The ace Sri Lankan spinner was a consultant for New Zealand on their subcontinent tours this season

Interview by Andrew Fidel Fernando15-Nov-2024Rangana Herath, the most successful left-arm bowler ever, was spin consultant in New Zealand’s set up when two left-arm spinners, Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santner, played big roles in the 3-0 whitewash of India this month. Herath spoke about his experience on working with the bowlers on this history-making tour.Before New Zealand went to India, they had two losses in Sri Lanka. Let’s talk about what that was like.
I was very impressed by their team environment. When you lose, you tend to talk a lot about mistakes. But in this team, what we talked most about was what we learned, how we adjusted to conditions, and how to take the good things we did to India. That’s what we did after the series defeat in Sri Lanka. Although we lost, there weren’t many players who were that upset. I think there’s a lot to learn from that.Everyone – the coaches and the players – were on the same page. Rather than looking too big-picture, everyone was engaged with the match situation at hand and looking to find the best solution to the problem in front of them.Related

• Battle of cricket nerds: How Herath helped New Zealand bring Karunaratne down

• 'Flatline' Mitchell Santner peaks with Kohli's wicket

• 'Every time I got a wicket, it felt better' – side soreness no barrier for 13-wicket Santner

• Ajaz triggers late India slide after Jadeja five-for keeps New Zealand to 235

• India and England cannot sweep themselves out of trouble in Tests

In that second match in Sri Lanka, Glenn Phillips was the only spinner who took wickets – three. How did that tour affect the spinners?
When you go to Galle, some teams might think: “The pitch turns there, so the spinners have to do everything.” But this team didn’t have that mindset. They trusted their skill and put the emphasis on how accurate they needed to be. Sometimes spinners put unwanted pressure on themselves when they see a turning pitch. It was all about accuracy, accuracy, accuracy. Whether it spins or not, that’s really important. But we did talk about things like angles of attack, and release positions, and how you’d vary them. But mostly we talked about accuracy.What kind of advice did you have as they went to India?
So already there was an emphasis on accuracy. But one thing we knew was that India batters are quite aggressive in their approach. So the thinking for the spinners was around how to be smart when that happens. On the tactical front, what we talked about was how to set those in-out fields that close off the attacking options for batters.Did you look at each batter and plan fields?
Whether it’s a batting-friendly field or a bowling-friendly one, the first 20 to 24 balls is going to be tough for a batter. It’s hard to discern the pace of the pitch, and sometimes you don’t know what is happening. So the main thing we planned was around those 20 balls and employing the right fields during that period. For each batter we made some minor changes to our overall strategy. That was what a lot of the talk going into India was about.”That’s what happens when you put the ball in the right spot”: Ajaz Patel got Shubman Gill bowled with one that went on straight on day three in Mumbai•AFP/Getty ImagesIn the Bengaluru Test you didn’t need the spinners at all. In the second innings, because of the nature of the pitch, were the spinners asked to operate as holding bowlers?
No. Because we had batted and scored 400-odd and by then the pitch was helping spinners a bit. Again, the talk was about putting close-in fielders and shutting off those boundary options.Ajaz Patel got two wickets and those were very important. He got [Yashasvi] Jaiswal, and that was key because he is a batter who attacks a lot. He comes forward and what we saw was, his strength was hitting over mid-off and mid-on. We talked to Ajaz about how to change up his line and his pace, and he did that perfectly. [Patel had Jaiswal stumped for 35.] Then he also got Rohit bowled off the edge. And then Glenn Phillips got Virat Kohli’s wicket. So although the spinners didn’t run through the team, they got them a really important start.When you went to Pune and saw that pitch, what did you talk about?
We saw very quickly that it was going to turn and that we needed to play three spinners. Everyone was on the same page about that again.Mitchell Santner hadn’t been very successful in Sri Lanka, What did you think of his bowling at that point?
I think he had mostly played white-ball cricket for the past few months, and because of that, he was bowling white-ball lengths. When the pitch turns, you need to bowl fuller. Although Santner wasn’t bowling short, on these kinds of pitches he becomes more effective when he pitches it up a bit more.But then the biggest difference between Galle and Pune was that he varied his pace in Pune. That meant he had more leeway with his lengths and he could pitch it up or bowl it slightly shorter, and both could be effective. He understood the pitch really well.The Bengaluru Test was played on a seamers’ track but New Zealand’s spinners had their say in the second innings. Glenn Phillips got Virat Kohli to nick one behind•Idrees Mohammed/AFP/Getty ImagesFrom the time he started, I thought, “He’s going to bowl well here.” It’s hard to predict someone getting five or more wickets. But he was impressive from the outset in that game [with 13 wickets].Did a lot of the spinners’ plans work out against India’s batters, or was it more about building pressure?
I think we built a lot of pressure with spin. When batters have that attacking mindset, the fields that were set by Ajaz and Santner were really good. The bowlers take ownership of those fields and the captain and others are aware of what the plan is.What did you see as the strengths of each of New Zealand’s main spinners – Santner, Patel and Phillips?
They bowl three different lengths between them. Ajaz isn’t very tall – he and I are about the same height. He tries to toss the ball up over the batter’s eyeline and bowl a little fuller – between 4 and 4.5 metres from the stumps.Santner because of his height has the option to bowl a greater variety of lengths, on that pitch in Pune especially.Glenn has his own rhythm. He gets to the crease quickly, and because he bowls a lot of white-ball lengths, he knows how to set a field to that as well. We stressed that they should stick to their strengths. Glenn had a lot of protection. It wasn’t quite a one-day field, but he had more protection than the others.Going into the last innings of that Pune match, India needed 359. How did you approach that?
We thought that it was a big target for them to chase, so we had a lot of confidence, especially because our spinners had bowled well in the first innings. My experience is that even 200 is a big total in a fourth innings, so we were confident.Mitchell Santner was “bowling white-ball lengths” going into the India series, but he soon fixed that and ended up with 13 wickets in the Pune Test•Ishara S Kodikara/AFP/Getty ImagesAgain, Santner and Ajaz varied their pace well. I think that was the difference between New Zealand’s bowlers and India’s.Ajaz didn’t get a lot of wickets in this match, though it was a helpful pitch. What do you think was the reason for that?
On any surface, not everyone is going to get wickets. Ajaz is the main spinner in this team, but sometimes when someone [else] is getting wickets, you have to change your approach also. Sometimes when one bowler is getting wickets, the other person builds pressure. I think Ajaz is someone who looks at what role he has to play in any situation. He’s got a lot of knowledge about cricket, and I think he adapted his game to what he needed to do at the time. At the time the attacking option was Mitchell Santner, and there was understanding there.Going into the third Test, New Zealand had already won the series. There must have been some serious confidence in the team going to the Wankhede?
A lot of players who play Test cricket want to win a Test in India. As someone who played for Sri Lanka I had that dream too, but I wasn’t able to get there. The New Zealand players were also like that. After we won the second match, they never got overconfident. It was more about it being a fresh start, and that this was a new surface, and that we had to adapt again. That was the mindset and that was fantastic. There was no guarantee about winning that third one as well.Ajaz got a lot of wickets in the third Test. Talk us through his first spell.
Ajaz is super interesting, because in the previous Test he’d played at the Wankhede, he’d taken all ten wickets in the first innings, and four wickets in the second. The difference between the previous pitches and this one is that on the Wankhede, you have the red soil, and when it turns there, it turns very sharply. Ajaz has a lot of revolutions on the ball, and so almost all his balls were very effective. Because he tosses it up, he especially gets that very sharp turn.In the last innings India had to get 147. You’ve defended a lot of low scores yourself. What did you say to the bowlers?
I had been talking to them in general about the fourth innings being incredibly tough for batters. Even when we had had to chase 107 in the fourth innings in the first match, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja had made it difficult. So we talked about 147 being a big score to chase. The emphasis was again on accuracy and relying on the help from the surface, which was turning.”Ajaz has a lot of revolutions on the ball, and so almost all his balls were very effective. Because he tosses it up, he especially gets that very sharp turn,” Herath says of New Zealand’s lead spinner in the series•Surjeet Yadav/Associated PressAfter Matt Henry got Rohit out, Ajaz was getting big turn, but he bowled Shubman Gill with one that didn’t turn – that’s what happens when you put the ball in the right spot. We had the trust that the pitch would do the rest if we did the right things.Ajaz is in many ways a similar player to you. What did you speak to him about?
A lot of our talk was about how to be effective whether or not the pitch offers turn – how to adjust your angles of attack, how to change your release positions, how to bowl well, even in New Zealand. All the spinners in this group had an open mind, and that came out of them already having a lot of trust in their skills.What was the feeling like in the dressing room when those wickets were falling?
I was in the dressing room and downstairs during that period, and when Rishabh Pant was batting well, I also did have a doubt about whether they could win.But winning 3-0 was a huge joy. It was like when I was playing and we beat Australia 3-0 [in Sri Lanka in 2016]. It’s something that happens very rarely.Did you learn anything from being part of this series?
Players were very accountable in this environment. When things went wrong, players accepted responsibility and they looked for solutions. That was really impressive. As a coach, being part of an environment like that was really valuable. It was a boon to my coaching career as well.

In case you haven't heard, Juan Soto didn't make the All-Star Game in his debut season with the New York Mets. And he's not happy about it.

But instead of citing the on-field reasons why he's disappointed about missing out on the Midsummer Classic, Soto, who signed the largest deal in professional sports history at $765 million in February, was bummed due to missing out on a bonus in his contract.

"What do you think?" Soto said to a reporter who asked if he's disappointed he didn't make the All-Star Game. "I think it's a lot of money on the table [if I make it]."

Michael Kay wasn't a fan of his response. In fact, he initially thought Soto's comments were a cringy AI video until he saw that the official SNY account on X (formerly Twitter) posted the clip.

"Oh, goodness gracious. Talk about being tone deaf," Kay said on his radio show on ESPN New York. "C'mon, Juan. … You're making a smidge under $47 million this season. And you're upset you're not making the All-Star Game because of an All-Star bonus that you have in your contract? Do you know how bad that looks that you said that? … Do you even realize how that makes you look?"

Soto would have made an additional $100,000 if he was voted into the All-Star Game, according to the Associated Press.

Soto got off to a rough start in his Mets career, logging a .752 OPS in April and batting just .219 in May. But he was scorching hot in June, hitting .322/.474/.722 with 11 homers and 20 RBIs in 27 games, which was enough to earn him the NL Player of the Month honors.

Ronald Acuna Jr., Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker will start in the outfield for the National League, while Corbin Carroll, Kyle Stowers, Fernando Tatis Jr. and James Wood will serve as the reserve outfielders.

Soto, meanwhile, will have to watch the All-Star Game from his couch—with no $100,000 bonus in his pocket.

His assault on a tricky pitch even wowed du Plessis who is often the one wowing others

Sidharth Monga24-Mar-2025

Ashutosh Sharma hit the winning six as DC won by one wicket•Associated Press

Faf du Plessis doesn’t feel awe easily. He has seen cricket all over the world, in all kinds of formats, for all kinds of teams. At 40, he is more used to leaving people in awe of his shredded body and ability to slug it out with the best of T20 players. But even his “old brain” was left in awe of Ashutosh Sharma’s hitting on a pitch that was not easy to bat on.Unprompted, du Plessis made it a point to mention during a sideline interview: “Just as an overseas player, one thing that’s remarkable for me to watch is the amount of Indian players that are so powerful and they’ve got the ability to just strike the ball so easy. You know, it wasn’t an easy pitch [to bat on]. There was a lot going on, but the two boys at the back end there, just the way they came in and just effortlessly hit boundaries. Unbelievable.”There will be another day for Vipraj Nigam, this night belonged to the “other boy”, Ashutosh. The Railways batter had a bittersweet season with Punjab Kings (PBKS) last year. He faced only 103 balls for 189 runs to regularly bring PBKS back from the brink, but kept either falling just short or not seeing the chase through himself.Related

• 'There was no sign of panic' – Ashutosh's composure under pressure stands out

• Ashutosh stuns LSG as DC complete one-wicket heist

• Du Plessis after DC's win: This is why Impact Player is there

• Pant after LSG's defeat: 'Think we had enough on the board'

As he got his new team, Delhi Capitals (DC), closer and closer against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Monday night, you wondered if those memories played on his mind. Of the time he took Kings from 150 for 6 to the threshold of the target of 200 set by Gujarat Titans, brought it down to the inexperienced Darshan Nalkande in the last over, but holed out to long-on and watched the victory from the dugout. Or the time his daring comeback ended two short of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s 182. Or, indeed, his 61 off 28 against Mumbai Indians from 77 for 6, when he fell in the 18th over and had to watch an agonising defeat.That last year might or might not have played in his head during this chase, but it did between the two seasons. “I learnt a lot from the last year,” Ashutosh said. “Last year I brought the team close in two-three matches but left the job unfinished in the end. The whole year I focused on that. I visualised how I am finishing matches. Even in domestic cricket, I focused on finishing games. That’s why I was able to finish on such a big stage.”I have a lot of belief in myself. That if I play till the last ball, anything can happen. Stay calm. Bring it down to a few balls. Stay clear with what shot you can play. Play only those shots you have practiced in the nets.”That belief was perhaps best apparent in the way he tried to steal a single when Kuldeep Yadav was on strike. There was this inherent belief that only he was the man to do it, and he charged his runs perfectly: not before the ball left the bowler’s hand, but he was halfway up the pitch by the time the ball reached Kuldeep. One such dash even cost them a wicket (of Kuldeep), but that didn’t faze Ashutosh. If the bowler was going to err, Ashutosh was going to send the ball out of the ground.1:07

What did Ashutosh Sharma do right?

The hitting was so clean he barely looked up, let alone run, just in case the ball doesn’t go past the boundary. As du Plessis said, this was not a flat deck by any means. Sample the ball that got Tristan Stubbs out, drifting into leg, turning to hit the pad and then the wicket. Or indeed the one in the last over that nearly spun past No. 11 Mohit Sharma and also dragged him out of his crease. A deflection off the pad saved him from getting stumped and gave Ashutosh another shot at a first successful heist in the IPL.During those two balls at the non-striker’s end, Ashutosh displayed the remarkable quality you need in cricket: care like hell but play like you couldn’t care less. “I was confident,” Ashutosh said of the time spent at the non-striker’s in the last over. “It is part of the game, but it was not part of my batting. I was very normal. ‘If he will take a single, I will hit a six’.”Hit a six he did. Sometimes you just need that bit of extra luck to push you over the line, but there is no substitute for bringing yourself into that situation again and again.

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.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Joining the Black Cats?

  Among the teams monitoring his situation, Sunderland have surfaced as one of the most serious candidates, according to Calciomercato.com. The Premier League club has started the season in unexpected form, sitting fourth in the table with 19 points, ahead of giants such as Tottenham, Manchester City, and Liverpool. Their rise – and need for added depth in attack – has put Giménez firmly on their radar.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  A difficult debut season in Italy

  Giménez’s time with Milan has not unfolded as hoped. Through eight Serie A matches, he has yet to score or provide an assist, a downturn that has fueled speculation about a winter overhaul of attack. Giménez has also been linked to West Ham, who are reportedly exploring a swap involving Niclas Füllkrug – a sign that Milan could be preparing to move on from the Mexican forward.

• AFP
  

  Injury concerns complicate his situation

  Adding to the frustration, Giménez is recovering from a lingering ankle injury that has kept him sidelined for several weeks. His absence has hurt his rhythm in Milan and limited his opportunities with the Mexican national team. The lack of playing time has only intensified conversations about whether a change of scenery would benefit both sides.

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  Other Prem options emerge

  According to the same outlet, Milan would consider signing a new center forward in January – but that move may hinge on Giménez leaving to free up a roster spot. In addition to Sunderland, Brentford have also inquired about a potential loan deal.

  This wouldn’t be his first chance to cross into England: Giménez previously turned down an offer from Nottingham Forest during his final months at Feyenoord.

  Now, with Sunderland flying high and Brentford solidly mid-table, both clubs see an opportunity to bring in a striker who, at Feyenoord, became one of Europe’s breakout goalscorers.

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.

Liverpool signing Wirtz was a "waste of money"

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.

Liverpool want another Newcastle star after Isak

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

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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.