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Arsenal staff have been taken aback by summer signing Noni Madueke behind-the-scenes, with a twist now coming to light on the forward’s injury return timeline.

Mikel Arteta is now without star defender William Saliba once again, not to mention winger Gabriel Martinelli.

Delivering a pre-match injury update ahead of the Gunners’ Carabao Cup fourth round clash at home to Brighton on Wednesday evening, Arteta didn’t delve into too much detail on the extent of their problems, but the duo have now joined their injury list.

Saliba and Martinelli are accompanied by Gabriel Jesus, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Madueke, who are all unavailable for selection right now due to various issues.

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Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Jesus has been sidelined since the turn of the year after rupturing his ACL in an FA Cup defeat to Man United, and reports have suggested that the Brazilian may not be back in action until 2026.

Odegaard, meanwhile, is suffering real bad luck with injuries right now.

The Arsenal captain had only just returned from a shoulder problem when he set up Gabriel Magalhaes’ winner away to Newcastle, but it didn’t take long for Odegaard to be sidelined once again.

The £240,000-per-week playmaker picked up a medial collateral ligament injury in the 2-0 win over West Ham just prior to the last international break, and that is expected to keep him out until mid-November.

Luckily for Arteta, the north Londoners could soon welcome Havertz back.

The Germany international has apparently been blowing away Arsenal rehab staff with his recovery and is fighting to be fully match fit ahead of schedule, according to insider HandOfArsenal.

Now, as per GiveMeSport, nearly the exact same can be said of Madueke too.

Arsenal staff taken aback as Noni Madueke nears faster injury return

According to their information, Arsenal staff have been left impressed by Madueke’s attitude during recovery, and the England international winger is now set to return to training earlier than anticipated.

Madueke is said to be making “faster-than-expected” progress in his comeback from a knee injury which has kept him out since Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Man City.

The former PSV Eindhoven star, known for his pace, dribbling, and creativity, has been a bright prospect since joining Arsenal, and his return is expected to inject more flair and unpredictability into their front line.

Madueke’s ability to wreak havoc on defenders in one-on-one situations offers a new dimension, but also takes some pressure off Arsenal’s key forwards, with Arteta pretty light in that area right now.

His form right after joining Arsenal in the summer, despite early protests over his arrival, resulted in Madueke being considered as Andrea Berta’s arguable best signing of the window thus far.

Arsenal’s plan is for the 23-year-old to complete several controlled sessions before resuming full contact training, and he’s apparently used the time to work on other aspects of his game, like strength and conditioning.

His response to the setback has been nothing short of incredible, according to GMS, and Arteta will certainly be impressed behind-closed-doors.

Sunday's Mariners–Rangers game was a big one for Seattle star Julio Rodriguez.

The center fielder crushed his career 100th career home run, a 391-foot two-run homer off of two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom in the third inning.

But, that wasn't the biggest news of the game. This home run was Rodriguez's 20th of the season, marking his fourth consecutive season in which he's logged at least 20 homers. On top of that, Rodriguez has also tallied at least 20 stolen bases in all four of his MLB seasons. With this combination, Rodriguez officially became the first MLB player in history to start their career with four consecutive seasons of at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, per Mariners PR.

Rodriguez has 20 homers and 20 stolen bases so far this season. In his rookie year, the Mariners star logged 28 home runs and 25 stolen bases. His second season was his career-best with 32 HRs and 37 SBs and last year, Rodriguez had 20 HRs and 24 SBs. He's currently on pace to pass his totals from last season.

The itinerant batter has made a splash in three leagues and thrown his hat in the ring for more – a journey he hopes will lead to an England cap

Matt Roller16-Dec-2023It was the week that laid bare how franchise leagues have changed cricket for good. Monday: open the batting for Sharjah Warriors. Tuesday: fly to Dhaka. Wednesday: debut for Rangpur Riders. Thursday: off. Friday: second game for Rangpur. Saturday: fly to Karachi to link up with Peshawar Zalmi.”It was nice to be wanted,” laughs Tom Kohler-Cadmore, reflecting on the whistle-stop tour of South Asia that saw him represent three different teams in four matches across nine days last February. “Ideally you’d be part of a team the whole way through a tournament: in Bangladesh, I met everyone and then went, ‘Oh, bye, I’m off again.'”I just love playing cricket,” he says over a Zoom call from Abu Dhabi, the first stop on another winter overseas, which will also take him back to the UAE, Pakistan, and maybe beyond. “If there’s an opportunity to go somewhere and prove what I can do, I want to take it. The experiences you gain from playing in different conditions has helped me round my game.”It means living out of a suitcase and in hotels for much of the year. “Most tournaments are about a month. When you start to get that little bit of fatigue, you look up and you might be two games from the knockouts. Then you move to a new franchise, and there might be guys you already know and you get an energy lift… it goes by pretty quickly.”A generation ago, an uncapped 29-year-old English cricketer would have spent the off season hoping for a spot on an England A tour, or failing that, playing grade cricket in Australia. A generation before that, county contracts tended to span the six summer months: winters meant finding some form of alternative employment.”Before, you’d go and try to score a load of runs in grade cricket, or rock up in March for pre-season and hope it goes well,” Kohler-Cadmore says. “When I started, you’d be lucky to have two good overseas players sign for your county that you could learn from. It’s making me a better cricketer – and it’s an opportunity most people would die for.”He has spent the last three weeks sharing a dressing room with Andre Russell and Trent Boult, and opening the batting alongside Nicholas Pooran in the Abu Dhabi T10. “You seem to pick up little snippets in every competition you play in. You’re constantly evolving, understanding different viewpoints and adding things to your own game.”Kohler-Cadmore’s franchise, Deccan Gladiators, missed out on a third consecutive title with defeat in Sunday’s final, but he was the leading run-scorer, with over 100 runs more than his nearest competitor. Only Pooran has been more prolific in the tournament’s nascent history.Kohler-Cadmore (right) moved to Somerset from Yorkshire in 2023, where he won the T20 Blast title in his first season•Getty ImagesSeven years into its existence, T10 remains a fringe format. Most games are played to a backdrop of empty seats at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in the Abu Dhabi desert, the relationships between teams and the geographical locators in their names are tenuous, and it is difficult to pin down the market that the tournament is serving.But cricketers look forward to playing in it – and not exclusively for the pay packet. “It almost feels like you’re playing cricket as a child again: you’re just going out there and you’re just trying to hit the ball as hard and as far as you can,” Kohler-Cadmore says. “Last year I definitely took it into my T20 game. It is just that clear mind which gives you so much confidence.”I’d had a couple of T10 seasons where I’d done well and thought, ‘Hang on a minute, I’m averaging 30 and striking at over 200. Why don’t I just do that?’ It’s benefited me in other formats. When I walk out to bat, I try to simplify everything, go to my strengths and react to the ball. It clears your mind a little bit.”Batting with Pooran has informed that simplicity. “The rest of the West Indies power-hitters are all six-plus feet and hit the ball miles. Nicky’s not as stacked but his swing is the purest I’ve seen. If you bowl near his hip, it’s six over square leg; if you bowl outside off, he whacks you over extra cover; if you’re a bit short, he carves you over point.”The itinerant nature of Kohler-Cadmore’s winters – he hopes that the next few weeks might bring a replacement deal in the Big Bash, and has put himself forward for Tuesday’s IPL auction – stands in stark contrast to his new life in Somerset. He moved southwest last winter after leaving Yorkshire, and won the T20 Blast in his first full season with the club.”Taunton is quiet at the best of times, but it’s lovely down there and the boys make it a really special place. You spend so much time together that they become your best mates, not just work colleagues. Ever since I was at Worcestershire, Finals Day was such a big thing… winning the Blast was definitely the highlight of my career so far.”England have noticed Kohler-Cadmore’s form – both at home and overseas – and he was a late call-up to the second-string ODI squad that faced Ireland in September, though he remains uncapped. “It’s my dream to play for England,” he says. “I’ll do anything I can to keep trying to push my case.”At 29, he would be relatively old by the standards of most international debutants. “You want to be ready to perform. Instead of being a young, talented player but not really sure of everything, I’m in a good place that if I did get a call, I’d be ready to go and actually make an impact straight away; I would fully expect myself to be a match-winner.”

While no official decision has been made, it is understood that the selectors are mulling changes

Andrew Fidel Fernando26-Nov-2025Sri Lanka may sack T20 captain Charith Asalanka two months out from a home World Cup. Chief selector Upul Tharanga insisted no decision over the captaincy had yet been made, but did confirm that the selectors were mulling changes.According to Tharanga, Asalanka’s poor form in T20Is has prompted this re-evaluation. That Asalanka was sent home ahead of the ongoing tri-series in Pakistan was only due to illness, or so at least team management has claimed. In any case, it is possible he has captained his last T20 match for Sri Lanka.”We have to weigh our best options after this series,” said Tharanga, when asked whether the selectors were considering a change in captaincy. “With a World Cup so close we can’t make a lot of big changes. The selectors, after talking to the coach, will have to make a decision on what’s best for the team.”Related

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Tharanga indicated that the selectors had been mulling a change to the leadership even before the ongoing tour of Pakistan, which is why they had appointed Dasun Shanaka – who has captained Sri Lanka before – vice-captain for the tour. “That was to give us another option,” Tharanga said.Still, no firm decision has been made, he said.”Still Charith is our captain. It’s because of an illness to Charith that we appointed Dasun as our stand-in captain. Charith is still the captain in our plans. We haven’t made a decision to change that. We’ve planned all along for Charith to captain this World Cup. We’ll see what happens. We haven’t made a decision about that yet.”Charith hasn’t been among the runs in T20s, and because of an illness he was forced to return home, unfortunately.”Asalanka had never quite established himself as a reliable T20I batter, with a strike rate of 126 across 68 innings. He’s been modest in 2025 too, having scored only 156 runs in 12 innings this year, with a strike rate of 122. Sri Lanka have won 11 and lost 14 matches under Asalanka’s captaincy.Still, his return from Pakistan ahead of the tri-series serious prompted speculation in local media. One theory suggested Asalanka had been among the players who opposed remaining in Pakistan following a suicide bombing in Islamabad, and that his being sent home was punishment for voicing opinions that ran counter to board wishes. As the tri-series runs for two weeks, teams would generally keep a player in the squad until they make a recovery, especially if that player is captain.Tharanga said it was illness that forced the selectors’ hand.”He had a viral fever, and he had body aches,” Tharanga said of Asalanka. “The physio told us that it’s hard for him to predict when Charith would get better, and that’s why we had to make that decision.”We’ve also had a problem in the middle order, and we’ve not been consistent there. If he couldn’t play, we needed to have someone else there. That’s why we brought Charith to Sri Lanka.”Tharanga envisioned Asalanka playing a role in Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign with the bat.”Charith is a very talented cricketer, with a lot of experience. I’m sure he’ll be an important cricketer for Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup. We’ve seen what he can do in the middle order, where sometimes he’s won games by himself. He’s in our World Cup plans.”

Chelsea endured a horrible evening at Elland Road, as they fell 3-1 to Leeds United. The Blues were played off the park in the first half as Jakob Bijol's header and Ao Tanaka's long range effort gave the hosts a deserved lead at the break. While Pedro Neto pegged one back for the visitors, their misery was compounded by a calamitous Tosin Adaraboiyo mistake in the build-up to Dominic Calvert-Lewin's tap in.

The Blues were under the pump from the opening whistle at Elland Road, as Leeds threw bodies forwards on a series of set pieces. Daniel Farke's side fashioned five attempts at the Chelsea goal in the opening five minutes, and that pressure told as Bijol thundered home Anton Stach's in-swinging corner to give the Whites a well deserved early lead. 

Chelsea started to dominate possession with little tangible threat going forward, as they were unable to break down Leeds' resolute back five. Far too often the back three of Tosin, Trevoh Chalobah and Benoit Badiashile were left to aimlessly shift the ball between them, as Chelsea's midfielders either appeared unwilling or unable to get hold of the ball. 

Just as it appeared the game would meander towards the break, a sideways pass deep in his own half by Tosin left Enzo Fernandez under pressure. The Argentinian was promptly dispossesed, allowing Jayden Bogle to slide the ball into Tanaka, and the Japan midfielder unleashed a thunderbolt into the top corner of Robert Sanchez's goal from all of 25 yards.

Enzo Maresca was proactive at the half, bringing on Malo Gusto and Neto in a new-look right flank for the Blues. It proved effective, as the Portuguese powered home a Jamie Gittens cross in the 49th minute. 

Again, as it seemed Chelsea had weathered Leeds' relentless efforts, they brought more misery upon themselves. Tosin dithered on the ball in his own box, allowing Noah Okafor to charge him down, and as the ball skewed across the six-yard box, the Leeds striker slid in to challenge the sprawling Sanchez. However, he could do nothing to stop Calvert-Lewin tapping home from two yards out. 

Given the dedicated and hardy performance Chelsea offered in their top-of-the-table clash against Arsenal on Sunday, the lack of physicality and nous in this torrid display will come as a galling reminder that Maresca's side are far too flaky in defence to mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title. They now sit nine points back of the Gunners in fourth. 

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Elland Road…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

Robert Sanchez (5/10):

Little he could do about either goal in the first half. Made one sharp stop from a Calvert-Lewin volley in the opening moments of the second half, was left stranded for by Tosin's mistake for the third goal, but he could have been stronger in the challenge with Nmecha. 

Trevoh Chalobah (4/10):

Heroic block to deny Stach in the opening moments. The cross for Bijol's opener was in his area, but the opposing centre-back had a running start on him. 

Tosin Adarabioyo (2/10):

Spent most of the first half shuttling the ball between his fellow defenders. Put Fernandez under pressure with an unwanted square pass back into danger ahead of Tanaka's goal, then got robbed by Nmecha for the third. A night to forget. 

Benoit Badiashile (4/10):

Unsure on the ball. Given a tough test by Calvert-Lewin's runs down the channels in the opening quarter. Pulled at half-time. 

Marc Cucurella (4/10):

Given the license to roam freely in possession, even popping up in an inside right position on a couple of occasions. Was more effective in the second half as he stuck to the left side of the pitch. 

AdvertisementAFPMidfield

Andrey Santos (5/10):

Looked unsure if he should drop back into his back three to pick up the ball, or offer an option in midfield. Still, he was more willing than most to try and progress the ball. 

Enzo Fernandez (3/10):

Caught in possession in the buildup to Tanaka's goal. His normally dependable touch let him down repeatedly in tight areas, affecting his desire to go and take control of the game. Looked rattled at times. 

Joao Pedro (4/10):

Largely anonymous in the first half, and sloppy on the ball when he did find pockets of space. Put Delap through on goal late in the opening period.

Getty Images SportAttack

Estevao (3/10):

Tried to be direct but did not find much joy. Ended a frustrating first half by blatantly chopping down Gudmundsson. Given the hook at the break. 

Liam Delap (4/10):

Did not appear to have much understanding with Pedro, until the Brazilian picked out his run on the 30-minute mark. A bystander for most of the first 45 minutes. Blazed a snapshot over the bar before departing on the hour. 

Jamie Gittens (5/10):

Very wasteful in the first half, losing the ball while dribbling or delivering aimless crosses. Was far more direct to set up Neto's goal, taking on his man and delivering a tantalising cross across the six-yard box. 

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Malo Gusto (5/10):

Brought on to provide an outlet but almost allowed a Nmecha goal straight after the break as he failed to track the forward's run. Some hairy moments on the ball, but the change in shape he brought was undoubtedly a positive for the Blues. 

Pedro Neto (7/10):

Instant impact as the Portuguese crashed home with more or less his first touch. 

Cole Palmer (5/10):

Could not wrap his foot around the ball to nab the equaliser just moments before Leeds third. Hardly the return he would have hoped for after a couple of months on the shelf. 

Alejandro Garnacho (6/10):

Set Palmer up on a plate after skinning his man. 

Marc Guiu (5/10):

Brought on for more attacking ballast in the final 15 minutes. One header skewed well over the bar. Little else to report. 

Enzo Maresca (4/10):

This was a performance reminiscent of Chelsea in the middle of last season; laboured in possession and lacking in industry. After such a titanic effort with 10 men against Arsenal, this was a bitterly disappointing showing from a side that looked unsure of how their manager wanted them to play. 

Continuing their manager search, Rangers have now reportedly made contact with a former Chelsea manager in the hope of filling their vacant role in the Ibrox dugout.

Why Gerrard rejected Rangers

Steven Gerrard’s return was one that many were ready to welcome with open arms. All was about to be forgiven for his decision to leave for Aston Villa in 2021, before he rejected the 49ers in an unexpected twist. The Liverpool legend was left unconvinced by the new owners and, in the end, believed that it was the wrong time for him to make a return.

Many have had their say on Gerrard’s rejection, including Rangers legend Ally McCoist. The former Ibrox star believes that the 49ers failed to sell the job to the 45-year-old at the interview stage.

It’s taken the 49ers and sporting director Kevin Thelwell back to the drawing board, but as the return of domestic football from the international break edges closer, they’re yet to solve their managerial problem.

Names such as Danny Rohl and former Young Boys manager Raphael Wicky have both been mentioned as reported candidates, yet it remains to be seen which direction the Gers head towards.

Rohl arguably stands out as the exciting candidate. The former Sheffield Wednesday boss is just 36 years old and is primed to become one of the brightest young managers around.

Alas, at this stage of the 49ers’ project, it’s difficult to see a world in which a young manager can arrive and instantly make their mark. Instead, they may be better off turning towards a former Premier League manager.

Rangers make contact with Graham Potter

As reported by The Daily Record, Rangers have now made contact with Graham Potter about taking the vacant job at Ibrox. The 50-year-old was recently sacked by West Ham United following a spell to forget at the London Stadium and desperately needs his next role to go right to get his career back on track.

With that said, reports have suggested that Potter is unlikely to take the Rangers job. A move to Ibrox represents quite the risk for a manager who can’t afford to get things wrong for the third time in a row.

For any doubters, including those at Rangers, it’s worth remembering just how highly rated Potter was at both Swansea City and Brighton & Hove Albion. He transformed the Seagulls, setting up the foundations for Roberto De Zerbi and now Fabian Hurzeler to build on.

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Brighton chief Tony Bloom knew exactly what he was getting too, having praised Potter from the very off. He told reporters: “Once we’d made a decision to get a new manager in, quite quickly Graham became the outstanding candidate.

“He’s an excellent coach who did a superb job at Swansea in difficult circumstances. Sometimes not making a decision or going for a more obvious choice is a bigger gamble. I have no doubt that Graham is the right choice for this club at this particular time.”

The offspinner picked up a five-for as England lost seven wickets for 28 runs and conceded a 292-run advantage to India

S Sudarshanan15-Dec-2023It was not a wicket ball but everybody gathered around short leg. It was the fifth over of England’s innings and Jemimah Rodrigues, under the lid, had intercepted a flick off Tammy Beaumont.India were in high spirits having posted 428 in their first women’s Test innings at home in nine years and then had seen the back of opener Sophia Dunkley early. The close-in fielders cheering the bowler after each delivery was clearly audible at the sparsely-filled DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai. So much so, that watching from the stands, the celebration after that Rodrigues effort made you wonder if a wicket fell.England play Tests often than India do. It is their 100th outing in the format as opposed to India’s 39th. And so, despite India’s spirited efforts on the field, the tourists chugged along to 108 for 3 after 25 overs. One of the wickets was the result of a rush of blood, when Beaumont tried to take on Pooja Vastrakar’s arm and was run-out.Related

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India walked out to the field with a clear strategy – to have a seamer and a spinner operate in tandem – which is why Renuka Singh, on debut, shared the new ball with offspinner Sneh Rana, who extracted enough bounce from the surface. Soon after, it was the pairing of Vastrakar and Rajeshwari Gayadwad that was called in.With England scoring at close to four and a half runs an over – India had scored at over four per over through their innings – Deepti Sharma was brought on for the 26th. She had only managed to add seven runs to her overnight score of 60, when India folded inside 36 minutes in the first session.Deepti was on the board with her second ball – getting Danni Wyatt caught at short leg via the inside edge. For the next hour or so, it would be a routine – batters walking in and out of the dressing room with a dismissal against spin to their names.”When I was standing at slip, I was trying to see what the bowler could do and what we could add on to get wickets,” Deepti said after stumps. “I ended up doing that when I came on to bowl.”I was waiting for my chance to bowl and when I did, I enjoyed myself. The wicket was helping the spinners a fair bit today. So I think it was a positive sign for us to extract more from the surface and the turn we were getting.”Sciver-Brunt, crossing fifty for the fifth time in Tests, and Amy Jones used the sweep and other on-side shots which seemed like a solution briefly. But once Jones fell in strange circumstances – her pull deflected off Smriti Mandhana’s helmet at short leg to Shafali Verma at leg slip – the writing was on the wall. Two balls later, Sophie Ecclestone was done in by the low bounce and was bowled.The fatigue of being in the Navi Mumbai heat for over 100 overs was starting to creep in.Rana then struck a telling blow, getting a length ball well outside off to turn back in sharply and beat Sciver-Brunt’s attempted cut. The proverbial wall had fallen – 59 off 70 balls with ten fours and a control percentage of 75.”We handled pressure well, especially when Beaumont and Sciver-Brunt began to stabilise,” Deepti said. “We took it over by over and did well to maintain control. During the lunch break, we noticed patches on the wicket and my idea was to bowl into those patches which would give us some assistance.”Charlie Dean, Kate Cross and Lauren Filer didn’t last long – with the last wicket giving Deepti her first five-wicket haul in Tests. It took only 5.3 overs, the least for a five-for in women’s Tests. In ten overs since Deepti was brought on, England capitulated to 28 for 7 and conceded a massive 292-run advantage to India.On a surface starting to show its true colours – and with India not enforcing the follow-on – the spinners left England with a monumental task in the fourth innings.

Rafael Devers's discontentment with the Boston Red Sox front office began in the spring, when the club asked him to move from third base to designated hitter in the wake of signing Alex Bregman. Devers acquiesced, and things seemed to be in a better place until May. The club again asked him to take up a new position, first base, following the season-ending injury to Triston Casas.

And as it turns out, the Red Sox' second ask of Devers wasn't the only thing that apparently upset the star slugger before his surprising trade to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. Red Sox rookie Kristian Campbell, who has spent most of his time at second base, apparently volunteered to play first base following the injury to Casas, a move that upset Devers, sources told Joon Lee of Yahoo! Sports.

According to Lee, Devers took Campbell's offer not as a team-first move by a young player, but as a "slight to his own stature."

In a series of public comments in which he was openly critical of the Red Sox front office, Devers in May had this to say about Boston's Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow.

"I just feel like it's not an appropriate decision by them to ask me to play another position," Devers said at the time. "It was the GM that I spoke with. I'm not sure what he has with me. He played ball and I would like to think he knows that changing positions like that isn't easy."

Some veteran Red Sox players reportedly took exception to the way that Devers handled the situation publicly. Clearly, a disconnect between Devers and the front office played a role in the surprising trade. But it seems that there was also a disconnect between Devers and the Red Sox players.

A shocking stat has suggested that Chelsea have no chance of beating Arsenal in the Premier League title showdown. The Blues arrive at the Emirates on Sunday with an opportunity to cut Arsenal’s lead at the Premier League summit, but history and numbers paint a grim picture for Enzo Maresca’s resurgent side, who have only beaten their rivals once in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge in the last seven years.

A high-stakes London derby framed by bleak statistics

The Blues have climbed into second place after stitching together three consecutive league wins, yet they remain six points behind a near-faultless Arsenal team who have dropped points only twice all season. Mikel Arteta’s side have recorded 14 victories and two draws in their last 16 matches, a run of form that would intimidate anyone, let alone a Chelsea team seeking only their second win over Arsenal in seven years at Stamford Bridge. However, one headline stat is damning as Chelsea have won just one of their last 11 Premier League meetings with Arsenal. For a fixture that once swung like a pendulum, the balance has tipped dramatically in one direction and refuses to budge back.

AdvertisementAFPThe derby dominance that should terrify Chelsea

Arsenal’s record in London derbies under Arteta has reached staggering levels. Since the beginning of the 2022-23 campaign, they have lost only three derbies in the league, and just one away from home, at Fulham nearly two years ago. They have swept all four derby fixtures this season, including last weekend’s dismantling of Tottenham. This will be the fifth time Arsenal have faced Chelsea while sitting top of the table. The Gunners won the previous four in 2003, 2004, 2007 and most recently in the 5-0 demolition at Stamford Bridge in April 2024. Hence, the trend is unmistakable. Chelsea once made the Bridge a nightmare for Arsenal, beating them six times in seven visits between 2013 and 2018. But Marcos Alonso’s winner in 2018 marks the last time the Blues claimed three points at home against their London rivals. Since then, Arsenal have built a remarkable unbeaten run of six league games at Stamford Bridge, three wins and three draws. For a side looking to mount a title challenge, Chelsea must shatter a curse that has hardened over nearly a decade.

Arteta praises Chelsea, but refuses to declare them contenders

Arteta suffered his first defeat as Arsenal manager against Chelsea in December 2019, just days into the job. Since then, he has turned the London rivalry on its head. He has won seven of the last 11 meetings, boasting a 58.3 per cent win rate that stands behind only Pep Guardiola and Kenny Dalglish among managers who have faced Chelsea at least ten times.

Asked whether Chelsea deserve to be considered genuine title rivals, Arteta chose diplomacy over provocation.

The Spanish manager said: "I think we are all there, and they are there because they fully deserve what they have done in the last few years. I think the squad that they assembled, the numbers that they have, the quality that they have, the number of coaches they have it makes sense that what is happening there is very, very positive and they deserve to be there."

When asked if he still views Chelsea as the league's best attacking force, he replied: "They were [the best last season], the sample now this season is early, so it's difficult to say. But it is one of the teams that I enjoy the most watching and they have a lot of fluidity, they have a lot of threat, they have a lot of individual talent, they are very clear what they want to do and that's why they are very tough."

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(C)Getty ImagesArsenal’s star men carry a psychological edge

Chelsea supporters may cling to hope that Martin Odegaard, the man who has tormented them more than any other, misses out through injury on Sunday. The Norwegian has seven goal contributions in eight league matches against Chelsea and, remarkably, has never lost a Premier League game to them. Gabriel Magalhães shares that unbeaten streak, and only Patrick Vieira, who faced Chelsea ten times without defeat, boasts a longer run in the division. Meanwhile, Leandro Trossard remains another Arsenal weapon sharpened specifically for this fixture. The Belgian has scored four Premier League goals against Chelsea, and another on Sunday would make him only the fifth Belgian to reach 50 goals in the competition. 

India captain says “If we want to win the match, then never mind the combination”

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-20254:23

Suryakumar: ‘I am in a good space, runs will come eventually’

India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav agreed that selecting a squad of 15 can sometimes gets challenging, with multiple options in the race for one slot, but said that the players understand the team’s needs and have their focus on one simple goal: to help India win matches.”It’s a good headache to have so many options, [whether] fast bowlers, [or] spinners,” Suryakumar said ahead of the first T20I against Australia in Canberra. “From the top to No. 7, everyone is flexible; anyone can bat anywhere. It is a little difficult during squad selection, but in this team, the atmosphere is such that everyone knows that the goal is to win.”If we want to win the match, then never mind the combination. So, even if someone has done well in the last two matches, but he is not fitting in the combination for the next game – for example, if we want to play an extra spinner or play an allrounder instead of a fast bowler – the player understands. We have reached that situation.”Related

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Suryakumar jokingly suggested that he maintains “a good friendship with everyone”, making it easier to tell them when they are not playing. But he has asked all 15 members of the squad to be ready at all times.”See, only 11 people can play, 15 cannot play, but according to me, anyone can get an opportunity at any time,” he said. “In the Asia Cup, Rinku Singh did not get the opportunity till the final, but he got a chance at such a time, when he needed 3-4 runs to win [the match] and he hit the boundary. I keep telling everyone to keep preparing and you never know when your opportunity can come. It can come in an important game; anything can happen.”Suryakumar was also glad to have Jasprit Bumrah back in the India squad after the fast bowler was rested for the ODI series and expected him to be the “guy who will take charge” against Australia, particularly in the powerplay.”As you saw in the Asia Cup, he took the responsibility of bowling two overs minimum in the powerplay,” Suryakumar said, “It is good that he is raising his hand. It is going to be a good challenge against the Aussie team in the powerplay.”The way he has played his cricket for the last so many years, he has kept himself right on the top, and he knows how to prepare for a good series. He knows how to come and play cricket here. I think he has visited this country the most of all the guys. So all of them have spoken to him. He is very open and very helpful in that, but yeah definitely when he takes the ground, starting from tomorrow, it will be a good thing. Good to have him in the squad, when we play in Australia.”Jasprit Bumrah will make a return to the India squad•Getty ImagesIndia haven’t had recent success in Australia. They lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 3-1 in December-January and then went down in the ODI series 2-1 earlier this month. But Suryakumar doesn’t feel the recent losses will have any bearing on the T20I series, particularly considering India’s form, having lost just two of their last 15 T20Is.”According to me, it’s a different format,” he said. “The team is the same, but the format is almost different: Test, one-day and T20. And [as for] the brand of T20, we will continue playing the brand of cricket that we have been playing. There is no need to change anything and according to me, there are always challenging conditions, when you go to Australia, England, South Africa, [or] New Zealand. There is challenging cricket in all these countries, but at the same time, how you adapt to it and how you think about how to play shots, how to make runs.”I think it is non-negotiable at this level, you do your preparation and come. I feel it’s a good thing, good challenge to have going forward and we are playing five T20s, so I think it will be more fun.”Suryakumar Yadav has not scored a half-century in his last 14 innings•AFP/Getty ImagesSuryakumar’s own form has been under scrutiny. He had a lukewarm Asia Cup 2025, managing just 72 runs in seven innings at an average of 18.00. The 35-year-old, however, isn’t fussed about his form as long as India keep winning.”I feel I have been working really hard,” he said. “I have had good few sessions back home, good two to three sessions here, so I am in a good space. I think that is really important… runs, it will come eventually but I think working hard towards the team goal, it’s more important what team wants from you in different situations. I take one game at a time and if it starts then I think it will be a good thing.”The one area where India have struggled in recent times has been their fielding. They were guilty of dropping many chances in the Asia Cup, and while Suryakumar reckons that fielding lapses are a part of the game, he wants the team to give the fielding department special attention.”See, catches do get dropped,” he said. “As a fielder, when you attempt a catch, sometimes you spill it. A batter gets dismissed, a bowler at times doesn’t get wickets. This is a part of the game. But, according to me, what you do after that is important. It was an optional session today, but everyone came to work on their fielding.”That means the team is working towards something really special. This is a department which I have told them we have to work really hard if we want to be the best fielding unit in the world. You have seen teams taking good catches, saving runs… they win matches through their fielding.”Sometimes the batting and bowling go awry, but you can also win matches through fielding. We are working hard. But there is no guarantee that if you take 25 catches today, then you won’t drop one tomorrow. You can drop, it’s part of the game but how much you want the ball to come to you, how much intent and opportunity you create, that is important for me. If someone drops a catch, it’s not a problem. There is disappointment, but at the same time, if you put in the effort, then there’s no problem.”