A significant update has now emerged regarding Raphael Wicky becoming Middlesbrough’s next manager, as the Championship side look to find the right replacement for Rob Edwards in the near future.
The exit of Edwards to Wolves has knocked Boro for six at an important point in the season, but it is vital that they don’t allow it to derail their Championship promotion push in the coming weeks and months.
A number of candidates have already been mentioned as potential options as the Englishman’s successor, including former Young Boys manager Wicky.
It has been claimed that Boro are serious about appointing the 48-year-old as their next boss after he impressed during talks, although he is far from the only candidate being mentioned for the job.
Former striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is a contender for the Championship side, with the Dutchman reportedly given Gareth Southgate’s endorsement, following their time working together with the England national team. Steven Gerrard, Gary O’Neill and Carlos Corberan are some of the other names to have been thrown around.
Wicky keen on taking Middlesbrough job
Now, according to a fresh claim from The Northern Echo, Wicky is keen on becoming Middlesbrough’s next manager, with the Swiss very much in the mix to come in.
He is said to be one of a host of overseas bosses who are “interested” in taking charge at the Riverside Stadium, following his exit from Young Boys last year, having spent two years at the club.
Wicky stands out as a strong option for Boro, with journalist Graeme Bailey describing him as an “impressive” individual, following a successful managerial career to date.
He won both the Swiss league title and Swiss Cup with Young Boys in the 2022/23 season, outlining his winning mentality, and at 48, he is still a relatively young manager who will bring fresh ideas to the Riverside.
It remains to be seen if the 4-4-2 diamond-playing Wicky will ultimately be Boro’s pick as their new boss, but the fact that the job appeals to him can only be a good thing, and his trophy-winning pedigree isn’t something that should be ignored.
Middlesbrough now considering move for ex-QPR manager recommended by Southgate
He’s been out of a managerial job since 2022.
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Tom Cunningham
Nov 14, 2025
It is vital that the club don’t rush into the decision, however, instead ensuring that they have the best possible choice of manager to hopefully spearhead their return to the Premier League, rather than making a quick call and bringing in the wrong man.
How Middlesbrough feel about Raphael Wicky as Swiss manager holds Riverside talks
Two decades. For a club of Arsenal’s prestigious standing, 20 years without touching the Premier League trophy is inexcusable.
Mikel Arteta has changed the narrative in north London, raising this club from the rubble and turning them into bona fide contenders. But contenders are not champions, and that is the next step.
Two decades. Too long. But Arteta has changed things, alright, and there’s a building momentum about the Gunners which is leading toward silverware.
Three times in a row, Arsenal have finished the Premier League season as runners-up, but last weekend’s slender win over Fulham has seen them shift three points clear at the top, ahead of Manchester City and stretching clear of Liverpool, with the defending champions having lost three games on the bounce.
Careful, calculated progress on the transfer front has built Arteta’s vision, and the signings struck this summer may prove decisive in finally restoring glory to the Emirates.
The jackpot has been struck multiple times, but Martin Zubimendi may well be the cream of the crop.
Martin Zubimendi's start to life in London
Arsenal have made some top signings this summer, strengthening across the park and stepping that bit closer toward the silver-laden success that the Arteta era deserves.
Zubimendi is the man who makes it all tick, and he might come to prove the signing of the summer – not just for Arsenal, but across the Premier League.
Arriving from Real Sociedad for £60m in July, the deep-lying midfielder has added quite the dimension to Arteta’s engine room. He is 26 years old and mature, and it shows.
Crisp, tempo-setting passing is his forte. FBref data records that Zubimendi ranks among the top 9% of midfielders in the Premier League this season for pass completion and the top 12% for passes attempted per 90. He’s a maestro, plain and simple.
Zubimendi’s work platforms the show-stopping success of the likes of Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard. There is such balance coursing through Arsenal’s team, and if they do manage to get their hands on the Premier League title this term, Zubimendi will be will be lauded as one of the biggest difference-makers.
While Zubimendi has been one of the best number sixes in the top flight, there are some who would rival him for that crown. Among them, a former Arsenal star.
You probably know who.
The former Arsenal star who's rivalling Zubimendi
Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones made an interesting point after his struggling side returned to winning form against Eintracht Frankfurt. He said that an elite central midfielder makes the bedrock of a successful, title-winning outfit.
And over at Arsenal, Zubimendi is that man, but it’s interesting to note that Granit Xhaka is rivalling the Spain international for newly-promoted Sunderland.
He knows the Premier League well. After all, Xhaka arrived at Arsenal from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2015 and made 225 appearances in the division before leaving for Bayer Leverkusen and then returning to English shores and taking the captaincy at the Stadium of Light.
He went through all the emotions at Arsenal, but left the club regarded as an important piece of their modern history. Combative, tenacious and never afraid to channel his power and strike on goal, Xhaka was almost unplayable on his day, and Arteta will be happy that he has found his new version of the Swiss machine in Zubimendi.
Now 33, most were uncertain he would thrive after joining Regis Le Bris’ side this season, so late into his career and surely content with winning silverware over in Germany under Xabi Alonso’s wing.
But the new Real Madrid boss has fuelled his lieutenant with a late-career fire for more, and, as the statistics will show you, he has been an integral part of Sunderland’s success this season, going punch for punch with one of the division’s finest in Zubimendi.
Having started all nine of Sunderland’s matches, Xhaka would stake a compelling case for being in the Premier League Team of the Year so far; the Wearsiders are fifth in the standings, and they have lost only two of their nine matches.
Zubimendi vs Xhaka in the Premier League (25/26)
Stats (* per game)
Zubimendi
Xhaka
Matches (starts)
8 (7)
8 (8)
Goals
2
0
Assists
0
3
Touches*
69.6
69.9
Accurate passes*
53.8 (90%)
44.1 (82%)
Key passes*
0.8
1.2
Big chances created
1
4
Dribbles*
0.1
0.3
Recoveries*
3.3
4.8
Tackles + interceptions*
2.8
3.1
Duels won*
3.5 (51%)
6.2 (62%)
Data via Sofascore
Zubimendi is not defined by statistics. He is an immense midfielder, elegant and intelligent, and has even been hailed as “one of the best Emirates era signings” by Arsenal content creator Jamie Kent.
But even so, we cannot take anything away from Xhaka’s start to the season. The man has been hailed as a “genius” signing for the Black Cats by Sky Sports’ Don Goodman, and you can see why.
Arsenal are happy to see him succeed. It’s nice to watch Xhaka return to England and do so well. There’s a man who played an important role in the ascension of this outfit in modern times. He’s firing on all cylinders, but would Arsenal replace their Spanish summer signing with the veteran? We need not answer that one.
20 years is too long to go without the Premier League title. Too long for a club like Arsenal. But they are getting there, piece by piece.
It’s too early to say with total conviction, but the Londoners stand as good a chance as they’ve ever had to claim the title this year, and with Zubimendi orchestrating in the middle of the park, they might just reach their goals.
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Liverpool ended a run of three successive defeats in all competitions by claiming all three points against West Ham United at the London Stadium in the Premier League on Sunday.
Arne Slot’s team had lost 3-0 to Nottingham Forest and 3-0 to Manchester City in their last two outings in the top-flight, which is why it was so important for them to bounce back with a win against the Hammers.
Alexander Isak scored his first league goal for the Reds after his £125m move from Newcastle United in the summer, as part of an attack that looked very different after some impressive tweaks from the head coach.
The key tactical tweaks Liverpool made against West Ham
Instead of playing Curtis Jones or Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back, Slot opted to go with a natural defender in Joe Gomez in the back four and it was a tactical decision that paid off big time.
The former England international was not dribbled past a single time in the 90 minutes on the pitch, per Sofascore, and provided an assist for the second goal with an excellent cross after Szoboszlai, who was able to play further up the field, did well to lay the ball off to him.
Slot also played Florian Wirtz in the number ten role, after he was left on the bench against PSV, and the Germany international completed 93% of his attempted passes in a controlling and metronomic display in the middle of the park.
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The Liverpool boss also made the bold call to drop Mohamed Salah from the starting line-up to play Szoboszlai out wide on the right, days after Alan Pardew suggested that the Egypt international has looked “lost”.
In Salah’s absence, though, Reds forward Cody Gakpo showed that he is the manager’s most clutch player this season with an impressive display.
Liverpool's most clutch player
In March of last year, the £40m signing from PSV was criticised by former Liverpool defender and pundit Jamie Carragher, who claimed that the Dutchman “plays like the game is in slow motion”.
Believe it or not, that’s not the first time the former centre-back has criticised the Dutchman.
Indeed, just after he signed, Carragher wrote that he was ‘baffled watching Gakpo’s early performances,” further stating that ‘Gakpo is not a typical Klopp signing, lacking lightning pace and the capacity to lead a high press.’
There is a languid demeanour to the way that Gakpo plays for Liverpool on the wing, but that is not an inherently bad thing because it is not down to a genuine lack of effort, as shown by his output this season.
The Netherlands international added a goal and an assist to his tally in the 2-0 win over West Ham, setting up Isak for the opener before burying a finish late on to seal the win.
With Salah out, Gakpo once again showed that he is the most clutch player in the squad in the Premier League this season, because he has been the most productive player in front of goal.
Last season, Salah was the player Liverpool looked to when they needed a goal, as he ended the campaign with a staggering 29 goals and 18 assists, per WhoScored.
xG
3.8
1st
Goals
4
1st
Big chances created
7
1st
Chances created
25
1st
xA
2.6
1st
Assists
3
1st
Goals + assists
7
1st
As you can see in the table above, it is Gakpo who has been the go-to man for Slot in the top-flight so far this term, leading the way in pretty much every significant attacking metric.
These statistics show how clutch the Dutchman has been for the Reds this season, because he has been their main star for both goals and creativity at the top end of the pitch, which was on full display with a goal and an assist on Sunday.
Until Salah is able to get back to his best in the Premier League, which will hopefully happen in the coming weeks, Gakpo should be considered the most clutch player in the squad for his output so far.
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Harry Kane hailed Bayern Munich’s fighting spirit after his side secured a last-gasp 3-1 victory over St. Pauli in the Bundesliga on Saturday afternoon. Vincent Kompany's league leaders bounced back from their Champions League defeat against Arsenal in midweek thanks to late goals from forwards Luis Diaz and Nicolas Jackson at the Allianz Arena.
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Diaz and Jackson score late on as Bayern go eight points clear
Locked level heading into stoppage time, Bayern looked set to drop points against strugglers St. Pauli. Alexander Blessin’s visitors took a surprise lead when Burnley loanee Andreas Hountondji scored after just six minutes, before Diaz recorded a stunning assist for Bayern defender Raphael Guerreiro’s equaliser before half time.
And then after three minutes of second-half stoppage time, former Liverpool forward Diaz saved Bayern’s blushes as he headed home from Joshua Kimmich’s teasing cross, before substitute Nicolas Jackson – on loan from Chelsea – made it 3-1 on 90+7. On a day when second-placed RB Leipzig were held to a 0-0 stalemate with Borussia Monchengladbach, Bayern’s victory saw them move eight points clear at the top of the table.
The win also saw Bayern bounce back from their 3-1 loss against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday. Suffering defeat for the first time in Europe’s premier club competition this season, Kompany’s side fell to goals from Jurrien Timber, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli after youngster Lennart Karl scored in the first half.
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'Proud' Kane pays tribute to Bayern team-mates after the game
And after the final whistle, England captain Kane took to social media to pay tribute to his Bayern team-mates following the all-important win. Writing on X, he said: “Important win today, proud of the boys for pushing until the very end!”
Echoing Kane’s thoughts, Bayern head coach Kompany also praised his side’s determination against St. Pauli, telling reporters: “Such hard-fought wins are part of a season. That gives us confidence in the future that we can win in such situations. Compliments to the boys that they kept going and believed in themselves. We need that over the course of the season.”
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German giants' director of sport delivers update on Kane's future
While he was unable to join Guerreiro, Diaz and Jackson on the scoresheet, Kane was a topic of discussion after the match as Bayern director of sport Max Eberl delivered a cryptic update on the striker’s future amid speculation linking him with a move to Barcelona.
Asked whether the Bavarians have entered into contract renewal discussions with Kane, whose current terms expire in 2027, Eberl told “Harry knows exactly what he wants and we have plans for him. We would like to continue. We can very, very well imagine that, but we will basically discuss everything with Harry.”
And when pressed on the future of defender Dayot Upamecano, whose contract expires next summer, Eberl added: “We definitely want it [a renewal]. I think we've communicated that clearly enough. I believe he feels very, very comfortable here.”
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England captain insists he is calm regarding his future at Bayern
While speculation continues to swirl, the former Tottenham forward insists he remains calm over his future at Bayern, saying there is “no rush” to enter into discussions regarding a new contract.
“I haven't had any contact with anyone, nobody has contacted me,” he told this week. “I feel very comfortable in the current situation, even though we haven't yet discussed my situation with Bayern.
“There's no rush. I'm really happy in Munich. You can see that in the way I'm playing. If there's contact, then we'll see. But I'm not thinking about the new season yet. First up is the World Cup in the summer. And it's very unlikely that anything will change after this season.”
Arsenal have identified a marquee Nottingham Forest star as one of their top transfer targets heading into 2026, according to a report this week.
Gunners sporting director Andrea Berta splashed nearly £270 million on new recruits last summer, and the Italian’s investments have paid dividends thus far.
This was evident in the North London derby last weekend, when Arsenal put arch rivals Tottenham to the sword in a 4-1 win, piling pressure on Thomas Frank and cementing Mikel Arteta’s side as the overwhelming Premier League title favourites.
A hat-trick from summer signing Eberechi Eze, who was once on the verge of joining Spurs before Berta hijacked the deal, and Leandro Trossard’s strike saw Arsenal claim all the bragging rights on Sunday while extending their lead at the top of the table to six points.
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
Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham
Another new recruit, Piero Hincapie, was also handed his first Premier League start by Arteta with star defender Gabriel Magalhaes sidelined due to a thigh injury.
The Ecuadorian shone in Gabriel’s stead, with Arteta hailing his exceptional display against Spurs on the eve of their Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.
Arsenal’s water-tight backline is one of the major reasons why they’re top of the pile and unbeaten in all competitions since August, with Arteta very well-stocked in defence after both Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera’s arrivals in the summer.
Both men have performed exceptionally when called upon, but according to Spanish media sources, Berta and co are still planning to reinforce their backline in future windows.
Arsenal identify Nottingham Forest star Murillo as top target
Indeed, it is now believed that Arsenal have identified Nottingham Forest centre-back Murillo as a priority transfer target, entering a three-way battle with Chelsea and Barcelona for the Brazilian’s signature.
Arteta has apparently earmarked the young defender as crucial to strengthening his backline for the long term.
The Spanish tactician particularly values Murillo’s ball-playing prowess, ability to break defensive lines and his left-footed profile, which Arteta believes would bring even more balance to Arsenal’s central defence.
However, Forest have set a large price tag for their defensive jewel, and Evangelos Marinakis could charge up to £79 million for Murillo to ward off potential suitors like Arsenal.
Since arriving from Brazil, Murillo has become a cornerstone of Forest’s backline.
The 23-year-old’s links with a move away are nothing new, and Arsenal have been named as suitors for Murillo even before now. Despite their many options at the back, Berta’s admiration for the South American hasn’t gone away, and it is clear to see why.
Murillo ended 2024/2025 as Forest’s best-performer by average match rating in the Premier League last season, according to WhoScored, with only Matz Sels and Nikola Milenkovic playing more minutes than the ex-Corinthians sensation.
Brazil will have to do better next summer if they are to end a wait of 24 years for a World Cup trophy after they were held to a 1-1 draw by a disciplined Tunisia in Lille on Tuesday night. A first half goal from Hazem Mastouri threatened to put the Eagles of Carthage on course for a famous win, albeit in a friendly, but Chelsea prodigy Estevao Willian levelled things up not long before the interval.
A well-supported Tunisia on French soil managed to stifle and frustrate Brazil through the opening quarter of the game and then took the lead in clinical fashion when Mastouri finished from close-range. But an element of fortune got the Selecao back into it just before half-time, a penalty confidently converted by Estevao following a VAR check on what appeared to be a soft handball.
Brazil struggled to create that much of note throughout the second half, largely shooting off target despite racking up more than 20 attempts over the course of the game. A second penalty came as Tunisia too casually tried to play their way out of pressure in their own box, resulting in substitute Vitor Roque being dragged down. But Lucas Paqueta blazed the spot-kick over the bar.
18-year-old Estevao almost had the final say, striking the base of the post with the last kick of the game in stoppage time, but 1-1 was how it finished.
GOAL rates Brazil's players from Stade Pierre-Mauroy…
AFPGoalkeeper & Defence
Bento (5/10):
A more aggressive response to Tunisia's breakthrough might have made it harder for Mastouri to finish by closing the angle much quicker.
Wesley (5/10):
Booked inside the opening 10 minutes. Otherwise struggled to make an impact going forward.
Marquinhos (7/10):
Hardly misplaced a pass all night and was equal to what Tunisia in limited attacks threw at him.
Eder Militao (6/10):
Played an hour before being withdrawn with injury. Was OK apart from that.
Caio Henrique (7/10):
A polished defensive performance and a better attacking outlet than his counterpart on the right.
AdvertisementAFPMidfield
Estevao Willian (8/10):
Had to wait a long time while being berated by a hostile and largely partisan crowd to take his penalty, but kept his cool exceptionally well to continue an incredible start to his international career. It's five goals in six international appearances so far this season. The only Brazil player who looked very lively.
Bruno Guimaraes (6/10):
Got into the right areas but could have done more with the possession he had.
Casemiro (7/10):
Saw plenty of the ball in the middle of the pitch and able to use that to create chances with passes forward. Defensively unchallenged.
Rodrygo (6/10):
A few positive moments here and there but a frustrating night overall.
AFPAttack
Matheus Cunha (5/10):
Limited impact until being withdran at half-time, just 21 touches of the ball.
Vinicius Junior (6/10):
Didn't really do that much to challenge Tunisia, before decent pressing contributed to winning the second penalty.
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AFPSubs & Manager
Danilo (5/10):
Had to do very little defending after replacing Wesley at half-time. Made little difference.
Vitor Roque (6/10):
Won the penalty that Paqueta missed, which will be frustrating.
Fabricio Bruno (6/10):
A solid centre-back replacement an hour in.
Fabinho (5/10):
Only 22 touches of the ball in half an hour on the pitch. Lacked impact.
Lucas Paqueta (5/10):
Had the chance to win the game for his country and fluffed his lines.
Luiz Henrique (N/A):
The last of six permitted substitutes towards the end.
Carlo Ancelotti (6/10):
Comes away fro this international window with plenty of questions to answer.
A modest Alex Carey reflected on being “pretty proud” of his performance behind the stumps in Brisbane as he was lauded as the best wicketkeeper in the world after a putting on a masterclass of glovework in the second Test.Carey produced the finest performance of his career, with his work behind the stumps becoming a defining element at the Gabba, while scoring 63 in Australia’s first innings when the game was at a tipping point late on the second day.On the opening day he took a spectacular running catch to remove Gus Atkinson, but the most notable aspect was his keeping stood up to Michael Neser and Scott Boland which culminated in him gathering an edge off Ben Stokes on the fourth day.Related
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There was some irony in the amount of time Carey spent standing up in this Test given Australia had left out Nathan Lyon and gone with an all-pace attack but he formed a compelling partnership with Neser in particular.”Self-reflection, yeah, pretty proud of my efforts out there,” Carey told . “Thought opportunities to come up to the stumps against some really good bowling and the boys were able to beat the bat. So thought I did a good job for the team. I also thought the bowlers did an amazing job to create those chances.”Carey revealed that standing up to pace bowling is something he doesn’t replicate with bowlers in training but backs his skill to take over when needed.”I don’t practice up to the stumps against fast bowling, think that probably could be a little bit dangerous at times,” he said. “You work on the fundamentals of the game, and for me that’s keeping up to the stumps to Nathan Lyon a lot but doing my drills in the nets with a nick bat, getting throws, trying to get in good positions.”Then when you are in a game of cricket I feel like your instincts take over most of the time, so trusting the positions that I’m in then hoping my instinct takes over and I get into the right position to hang onto them.”Former wicketkeepers lined up in admiration of Carey four years on from when there was scrutiny over his glovework as he began his Test career in the 2021-22 Ashes.Alex Carey celebrates his catch to remove Ben Stokes•AFP/Getty Images
“I think he’s clearly the best in the world, probably even before this [Test],” Ian Healy said on SEN radio. “To have such long periods [standing up] to quite fast bowling on a pitch that looks as if something might happen – but didn’t a whole lot of times – clearly cements him as the best. To be able to be effective with it as long as he was, you know, he hardly misgloved any of them.On Triple M radio, Brad Haddin said: “I’ve not seen a better keeping display.”Captain Steven Smith, who was standing alongside Carey at slip for much of the match, including when he produced his own piece of brilliance to remove Will Jacks with arguably the finest catch of his career, said he had not seen a better display.”That performance behind the stumps was something else,” Smith said. “Ness [Neser] was getting the ball up around 137-138kph at times. Boland similar. He just gets in behind it. He finds a way to just get the ball in his hands. It hits the batter’s pads and it ends up in his hands somehow.”He works exceptionally hard. He’s as fit as anyone. He just turns up day in, day out. Rarely makes a mistake and pulls off unbelievable catches.”When I was at slip, when he was up to the stumps, I was so wide just because of how much he covers. He just gets his hands out there. It’s like he knows they’re going to nick it almost at times and gets his hands out there. That keeping performance was as good as I’ve seen.”Neser, who said after the third day’s play that, as a pace bowler, he was reluctant to operate with the wicketkeeper up to the stumps earlier in his career, was quick to acknowledge the role it had played in his maiden five-wicket haul”That wouldn’t be possible without Kez [Carey], and what Steve did there at the end was special,” he said. “I didn’t even have to ask Kez to come up, he just does it … to have a keeper like that is great.”Neser’s comeback has emerged as one of the feelgood stories of the series after he hadn’t played a Test for three years and feared his chance may have gone with a severe hamstring injury last season.”There was a moment earlier in the season where I was just like, man, I hope he gets his chance,” Marnus Labuschagne, a team-mate at Queensland, said. “Obviously a few injuries, and I saw the writing on the wall there, that there’s potential [he wouldn’t play again]. For him to be able to come in and deliver…maybe a bit of nerves that first innings, then to come out second innings and play that role and get five-for, I was just so happy.”Just the work that he’s put in, the body of work in Shield cricket, the consistency that he keeps delivering and delivering, and we didn’t see the best of his batting either. I think that’s probably the exciting part as well, is he’s got a lot to offer with not only the ball, but that and his fielding, he’s got five of the best catches in Big Bash.”
Mikel Arteta has been tipped to become a “legend like Arsene Wenger” as Arsenal push for a long-awaited Premier League crown, with former team-mate Louis Saha insisting the Spaniard finally has the strongest squad in England. Saha believes Arteta’s mentality, maturity and tactical growth now put him on the brink of matching the Frenchman’s legacy, if he can turn dominance into a title.
Arsenal again deemed Premier League favourites
Arsenal once again find themselves in the thick of a Premier League title race, and this season’s strong start has reignited belief that Arteta’s project may finally reach its long-promised peak. Having fallen painfully short in three consecutive campaigns, the Gunners have assembled a squad widely regarded as the most complete in the division, giving Arteta his best chance yet to lift the coveted league trophy. The renewed optimism has prompted former players to speak out, including Saha, who believes Arteta is now positioned to achieve something historic.
Arteta’s transformation of Arsenal has unfolded over several phases, from the emotional near-miss of 2022-23 to the more controlled title push of 2023-24 and the tense, regression-tinged 2024-25 campaign. Throughout these cycles, Arsenal have developed resilience, tactical depth and a hardened mentality that was once lacking, allowing them to compete with serial winners, Manchester City, and Liverpool. The club’s consistent presence near the summit has built a foundation of scars, experience and belief that Saha suggests could prove decisive this time around.
Yet the stakes are higher than ever, as Arsenal’s inability to convert dominance into silverware remains the one lingering shadow over Arteta’s tenure. Having crafted a squad rich in talent, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, William Saliba and Martin Odegaard among them, the Spaniard now carries both expectation and pressure. According to Saha, this combination is not a burden but a necessary ingredient for a manager who aspires to sit in the same pantheon as Wenger.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportSaha believes Arteta could emulate Wenger's legacy
Saha believes Arteta finally has the strongest squad in England and a genuine chance to win the Premier League this season. He explained: “This is definitely the first time that he has the best squad in the Premier League, and they’ve had the best start of any side, too. To be honest, he has the most confidence in his team, because after three or four years under his belt, you can see he has the composure and the mentality the club needs. He needs to still be like that come the end of the season, at those real crunch moments. They’ve been there before. They’ve done this for two years already, and then it falls away, so now they need confidence to go the whole way, to prove it to themselves and others.”
Saha insists that this season could be Arsenal’s breakthrough based on the completeness of the squad. He said: “I think this is the year because when you look at the squad, when you look at the talent, what they have, it's the most complete squad in the league. He has built confidence around it.”
He also praised Arteta’s personal evolution, adding: “I think Mikel has proven that he’s a top manager… sometimes he has made mistakes in communication, but it’s normal to make mistakes as a young manager. I think now he can prove his critics wrong and show he has learned his lessons.”
He also discussed Arteta’s long-term future and the expectations surrounding him. Saha said: “ It’s good pressure for Mikel to be under. It’s because he has shown tactically he can solve so many problems. He has got on top of the mentality problems at the club, even if they still have not yet got that major trophy. He has shown he and his team can overcome difficult moments, but they need to show that they can keep that approach into February and beyond, when the pressure ramps up even further. If next year they are playing as champions or winners of the Premier League, then the pressure will be even greater to maintain that level of excellence.
Finally, Saha concluded by claiming that Arteta could reach the peaks once walked by Wenger in north London: "He could be a legend like Wenger, and he wants to see the team winning leagues in the same way. They have matched the quality of Wenger’s teams, but not their ability to win titles. That’s their goal next.”
Getty Images SportArteta and Arsenal forged in the fire of heartbreaks
Arteta’s Arsenal journey has been built on near-misses that shaped the club’s identity while simultaneously frustrating supporters desperate for a return to the top. The 2022–23 season saw Arsenal lead the league for 248 days before collapsing due to injuries and inexperience, setting the template for heartbreak. The following year, they improved defensively and mentally, but could not outlast Manchester City’s relentless run, missing the title by a single point.
The 2024–25 season deepened the psychological burden, as Arsenal faltered in key moments, with Liverpool taking home the title, and ultimately finished third despite possessing one of Europe’s strongest squads. This sequence of narrow failures has hardened the team and matured its core, allowing the 2025–26 campaign to begin with renewed clarity and composure. Crucially, the current season has seen Manchester City show genuine vulnerability, creating a title landscape unlike any Arteta has previously navigated.
Arteta himself has evolved significantly in both tactical flexibility and communication, shifting from a dogmatic structure to a more pragmatic, opponent-specific approach. His squad, enriched by experienced leaders and technical standouts, has shown improved game management and resilience.
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Arsenal fighting for all three titles this season
Arsenal’s title bid now depends on maintaining consistency through the winter schedule, where past seasons have faltered under physical and psychological pressure. The challenge will lie in navigating injuries, managing squad rotation and converting tight matches against lower-table sides—historically a decisive weakness. If Arteta delivers where he previously fell short, Saha’s prediction of a Wenger-like legacy could become the defining conversation of the season.
Following their 3-1 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Arsenal are also being touted as one of the favourites to become European champions for the first time in their history. However, there remains a large part of the season yet to come, and nobody knows better than Arteta that it's not over until the fat lady sings.
Who are the players unavailable? And what have been the key takeaways?
Hemant Brar28-May-20253:45
Moody: ‘A clear gap’ in GT’s middle order
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Players unavailable for playoffs: Devdutt Padikkal, Jacob Bethell, Lungi NgidiReplacements: Mayank Agarwal, Tim Seifert, Blessing MuzarabaniKey takeaway: Tim David sat out of RCB’s last league game with a hamstring injury and remains “a work in progress”, according to team mentor and batting coach Dinesh Karthik. Among those who have scored at least 100 runs this season, David has the sixth-highest strike rate (185.14). If he stays unavailable, it will rob RCB of the lower-middle-order firepower. Can Liam Livingstone, who has a strike rate of 126.08 this season, up his game in David’s absence?On the bright side, Josh Hazlewood is likely to be available for Qualifier 1. He has been outstanding both in the powerplay and at the death. RCB’s flawless away record this season – seven wins in seven matches – should also boost their confidence.Related
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Players unavailable for playoffs: Jos Buttler, Kagiso Rabada, Glenn PhillipsReplacements: Kusal Mendis, Dasun ShanakaKey takeaway: Shubman Gill, B Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler have scored almost 73% of GT’s bat runs. Therefore, Buttler’s unavailability leaves a massive hole for Kusal Mendis to fill. Another concern for GT is Rashid Khan’s form. No matter what parameter you look at – average, strike rate or economy – he is having his worst IPL season. In 14 games, he has picked up just nine wickets at an economy rate of 9.47. He has been hit for 31 sixes, the joint-most for any bowler in an IPL season.Likely best XII: 1 Shubman Gill (capt), 2 B Sai Sudharsan, 3 Kusal Mendis (wk), 4 Sherfane Rutherford, 5 M Shahrukh Khan, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Gerald Coetzee, 9 Arshad Khan, 10 R Sai Kishore, 11 Mohammed Siraj, 12 Prasidh KrishnaPunjab Kings sealed their top-two spot with a win against MI•Associated Press
Punjab Kings
Players unavailable for playoffs: Marco Jansen, Glenn Maxwell, Lockie FergusonReplacements: Kyle Jamieson, Mitchell OwenKey takeaway: PBKS’ biggest strength this season has been their Indian core, be it in the batting department or bowling. That said, Marco Jansen’s absence will take away some sting from their bowling and lower-order batting. Can Kyle Jamieson step into those shoes? Yuzvendra Chahal missed the last two league games because of an issue with his right wrist but he is expected to be available for the playoffs.Likely best XII: 1 Priyansh Arya, 2 Prabhsimran Singh (wk), 3 Josh Inglis, 4 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 5 Nehal Wadhera, 6 Shashank Singh, 7 Marcus Stoinis, 8 Azmatullah Omarzai, 9 Kyle Jamieson, 10 Harpreet Brar, 11 Arshdeep Singh, 12 Yuzvendra Chahal
Mumbai Indians
Players unavailable for playoffs: Will Jacks, Ryan Rickelton, Corbin Bosch, Vignesh PuthurReplacements: Jonny Bairstow, Charith Asalanka, Richard Gleeson, Raghu SharmaKey takeaway: Despite losing two of their last three games, MI remain a formidable unit. Moreover, Ryan Rickelton and Will Jacks’ unavailability should not affect them much. Jonny Bairstow can replace Rickelton at the top of the order and behind the stumps. To cover up for Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav can move up to No. 3 and one of Charith Asalanka and Bevon Jacobs can slot in the middle order. Asalanka can also chip in with his offspin if required.Likely best XII: 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Charith Asalanka/Bevon Jacobs, 6 Hardik Pandya (capt), 7 Naman Dhir, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Jasprit Bumrah, 12 Karn Sharma
R Ashwin has signed with Sydney Thunder for the upcoming BBL season in a landmark move that will make him the first capped India player to play in the competition.The WBBL has had a raft of India women take part, but BCCI rules have precluded India men from participating in global leagues. Former India Under-19 captain Unmukt Chand and former India domestic player Nikhil Chaudhary have both played in the BBL in recent years, but Chand is a USA national, while Chaudhary now qualifies as a local in Australia and made his List A debut for Tasmania this month.Ashwin’s retirement from the IPL earlier this year has made it possible for him to play in overseas leagues. He has already signed up for next week’s ILT20 auction as the player with the highest base price. His commitment to the ILT20, which will be played between December 2 and January 4, means he will be unavailable for the first three weeks of the BBL given the tournament starts on December 14. The home-and-away part of the season runs until January 18. The finals will be held between January 20 and 25.Related
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But that did not deter the BBL and four of its clubs from talking to Ashwin about coming to Australia. He initially held talks with Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg and then had discussions with League executives before Thunder, Hobart Hurricanes, Sydney Sixers and Adelaide Strikers all made pitches for him to join them.Ashwin eventually landed with Thunder, with former Australia Test bowler Trent Copeland overseeing the deal as the franchise’s general manager. Thunder are coached by former England World Cup-winning coach Trevor Bayliss and are captained by David Warner. The pair led them to the final last year where they lost to Hurricanes.”Thunder were crystal clear about how they’d use me and brave enough to back it,” Ashwin said. “My conversations with the leadership were excellent, and we’re fully aligned on my role. I love how Dave Warner plays the game, and it’s always better when your leader shares your mindset.”Australia Test opener Sam Konstas is also a Thunder player, while Australia Test captain Pat Cummins is affiliated with Thunder despite not being on contract with them. Cummins hasn’t played for Thunder since 2019 because of his Test commitments but has been a Thunder ambassador in recent years, having grown up in western Sydney.Thunder’s last four matches of the season are on January 6, 10, 12, and 16. Ashwin will likely only be available for three of them although that could change if the team that selects him in the UAE exits early from the ILT20.It sets up a mouth-watering Sydney derby with Sydney Sixers with Ashwin and Warner possibly set to face off against Steven Smith and Babar Azam who will both be playing for Sixers.R Ashwin and David Warner will be on the same BBL team•Getty Images
Ashwin’s signing at Thunder is intriguing from a list management perspective. BBL clubs can only play three overseas players in their XIs. Each of the clubs had already locked in three players via the pre-signing rules and the June overseas draft. Clubs can sign an additional four overseas replacement players, meaning they can have up to seven on their list, but only three can play at any one time. Thunder already have Sam Billings, Lockie Ferguson and Shadab Khan on their list. On top of that, they have three local spinners in Chris Green, Tanveer Sangha and Tom Andrews. Thunder’s home ground, Engie Stadium, is the most spin-friendly venue in the BBL.”From the first time we spoke, Ashwin impressed everyone at the Thunder with his passion, desire to win and understanding of what makes our club special,” Copeland said. “He will bring an injection of fresh energy and world-class bowling mid-tournament, while his presence as a leader and mentor will be invaluable for our young players.”The league rules state that replacement overseas players have to nominate themselves for the draft, which Ashwin did not as he had not retired from IPL cricket at the time. But there is an exemption for overseas players to be allowed to play in the BBL if their circumstances have changed. Former New Zealand batter Martin Guptill was previously signed by Melbourne Renegades in 2022-23 after retiring from international cricket despite missing the inaugural BBL overseas draft. England star Nat Sciver-Brunt was allowed to play for Perth Scorchers in the WBBL after being cleared by the ECB, having initially been ruled out of nominating for the draft due to injury.Ashwin is the 17th player signed by Thunder with league rules limiting clubs to 18 players per squad. The top overseas salary band in the BBL is AUD$420,000 and Thunder have signed Ferguson on that salary band. Ashwin is likely to receive a high per-game salary that will still fit inside Thunder’s salary cap. Thunder are able to go over the cap by AUD$150,000 this year if they offset that over the next two. Ashwin has also signed an additional marketing agreement with Cricket Australia that will not count towards the salary cap.