20 World Cup due to a hamstring tear. Ashen Bandara, one of the travelling reserves, will replace him. Gunathilaka had missed the match on Tuesday.Chameera winced and walked out of the field after bowling the last over of his spell in Sri Lanka’s win over UAE. The injury is connected to his ankle and calf issue that kept him out of the Asia Cup last month. Arjuna de Silva, head of SLC’s medical advisory committee, confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Chameera will be undergoing an ankle surgery and said, “The previous injuries were on the anterior part of the ankle, but this is in the calf. It’s a grade-two tear.”Rajitha was called up to the T20I squad for the home series against Australia in June but did not get a game. He then picked up a sole wicket in three outings for SLC Blues in the SLC Invitational League in August, which was his last T20 outing. His last international match, though, was the Test against Pakistan in July this year.Meanwhile, Tymal Mills has replaced Reece Topley, who injured his left ankle, as a like-for-like in England’s squad. Topley had suffered the injury after standing on the boundary cushion during a fielding drill ahead of England’s warm-up match against Pakistan.For UAE, travelling reserve Fahad Nawaz replaced Zawar Farid, who fractured his left foot.
Despite the Reds’ excellent run under Arne Slot – sitting top of the Premier League and Champions League – one Liverpool player now reportedly wants to head for the Anfield exit door.
Liverpool transfer news
Liverpool’s slot machine hit the jackpot once again against Aston Villa, securing a 2-0 victory courtesy of Mohamed Salah’s brilliance. The Egyptian set up the first for Darwin Nunez before single-handedly countering late on to seal the points for his side and send them five points clear at the top of the Premier League. 15 wins in 17 games in all competitions, Slot has made an unprecedented start to life as a manager in English football.
What makes the Dutchman’s start even more impressive is how little business Liverpool completed in the summer transfer window, deciding to welcome just two players in the form of Federico Chiesa and Giorgi Mamardashvili, with the latter on loan at Valencia for the rest of the campaign.
2025 could prove to be slightly more chaotic, however, given that Virgil van Dijk, Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold are yet to agree new deals and remain on course to become free agents at the end of the campaign. Those departures would be disastrous for the Reds, who could also be left bidding farewell to another player.
122 touches, 96% passing: Liverpool's 9/10 star outshone Nunez & Salah
The Liverpool star was superb against Villa
1
By
Joe Nuttall
Nov 10, 2024
According to Caught Offside, Wataru Endo now wants out of Liverpool after struggling to break into Slot’s side so far this season. The Japan international has reportedly attracted the interest of Celtic, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Ipswich Town and Fulham with Liverpool valuing their midfielder at just €15-18 (£12-15m) in 2025.
Endo has fallen victim to the emergence of Ryan Gravenberch, who has a strong argument to be Liverpool’s Player of the Season so far and looks to have done enough to show his competition the door.
"Exceptional" Endo must be replaced
If this is to be it for Endo at Anfield then Liverpool must replace their midfielder when next summer arrives. The Japan international may not take the spotlight very often, if at all, but he adds crucial depth. Without him, Liverpool are arguably one injury to Gravenberch away from forcing Alexis Mac Allister out of position once again and losing the attacking element that he adds in his preferred role.
To his credit, Endo has outperformed the expectations placed on his shoulders since arriving at Liverpool last season as Jurgen Klopp struggled to find a solution to his midfield problem.
Summing up his impact, Klopp had fallen in love with the £50,000-a-week midfielder by the end of his tenure, telling reporters after Carabao Cup final victory over Chelsea, via Sqawka: “I’m pretty sure in three [or] four years Wataru will sign another long-term contract at Liverpool just because he might be 30 or 31 on his passport but he’s not.
“He’s a machine. He is footballing-wise exceptional. His defensive brain is outstanding. He gives us a lot of freedom for a lot of things. Yeah, top development. Very helpful, very helpful.”
da aposte e ganhe： O técnico do São Paulo, Rogério Ceni, aprovou o desempenho do time na vitória por 3 a 0 sobre o Red Bull Bragantino. O resultado encerrou uma sequência de seis jogos sem vencer no Campeonato Brasileiro.
Para o treinador tricolor, o São Paulo foi melhor principalmente no segundo tempo e nos duelos individuais.
TABELA > Veja a tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro
GALERIA >ATUAÇÕES: Nestor e Reinaldo comandam a vitória do São Paulo sobre o Red Bull Bragantino
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasSão PauloDestaque na vitória do São Paulo, Rodrigo Nestor diz: ‘Amo essa torcida, críticas acontecem’São Paulo14/08/2022São PauloATUAÇÕES: Nestor e Reinaldo comandam a vitória do São Paulo sobre o Red Bull BragantinoSão Paulo14/08/2022BrasileirãoSão Paulo encerra jejum no Campeonato Brasileiro e vence o Red Bull BragantinoBrasileirão14/08/2022
da betcris： – Em especial, acho que o segundo tempo do time foi muito bom, mesmo depois das alterações do Bragantino, quando eles passaram a jogar num sistema de três zagueiros, empurrando os dois alas. Nós conseguimos ajeitar bem com o 9 centralizado, neutralizamos bem, jogamos um contra um e ganhamos muitos duelos – disse Ceni, após a vitória. >>> Assine o Premiere no Prime Video e acompanhe todas as emoções do seu clube no Brasileirão<<<
Rogério Ceni afirmou também que a ideia era aproveitar o duelo para fazer alguns testes, como, por exemplo, Alisson e Colorado em campo, que retornaram agora.
– Hoje a gente queria fazer alguns testes, até para termos a real noção de como estão esses jogadores. O time competiu como sempre, foi mais feliz nas finalizações. Não temos que achar que a vitória apaga erros, mas acho que foi um resultado convincente – finalizou o comandante.
Após encerrar o incomodo jejum no Brasileirão, o Tricolor vira a chave e foca na Copa do Brasil, onde na próxima quinta-feira faz o jogo da volta contra o América-MG, em Belo Horizonte, para definir quem avança às semifinais da competição.
Julen Lopetegui’s time at West Ham United hasn’t gone exactly to plan, taking over from David Moyes this summer, and aiming to transform the Hammers from a counter-attacking side, into a more control-based, possession-heavy team.
West Ham sit 14th in the Premier League after 14 games played, winning four times, drawing three, and losing seven already this season.
Lopetegui’s side are averaging 46.4% possession, the eighth lowest total in the division, are taking 14.7 shots per game (6th highest), and are conceding 15.8 shots per game (4th most).
Lopetegui’s future seems to be in trouble, as West Ham are already drawing up shortlists of new candidates to take over from the 58-year-old Spanish coach, one of which has been out of a job since the 2022/23 season.
Graham Potter to West Ham
According to journalist Ben Jacobs, one name on the West Ham manager shortlist is Graham Potter, who was sacked by Chelsea in the 2022/23 season, having only taken charge of 31 games as manager, averaging 1.42 points per match.
The English coach had Chelsea averaging around 58.8% possession, taking 12.7 shots per game (only scoring 38 goals that season), and conceding 11.5 shots per game.
Whilst the numbers were not terrible, their league position was, finishing 12th that campaign after sacking Potter, trying to navigate turbulent times under new ownership.
While he is still considered a top manager, and is clearly taking his time to pick the right job before jumping back in, the one concern that could be had around Potter is the fact he hasn’t had a job since that tough Chelsea time, and how he will bounce back from it.
But perhaps the best name on the short list isn’t actually Potter but instead is Sergio Conceicao, the most experienced of the three names discussed by the Hammers board, and an option that could bring real stability to the club in a season of struggle.
Manager Focus
Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast's Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.
How Sergio Conceicao compares to Graham Potter
Possessing a brand of “heavy metal” football in the words of scout Antonio Mango, Conceicao could well be the perfect manager for West Ham, being adaptable – much like Potter – in his ability to go from a control-based 4-2-3-1, into a deeper 4-4-2 block, and change game plans based on the opposition and scoreline in a game.
This is a huge factor in such a competitive league, especially for a club like West Ham, who have a squad capable of controlling games against the bottom half of the table, but perhaps need a different approach when facing top-half sides, who possess slightly more on-ball quality. That was particularly evident when the Irons were dispatched 5-2 by Arsenal a few days ago.
Olhanense
34
1.26
Coimbra
39
1.28
SC Braga
45
1.80
Vitoria Guimaraes
31
1.10
FC Nantes
26
1.69
FC Porto
368
2.29
Conceicao’s best period was clearly at FC Porto, managing there from 2017-2024, winning three Primeira Liga titles (2017/18, 2019/20 and 2021/22), four Taca de Portugal’s (2019/20, 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24), one Taca da Liga (2022/23), and three Supertaca Candido de Oliveira’s.
During the 2023/24 season, Porto averaged 63.6% possession (the most in their division), and only conceded 8.3 shots per game (the 2nd fewest in their division), showing Conceicao’s ability to coach a defensive unit and control games with more of the ball, two factors West Ham wish to improve upon since moving on from Moyes. Those numbers are also far better than the ones achieved by Potter when he was at Stamford Bridge.
Football manager Sergio Conceicao
With Lopetegui’s struggles already this season, West Ham need to ensure this next appointment can provide stability to their current squad and drag them away from the relegation zone.
Conceicao seems the best fit to do this, bringing extra defensive stability compared to Potter, and therefore making him the ideal appointment for the Hammers.
West Ham dud may have cost Lopetegui his job after a 4/10 performance
West Ham fell to yet another defeat in the Premier League last night.
India Women’s captain Mithali Raj on the team’s recent success going into the World T20, and utilsing opportunities to raise the game’s profile
Interview by Gaurav Kalra05-Mar-201611:30
‘The BCCI should support our participation in the Women’s Big Bash’
The Indian women’s team has been on a high in recent months. After a historic T20 series win in Australia in January, they have continued their impressive form at home by whitewashing Sri Lanka in both the ODI and T20 series. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, captain Mithali Raj reflects on the reasons behind the team’s strong performances, the emergence of top-class young players, the improvements at domestic level, and the steps needed to raise the profile of the game in the country.Things have been going well of late for India. The Australia tour was very important and all of us knew that it would be very challenging to beat them at home as very few of our players had experience on those fast tracks. Winning the T20 series was a good experience for the whole team and it has given a lot of confidence to the players. We have come good as a unit. Winning before the World Cup was good timing as well. Can you elaborate on the transformation that has taken place in the last few years? And what do you put the team’s improved performances down to? The team has been together for two years and most of the players have played for Indian Railways, who I captain [in domestic cricket]. We are together round the year. That develops a bond and I don’t have to work too much. Earlier, our batting never clicked in T20s. Only one or two players would score and the team was dependent on them. Now, we have every player contributing to the team’s performance and that has made a lot of difference. Our top order scored runs in Australia and our fielding was really good.
“Since we have done well against Australia and Sri Lanka, the people’s expectations have risen, and it is important that we use this platform to promote women’s cricket in India”
There was a time when England and Australia were far ahead of the pack. Do you think the field has evened out after your win against Australia? I think it has, after our wins in the last two series. We are strong contenders for the World Cup. Earlier, it used to feel like those two teams are way ahead of the rest, but now with the transformation in the Indian team – West Indies has been doing well and New Zealand have done well against Australia – the gap is closing.Do you feel a lot more younger girls are now pushing for national honours? Yes, because we have our domestic structure in place and the ICC Championship has done a lot of good. We get to play every team before the World Cup, touring in different conditions besides a few series at home. It gives a lot of opportunities to the youngsters. As we play more, we get to see who a quality player is and what plans and strategies would work for the team. Whenever you undergo transformation, a couple of good players always emerge, like Smriti Mandhana and Anuja Patil, which will only increase the depth for the team.Players are centrally contracted now. Has that made a difference? Yes, because there are players who come from middle-class or lower middle-class backgrounds and struggle to buy a kit and earn a living. They completely depend on the state association. With central contracts, you are very well looked after by the board. You do not have to be bothered about anything else. Just put in the hard work and do well for the country.The World T20 is in India. You have done so well on tours. Suddenly there is pressure that you will be holding the trophy at the end of the tournament. Is that the kind of pressure you’re coming to terms with since you’re one of the favourites? The World Cup, as an event, carries a lot of pressure, irrespective of the number of caps you have earned, and the pressure doubles when you play at home. Since we have done well against Australia and Sri Lanka, the people’s expectations have risen, and it is important that we use this platform to promote women’s cricket in India, because it is the best opportunity. The team has good momentum and all the players are confident, so it is the right time for us to play a good brand of cricket for people to appreciate in India and to market the sport.”Winning the T20 series [in Australia] was a good experience for the whole team and it has given a lot of confidence to the players”•Getty Images Do you think playing your matches besides the men has helped, as will be the case in the World T20? The double headers generated a lot of viewership and promoted women’s cricket around the globe in a better way. I think the Big Bash or an IPL-style tournament would give an impetus to women’s cricket. Women’s cricket can stand alone as a brand, but right now it needs men’s cricket to support it. One aspect of television coverage is that in the men’s game you get a lot of information about your rivals. In your case, is it harder to tactically plan against opposition? It is when you haven’t played an opposition for a long time, like we didn’t know much about the South African team when we played them a couple of years back, because we last played them in 2009. We struggled then but with the ICC Championship, we play every team. So we have a video analyst coming with the team and we have the footage, but it’s difficult when you play a team after a long time. In terms of the support staff, apart from the video analyst, there is also a strength trainer. Have things changed dramatically since you first started playing? Yes, the approach to fitness is a lot more professional and there is a physio who deals with rehab and injury. The player’s knowledge of their body and how to go about in and outside a competition is far better than what it was when I started.
“Earlier, it used to feel like Australia and England are way ahead of the rest, but now with the transformation in the Indian team, the gap is closing”
The women’s Big Bash League was a huge success and England is looking to follow suit. As one of the leading players in the world, would you like the opportunity to be part of such leagues? Yes, because when you play with the best and interact with them, there are cultural interactions. You learn a lot by just mingling and it gives the young players – someone like Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur or Veda Krishnamurthy – the chance to develop as cricketers and mature very quickly, which is what India needs at the moment. So that is something for you to tell the BCCI? I think the BCCI will definitely be very supportive, because we don’t have the IPL. If the Aussies or England want us in the tournament, the BCCI should be positive enough to support us, because it will benefit them and help the players get experience. When you see them in the next T20 World Cup, they’d be different players. You see a lot of young Indian girls do really well these days, like Sania Mirza, Saina Nehwal. Do you hope to see the profile of women’s cricket reach that level? It should, and there is a possibility if our matches are televised. That attracts a lot of brands and corporate sponsorships for individual players. If only a few games are televised and you don’t have a follow-up, like no live coverage of the Sri Lanka series after the Australia series, where we did so well, things will not improve.”If only a few games are televised and you don’t have a follow-up, like no live coverage of the Sri Lanka series after the Australia series where we did so well, things will not improve”•Getty Images You have played only ten Test matches. Would you like to see more Test cricket for women? I definitely want to play them as it is the ultimate challenge for any cricketer to excel in that format. It challenges your skill, mental ability and physical endurance.Are there any changes you would like to see at the domestic level? I think Star Sports covered the T20 Super League and got a good response. If the domestic T20 Super League or the one-day Super League is televised, it will get a lot of attention. What should we expect from the Indian women’s team at the World T20? With the kind of momentum we have, we should at least qualify for the semi-finals. From there, it’s anyone’s game.
Two of Australia’s finest batters will go head-to-head in the BBL at the SCG on Saturday
AAP20-Jan-20232:32
Miller: The benefits in Steve Smith’s Sussex deal
Australia could have a ready-made replacement for Aaron Finch in T20 cricket, with Steven Smith declaring his desire to open more often in the shortest format.Smith was left out of Australia’s team for the majority of their home T20 World Cup disappointment last year, featuring in the middle order in only the final group game.His response on return to T20 cricket in the BBL has been emphatic, with an impressive 36 off 27 balls for Sydney Sixers on a difficult SCG wicket last Sunday before a 56-ball century against Adelaide Strikers in Coffs Harbour on Tuesday.Related
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Smith has long indicated his preference is to bat at the top of the order in T20 during the fielding restrictions.”I like it up top, who wouldn’t want to open in T20 cricket?” Smith said. “Two men out, it gives yourself a chance to just play the ball as you see it early on.”And then once the fielders go out you’ve got yourself in and have the chance to play your shots. It’s a place I enjoy batting. I did it a couple of times in the IPL and went okay.”Australia’s T20 captain Finch is yet to announce his retirement from international cricket, but is considered long odds to play in the 2024 World Cup in the Caribbean and USA.Cameron Green and Travis Head would loom as the likely frontrunners to replace Finch at the top, with other options including Alex Carey, Josh Philippe and Josh Inglis.Steven Smith struck a brilliant century against Adelaide Strikers•Getty Images
Smith said he had not considered whether his BBL output could help his cause to partner David Warner at the top when Australia next walk out for a T20 fixture, in August.”I’m not reading too much into it,” he said. “I am just going out and playing and doing my best. We will wait and see what the future holds, it’s a while until the next T20 international anyway.”Smith and Warner will face off on Saturday night in the BBL, with the game on the verge of being sold out and the potential for the biggest crowd for a Sydney BBL game since January 2017.
Smith opening in T20s
69 (47) – RR vs CSK, 2020 50 (27) – RR vs Kings XI, 2020 3 (7) – RR vs KKR, 2020 5 (5) – RR vs RCB, 2020 39 (34) – RR vs KKR, 2021 36 (27) – Sixers vs Scorchers, 2023 101 (56) – Sixers vs Strikers, 2023
Warner showed some signs of firing ahead of the blockbuster on Thursday night with 26 in the Sydney Thunder’s crucial eight-wicket win over Melbourne Renegades.Warner said afterwards he expected life to be harder for Smith against Thunder at the SCG than at Coffs Harbour on Tuesday, where the right-hander hit seven sixes.”The boundaries are going to be bigger for Smudge,” Warner quipped. “They’re not going to be a 60-metre hit for him. So we’ll see if he can come out and clear those [SCG] boundaries.”
Sydney Sixers made it two from two early in their WBBL campaign after an all-round display led by Suzie Bates’ sizeable contribution with the bat, another half century for Ellyse Perry and a superb performance from Sophie Ecclestone.After Alyssa Healy fell in the fourth over, charging a slower ball from Darcie Brown having not found her rhythm, Bates and Perry added 131 for the second wicket in a stand that lasted until the penultimate ball of the innings.The pair never quite fully cut loose, but after Sixers ended the powerplay on 1 for 24 there was a steady build throughout the innings with the ninth over going for 15 and the 13th 16 runs. Bates had been 23 off 30 balls before latching onto Amanda-Jade Wellington’s second over.Perry’s 58 off 44 followed her 55 off 48 in the opening match against Brisbane Heat while Bates, against her former club, made her first major contribution with Sixers. Darcie Brown’s bowling stood with 1 for 20 from four overs including 14 dots. Ash Gardner faced just one ball and launched it for six.Deandra Dottin gave Adelaide Strikers a rapid start to the chase with 25 off 16 balls with three sixes before being well caught at mid-off against Ecclestone.Ecclestone then produced a direct hit from mid-on to run out the well-set Laura Wolvaardt and in her next over with the ball was rewarded for some nice flight when Tahlia McGrath drove to cover to swing the match decisively Sixers’ way.The asking rate continued to rise and the loss of Bridget Patterson and Mack in the space of three balls left far too much to do for the lower order.
da bwin： The January transfer window is soon upon us, opening in just under two weeks, and there could be a few outgoings at Arsenal, as manager Mikel Arteta looks to reinvest funds and make room for future new additions.
Arsenal play Newcastle in Carabao Cup semi-finals after Crystal Palace win
da dobrowin： The Gunners now have a real opportunity to add to Arteta’s trophy cabinet, after they edged into the Carabao Cup semi-finals with a 3-2 win at home to Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening.
Arsenal weigh up January move for "top" £100m Premier League rival star
The Gunners would have to pay big money.
ByEmilio Galantini Dec 18, 2024
A much-needed hat-trick for Gabriel Jesus, who was previously on a barren run of just one goal in all competitions all campaign, secured a place in the Carabao semi-final draw for Arsenal – who are now just three games away from winning a major piece of silverware.
Arsenal’s next five Premier League games
Date
Crystal Palace (away)
December 21
Ipswich Town (home)
December 27
Brentford (away)
January 1
Brighton (away)
January 4
Tottenham (home)
January 15
The Gunners will take on Newcastle United over two semi-final legs, home and away, with the hope of overcoming Eddie Howe’s side and booking a place at Wembley Stadium next year.
“Really happy, we’re in the semi-final,” said Arteta on Arsenal’s 3-2 win over Crystal Palace.
“The game started in a way that we certainly didn’t want to with a very simple goal and then our team had to react and I think we did in a great way, showed a lot of character, so much desire to turn things around. In the first half we lacked some threat, we created two or three big chances but didn’t score and with a few adjustments in the second half we got a grip of the game again and we looked a threat.
“If we don’t win, to win the next one is really important, to win it in a difficult situation, different context, they played with their starting eleven as well, they get that momentum going and we’re able to break it, over commit and win the game. Really pleased, it’s very helpful for Saturday.”
Left-back Kieran Tierney also made his first appearance for Arsenal since their Community Shield win over Man City in 2023, after recently being reintroduced to the senior matchday squad by Arteta.
Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney.
Tierney put in an impressive display against Palace during his 69-minute cameo at the Emirates, with FotMob (via 90min) giving him a 7.3/10 match rating and listing him as one of Arsenal’s best performers on the night.
Kieran Tierney prioritising return to Celtic from Arsenal in January
The outing comes just in time for the looming winter transfer market, as the £120,000-per-week defender reminds potential suitors just what he’s truly capable of.
Tierney has been regularly tipped to leave Arsenal in the build-up to January, and a return to Celtic is believed to be on the cards as he eyes a move back up north.
According to The Boot Room, Tierney is prioritising a move back to Celtic over any other potential move.
The 27-year-old is apparently “only” interested in re-joining Brendan Rodgers at Parkhead if he is to leave Arsenal next month, but either way, Tierney’s time at the club will end by the beginning of next season.
David Ornstein shared news this week that Arteta’s side have elected not to trigger the one-year extension clause in his contract, meaning that the ex-Celtic star is set to leave as a free agent in the summer if he doesn’t secure a switch in the coming weeks.