علّق المدير الفني لفريق ليفربول، آرني سلوت، على خسارتهم في مباراة اليوم ضد نظيره نوتينجهام فورست، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

واستضاف ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة فريقي ليفربول ونوتينجهام فورست، في الجولة الثانية عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2025/26، حيث سقط حامل اللقب بثلاثة أهداف دون رد.

وقال سلوت، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “خيبة أمل كبيرة أخرى، لقد بدأنا المباراة بشكل جيد في النصف ساعة الأولى، ثم استقبلنا هدفًا، ولم نتمكن من اللعب بنفس الأداء الذي قدمناه في النصف ساعة الأولى”.

وأضاف: “هدف موريلو المثير للجدل؟ لا أعرف، سمعت أنه لم يكن تسللًا، فإذا لم يكن تسللًا، فلا مجال للنقاش، صنعنا فرصًا وكنا ننتظر هدفًا، الركلة الثابتة غيّرت كل شيء، وسجلوا هدفين، هذه مسؤوليتي سواء سارت الأمور على ما يرام أو ساءت، لم نتمكن من صنع فرص كافية”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فان دايك بعد الهزيمة أمام نوتينجهام: علينا النظر في المرآة.. ولن أحكم على الجماهير

وواصل: “حاولت تعديل بعض الأمور، لكن الأمور لم تنجح، لم نتمكن من تسجيل هدف، لا أحد يعلم في هذا الملعب، إذا سجلت هدفًا، فقد تتحسن الأمور”.

وعن استقبال هدف في بداية الشوط الثاني، قال الهولندي: “بالطبع كان الأمر سيئًا بالنسبة لنا، كان من الصعب بالفعل أن تكون متأخرًا1-0 ضد فريق يصد كل شيء”.

واسترسل: “بعد أيام قليلة علينا اللعب مجددًا في دوري أبطال أوروبا، ثم خوض ثلاث مباريات في الدوري الإنجليزي في فترة زمنية قصيرة، ارفعوا رؤوسكم واعملوا بجد واجتهاد، نحن نبذل قصارى جهدنا كل يوم”.

وشدد: “من المفيد دائمًا أن يكون لدينا لاعبون ذوو خبرة وكفاءة، الأمور لا تسير على ما يرام حاليًا، لا يحدث كثيرًا في أنفيلد أن نخسر بنتيجة 3-0، أخبرت اللاعبين بعد المباراة أن الجماهير كانت تغني بعد صافرة النهاية”.

Paul Skenes had a busy Wednesday.published a profile of him and girlfriend Livvy Dunne to start the morning. Later on, he gave up just three hits and no earned runs in seven innings, recording his first win of the 2025 season in the Pittsburgh Pirates' 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Naturally, Skenes was asked about his debut as a model after the game and had the most on-brand response possible.

"Um… Yeah, I don't know," Skenes said to reporters postgame via SportsNet Pittsburgh. "I'm going to get some flak in the locker room, I know that. I'm not looking forward do it.

"But yeah, I didn't know what was until the offer came, so I'm glad I did it I think. I mean, how'd I look? Did you guys think I looked good?"

The second-year ace is known for his laissez-faire attitude, like when a meme was born of Dunne's reaction to Skenes being named the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year, when his own expression looked less than thrilled.

The profile itself discussed the origins of Skenes and Dunne's relationship as they've grown into a "Gen Z it couple" online. Dunne, an LSU gymnast, has 5.3 million followers on Instagram and eight million on TikTok. Skenes is one of the MLB's brightest young stars, even if he has to take a few more pictures than he wants to sometimes.

The 2025 MLB season is only a few games old, but it has not been kind to slugging Boston Red Sox DH Rafael Devers.

Devers is coming off a strangely controversial spring training in which he seemed to publicly go back and forth with manager Alex Cora about whether or not he'd play third base. Ahead of Opening Day Cora declared officially that Devers would be the team's full-time designated hitter going forward. Whether it's the change or the weird vibes surrounding it, Devers has struggled mightily to adjust. To a historic degree, as a matter of fact.

In the first three games of the Red Sox's season, Devers has had 12 at-bats. He has recorded zero hits in those at-bats. Worse, he's struck out 10 times. And with his 10th strikeout on Saturday in Boston's loss to the Texas Rangers, Devers became the first player in MLB history to strike out 10 times in the first three games of the year, per ESPN.

Baseball players go through slumps all the time. This isn't to say the Red Sox should start ringing alarm bells. But as far as slumps go, this one is . Devers can't even get wood on the ball right now, a shocking sight given he had 28 home runs and knocked in 83 RBI in 2024.

Not exactly what the Red Sox are looking for from their $300 milion hitter, that's for sure.

It’s become a running joke that players who arrive at Manchester United with a notable reputation tend to see their stock plummet, with Old Trafford having been a graveyard for the best and brightest over the last decade or so.

From Angel Di Maria to Alexis Sanchez, the signings of perceived ‘world-class’ talent have spectacularly backfired, with the pursuit of glamour names and marketing opportunities rarely equating to on-field glory.

Thankfully, it does appear that there has been a change in tack under the new INEOS regime, with Jason Wilcox and co having gone for young and hungry figures like Senne Lammens and Benjamin Sesko, alongside Premier League-proven talents in Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.

With potential future captain Matthijs de Ligt now starting to shine at the heart of the defence, while veteran warrior Casemiro is enjoying a midfield renaissance, a strong spine is finally beginning to emerge under Ruben Amorim.

As defeats to the likes of Grimsby and Brentford have showcased this season, however, this new-look United side are far from the finished article, with it likely to take a succession of transfer windows for Amorim to be able to build a title-challenging squad again.

Investment in new recruits is certainly needed, although there is also a sense that there still remains plenty of ‘deadwood’ to be shifted too.

The players Man Utd need to sell in 2026

Whether it is in January or next summer, United face another pivotal year with regard to squad-building, with ruthless decisions needing to yet again be made in order to take this club where it needs to go.

In the most recent window, for instance, Amorim oversaw departures for the likes of Antony, Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford, with the Portuguese having taken a particularly strong stance on those latter two names.

When next summer rolls around, it would be no surprise to see further peripheral figures also sent packing, with both Joshua Zirkzee and Manuel Ugarte surely at risk, amid reports that Omar Berrada wishes to implement a two-year rule for new signings.

In essence, those brought in have a maximum of two years to make their mark or face the axe, with Zirkzee – who has played just 90 minutes this season – certainly out in the cold right now, while Ugarte was reportedly the subject of a dressing down from his former Sporting CP boss at the end of last term.

Question marks also remain over the futures of the aforementioned Casemiro and Harry Maguire, amid their expiring contracts, with the Brazilian – for all his importance – regularly unable to last the 90 minutes, having been subbed off on seven occasions in the top-flight this time around.

Long-serving defender Diogo Dalot also appears another player at risk, amid the change to a 3-4-2-1 system, with the orthodox right-back having come under fire this season for his struggles on either flank.

What is clear is that the likes of Amorim and Wilcox aren’t afraid to make the big decisions, a fact that was also evident with the handling of another former world-beater over the summer.

The Man Utd flop who finally needs to be sold

Signed for just £18m, Lammens looks like one of the bargains of the season in Premier League terms, with the Belgian ‘keeper still yet to taste defeat in his new surroundings, following a near faultless five games in the United goal to date.

The 23-year-old Belgian will, as is the fact of life for a goalkeeper, make a mistake at some stage, although his strong early impression has already won over the Old Trafford faithful, with supporters and pundits alike willing him to be the second coming of Peter Schmeichel.

Getting people onside early on is particularly key in a position that Gary Neville regularly describes as the “most difficult position in English football”, with Lammens’ predecessor Andre Onana having failed to do just that upon his arrival in 2023.

Formerly part of Erik ten Hag’s famed Ajax side that reached the Champions League last four in 2019, Onana was reunited with the Dutchman four years later, joining from Inter Milan on a £47.2m deal.

The Cameroon international – who was actually available on a free transfer in 2022 – departed the San Siro having starred amid their surge to the Champions League final in his solitary campaign in Italy, producing an eye-catching display even amid defeat to Manchester City in the showpiece.

Speaking ahead of that eventual 1-0 win for the Etihad side, Pep Guardiola even hailed Onana as “one of the best in the world right now”, with it looking as if United had acquired a perfect replacement for the departed David De Gea.

Frustratingly for all concerned, the erratic ‘keeper looked a poor fit from the off, memorably lobbed from the halfway line on his Old Trafford debut against Lens in July 2023.

The sight of the £120k-per-week stopper tangled in his own goal set the tone for what was to follow, having also escaped punishment for a late punch against Wolverhampton Wanderers on his Premier League bow, before producing a string of blunders during United’s dismal European run.

In that 2023/24 Group stage alone, he made two errors leading to a goal, having followed that up with a further five errors across the 2024/25 season in the Premier League and Europa League, as per Sofascore.

Perhaps the final straw came away at Lyon last term, with Onana engaging in pre-match verbals with Nemanja Matic, who branded him one of the “worst keepers in Manchester United’s history”.

Desperate to prove him wrong, United’s number 24 went on to play his part in both of Lyon’s goals, the second coming at the death just minutes after he had appeared to rile the home crowd by taking an age over a goal-kick.

The woes of Altay Bayindir did ensure he was subsequently reinstated, but the die was cast, with Amorim shipping out his previous first-choice stopper to Turkish side Trabzonspor late in the window.

With no buy option included as part of that deal, the 29-year-old – who has actually conceded just seven goals in eight Super Lig games in Turkey – will have to return to Manchester next summer, with INEOS swiftly needing to find a buyer for their exiled flop.

The problem is, the Red Devils will likely have to take a sizeable hit on their initial investment, with CIES Football Observatory deeming him to be worth a maximum of just €15m (£13m), even less than what United paid for Lammens.

Getting something for him is better than nothing, however, with the Red Devils needing to try and swiftly move on from this costly transfer mistake.

Joshua Zirkzee chooses club he wants to leave Man Utd for in January

He wants out of Old Trafford in the New Year.

By
Charlie Smith

Nov 18, 2025

When Eddie Howe reflected on Newcastle United’s form at the start of the November international break, he would have felt the weight of back-to-back Premier League defeats against Brentford and West Ham United.

He also would have known the significance of a big performance against Manchester City at St. James’ Park when club football returned, and so it was momentous to have battled to victory against Manchester City on Saturday evening, recovering ground in the race for European football.

The season’s still young, and there is optimism regarding the Magpies’ hopes of finding success once again this year, but Howe and technical director Ross Wilson will already be looking toward the future, and they have earmarked Elliot Anderson as the perfect player to take this project to the next level.

The latest on Anderson to Newcastle

As far as Newcastle are concerned, the Anderson situation is twofold: they will absolutely be in the thick of any upcoming battles to bring their academy graduate back home, and they will surely need to make concessions of some description, given the Tricky Trees are set to demand in excess of £100m for their prized player, who is also being chased by Manchester United

Anderson, 23, was sold to Forest in 2024 for a fee in the region of £35m. This was signed off by PIF officials bearing gritted teeth, having felt forced into cashing in for the homegrown talent in order to balance the books and placate PSR.

Ruefulness has since shifted to regret. Anderson has been described as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League” by England manager Thomas Tuchel, who has designated the star as a regular starter alongside Declan Rice as the 2026 World Cup looms large.

While Newcastle’s vested interest could lead to an exciting and concerted bid – Howe said at the start of October that he “would love him to” come back home – but it’s not as if the Toon engine room is lacking without him.

That said, Joelinton appears to be winding down after years of tireless and robust service. Anderson would surely dovetail into a trio with Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.

If Newcastle have to shuffle a few things, so be it, and there’s one rather brazen sale PIF could permit to ensure the club have the finances to pull a bid off next year.

The Newcastle superstar PIF could sell

It may well be a controversial move, but Newcastle have floated the possibility of selling Anthony Gordon about for some time, with Liverpool interest in their one-time academy talent in 2024, before United opted instead to cash in on Anderson.

Gordon joined Newcastle from Everton for around £45m in January 2023 and, after a testing start to life on Tyneside, made significant progress across the 2023/24 campaign, winning the club’s Player of the Year after recording 21 goal contributions in the Premier League and serving as a talisman as Howe’s side battled through an injury-hit year.

But last season, as Newcastle went from strength to strength, returning to the Champions League and winning the Carabao Cup, Gordon regressed, only scoring six Premier League goals all year.

Though his playing style has put him in a promising position to beat the likes of Marcus Rashford to a regular starting berth at next year’s World Cup, more is needed from a player of his calibre, whose once untouchable place on Howe’s left wing is looking far more apt for replacement at this stage, especially with injuries and suspensions contributing toward his poor form this year.

Then, of course, we have Harvey Barnes, whose brace against City underscored his worth in this system. That’s three goals in two Premier League matches for the former Leicester winger, whose incisiveness from the wing works well against Nick Woltemade’s unique striking game, willing to drop deep and influence play while also playing the part of a powerful target man.

Gordon’s blistering speed and ability to stick to the flank or weave inside to wreak chaos are two brilliant aspects of his game, but he needs to offer more, and his inability to do this could see Howe sell him to fund a move for Anderson, perhaps making a shrewd winger signing to complement Barnes besides.

Because frankly, Gordon’s form in front of goal hasn’t been good enough for a while. The Three Lions star was said to have entered “Gabriel Obertan territory” after the loss at West Ham, which, for one of the most prominent wingers in England, self-proclaimed as a “nightmare for anyone” he comes up against, is not good enough.

25/26

7

0 (0)

24/25

34

6 (6)

23/24

35

11 (10)

22/23

16

1 (0)

Should Gordon fail to establish prolific form before the end of the season, there will be more than just a few questions placed by his name. Given that Liverpool have expressed an interest over the past couple of years, not dissuaded by Newcastle’s £100m valuation, could there be regret that he was not sold sooner?

Barnes, after all, is beginning to find goalscoring form, and Gordon has failed with 60% of his dribbles in the top flight this term, also missing big chances while failing to break his duck.

Gordon at full speed and potency in the final third and up and down the touchline is a dangerous adversary for even the finest of defenders. But his declaration of a nightmarish playing style can only go so far if he is unable to produce clinical results at the end.

We need only look at the Alexander Isak saga and the potential that Woltemade offers in the box to understand that selling Gordon for the right price would not be detrimental for Howe’s longer-term plans.

And if those funds are used to bring Anderson back home, thus completing what may well become the best central midfield in the whole country, then it would surely be a worthwhile move.

Newcastle have already got a bigger talent than Barnes who's "like Mbappe"

Newcastle United have a bigger talent than Harvey Barnes in an 18-year-old who is similar to Kylian Mbappe.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 24, 2025

It’s been an incredible week to be an Arsenal fan.

On Sunday, Mikel Arteta’s side demolished Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League.

And then, if that wasn’t enough, the Gunners brushed aside the excellent Bayern Munich to go top of the Champions League table.

There were sensational performances across the pitch for Arsenal, including from someone who is becoming something of a hybrid between Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka.

Eze & Saka's performances vs Bayern

While the likes of Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber are getting most of the praise following Wednesday night, and rightly so, Saka also put in a performance to be proud of.

Now, it’s true that he didn’t get on the scoresheet himself, but he did provide the assist for the opening goal and was a constant threat throughout his time on the pitch.

At certain points, he had to deal with three Bayern players on his own, but still managed to create two big chances, complete three of four crosses, take one shot on target and recover the ball twice.

It’s clear that the Hale End superstar is still not quite at his very best, but even without a goal to his name, he’s impacting games in a big way.

Likewise, Eze didn’t score a fourth goal in two games, but once again showed why he is one of the best number tens around against the German giants.

It was just before the visitors scored that he helped create a chance with some tidy footwork, only for him to just overhit the pass into Saka.

Then in the second half, every time he had the ball at his feet, he was looking to do something positive.

It was this mindset that saw him play an excellent ball over the top for Gabriel Martinelli to knock around Manuel Neuer and secure all three points.

Overall, Saka and Eze weren’t necessarily the best players on the pitch against Bayern, but they put in strong performances, and now it looks like Arsenal have a player who is becoming a hybrid of both.

Arsenal's Saka & Eze hybrid

With Saka undoubtedly being Arsenal’s most important player and Eze proving to be one of their best signings from the summer, a player would have to be pretty special to be described as a hybrid of the two.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Fortunately, despite certain sections of the fanbase clearly thinking otherwise in the summer, Noni Madueke has proven himself to be just that.

Now, nobody is saying the former Chelsea ace is as good as his compatriots, but he certainly shares some similarities with them.

For example, like the former Palace star, he is someone who can make something happen from nothing.

Granted, that hasn’t necessarily translated into a goal or assist this season, but he is such a direct attacker that, with the ball at his feet, he can make opposition defenders panic.

Moreover, like the 27-year-old, given his ability to make something of nothing, Arteta seems to have given him more freedom to try things on the ball.

Arsenal writer Adam Keys perhaps put it best when, after his goal against Bayern, he described the 23-year-old as an “agent of chaos,” which is just the sort of player the North Londoners have been missing in recent years.

Expected Assists

0.26

0.27

Progressive Passes Received

12.9

12.4

Key Passes

2.29

2.21

Live Passes

32.9

33.5

Tackles Won

0.57

0.58

Successful Take-On %

42.1%

40.5%

Carries

26.9

29.5

Now, when it comes to Saka, the similarities come down to their left-footedness, their close control, and the fact that FBref ranked the Hale Ender as the sixth-most similar attacking midfielder or winger to Madueke in Europe’s top five leagues.

The best way to understand how they came to this conclusion is to look at the underlying metrics they rank closely in, metrics like expected assists, key passes, tackles won, successful take-on percentage and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while his signing was not universally celebrated across the fanbase, Madueke has proven himself to be a more than useful player for Arsenal, and the fact that he shares so many traits with Saka and Eze can only be a good thing.

As good as Rice: Arsenal star has proven he's one of the best "in the world"

The outrageous Arsenal star was as good as Declan Rice in the Champions League victory over Bayern Munich.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 27, 2025

Arsenal are now prepared to break the bank to sign Vinicius Jr, amid a major new update on the forward’s future at Real Madrid.

The Gunners should be well-positioned to start competing for the signatures of some of the world’s best players once again, having announced themselves as serious contenders for the Premier League title as a result of the 4-1 victory at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Signing the Real Madrid star would certainly be a major statement of intent, given that he is still regarded as one of the best wingers in world football, despite narrowly missing out on the 2024 Ballon d’Or, finishing as runner-up behind Manchester City star Rodri.

Interestingly, an exciting new report has now suggested that the move could be a realistic possibility, following a major new update on the Brazilian’s future at the Santiago Bernabeu…

Arsenal prepared to break the bank for Vinicius Jr

According to a report from Spain, Arsenal are now prepared to break the bank to sign Vinicius Jr, with the Emirates Stadium now one of his most likely destinations, having informed Real Madrid chairman Florentino Perez he does not currently wish to sign a new contract.

The winger’s unwillingness to put pen to paper on a new deal stems from a difficult relationship with manager Xabi Alonso, and negotiations have now stalled, which could open the door for a move to north London, and Stan Kroenke & co clearly mean business.

However, the Gunners may need to be willing to make the Brazil international one of their highest earners to get a deal over the line, given that he has been demanding a very high salary to extend his stay with the Spanish club.

In truth, the 25-year-old isn’t having the greatest of seasons, failing to score or assist in his last 10 matches for club and country, so it is no surprise he has fallen down the pecking order at Madrid, most recently being benched for his side’s 2-2 draw against Elche.

The forward’s attacking output has been very impressive previously, however, having contributed a whopping 111 goals and 87 assists in 339 matches for Real Madrid, and Liverpool manager Arne Slot sung his praises earlier this month.

With Arsenal looking to lift the Champions League for the first time in their history this season, it would make sense to bring in Vinicius Jr, who has won the competition twice, and ranks very highly in the 2026 Ballon d’Or Power Rankings…

Where Vinicius Jr ranks in the 2026 Ballon d'Or Power Rankings Related Ballon d'Or 2026 Power Rankings

Who will be lifting the individual honour in 2026?

Posts ByCharlie Smith Nov 6, 2025

New South Wales collapsed from 123 for 2 in the chase with Benji Floros taking four wickets and Labuschagne a pair

AAP03-Nov-2025Marnus Labuschagne made it five centuries in eight innings for Queensland to start the summer, after helping them to a 96-run One-Day Cup win over New South Wales.Labuschagne hit 101 from 111 balls at Sydney’s Cricket Central on Monday, leading Queensland to 287 for 9 before NSW were all out for 191 in reply.All but certain to return to Australia’s Test team for the Ashes this month, Labuschagne will enter the series as the form batter in the country. Axed from Australia’s side midway through the year, Labuschagne is back playing with the same intent that made him the world’s best batter as recently as 2023.The 31-year-old is clipping the ball off his toes again with precision, driving well, and on Monday swept legspinner Tanveer Sangha for three fours. He also hit Sangha over long-off for a big six, on a day when the spinner was otherwise NSW’s best with 3 for 64 having been released for Australia’s T20I squad for the match.Labuschagne’s near-chanceless century marked his third this season in the one-day format, where he is currently outside of Australia’s first-choice XI.He has also hit two centuries in the Sheffield Shield for Queensland, with all of the hundreds coming batting at No. 3. But it is expected he will be asked to open in the first Test against England in Perth, in a move that will allow allrounders Cameron Green and Beau Webster to both fit in the team.In reply, NSW were never really in the chase on Monday, but Sam Konstas did hit a measured 47 before being caught behind when he gloved a hook shot off Benji Floros.Floros had Jack Edwards caught behind next ball in similar fashion, before finishing with 4 for 22 in his best outing for Queensland.Labuschagne also claimed two wickets with his medium pace, with Chris Green skying an attempted pull shot, before Sangha fell lbw.

He appeared in 24 Tests and 12 ODIs, which included vital contributions during WI’s triumph in the inaugural 1975 ODI World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Oct-2025

Bernard Julien, the former West Indies allrounder, died at the age of 75 on Saturday in Valsayn, a town in Northern Trinidad. He was part of the 1975 world champions and represented the region across 24 Tests and 12 ODIs.At the inaugural ODI World Cup, now 50 years ago, Julien produced a spell of 4 for 20 against Sri Lanka in the group stage and followed it up with 4 for 27 against New Zealand in the semi-final and a cameo of 26 off 37 balls against Australia in the final. The tournament encapsulated his reputation as a swashbuckling allrounder known for his left-arm seam bowling, his strokeplay and lively fielding.Clive Lloyd, the former West Indies captain, hailed Julien as a vital member of the 1975 champions. “He always gave you over 100 percent. He never shirked his duties, and I could always rely on him with bat and ball. He gave his all every time. What a fine cricketer,” Lloyd was quoted as saying by the Trinidad & Tobago Guardian.Julien enjoyed another high point at Lord’s, where he scored his first Test century, a match-winning 121 against England in 1973. He picked up a five-for against the same opposition the next year.”We all had total respect for him,” Lloyd said. “He enjoyed himself and was loved by everyone around. I remember we won the Test match at Lords and stood there and signed autographs for a long time, He was good for us and was held in high regard everywhere we went.”Julien also played for Kent between 1970 and 1977, but his career came to a halt when he joined a rebel West Indies side that toured South Africa during the apartheid era in 1982-83.”As we honour Bernard Julien, we also recognise the importance of reflection and inclusion. The time has come to view that chapter of our history not through exclusion but through understanding,” Dr Kishore Shallow, the President of Cricket West Indies, said in an official statement.”To the family, friends, and loved ones of Bernard Julien, we extend our deepest condolences. His passing reminds us that a life devoted to purpose never truly leaves us. Cricket West Indies stands with you in this moment of loss, and we hope Bernard knew he was valued and loved by the cricketing family he helped to shape, and that he found peace knowing his contribution will always endure.”

Arsenal are keen to strengthen their bid for the Premier League title and could now move for one of Europe’s best wingers after contacting his agent.

The Gunners have made an excellent start to the campaign and look to be on course for another successful campaign under Mikel Arteta, albeit they will likely be judged on whether they manage to deliver a first top-flight crown since 2004.

Admittedly, having to stew for two weeks after a frustrating draw with Sunderland where Brian Brobbey brought the hosts level late on is a tough pill to swallow. However, success is defined by your ability to bounce back, and Arsenal look to have a renewed sense of character in comparison to previous years.

Waiting on players to come back from injury to help with their heavy fixture schedule is something Arteta will be banking on, and the Spaniard has indicated Gabriel Jesus has his part to play as the Gunners look to move closer to the title.

He said before his side drew in the North East: “A player who is very unpredictable, full of energy, and super competitive. A player who comes from a context of difficulty in the last few seasons, due to various nasty injuries, so the level of hunger and desire that he is going to bring to the team is going to be amazing.

“So I’m thrilled to have him, I think he’s going to add something extra to the team that we don’t have, and make sure that very soon we see him on that pitch making an impact for the team.”

Even then, it may be some time before the Brazilian is fully fit, so it will come as no surprise to hear that Arsenal are now keen to strengthen their forward line once the January window opens, and talkSPORT revealed this week that the north Londoners want to sign a youthful forward.

Arsenal make contact with Borussia Dortmund attacker Karim Adeyemi's agent

According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal have initiated contact with super-agent Jorge Mendes over Borussia Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi as they look to bolster competition out on the right flank, with Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke currently competing for a first-team slot.

The Bundesliga giants will insist on recouping a figure of £62 million in January. Meanwhile, the Germany international has a £71 million release clause and is also attracting interest from Manchester United. What’s more, and perhaps more interestingly, Arteta personally views him as the ideal upgrade to Brentford loanee Reiss Nelson, and Arsenal are convinced that Adeyemi can rival summer signing Noni Madueke.

Andrea Berta is further boosted by the report’s claim that Adeyemi is more keen on a move to London than Manchester, so a deal could be there to be done.

Karim Adeyemi’s Bundesliga statistics — 2025/26 (Fotmob)

Shots

16

Shots on target

5

Completed dribbles

13

Chances created

8

Touches in opposition box

38

Known for his explosive speed, Adeyemi has registered three goals and three assists in 14 matches this season, and he is now at risk of opting not to sign an extension at Dortmund, with his current contract set to expire in 2027.

Arsenal have entered a bidding war for one of the Premier League's best midfielders

London is his preferred destination, potentially offering a crucial boost to Arteta, and it remains to be seen if he eventually puts pen to paper at the Emirates Stadium.