Northern Superchargers move second after dumping two-time champions out of the competition

ECB Media23-Aug-2025

Northern Superchargers 127 for 3 (Davidson-Richards 50, Litchfield 29) beat Oval Invincibles 125 for 6 (Winfield-Hill 37, Cross 2-16) by seven wicketsNorthern Superchargers solidified their position in the top three of the women’s competition of The Hundred with a comfortable win over a misfiring Oval Invincibles, whose hopes of staging a late run to the knockout stages lay in ruins after a maiden tournament half-century for Alice Davidson-Richards and another brilliant cameo from Phoebe Litchfield.A win here doesn’t quite confirm the Superchargers’ progression – London Spirit, in fourth, could yet haul them in – but the result does end the Invincibles’ slim chances of featuring come the business end.The result will sting for Lauren Winfield-Hill’s team, who scrapped hard but were always up against it once Tash Farrant was injured in the field; Tarrant was only able to bowl five deliveries, which meant that Winfield-Hill had to turn to spin. With Farrant indisposed and her new-ball partner Marizanne Kapp forced to complete her 20 deliveries early, Litchfield and Davidson-Richards counter-attacked devastatingly, putting on 47 to take the game away from the visitors.Davidson-Richards brought up her fifty with a slew of punches down the ground, hitting nine fours in all in her 32-ball stay, while Litchfield’s range of shots, with the signature reverse-sweep once more in evidence, was breath-taking at times, her 21-ball 29 taking her into the top three of the competition’s run-scorers.Despite losing both batters in quick succession, the Australian pair of Annabel Sutherland and Nicola Carey steadied any nerves to see the Superchargers home with a full set still to bowl.The Invincibles, two-times winners of the competition, will be hurting. A garlanded line-up only sporadically clicked into top gear and even today, despite a sparky knock of 37 at No.5 from Winfield-Hill, their big guns were quiet, with their top four of Paige Scholfield, Meg Lanning, Alice Capsey and Kapp contributing just 39 runs between them, as Grace Bollinger and Kate Cross set the tone with excellent new-ball spells.Meerkat Match Hero, Alice Davidson-Richards, was relieved that they held their nerve to get the job done. “I’ll be honest, I was a bit of a wreck at the end there, pacing around with a cup of tea, just hoping the girls [Sutherland and Carey] could get us over the line. In the end it was a really great win for the team.”Up top it was quite hard against the seamers who were swinging it around for both teams, but as I got in, it got a little bit easier. And at Headingley, it’s always a decent deck to bat on.”ends

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A FIFA e a CONMEBOL comunicaram à CBF na noite de quinta-feira (14) seu interesse em monitorar de perto os desdobramentos da situação da entidade. Na semana anterior, o Tribunal de Justiça do Rio de Janeiro destituiu o presidente Ednaldo Rodrigues, nomeando um interventor para organizar uma nova eleição, decisão posteriormente confirmada pelo Superior Tribunal de Justiça.

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Segundo o “ge”, em uma carta conjunta assinada por dirigentes das duas entidades, a FIFA e a CONMEBOL alertam a CBF de que nenhuma eleição deve ser convocada ou realizada até que uma delegação das entidades internacionais visite o Brasil em janeiro para avaliar a situação e discutir o assunto com as partes envolvidas.

A CBF agora se encontra em um dilema, pois não pode desrespeitar a decisão do Superior Tribunal de Justiça, ao mesmo tempo em que precisa acatar a determinação da FIFA.

A carta destaca que, de acordo com o artigo 64 do estatuto da CBF, no caso de ausência na presidência, o diretor mais antigo é a única pessoa autorizada a representar a CBF e assumir as responsabilidades de presidente interino. Além de Ednaldo Rodrigues, seus oito vice-presidentes eleitos em 2022 também foram destituídos.

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O atual diretor mais antigo é Hélio Santos Menezes, que atualmente ocupa as diretorias jurídica e de governança da confederação. Todas as comunicações da CBF com a FIFA e a CONMEBOL devem ser assinadas por ele, sendo que a diretoria não foi destituída.

Em meio a esse cenário, nenhuma outra autoridade além da mencionada no artigo 64 será oficialmente reconhecida pela FIFA e pela CONMEBOL, conforme indicado na carta.

O documento adverte sobre a possibilidade de “sanções relevantes” à CBF se for constatada interferência indevida contra os estatutos da FIFA e da CONMEBOL. No entanto, especialistas e dirigentes acreditam que não há risco de punição esportiva ao futebol brasileiro.

O exemplo frequentemente citado por dirigentes da FIFA e CONMEBOL é o da Argentina, que, entre 2016 e 2017, ficou sob a administração de um “Comitê de Normalização” na AFA (Associação de Futebol Argentino) para reformar os estatutos e convocar novas eleições.

➡️Com recurso negado a Ednaldo Rodrigues, aumenta o risco de a CBF ser punida pela Fifa

A decisão do TJ-RJ, mantida pelo STJ, determinou que José Perdiz, agora licenciado do Superior Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva (STJD), organize novas eleições em um prazo de 30 dias úteis, contados a partir de 12 de dezembro. José Perdiz, ao comentar sobre a carta da FIFA, expressou satisfação e respeito, considerando um sinal positivo ter a entidade acompanhando o processo eleitoral na CBF. Ele reafirmou o compromisso de convocar as eleições em 30 dias, seguindo os princípios de transparência e clareza exigidos pela Justiça brasileira.

Ali Orr’s second century of the tournament guided Hampshire into the Metro Bank One Day Cup semi-finals as they saw off Middlesex in their play-off at Radlett.The left-hander struck 108, batting through most of the innings to underpin Hampshire’s recovery from 95 for 5 as they set their opponents a target of 230 with paceman Henry Brookes taking four for 53.Liam Dawson then stifled Middlesex’s reply with his spell of 4 for 33, supported by fellow left-arm spinner Andrew Neal (1 for 30) as the Seaxes were bowled out for 187 in 45.3 overs.Sam Robson top-scored with 48 and Toby Roland-Jones’ late unbeaten cameo of 39 prolonged the contest, but it was not enough to deny Hampshire a semi-final date on Sunday, when they will face Yorkshire at Scarborough.Middlesex made three changes to the side that had clinched a tense win at Lancashire to secure their knockout place, including returns for Roland-Jones and Ryan Higgins who both sent down tidy opening spells.Despite that, Orr and Nick Gubbins built a steady partnership of 45 until Brookes struck with his second delivery, tempting the Hampshire captain into a mistimed pull that sailed straight to midwicket.Fletcha Middleton was next to depart, caught behind nudging at a Brookes outswinger and the seamer soon grabbed his – and Middlesex’s – third wicket when Ben Brown was pinned leg before.Orr batted fluently, timing his shots on both sides of the wicket and steering Brookes to the point boundary to pass 50 for the second time in as many innings, but Middlesex continued to make inroads.Dawson, drafted in for his first appearance of the tournament, fell lbw to Sebastian Morgan, while Zafar Gohar’s miserly stint of one for 29 brought him the wicket of Ben Mayes, caught miscuing a reverse sweep.However, James Fuller’s spirited 42 provided the perfect foil for Orr, with the pair adding 96 from 18 overs before Higgins had the all-rounder caught in the deep.Having advanced to three figures in style by hooking Brookes for six, Orr eventually holed out to long on off Higgins, his departure effectively ending Hampshire’s hopes of clambering above 250.Middlesex rejigged their batting order, promoting Nathan Fernandes to open in the wake of his match-winning 92 at Old Trafford and the left-hander continued in similar vein with two sweetly-struck straight drives to the rope off Kyle Abbott.Although Josh de Caires fell to Fuller’s diving catch around the corner, the batting side still looked reasonably comfortable at 66 for 1 before they were decisively pegged back by the Hampshire spinners.Fernandes’ innings of 42 came to an end when he was pinned leg before by Neal and Dawson then removed Ben Geddes in the same manner before having Higgins taken low at slip.Along with seamer Eddie Jack, the spin duo smothered their opponents’ scoring rate in the middle overs and it fell to Robson to dig in, take advantage of rare stray deliveries and attempt to take the game deep.Joe Cracknell launched a brief counter-attack, clubbing a six and two fours from one Fuller over to reach 22 from as many balls, but the bowler took his revenge by dismissing both Cracknell and Gohar in the space of three deliveries.Brown’s neat stumping to remove Robson brought Hampshire a third wicket with the score unchanged and that appeared to signal the end of Middlesex’s challenge, but Roland-Jones went on the offensive, battering Abbott for a trio of off-side boundaries.He added 45 for the ninth wicket with Morgan, but Hampshire were not be denied and Dawson sealed victory by bowling last man Brookes in the 46th over.

Former Manchester United stars Angel Gomes and Mason Greenwood were both on the scoresheet to fire Marseille back to the summit of Ligue 1 on Saturday in a 3-0 win over Brest. It was a much-needed victory for Roberto De Zerbi's side after a turbulent few weeks, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also on target for the hosts at the Stade Velodrome.

• Gomes opens the floodgates

  The breakthrough came midway through the first half when Gomes stood over a free-kick just outside the box. The 23-year-old curled a dipping effort that seemed simple enough for Brest goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki. However, the ball slipped through the keeper’s hands and trickled over the line, to hand the hosts an unlikely lead. Eight minutes later, Marseille’s dominance was rewarded again. A clumsy challenge on Pierre-Emile Højbjerg inside the area gave Greenwood the chance to double the lead from the spot. The English forward was calm and clinical as he sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to score his fifth of the campaign. By the time the clock hit 82 minutes, the result was beyond doubt. Matt O’Riley whipped in a perfect cross from the right, and Aubameyang rose to meet it with a powerful header that left Majecki rooted. 

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• De Zerbi: 'We played with joy again'

  After the final whistle, De Zerbi was visibly relieved. The Italian coach has come under intense scrutiny following a string of frustrating results, including a painful Champions League defeat to Atalanta and a disjointed draw against Angers.

  "Against Angers it was more or less the same lineup as against Brest," he said. "I had a lot of fun from the bench, we moved the ball well, played vertically, pressed high, created plenty of goal-scoring chances, and kept up the strong pressing. We also switched formations when Brest changed at halftime. That's my OM a bit. We can play really well like we did in Lisbon. You've found the right madman with me—it doesn't scare me one bit."

  Reflecting on the Angers match, he said, "We didn’t play well against Angers and Atalanta. The other matches, we played better, but we got less than we deserved. We were unlucky." 

• A welcome response to critics

  The win couldn’t have come at a better time. Marseille’s stumbles in Europe had sparked talk of a crisis in the French press, with pundits calling for accountability. Jerome Rothen, the outspoken former PSG winger, didn’t hold back earlier this week. Speaking on he blasted both De Zerbi and his players.

  "OM's results are ridiculous, that's the reality," he said. "They're struggling and in a group of teams that are currently eliminated and look more like Europa League teams than Champions League teams . Let's call a spade a spade. When you look at De Zerbi's record, it's 10 Champions League matches and one win. That sums it up. Tactically, he doesn't have the tools, he can't find the ingredients and the skills to push OM to be better. He was outmanoeuvred by Juric, the Atalanta coach. There was a casting error."

  He further added, "Who recruited and built this team? When you see OM's resources, which are not Atalanta's resources, and you see such a difference in performance and technical execution. In yesterday's match, apart from Greenwood and Rulli, the rest is useless. The players who were there yesterday, who have special statuses and who are highlighted like [Pierre-Emile] Hojbjerg. They highlight that he is an experienced player, but he is an average player! You look at his big matches in the Champions League and you will see that he is nothing."

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  Marseille back on top in Ligue 1

  The win over Brest was Marseille’s eighth in the league this season, pushing them one point clear of Paris Saint-Germain at the summit. However, PSG can reclaim top spot with a win over Lyon on Sunday. And with an international break looming, De Zerbi will finally have time to regroup and recharge his squad. They will be back in action against Nice away from home on November 21 before hosting Newcastle four days later at home in the Champions League.  

Records tumble at Chelmsford as hosts pile up 417 for 6 in Surrey thrashing

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay15-Aug-2025Essex 417 for 6 (Campher 123*, Benkenstein 83, Harmer 68, Critchley 58) beat Surrey 173 (Steel 49, Bennett 5-36) by 244 runsEssex’s short-term signing Curtis Campher made an instant impression with a whirlwind century amid a multi-record victory over Surrey in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.The 26-year-old Ireland allrounder, who has won more than 100 caps, hit his third List A ton and his highest score in the format, smashing an unbeaten 123 from 68 balls less than 48 hours after flying in for a medical ahead of a three-game stint for an Essex squad down to the bare bones.He thumped six sixes and 12 fours – and his clean hitting meant each one broached no reply – to help Essex to their highest List A total of 417 for 6, and a share in a county record of 175 for the sixth wicket with Simon Harmer. Matt Critchley’s 58 from 50 balls, Luc Benkenstein’s personal-best 83 from 72 and Harmer’s equal-best 68 from 47 were overshadowed by the Irishman’s 109 minutes of mischief and mayhem.To compound the visitors’ misery, seamer Nathan Barnwell, with 2 for 112 in 10 overs, posted the most expensive bowling figures for Surrey in the format. By contrast, rookie Essex bowler Charlie Bennett returned his best figures of 5 for 36 as Surrey were dismissed for 173 to lose by a crushing 244 runs with more than 12 overs unused. It was their heaviest defeat. Only Cameron Steel, with 49, offered resistance, but of a stubborn nature rather than threatening.Critchley had hit the blue touchpaper for Essex’s first win of the campaign, when he finally hit his stride. He scored just one run from his first dozen deliveries before going on the attack against James Taylor, hammering four successive boundaries to all parts off the Surrey pace bowler.By that time he had already lost opening partner Robin Das, playing on to Taylor, and captain Tom Westley, pulling Alex French tamely to square leg.The Essex allrounder reached his own half-century from 40 balls – fifty of them coming in just 28 balls – but a 10th boundary, cut square off Barnwell, was followed by his downfall next ball when he top-edged an attempted pull.Charlie Allison had brought up the fifty stand with Critchley by coming down the wicket and lofting Yousef Majid over long leg for six. His 46 from 47 balls ended with a thin edge for French’s second scalp.For a spell Benkenstein and Campher traded maximums. Benkenstein lofting two over long leg off Steel and another off Thomas, while Campher punished some wayward bowling by Steel with a succession of big hits into and over the well-populated stands. Indeed, he took 19 from one Steel over, including two sixes over midwicket.Benkenstein’s innings came to an end when he was lbw having misjudged a delivery from Thomas that didn’t get up. That brought in Harmer, who kept step with Campher for 16 overs that questioned Surrey’s decision to put Essex in on a worn pitch.The sixth-wicket carnage ended three balls from the end of the innings when Harmer drove Barnwell uppishly to extra cover. That only brought in Simon Fernandes to hammer 12 from those remaining deliveries, including a six second ball over long leg.Surrey’s chase faltered from the start. Thomas was bowled all ends up in Bennett’s second over, Nikhil Gorantla caught at third man in the bowler’s fourth, and Rory Burns snaffled behind in his fifth. Jamie Porter had Ollie Sykes caught on the midwicket boundary before Campher re-entered the arena. With only his third ball, he had Ben Foakes caught behind to underline his all-round ability.Campher should have had a second wicket but Harmer dropped a relatively simple slip chance when Steel had reached 6. The South African offspinner paid the price as Steel launched him over the ropes in the following over.Josh Blake became Harmer’s first wicket on his return from paternity leave when he lofted into the cover before Bennett claimed his fourth by bowling Taylor and a fifth to dismiss Steel. By then the result was long beyond dispute.

Peter Schmeichel has slammed the business Manchester United did during the summer transfer window, branding one signing as “weird”.

Man Utd's summer signings yet to make major impact

After finishing 15th in the Premier League last season, the Man United squad was always going to need major surgery in the summer, but their new additions, despite showing some promising signs, are yet to make a major impact.

Matheus Cunha has largely been utliised as a substitute in recent weeks, after injury derailed the Brazilian forward’s start to the season, while Bryan Mbeumo has just one goal to his name in the opening seven league matches.

With Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir both making errors to give away goals at the start of the season, it was always going to be important for Ruben Amorim to bring in a new goalkeeper, and Senne Lammens is off to a solid start, keeping a clean sheet in the 2-0 win over Sunderland.

Benjamin Sesko is also starting to find his form, scoring in his last two Premier League outings, but Schmeichel has criticised the decision to sign the Slovenian in the first place on the Sacked in the Morning podcast.

The former Man United goalkeeper said: “The signing of Benjamin Šeško was a little bit weird to me because we have Rasmus Hojlund, who has been starved of service for two years.

The Dane also went on to say: “You spend £70 million+ on Sesko, when we don’t have the number six we should have, and there’s the goalkeeping position as well.

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“This season alone, we’ve conceded nine goals from goalkeeping errors. When I played, when Edwin van der Sar played, when David de Gea played, the brief was win 10 points a season; you don’t give points away.

“Why did we bring someone in that we didn’t need? Because the head of recruitment comes from Leipzig [Sesko’s former club], and he’s got to make a mark.”

Hojlund off to flying start at Napoli

Sesko is starting to come good, but it is clear to see why Schmeichel doesn’t believe he was a necessary signing, with Hojlund making a flying start to life at Napoli, scoring four goals in his opening six matches in all competitions.

The 61-year-old was also right to assess that signing a new goalkeeper was far more important, given just how poor Andre Onana has been since his arrival, with Nemanja Matic famously singling the Cameroonian out for heavy criticism last season.

That said, while it is still early days, Lammens exhibited promising signs on his debut against Sunderland, making two saves from inside the box to keep the Black Cats at bay, and preventing 0.94 goals.

It must also be noted that Hojlund was very poor last season, scoring just four Premier League goals, so it is understandable that Amorim wanted to bring in an upgrade, and Sesko is now finding his feet.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are set to take on the New York Yankees in the 2024 World Series and the calendar suggests they get some reinforcements for the pitching staff. Superstar Shohei Ohtani, who spent this season as a designated hitter following his second Tommy John surgery, has reached the point in his recovery timeline where he could theoretically pitch again.

This became a talking point earlier in the season when Ohtani was seen throwing batting practice pitches in August, but the Dodgers insisted back then that the plan was to keep Ohtani off the mound until next year. That plan probably hasn't changed, but the Japanese All-Star is two months further along in his recovery and everything is now on the line, with only four wins standing between Ohtani and his first-ever title. If there was ever a time where the ends justified the means, it's now.

Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson appeared on Thursday's episode of to discuss all things baseball ahead of the Fall Classic and touched upon this topic. The Big Unit was firm in his stance that Ohtani should not return to the mound.

"If I were ownership or management or whatever with the Dodgers I would just let him continue to be the offensive force that he's been for the Dodgers. Then I would go into spring training and see where he's at. Hopefully he can be a big part of the rotation next year," Johnson said.

It's a reasonable take. From an outside view there feels to be far more risk than reward with Ohtani pitching at this stage, even with the World Series within reach. It's not like he won't be affecting the game in other ways.

First pitch for Game 1 of the World Series is scheduled for 8:08 p.m. ET Friday.

Cristiano Ronaldo will be “terribly sorry” about missing a “once in a lifetime” win for his country, claims the President of Portugal, as “geniuses are like that”. All-time great CR7 was forced to sit out a 9-1 victory over Armenia through suspension, with that stunning success seeing Roberto Martinez’s side secure automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

Ronaldo suspension: Why Portugal superstar is banned

Ronaldo played no part in that contest as he served a ban. The evergreen 40-year-old frontman picked up the first red card of his international career in a defeat to the Republic of Ireland in Dublin – with that dismissal coming when earning his record-extending 226th cap.

Al-Nassr striker Ronaldo was given his marching orders after swinging an elbow into Irish defender Dara O’Shea. It is yet to be determined whether FIFA will force him to sit out two more matches – which will come at next summer’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

AdvertisementGettyMixed emotions: Ronaldo left watching on from afar

Ronaldo will be desperate not to miss any more action as he continues to chase down 1,000 career goals and more major honours. He was denied the opportunity to fill his boots against Armenia, with Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes bagging a hat-trick in that fixture as Portugal hit nine.

Portugal President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa told reporters of the mixed emotions that CR7 will have felt while watching on from afar: “Ronaldo always has a place. He's always in our hearts. He's part of our gratitude. He must be terribly sorry he didn't come today. It's a shame. He missed a game where it was crucial for the captain to be there. But, well, geniuses are like that.

“A word for Roberto Martínez. He deserves it. People said he wouldn't make it. I still remember the team's first dinner, where the players were at one table and Martínez at another, and they said they wouldn't pay attention. He held on, he held on, and he got to where he needed to be. Of course, with a big scare, but 9-1 is a joy for all of us.”

Portugal qualify for 2026 World Cup in style

De Sousa added on Portugal booking tickets to the 2026 World Cup in stunning fashion: “This is the game of my life and the life of many Portuguese people. We've had more exciting games, which resulted in victories, but 9-1 is a once-in-a-lifetime result. And it could have been 10-1 or 11-1. It was exceptional. The team played with such spirit, with class, with speed. It was unique. It's good that there were so many children here, who will remember this game.

“We are in the final phase [of the World Cup ] and, by happy coincidence, I had scheduled the awarding of medals for the Nations League victory for today. It's a happy combination. We won the Nations League, I'm handing out the medals, after a great game, and it's the closing of a cycle, because I started with Euro 2016 and I'm ending with this qualification.”

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GettyCan Ronaldo win the World Cup before retirement?

Plans can now start to be pieced together for another shot at global glory. The general consensus is that Portugal – who can call upon the likes of Ronaldo, Fernandes, Joao Felix, Ruben Dias, Joao Neves and Vitinha – have enough talent at their disposal to compete for the grandest of prizes.

De Sousa intends to witness their pursuit of the World Cup crown, adding on Portugal’s claims to the most prestigious of trophies: “Of course. I can see it. I have a phrase that the Federation president agreed upon with me and the Prime Minister: in America, Portugal will win. Will you watch the games? If I'm invited, I'll go. If not, one or two, I'll pay out of my own pocket to go.”

Ronaldo was quick to congratulate Portugal after seeing them wrap up qualification for the 2026 World Cup. He has conceded that event will likely be his last as an international performer, but has admitted – while working on a contract at Al-Nassr through to 2027 – that he has at least a couple of years left in him before retirement is considered.

It’s still early in the season, but Arsenal look almost unstoppable at the moment.

Mikel Arteta’s side continued their impressive form in the Champions League on Tuesday night, and now have the chance to extend their lead in the Premier League this afternoon.

However, to do so, the Gunners will have to beat an inform Sunderland side at the Stadium of Light, without Viktor Gyokeres, who scored last time out.

Fortunately, Arteta has a few ways of dealing with the Swede’s absence, and no, he doesn’t have to use Mikel Merino.

The Arsenal changes Arteta has to make

Before examining the players Arteta should bring into the team for this game, it’s worth taking a look at who is fit.

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Fortunately, since Gyokeres’ injury, Arsenal have not lost anyone else to the medical room, and in even better news, Gabriel Jesus has returned to first-team training.

However, the Brazilian is unlikely to feature against Sunderland, nor are the likes of Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke or Gabriel Martinelli, with the manager telling the press that “nobody new that can join the squad.”

Even so, there are more than enough players fit for changes to be made to the team that won in Prague on Tuesday night.

The first of which should come in defence, with Riccardo Calafiori coming back in for the impressive Piero Hincapie.

Likewise, while Christian Norgaard did a good job anchoring the midfield, Martin Zubimendi, or the Gunners’ “signing of the summer,” as one analyst described him, should come in for him.

The final midfield change should see Eberechi Eze replace Ethan Nwaneri, as the 27-year-old’s creativity and playmaking ability could be crucial in breaking down the Black Cats’ low block.

Finally, while Merino did brilliantly in scoring two goals against Slavia, this might be a game for Arteta to pick someone else to lead the line.

The Arsenal player who could replace Merino

While Arteta could go rogue and opt to start Nwaneri up top for this game, the more reasonable way to go would be to start Leandro Trossard.

Now, there are certainly arguments for keeping Merino as the striker, but equally, there are reasons why the Belgian should be given a go up top, such as his technical quality.

Even though Sunderland are in fine form, the Gunners are more than likely going to face a stubborn low block at the Stadium of Light.

Therefore, it would make more sense to have someone like the 30-year-old leading the line who has the ability to pick a lock, not just with a pass, but with some quality close control.

As good as Merino has been this year, he has never shown an ability to get past a defender with the ball at his feet.

The second reason for going with the “little magician,” as Arteta dubbed him, is that, unlike last season, he seems to have rediscovered his form.

For example, in 13 appearances, totalling just 742 minutes, he has scored three goals and provided four assists.

Trossard’s 25/26

Appearances

13

Minutes

742

Goals

3

Assists

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.53

Minutes per Goal Involvement

106′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.85 games, or more impressively, every 106 minutes.

Finally, since he arrived at the club, the Waterschei-born dynamo has been a clutch player, someone who can and often does pop up with the all-important goal.

Moreover, as the legendary Ian Wright put it, he’s also shown himself to be the squad’s “best finisher and most clinical finisher of chances.”

Therefore, while it sounds counterproductive, Arteta might be better off starting Trossard in Gyokeres’ place this weekend.

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If you reference "the fifth inning" to a New York Yankees fan in your life, you likely won't have to specify which fifth inning you're talking about.

That would be the fifth inning of Game 5 of the World Series on Oct. 30—instantly one of the most catastrophic innings for any team in the history of baseball. In that inning, the Yankees let a 5–0 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers slip away and blew their best chance to send the series back to California.

An early catalyst for the inning was a flyball from Dodgers shortstop Tommy Edman that New York center fielder Aaron Judge misplayed, giving Los Angeles two baserunners with nobody out. Now, you can own the ball from that play—which the Dodgers are auctioning off.

As of Thursday afternoon, Los Angeles has listed the ball on its auctions website with a current price of $18,510. Eighty-one bids have been made for the ball since it went live on Dec. 2.

For Yankees fans, the ball is a token of a series to forget. For the Dodgers, however, it is just another piece of their second World Series title in five years.