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It’s not good for the health of the game that India, England and Australia have comprehensively pulled away from the rest

Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Jan-2024Is men’s Test cricket finally on its deathbed? Has England’s pounding away at its chest with Bazball defibrillators not been enough to rouse it? Is Gen Z too obsessed with Instagram reels and Tiktok to understand the beauty of a Test match session in which runs are scored at 1.34 per over, one wicket has fallen, and even the old guys in the stands have slumped into beer comas?We do not have the answers to much of this. But we do have statistics.Test cricket’s demise has long been expected, but to many, Cricket South Africa’s naming of a squad mostly comprising newbies for a Test series in New Zealand seemed like a line in the sand, given one of South Africa’s great Test achievements was their incredible away record between 2007 and 2014.Is serious Test cricket doomed to be played between only India, England, and Australia ten years from now, as many claim?Let’s look at the numbers.The most obvious sign of ill health is probably a drop in the number of Tests played. The ICC has helped create context and a structure for Test cricket in the last five years with the World Test Championship (WTC). But even before the WTC, the “Big Three” teams – India, Australia and England – were playing more Tests than everyone else. And the “Next Six” teams – South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, West Indies – were roughly as active as they are now. (Zimbabwe have not been included in this analysis as they have only haphazardly been active in Tests over the last 15 years. Afghanistan and Ireland have not been included because they are not established Test nations yet.)While England, Australia and India have over the last 15 years played roughly 12 Tests a year, which is about 50% higher than the number the Next Six play, there hasn’t been a massive drop-off in the numbers for the Next Six. In the 2018-23 period, they each played a little over eight Tests a year on average. Compared to the previous five-year periods, teams such as South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka might have seen a very modest decline in the number of Tests they played in the 2018-23 period, but this has been offset by the increasing number of Test matches Bangladesh have begun to play in the same period.So for starters while it’s clear that there is more appetite for Test cricket among the Big Three sides, it is difficult to argue that there is declining appetite among the Next Six teams, as far as scheduling goes at least.This is not the case with results, however, as the next graphs will show.When it comes to away Test matches where Big Three sides play Next Six sides, the Big Three have always won considerably more often. That gap has only grown over the past ten years. South Africa’s immense away record against Australia and England propped up the Next Six’s away stats in the 2008-12 period. But their falling away since has been reflected in the collective numbers of the Next Six.The most recent great Next Six team – New Zealand – have only won one series away against the Big Three this century, when they beat England 1-0 in 2021.(Since these stats are based on win-loss ratios, Tests in January 2024 until the 18th have been included in the figures for the 2018-23 period.)At home, though, is where the differences between the two levels are really stark. Since the start of 2013, which is to say the last ten years roughly, Australia have lost just two Tests out of 29 at home to a Next Six side. India have zero losses out of 24. England are not quite as formidable at home, but have improved substantially away, thanks partly to their better handling of spin, which is reflected in the previous graph. (Bazball might have played a role too.)So essentially we have arrived in a Test cricket world in which some Next Six sides are capable of winning matches away from home against other Next Six opponents, but appear unlikely to ever challenge the Big Three sides at the Big Three’s home venues. This is also a world in which Big Three teams tend to win Tests in Next Six home nations, even if they don’t always clinch the series. But the only serious challenges to Big Three nations at home are from other Big Three teams.In fact, India and Australia dispatch Next Six teams so swiftly in their home series, there is a serious argument for them hosting four-day Tests for all Next Six sides, which would free up valuable days in the calendar. India, for example, needed four days or fewer (emphasis on “fewer”) to trounce most of their Next Six opponents since 2018.Australia weren’t quite so rapid with their hammerings, even if the South Africa side that lost to them inside two days at the Gabba disagree. But getting to day five was a serious achievement for Next Six sides in Australia too.Increasingly, only other Big Three teams can even challenge the Big Three teams at home, and the Next Six sides are increasingly defeated at home by Big Three teams. Perhaps the WTC has been one of the few things levelling the field over the past few years, but even on the WTC table, India, England and Australia have been in the top four in both tournament cycles so far.Many have suggested that only these three teams will still be playing Test cricket ten years from now. Perhaps it is unwise to predict the death of a format that has defied many premature obituaries. Yet statistics seem to point to the emergence to two classes of Test nations.Test cricket needs to ask itself if it is a better, more profitable product when more teams can meaningfully compete. This is a foundational tenet of many sports leagues around the world, who either through draft-pick placements or salary caps, or both, attempt to impose on their leagues a semblance of egalitarianism.England’s newfound attacking philosophy has helped them improve their record away from home•Getty ImagesCricket West Indies CEO Johnny Grave recently put it this way to colleague Firdose Moonda, after West Indies named what seemed to be a modest outfit to play Tests in Australia: “In percentage terms [of board expenditure], we will spend more than anyone on red-ball cricket,” he said. “So I would argue against any narrative that the West Indies aren’t interested in Test cricket.” West Indies playing an average of 8.5 Tests a year between 2013 and the end of 2023 would suggest CWI has indeed shown some commitment to Test cricket.Increasingly, though, cricket broadcasts in India increasingly dominate the market. The SA20, which has prevented South Africa’s top Test players from travelling to New Zealand, is contested solely by franchises that have roots in India, and has scheduled matches at times that work better for the Indian viewership than for South Africa’s local fans.And if Test cricket can be so besieged by these voracious market forces, what happens to the international versions of the limited-overs formats? Seven of the last 11 ICC men’s trophies have been won by either Australia, England or India. Only once in that period did a Big Three side not compete in a final, in the 2012 T20 World Cup final in Colombo. Are T20Is not going to succumb to pure economics eventually too?There are always miracles in sport, but better-resourced teams tend to outperform the rest. And as the economic chasm grows in cricket, Test cricket is where this disparity is most evident. Pakistan’s Tests in the UAE were counted as home Tests for them, but other neutral Tests weren’t part of the home/away analyses

Despite a match-winning fifty, both Sanjay Manjrekar and Ian Bishop feel the batter could have been more aggressive

Shashank Kishore11-May-2022Ian Bishop wants him to add “another gear” to his batting. Sanjay Manjrekar felt he could have been a “bit more aggressive” when set, especially as he neared a half-century. Shubman Gill, however, felt he paced his innings exactly the way he had to on a challenging Pune surface on Wednesday against Lucknow Super Giants.There was grip and turn for the spinners, and there was something for the fast bowlers to work with, especially because it tended to get two-paced when they hit hard lengths. Hardik Pandya, the Gujarat Titans captain, may have been influenced by this as he elected to bat, and Gill “quickly realised” the need to bat through and bat long.Related

• The pros and cons of Gill's innings, and two contrasting debuts

• Gill 63*, Rashid four-for lead Gujarat Titans to playoffs

Having been dropped off the very first ball he faced in the opening over, Gill batted through to make a 49-ball 63. He raised his half-century off 40 balls, and ended up with a strike rate of 128.58, the highest in the innings among batters who faced at least 20 balls. Rahul Tewatia’s cameo, a 16-ball 22 not out, gave them some impetus as Titans posted 144.ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats metrics pegged Gill’s impact runs as 74, meaning it was worth 11 more than what he finished with. His impact score overall stood at 80.36. The next best was Super Giants’ Avesh Khan, who had 67.57, courtesy his spell that accounted for the Matthew Wade and Hardik that left Titans reeling at 51 for 3 in the 10th over.”I’d like to see one more gear,” Bishop noted on ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time:Out. “The traditional anchor doesn’t sit well with me. It’s just a personal thing, and I could be totally wrong. The guys I think anchor an innings well are Jos Buttler, below that a KL Rahul…guys who can go at maybe 120-125 and then tee off towards the back end and end with something over 140, maybe even 150. I don’t like a traditional guy batting through the innings, run-a-ball or just over a run-a-ball. I’m defining that for me. I’d like to see Shubman Gill have another gear to go to.”Vikram Solanki, the Titans’ Director of Cricket, looked at it slightly differently. “He was simply outstanding, wasn’t he?”, he said. “He’s a quality batsman, quality technician. He’s got a wonderful temperament. It’s no wonder that he’s so highly regarded in Indian cricket. I thought he was exemplary with his innings today. I thought he assessed the pitch very well, I thought he batted accordingly.

“The traditional anchor doesn’t sit well with me. It’s just a personal thing, and I could be totally wrong.”Ian Bishop

“I know he would’ve helped every other batter who went out to bat. It was quite difficult, and it was very evident with the scores. Our assessment of the pitch was exactly that, it was a tough pitch, and our batting would center around somebody taking responsibility around those situations, Shubman did exactly that today and showed what a high-quality player he is.”I think halfway, we knew that was a very competitive score. It was apparent that it wasn’t the easiest wicket to score on, it was difficult. Only due to Shubman’s knock, and later Rahul Tewatia who played a brilliant knock, we got to a competitive total. We took confidence from the fact that it was difficult for Lucknow to score. Our attack has been able to take wickets, so we know if we bowl like we have in the past, we’d make it difficult for them. We just felt we could put them under pressure [with the total they had].”On 40 off 32 at the 12-over mark with Titans on 76 for 3, Gill took another 10 balls to reach his half-century in the 17th over, having got through the stretch without looking for a single boundary-scoring option. Gill later explained his rationale behind the approach.”I didn’t expect the ball to seam as much as it did at the start,” he said. “It was nipping around. After that, I didn’t expect the spinners to have a bit of turn. One thing I felt was they didn’t bowl up as much. If they would’ve bowled a bit up, it would’ve been difficult. Krunal [Pandya] was keeping it a little short and being conservative. It was easy for us to maneuver the ball around, we kept on taking singles which was easy on this wicket.”It’s quite pleasing when you’re there till the end and finish off matches for the team. That’s exactly the chat I had with Gary [before the game].I told him I want to finish at least three-four matches for the team.”

A West Indian pair, an Australian trio, two Indian batting greats and other game-changing concurrent retirements

Bharath Seervi05-Apr-2020On this day in 1974, two legendary West Indies cricketers played their last day of Test cricket: Garry Sobers and Rohan Kanhai. Here is a look at some of the instances when two or more huge names from the same team played their last Test together.ESPNcricinfo LtdGarry Sobers and Rohan Kanhai – v England, Port of Spain, 1974Sobers and Kanhai held several records for West Indies when they played their last Test: they were the two most experienced players at the time, having played 93 and 79 matches, they were West Indies’ top two run-getters, with 8032 and 6227 runs – Sobers was the overall leader as well – and they were also the pair with the most century partnerships (six). Sobers was also their second-highest wicket-taker behind Lance Gibbs, and was easily the leading allrounder in the game.The last Test wasn’t a memorable one for them, though. Sobers scored 0 and 20, while Kanhai made 2 made 7. West Indies lost the match by 26 runs after Tony Greig’s 13-wicket haul, and the five-match series was drawn 1-1.The loss of these two was obviously huge for West Indies, but their next big names were just around the corner: in the very next series, against India, West Indies handed debuts to Viv Richards and Gordon Greenidge, who went on to rank among their finest batsmen.Greg Chappell, Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh – v Pakistan, Sydney, 1984 The famous Australian trio of the 1970s and ’80s bid adieu to Test cricket after the final game of this five-match series against Pakistan. The retirement of the three left a huge hole in Australian cricket, given that they were the toppers in their respective areas: Chappell was Australia’s highest run-getter with 7110 runs in 87 Tests, while Lillee ended with 355 wickets and Marsh with 355 keeping dismissals, both overall record holders for most wickets and most keeping dismissals in Tests at the time. Chappell was also Australia’s most successful captain and second only to Clive Lloyd at the time.Unlike Sobers and Kanhai, the three Australians had a memorable final Test, achieving significant milestones in that game. Chappell went past Don Bradman’s tally of 6996 runs in his final Test innings of 182. Lillee became the first bowler to take 350 Test wickets with four wickets in each innings, and Rod Marsh played his 96th Test as wicketkeeper, going past Alan Knott’s record for most Tests by a keeper. Between them Lillee and Marsh accounted for 95 dismissals in Tests, which is still a record by a bowler-wicketkeeper combination. Australia won by 10 wickets and Chappell, who was Man of the Match, also achieved the rare distinction of scoring a century in his first and last Test.Their departure obviously hit Australia hard. After the trio’s exit, they lost four successive Test series and did not win any of their next eight series, which included two Ashes series. Before their exit, Australia had just regained the Ashes in the previous season, and had lost only two of their last 10 series.Viv Richards, Malcolm Marshall and Jeff Dujon – v England, The Oval, 1991 They were the three stalwarts of West Indies’ dominant side of the 1980s, and like the Australian trio, they were the team’s leading top run-getter, wicket-taker and wicketkeeper – Richards retired with 8540 runs, Marshall with 376 wickets and Dujon with 272 dismissals. Only Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border had more runs than Richards, only Richard Hadlee and Ian Botham had more wickets than Marshall and only Rod Marsh had more dismissals than Dujon at the time.Unlike the Australian trio, though, they couldn’t quite finish on a high, as England won that last Test of the series by five wickets to level the series 2-2. In the final Test, Richards scored 2 and 60, Dujon 0 and 5 and Marshall picked up only two wickets. For the first time in seven years, West Indies were asked to follow on by any team, while England enforced their first follow-on over West Indies in 22 years.West Indies, though, had enough depth at the time to continue their winning ways: they had not lost a series since 1978 and they kept that record going till 1995.Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer – v England, Sydney, 2007The most successful spinner and the most successful fast bowler, Warne and McGrath, both retired in the same Test along with one of Australia’s finest openers, Langer. It was the first instance of three players, each with more than 100 Tests, retiring in the same match. The occasion was even more special as Australia sealed a comprehensive 5-0 Ashes triumph, winning the fifth Test by 10 wickets. In their final Test, McGrath picked up three wickets in each innings, Warne picked up only two wickets but scored a crucial 71 in the first innings. Langer got 26 runs in the first innings, while in the second he remained not out as his partner hit the winning runs.With Warne, McGrath and Langer in the line-up, Australia had lost only one of their last 16 series – the 2005 Ashes. But after their exit, Australia lost three of their next eight series – one each to India, South Africa and The Ashes. Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq – v West Indies, Roseau, 2017 Seldom have a country’s most successful batsman and most successful captain retired together, as Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq did for Pakistan in 2017.Younis ended his career with 10,099 runs after becoming the only Pakistan batsman to score over 10,000 runs, in his final series. Misbah’s 26 Test wins as a captain are nearly twice as many as any other Pakistan captain, and they lost just one series under Misbah in the UAE. Younis played in 53 of Misbah’s 56 Tests as captain and they were 39 years and 42 years of age respectively at their retirement. After their retirement, Pakistan have won only two of their seven Test series, and have won only four matches out of 16, losing 10. Pakistan still . Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman – v Australia, Adelaide, 2012Two of India’s three most experienced Test players and two of their top four run-scorers played their last Test in Adelaide in 2012.The high point for the two batsmen collectively was obviously their epic 376-run partnership in Kolkata Test, but they also remain the only Indian pair to put together two triple-century partnerships in Tests. At the time of their retirement, only two Indian pairs had more partnership runs than they did.This last series wasn’t memorable for either of them. Dravid scored only 194 runs and Laxman 155, in eight innings each, as India were drubbed 4-0.Other sets of players who played their last Test together after playing 75 or more matches: Ian Botham and Allan Lamb, v Pakistan, Lord’s 1992Graham Gooch and Mike Gatting, v Australia, Perth, 1995Shaun Pollock and Herschelle Gibbs, v West Indies, Durban, 2008AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel, v Australia, Johannesburg, 2018Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn, v Sri Lanka, Port Elizabeth, 2019

The Detroit Tigers made a splash ahead of Thursday's trade deadline, shoring up the bullpen in a deal with the Washington Nationals.

The Tigers are finalizing a trade to acquire closer Kyle Finnegan from the Nationals, according to multiple reports.

Finnegan, 33, has 20 saves this season and owns a 4.38 ERA, though his underlying metrics suggest he's been unlucky in that regard as his 3.60 FIP is considerably lower. He's struck out 32 batters in 39 innings, surrendering just three home runs on the year.

Finnegan didn't make his MLB debut until age 28, but he's in his sixth season with Washington and has racked up 20 or more saves in each of the last three years.

In exchange for Finnegan, the Tigers are reportedly sending a pair of right-handed pitching prospects to the Nationals; Josh Randall, who ranks as the team's No. 15 prospect, and R.J. Sales.

It's an important addition for Detroit, who was needing some fortifications to the back end of its bullpen. Finnegan can help handle late innings duties with Will Vest, who leads the Tigers with 16 saves.

Earlier this year, comedian John Oliver announced that he and the staff were seeking a minor league baseball team that would be willing to let them get creative with some branding. The Erie SeaWolves, a Detroit Tigers' Double-A affiliate bravely decided to play ball despite the stipulation that they'd be kept in the dark while Oliver tinkered around with the brand identity. If this all sounds slightly strange, just keep in mind that it's minor league baseball and there are absolutely no bad ideas in any of their brainstorms.

Oliver unveiled what he and his team came up with on Sunday night and there's not a single person on the world—including Erie—that could have predicted it.

The SeaWolves will henceforth be playing as the Erie Moon Mammoths for select games.

Where does a moon mammoth even come from? Per MLB.com:

One need not know or appreciate the backstory here to like the merchandise, which features a top-notch logo.

The Moon Mammoths take the field for the first time on July 19.

Ruben Amorim has explained why he dropped Leny Yoro from his starting line-up against West Ham United and revealed the reason for Matthijs de Ligt's absence from the squad. The coach hauled Yoro off in the 54th minute at Crystal Palace after he had given away a penalty and the French youngster was visibly distraught as he watched the remainder of the game from the bench.

• Yoro benched for West Ham

  Yoro was replaced in the starting line-up by Noussair Mazraoui. The defender was one of three changes Amorim made to his team following the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace on Sunday. Matheus Cunha starts in attack after returning from a two-game absence while Ayden Heaven makes his first start of the season in place of De Ligt, who was absent from the squad.

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  Yoro 'so disappointed' to be dropped

  "As a manager, we need to think about everything," Amorim told before kick off against West Ham. "I spoke to Leny, not about leaving him out but about the message. He is so disappointed, but it is a tactical issue. It is a clear option and a tactical option. Today we need to win, no matter what."

• Decision follows 'think too much' comment

  The day before the game against West Ham, Amorim was asked about Yoro's demeanour on the sidelines after being taken off at Selhurst Park and being comforted by Mason Mount. The United coach explained: "It's really important [the support from Mount]. Of course, I also spoke with him because he thinks too much. He makes some mistakes in the game, and then he struggles because he's too young and he wants to do everything so well. He’s growing, with games and with setbacks, it’s not easy for him as a young guy.

  "He cannot give that to the people the way he came to the bench, he understands that but he was really frustrated. On the good side it shows that he cares, he knows it wasn’t his best game but he did some things well and I showed him that also. He’s fit and ready for the next challenge."

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  De Ligt out with small injury

  Amorim had said the previous day that he had two injury doubts but would not reveal who they were. It became clear when the line-ups were announced that one of them was De Ligt. "It's a small thing. I expect to have him in the next game [against Wolves on Monday]. The rest of the guys are ready," Amorim explained.

  "It's hard because just Harry [Maguire] and Matt [de Ligt] play in that position – so it's a blow. He's doing really well. But I'm really excited for Ayden [Heaven]. He's working there. I think he has the right characteristics to play in there. So it's a big opportunity for everyone to see Ayden perform. But it's a small thing, I expect to have Matta in the next game."

  Heaven, who United signed from Arsenal last January, will be at the heart of Amorim's back three in his first start since the Carabao Cup tie at Grimsby in August. "I want to show to my players that everyone has an opportunity," Amorim said. "Ayden is working in that position. He's working in a different position. The guy that is working in all of the movements was Ayden. I have to be consistent in my decision and they need to understand what I'm doing, so that was the key point."

  Amorim also hopes that the return of Cunha will boost his team against West Ham.

  "We suffered a little bit against Everton here. Cunha is the guy that alone can solve some problems, create momentum," he said. "But he needs to be also really focussed on the runs with [Aaron Wan] Bissaka, the way he's going to recover his position. So I expect a very complete game from Cunha but of course he's the sort of player who can solve a lot of problems for us."

  United can go fifth in the Premier League table if they beat West Ham.

Alan Shearer has revealed he is happiness for Elliot Anderson after the midfielder's departure from Newcastle for Nottingham Forest sparked a rapid rise to becoming an England regular. With Manchester United now linked with a big-money move, Anderson has gone from Tyneside home-grown hope to one of the Premier League's most in-demand talents.

Anderson's meteoric rise post his Newcastle departure

Anderson left Newcastle United in the summer of 2024 as the Magpies were forced to make sales to stay within PSR limits, despite the academy graduate being admired for his potential. He joined Nottingham Forest in search of consistent minutes, stepping into a key creative role and rapidly elevating his performances in the Premier League. That form has led to him becoming a regular in Thomas Tuchel's England squad and attracting serious interest from Manchester United, who need midfield reinforcements.

Due to his home-grown status, Anderson was a more valuable sale from a PSR perspective, consideed 'pure profit' in the accounts. At Forest, he immediately became a key midfielder under Nuno Espirito Santo with the responsibility to carry the team’s attacking play. His growth has been so striking that he is now widely viewed as one of the most complete players outside the traditional title challengers.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportShearer 'delighted' for the England international…

Shearer praised Anderson, admitting that the transfer — though shaped by Newcastle’s financial restrictions — was crucial for his development. He told podcast: "It was the best thing. Although it was tough for Newcastle and it wouldn't have happened if it wasn’t for PSR."

Shearer highlighted that Anderson would never have received the same trust and responsibility at Newcastle. He continued: "But it was the best thing that happened to him, to get out and play. He wasn't going to get in Newcastle's midfield. You've got to give him credit. He wouldn't be far away now [from getting in Newcastle's midfield], I agree with that."

The Newcastle legend finished by acknowledging the scale of Anderson's growth. "He wouldn't have been able to do what he has done and is doing at Newcastle. Good for him. I'm delighted for him. He's gone from being a bit-part player at Newcastle to being one of the main guys at Forest and one of England's."

Anderson likely to be a starter at the 2026 World Cup

Anderson has long been seen as one of the brightest academy talents Newcastle had produced in years, earning the nickname the 'Whitley Bay Figo' during his youth days. His ability to operate as either a No.8 or a No.10 made him valuable, but that same versatility also left him without a fixed role in a squad packed with expensive signings. Nottingham Forest gave him the tactical clarity and first-team trust he needed to reach his full potential.

At Forest, Anderson quickly became one of the Premier League's standout transitional midfielders thanks to his ball-carrying, creativity and pressing intensity. His numbers surged, with double-digit goal contributions putting him firmly in the England conversation. By 2025, he had not only won his first caps but established himself as a regular starter under Tuchel.

Heading into the Three Lions' final World Cup qualifier, Tuchel also announced that Anderson is currently his main choice to partner Declan Rice in the midfield for the 2026 World Cup. The German said: "Elliot and Declan are at the moment ahead in midfield. They are a very good pair and complement each other very well. They are performing at the highest level for club and country. Biggest complement to both of them. We took Declan out [of the last match] after 65 minutes to have the chance to play again, Elliot played 90 minutes and it is his first season to play international games as well as for Nottingham Forest, he is a key player there too."

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Getty Images SportMan Utd linked with move for Anderson

Manchester United are tipped to pursue a move in 2026 as they plan a rebuild in midfield with Casemiro ageing and Bruno Fernandes playing in a deeper role. Forest will fight to keep their star man but are realistic that interest from the league's biggest sides will eventually force a major decision. The competition for his signature is already shaping up to be fierce.

England, meanwhile, continue to benefit from Anderson's upward curve as he cements his place heading toward the 2026 World Cup in North America. Tuchel sees him as a long-term midfield option alongside Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice, giving the Three Lions a formidable core for years to come.

Lazio head coach Maurizio Sarri has demanded the recruitment of foreign referees in Serie A to elevate the officiating standard in the Italian top flight. The 66-year-old was furious about a few decisions taken by the officials during his side's clash against Inter game, but stressed the issues are prevalent in the league.

• Sarri furious after Lazio loss

  Lazio suffered a 2-0 defeat against Inter, with Lautaro Martinez and Ange-Yoan Bonny scoring in either half to hand a defeat to the visitors. Sarri, who fumed after Martinez's challenge on his pupil Mattia Zaccagni, was shown a yellow card by the match official. The Italian winger was also forced off the pitch, and Sarri was annoyed by the risk of Lazio conceding a goal as a result.

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  Sarri slams Serie A officials

  Sarri took a dig at the refereeing in Serie A, calling it below par. He said after the Inter game: "Why did I get angry? For one simple reason: Lautaro's foul on Zaccagni deserved a yellow card. If it had, Zaccagni shouldn't have left the pitch. Not only did he not issue a yellow card, he forced Zaccagni off the pitch, and we almost conceded a goal from that side. Even Padre Pio would have gotten angry."

  Instead of booking the Argentine forward, the referee showed a yellow card to Sarri for expressing his frustration at the sequence of events. "I don't see any referees up to the task, including tonight's. I hope Serie A can get the help of referees from abroad; they need to be 'rented' there," he said.

  He added: "We're paying for something inside the box. We had a few chances, but it's not easy. What positives do I take away? This is a team that's improving. After the first goal, the team recovered and stayed in the game until the end. Let's start again with this mentality."

• Sarri stops short of blaming referee for Inter loss

  Sarri admitted that Inter were the better side in the game as he held off of blaming the officials for his team's defeat, saying: "The referee didn't influence the result. Inter played better than us and would have won regardless of who officiated. When you enter San Siro and concede a goal after two minutes, it becomes tough. We wobbled but got back into the game. We had our chances. It wasn't a disastrous match. It's frustrating because the two goals came from two simple turnovers: the first near the box, the second right after we regained the ball. Perhaps these errors favour the more technical team, but it leaves a bitter taste. The performance was decent.

  "We pay for the technical gap; we'll see if we can close it as much as possible. We don't have a traditional striker. Our forwards have other characteristics. The only one could be Castellanos, who can handle himself well in the box; the others play the role differently. Right now, we're paying for that in the area, yet coming to San Siro we still had two or three scoring chances, which isn't easy."

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  Two successive Milan games await Lazio

  Lazio currently sit ninth in the Serie A standings, having accumulated four wins and three draws in 11 games so far. The defeat to Inter was also their first loss since September, when they went down to Roma. With no continental football this season, Lazio are solely focused on Serie A, trying their best to utilise this season to head back to the European competitions. They will resume action on November 23 against Lecce and then take on Milan in successive games across the domestic league and the Coppa Italia on November 29 and December 4, respectively.

  Sarri is hoping that he will be able to enhance his squad in the January transfer window, saying: "They haven't told me yet whether the transfer market is open or not. I think the market is open, but I'm waiting for the official announcement and then we'll make the various decisions as necessary."

Manchester United are now eyeing a “sensational” £52m Kobbie Mainoo replacement, having received the green light from Ruben Amorim.

Mainoo heading for the exit door amid Keane criticism

Amorim has been extremely reluctant to give Mainoo game time this season, but the Man United manager has the backing of Roy Keane, who recently suggested the midfielder hasn’t done enough in substitute appearances to force his way into contention.

Keane said: “He’s had opportunities recently and when he’s come on and got opportunities, he just looks a bit short for me. I wouldn’t be scratching my head thinking: why is he not in the team? I can see why he is not picking him at this moment in time.”

However, with an opportunity to play for England at the 2026 World Cup at stake, the 20-year-old cannot afford to sit on the bench for the entire season, and it has now been revealed that he is close to sealing a January exit.

Man Utd preparing bid for £43m Gabriel & Saliba "hybrid" demanded by Amorim

The Red Devils are now readying a big offer for a January signing, with Ruben Amorim personally very keen.

1 ByDominic Lund Oct 22, 2025

Napoli are now leading the race for the central midfielder, with the Italian club advancing in talks in recent days, and the academy graduate’s departure could exacerbate the need for Amorim to sign a new midfielder this winter.

As such, the United manager has now given a move for Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher the green light, according to a report from Football Insider, which states the former Chelsea man is being targeted as a direct replacement for Mainoo.

The Red Devils are closely monitoring Gallagher ahead of the January transfer window, as club chiefs believe he would be a better fit in Amorim’s system than Mainoo, but there may be competition for his signature.

Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur are also credited with an interest in the 25-year-old, although a deal could be expensive, considering he was recently valued at the £52m mark.

"Sensational" Gallagher could be solid Mainoo replacement

It would be sad to see Mainoo leave, given that the youngster progressed through the youth ranks, but Amorim clearly isn’t totally convinced by the Stockport-born ace, who has featured for just 118 minutes across six Premier League appearances this season.

In an ideal world, Man United would sign one of the best midfielders in the world to replace the starlet, but the Atletico Madrid maestro could be a solid option, given his previous exploits in the Premier League and battle-tested mentality.

During his time with Crystal Palace in the 2021-22 campaign, the Epsom-born midfielder displayed his attacking prowess, chipping in with eight goals and three assists in the top flight, while he is also solid defensively.

Indeed, Gallagher places in the 96th percentile for interceptions per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, proving that he is a well-rounded midfielder.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has been told by one source that a potential £70 million bid could be accepted for an unsettled PSG star, with Mikel Arteta’s side now taking a “concrete” interest.

Arsenal back Mikel Arteta with new deals and £255m summer spend

Arteta is under serious pressure to deliver the club’s first Premier League title in over 20 years, especially following Berta’s undisputed backing.

Liverpool

£415,000,000

£187,000,000

£228,000,000

Chelsea

£285,000,000

£288,000,000

-£3,000,000

Arsenal

£255,000,000

£9,000,000

£246,000,000

Newcastle

£250,000,000

£152,000,000

£98,000,000

Man Utd

£216,000,000

£68,000,000

£148,000,000

Nottm Forest

£205,000,000

£107,000,000

£98,000,000

Tottenham

£181,000,000

£36,000,000

£145,000,000

Sunderland

£162,000,000

£44,000,000

£118,000,000

Man City

£152,000,000

£53,000,000

£99,000,000

West Ham

£124,000,000

£55,000,000

£69,000,000

via BBC

After spending north of £250 million on eight major signings in the summer transfer window, Berta also tied down star defender William Saliba with a brand-new contract which will run until 2030 — thwarting Real Madrid in the process.

This comes after he agreed fresh terms with Gabriel earlier this year too, with reports suggesting that Arsenal are also in talks with Bukayo Saka over a new deal which could be sorted before Christmas (Football Transfers).

Defender Jurrien Timber could also be rewarded for his exceptionally consistent displays over the last 12 months, as Arsenal are in negotiations to take his Emirates Stadium stay past 2028.

Off the field, Arsenal are doing basically everything right (except maybe player sales), and Berta is still showing some intent in the transfer market even after a record-breaking transfer window for the Gunners.

Now, as per reporter Mark Brus, the Arsenal transfer chief is registering a serious fondness for PSG sensation Warren Zaire-Emery.

Arsenal told £70m bid for Warren Zaire-Emery could be accepted

Sharing what he calls “exciting information” via the journalist’s Daily Briefing, Brus says that the “elite” Ligue 1 starlet is growing unsettled under Luis Enrique and wants more clarity over his role in the team.

The 19-year-old has played as the defensive midfield anchor, a traditional centre-midfielder and even at right-back over his nine games in all competitions so far, and this is believed to be slightly frustrating Zaire-Emery.

Arsenal are described as having a “concrete” interest in signing Zaire-Emery, alongside the likes of Man City, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, but Pep Guardiola’s side are believed to be the biggest admirers, as City’s boss is a major fan.

As well as this, the source goes on to state that a £70 million offer from Arsenal, or any interested side, could be enough.

The teenager has already drawn comparisons to Cesc Fàbregas, and club legend Thierry Henry was effusive in his praise of Zaire-Emery’s star potential when speaking on CBS Sports in late 2023.