Tag Futebol

Penny for Alexander Isak’s thoughts? Liverpool’s record-breaking striker has been down by the wayside right since the summer, and the fans are desperate to see him recover his form and showcase that world-class quality.

Isak left Newcastle United for Anfield at the end of the summer transfer window, on strike throughout August following a breakdown in relations on Tyneside. It’s been a struggle ever since, with the lack of a pre-season and injury issues in recent months limiting him to just four Premier League starts so far.

This is all symptomatic of the deeper malaise at Arne Slot’s Liverpool. Slot’s Liverpool, last season’s dominant league champions, have been pants this year, with nine losses in their past 12 matches in all competitions.

Not good enough. Isak’s only goal came against Southampton in the Carabao Cup, a competition the Merseysiders have since been dumped out of.

He will surely come good, but FSG will be anxiously waiting for proof that they have got bang for their buck. At the moment, Isak is offering less than Darwin Nunez before him.

Why Liverpool sold Darwin Nunez

Slot’s brand of football is built on structure and. Both he and Jurgen Klopp subscribe to attacking play, but where the German enjoys heavy metal, Slot is more of a purveyor of smooth jazz.

That was last season, though, with the Reds having left so much to desire this season. Liverpool are so tactically imbalanced, lacking the control of last season.

It’s for this reason that Nunez was sold. Wasteful in front of goal, yes, the Uruguayan was also erratic and mercurial, and given that Slot only started him once in the Premier League after Boxing Day, it’s clear he did not view him as the answer.

So, it would not be that bold to assume that selling Nunez to Al-Hilal and replacing him with a clinical superstar like Isak was done with a view toward giving Liverpool more accuracy and presence in the final third.

It’s worth stressing that Isak is anticipated to be a success at Anfield. He is too good – and proven in the Premier League – not to click into gear.

But, as journalist David Lynch put it earlier in November, Isak is “offering Liverpool less than Darwin Nunez did” at the same stage last season, and that will certainly need to change going forward.

There is still full anticipation that the Sweden international will be a success story at the club, though, but the same can’t be said for another of Liverpool’s summer recruits, who has so much to prove after a wretched start to the season.

Liverpool's new version of Nunez

In fairness, Nunez scored on his Liverpool debut against Manchester City in the Community Shield. He posted a goal and an assist off the bench on his Premier League debut, a draw at Fulham.

But, ultimately, the 26-year-old’s erraticness and his inability to conform to Klopp and then Slot’s tactical systems led to his sale.

Now, Liverpool may have landed their new version of the South American, and not in Isak, but Milos Kerkez, who completed a £40m move from Bournemouth to the Anfield club this summer.

Kerkez, 22, was named as a part of the PFA Premier League Team of the Year for 2024/25, exceptional on the south coast. That fine form is a world away from what Liverpool fans have witnessed over the past three months, with journalist Jean Paul Schiberras claiming he “looks like he has never played football before” in Slot’s set-up.

Following the defeat to PSV, content creator Mark Goldbridge remarked that Kerkez has been “such a bad signing” for Slot’s team. It was a collective shambles on Wednesday evening, but the Hungary international was culpable for lackadaisical defending as the visitors surged forward and took the lead in the second half.

It is incomprehensible to think that Kerkez simply doesn’t have what it takes to play for Liverpool. Last season, he was arguably the best left-back in the league, such a ferocious mix of power and athleticism and energy.

But he is lacking, as it were, street smarts. Kerkez has the skills to succeed at a club like Liverpool, but too often he has suffered from poor decision-making, lacking the awareness and positioning to read danger and ensure he is one, two, three steps ahead.

This is why he is an endangered member of this squad. This is why he faces the potential of leaving with a reputation akin to Nunez, brimming with quality but arriving as a young and uncut gem, ultimately failing to bring it all together.

Is he a liability in this team? Perhaps so. It is useful to use Andy Robertson as a yardstick for the conundrum: last season, the Scotsman was clearly on the decline; a left-back was clearly a priority for FSG to sort out. But there are many calls now for the vice-captain to restore a nailed-down starting berth.

Slot has started using the 31-year-old more frequently, yes, but he has only started two of 12 Premier League fixtures this season, one of which includes the comprehensive 2-0 win over Aston Villa earlier this month.

Described as a “nervous wreck” by pundit Jamie Carragher, it’s clear that Kerkez is feeling the weight of moving to one of the world’s largest outfits. It doesn’t help that Slot’s tactics have proved so dysfunctional this term.

But left-back was a glaring weakness at Liverpool last year, and with Kostas Tsimikas out on loan and Robertson winding down, things have only gotten worse for the champions.

In this, Kerkez is becoming a major problem, a liability as concerning as Nunez was.

Gakpo upgrade: Liverpool could see bid accepted to sign £80m "superstar"

Liverpool are planning to enter the market for a new left-sided forward.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 27, 2025

The allrounder is now a T20 freelancer and struck a deal with the selectors to miss the West Indies and South Africa series

Matt Roller14-Aug-2025It is mid-afternoon on a hot summer’s day in London, and Marcus Stoinis is sitting on the members’ benches in the lower tier of the Lord’s Pavilion. He has spent the last two hours training on the Nursery Ground and, yet to look at his phone, he is anxious to learn the result of Australia’s T20I against South Africa, more than 8,000 miles away in Darwin.”Has it finished?” Stoinis asks. It has: Australia have lost by 53 runs, their first defeat in 10 matches. “I was watching it on the bus, but we just had training so I missed most of our batting innings,” he explains. It is an unusual scenario for him, albeit one that he is growing used to: a regular in Australia’s T20 team since 2018, he has now missed two series in a row.The curious aspect is that Stoinis has not retired from T20Is, nor has he been dropped. His non-involvement owes to conversations he instigated with Andrew McDonald and George Bailey – Australia’s coach and chief selector – earlier this year, and he still hopes to be selected for upcoming series against New Zealand and India with an eye on the 2026 T20 World Cup.Related

Stoinis and David shine light on future of Australia's contracts system

Starc announces retirement from T20Is to focus on Tests, 2027 ODI World Cup

Australia in unfamiliar territory in T20I series decider against South Africa

'Cose to all guns blazing' – Australia plan to power through

Bailey declares Weatherald 'in the mix' for Ashes

Stoinis has been a freelancer – without a national or state contract – for the past year, and remains in high demand in leagues around the world. It is a lifestyle that suits him, and deals like his £200,000 direct signing with Trent Rockets are hard to turn down. “There’s no better place to play,” he says, ahead of Thursday’s fixture against London Spirit at Lord’s.”The nature of it is that you can’t select yourself in an Australian jersey, but you can sign a contract to come and play in the Hundred,” Stoinis explains. “When this opportunity came up, I spoke to Cricket Australia, I spoke to Ron [McDonald] and we made a plan around that, really… When you’re planning it in advance, that makes it easier.”He has retired from ODIs but remains available for T20 selection, and Bailey confirmed last week that he will be “firmly in the mix” for next year’s World Cup. “We are very lucky,” Stoinis says. “We do it very well in Australia. The relationships that I’ve got with both Ron and Bails means you just have those conversations pretty openly.”His absence has created opportunities for 23-year-old allrounder Mitchell Owen in the middle order, who impressed in the Caribbean last month. “Maybe it’s because I’m older, but I want him to do well,” Stoinis, who turns 36 on Saturday, says. “We were just with each other during the IPL [at Punjab Kings] and it’s been good for him to play different roles.Marcus Stoinis’ most recent appearance for Australia came last November•AFP”I’m also fully aware that myself and Maxi [Glenn Maxwell] – and, more recently, Timmy David – have been holding that spot through the middle of Australian cricket for a long time. It’s very hard for other, young people to come through and have a crack at that… You need to bring through the next generation as well. It’s no-one’s spot.”He has found it “weird” watching his team-mates from afar but seems at peace with the decisions that he has made. “You share a few messages after the games and have a laugh… They say playing for your country should be the best time of your life, and for me it has been. But I don’t feel like it’s done yet.”Life as a freelancer has meant the best part of five months on the road for Stoinis. He spent from mid-March to early June in India for the IPL – contracting Covid-19 during a short trip home when the league was suspended – then flew back to Australia to get his visa sorted for Major League Cricket. He had two weeks off after that, then was back to the UK for the Hundred.He occasionally employs a personal chef in India and, along with Tim David, trains with Jim Allenby – the former Glamorgan allrounder, now a coach – when he is back in Perth. But he generally looks after himself and relies on the staff at his various teams, rather than travelling the world with an entourage in tow as a tennis player or a golfer would.Marcus Stoinis shakes hands with Harry Brook•Andy Kearns/Getty ImagesIt is a happy coincidence, then, that his Melbourne Stars coach Peter Moores is involved in the Rockets’ backroom staff, and he has also worked with Andy Flower before at Lucknow Super Giants. Graeme Swann has been arranging the team’s golf days, and they are a happy bunch after starting the season with wins over Birmingham Phoenix and Northern Superchargers.Stoinis played in the Hundred three years ago with Southern Brave, and says that he has wanted to return ever since. He will have family at Lord’s on Thursday night, and his girlfriend Sarah arrives next week: “Whenever an Aussie plays in England, the family sees it as a good opportunity to make the trip over. It’s somewhere where everyone wants to be.”He has noted the presence of new team owners in the Hundred, and expects Cricket Australia will follow suit with the BBL. Players have an obvious vested interest in private investment and Stoinis is unsurprisingly supportive, arguing that it is the obvious direction of travel – even if he still sees the chance to play in next year’s T20 World Cup as his main personal ambition.”Thinking about the IPL owners and what they’ve done with the IPL, you want people that have got a track record of building something that’s very good. If they do that, it’s great for them, but it’s also great for English cricket or for Australian cricket… It’s a pretty clear path to me, as to where most of cricket’s going.”

It has not been the start to the season that Leeds United might have hoped for. Daniel Farke’s side picked up some points early on, but they have soon been sucked into a relegation battle.

The Whites have won just one of their last five games.

Despite the poor form, the Leeds head coach has seemingly settled on his first-choice midfield. Sean Longstaff has been one of their key creative components and is currently creating an average of 2.3 chances per 90 minutes. Summer signing Anton Stach has featured in all ten Premier League games, too.

However, it is Ethan Ampadu who has arguably been the key man in midfield

What makes Ampadu so important for Leeds

Since moving to Elland Road back in 2023, Wales international Ampadu has become a key player for Leeds. There is certainly a strong argument to suggest that he is Farke’s most trusted player in their squad.

Indeed, the Chelsea academy star has played eight times in the Premier League this season, missing two games at the beginning of the campaign due to injury. Of those eight appearances, he’s played 90 minutes six times.

The 25-year-old has operated at the base of the midfield this season, forming that trio with Stach and Longstaff. However, part of what makes him so crucial for the Whites is his versatility.

Ampadu can also play at centre-back, offering excellent flexibility to Farke should he wish to change shape during a game.

It is not just versatility that makes Ampadu so important to this Leeds side, but also his leadership, which has previously been described as “impressive” by the manager.

As club captain, Ampadu guided Leeds to promotion last season and has skippered them in all eight top-flight games he’s played in 2025/26.

Interestingly, Leeds might have their homegrown version of Ampadu shining in the academy.

Leeds could have a homegrown Ampadu

Not only is Ampadu an exceptional footballer, but the versatility he possesses and the leadership qualities he brings to the squad make him a huge part of the Leeds project under Farke.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Well, it is exciting that the Whites could be replicating that, in the form of Alfie Cresswell. The 18-year-old has shone for the academy side at Elland Road this season and is certainly showing similarities to Ampadu.

One of those is the versatility he offers to the Leeds under-23s. This term, Cresswell has operated as a number six more often than not. He’s impressed in that role, too, scoring four times in nine appearances.

However, like the Leeds first-team skipper, Cresswell can operate in defence, too.

In fact, that is a role he’s played more often than not for Leeds’ academy sides, 26 of his appearances coming from centre-back.

Centre-back

26

3

Defensive midfield

22

7

Right-back

6

1

Central midfield

2

0

Right midfield

1

0

It is already easy to see the comparison between Ampadu and Cresswell. Having that level of versatility certainly increases his chances of a first-team opportunity, because Farke can rely on him in different positions. In fact, the youngster has already trained with the senior side at Leeds.

The similarities between Ampadu and Cresswell, whose brother Charlie and dad Richard have played for the club, do not stop there. The 18-year-old has also captained Leeds’ academy side, doing so six times this term.

His leadership is something that has stood out to arguably the most important person, Farke. The Leeds manager has complimented Cresswell for having “brilliant character,” which is certainly something you need to become a successful skipper, while suggesting he could be an example of saving the club from having to dip into the market.

It really does feel like the Whites are brewing the heir to Amapadu’s thrown in the academy. His profile is identical to Leeds’ number four, being a versatile defender who has played as a number six this term and captained the side.

It will be fascinating to see how Cresswell’s career develops from here, and if there are going to be any first-team opportunities in a matchday squad this season.

Farke can unearth his next Okafor by unleashing "explosive" Leeds star

Leeds United may have their next version of Noah Okafor in this rarely-seen star.

ByDan Emery Nov 7, 2025

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has been warned that he has missed out on a 'chance of a lifetime' by a Premier League legend after his failed Manchester United transfer. Martinez was closely linked with a move to Old Trafford during the summer window but the club eventually signed young Belgian custodian Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp instead, leaving the Argentina international to continue at Villa.

Martinez failed to secure Old Trafford move

After even bidding an emotional goodbye to Villa's fans, Martinez failed to secure an Old Trafford switch as the Red Devils opted to sign Lammens on deadline day instead. Many believed that the World Cup-winning goalkeeper would be a perfect fit at United as the club were desperately looking to replace out-of-form Andre Onana.

During the window, it was even claimed that a loan move for Jadon Sancho, taking him to Villa Park, would clear the way for Martinez to head north from the West Midlands, but Amorim eventually settled for £18 million-rated ($24m) Lammens.

AdvertisementMartinez told he missed out on 'chance of a lifetime'

Former Newcastle United, Manchester City and Aston Villa stopper Shay Given has delivered his verdict on Martinez' failed transfer to United as he told : "It felt very close in the window just gone past, with him not playing. I think Villa played in a live game on deadline day, and he wasn’t in the squad. Everyone thought he was off, maybe to Manchester United, but that didn't happen. Then he came back as number one again to Villa. He’s playing again, he’s their top man. I don’t know if the ship has sailed for a move next summer. Manchester United? Probably, not that Senne Lammens has arrived and done really well. Maybe it was a chance in a lifetime for Emi, and it’s been missed now. 

"Unless Emi Martinez is thinking of heading to another country. But he's had a phenomenal time, hasn't he, for club and country. He won the World Cup, I mean, that's just incredible. That save at the end of the World Cup final and they go up the other end, that's stuff of dreams, isn't it? He's an absolute hero in Argentina, and he's got a real personality. Maybe with his age, teams will be looking at younger options instead from next year, but he's still a brilliant goalkeeper, in my opinion."

Man Utd urged to rekindle transfer interest

Former United chief scout Mick Brown has urged his ex-employers to reignite their interest in the experienced Argentine goalkeeper, as he told . "They wanted him, he wanted the move, but at the end of the day they couldn’t come to an agreement with Villa so the deal collapsed. They’ve gone and got Lammens now, but Amorim has been saying he still wants a goalkeeper, so the recruitment team will be looking at their options. 

"I have no doubt Martinez is still one of those, because he’s a top-class goalkeeper and one who would immediately solve the issues they’ve had recently. He’s strong, imposing, a top shot-stopper and a character in the dressing room which it feels like they’re sorely lacking at Man United at the moment. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see them go back in for him, especially with the manager still demanding a goalkeeper, whether that’s in January or next summer."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportHow is it going for Lammens?

Since his move to England, Lammens has appeared in five Premier League games thus far, during which he has conceded seven times. He played an important role in Amorim's side winning three back-to-back matches in October against Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton and has also been compared to legendary Red Devils goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel.

Lammens, though, has rejected any such comparisons as he told BBC Sport: "I don't listen to it too much during the game but I saw it afterwards. I'm not Schmeichel in disguise. I am just Senne Lammens trying to help the team. It is an amazing compliment to get but you have to be realistic. He is one of the best goalkeepers ever. I have to prove a lot more to be in the same conversation as him."

Australia’s stand-in captain said that a pink-ball Test is ‘just a completely different game’

Matt Roller30-Nov-2025Steven Smith looks set to emulate former West Indies batter Shivnarine Chanderpaul by wearing ‘eye blacks’ on his cheeks during the second Ashes Test at the Gabba. He trialled the anti-glare strips while batting in the nets during Australia’s floodlit training session on Sunday evening ahead of Thursday’s day-night, pink-ball fixture in Brisbane.Smith has played 13 of Australia’s 14 previous pink-ball Tests but has not taken to the format in the same way as red-ball cricket: he has only scored one hundred in 24 innings in day-night Tests, averaging 37.04. His record in daytime Tests is far superior, with 35 centuries in 190 innings and an average of 58.31.”The pink ball in general is just a completely different game,” Smith had said during Australia’s most recent day-night Test match, a 176-run win over West Indies in Jamaica in July. “Personally, I find it quite tricky just picking the ball up at certain times of the day and things like that, and the way it behaves is completely different to a red one.”I think people like the spectacle. But as a player, particularly as a batter, it’s very challenging. The game can so quickly, and things change really quickly, which you probably don’t get so much with a red ball. But yeah, people like watching it, I suppose, so I guess it’s here to stay.”Related

• 'I'll be wearing them' – Smith commits to anti-glare tape in day-night Test

• Ten years since Adelaide, pink-ball Tests remain an Australian speciality

• Bashir, Jacks in frame as England mull taking the pink for a spin

• Root questions need for pink-ball Ashes Test

• Head 'happy' to keep opening amid Khawaja debate

The ‘eye blacks’ – small, black, adhesive strips worn on the cheekbone – that Smith wore in training are commonplace in several American sports, and are designed to reduce the glare from floodlights by absorbing the light that would otherwise reflect off the skin.Chanderpaul is the most prominent cricketer to have used them previously. “I always used it whenever it was very glary,” he told in a 2018 interview. “I stick them on and it does help take 60-70 percent of the glare off my eyes, and that was good for me.”Alastair Cook, who played three day-night Tests for England, has identified focusing on the pink ball’s black seam as the biggest challenge for batters due to glare. “When the floodlights shine off the pink leather, it distracts from focusing on the black seam – and if you can’t see the seam as a batsman, you’re in big trouble,” Cook wrote in his column.”Whatever type of cricket you are playing, the seam is your clue as to how the ball will behave… At least you have a chance with a red ball. If it’s a pink one under lights, it’s nigh-on impossible to pick up the seam and, therefore, decide with confidence which way the ball might move.”Smith’s innovation came on the same day that Joe Root questioned whether the Ashes should feature a pink-ball Test, comments which Travis Head dismissed.Australia lead the five-Test series 1-0 after beating England inside two days in Perth.

Jasprit Bumrah’s brilliance made up for Indian errors, while providing a reminder that he cannot do it all on his own

Sidharth Monga22-Jun-20252:53

Aaron: ‘Jasprit Bumrah as good, if not better than Wasim Akram’

India will hopefully learn lessons of relentlessness in Test cricket from the experience of this match. By the time they have to play without Jasprit Bumrah, likely the third Test at Lord’s, they will hope to put up a much more efficient performance in all three departments of the game. Until then, though, they have Bumrah to keep them alive. Even though they really did test his patience with their catching and the areas that the third and fourth seamers bowled.Without Bumrah, the mistakes made by India on the last two days – with bat, ball and in the field – would have played them out of the match. It will be a rotten feeling in the change room given Bumrah is not going to be available for all the Tests. That shouldn’t keep anyone from relishing another masterclass of seam and swing bowling.Not just in the India side, Bumrah has been streets ahead of everyone on show in this Test. For somebody who must have a bit of self-preservation on his mind, Bumrah was the sharpest in pace: consistently the fastest bowler on display despite having to bowl slower balls on this relatively unyielding pitch and also among the three fastest deliveries in the first two innings of the match.Related

Bumrah: 'I will keep trying to take India forward'

One short but no picnic for India: How Brook's onslaught changed the Test

Brook 99 and Bumrah five-for set up one-innings thrash

Bumrah draws level with Kapil; Brook gets lucky again

At the same time, Bumrah was also the best line-and-length bowler: bowling 53.33% of his deliveries in the 6-8m zone. Nobody else hit the 50% mark. It is as if magically he knows what lengths to bowl. Not that it needs a scientist to tell you that 6-8m is the best length to bowl on most pitches, but more so at Headingley, which is not a hit-the-deck surface.While we can make it sound simple that Test cricket is all about hitting good lengths at good pace, not everyone can do that so effortlessly. Only Mohammed Siraj and Chris Woakes came close to Bumrah’s accuracy in this Test. Neither of them did so immediately. Landing the ball is the basic skill. Moving it is what makes it threatening. The combination produces chances. Bumrah created 44 false shots. Only Siraj did more, but he also bowled more.Then there is the build-up to wickets because you can’t just keep bowling good ball after good ball, especially in what seemed essentially like a 2.5-man attack. More so when you need to watch how much you bowl. The Zak Crawley wicket at the end of the first over of the innings was the most beautiful. That was the widest Bumrah went in that over, about a couple of feet wider than the previous ball, but bowled an outswinger that moved 2.394 degrees. As it is, Bumrah has the widest average release of the bowlers in this match, which makes you play at more deliveries than you should, but this, released wider, was wicked. On top of the swing, it seamed away 1.583 degrees, making Crawley’s closed bat face look silly.

“You understand that you can’t really sit down and cry. You have to move forward with the game. So that’s what I look to do. Not to take it too far in my head and try and quickly forget it, because all of them are also new to the game, first time over here, sometimes the ball is difficult to sight”Jasprit Bumran on the dropped catches

The Ben Duckett played-on was the result of over after over of good bowling. It is what Bumrah calls money in the bank for all the good balls that don’t go to hand. Like the one he bowled to Ollie Pope early: even more wicked than the one that got Crawley, released from wider, swinging and seaming away, but also kicking at him.Just before he faced what turned out to be the last ball of his innings, Joe Root asked Pope if the 46-over-old ball was tailing. A little, he was told. Usually such lateral movement is used to swing the ball in. Bumrah flipped the darker side outside, and Root – possibly conscious of the tail – committed to playing it. This ball didn’t swing at all, Root had it tracked, but it seamed away half-a-degree to take the edge.Mark Wood, whom we would ideally have on the field rather than in the media box, just casually dropped a wonderful line on Sky Sports when Bumrah misfielded on day two. “He’s human,” Wood said. “I knew it.” Further signs of being human were on display when he bowled successive no-balls deep into the second day – one of them a wicket ball – and an indifferent spell with the second new ball.Bumrah admitted to not being used to bowling up or down the hill. He said that when you are tired, it can push you ahead of yourself. On the third morning, he was mindful to not let that happen. He maintained his pace when running downhill, and bowled no no-balls on day three.Jasprit Bumrah celebrates his fifth wicket•Getty ImagesStill, Bumrah couldn’t do anything about the fielding errors. In all, three catches went down off his bowling. All three batters hurt India. Famously, with the 2019 IPL final on a knife’s edge, Bumrah went and consoled Quinton de Kock after he let through four byes off a regulation take. Here, he displayed frustration ever so slightly.”Yeah, just for a second, but you know, you understand that you can’t really sit down and cry,” Bumrah said. “You have to move forward with the game. So that’s what I look to do. Not to take it too far in my head and try and quickly forget it, because all of them are also new to the game, first time over here, sometimes the ball is difficult to sight. And nobody is dropping the catches purposely. Everybody’s trying really hard. It does happen. So I don’t want to create a scene or put more pressure on the fielder that, you know, I’m angry, I’m kicking the box, or I’m doing something.”Scenes can be created with the ball in hand as well. Having bowled just four overs with the second new ball, often slipping down leg, Bumrah came back to end the late charge of Woakes with a full ball. Immediately he dropped back to good length, and bowled Josh Tongue.Just in the nick of time, Bumrah had completed a five-for to give India a slender lead. It is quite something to announce beforehand that you will be playing only a certain number of matches and then go out and inflict maximum damage in those matches.Bumrah was asked if it made these three matches more urgent for him. He replied that adding extra importance to these matches would mean extra baggage. “That’s very difficult to carry,” he said. Given the carry job he has been doing of late, are you sure, Jasprit?

Whether hearing the team news over the tannoy in the stadium or seeing the line-up graphics revealed on their television screens, there are likely to be many England fans who encounter some unfamiliar names when watching the Lionesses play their final two matches of 2025 over the course of this next week – and they can certainly be forgiven.

With household names such as Leah Williamson, Hannah Hampton, Alex Greenwood and Lauren James all missing from Sarina Wiegman's squad for friendlies against China and Ghana, the England boss has been forced to continue what she also had to do for  November games with Brazil and Australia and call upon some fresh and inexperienced faces. It means there are five uncapped players involved in this camp, on top of the five players still in single digits for senior international appearances, all of whom will be hoping to impress as attention begins to turn towards the 2027 Women's World Cup.

Of course, stars like Lucy Bronze, Ella Toone and Alessia Russo remain in the fold, while Lauren Hemp's return from injury is great news as England close out a monumental year that saw them retain their European Championship title. But who are the lesser known members of this Lionesses' squad who could get a chance this week?

Let GOAL introduce you to those hoping to take advantage of this opportunity and force their way into Wiegman's plans before World Cup qualifying starts in the New Year…

Getty ImagesSophie Baggaley

For dedicated followers of the Women's Super League, Sophie Baggaley won't be a new name. The 28-year-old has racked up over 100 appearances in the English top-flight over the course of the last decade, holding starting gigs with Birmingham, Bristol City and Brighton, while also occupying a back-up role at Manchester United when Mary Earps was the Red Devils' No.1.

During that time, Baggaley has earned a few England call-ups, too, with her first coming back in 2016 when she was a 19-year-old impressing in the youth national teams. Still uncapped, Baggaley has dropped down the pecking order in the years since, but is clearly seen by Wiegman as a trusty option to have in the squad when necessary, as evidenced by her role as a standby player for Euro 2025.

When Hampton had to miss last month's clash with Brazil, Wiegman again turned to Baggaley to restock the goalkeeping department, and with the Lionesses' undisputed No.1 absent for this camp, it is the Brighton shot-stopper who again has an opportunity to impress. However, given she is spending this season as the Seagulls' second-choice, following Chiamaka Nnadozie's summer arrival, it's hard to see Baggaley winning that elusive England cap right now, with Khiara Keating and Anna Moorhouse more likely to get an opportunity apiece this week.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTaylor Hinds

Left-back has been a problem position for England for almost all of Wiegman's time in charge but, last month, she turned to an unexpected option to potentially help solve that issue.

After coming up through the Lionesses' youth teams but never earning senior recognition, Taylor Hinds won her first cap for Jamaica last year. Yet, she was still eligible to switch allegiances back, something Wiegman persuaded her to do when she called the Arsenal defender up ahead of the October international break. In the second game of that window, a friendly against Australia, Hinds made her senior England debut.

Though she had not broken into the Lionesses' fold until just recently, Hinds has carved out a very solid club career to date. After coming through the ranks at Arsenal, she joined Everton in search of senior minutes and swapped the blue side of Merseyside for red three years later, signing for Liverpool. It was there that she would really establish herself in the WSL, playing as a wing-back as well as an orthodox full-back while also emerging as a real leader, regularly wearing the armband for the Reds having become their vice-captain.

This summer, Hinds went back to where it all started, joining Arsenal on a free transfer. She struggled for game time at first, battling with Katie McCabe for opportunities on the left, but has began to accrue more minutes as of late. That will be music to the ears of Wiegman and an England side that would be helped massively if Hinds can mark herself out as a strong option for the European champions at left-back. There is a real opportunity for her to become an important player for the Lionesses, if she can take it.

Getty ImagesGrace Fisk

Centre-back is so often England's most well-stocked position, but it is significantly depleted this time around, with Williamson still injured, Millie Bright recently retired, Greenwood missing out with a knock and Jess Carter granted a period of rest following the NWSL play-offs. It leaves Esme Morgan, the 25-year-old with 18 caps, as the most established option, meaning there could be an opportunity for Grace Fisk to finally earn that elusive first England cap.

The Liverpool defender earned her first Lionesses call-up way back in February 2020, when Phil Neville included her in the squad for the SheBelieves Cup in the United States. However, it wasn't until last month that she returned to the fold – for the first time under Wiegman – amid the absences of Williamson, Bright and Lotte Wubben-Moy.

After making her senior breakthrough in England's second-tier, Fisk has been a regular in the WSL since returning home following her time in the U.S. college system. That was first with West Ham, whom she represented when she won that maiden Lionesses call-up, and is now with Liverpool. The Reds aren't having a great season, with two points from eight games putting them bottom of the table, but Fisk has been one of their better players and will hope to prove her quality in England colours this week.

Wiegman is expected to rotate, and given she only has four centre-backs to pick from, that could be good news for 27-year-old Fisk. Taking advantage of any chance she receives will be vital if she wants to remain in the mix ahead of the next World Cup, too, as she plays in a position that, when injuries are alleviated, is perhaps the most competitive in the whole squad.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesAnouk Denton

After winning her first senior England call-up last month, Anouk Denton has retained her place in the squad. The 22-year-old moved from the Under-23s squad to the senior one midway through the last international break, amid some niggles and the rebuilding of fitness Bronze and Niamh Charles were undergoing. She didn't play in the Lionesses' game with Australia that followed, but Denton clearly did enough to impress Wiegman, having kept her spot this time around.

Denton has been a consistently impressive, though under-the-radar, performer for West Ham ever since she joined them on a permanent deal back in 2022, having spent time on loan from Arsenal before going to the United States for university. Able to play as a right-back or a left-back, Denton's effectiveness on both sides of the ball has caught the eye, as has her athleticism, which has also allowed her to be utilised as a wing-back.

Bronze has the right-back spot nailed down in this England XI, but there is a lack of natural options to back her up. If she can continue to impress, Denton can help to address that, while also offering a solution in that problematic left-back position. Her first chance to do that in match action could well come this week.

Batter’s maiden professional hundred caps England’s 415-run total, as he reaffirms his huge potential

Matt Roller07-Sep-2025Jacob Bethell declared himself ready to take a potential Ashes opportunity after experiencing the "addictive feeling” of scoring his first professional hundred in England’s record 342-run thrashing of South Africa.Bethell, who turns 22 next month, became England’s second-youngest centurion in men’s ODIs in Southampton on Sunday and has already played four Tests, scoring three half-centuries. Barring injury or a late change of heart, Bethell will head to Australia in November as England’s spare batter but hopes he can push his case for selection through his white-ball performances.His performances at No. 3 in his maiden Test series in New Zealand put serious pressure on Ollie Pope’s position ahead of the English summer, but he was unavailable to play Zimbabwe while at the IPL and Pope secured his spot with 171. However, Pope faded badly to finish with 304 runs at 34 against India, and could yet find his position under major pressure.”It’s obviously nearing,” Bethell said. “I’m hoping to be in the squad and if I’m in the squad, it’s only one thing that has to happen – in terms of an injury or something like that – and I’m in, and I’ve got to be ready to perform. I don’t know if these runs mean anything [towards selection] but I don’t think they can hurt. If the opportunity arises, I’ll hopefully be there to take it."Bethell was promoted from No. 6 to No. 4 at Lord’s on Thursday to take down South Africa’s spinners, scoring 58 off 40 balls, and was retained in the same role in Southampton. He made 110 off 82, dominating the scoring in a 182-run third-wicket partnership with Joe Root, and roared in celebration when reaching three figures with a cover drive off Nandre Burger.Bethell drives through the covers en route to his century•PA Photos/Getty Images”It was pretty special,” Bethell said. “Just goosebumps, to be honest. As soon as I laced it in the gap – it couldn’t have hit more the middle of my bat – and it just raced to the boundary. I didn’t really know what I did. It was a bit of a blur to be honest, but it was a great feeling… It was unbelievable. It feels like an addictive feeling, so hopefully there’s a few more of them to come."He does not anticipate a permanent move to No. 4, the position normally filled by captain Harry Brook. “I like coming in and facing spin to start. I feel like if I can get going, especially with the one [extra] fielder up, there’s always a gap to hit… I don’t think Brooky will be stepping down from No. 4 anytime soon, so I’ll just be looking to do that whenever the opportunity arises.”Bethell’s father Graham used to play club cricket at Sheffield Collegiate with Root’s dad Matt, and the pair have twice celebrated hundreds with one another this summer. “I was batting with him when he got his hundred at The Oval in the Thorpey Test match, and it was pretty special to be batting with him again when I got my first one,” Bethell said.Root, who went onto score 100 himself in England’s total of 414 for 5, described Bethell as "wise beyond his years”. He said: “He’s very clear on how he wants to play his cricket… I’ve known him for a long time – since he was eight years old – so for him to play an innings like that and get us in that position at the halfway stage was fantastic.”Related

'Unbelievable' Archer primed for Ashes impact, says McCullum

Bethell admits he 'probably should have played more' this summer

ECB chair says crammed Hundred schedule is 'short-term issue'

Bethell, Root tons, Archer four-for see England hand out record thrashing

Stats – England record the biggest win in men's ODIs

Bethell admitted before the start of play on Sunday morning that he “probably should have played more" domestic cricket around England’s Test series against India, but said that he had rediscovered his rhythm when he felt something "click" during an innings for Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred last month.”I didn’t feel like I was hitting the ball badly at all, just the performances didn’t show, which sometimes happens in white-ball cricket,” he explained. “It is pretty tough to be consistent and score fast at the same time. It is nice that I managed to put performances together – and also a match-winning performance in this situation.”It’s just rhythm, I guess. You can watch as much cricket as you want and do stuff like that, but it is different when you’re out in the middle and I think it just took me a couple of games to get that back… I felt something click and from that point, I felt like I’d been playing nicely, but hadn’t quite got the results. Today and the other day, it was definitely nice to be back in the runs.”Bethell will deputise for Brook during England’s T20I series in Ireland later this month, and said he feels ready to become their youngest-ever captain. “A lot of players in that team captain themselves, almost,” he said. “It’s just about a bit of man management and marshalling the troops for a couple of days up in Ireland, which should be great fun.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras venceu o Botafogo-SP por 1 a 0 neste sábado (9), na Arena Barueri, pela última rodada da primeira fase do Paulistão. O gol da partida foi marcado pelo atacante Rony.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras

O Verdão teve um jogador a mais em todo o segundo tempo, pois o zagueiro Matheus Costa foi expulso na reta final na primeira etapa. Com o resultado, o time treinado por Abel Ferreira garantiu a melhor campanha do Campeonato Paulista, ficando na primeira posição da classificação geral.

⚽ COMO FOI A PARTIDA?

O Botafogo-SP ameaçou o Palmeiras na primeira etapa, em contra-ataques rápidos, e obrigou Weverton a trabalhar. O Verdão demorou a se encontrar e, na reta final, Rony arrancava sozinho rumo à grande área e foi puxado pela camisa. O zagueiro Matheus Costa foi expulso e, com um a mais no segundo tempo, os comandados de Abel Ferreira tomaram conta do jogo e abriram o placar justamente com o camisa 10. Pintou notificação no seu telefone? É gol do Rony!

continua após a publicidade

➡️ O QUE VEM POR AÍ?

Após vencer o Botafogo, o Palmeiras volta a jogar no domingo (17), e o adversário será a Ponte Preta ou o Água Santa.

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
Palmeiras 1 x 0 Botafogo-SP – Paulistão
12ª rodada – Primeira fase

🗓️ Data e horário: sábado, 9 de março de 2024, às 18h (de Brasília)
📍 Local: Arena Barueri, em Barueri (SP)
🟨 Arbitragem: João Vitor Gobi (árbitro); Leandro Matos Feitosa e Raphael de Albuquerque Lima (assistentes); Vinícius Furlan (VAR).
🟨 Cartões amarelos: Aníbal Moreno e Lázaro (Palmeiras); Jean e Felippe Soutto (Botafogo-SP)
🟥 Cartões vermelhos: Matheus Costa (Botafogo-SP)

⚽ Gols: Rony (Palmeiras)

⚽ ESCALAÇÕES

PALMEIRAS
Weverton, Mayke (Marcos Rocha), Murilo, Luan e Piquerez (Vanderlan); Aníbal Moreno, Richard Ríos e Raphael Veiga (Breno Lopes); Rony, Flaco López e Lázaro (Caio Paulista). Técnico: Abel Ferreira.

continua após a publicidade

BOTAFOGO-SP
Michael; Matheus Costa, Lucas Dias e Bernardo Schappo; Wallison, Matheus Barbosa (João Maranini), Fillipe Soutto (Carlos Manuel), Patrick Brey (Pedro Rodrigues) e Jean Victor; Alex Sandro (Leandro Pereira) e Emerson Negueba (Thássio). Técnico: Paulo Gomes.

Tudo sobre

Botafogo-SPPalmeirasPaulistão

Saturday afternoon saw Leeds United suffer yet another defeat in the Premier League, condemning them to a spot in the relegation zone this week.

The Whites lost 3-2 away to Manchester City, after a late Phil Foden goal managed to secure the three points for Pep Guardiola’s side late on.

Despite the result, there were some positives to take from the game. Daniel Farke’s side defended with plenty of heart, with two of City’s goals coming inside the first minute and stoppage time. It was also good to see both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha on the scoresheet.

Yet, not all of their attackers shone. Daniel James did not put in his best performance, continuing his tough start to the season.

Dan James' season in numbers at Leeds

It was certainly a disappointing showing from James against Guardiola’s men. Normally such a direct presence in attack with his electric pace, the Welshman perhaps did not have the impact he or Farke may have hoped.

The former Manchester United star really struggled to get into the game, having just 12 touches of the ball, failing to create a chance and not having a shot. Journalist Graham Smyth of the Yorkshire Evening Post gave him a 5/10 for his performance and said he did not “get to do too much” going forward.

Indeed, that has been the theme of this season for the former Manchester United winger who has not really managed to get a good run of games together. He’s featured ten times in the Premier League, but has only played 352 minutes, the equivalent of 3.9 full 90-minute games.

He is off the back of good form for Wales, too. In the November international break, he helped his country reach the World Cup playoffs, assisting against Liechtenstein and scoring against North Macedonia.

James’ future at Leeds is arguably up in the air, given his lack of game time this season and poor performance against City. Leeds have an attacker out on loan who could leapfrog him, too.

Leeds are brewing a Dan James replacement

This summer, the West Yorkshire side loaned out some good players, perhaps coinciding with their attacking additions of Nmecha, Calvert-Lewin and Noah Okafor. Largie Ramazani is one example of an attacker out on loan.

Another is currently plying his trade for Yorkshire rivals Hull City. It has been a superb season for a certain Joe Gelhardt, who has shone for the Tigers in the Championship. The versatile forward has played as a number 10 and on the right so far this term.

He’s done that to great success in the 2025/26 campaign. The Liverpool-born attacker has nine goals and two assists to his name in 18 second-tier appearances this term. The most recent one of those strikes was a winner away to Stoke City in the 90th minute this weekend.

Indeed, Gelhardt’s attacking numbers this season are impressive. He’s averaging 0.72 goals and assists and 0.53 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, which rank him in the top 6% and 19% of Championship forwards, respectively. He is extremely efficient in the final third.

Goals and assists

0.72

94th

Shots on target

1.58

99th

Goal-creating actions

0.53

81st

Take-ons completed

1.9

81st

Ball recoveries

4.99

82nd

This sort of form is surely pleasing to see for Farke and Leeds. A player like James has struggled to have an impact in the first team this term, and with Gelhardt’s form and output, it is easy to see how he could leapfrog the Welshman.

The former Wigan Athletic star has played senior football at Elland Road. Whilst he only has 10 goals and assists in 57 games, the signs of his talent are there. Jamie Carragher has even described the 23-year-old as a “special” player in the past while long-time Merseyside Boys’ manager Tim Wyatt even said that Gelhardt caught the eye just as much as Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney did when they were all 14 years of age.

Looking ahead to the future, it is easy to think that the forward could break into Leeds’ squad and have a real impact. James has underwhelmed this term, and it is quite conceivable that he could be overtaken by Gelhardt.

He’s not played a first-team game for the Whites since last October when he appeared as an eight minute substitute against Norwich in the Championship. It would be some turnaround if he could work his way back into Leeds’ plans.

Leeds eyeing move for 4-3-3 Farke successor who has admirers at Elland Road

The Whites are struggling for form in the Premier League and could now change tact in the dugout.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 28, 2025