Weatherald thinks he is ready for a Test call-up if it comes after posting 183 for Australia A while Peake, 18, impressed with his maturity making 92 against Sri Lanka A

Alex Malcolm24-Jul-2025Veteran Tasmania opener Jake Weatherald thinks he’s ready to go if a Test call-up comes his way for the Ashes later this year while excitement is building around eighteen-year-old Victoria batter Oliver Peake after another impressive showing in his maiden red-ball appearance for Australia A.The pair starred for Australia A alongside skipper Jason Sangha as the home side racked up 558 for 4 declared in a batting dominated draw in the second four-day match against Sri Lanka A in Darwin.Their performances will come with the obvious caveat that runs were very easy to make at Marrara Cricket Ground with Sangha posting a career-best unbeaten 202 while Weatherald also made 183 and Peake posted 92 in just his second first-class game as only ten wickets fell across four full days of cricket. Sri Lanka A batters Nuwanidu Fernando and Pavan Rathnayake also scored centuries while four other half-centuries were scored in the game.Related

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Weatherald pushes Ashes case with 183 for Australia A

Jason Sangha pushes Test credentials with unbeaten double

Weatherald believes he is ready to play Test cricket if called upon by the selectors for the Ashes series later this year after continuing his outstanding form across the last 12 months. Having been the leading runscorer in the Shield last year with 905 runs at an average of 50.33 with three massive centuries, he added 54 and 183 in his two innings for Australia A in this series.”If you keep making runs, of course you’re going to get noticed more – and I’ve done that,” Weatherald said on Tuesday in Darwin after his innings of 183. “Obviously there’s some great candidates there as well, and they’ve earned their right to be there.”So to be amongst them is a pretty proud moment.”But I’m batting well, and I think I’m ready to go if it comes to that moment.”Weatherald, 30, has long been one of the most talented ball-strikers in Australian domestic cricket but this is the first time he has averaged more than 41 over a 12-month stretch in his decade-long career. He said his cumulative experience is the reason for his consistent run.”Just age, getting used to what I’m doing, understanding my game, understanding what I need to do to make runs and bat [for] long periods of time,” Weatherald said.”And just being confident I can do it in any conditions, just believing that I’ve got the right method and sticking to it throughout my innings and not being taken away by the wicket or the situation.”Just being able to lock in and do my thing.”Sangha, 25, was impressed by Weatherald’s preparation and mindset after playing with him for the first time in this series.”He just looks so clear when he’s batting,” Sangha said after the match on Wednesday. “He’s obviously been a strong player and a very talented player for a long time.”He’s well renowned as a guy who really pounces on width and picks up length quite early, and it just looks like he’s made his strengths even stronger, and he’s able to rectify maybe some areas in his game that maybe would have cost him a few more dismissals.”He’s been great to share the change room with and talk about what he’s been doing the last 12 months, and how he’s been going about it. And I think for young guys like an Ollie Peake and even myself, who are always striving for that consistency, to see how diligent he is with his routines, how diligent he is with his preparation.”He just seems like he’s in a really clear space and knows his game so well, and it’s been a pleasure to watch him go about his business this week.”Oliver Peake made his mark in the 50-over and four-day games for Australia A•Getty ImagesMeanwhile, there is some excitement building around Peake given he was playing just his second first-class match after making 52 on debut for Victoria in March. He also made 55 not out off 38 balls on List A debut for Australia A in the first 50-over match of Sri Lanka A’s tour in Darwin.Sangha, who himself has experienced the challenge of transitioning from being an Under-19 prodigy to becoming a consistent first-class player, marveled at how well Peake handled himself.”He played really well,” Sangha said after the match. “He’s got so much maturity for a young player, and even just talking to him out in the middle about his plans and how he was approaching his innings, he’s such an exciting talent, and he’s got a really good head on his shoulders.”I think even just off the field, just the way he sort of carries himself, credit to him.”I look back when I was 18, and I was probably nowhere near as emotionally intelligent or mature as he is.”It’s a really, really cool thing to see, and he’s obviously got some really good support around him, and such a down to earth, humble kid.”Peake’s selection for Australia A alongside a group of batters who had earned their call-up through outstanding Shield performances last summer is proof of how highly he is rated by Australia’s selectors. Peake was also taken on the recent Test tour of Sri Lanka as a development player to train with the Test squad.He looms as a likely tourist on Australia A’s tour of India later this year as Australia looks to give some younger players experience in spinning conditions with an eye towards the 2027 Test tour.

Real Madrid’s preparations for their Champions League showdown with Liverpool have been dealt a blow after teenage sensation Franco Mastantuono has been ruled out indefinitely with pubalgia. The 18-year-old Argentine has been a key rotational player under Xabi Alonso, but his absence comes at a crucial point in Madrid’s campaign, forcing tactical adjustments ahead of their high-stakes European clash this Tuesday.

• Real Madrid confirm Mastantuono’s injury

  Madrid have officially confirmed that Mastantuono has been diagnosed with pubalgia, commonly known as a sports hernia. In a brief statement, the club said: “Following tests carried out today on our player Franco Mastantuono by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with pubalgia. His recovery will be monitored.”

  No recovery timeline was provided, meaning the 18-year-old is sidelined indefinitely. Mastantuono did not train with the squad ahead of the trip to Anfield, working instead inside Valdebebas Sports City under the supervision of the medical team.

  The injury is untimely for both the player and Madrid manager Alonso, who has relied on the Argentine teenager as part of his attacking rotations this season. Mastantuono has featured in 12 matches across all competitions, scoring once and assisting once, but has recently found himself in and out of the lineup due to the return of key players like Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga.

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  Atheltic Bilbao, Barcelona and now Real Madrid – all hit with pubalgia scare

  Pubalgia, also known as sports hernia, is a complex and often stubborn injury affecting the groin and lower abdominal area. It typically develops in athletes involved in high-intensity sports that demand rapid changes in direction, explosive sprints, and repetitive twisting.

  Unlike a standard muscle strain, pubalgia involves inflammation and imbalance where the abdominal and adductor muscles meet near the pelvis, making recovery unpredictable. It can take weeks or even months for players to regain full fitness, and recurrence is common if rehabilitation isn’t handled carefully.

  Across Europe, several young stars are battling the same issue. Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams, and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer are all facing similar injuries this season. In Williams’ case, the condition limited him to just 530 minutes of football this season and has also ruled him out of Bilbao's upcoming Champions League clash against Newcastle United. Each player’s treatment involves rest, physiotherapy, and strength conditioning, while surgery remains a last resort.

  For Mastantuono, Madrid’s medical staff are taking a cautious approach, prioritising long-term fitness over short-term availability.

• What adjustments will Alonso make in Mastantuono's absence?

  With Mastantuono ruled out, head coach Alonso must reconfigure his options ahead of the Champions League clash against Liverpool. The teenager’s ability to drift between midfield and the right flank provided tactical flexibility that will now need to be compensated for.

  Rodrygo is the most natural replacement on the right, offering experience, pace, and a proven record in Europe’s biggest games. Alternatively, Alonso could deploy Arda Guler, another young attacker capable of cutting inside to create central overloads.

  Eduardo Camavinga’s versatility also provides tactical depth; the Frenchman could operate in an advanced midfield role if Alonso seeks to maintain pressing intensity and defensive stability. Meanwhile, the absence of defenders Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rudiger, and David Alaba who are all recovering from injuries means Los Blancos' overall shape may have to adapt to ensure balance between defense and attack.

  Madrid trained at Valdebebas before flying to England, with Alonso opting against a session at Anfield. The manager will address the media upon arrival in Liverpool.

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  Madrid face setback in defining season

  For Mastantuono, this injury halts what was shaping into a breakthrough campaign. Since joining from River Plate this summer, he has impressed with his technical skill, vision, and maturity beyond his years as he quickly earned the trust of both fans and coaching staff.

  However, pubalgia is notoriously difficult to manage for developing players, especially those adjusting to the physical demands of elite European football. His long-term recovery will depend on how well his body responds to conservative treatment and strengthening programs. Teams have tried to numb down it's effect with players opting for a few games out and then joining full-session, but the issue tends to be chronic in nature and thus limited time off isn't the best solution as have been in the case of Yamal, who faced constant issue yet kept playing and is still managing it, Palmer was given six-weeks off after not able to overcome it in a short-period.

  For Los Blancos, the focus now turns to depth and adaptability. Alonso’s squad still boasts elite talent in midfield and attack, but the Argentine’s absence adds another layer of complexity to an already injury-hit roster.

In the wake of two lower-order collapses in the first Test against England in Leeds, India’s captain Shubman Gill has put the onus on the batters, starting with himself, to not give away starts on these flat pitches in England. India were 430 for 3 and 340 for 4 before losing 7 for 41 and 6 for 31, failing on both occasions to bat England out of the game. Eventually they lost by five wickets on the final evening despite getting into positions from where a draw should have been the worst result for them.”When we were batting, I felt I could have, now looking back at it… the kind of shot I played, I felt I could have batted a little bit more, added another 50 runs with Rishabh [Pant],” Gill said when asked what lessons he learnt from his captaincy debut. “That was my learning from when I was batting.”Gill was on 147 when he tried to hit Shoaib Bashir in the air, and ended up dragging it to the deep fielder on the leg side. What followed was some extravagant shots from the lower order, which didn’t come off. Gill was asked if the lower order was spoken to regarding batting responsibly. He again shifted the spotlight more on himself and the batters. “Definitely [chats have been had],” Gill said. “It’s been one of the things that we always talk about, especially with our batting depth… the lower order sometimes isn’t able to contribute as much as the other teams.Related

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“Having said that, you can also look at the other side as well. I was batting on 147 and the way I got out, maybe I could have scored 50 more in partnership with Rishabh. If you get a good ball and you get out, that’s fine, but once you are set and you know that you don’t really have that much depth in your batting order, maybe the top order could take a little bit more responsibility and bat the opposition completely out of the game. So I think these are different perspectives to look at the game, but definitely your lower order when your last five or six don’t contribute as much, then it becomes easier for the opposition to come back in the game.”The batting depth is what India seem to be grappling with Jasprit Bumrah available for Edgbaston but likely to be rested to manage his workload, which demands he play only three of these five Tests. The surface is dry underneath and Birmingham has been dry and warm in the lead-up to the match, which gives India an option to go with a second spinner. Indications are that the said spinner could be Washington Sundar to retain batting depth.”When we were bowling, there were learnings like once the ball is getting old and it’s getting soft, there isn’t much happening,” Gill said. “So how do you contain? How do you control the run flow, especially with the way they bat? Maybe having an extra spinner might help contain that run flow, especially in the third or in the fourth innings.”Gill was asked if Bumrah’s absence might encourage them to play a wicket-taking spinner in Kuldeep Yadav. “We will take that [final] call this evening, and I don’t think it will change the combination as such,” Gill said, suggesting a direct swap between Bumrah and a fast bowler, and a spinner for Shardul Thakur, whom India played as a “bowling allrounder”.”We did play an extra bowler, I would say a proper bowling allrounder in the last match,” Gill said. “And now having to look back at it, I think nobody really expects that your last six is going to get out in under 40 runs. Even if they play bad, you expect them to maybe score 100 runs or 80 runs. And these are things that you can’t really plan or you can’t really expect, but you can reflect on those things. And we have some things in mind if we are in this kind of situation again, how we can get better at it.”

Essex remain winless after 13-run loss in seesawing contest at Chelmsford

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay04-Jul-2025

Jack Taylor’s second fifty in three matches made it three wins in a row for Gloucestershire to spark hopes of retaining the Men’s Vitality Blast.Gloucestershire had begun their defence with five straight defeats but victories over Kent Spitfires, Hampshire Hawks and now Essex have given hope they can sneak back to finals day via the back door.Captain Taylor had dragged his side to a par score of 184 with 50, to go with Ben Charlesworth’s 47 not out, before Josh Shaw’s three for 29 made sure the Eagles fell 13 runs short.The 2019 champions Essex remain winless, with their only points coming from a wash-out. They can now only get a maximum of 22 points with fourth placed Glamorgan already on 20 points.For the third home match in a row, Simon Harmer chose to bowl first but it was Gloucestershire who edged the powerplay.They managed 58 runs, par for the first six overs at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, but lost Miles Hammond just about caught at slip by a juggling Paul Walter and Cam Bancroft attempting back-to-back sixes.But Essex demonstrably won the middle overs by holding the visitors to just four boundaries from the end of the seventh over to the start of the 16th.Darcy Short failing to kick on from reaching 33 and Ollie Price barbequing himself didn’t help their cause, but tight bowling closed off their scoring options.Taylor’s hard running dragged Gloucestershire back into the innings before his hard-hitting got them closer to a defendable score.Firstly, he took Matt Critchley for three fours in an over and then he carted Luc Benkenstein for two huge sixes – one of which smashed a press box window.It helped the Gloucestershire skipper reach his seventh T20 fifty in 34 balls.A wicket in each of the last three overs kept the away side to 184, with Mohammad Amir taking two of them to return three for 33, while Charlesworth’s useful 31-ball cameo left him unbeaten on 47.In the two previous games at Chelmsford, Essex had been set targets of 221 and 220 and it had quickly been apparent the chase would be above them.On this occasion, they stayed in the fight despite losing regular wickets. Michael Pepper and Jordan Cox each went big then got out in the powerplay, while Dean Elgar suffered a tortured nine balls in a half-hour spell in the middle.Paul Walter threatened to be the man to put Essex in complete control with a spritely 39 but he and Benkenstein fell in the same Charlesworth over leaving the hosts needing 82 in eight overs.Critchley and Charlie Allison clubbed 21 and 17 off the 14th and 15th overs, but then Critchley was bowled by Shaw as the momentum swung like a Newton’s cradle.But Harmer clothed to point, Allison holed out, Noah Thain picked on long on, and Amir was run out as the game fell out of Essex’s grasp as Gloucestershire squeezed at the death.

New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz served a 10-game suspension earlier this season after he was ejected for "sticky stuff," a rule prohibiting players from using any foreign substance to "discolor or damage the ball," according to rule 3.01 of the official MLB rules and regulations.

Tuesday night, the same umpire, Vic Carapazza, who ejected Diaz addressed Chicago Cubs pitcher Justin Steele for a sticky stuff concern, but instead of ejecting him, asked him to go and wash his hands. He stayed in the game.

The rule is excruciatingly arbitrary and has been critiqued for that reason, but it gives umpires a great deal of latitude and discretion to judge the situation how they see fit because of how open-ended it is.

And that's exactly why one umpire can treat two similar situations very differently.

There could be a number of good-enough explanations for why the situations were treated differently. Maybe it was an obviously less egregious substance. Perhaps the umpire was directed to escalate such situations slower after the Diaz incident was criticized en masse. Maybe Steele's hand was sticky, but not sticky. Hate that explanation all you want, but that's a problem with the rule, not with the umpire.

For what it's worth, hand washing is not explicitly referenced in the rulebook.

Don't hate the player, hate the game. Don't hate the umpire, hate the rulebook.

Playoff baseball has already delivered some big thrills! The Detroit Tigers, New York Mets and Kansas City Royals all pulled off upsets and will be looking to finish their respective series off early today. 

Tuesday’s losers must win today to force a Game 3 and keep their postseason hopes alive. 

Let’s get in on the action. All odds according to DraftKings. 

MLB Best Bets Today for Wednesday, Oct. 2Astros -1.5 (+120)Astros Team Total over 2.5 First 5 innings (+120)Mets/Brewers over 7.5 (-115)Astros -1.5 (+120) and Astros Team Total over 2.5 First 5 innings (+120)

I’m going to back Houston to come out swinging and cover the run line today vs. the Tigers.  This is a must-win game for Houston, and there’s no value in a -170 ML pick,

Yesterday the Tigers got a strong start from the likely AL Cy Young winner, Tarik Skubal,  but they will  be running out a bullpen day today behind lefty Tyler Holton. Tigers relievers have an ERA of 7.35 vs. the Astros this season. 

The Astros just missed a comeback win vs. the Tigers bullpen in the bottom of the ninth by a matter of inches on Monday. 

Hunter Brown gets the ball at home for Houston. Brown has been one of the best pitchers in MLB since the All-Star Break with just a 2.26 ERA while striking out more than nine batters per nine innings.  

This Astros team has a combined player postseason experience of 581 games. Tigers players have 12.

Let’s root for a Game 3. 

Mets/Brewers over 7.5 runs (-115)

I won’t be fading the Mets anymore. Instead, I’ll just root for them to keep on hitting. 

The Brewers will start Frankie Montas today for the second game of the series, Montas has an ERA of 5.43 since the All-Star Break and an ERA of 4.50 vs. the Mets this year. 

The Mets just put up eight runs on the Brewers on Tuesday afternoon, exceeding this total all on their own. 

The Mets will start Sean Manaea. Manaea has a 3.47 ERA this season, but he has a 12.27 ERA vs. the Brewers in 2024.  In his single game vs. New York — which was just last week on September 27 — he allowed opposing hitters a .368 batting average with seven hits and five earned runs across just 4 ⅔ innings pitched. 

 Mets relievers have an ERA of 4.99 across the past two weeks of play.

All of this is enough to have me rooting for the over on Wednesday. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series last week, dispatching the New York Yankees in five games to capture the franchise's eighth championship. In an on-field interview following the title-clinching victory, Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly reveled in the Yankees' defensive miscues and suggested Fat Joe being shown on the scoreboard during Game 5 was the turning point.

Nearly a week later Kelly is still talking trash about the Yankees. Calling into his podcast, Kelly continued to rip the Yankees calling them one of the worst teams in the entire MLB postseason despite the fact that they were in the World Series.

"We were saying it every single game," Kelly said. "Just let them throw the ball to the infield, they can't make a play. I mean, you saw. Shohei got an extra base going to third on a sloppy Gleyber play. It's well known. We all knew. I mean, we're the Dodgers. We know every little detail."

"But I mean past that it was a fun series" Kelly continued. " I mean, they almost snagged a couple of wins you know what I mean? But I mean if it was like the NCAA, like basketball, baseball, hockey, or football I mean. Like it was just a mismatch from the get go. Like, we had a playoff re-ranking they might be ranked eighth or ninth best playoff team, you know what I mean? You're putting the Padres ahead of them. You're putting the Phillies ahead of 'em. You're putting the Mets ahead of 'em. You're putting the Braves ahead of 'em and the Braves just got unlucky 'cause they had to play that doubleheader. You're putting… I mean the Guardians played like crap, but the Guardians played better D, better baseball all-around."

This is where you might start to pick up some bias in Kelly's rankings as the Yankees, who had a slightly better regular season record than Cleveland, beat the Guardians in five games in the American League Championship Series.

Kelly then compared the 2024 World Series to the Boston Red Sox win over the Dodgers in 2018 when Boston won in five games.

"It was just a complete mismatch and it was kinda the same feeling from 2018 when we had to go play the Dodgers," Kelly explained. "Like the Red Sox were just the way better team. So all we knew is that we just had to play regular Dodger baseball. We didn't have to play out of our butts. We didn't have to do anything crazy and we're going to win the World Series. It's facts. Like just look at the team, look at the talent. Re-rank the teams and they're ranked eighth and they played against the number one seed."

Kelly pitched in all five games in the 2018 World Series, striking out 10 batters while scattering four hits over six innings while giving up zero runs for Boston. However, it should probably be noted that the Dodgers used 13 pitchers in the '24 World Series and Joe Kelly was not one of them.

Argentina defender Nicolas Tagliafico has admitted “nobody will be ready” for Lionel Messi’s retirement as speculation grows around a romantic Barcelona return. The Lyon full-back, currently on international duty, reflected on Messi’s emotional Camp Nou visit and spoke about Argentina’s World Cup ambitions while hinting at uncertainty over whether the Inter Miami star could play again for the Blaugrana.

• Tagliafico reflects on Messi’s legacy and Camp Nou surprise

  Few players have been closer to witnessing Messi’s enduring greatness than Tagliafico. As La Albiceleste prepare for their friendly against Angola, the Lyon defender spoke candidly about what Messi’s eventual farewell could mean for world football and why nobody, not even his teammates, can imagine the day he finally walks away.

  The 38-year-old's recent midnight visit to Barcelona’s newly renovated Camp Nou reignited talk of a short-term return to his boyhood club. The Inter Miami star, currently in the MLS off-season, shared an emotional post about “missing the place with his soul,” leading fans to dream of one last dance in Catalonia.

  Tagliafico, though, admitted even Argentina’s dressing room remains uncertain about Messi’s next move or when the inevitable end will come.

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  ‘Nobody will be prepared for when Leo is gone’ – Tagliafico

  In an interview with , the former Ajax star spoke with both admiration and melancholy when asked about Messi’s possible retirement: “He’s been playing in Argentina for 20 years. It’s completely unusual. Nobody will be prepared for when Leo is gone. He’ll decide when he’s no longer there. Maybe once he stops playing, he’ll stay on the coaching staff or have some role with the national team,”

  Turning to Messi’s surprise Camp Nou appearance, Tagliafico confessed that the squad were caught off guard by the images shared online — and admitted even he doesn’t know what the future holds for the World Cup-winning captain.

  “There was a huge fuss about the photo he took at Camp Nou because it was a surprise. I don't know what the situation is, because of the Beckham Law. He could go during the MLS break, but I honestly don't know what he'll do . It's not easy either, especially with the World Cup so close. I don't think it will be simple.”

• ‘We have to prove it again’ – Tagliafico on Argentina’s World Cup mindset

  The veteran full-back also discussed Argentina’s preparation for the 2026 World Cup, urging calm despite their success under Lionel Scaloni and downplaying their tag as favourites.

  “On a scale of 1 to 10, I think we're about a five," he said. "Not too little, not too much. We're taking it one step at a time, like in the last World Cup.”

  He also reflected on the self-confidence and occasional arrogance that defines Argentina’s footballing culture: “We also seek it out, Argentinians, with that arrogance we have. Obviously, being world champions, we have to prove it, but that spice, that mischievousness, is also good, because in the end, they end up respecting us. They have to respect us. People know the calibre Argentina has today. We earned it with our effort. Sometimes there's a bit too much talk, but we’re fine, happy. If things are said, I don't know if it's anger or envy… Things are going well. We have to keep working.”

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  Finalissima plans still uncertain ahead of 2026 World Cup

  Tagliafico also addressed reports of a Finalissima match between Argentina and Spain, which could take place at Lusail Stadium in Doha – the same venue where Messi lifted the World Cup in 2022.

  “There’s talk and rumors, but nothing is confirmed yet. If it happens, it’ll be a great match. Spain is one of the best teams around right now. In the end, those kinds of competitive matches will show you how the team is doing, but it’s also just one game; it might not reflect what could happen at the World Cup. I’m lucky enough to have played in World Cups, and that changes everything. The first match is a different stimulus, different motivations. You might think, ‘If we beat Spain, we’ll be in a much better position.’

  He cautioned that early results shouldn’t be overinterpreted: "On the contrary. We beat Italy in the preparation for Qatar and lost the first match. It makes a big difference. They’re a great opponent, that’s for sure. You can get a sense of their level, but it won’t change much for the World Cup.”

  While Spain’s participation depends on their qualification route, Argentina are already looking to maintain momentum heading into 2026 with Tagliafico’s words serving as a reminder that even amid speculation about Messi’s future, the Albiceleste’s focus remains firmly on defending their crown.

Any doubts about Newcastle United’s quality have been extinguished by a run of October form that has led to six wins from seven matches in all competitions.

Newcastle are making headway in the Champions League and have set themselves back on track in the Premier League with a last-minute winner against Fulham at the weekend. St. James’ Park roared, and then cheers in concert once again when Tottenham Hotspur were dumped from the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening.

Still, Eddie Howe’s side are hardly firing on all cylinders, and that especially applies to the final third. However, Nick Woltemade has been nothing but brilliant since completing his club-record £69m transfer over from Stuttgart in August, and the German striker is spearheading the fight for silverware and retention of this seat at the top European table.

Woltemade's prolific start at Newcastle

Woltemade’s crisp header to seal the victory over Tottenham marked his sixth of the campaign, just 11 matches into his Newcastle career.

Alexander Isak’s record-breaking transfer to Liverpool felt like it could have a detrimental effect on the Toon project, but Newcastle have kept on moving forward, with the rangy centre-forward dovetailing into the system.

He loves a header, the German does, but that’s hardly the full scope of his game. Lanky at 6 foot 6, Woltemade has no right to be as technically graceful and intuitive in the tight spaces as he is, ranking among the top 9% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons and the top 5% for shot-creating actions per 90.

And yet he is mesmerising when on the ball. BBC Sport analyst Raj Chohan has even said that “there’s no striker on the planet who moves the ball like Woltemade.”

With this in mind, the Tyneside frontline should be firing on all cylinders, but this isn’t the case. Anthony Gordon is seemingly saving his best displays for the continental front at the moment, while Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy make up solid, if unspectacular, parts of the unit.

But there’s another man who has left much to be desired, and must be frustrated with his tough start to life in black and white as Woltemade thrives beside him.

The Newcastle star being saved by Woltemade

How often have we seen a player struggle to impress after switching clubs in the Premier League? It’s not an uncommon experience, to be sure.

And for Anthony Elanga, this is the reality as he still searches for his first direct goal involvement as a Magpie, having joined Newcastle from Nottingham Forest for £55m in August, one year after Howe’s first bid to snatch him from Evangelos Marinakis.

It’s been an inauspicious start to life in Howe’s squad, it must be said. Elanga has played 14 times in all competitions and has yet to register a goal or an assist.

Still, the Sweden international is one of the fastest players in the Premier League, and while his playmaking success has dried up of late, he ranks among the top 8% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists per 90.

And there’s a good reason that the big bucks were spent on his signature. For Nottingham Forest, the 23-year-old was a menace, with his fleet-footedness and tendency to directly take on his man playing to the strengths of Howe’s counter-attacking system.

However, deeper statistical analysis would suggest that even across his two terms with the Tricky Trees, Elanga left something to be desired. He is not the most active in taking on his opponent, despite his pace, and does not dribble with the intensity of frequency that perhaps his physique suggests is within his capacity.

Matches (starts)

36 (25)

38 (31)

Goals

5

6

Assists

9

11

Shots (on target)*

1.5 (0.6)

1.1 (0.6)

Pass completion

75%

78%

Key passes*

0.9

1.3

Big chances created

14

9

Dribbles*

0.8

0.7

Tackles + interceptions*

1.1

0.7

Duels (won)*

2.9 (44%)

3.0 (45%)

With just four Premier League starts in a Newcastle shirt this season, it’s perhaps premature to analyse the data on a wider scale, but we can observe that Elanga is currently averaging only 1.8 successful duels per game, completing just 18% of his dribbles besides.

With a nominal amount of shots unleashed each game and not a big chance yet created, it’s not difficult to see why he’s struggling.

But Elanga needs only take a leaf from Anthony Gordon’s book. After all, the Three Lions star flattered to deceive after completing a £45m transfer from Everton in January 2023, then clicking into gear in 2023/24, winning the Newcastle Player of the Year award after posting 11 goals and ten assists in the top flight.

Gordon has yet to fully spread his wings this season, but he’s tenacious and talented and undoubtedly the focal point out wide for Newcastle. Elanga will use him as inspiration.

Now, Gordon is one of the most prominent wingers in the Premier League, seemingly Thomas Tuchel’s preferred pick on the Three Lions’ left flank as the 2026 World Cup looms ever closer.

While Elanga’s sticky form continued with a 6/10 display against Tottenham, as noted by the Shields Gazette, there is a wide recognition of the winger’s talent, and he will improve as he continues to develop under Howe’s wing.

This is all to say that fans would be silly to give up on Elanga after only a few months at St. James’ Park. There’s a real player in there, a star who the club scouted extensively.

Perhaps he’s mimicking a former version of Gordon, but if that is the case, then the best is yet to come.

New Tonali: Newcastle's 8/10 ace has been an "incredible piece of business"

Newcastle have proved their skill in the transfer market once again this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 30, 2025

Rangers need to replace sporting director Kevin Thelwell, and a highly qualified candidate who also happens to be a boyhood Gers fan is currently out of work.

McCoist fumes at Rangers after defeat to Brann

Danny Rohl’s first game in charge of the Gers was not a game he will want to remember in a hurry, with his side losing 3-0 away to Brann in the Europa League on Thursday evening.

One person who appears to have reached breaking point is Rangers legend Ally McCoist, who slammed the team the morning after the game, describing it as his lowest ebb with them yet.

“Last night is probably as depressed as I have been during this whole debacle, because I actually feel for the manager. I don’t know what he is going to do.

“He might improve them in terms of a little bit of organisation – set plays, you can do all that, bits and pieces, but I do not think there is anywhere near the level of improvement in that team that will even be required to get them up the league domestically, to tell you the gospel truth. There are just absolutely miles off it. They are getting outfought, outrun, outmuscled – I mean, it’s actually very sad to watch.”

There is so much unrest at Rangers right now, both on the pitch and behind the scenes, with potential big changes happening now that Rohl is in charge.

Rangers backed to make key backroom change

Writing on X, Hearts & Hand’s David Edgar urged Rangers to replace Thelwell with David Weir, who was most recently technical director at Premier League side Brighton, a club famed for their top level recruitment.

Weir, a boyhood Gers fan and former player, started at Brighton as the pathway development manager, and his brilliance in player development saw him progress to assistant and later chief techincal director, a role he left in September of this year.

It’s fair to say that Thelwell and CEO Patrick Stewart are unpopular figures at Rangers right now, and for Rohl’s sake, a fresh start makes sense in those backroom roles. In Weir, the Gers would be bringing in a man who has been hailed as a “recruitment mastermind” who also knows the club extremely well, and who was a popular figure during his playing days.

Worse than Antman: Rohl must drop Rangers flop who's "nowhere near ready"

Glasgow Rangers manager Danny Rohl should drop this flop who was even worse than Oliver Antman.

ByDan Emery Oct 24, 2025

It remains to be seen if a decision will be made with the likes of Thelwell and Stewart, but it does feel as though they have reached the point of no return at the club now.