Devine first top-scored with 40 and then picked up 4 for 25 to down Renegades

AAP02-Dec-2025A devastating all-round performance from captain Sophie Devine powered Perth Scorchers to a crucial 30-run win against Melbourne Renegades at the WACA in Perth.After top-scoring with a breezy 40 off 28 in Scorchers’ 184 for 5, Devine backed it up with the ball by snaring 4 for 25 as Renegades limped to 9-154. The Renegades’ chase started on the wrong foot at 2 for 2, then 34 for 4, ensuring they were already out of contention and Scorchers would celebrate in front of their home crowd.To win, the reigning champions would have needed to pull off the joint third-highest run chase in the history of the tournament.After the early carnage, wicketkeeper Nicole Faltum (28) and Georgia Wareham (43) attempted to steady the Renegades. But their 55-run stand ended as Faltum and Wareham both fell to star Scorchers spinner Alana King. Devine, who recently ended her glorious ODI career for New Zealand, showed she is still a major weapon in T20s, 19 years after making her international debut.It was the 36-year-old’s second fourth-wicket haul in the WBBL, falling short of her best figures (5 for 41).Sophie Devine top-scored for Perth Scorchers with 40 off 28 balls•Getty ImagesEarlier, Devine combined for a 69-run stand with Maddy Darke (36) to put the pressure on the Renegades’ stacked bowling attack. King made an important cameo at the end, whacking 22 from eight balls to take Scorchers into territory Renegades would struggle to chase down.The result led to the Scorchers jumping from sixth into third on the points table, with just one match remaining. Renegades, meanwhile, slumped to sixth position.If they are to be any chance of backing up last year’s title triumph, Renegades will need to defeat the in-form Sydney Sixers in their final match of the tournament on Friday. Scorchers should be able to book a finals spot, with their last match against the struggling Brisbane Heat back in Perth on Saturday night.

Mohamed Salah’s name has dominated the headlines at Liverpool for so many years, but never as intensely, and as negatively, as in recent days.

The Egypt international’s incendiary interview after Arne Slot’s side blew their advantage and drew at Leeds United has torn at fraying fabric and left Liverpool in dangerous and unknown territory.

The iconic forward, an all-time great on Merseyside and in the Premier League, is facing the very real possibility of leaving Liverpool in January. There is a good chance he has played his last game for the club.

This is a painful situation, to be sure, but Salah is ageing and ostensibly past his prime.

Slot does, however, need to get a tune out of the club’s expensive summer signings, with Florian Wirtz’s struggles a stark representation of the dysfunctional tactical set-up.

Why Wirtz has struggled under Slot

It’s fair to say Wirtz has not been good enough this season, far below the standard expected when Liverpool signed the German midfielder for a £116m fee. It’s also fair to say he’s walked into a burning building, making it difficult to shine against the backdrop of the flames.

It is clear that when Liverpool signed Wirtz this summer, they had landed one of the most talented playmakers in the world. It was also clear that Slot planned to reorient Liverpool’s creative supply line after Trent Alexander-Arnold left for Real Madrid.

So many variables have been at play this season, but there is no excuse for the toothless, spineless performances that Liverpool have laboured through this season. Slot has to take responsibility, and he has to get more out of Wirtz, who won the Bundesliga Player of the Year in 2023/24 after steering Bayer Leverkusen to an invincible title.

Wirtz has what it takes to succeed. Claims that he lacks physicality are simply untrue. Moreover, he ranks among the top 6% of positional peers in the Premier League for progressive passes and shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, so he needs just a little nudge in the right direction, with an uptick from Liverpool’s wider system too.

Liverpool need results, and they need them quickly.

Liverpool lining up Slot replacement

According to Anfield Index, FSG chiefs Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes have held talks with Como manager Cesc Fabregas as they continue to weigh up Slot’s future.

Fabregas, 38, is one of the brightest young coaches in the world, and he’s enjoyed a stunning start to life in Serie A, his Como side sixth in the standings.

The Spaniard’s expansive, free-flowing brand of football is not too dissimilar from Slot’s own vision, and this suggests he could dovetail into Liverpool’s first team, taking the reins at the season’s midpoint and restoring balance and confidence.

He may also be the perfect coach to give rise to Wirtz’s latent quality.

Why Liverpool should appoint Fabregas

Fabregas is a young and talented coach, but some would understandably have reservations over his youth and inexperience. However, were FSG to make the appointment, they would no doubt reference Arsenal’s meteoric rise under Mikel Arteta’s wing as a yardstick which they could follow.

Fabregas knows the Premier League, having featured 350 times in the division as a player, having scored 50 goals and supplied 117 assists across stints with Arsenal and Chelsea.

Moreover, Fabregas knows a thing or two about playmaking in the Premier League, lauded as a world-class “maestro” by former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho during his trophy-laden spell at Stamford Bridge.

Truly, he was a “genius” of a footballer, as claimed by former boss Antonio Conte, and he has translated that wealth of footballing knowledge to the coaching scene, with Como playing some slick attacking football this season while maintaining a steely defensive line, for the most part. In the words of one notable analyst on X, he’s “football’s next elite manager.”

This foundation could be perfect for Wirtz, who shares certain tactical tendencies with the rising managerial star. Look at Nico Paz, for example, who has been immense this season ahead of his much-anticipated return to Real Madrid.

Paz, 21, is one of the hottest creative talents in the business, and he has been in fine fettle for Como this season, posting five goals and five assists apiece across 15 matches in all competitions this term.

Like Wirtz, he’s as naturally gifted as they come, but he has also been tasked with defensive responsibilities that have given him a coating of completeness that Fabregas’ tactics would play into Wirtz’s own game.

One thing’s for certain, Liverpool have crumbled under Slot’s wing. After that blistering start at the beginning of last season, the Reds have slowly tapered off, shipping so many goals and losing so many games.

27

Games

52

23

Wins

26

3

Draws

10

1

Losses

16

2.66

PPG

1.69

73

Goals scored

91

27

Goals conceded

69

Liverpool have a whole host of problems that have shown little sign of abating this season, but among the most egregious issues are the woes of Wirtz and Alexander Isak, who look shells of their former selves.

This cannot continue. Changes are needed. While FSG will continue to persist with Slot for the time being, given that Hughes has held preliminary talks with Fabregas (and who knows who else?), we can be sure that the plug will be pulled if improvements are not seen quickly.

Fabregas, with fresh and innovative ideas, could be the shrewd solution.

Sell him before Salah & Konate: FSG must bin Liverpool's "major issue"

Liverpool have collapsed this season, and some tough decisions need to be made.

1 ByAngus Sinclair 3 days ago

MCC’s incoming president on the challenge of engaging with Tech Titans, and opening Lord’s up to state schools

Andrew Miller11-Nov-2025″For a lot of my life, I’ve been a little bit unsure about spending so much time thinking about sport,” says Ed Smith, the newly installed president of a 238-year-old sporting institution. “Is it disproportionate, should I do something else? Actually, the way things have gone in the last 15 years, I feel that sport really has never been more important, more useful, if that doesn’t sound too utilitarian.”There’s plenty to unpick in that soundbite from Smith, the former national selector whose latest role in cricket would appear to be rather more ceremonial in nature. After all, the list of his predecessors as MCC president reads like a print-out of Burke’s Peerage – among them, the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who served two terms in 1949 and 1974. With the greatest respect to the status of Smith’s new office, utilitarian principles haven’t traditionally seemed like a key criterion at Lord’s.And yet, it’s hard to imagine many more fascinating years to be at the helm of Marylebone Cricket Club, the modernisation of which has been one of English cricket’s subplots for decades. The club’s reputation may have been built on exclusivity, but the current remit is to broaden its appeal – and 2026 promises progress on two distinct, but complementary, fronts.First, there are the implications of the Hundred equity sale. In commanding an astronomical valuation of £295 million, MCC’s co-owned franchise, London Spirit, has demonstrated – in stark, financial terms – the central importance of Lord’s to the whole edifice of English cricket. Without the history and prestige of its grandest ground, the sport in this country would be significantly diminished.At the opposite end of the pyramid, meanwhile, there is next year’s maiden staging of the Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup, a newly conceived state-schools competition that will culminate in a Finals Day for boy’s and girl’s teams at Lord’s in September, and has already attracted entries from 1,084 teams across 750 schools, or one in five in the country.Smith served as England’s national selector from 2018 to 2021•Getty ImagesBetween these two apparent extremes sits Smith, with his remit to be a forward-facing, welcoming ambassador for the club – very much a non-executive, but a potentially crucial executor of MCC’s soft power, as it were.”I don’t like the word brand, but there is a brand power to Lord’s, and I would love that to be used for good and to widen access to cricket,” Smith tells ESPNcricinfo. “I’m very excited to do what I can do, and hopefully we can do a little bit of good in a year.”He pushes back at the suggestion that his role will mainly entail “pressing flesh” with the rich and famous who cross his path in the pavilion and president’s box. However, he doesn’t entirely dismiss the importance of his hosting role, particularly when it comes to engaging with the tech entrepreneurs who coughed up £145 million for their 49% share in London Spirit, and who are likely to pop along at some stage next summer to savour the spoils of their investment. To give him the credit that his intellectual reputation has earned, he potentially offers a higher-brow level of small talk than some of his forebears.”Yes, watching cricket at Lord’s with very interesting people is one of the things that happens in a president’s year,” he says. “People love coming to Lord’s – its draw has been clear in the partnership with the Tech Titans – so that’s not to be underestimated, even though there’s more to it than that.”Having spent a bit of time with some of them over the summer, I think they’re keen on winning and growing the franchise, and having some fun too. And there’s a fast-tracking potential here for some really exciting innovations, just because of the people involved and their opportunity to have a canvas.Related

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“It’s a really exciting partnership, but I’m just keen to get stuck in and do some hard graft behind the scenes, and not just on the major match days.”It’s clear, however, that Smith’s main passion for the coming year lies at the grassroots end of the club – in particular, making sure that the inaugural Knight-Stokes Cup is as much of a success as it needs to be.”I come from a family of teachers,” he says. “Both my grandfathers were state-school head teachers, and my mum’s dad founded a secondary modern school in 1953 outside Bristol. He’d lock his office door and go and roll the cricket square, because he believed you build a school’s community and identity through doing things together. Sport is one of, if not the pre-eminent, way of coming together as a community.”He accepts, however, that the world has moved on since the 1950s, and that harking back to times long gone is clearly not the way to resolve the disconnect that has opened up between the nation’s summer sport and its largest pools of future fans and players.”There are all sorts of ways in which teachers’ time has become precious,” Smith says. “Their roles have become much more regulated, what they do is much more scrutinised by the state. However, the need for them to do lots of different things hasn’t gone away, and amid the rise of smartphone addiction and social media, I think this is the moment for us to restate the case for sport in education.London Spirit was the most sought-after franchise in the Hundred equity sale•ECB/Getty Images”People being distracted is a commercial driver of a lot of modern life. Sport is a way that we can lose ourselves in play, while also pursuing mastery. Whether you end up being very good or no good at all doesn’t really matter. If you’re lost in doing something, and the concentration and the absorption that comes with that, then you’re probably going to get an awful lot out of it.”Smith has a vested interest in the debate, seeing as his own son and daughter, aged 12 and 9, are budding cricketers whose school was one of the first to sign up for the regional qualifiers.”It was great to see the excitement that comes from a good idea that’s been well launched,” he says. “To see that interest and excitement in young peoples’ faces at home on that first day was great, and shows what can be done.”Let’s be realistic. No one believes it’s the total solution to nurturing, reigniting and elevating cricket in state schools. There need to be other contributions from other perspectives, whether that’s the state, whether that’s the schools themselves, whether that’s counties running their pathways.”There’s lots of different pieces that have to come together if there’s going to be a real transformation. But this is a very good contribution, it’s a start that everyone at the MCC is really determined to build on, and I’ll be doing everything I can to support it this year.”It should be said, there has been a certain degree of revisionism regarding the origins of the Knight-Stokes Cup. From the outset last summer, and in subsequent communications from the club, the project has been framed as an MCC-led initiative when, in fact, the creation of a “national Under-15 state school finals’ day for boys and girls” was one of the specific recommendations of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC), whose damning report in 2023 castigated English cricket in general, and MCC in particular, for institutional “sexism, classism and elitism”.Smith doesn’t dispute that the club is still playing catch-up in terms of its public image (he unapologetically ducks the thorny issue of Eton-Harrow, stating that it falls outside the remit of his one-year term). He does, however, point out that MCC has long had genuine advocates for state-school cricket among its leadership: most notably, Mark Nicholas, the club chair, and Lord King of Lothbury, his own predecessor as president.In 2005, those two (along with the former Worcestershire chair Duncan Fearnley) were co-founders of the charity Chance to Shine, which has taken cricket back into hundreds of primary schools in the intervening 20 years, and given a first taste of the sport to literally millions of pupils.

“Amid the rise of smartphone addiction and social media, I think this is the moment for us to restate the case for sport in education”Smith is an enthusiastic advocate of MCC’s new state-schools competition, the Knight-Stokes Cup

“There’s obviously a huge amount more for the game to do, I don’t think anyone doubts that,” Smith says, “but they’ve done so much to get cricket bats into the hands of boys and girls at a really young age, and help them fall in love with the game.”We often talk about sport at the sharp end – what it looks like by the time it’s very visible to us, and when it’s manifested as elite teams and national teams. But of course, all that relies on what happens beneath the waterline of the iceberg, and the health of the game more generally.”Some of that, Smith adds, was on display at the MCC Foundation’s national hubs final in September. It was the fifth such staging of a competition that attracted teams from 164 regional sites across the country, and for whom the prospect of competing at such a prestigious venue was a significant drawcard.”I attended the finals day at Lord’s with my family, and I was partly watching the cricket and partly watching the crowd,” he says. “Whether it was a player or a parent, or a sibling, or a supporter, I watched them file out of the ground, and I saw a lot of smiles on a lot of faces. Your expectation is that their love of cricket would be deeper and stronger after that day. That’s one of the things that Lord’s can do.”Plenty other issues will fall across Smith’s desk in the course of his presidency. In particular, there’s the juicy prospect of the maiden Hundred auction in March – an event that surely cannot help but whet the appetite of a former England selector? On the contrary, he’s keen to be respectful of his designated place within the club structure.”I’m very interested in recruitment and selection, but the people who are living it every day are the best in the business,” he says, deferring to London Spirit’s management duo of Mo Bobat and Andy Flower, who will take charge of all such matters. “I’ve got a lot going on, and hopefully I can add value as president, but in a good organisation, you want people to be given clear authority and role clarity about what they’re up to.”

Cole Palmer is set to miss Chelsea’s Champions League trip to Atalanta despite only just returning from injury, with the Blues opting for a carefully controlled recovery plan after his long spell on the sidelines. The midfielder was absent from training at Cobham ahead of the flight to Italy, but his omission is precautionary rather than due to any new physical setback.

• Palmer misses Chelsea training ahead of Atalanta

  Chelsea finalised their preparations for Tuesday night’s Champions League meeting with Atalanta during an open training session, but Palmer was notably absent. His exclusion from the squad travelling to Bergamo is not related to a fresh issue, but instead part of a pre-planned recovery schedule after weeks out with a recurring groin problem and a fractured toe, as per various reports. Having only just made his first start since September in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Bournemouth, the medical staff opted to ease his workload to prevent aggravation.

  The England attacker's recent return has been closely monitored, beginning with a 30-minute cameo in last week’s defeat to Leeds before starting against Bournemouth at the weekend. Chelsea want to avoid overloading him, especially given the two-month gap between competitive starts, and viewed the Atalanta fixture as one that could be safely skipped. Palmer is expected to resume full involvement ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Everton at Stamford Bridge.

  With Palmer not featuring in training, the door opens for alternative No.10 options, including Facundo Buonanotte, who did take part in the session. The Brighton loanee has played only sporadically under Enzo Maresca but represents the most natural fit to replace Palmer behind the striker. Other creative attackers, such as Joao Pedro or Estevao Willian, may also be considered as Maresca reshuffles his forward structure.

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• AFP
  

  Chelsea already contending with numerous injuries

  Chelsea enter the Atalanta clash on 10 points, level with the Italian side, and know victory would go some way to helping them secure automatic qualification from the Champions League league phase. The Blues have shown signs of improvement in Europe, particularly during their convincing 3-0 win over Barcelona, but they remain inconsistent domestically as injuries continue to disrupt momentum.

  The list of absentees is already significant, with Liam Delap out after sustaining a shoulder injury against Bournemouth and long-term casualties including Romeo Lavia, Levi Colwill, and Dario Essugo. Reece James may also be rested given Moises Caicedo’s return from suspension increases tactical flexibility.

  Maresca has emphasised that building physical rhythm is essential for Palmer after missing more than two months of action. The Chelsea boss recently explained that the midfielder’s gradual increase in minutes is intended to stabilise his condition before restoring him as a permanent starter. With the Premier League schedule intensifying, the club’s sports science department is adamant that short-term caution will lead to long-term gain.

• Palmer's disrupted season post Club World Cup

  Palmer’s stop-start season has been defined by two separate injuries: the groin issue that first sidelined him in September and the fractured toe sustained in a freak accident at home. The latter setback delayed his planned comeback, leaving Chelsea without their chief creative outlet during a congested part of the calendar. His absence was felt sharply as the Blues struggled for goals and consistency, making his eventual return even more significant.

  Despite missing 19 matches across competitions, Palmer remains central to Maresca’s tactical vision as the side’s primary playmaker. His performance in the No.10 role offers a unique blend of threat and creativity that few in the squad can replicate. That is precisely why the Blues are determined not to jeopardise his recovery by rushing him into high-intensity European matches too quickly.

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• Getty
  

  Palmer to be ready for the Everton game

  Palmer is expected to resume training in the coming days and is being prepared to start against Everton on Saturday. The Premier League fixture is viewed internally as the more important game for maintaining Chelsea’s domestic trajectory.

  Looking further ahead, Palmer’s reintegration will be pivotal to Chelsea’s hopes in both Europe and the Premier League. If the club’s phased recovery plan succeeds, he should be able to return to the consistent match rhythm that makes him one of the most dangerous players on the planet on his day. A fully fit Palmer remains essential to Chelsea’s ambitions, and that is why missing Atalanta is seen as a necessary sacrifice rather than a setback.

Liverpool have now joined the race to sign a defensive reinforcement alongside interest from rivals Chelsea and Manchester United.

Slot shaping Liverpool future without Salah?

Arne Slot simply had to make a big call last weekend. PSV Eindhoven’s 4-1 thrashing took Liverpool’s form from a blip into a full-blown crisis and something had to give. Unfortunately, that something against West Ham United was Mohamed Salah.

Liverpool’s Egyptian King was forced to watch on from the bench as the Reds finally put in a more controlled performance and Alexander Isak netted his first Premier League goal for the club. But as much as that victory came as a relief, it also raised a serious question about Salah’s place in Slot’s best side.

Ahead of Liverpool’s crucial clash against Sunderland on Wednesday evening, Slot revealed Salah’s reaction to being dropped – telling reporters: “It’s a normal reaction from a player that is good enough to play for us.

“He wasn’t the only who wasn’t happy he wasn’t starting. The way he behaved is the way you would expect of a professional. He handled himself really well. A top professional.”

Whether we’ll see Liverpool’s star make a return to action in midweek remains to be seen. After returning to winning ways, Slot may be asking himself whether he can afford to change things up.

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2

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 2, 2025

Of course, it’s worth noting that a large part of the Dutchman’s backline simply can’t be changed. Whilst Conor Bradley is back in training, he won’t be ready to face Sunderland, which leaves Joe Gomez as the only other more recognisable right-back unless Dominik Szoboszlai drops in again.

Meanwhile, Slot still has just two centre-backs available in Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, which is a problem that the Reds could solve by signing Castello Lukeba in January.

Liverpool join January race to sign Lukeba

As reported by Caught Offside, Liverpool have now joined the race to sign Lukaba alongside Man United, Chelsea and Newcastle United in the January transfer window.

The RB Leipzig defender no longer has a release clause worth €90m (£79m) and will be available for just €60m (£52m) in the winter window. As concerns continue to grow that Liverpool could still miss out on Marc Guehi, Lukeba has suddenly emerged as an ideal option.

Compared to Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol by the Bundesliga’s official website, the Frenchman could yet make a similar impact on England’s top flight next year, ranking in the 99th percentile against other centre-backs in the top five leagues for successful take-ons.

It’s easy to see where the comparisons with Gvardiol have come from. Lukeba is an excellent central defender who’s great on the ball, capable of carrying or passing it forward and destined for a big move.

Dubbed “unique” by Como scout Ben Mattinson last year, the Leipzig star is also still just 22 years old and yet to reach the peak of his powers. Even if Konate does sign a new contract at Anfield, Lukeba could arrive and take his place in Liverpool’s strongest side in 2026.

Better move than Semenyo: Liverpool set to table bid to sign £53m "machine"

The two bowlers picked up four wickets apiece and Taijul also completed 250 Test wickets

Mohammad Isam23-Nov-2025

Hasan Murad broke through Ireland’s resistance on the fifth day in an improbable chase of 509 to complete Bangladesh’s 217-run win in the second Test in Dhaka. Curtis Campher remained unbeaten on 71 from 259 balls for an effort that lasted more than six hours. Gavin Hoey and Campher survived for more than 31 overs, before Murad removed both Hoey and No. 11 Matthew Humphreys in consecutive balls to complete Bangladesh’s 2-0 win.Murad and Taijul Islam finished with four wickets each, but Mushfiqur Rahim’s century in his 100th Test was the highlight of the match. Taijul also completed 250 Test wickets, becoming the sixth left-arm spinner to reach the mark. He had earlier gone past Shakib Al Hasan’s 246 wickets to become Bangladesh’s highest wicket-taker.Campher and Hoey batted with remarkable composure on the fifth morning, as Bangladesh’s frustration grew after lunch with only two wickets left for victory. The pair ensured that Ireland batted 59.3 overs on the last day, despite there being a few close calls.Ireland started the day on 176 for 6 and Campher offered the full face of the bat while his overnight batting partner Andy McBrine survived for almost an hour before he was trapped lbw by Taijul for 21 to become his 250th Test wicket. Jordan Neill started off with a string of boundaries off Taijul, using the square cut and cover drives, before launching him down the ground. Neill’s only six came off Murad, though he also survived a dropped chance by Litton, on 23. It was Mehidy Hasan Miraz who got one to spin past Neill’s forward prod, which snuck through to hit the stumps soon after the second new ball was taken. Campher got to his fifty with a straight six that sailed over the long-on boundary.Campher and Hoey then took Ireland to lunch on 263 for 8 with a stand that crossed 50 in the second session, barely scoring at two runs an over. Even as Campher continued to resist, it took Murad just two balls in the end to seal the game.

Tottenham Hotspur improved their chances of securing automatic qualification from the Champions League table after a 3-0 win over Slavia Prague.

Thomas Frank’s men produced a dominant display in North London last night, as seen by the incredible stats behind the three-goal triumph over their Czech opponents.

The Lilywhites registered a total of 10 shots on target during the victory, subsequently achieving an xG of 2.56 and having five big chances fall their way in front of goal.

Frank’s side also registered over 50 passes than the visitors, whilst notching nearly double the amount of touches in the opposition box – reaffirming the dominance during the win.

The result was an excellent team performance, one that was certainly needed after the last European outing against PSG, with two players massively shining in the win.

How Simons & Kudus downed Slavia Prague

After scoring against Brentford in the Premier League at the weekend, Xavi Simons was rewarded with another start for Spurs – something which he took full advantage of.

The Dutchman featured for 90 minutes in the triumph, impressing throughout and managing to get on the scoresheet for the second successive match.

His underlying stats further highlighted his superb showing, with the 22-year-old completing six passes into the final third, whilst being fouled three times – the most of any player on the pitch.

He wasn’t alone in starring in North London against Jindrich Trpisovsky’s men, with Mohammed Kudus having yet another night to remember for the Lilywhites.

The Ghanaian international started for the fourth successive match and managed to net his second goal for the club, after tucking home a penalty in the 50th minute.

Like Simons, he also produced some magnificent figures, subsequently completing two successful dribbles, whilst registering six touches in the opposition box – offering a constant threat to the visitors.

Spurs star is becoming a future £100m talent

Spurs have a plethora of young talents on their hands who can certainly make a huge impact on their chances of success between now and the near future.

Simons is no doubt a player who can thrive for many years to come in North London, especially if he can adapt to the demands of the Premier League after his big-money transfer.

Kudus is another player who has the quality to be a leading talent for the Lilywhites, with his tally of eight combined goals and assists in 21 matches evidence of the levels he’s capable of producing.

Frank has already assembled a young and promising squad, especially after forking out a reported £100m for the aforementioned duo during his first window.

However, numerous other youngsters were already on the books before the Dane’s arrival, with Archie Gray one player who has had to patiently wait for his chance to shine for the Lilywhites.

The 19-year-old joined in a £40m deal back in the summer of 2024, but has often had to bide his time under Frank, with the Englishman finally getting the run he deserves in the first-team.

He’s now started the last two games in a row, just like Simons, with the teenager now deserving of an extended run as a regular starter to help aid his development.

Gray’s showing against Slavia Prague was yet another example of the talent he possesses, but it’s safe to say he’s only going to get better as he progresses in his career.

He featured for 59 minutes against the Czech opposition, but managed to produce numerous incredible figures which should keep him in the side at the weekend.

Minutes played

59

Touches

34

Passes completed

92%

Tackles won

2

Long ball accuracy

100%

Recoveries made

2

Duels won

75%

Interceptions made

1

The youngster completed 92% of the passes he attempted, whilst posting a 100% long ball accuracy rate – showcasing his incredible ability with the ball at his feet.

He also won two tackles, made two recoveries and came out on top in 75% of the duels he entered, even managing to dominate without the ball despite his tender age.

Gray’s 34 touch display wasn’t one that will set the world alight, but it’s one that should certainly keep his starting position at the base of Frank’s side in the months ahead.

He’s previously been labelled a “future £100m” star by Ben Mattinson, which is certainly a bold statement, but one that can come true if he continues on his current trajectory.

Simons and Kudus will no doubt get the majority of their credit after their respective goals, but Gray is also deserving of massive credit for his recent form – especially after barely featuring in the early months of the season.

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