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Chelsea’s “poor” defeat against Leeds United will end up costing them in the Premier League title race, according to club legend John Terry. The Blues icon has bemoaned his former side’s lack of experience as they slipped to a damaging 3-1 loss which leaves them nine points behind leaders Arsenal, who they held to a 1-1 draw in their previous match.

• Chelsea had been in fine form before surprise Leeds defeat

  After picking up a point following an admirable 10-man performance against Arsenal last Sunday, Chelsea travelled to struggling Leeds just six points behind Mikel Arteta’s Gunners on Wednesday.

  However, while Arsenal got back to winning ways against Brentford on the same night, Chelsea suffered a surprise defeat at Elland Road. Enzo Maresca’s men found themselves 2-0 down at the interval following efforts from defender Jaka Bijol and midfielder Ao Tanaka, before Blues winger Pedro Neto pulled a goal back early in the second half.

  But Chelsea were unable to find an equaliser in an abject performance which was capped off by centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo’s costly mistake in the build up to Leeds’ third goal through striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

  The result was Chelsea’s first loss in their last eight games in all competitions, but the manner in which the defeat was registered has caused frustration amongst a fanbase who are hoping to see their side improve upon last season’s fourth-place finish.

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  Blues legend Terry could not hide anger after final whistle

  Deflated after the final whistle, Chelsea icon Terry could not hide his anger at a display which – in his opinion – will come back to haunt the west Londoners towards the business end of the title race.

  Speaking on TikTok, Terry – who won 15 major trophies including five Premier League titles and one Champions League crown after 19 seasons at Chelsea – said: “What a poor performance that was.

  “Everything I said about Leeds, they were going to be aggressive, fans were going to be up for it, it was going to be a hostile place to go. You either go there and match them or you take the sting out of it completely, and by looks of it we certainly didn’t do that in the first half.

  “We cannot follow up two unbelievable performances with a performance like that, it’s certainly not going to make you title contenders. Unfortunately that’s what’s going to cost us, we are inexperienced and if you can’t go Leeds away and know what to expect then…”

  @johnterry26

  We can’t follow two great performances with that performance tonight. Some tough away games coming up and we need to be better than that tonight. 💙 #chelsea #chelseafc #premierleague #cfc

  ♬ original sound – John Terry

• Former England captain urges Maresca to end rotation policy

  Still irritated by both the result and the performance, Terry also criticised what he perceived to be a lack of “fight” from Chelsea, urging manager Maresca to end his rotation policy and stick with players who he believes will dig in every week.

  “You need to go there and show the fight, match Leeds in every single way and then earn your right to play,” former England captain Terry added. “After 15, 20 minutes you play your football once you’ve earned that right.

  “Set piece, individual mistakes defensively, clearly not good enough, maybe that’s an opportunity for the manager to look at the squad and go ‘okay rotations not for me moving forward, I know my best 11-14 players and I’ll stick with that and the other players are just going to have to deal with it.”

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  Chelsea head coach expected better performance against Leeds

  Chelsea will look to bounce back when they travel to out-of-form Bournemouth in the league on Saturday afternoon. Maresca’s men then head to Serie A side Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday, 9 December.

  Looking ahead to the Bournemouth match, Maresca said after the Leeds game: “I think they [Leeds] were better than us in all the aspects. They deserved to win the game.

  “There’s nothing we can take from the game. The only thing we can do is try to understand the mistakes we’ve made and try to reset. In 48 hours we’ve another game [against Bournemouth].

  “When you play the way we have in the last two games against Barcelona and Arsenal, you expect a better performance. But for many reasons it’s not going to be possible. We changed players and when you change players the level drops because the reality is they’re important players for us.”

U.S. international Trinity Rodman said she is still weighing her next move as her contract with the Washington Spirit nears its end, noting that emotions and timing are shaping a decision she hasn’t made yet. Her deal expired after Sunday’s NWSL final against Gotham FC, officially making her a free agent and leaving her at a potential career crossroads.

'My answer goes back and forth'

In an interview with filmed before the NWSL final, Trinity Rodman acknowledged the emotional weight of her looming free-agency decision. The 23-year-old U.S. women’s national team forward said she remains conflicted about her future with the Washington Spirit, the club that drafted her first overall in 2021.

“My answer goes back and forth – it’s kinda hard,” Rodman said. “The question that always comes up is, ‘Am I done with Spirit yet?’ which is very emotional, honestly. So when I’m saying I don’t know what I’m doing, I genuinely don’t know. I really don’t, guys – I’m a little girl trying to figure it out.”

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'We want those top players here'

Rodman’s free agency comes at a time when several prominent American players have moved from the NWSL to European clubs. Reports indicate that three teams from England’s Women’s Super League have expressed interest in signing her, while the USL Super League’s D.C. Power has also been linked.

NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman addressed Rodman’s situation ahead of the championship match, reiterating the league’s desire to keep top talent.

“Specifically, as it relates to Trinity – and, candidly, any other top player in the world – we want those top players here in the NWSL,” Berman said. “And particularly, we want Trinity in the NWSL, and we will fight for her.”

GettyRodman’s decision represents inflection point for NWSL

Rodman’s decision comes amid a period of increased movement by U.S. national team players to Europe. Recent transfers include Naomi Girma and Alyssa Thompson to Chelsea, Emily Fox to Arsenal, and Lindsey Horan to Lyon. Her choice will add another data point to the trend of American players evaluating opportunities in both the NWSL and European leagues.

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Getty Images SportLeague awaits star's decision

Following the Washington Spirit’s 1-0 loss to Gotham FC in the final, Rodman plans to take a break before making her final decision, a timeline that will keep the NWSL and interested clubs in suspense. The league office will undoubtedly continue working behind the scenes to create conditions favorable for keeping Rodman in Washington.

“We can pick a side capable of winning in most conditions,” says Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott ahead of game against Bangladesh

Shashank Kishore15-Sep-2025

Jonathan Trott believes Afghanistan will start as “slight favourites” against Bangladesh, who face a must-win situation, in their Asia Cup Group B fixture in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. And going by recent history, there’s merit in that confidence.”Since I’ve been with the side, we’ve had some memorable moments,” Trott said. “I think back to when we beat Bangladesh in a 50-over series in Bangladesh for the first time [in 2023]. It had never been done before, and given how strong Bangladesh have been at home, to go there and do that gave us a lot of confidence and positivity.”Then there was the win in St Vincent at the [2024] T20 World Cup, which helped us qualify for the semi-final. That was such a tight, historic game, and it gave us great belief. This group I’m currently working with is not shy about achieving new things or breaking new ground.Related

Rashid, Noor limit Bangladesh to 154

Bangladesh ring in the changes, opt to bat against unchanged Afghanistan

'Belief is key' – Mushtaq rallies Bangladesh ahead of must-win Afghanistan clash

For AM Ghazanfar, the future is now

Afghanistan get the win they needed, but Trott wants more

“Whenever there’s something that hasn’t been done before, like a big obstacle or a big challenge, this Afghan side rises to the occasion. They’re not only setting new standards for themselves but also paving the way for future players to keep pushing those boundaries.”Since opening their Asia Cup with a convincing win over Hong Kong on September 9, Afghanistan have had six days off. The break, in Trott’s opinion, has helped refresh them “mentally and physically” after the gruelling pre-Asia Cup tri-series against UAE and Pakistan, where they played five games in ten days.”I’m actually quite happy with the break,” he said. “Playing in the extreme heat here in the UAE takes a lot out of you. It’s been a good chance to recharge the batteries, take stock of where we are, and get ready to go again. Hopefully, with a win and qualification into the next round, we know there will be quite a few games in a short space of time.”At the opening press conference in Dubai, barely a few hours prior to their Asia Cup opener in Abu Dhabi, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan had spoken of the short turnaround – less than 48 hours – between the tri-series final and the game against Hong Kong. He had also said that it wasn’t ideal to be staying in Dubai and having all their group games in Abu Dhabi, leaving them with an added commute of three hours on match days.Looking at the schedule and putting that break into context, Trott felt it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. “I think our schedule has actually played into our hands, as long as we play well tomorrow and do the job in Abu Dhabi,” he said. “Playing there is very different to Dubai. It looks like it’s been spinning a little more here and in Sharjah. Abu Dhabi is a very different type of pitch – the make-up of the soil is different too.1:36

Mukund: Dropped catches a concern for Afghanistan

“That’s the challenge of playing in these tournaments: you’re constantly adapting to a variety of conditions. I certainly feel that with our squad and the options we have, we can pick a side capable of winning in most conditions.”Trott, expectedly, talked up Afghanistan’s spin stocks, joking that they were good enough to field an XI of spinners if needed. There’s Rashid and Noor Ahmad as their frontline options, along with Mohammad Nabi. They have also got Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar and Sharafuddin Ashraf in the squad. That said, he felt that it wasn’t a given that Afghanistan would do well just because they had competent spinners.”We saw during the triangular series that just because the ball is spinning, it doesn’t automatically mean we’re going to win games,” Trott said. “We still have to do everything else well, and I stress that. Yes, our spinners have played a lot of franchise cricket and plenty of international T20 and ODI cricket, but we’ve got to be consistent across all departments. That’s why we work so hard as a side.”Right now, we have a great opportunity with the Asia Cup. Looking a bit further ahead, with the World Cup coming up in February, we have good memories of playing in the subcontinent – in Sri Lanka and India. It can be tempting to look too far ahead, but for now, Bangladesh is at the forefront of everyone’s mind, and we’re focused on winning that game.”

England maintained their perfect record in World Cup qualifying with a 2-0 win at home to Serbia on Thursday. Goals in either half from Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze ensured Thomas Tuchel's men emerged victorious, while the visitors' faint hopes of securing a play-off spot were put to bed on a rainy evening in north London.

England broke the deadlock with 28 minutes on the clock. Serbia goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic inexplicably decided to punch Declan Rice's free-kick which was crossed into his six-yard box, and though debutant Nico O'Reilly's effort from this clearance was blocked, the ball sat up sweetly for Saka to volley in with impressive poise at the back post.

Harry Kane ought to have doubled the advantage shortly before half-time when he ghosted away from his marker to meet Rice's whipped corner, but the England captain somehow fluffed his lines and headed wide. The visitors' best opening to find an equaliser, meanwhile, came when Filip Kostic broke free down the left and cut a delicious ball back for Dusan Vlahovic, but the Juventus striker's deft flick bobbled wide of Jordan Pickford's post.

Tuchel made four substitutions midway through the second half to freshen the pack, leading to Jude Bellingham seeing a low cross blocked after linking up with starter Reece James and Phil Foden heading narrowly wide from a Jordan Henderson cross.

The flag went up for a late offside when Lazar Samardzic hit a volley not too dissimilar to Saka's wide as England scrambled to preserve their clean sheet, while Eze had a strike deflected onto the crossbar by Rajkovic after Bellingham made another purposeful run into the final third, and Ezri Konsa's recovery pace stopped another Serbia breakaway dead in its tracks.

An open feel to the game saw England add their second goal of the game in the final minute of normal time, with Foden teeing up Eze to sweep a shot from 18 yards into the top corner and seal the three points.

GOAL rates England's players from Wembley…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Jordan Pickford (6/10):

  Guilty of playing an under-hit pass to Anderson on the edge of his own box in the first half but otherwise kept himself and England out of trouble.

  Reece James (6/10):

  Like several England players was keen to show off his immense passing range, often switching play from one flank to the other. Tested for pace by Kostic but this wasn't really to the hosts' detriment or danger.

  Ezri Konsa (7/10):

  Covered for James when England were indeed stretched a tad in transition. Given another chance to impress with Guehi still injured.

  John Stones (6/10):

  Still clearly the country's best ball-playing defender when fit and healthy. Didn't delve too deep into his bag of tricks on this occasion as he didn't really need to, however.

  Nico O'Reilly (6/10):

  Looked right at home on his senior England debut, galloping down the left to support Rice and Rashford whenever possible.

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  Midfield

  Elliot Anderson (7/10):

  Already a favourite of Tuchel's and carries himself like a seasoned veteran too. Kept play ticking with his quick passing before opening the game up with longer and more ambitious balls. Subbed for Wharton for the final few minutes.

  Declan Rice (6/10):

  Asked questions of Serbia with his wicked set-piece delivery even if he was unable to register an assist for himself before being subbed for Henderson.

  Morgan Rogers (6/10):

  Made several runs in behind the Serbia backline that went unnoticed by his England team-mates. Was crucially given the nod ahead of Bellingham and was then replaced by the Real Madrid midfielder in the second half.

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  Attack

  Bukayo Saka (8/10):

  Arsenal's top scorer for the England men's team extended his streak with a sumptuous volley. Attacked with intent, coming inside onto his left foot and trying to figure an angle to shoot whenever he was within 30 yards of goal.

  Harry Kane (6/10):

  Little in way of goal-mouth action, dropping deep to allow his team-mates to try and exploit that space. Made a superb sliding challenge just outside his own box before he was afforded a rest, with Foden replacing him.

  Marcus Rashford (6/10):

  Got into threatening positions with his pace and trickery but will have been disappointed not to have taken advantage of this by scoring. Came off for Eze.

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  Subs & Manager

  Phil Foden (6/10):

  Played as a false nine after coming on for Kane. Grabbed an assist for Eze.

  Jude Bellingham (6/10):

  Subbed on for positional rival Rogers. Motored into the final third after linking up with James soon after coming on, with his cross bound for Eze cleared.

  Eberechi Eze (8/10):

  Shifted to the left, coming on for Rashford. Appeared fresh and was keen to get on the ball, so was deserving enough for his late goal.

  Jordan Henderson (5/10):

  Subbed on for Rice presumably to gain more control, though this also coincided with Serbia growing in confidence and gaining yards in territory.

  Adam Wharton (N/A):

  A late sub, coming on for Anderson.

  Thomas Tuchel (6/10):

  The win mattered very little for England given they have already qualified, but this was an opportunity for him to see which players were hungry and wanted to prove a point. The Three Lions do at least feel more like a cohesive unit, though this wasn't their most entertaining of displays.

The series, that also featured Netherlands, finished with a three-way tie (on the points table) but Scotland finished at the top on virtue of the best net run-rate

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jun-2025A partnership of exactly 100 between opener George Munsey and No. 3 Brandon McMullen set the base for Scotland’s comfortable win against Nepal in the tri-nation series, and it was rounded off by a collective bowling performance.Scotland’s 34-run win brought the curtain down on a series that also featured Netherlands, with all three teams ending on two wins from four. Scotland, however, topped the table on superior net run-rate. Nepal finished second.Munsey, whose highest score in the series had been 30, started aggressively and dominated a 34-run opening stand with Mark Watt. Watt was bowled by Rupesh Singh for 9 in the fourth over but Munsey and McMullen then added 100 in 9.2 overs for the second wicket, hitting nine fours and seven sixes between them. The stand ensured Scotland were going at more than ten runs per over.But then came a stutter. Munsey fell for a 39-ball 78 in the 13th over to Kushal Bhurtel, and three balls later, Sandeep Lamichhane bowled McMullen for 42. Finlay McCreath and captain Richie Berrington fell cheaply in the next two overs, too, and Nepal seemed to be clawing back. Michael Leask (26*) and Matthew Cross (17*), however, combined to take 35 off the final three overs to lift Scotland to 193 for 5.Nepal’s reply faltered early, losing four wickets in 5.1 overs. Bhurtel fell to McMullen in the first over, Bhim Sharki and Aarif Sheikh were removed by Safyaan Sharif (2 for 7), and Aasif Sheikh was run out. Dipendra Singh Airee, who became Nepal’s most-capped T20I player on the day, resisted with 34 from No. 6, but struggled with only one four and one six in his 33-ball stay.Airee fell in the 16th over with the asking rate climbing, bowled by legspinner Chris Greaves (3 for 27), who went on to also dismiss Lamichhane for a duck and Rijan Dhakal for 5. Rupesh struck an enterprising 22-ball 43 from No. 8, but ran out of partners. No. 11 Lalit Rajbanshi was run out in the 19th over to end the innings.

Grant Stewart’s glorious 130 helped to secure a nerve-shredding draw for Kent and frustrate James Anderson on a dramatic last day of the Rothesay County Championship match against Lancashire at Blackpool.Such an outcome had seemed unlikely in the extreme in mid-afternoon, when the visitors had slumped to 116 for seven in the second innings, still 149 in arrears. At that point it looked as though Anderson was on course for an innings victory in his first game as Red Rose skipper.But Stewart and Joey Evison put on 182 for the eighth wicket in thrilling fashion to take Kent into the black, and even though Anderson had Stewart caught at cover for 130, Kent survived to finish on 328 for eight, with Evison unbeaten on a brilliantly gutsy 77 when the players shook hands.Australian off-spinner Chris Green took four for 104 and Tom Bailey three for 61 for Lancashire, who are still waiting for their first Championship victory of the season. By contrast, the draw ends a dismal run of four defeats for Daniel Bell-Drummond’s side.Needing to bat almost all day to avoid defeat, Kent chose to open the batting with specialist leg-spinner, Matt Parkinson, who was doing the job for the first time in his county career.But it was Parkinson’s opening partner, Ben Compton, who was the first batsman dismissed when he was lbw to Bailey for six in the sixth over of the morning.Having removed their opponents’ best and most adhesive batsman, Lancashire then dismissed Parkinson for four three overs later when the former Old Trafford favourite turned an off-spinner from Green into the hands of Josh Bohannon at backward short leg.The following hour was filled with appeals, most of them cacophonous, none of them answered in the affirmative. Instead, Jaydn Denly and Bell-Drummond took their side to lunch on 74 for two, the only alarm coming in the final over before the interval when Denly was struck a painful blow on the point of the elbow by a shortish ball from Mitch Stanley.Kent’s equilibrium was then disturbed in an even more significant fashion four balls into the afternoon session when Bell-Drummond was dismissed for 13, Keaton Jennings sticking out his right hand to take a superb reflex catch at short leg off Green.That success began a golden half hour for Green, who had Tawanda Muyeye caught by Jennings at short leg for three and Jack Leaning, caught at slip by Luke Wells off successive deliveries to complete a devastating spell in which he had removed three top-order batsmen in 15 balls.The only solace for Kent in this period came when Denly reached his maiden first-class fifty with a single off Stanley and the hopes of the visitors might have been raised a trifle when he put on 32 for the sixth wicket with Joey Evison.But it seemed that Lancashire were not to be denied. Now bowling off-spin, Bailey knocked back Denly’s off stump with a fine ball when the 19-year-old had made 57 and four balls later, he had Harry Finch caught at short leg by Jennings for nought.But Evison and Grant Stewart then went on the attack in utterly memorable fashion sharing a stand filled with attacking strokeplay either side of tea. In the second over of the evening session, Stewart hit Mitchell Stanley for three vicious leg side sixes, reaching a 42-ball half-century in the process with five fours and four maximums.Just 43 minutes later, a cover-driven four off Green took Stewart to his 79-ball hundred, He had smashed eight sixes in addition to nine fours and he and Evison had set a new eighth-wicket first-class record for Kent against Lancashire.However, just when Kent were glimpsing safety, Stewart was caught at cover by Bailey for 130 and it needed Wes Agar to help Evison achieve a draw that must seem a little like a victory.

Newcastle made it successive Champions League wins on Tuesday with what was ultimately a routine 3-0 win over Jose Mourinho's Benfica at St James' Park. Anthony Gordon scored in Europe for the fourth time this season, before Harvey Barnes came off the bench to wrap up maximum points with a brace for Eddie Howe's side. There was even a remarkable assist for Toon goalkeeper Nick Pope.

Both 'keepers made saves within the first 15 minutes. First, after a promising Newcastle attack resulted in a corner, a free header from Dan Burn was saved by Anatoliy Trubin and cleared. At the other end, Pope thwarted Dodi Lukebakio's powerful effort.

Benfica pressure continued to build, including Lukebakio striking the post, but the visitors couldn't make it count and Newcastle flexed when Trubin pulled off a big save with his foot to deny Bruno Guimaraes from close-range, just before taking the lead. The Magpies built on that moment and Gordon's breakthrough was a well worked goal that saw Guimaraes play Jacob Murphy into space and feed the ball across the box.

There were 20 minutes left when Barnes doubled the lead, the epitome of route one football from Eddie Howe's team, as Pope's launched throw set the winger free in Benfica territory. From there, Barnes drove into the box and kept his composure to finish under pressure. With Benfica running out of ideas, the same player got Newcastle's late third, with Nick Woltemade's delightful backheeled flick opening up the pitch for Gordon to slip Barnes in again.

GOAL rates Newcastle's players from St James' Park…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Nick Pope (8/10):

  Could only watch Lukebakio's first-half effort come back off the post, but had denied the same player with an important save at 0-0. His vision and execution to throw the ball into space ahead of Barnes helped put the game to bed.

  Kieran Trippier (7/10):

  Strong going forwards and backwards.

  Malick Thiaw (7/10):

  Strong defensive performance from the 24-year-old German.

  Sven Botman (7/10):

  After Benfica's first half pressure faded, did a good job of repelling further danger.

  Dan Burn (7/10):

  Continued at left-back for the fifth successive game but it didn't affect his threat at attacking set-pieces.

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  Midfield

  Bruno Guimaraes (7/10):

  Looked forward with good effect and got into the box often. Perhaps should have given his team an earlier lead, but for Trubin's intervention.

  Lewis Miley (7/10):

  With Tonali only making the bench after a recent bout of illness, the teenager was thrown in at the deep end as a starter and absolutely held his own.

  Jacob Ramsey (6/10):

  Misplaced only a single pass during his 63 minutes on the pitch, but not as involved as that stat would suggest.

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  Attack

  Jacob Murphy (7/10):

  A clear threat down the right flank. An early opportunity to get an assist when he was played into space petered out, but was a warning sign. His low cross to Gordon to break the deadlock was inch-perfect. Tested Trubin with a free-kick later on.

  Nick Woltemade (6/10):

  Didn't do all that much until his excellent late link-up with Gordon directly created the third Newcastle goal. Just 21 touches in 85 minutes.

  Anthony Gordon (9/10):

  Newcastle's undisputed talisman in the Champions League so far this season. Yet to score in the Premier League but remarkably has four to his name in three outings in Europe. His assist for Barnes' second was pretty fine as well.

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  Subs & Manager

  Harvey Barnes (8/10):

  Exactly the impact off the bench his manager would have wanted. Two goals that killed off Benfica, with similar, and very calm, finishes each time.

  Joelinton (7/10):

  Didn't see all that much of the ball at his feet but commanding in duels, particularly at winning headers.

  Anthony Elanga (N/A):

  Late replacement for Gordon.

  William Osula (N/A):

  Late replacement for Woltemade.

  Joe Willock (N/A):

  Even later replacement for Guimaraes.

  Eddie Howe (9/10):

  Went toe-to-toe with his self-proclaimed idol and won. Took no risks with Tonali and his faith in Miley was rewarded. Also a smart move to hand Murphy a first start in almost four weeks, superceded by Barnes then doing what he did.

When David Moyes replaced Sean Dyche at Everton in January, some viewed the appointment as being pragmatic, a controversial decision from new owners The Friedkin Group to placate some segments of the fanbase.

But Moyes has proved all the doubters wrong. Was it ever up for question? Everton launched away from the relegation zone last season and have established a strong base after the summer, three games unbeaten in the Premier League ahead of a daunting trip to Anfield on Saturday.

The likes of Jack Grealish, Tyler Dibling and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall have widened Everton’s creative parameters, and Moyes’ tactics provide a solid defensive base.

Moreover, new technical director Angus Kinnear has helped ship out a number of struggling stars. Everton have made headway in the transfer market, all told, but that certainly hasn’t always been the case in recent memory.

Everton's worst modern sales

Under the dysfunctional rule of Farhad Moshiri, Everton were often labelled as bad buyers. But neither did they sell particularly prudently.

Cashing in on the likes of Amadou Onana and Richarlison provided financial strength, but some might be kicking themselves for parting ways with Ademola Lookman before the Nigerian forward managed to spread his wings and grow into the Ballon d’Or contender he is today.

Likewise, it’s frustrating that Anthony Gordon was so desperate to leave Goodison Park in the early stages of his career. The England international was sold to Newcastle United for £45m, but Liverpool have since come knocking despite the Magpies’ £100m valuation of their player.

It’s at least comforting to note that this new version of Everton appears to be more calculated and efficient in their transfer dealings than the previous hierarchy.

Early days, of course, but Moyes has whipped his troops into shape and added players of genuine quality. Those who have been shipped on for good reason, but there’s one player in particular, who he must rue the club’s past decision to let go.

Left-back has been something of a problem for the Toffees this term, with James Garner serving in a patchwork role, albeit playing it well. It’s a shame one of the best in the business was let go for peanuts before he hit his stride in the Premier League.

When Everton sold "one of the best left-backs"

Vitalii Mykolenko has dealt with some injury issues across the opening weeks of the campaign, and with Jarrad Branthwaite perennially sidelined in the first phases of any given season, this has posed a problem.

A problem that Moyes has found a solution for, utilising the industrious Garner’s versatility in a way which has allowed the team to fight for a place in the top half of the table.

But a natural left-back would be nice, and it’s clearly something that has sat on Moyes’ mind, for the 62-year-old signed Bayern Munich youngster Adam Aznou in the summer, and big things are expected of the 19-year-old.

It would be easy to say he’s the most exciting young left-back on the Blue half of Merseyside since Leighton Baines was signed from Wigan Athletic, but that wouldn’t be true, not when Everton once had Antonee Robinson in their ranks.

Robinson was a part of Everton’s academy, actually winning the U18 Players’ Player of the Year in 2015. The talent was always there, but there was no room for him within Roberto Martinez’s set-up, and he departed before making a single senior appearance.

Now, he’s regarded as one of the finest full-backs in the Premier League, and indeed no defender claimed more assists than his haul of ten for Fulham last season.

Data-driven platform FBref suggest he is comparable to Liverpool’s new recruit Milos Kerkez, but in truth, he may well be the superior player at this stage.

Assists

0.25

0.14

Touches

73.51

59.73

Passes attempted

61.11

48.98

Pass completion

76.9%

76.5%

Progressive passes

3.97

4.25

Shot-creating actions

0.25

2.14

Progressive carries

3.65

2.80

Successful take-ons

1.01

0.60

Ball recoveries

4.56

4.44

Tackles + interceptions

4.12

2.56

Blocks

1.23

1.01

Clearances

3.68

3.13

Robinson effectively trumps Kerkez in every department, which serves as a measure of the USMNT international’s ability. No doubt, some at Craven Cottage felt it was an injustice that the young Hungarian secured a place in the Premier League Team of the Year, ahead of Fulham’s left-sided superstar.

Kerkez is one talented young defender, for sure, but Robinson was actually singled out by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley last season as being “one of the best left-backs in the world”. This is his level.

Under the wing of Marco Silva, Fulham’s play flows through Robinson. Get him on the ball, that’ll do it. He’s athletic and attentive and creative besides, boasting all the skills needed to become a superstar in Moyes’ Everton.

It’s a shame that it will never be so. Robinson left for a pittance, having failed to wedge his way into senior plans and instead being sold to Wigan for just £2m in July 2019, when he was only 21 years old.

Robinson’s capacity to whip a delightful ball into the danger area underlines a further reason why he might have been such a valuable asset at Everton over the years, especially when considering the emphasis Moyes likes to put on that facet of the playmaking game, and indeed the aerial presence the Blues boast in the box.

While the football transfer market is an unforgiving business, with mishaps inevitable, it’s sure to be one that stings the powers that were at Everton, who watched him grow into one of the most sought-after around. Indeed, before Liverpool completed a deal for Kerkez, they were interested in signing Robinson, who was valued at a bumper £50m at the midpoint of last season.

Alas, now the hopes rest on Aznou’s shoulders, with the youngster having the chance to put all this ruefulness to bed.

Ancelotti sold Everton dud for £12m, now he's playing like Dewsbury-Hall

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is shining at Everton, although one former flop is also impressing away from Merseyside.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 18, 2025

Daniel Levy has been defended from criticism from Tottenham fans by his former player Eric Dier following his removal from the chairman position. The Lewis family, who control the club, moved to sack Levy earlier this month, handing the reins to Peter Charrington as non-executive chairman. Insiders hailed the move as the dawn of a 'new era' for Spurs.

• Boardroom revolution at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

  This changing of the guard is the latest chapter in a wave of sweeping boardroom changes. Tottenham have been in the midst of a shake-up since January, when the Lewis family ordered a full-scale review into the club’s operations. American consultancy firm Gibb River was drafted in to grill staff and identify areas for improvement. The domino effect has been relentless. Charrington joined the board in March, and by April, the club had unveiled Vinai Venkatesham as the new CEO. Long-serving executive director Donna-Maria Cullen was shown the door in June, officially departing earlier this week.

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  Bitter-sweet relationship with fans

  Levy’s reign, spanning over two decades, was always divisive. While some admired his business acumen and ambition, a significant portion of the Spurs faithful never forgave him for the lack of trophies won between 2008 and 2025. Many accused him of prioritising financial gain over footballing success, painting him as a chairman more concerned with profit margins than silverware.

• Dier goes against Spurs fans' sentiment

  Yet one man who refuses to pile on is Dier. The Spurs stalwart publicly backed Levy in the aftermath of his exit, insisting the outgoing chairman had been unfairly targeted.

  In an interview with he said: "I sent him a message after he left, because I always had a good relationship with Daniel. The way I saw it was he was always defending Tottenham’s interest, all the time, right to the tips of his fingernails. As a fan that should be appreciated, you know? If your owner is looking after your club like that.

  "Just look at what has happened to a lot of huge football clubs financially. Tottenham managed to build the best training ground in the world, best stadium, while still competing and being financially stable. For Tottenham to do that is remarkable. I don’t think anyone can argue with that."

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  Frank steadies the Spurs ship

  New manager Thomas Frank has wasted little time putting his stamp on the side. Spurs have collected three wins, a draw, and a single defeat from their opening five Premier League matches under the Dane, leaving them sitting comfortably in third place, while they also were victorious in their Champions League opener. This weekend brings a tricky clash with Wolves in the Premier League before attention shifts back to the Champions League. A showdown with Bodo/Glimt awaits, a fiery rematch of last season’s Europa League semi-final, where Spurs edged through on their way to lifting the trophy.

When Marcus Rashford was unveiled as a new Barcelona signing in August, he kept coming back to one word: discipline. For a player who had missed training after going on a drunken night out in Belfast a year ago and been forced out of Manchester United by Ruben Amorim for his lack of application, it was an intriguing theme for him to draw upon.

He appeared to be saying that he was ready for this new challenge and had put all his past misdemeanours behind him. "It's one thing to say you're motivated and determined, but these are things that you know can change day to day, depending on how you're feeling," he said. 

"But really, the thing that I bring back to my life, not just the sport, is the discipline. And, you know, discipline is something that stays regardless of whether you wake up and you don't feel like it on a given day. Discipline is the thing that keeps you going."

However, little more than a month into his loan spell at Barca, Rashford has already shown a lack of discipline after arriving late for a team meeting. 

He was only two minutes late and he is not the first Barca player to have been punished for tardiness by Hansi Flick but the infraction cost him a place in the starting line-up for Barca's game against Getafe, ruining the chance for him to kick on after his tremendous performance against Newcastle.

If Rashford is not careful, then, he risks blowing the incredible chance he has been given to revitalise his career at one of the greatest clubs in the world.

Getty Images SportNegative headlines

When most United fans read the headline 'Marcus Rashford dropped for arriving late to training', they would have reacted with a wry smile. During the previous two seasons, they grew weary of all the examples of Rashford's attitude problems. 

Even when he was in his best form during the 2022-23 campaign, he arrived late for a team meeting before facing Wolves and was dropped from the starting line-up, only to come off the bench and score the only goal.

He had prepared for that season, in which he scored 30 goals, by going on an intense strengthening and conditioning course at Nike's headquarters in Oregon. But after demonstrating that he was capable of being one of the best forwards in the world and earning one of the most lucrative contracts in United's history, he rested on his laurels again. 

He made headlines for partying in Miami during the summer of 2023. Everyone obviously deserves a holiday but it was his attitude once the season had started again that caused concern. He lacked the same explosiveness as before and often seemed to lack desire. 

He continued to provoke bad press, going to a nightclub after the derby defeat by Manchester City – which Erik ten Hag called "unacceptable". His two-night stint in Belfast in January, when he lied to the club about his whereabouts, was the nadir, provoking justifiable outrage from fans and his team-mates.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportCan't perform if lifestyle not right

He was expected to turn a corner the following season and Ten Hag referenced his not-always-professional attitude in September 2024, while expressing his belief that he was on the right path again.

He said: "I think he is on the way back. He always knew, and every player knows, when your lifestyle is not right, you can't perform. You don't get the right levels when you don't have a good and disciplined life away from Carrington. 

"He has to set his life right, his training attitude right, he has to set his match attitude right. When he sets his professionalism, he will perform because he's a class player."

Rashford should have been looking to make a big impression on Ruben Amorim when he succeeded Ten Hag in November, but despite scoring the first goal of the Portuguese's new era against Ipswich, he struggled for the rest of the game. And the coach, who had only been working with him for a couple of weeks, did not take long to hint at his attitude problem. 

"We'll try to find the right solution for him but he has to be Marcus, first of all, to try to return to that moment," said Amorim. "Then he will have all the help of the staff, the club and the fans because he is a Manchester United boy. But he has to be the first one to want it."

GettyAmorim tried something different

Rashford scored two more goals the following week against Everton but Amorim learned he had gone on a night out two nights previously, something he was very concerned about. 

When he took him off after a disappointing display against Viktoria Plzen, the coach and player barely acknowledged each other. Amorim sensationally dropped Rashford altogether for the next game, the derby at Manchester City.

Explaining his thinking a few days later, the coach appeared to say that other coaches had been too lenient with Rashford. "For so long, for example with Rash, you try a thing, it doesn't work," he said. "Let's continue to do the same thing? Or something different?"

If Amorim was hoping that making an example of Rashford would spring him back to life, he was mistaken. He said in January: "Our team should be so much better with Rashford. But he has to change. If he changes, we are more than welcome to put in a talent like Rashford and we need it. 

"In this moment, I think it’s really clear that we have to set some certain standards. We are waiting for Marcus, if he wants it really, really bad."

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Getty ImagesAn undeserved move

Rashford did get his career back on track during his loan at Aston Villa but it ended on a bad note when he got injured against Manchester City in April, missing the remainder of the season. While it was not his fault that he got injured, him going to a boxing match the very same day as Villa's FA Cup semi-final defeat by Crystal Palace did not go down well.

Given the downward trajectory his career was on, Rashford's ambition to join Barcelona was mocked. 

"I hope Rashford doesn’t get the move he’s hankering for," said former United forward Teddy Sheringham. "If you’re going from Man United to Barca, that’s a step up. But he doesn’t deserve it! You can’t deserve it if you haven’t put the hard work in."

Barcelona were initially lukewarm about signing Rashford and talks in May between sporting director Deco and the player's brother and agent Dwaine Maynard went nowhere. Barca president Joan Laporta made Nico Williams his top target, only to be let down when the Spain forward chose to sign a new contract with Athletic Club.