Santiago Giménez’s future at AC Milan has become increasingly uncertain, even though his contract runs through 2029. Local reports suggest the Mexican striker may be nearing the end of his spell at San Siro, drawing interest from several clubs across Europe – including a surprising contender in the Premier League with Sunderland.
Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has confirmed that Issa Kabore suffered a serious hamstring injury while on international duty with Burkina Faso. Kabore will now spend time with parent club Manchester City to have treatment, and Wrexham have been informed of how long they can realistically expect him to be out.
Injury blow for Championship new boys
The injury came during Burkina Faso’s friendly with Benin, which the Les Etalons won 3-0 and the update on Kabore represents a massive blow for Parkinson, who has selected the wing-back in each of Wrexham's last ten matches. Kabore has played a key role in Wrexham's impressive start to their first season in the Championship since 1982. Parkinson will be cursing his luck after Burkina Faso arranged two friendlies after failing to qualify for the World Cup in controversial circumstances.
The West African nation's hopes of playing in the USA, Canada and Mexico ended following Eritrea's withdrawal, which meant points and goals from games against the bottom-placed team in each qualifying group were voided to ensure fairness. But this cost Burkina Faso six points from their wins over Djibouti, while Nigeria only forfeited two from their draws with Zimbabwe. Nigeria ultimately advanced to the playoffs on a better goal difference after both teams finished with 15 points.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportParkinson: 'We'll get him back'
Parkinson said: "It is really unfortunate for Issa. He's obviously playing well and it looks like it is going to be at least a six-week injury. When I got the call over the break that Issa was injured, obviously it wasn't the best call to take from (physio) Kevin Mulholland. But it's always that risk when players are travelling long distances and playing, they can get an injury, and I'm sure there are other teams who will have lost players through this international break."
The Wrexham boss added: "Issa's been a great character to have with us and we'll get him back. It will be a combination of treatment from Manchester City, because he lives close to the training ground, and with us as well. Obviously, the Africa Cup of Nations is coming up as well. I've watched a couple of games and Issa seems to be one of the important players, but obviously he's got to be fit and that's going to be touch and go."
Premier League ambitions for Red Dragons
While there is still a long way to go this season, another 31 matches over the next six months, Wrexham's senior management team remain clear in their number one target: securing Premier League football. And this week CEO Michael Williamson explained why co-owners and Hollywood superstars Ryan Reynolds, Rob Mac and the rest of the club's board are already planning for life in the top flight.
Williamson said: "I felt if we were in that kind of position in the table, that if we gave ourselves a chance to make a run for a play-off spot and then ultimately if we were in the play-offs, with the momentum we have and the mentality that this group has and the mentality that our supporters have, I know we haven't done historically well in play-offs but I felt that this was one of those situations where I wouldn't put anything by us.
"The objective was to be competitive and to show that we could go toe-to-toe with any club in the Championship and so far this season, that's what you've seen. In fact, I'd argue that you could see us with several more points if you look at some of the matches where we've had leads that we've given it up for a draw or even starting from the very first one at Southampton where we gave up a goal in the 89th and the 95th minute to lose three points or even one point there.
"I think we could definitely be higher in the table than we are today but the important part is that we've shown that it doesn't matter which club we're playing against in this league, we can go to toe-to-toe with anyone and come out ahead of it. From my perspective now, how do we build on and off the pitch to prepare ourselves for when that time comes that we do arrive to the Premier League? It's ultimately our objective, I think everyone is clear of that by now."
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Growing club with a big "heart"
Reynolds has recently praised his club’s "heart" following the impressive 1-0 win over Charlton Athletic. Josh Windass’ penalty extended the Red Dragons' unbeaten run to five matches and lifted them to 13th in the Championship, with 21 points from 15 matches, just four points off the play-off spots.
Former England star Stuart Pearce has pinpointed Tottenham Hotspur’s “weakness” after spotting what Cristian Romero did against Manchester United in a “horrific” display.
The Argentina international could only watch on with the rest of Spurs’ backline when Amad Diallo’s floated cross found the head of Bryan Mbeumo, who made no mistake. It summed up a frustrating first-half for Thomas Frank’s side, who were once again blunt going forward. Any progress made in 4-0 mauling of Copenhagen seemed to disappear on the Premier League stage.
Frank must never start £130k-per-week Spurs duo together ever again
Tottenham ended up drawing a frenetic Premier League clash against Manchester United this weekend.
ByAngus Sinclair Nov 9, 2025
Unlike against Chelsea last weekend, however, Spurs fought back against Man United and substitute Mathys Tel soon had them level. Setting up a grandstand finish in the 84th minute, the young forward wheeled away in celebration before Richarlison thought he had stolen all three points seven minutes later.
In a familiar sight, the Brazilian ripped his shirt off in belief that he had headed home a dramatic winner, only for Man United’s Matthijs de Ligt to have the final say by scoring a last-gasp equaliser. From a dull first-half, North London was treated to a frantic, entertaining affair.
Whilst complaints have been made about Spurs’ attack in recent weeks, it was their defence that was found wanting this time around as they continued a run of just one win in their last four games.
Frank spoke about the dramatic draw, telling reporters: Thomas: “I saw this game as one game ahead of us, to try to do everything we could to try to win it. That was the aim. I spoke before the game about it’s clear they have improved this season.
“They look, how can you say, more in sync together, especially going forward they look like a big threat. That’s why I actually think, I know we conceded two goals, but if you said to me before the game you concede five shots, I would take that. So we’re all happy.”
The Dane chose to take the positives, but ex-England star Pearce wasn’t so kind and shared exactly where he thinks Spurs’ “weakness” is coming from after the draw.
Pearce pinpoints Tottenham "weakness" in "horrific" Romero display
Speaking on talkSPORT, Pearce told Tottenham that Romero is their biggest “weakness” after a performance against Man United that he described as “horrific”. The former England man was particularly unhappy that the Spurs defender lost possession in midfield before failing to make a recovery run on Saturday afternoon.
With Arsenal up next in the North London derby, Romero must get back to his best and help Spurs end a recent run which has featured just one win in their last four games in all competitions.
Frank things two Tottenham stars are "expendable" with January exit on the cards
Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz was substituted against Manchester City after another torrid performance from both the Germany international and his teammates.
Pep Guardiola celebrated his 1,000th game as a manager with a convincing win over an old rival as Manchester City overpowered Liverpool 3-0 on Sunday. Typically Erling Haaland was on the scoresheet, opening the scoring for a dominant City side at the Etihad Stadium with his 99th Premier League goal after missing an earlier penalty.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk had an equaliser controversially disallowed, but the champions were second best for much of a sodden afternoon and fell further behind to a deflected Nico Gonzalez strike before the break.
The outstanding Jeremy Doku, who tormented Liverpool right-back Conor Bradley, added a sublime third on his 100th appearance for the club. Victory lifted City back up to second in the table and within four points of leaders Arsenal, and condemned Liverpool to yet more soul-searching.
Arne Slot’s side had emerged from a recent slump with impressive back-to-back wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid, but the defeat was their fifth in six league games and left them eight points adrift of the Gunners. During the game, City fans made a point of criticising one particular Liverpool player as he was withdrawn from the match.
Though they would spend more on Alexander Isak just weeks later, Liverpool broke the British transfer record when they signed Florian Wirtz for £116 million in the summer. Much has since been said about the German, who has struggled to swiftly adapt to English football.
Across all competitions, not including the Community Shield, Wirtz has racked up no goals and two assists in 14 games, hardly the return expected by a player who commanded such a transfer fee. Due to his form, questions have been asked about Wirtz’s position in the first team.
Against Man City, Wirtz’s Premier League struggles continued. The German was replaced by Federico Chiesa in the 83rd minute and as per Adam Bate of Sky Sports, was serenaded by the home support.
|
Florian Wirtz Against Manchester City |
|
|---|---|
|
Minutes Played |
83′ |
|
Goals |
0 |
|
Assists |
0 |
|
Key Passes |
0 |
|
Shots on Target |
0 |
|
Total Shots (Shots Blocked) |
2 (2) |
|
Accurate Passes in Opposition Half |
11/16 (69%) |
|
(All stats are from SofaScore) |
|
Given the money spent across the summer, there is little excuse for Liverpool’s form throughout the 2025/26 season. Wirtz, however, similar to fellow new arrival Isak, has yet to showcase anything that represents the fee that was paid for him. The German midfielder is still, of course, in the infancy of his Liverpool career, but it is apparent that he needs to quickly find a vein of form on Merseyside.
West Ham are braced for an all-important January transfer window that may well define Nuno Espírito Santo’s first season in charge, with David Sullivan, Karren Brady and the Hammers board poised to back their new manager.
Following back-to-back Premier League wins and the first time they’ve won two straight home games since 2024, things are finally starting to click into gear for Nuno.
The Portuguese tinkered heavily with his first West Ham starting line-ups before finally discovering a winning formula against both Newcastle and Burnley, with Nuno naming an unchanged side for both matches as the east Londoners secured vital victories.
However, West Ham reportedly have no intention of resting on their laurels, and credible reports suggest that Nuno has been told they have a transfer budget to spend in the winter (Sky Sports).
Sunderland 3-0 West Ham
West Ham 1-5 Chelsea
Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham
West Ham 0-3 Tottenham
West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace
Everton 1-1 West Ham
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
West Ham 0-2 Brentford
Leeds 2-1 West Ham
West Ham 3-1 Newcastle
West Ham 3-2 Burnley
Niclas Füllkrug’s damning injury record and lacklustre spell at the London Stadium is paving the way for him to leave in January, and it is believed that West Ham are actively targeting a striker to potentially replace the German.
While Callum Wilson has done well in West Ham’s last two games, even getting on the scoresheet against Burnley, Nuno won’t be too comfortable relying on the 33-year-old given his own torrid fitness record.
West Ham also want a new defender, and potentially a midfielder if they can manage it (Sky Sports), but it is worth noting that they won’t have a bottomless pit of cash for January either, according to journalist Dean Jones.
The potential sales of Fullkrug, Guido Rodriguez and James Ward-Prowse could be crucial when it comes to raising funds, with all three players linked to the West Ham exit door and seemingly not part of Nuno’s long-term plans.
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, in an interview with Hammers News, they could also make the surprise decision to sell another squad member who’s only just arrived.
West Ham now ready to sell summer signing Mads Hermansen
Goalkeeper Mads Hermansen swapped Leicester for the London Stadium in a £20 million deal last summer, putting pen to paper on a five-year deal in August, but the Dane has since lost his place in the starting eleven to Alphonse Areola.
He started West Ham’s first four games of the season, conceding 11 league goals in total, with Areola seizing the number one spot back and West Ham now pondering a shock January call.
According to Bailey, West Ham are ready to cash in on Hermansen if the opportunity arises, but could also send him out on loan to get minutes elsewhere before returning.
If the 25-year-old were to leave permanently already, it would mark one of the shortest stints of any new West Ham player in recent memory, but would it be the right move?
Hermansen’s had just four games to showcase his worth in a turbulent side who seem likely to be battling relegation, and the shot-stopper is still very young in goalkeeping years. His prime is still to come, and goalkeeping coaches like Casper Ankergren have revered the former Leicester star as a serious talent between the sticks.
Wolverhampton Wanderers are on the verge of appointing their successor to Vitor Pereira as Rob Edwards closes in on a move from Championship side Middlesbrough.
The EFL outfit have already confirmed that their head coach is in talks with the Premier League club over a switch to Molineux, and he did not take charge of their match at the weekend.
It has been reported that he has agreed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Wolves, who are set to pay a fee of around £3m in compensation for the former Luton boss.
The biggest changes Rob Edwards needs to make at Wolves
It is fair to say that Edwards will have plenty of work to do when he gets his feet under the desk at the training ground, as the Old Gold are bottom of the Premier League with no wins after 11 matches.
Per FBref, Wolves are 18th in the division for xG created (9.6) and 20th for goals scored (seven), which shows that the new boss will have to find a way for the team to create more chances and score more goals.
On top of that, the club’s goalkeepers currently rank 20th in the league for post-shot xG minus goals conceded (-4.3). This means that Jose Sa and Sam Johnstone have combined to be the worst two shot-stoppers out of the 20 teams.
Edwards could address both of those problems by switching formations and making two key signings when the January transfer window officially opens for business.
The dream Wolves XI Rob Edwards could build in January
The English tactician played a 4-2-3-1 formation in four of his last five matches at Middlesbrough, per FBref, whilst Wolves have played with three or five at the back in eight of their 11 games, and have not played a 4-2-3-1 at all.
Moving from a formation with five defenders to four could provide the team with more chances to create opportunities at the top end of the pitch, by getting more attacking players in the team in the 4-2-3-1 system.
It will take more than a change in shape to turn the tide, though, and one signing that could make a lot of sense is Hayden Hackney. It was reported in the summer that the club were willing to splash £30m on the England U21 international.
The central midfielder has produced eight goals and five assists in the Championship since the start of last season, per Sofascore, and could add an attacking threat to Wolves’ midfield, playing at the base alongside Andre.
Bringing the English youngster in for £30m in January would provide Edwards with more attacking quality and creativity, as well as a player who already knows his system and way of working, having played under him for Boro.
Another signing that could turn the club’s season around is Lazio goalkeeper Christos Mandas, who is a reported £25m target, as he could solve the shot-stopping issues that Wolves have had.
GK
Christos Mandas
RB
Jackson Tchatchoua
CB
Ladislav Krejčí
CB
Toti Gomes
LB
Hugo Bueno
CM
Andre
CM
Hayden Hackney
RM
Jhon Arias
AM
Joao Gomes
LM
Hee-Chan Hwang
CF
Jorgen Strand Larsen
The Serie A star has fallen foul of a manager change, as Maurizio Sarri came in and preferred Ivan Provedel, but his form in the past suggests that he would be an upgrade on Johnstone and Sa.
Mandas prevented 1.9 goals based on post-shot xG minus goals conceded, per FBref, across the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns combined in the
Serie A for Lazio, whilst the two Wolves goalkeepers have combined to concede 4.3 more than expected in the Premier League this season.
The Greek international also prevented 3.6 goals on the same metric across nine appearances in the Europa League last season, per FBref, which suggests that he is a strong shot-stopper who can bail out his defenders on a consistent basis.
Overall, paying £55m to sign Hackney for £30m and Mandas for £25m could significantly improve the team in two key areas that Edwards needs to address, whilst the change in formation could also help to facilitate more attacking play.
Gary O'Neil favourite is on borrowed time at Wolves after Edwards arrival
Rob Edwards could look to immediately ditch this Wolverhampton Wanderers flop when he enters the Molineux dug-out.
ByKelan Sarson Nov 9, 2025
It may not be enough to survive this season, as the manager is arriving in a horrendous position, but it could give Wolves their best chance of avoiding the drop, or at least preparing well for a promotion tilt in the Championship next term.
Knowing a pace buffet was around the corner, he swallowed his pride, saw the bigger picture, and waited for the chance to go berserk
Sreshth Shah04-May-20250:55
Martin: Russell was banking on taking on the pace bowlers
Andre Russell has built a reputation of being someone possessed with extraordinary abilities with the bat. That’s why he remains at the centre of every conversation about Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). When KKR’s top order does well and Russell faces only a handful of balls, questions are raised about why his potential was left unused. If he’s sent in too early, critics wonder why a world-class finisher is being exposed ahead of time. And when KKR collapse and even Russell can’t save them, the inevitable question returns: where has the old Russell gone?So when Russell walked out at No. 5 in the 13th over with the score 111 for 3 against Rajasthan Royals (RR), a ripple of part-surprise, part-excitement flowed through the sparse Saturday crowd at Eden Gardens.In the first ten games this season, Russell had batted, on average, 7.8 balls per innings and scored only 72 runs in 55 balls. It was an unusual point of entry for him since it was neither time for him to play the death-overs blitz nor for a back-to-the-wall rescue. He had deliveries to work with, the team was in a promising position, and with that came the uneasy thrill of the unexpected.Related
KKR 'need to sharpen up' in the middle phase to stay in contention, says Rayudu
Rinku under injury cloud after saving the day for KKR in the field
KKR survive last-ball thriller to stay alive in top four race
Parag becomes first in IPL to hit six sixes off successive balls
But Russell had spin to contend with first. Recent memories of Russell against wristspin – stumps rattled by googlies or sliced dismissals against the legbreak – don’t paint a pretty picture, but those dismissals need context. KKR often found themselves chasing the improbable, or with too few balls left, forcing him into the zone of attempting big shots blindly.This time, he was afforded the rare luxury of building an innings. And his plan for the day was evident from the first ball he faced, bringing out an exaggerated front-foot block off Riyan Parag. His first nine balls earned just two runs as he saw off a tricky Maheesh Theekshana over with one defensive shot and a few balls left out that were zipping past his outside edge.Off Wanindu Hasaranga, who has a lethal googly, he got away from strike in his first opportunity, and when he had to face the spinner one last time, he brought out the block again to see off the final delivery of Hasaranga’s night. Once the pacers returned, so did the Russell we know. He crunched 55 off the next 16 balls he faced to finish unbeaten on 57 off 25, lifting KKR to 206 for 4.
“I just think once you look at the overs and see five overs, you don’t think about five overs. You think about 30 balls, and if you faced 15 out of that with my power, I think I can get maybe 40 runs from those 15 balls”Andre Russell
“I wasn’t worried when I saw the scoreboard and saw I was on two runs off eight deliveries. I never worry about a few dot balls here and there,” Russell said after the KKR innings. “I realised the wicket was getting a bit of grip, especially Theekshana. I didn’t want to take a risk so early.”My strong point is to get away the spinners as much as possible, but in the first part they were bowling in good areas so I didn’t want to play a risky shot early because I know what I can do in the back end.”Saturday’s innings was a reminder that Russell is more than just a slogger. Everyone knows it, but circumstances can sometimes betray the nuance in his game. Since 2022, he averages 22.70 and strikes at 140.12 against all types of wristspin in T20s. He’s not uncomfortable against spin, just short on time sometimes. On this day, knowing a pace buffet was around the corner, Russell swallowed his pride, saw the bigger picture, and waited. With four of the final five overs set to come from the quicks, he later admitted he was “licking his lips” for the overs that would follow.ESPNcricinfo LtdHe tore into Akash Madhwal in the 16th over by mauling a six over cow corner, sandwiched between boundaries through square leg and cover. Never one to shy away from a contest, Jofra Archer came roaring in next, searching for two million-dollar deliveries. But he missed his length by mere inches, and Russell, deep in his crease, drilled a four and a six straight back past the bowler.One over from Theekshana still remained – the 18th – but by then, Russell was well set. Defending was out of the picture. He faced only the last three balls of the spinner’s final over, and sent each one soaring into the stands: over midwicket, down the ground, and beyond long-off. The Eden crowd had turned electric, Russell fed off the noise, and in the space of two overs, the conversation about the potential total had shifted. It was no longer about scraping to 180, but more about storming past 200.A flicked six off an Archer full toss in the 19th over brought up his first fifty of the season in 22 balls. There was one more four off Archer to follow – a pull – before Rinku Singh helped hammer 22 runs off the final over with three big hits of his own.After the game, Russell said he broke his plan down not by overs remaining but by deliveries left.1:24
Rayudu: Royals should have persisted with spin against Russell
“I think the scoreboard is the best indicator,” Russell said while collecting his 16th IPL Player-of-the-Match award. “Playing so many games, you know these type of situations – which bowlers to come, who you can target, and who to take down. I just think once you look at the overs and see five overs, you don’t think about five overs. You think about 30 balls, and if you faced 15 out of that with my power, I think I can get maybe 40 runs from those 15 balls.”Such ability is the reason why KKR have never let Russell go since signing him as a 26-year-old in 2014. He’s long wanted a higher batting slot, dating back to Brendon McCullum’s tenure in 2019, but the opportunities have been rare . However, a combination of poor form for Venkatesh Iyer and Ramandeep Singh and everything to play for meant KKR put the trust in the second-most experienced T20 player of all time and the result makes one think why it hasn’t been the case more often.”We all knew about the importance of this game,” Russell said. “When you have four games to go and it’s like four finals you have to leave everything on the park and that’s what I did tonight.”This was Russell at his near best: patient, powerful and perfectly timed. It was also a clear message for KKR for the games to follow. With three must-win matches to follow, surely this is the template for the remainder of the season.
Como manager and ex-Arsenal star Cesc Fàbregas has now heaped praise on Mikel Arteta following a key Gunners tactical tweak.
The Premier League frontrunners take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Light later today, pitting Arteta’s side against the surprise package of the season.
Arsenal arrive on Wearside in utterly imperious form. The north Londoners have won their last 10 matches across all competitions, with eight consecutive victories without conceding a single goal.
Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-1 Man City
Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Burnley 0-2 Arsenal
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
They’re aiming to win five successive Premier League games without conceding for the first time since 1987, while their run of eight clean sheets in all competitions matches a club record set way back in 1903.
It’s been nearly 13 hours of football since anyone has scored against them, which is quite simply unbelievable, and they of course boast the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues as a result.
That being said, Regis Le Bris’ side pose a tough challenge. Sunderland enter this game having defied all pre-season expectations spectacularly. They’ve accumulated 18 points from their opening 10 fixtures – the most any promoted side has managed at this stage since Hull City’s 20 points in 2008-09.
Their remarkable home form has been key, remaining unbeaten at the Stadium of Light this campaign.
Arsenal are still favourites to win this one, though, following their imperious start to the season — which is made all the more impressive by their mountain of attacking injuries.
Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke and captain Martin Odegaard are all unavailable with knee or muscular problems — even if Jesus returned to training this week — Meanwhile, striker Viktor Gyokeres has been ruled out with a potential hamstring injury until after the international break.
This leaves Arteta pretty short of forward options, with Mikel Merino likely to continue in an emergency striker role.
Merino’s second-half brace secured a 3-0 Champions League victory over Slavia Prague in midweek, adding to his very impressive tally of 11 goals in all competitions for Arsenal this calendar year.
The midfielder has been nothing short of inspirational when called upon to play an unfamiliar role by Arteta, and Fabregas is certainly impressed by the former Real Sociedad star.
Fabregas praises "great move" by Arteta to play Merino as Arsenal striker
Speaking in an interview with Calciomercato this week, Fabregas stated it was a “great move” by Arteta to play Merino as a striker once again in the absence of Gyokeres — claiming he’s done very well in the role.
Merino had never played striker before featuring there for the first time against Leicester City back in February, where he scored both goals in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory after replacing the injured Kai Havertz.
Since then, he’s excelled in the position.
The midfielder has netted an astonishing 19 goals for club and country combined in 2025, including his midweek brace against Slavia Prague that also took his Arsenal tally to three headed goals this season. His 6 foot 2 frame makes him a major aerial threat inside the area, while on the deck he’s incredibly strong, using his muscular frame to dominate physical 50-50s.
Kent 17 for 0 drew with Leicestershire 459 for 7 dec (Patel 114, Cox 93, Masood 90, Hill 54)Leicestershire’s promotion as Division Two champions in the Rothesay County Championship was confirmed despite the final day of their clash with Kent going the same way as days one and three, abandoned without a ball bowled to consign the contest to a draw.Early morning rain topped up an already saturated outfield at the Uptonsteel County Ground, where umpires Hassan Adnan and Simon Widdup, mindful of their duty to minimise the risk of injury to players, determined after a number of inspections that there was no prospect of it drying out enough for play to resume.With Leicestershire taking a 25-point lead into the last two rounds of games, the 13 points they take for a draw in this match is enough to put them out of reach of second-placed Glamorgan, who took only nine from their drawn match in similar conditions 30 miles away at Derby.”We’ve been the best team in this division,” Alfonso Thomas, Leicestershire’s head coach, said. “We’ve been at the top of the table since the first game and I’m just glad that we saw the job through. It was tough going towards the end, with a few injuries and guys getting called up to England.”But it’s just fantastic to see a reward for the work that everybody’s put in – the backroom staff, ground staff, administrators, players, support staff. The whole club as a collective has really bought into it and that’s a testament to the players and the way they went about it throughout the season. To win six games and lose only one is a great effort.”We have a little genius in Rehan Ahmed. He can do things that nobody in this team can do. But then there’s the other guys that do the hard yards, bowling up the hill, bowling into the wind, the batters that have to go out and face a second new ball, or pad up as a nightwatcher. But at no point has anybody moaned about the job that they have to do. And all of those things add up.”Getting to where we are now, winning this title, has been a process. When I came here we were a bit soft-centred, and we had some players who probably weren’t good enough. But the changes you are trying to implement can’t happen overnight, so it was just baby steps.”The first thing we needed to do was become harder to beat and competitive over four days. To an extent we did that last season. We only won one game, but we only lost two. The next step was to try to win more games. And to do that we came up with simple plans, keeping things simple rather than trying to think outside the box. The guys bought into that and we have worked hard to make sure that the players we have brought in have had the right character and bought into it too.”Leicestershire, who will play Division One cricket next season for the first time since 2003, would have preferred their title-winning moment to have come on the field, to be followed by a trophy presentation in front of their own supporters. In fact, they will not get their hands on the silverware until the conclusion of their final fixture, against Northamptonshire away, which starts next Wednesday.Nonetheless, they did their best to create their own excitement, celebrating with champagne and fashioning a ‘Champions’ board from part of the boundary board, while cheered on by enthusiastic supporters.The only member of their team who might have felt a little frustrated not to get on the field was veteran seamer Chris Wright, who is retiring at the end of this season at the age of 40.Although his retirement has been marked by his team-mates off the field, the conditions denied him the chance of a send-off on the field in front of a home crowd. He also needs three more wickets to reach 600 in his career in first-class matches and is one away from 800 in all formats.Leicestershire’s season has finished in something of an anti-climax, with four of their last six matches ending in draws, this one being a third in a row in which the weather has been a major factor. Yet they have been short-priced favourites to emerge with the title since the end of May, having won five of their first seven matches to establish a commanding advantage.It is their second silverware in three seasons after lifting the Metro Bank One-Day Cup in 2023 but their first in the Championship since 1998 – two years before the competition adopted a two-division format – when they took their second County Championship pennant in three years, coached by the club’s current president, Jack Birkenshaw.Thomas added: “I have to give credit to Pete Handscomb, the captain. He’s not here today but he’s been a big driver of that. He’s made it easier for me as a coach because we both sing from the same hymn sheet.”I know we won a trophy two years ago, and that was important for the players to give them a reward for all their hard work, but this is playing consistent cricket over a period of time.”On a personal level I’m extremely proud. I won things as a player but I would probably go as far as to say it’s given me a lot more satisfaction to win as a coach than as a player. As a player, you only have to look after yourself whereas as a coach, you have to look after about 20 guys. You don’t have the power yourself to execute the things you are asking for, and that makes you vulnerable.”For Leicestershire, I would like to think that it’s the start of something really special. We’ve won two trophies in the last three years. That doesn’t just happen – and it certainly doesn’t just happen to Leicestershire.”
NEW YORK — Garrett Crochet recoils at the premise. At 26, after 205 ⅓ innings (most in the American League), 255 strikeouts (most in the majors) and a 2.59 ERA (third in the AL) for the 89-win Red Sox, on the cusp of starting Game 1 of the American League wild-card series against the Yankees, he’s finally the guy he always knew he could be, right?
“Um,” he says quickly. “Becoming it.”
For starters, he didn’t always know he could be this kind of starter. Not until he began throwing 91 mph as a left-handed high school senior did any Division I programs show interest, and even at Tennessee, he spent half his time pitching in relief. When the White Sox drafted him No. 11 in June 2020 and promoted him to the big-league bullpen three months later, he was just thrilled to be in the majors. So he was not exactly clawing at the walls of the bullpen asking to be unleashed on the rotation.
“I thought that I could do it,” he says slowly. “I wasn’t sure.”
Even that degree of faith began to feel misplaced. In 2021, he threw 54 ⅓ innings in relief and felt gassed. “And I’m, like, last on my team!” he recalls. He set for himself the goal of hitting 80 or 90 innings in ’22, then putting himself in position for a few spot starts in ’23. “And then I blew out [my elbow],” he says. “It was like, ”
The Chicago brass knew he had the talent to be a frontline starter—a four-seamer that touches 100 mph plus perhaps the best slider in the game will usually play—but they wanted to see if he could develop the stamina. So after he finished rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, they let him spend the winter before the 2024 season stretching out. He was so dominant in spring training that they made him the Opening Day starter—his first major league start.
“I was just like, ” he recalls. “”
Last June, he threw seven innings of one-run, 13-strikeout ball against the Mariners. “And I was like, ” he recalls. That made the subsequent three months even more frustrating. At the All-Star break, his 107 ⅓ innings easily surpassed his career high—in the previous three seasons combined, he’d logged 73—and he and the team decided to limit him to four innings or 65 pitches per start. He felt like every five days, he’d get through the first three cleanly, then give up two in the fourth, then head for the bench. “That’s a four-and-a-half ERA,” he says. “So I’m like, ” He always wondered what he could have done with another two or three innings.
But then he started thinking about it differently: He finished with 146 innings. Another frame and change per start in the second half and he would have qualified for the ERA title. Two per start and he would have been closing in on 180 innings. “I was like, ” he says. “”
He entered the offseason sure of two things: He would be traded, and he wanted to throw 200 innings for his new team. The White Sox had tried to trade him during the season, but he had made clear to contenders that he wanted a contract extension before he agreed to blow through his innings limit and pitch into October. In the end, he stayed in Chicago.
But entering 2025, he felt healthy. So as soon as he was traded to the Red Sox in December—and especially after he signed a six-year, $170 million extension in April—he started doing some campaigning. “Every time that we talked about preparing for the season, I always made sure to throw in there,” he says. “Like, ‘Yeah, whatever I’ve got to do to throw 200 [innings]!’ Just kind of slipped that in there.” The Red Sox were happy to accommodate him: He averaged 6.4 innings and 98.5 pitches per start, and he even threw a complete-game shutout against the Rays in July.
“I don’t want to say I can’t believe I actually did it,” he says. “I can believe it, but it is still like, ”
He became not just the workhorse he had envisioned but the ace he wondered if he could be. He liked being the pitcher his team could rely on instead of one whose innings it monitored.
“It’s not something that I want to admit, because I don't want to be, like, arrogant or cocky or anything, but I feel like I was—see, I’m still trying to figure out how to say it without saying it!—I feel like that’s what I was this year, and I was very pleased with how I was responding to my own expectations,” he says.
This is something of an unusual way for an elite athlete to talk about his performance. More often they discuss the haters and the doubters. But for Crochet, this journey has not been about proving anyone wrong. It hasn’t even really been about proving himself right.
“I just want to see,” he says. “I just want to know." He answered some of his own questions this year. But he can only answer the last one in the postseason. “That’s kind of the fun part,” he says. “There’s only one way to find out.”