England's World Cup 2026 kick-off times and venues have been finally confirmed as Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions are set to face Croatia, Panama and Ghana in the group stage next summer. England learned their opponents during the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, DC, on Friday evening. The European Championship runners-up side will play their three group games in three different cities.

England learn World Cup match venues and kick-off times

A day after England learned that they are clubbed in Group L alongside Croatia, Panama and Ghana, the Three Lions have been informed about their match venues and kick-off times. Thomas Tuchel's side will endure a complicated commute as they are set to play their first match against Croatia at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Dallas on June 17.

Their next match will be six days later against Ghana at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough and their final match will be held at New York's MetLife Stadium on June 27 against Panama. 

The fans, who will watch the matches from back home in the UK, will have to tune in at 9 pm for the first two matches, while the final Panama clash will kick off at 10 pm. 

AdvertisementGettyTuchel shares opinion on England's draw

Speaking about his team's 2026 World Cup draw, Tuchel claimed that it was a tricky one as he told reporters: "We have Croatia and Ghana, two regulars in World Cups, and we have Panama. I don’t know much about Panama, but we will know everything about them when the tournament starts. For me personally, even in the Champions League, you have to focus on the group – the group is always the most difficult, and we want to escape, and we want to win the group. It’s a tough one.

"No one should be underestimated. Of course, Croatia is the standout name [and] the highest-ranked team from Pot 2 that we got into our group. It’s a difficult opener against Croatia. We take it from here." 

The German coach added: "Ghana is always full of talent and can always surprise, and has a big history in World Cup football," he said. "Also, Panama will try to make the most of the underdog role. No one can be underestimated – everyone deserves the fullest respect, and we will show that."

Tuchel's dig at World Cup draw

The Three Lions boss did not appreciate the long draw ceremony which dragged on for a long time. Before the actual draw, the United States President Donald Trump received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino designating it for a person who has "taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace" and "united people across the world". Trump was given a large gold trophy, a medal, and a certificate, while Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand was also heavily involved in the draw. 

Going by the England boss' comments, he didn't appear to be a fan of the whole affair. He told : "I do not, not like it but we could have done it like, without all of this. I don't need it. But of course, it's a huge stage and it's big entertainment. I was very well aware that it's not about the deep insight of football today."

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Getty Images SportWhich team did Tuchel prefer as possible group opponent?

Further sharing his thoughts on the draw and the opponents England will face, Tuchel added: "I had no preference because why would I worry? I cannot influence. The legends took the draw and this is what we get and what we have to deal with now. We know now our opponents, we know we will start late in the tournament if players are involved in European finals, hopefully. We didn't desire anything we just handled the situation as it is. You get a little more days before and then you get a condensed schedule later in the tournament. Everything comes with in upside and downside."

Justin Greaves called it a “special, special day” for him and the team as he and Kemar Roach helped West Indies pull off an epic draw against New Zealand in the first Test at the Hagley Oval.After New Zealand set a never-chased-before target of 531, Greaves and Roach added 180 in 68.1 overs in an unbroken stand for the seventh wicket. Greaves scored 202 not out off 388 balls and Roach 58 not out off 233 as West Indies batted out 163.3 overs. Their 457 for 6 was the second-highest fourth-innings total in Test cricket, behind only England’s 654 for 5 in the timeless Test against South Africa in Durban in 1939.”[It was] just pretty much being resilient – the word we’ve thrown around in the dressing room a lot,” said Greaves, who also battled cramps towards the end of his innings. “So for me, to be there at the end was really important. So anything for the team at the end of the day.Related

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“I had a really long chat with coach Floyd Reifer. And he was saying, once you get in, stay in; it’s a good pitch. Rachin [Ravindra] and [Tom] Latham showed us in the second innings. So it was just for us to go out there and play ourselves.”It was not only Greaves’ highest Test score but also his best in first-class cricket. He became only the seventh batter to make a double-hundred in the fourth innings of a Test. Roach, who went 72 balls without scoring a run at one point, also registered his first-class best.”Special, special day for me; special day for the team,” Greaves said. “We were pretty much up against it. So, to come out here, batting the whole day after losing Shai [Hope]… We thought we would have probably pushed for a win. But then Kemar, the senior pro, guided me all the way. So pretty much happy for him being there at the end as well.”To be a part of history is ecstatic. But for me, one day at a time, continue to enjoy it. Probably it hasn’t sunk in just yet. Hopefully, over the next couple of days, it can.”West Indies were 72 for 4 at one point, before Shai Hope, who scored 140, and Greaves revived the innings. Hope and Tevin Imlach’s wickets in quick succession left them on 277 for 6, but when they entered the final session, needing 132 from a minimum of 33 overs, a win was not out of the realm of possibility. Eventually, they did not go for it.1:01

Chase: Roach is a modern-day legend

“For us, it was just about getting to the last session,” Greaves said. “We always spoke about 100 runs in the last session, probably with a few more wickets in hand. Obviously, losing Shai and then losing Imlach shortly after was a big thing. But I think we did really well in the end to come up with a draw.”West Indies captain Roston Chase later revealed that they took the final call when the last hour commenced, when West Indies needed 96 from 15 overs.”Going back at tea, the guys wanted to see if they could push for the runs,” Chase said. “But it didn’t quite work out the way they wanted. When the last hour came, when they came off for the water break, we had a discussion. They said they would just play out. And we didn’t think that was a bad idea at that time. So we were happy for them to just straight up play out and that’s what they did.”While West Indies put in an admirable effort, they were helped by the fact that New Zealand had lost Matt Henry and Nathan Smith to injuries. Henry bowled just 11 overs in the second innings and Smith none at all.”It was a Test match that sort of had it all, really,” New Zealand captain Tom Latham said. “I think the way we were able to put ourselves in a position to win a Test match was what we were after and for it to head down to the final hour with kind of all three [four] results on the cards.”When you have two of your seamers go down during a Test match, it’s never ideal. I think the way the work that especially Zak [Foulkes] and Jacob [Duffy] put in throughout that innings, the amount of overs that they bowled, the way they kept coming, certainly never complained and just got on with it and threw everything that they could at West Indies. And also Michael Bracewell bowling 50-odd [55] overs.”We managed to create some opportunities, which is obviously what you want to do, but we couldn’t take them, unfortunately. Sometimes you have to give a little bit of credit where credit’s due, and the way that West Indies played in this fourth innings was pretty outstanding.”New Zealand dropped Roach twice off Bracewell. Still, Bracewell should have dismissed twice more – first lbw and then caught behind. On both occasions, the on-field umpire ruled it not out. Had New Zealand not burnt their reviews, they could have got those decisions overturned.”I guess [it was] one of those things that you have to deal with,” Latham said. “You look at many times before you’ve finished a game, and you’ve had lots of reviews left. You see your way out, what you think the best option is, and I guess at the time that’s what we thought was the best option.”

Jahanara Alam, who has not played international cricket since December 2024, claimed that the Bangladesh women’s captain “beats up” her team-mates

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Nov-2025The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has said it “strongly refutes” allegations of physical abuse made by fast bowler Jahanara Alam against the current national women’s team captain Nigar Sultana.Alam, who has not played international cricket since December 2024, claimed that Sultana “beat up” her team-mates in an interview with Bangladesh newspaper .”The BCB categorically and strongly refutes these allegations, which are baseless, fabricated and devoid of any truth,” the board said in a statement. “The Board finds it unfortunate that such derogatory and scandalous claims have been made at a time when the Bangladesh Women’s Team is showing commendable progress and unity on the international stage.”The Board believes that the timing and nature of these comments are deliberate, ill-intentioned and seemingly aimed at undermining the spirit and confidence of a team that continues to represent the country with pride. It is deeply disappointing that an individual who currently has no involvement or relevance in the plans of Bangladesh cricket has chosen to make such misleading statements in public.””The BCB wishes to make it clear that it has complete trust and confidence in the Women’s National Team’s leadership, players and management. The Board has found no evidence to support any of the claims made and stands firmly behind the team and its personnel.”Bangladesh had finished seventh out of eight teams in the recent Women’s World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Their only victory came against Pakistan but they ran England, South Africa and Sri Lanka close.

The review is expected to be completed by March 31, 2026

Nagraj Gollapudi and Shashank Kishore05-Nov-2025Diageo, the multinational alcoholic beverage company and owner of Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL and WPL, has taken the first steps towards divesting its stake in the franchise.In a filing with India’s market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), on Wednesday, Diageo said it was conducting a “strategic review” of its investment in RCB through Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL) – the parent company that owns the men’s and women’s teams.The review is expected to be completed by March 31, 2026, the end of India’s financial year. (RCSPL is a fully owned subsidiary of United Spirits Ltd. (USL) which in turn is owned by Diageo).”RCSPL has been a valuable and strategic asset for USL; however, it is non-core to our alcobev (alcohol and beverages) business,” said Praveen Someshwar, Managing Director & CEO of United Spirits, in the SEBI filing.”This step reinforces USL and Diageo’s commitment to reviewing our India portfolio to ensure sustained long-term value for stakeholders, while keeping RCSPL’s best interests in mind.”The move comes amid Diageo’s struggles in its core global business, which has been under significant pressure in recent years. In a SEBI filing in June this year, the company had denied reports of RCB’s sale, with USL’s company secretary Mital Sanghvi calling them “speculative”.However, with Diageo now facing headwinds globally, that stance appears to have shifted.Speculation about a potential divestment had intensified after the fatal stampede outside Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in June, a day after RCB won their maiden IPL title.Among the most popular IPL teams, RCB was the second most expensive franchise when the tournament was launched in 2008. Vijay Mallya, then chairman of USL bought the franchise for USD 111.6 million in 2007, before he stepped down as director in 2016, with Diageo becoming the sole owner of the company.ESPNcricinfo has reached out to Rajesh Menon, vice-president and head of RCB, for comment.The development, though, will not have any impact on RCB’s planning for the upcoming IPL and WPL seasons, including the auctions. Any new owner will also need to get clearance from the IPL and the process is likely to stretch beyond the 2026 IPL season.WPL 2026 is scheduled to start in January, while the IPL, which RCB will start as defending champions, is expected to start in March and run through May.

Charlie Dean admits England “got away with one” following a batting collapse against Pakistan

Valkerie Baynes15-Oct-2025″We got away with one today,” was Charlie Dean’s summation of England’s great escape from Pakistan in a washed-out World Cup match in Colombo.England have used get-out-of-jail cards against both the teams which had to go through qualifying just to be here. At least against Bangladesh it was largely their own doing after Heather Knight survived three overturned dismissals to haul them out of danger with her 79 not out.This time, it was down to the brewing monsoon season in Sri Lanka and, with matches against India, Australia and New Zealand looming, England should now have a clear indication of the work ahead of them if they are to move forward with a campaign where their unbeaten record so far flatters them somewhat.Related

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England’s latest batting performance was even worse than the 182 for 6 they managed against Bangladesh, who had them 78 for 5 inside 23 overs. Against some brilliant seam bowling by Fatima Sana, who peppered them with in-duckers on her way to figures of 4 for 27 from six overs, England slumped to 78 for 7 in the 24th.”It wasn’t the start that we wanted with the bat and we didn’t quite adapt quick enough to the wicket, to the way the ball seamed around,” Dean added. “Then I guess we just got a bit bogged down with the spin. It’s hard to really be proactive and take on those options when one, they bowled really well, and I guess when you’ve lost quite a few wickets.”I’m not a top-order batter, so I don’t want to speak for those players and I know that they’ll all be disappointed with how today went and looking to rectify that as quickly as possible. We have some world-class players in our XI, in our 15, so we know that that’s not how the game’s going to go every time but hopefully we can scratch this one off and go ahead on Sunday with a positive mindset.”That they managed to reach 133 for 9 was down largely to Dean who had a job to do – not for the first time – at No. 8, adding 47 runs off 41 balls with No. 9 Em Arlott, called into England’s starting XI for the first time when fellow seamer Lauren Bell fell ill along with spinner Sophie Ecclestone.At this World Cup, Dean has scored 27 not out, having stuck with Knight in for an unbroken 79-run stand against Bangladesh, 19 against Sri Lanka which was the best of England’s batters from No.5-11, and now 33 while the more recognised batters have struggled, Knight’s innings and Nat Sciver-Brunt’s century against Sri Lanka aside.Amy Jones broke the back of England’s pursuit of a paltry 70 against South Africa with 40 not out but hasn’t passed 11 since, fellow opener Tammy Beaumont has reached double figures three times in four innings without passing 32 and the middle order of Sophia Dunkley, Emma Lamb and Alice Capsey has failed to fire.Charlie Dean top-scored for England with 33•AFP/Getty ImagesStill, England are top of the table, level on points but with a superior net run rate to Australia, who threaten to pose an even sterner contest.England won their warm-up game against Australia, which was somewhat of a surprise given that they left the Ashes in January without registering a single victory from seven matches across formats. That result sparked a change of head coach and captain with Charlotte Edwards replacing Jon Lewis and Sciver-Brunt taking over from Knight.But the squad make-up hasn’t changed markedly and their ability to adapt to conditions and cope under pressure, which was found so wanting in Australia and at the T20 World Cup before that, is now under scrutiny once more.Next up on Sunday will be India, who are looking to secure a place in the top four after back-to-back defeats at the hands of Australia and South Africa.”We can definitely be better,” said Dean, who was appointed as Sciver-Brunt’s vice-captain ahead of this event. “We really want to take it game by game and look to put some of the best teams under pressure with India, Australia, and New Zealand coming up. We’re excited for hopefully some better batting wickets or higher-scoring games and to really test ourselves against the best oppositions.”

Since Pep Guardiola was appointed Manchester City manager in 2016, the club have spent around £1.276bn on more than 50 new recruits.

Some have, of course, been a massive success, none more so than Erling Braut Håland, arriving from Borussia Dortmund for £51m in the summer of 2022, so far scoring 143 goals in 164 appearances for the Sky Blues, which isn’t bad.

However, others have not lived up to the expectations set upon their arrival, disappearing into the proverbial wilderness without a trace.

So, is one of Man City’s summer signings, not so long ago labelled one of the best players in the Premier League, in danger of becoming the latest man to follow this path?

Kalvin Phillips' Manchester City career

When Kalvin Phillips joined Manchester City from Leeds United for £42m in the summer of 2022, he was a first-choice starter for England and widely considered to be one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League.

However, to date, he has made just 32 appearances for the Sky Blues, totalling a miserly 921, accumulating only six starts, while 12 of his outings have lasted ten minutes or fewer.

After unsuccessful loan spells at both West Ham and then Ipswich, Phillips is back at Manchester City now, featuring in the Carabao Cup in September, entrusted with a seven-minute cameo towards the end of the victory over Huddersfield Town.

This was his first appearance for the Citizens for 645 days, his last before that coming against Urawa Red Diamonds in Jeddah in the Club World Cup semi-finals of 2023.

Having not represented England for over two years, fair to say this move has wrecked Phillips’ career, going from international star to complete obscurity, yet to even appear on a Man City bench in the Premier League or Champions League this season – including in Saturday’s 3-2 win over his former club.

So, which of Guardiola’s summer recruits is in danger of repeating this trajectory?

Manchester City's next Kalvin Phillips

For the majority of Guardiola’s tenure at the Etihad, the left-back spot has been up for grabs.

First, Fabian Delph and Oleksandr Zinchenko were deployed as midfielders in that role while, more recently, a rotating cast of centre-backs have filled the position, including Joško Gvardiol and Nathan Aké.

So, when Rayan Aït-Nouri arrived from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a reported fee of £31.8m in June, supporters were delighted as the left-back conundrum appeared to have been solved.

The Algerian international joined Wolves from Angers in 2020, making 157 appearances for the club, and becoming one of their most outstanding players.

In the Premier League last season, the 24-year-old registered seven assists, a tally only bettered by 16 players and just one defender, namely Antonee Robinson.

As a result, Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley described him as “one of the Premier League’s best players” last season, while Manchester City director of football Hugo Viana praised his “quality” upon his arrival.

Having switched allegiance from France, Aït-Nouri will be looking forward to representing Algeria at both next month’s Africa Cup of Nations, the Desert Foxes among the favourites to triumph in Morocco, as well as the World Cup in the summer, but he may not be going into those competitions all guns blazing.

Despite earning rave reviews for his performances in old gold, the full-back has made very little impact in sky blue thus far, as the table below documents.

Minutes

315

22nd

Appearances

7

21st

Starts

5

20th

Completed passes

153

20th

Tackles

10

10th

Ball recoveries

10

20th

Touches

222

19th

As the table documents, Aït-Nouri is yet to make his mark since joining Manchester City.

Since starting two of three Premier League matches in August, he has seen just one minute of action in the competition, partially as a result of an ankle injury.

He was handed his full Champions League debut against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday, but was hooked at half-time as Guardiola made a triple substitution, with his team a goal down, ultimately beaten 2-0 by the Bundesliga side.

Aït-Nouri’s performance in that one did not earn rave reviews.

Richard Martin of Goal noted that he lacked ‘awareness defensively or creativity going forward’, awarding him a 4/10, while Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News believes he was at fault for die Werkself’s opening goal, criticising his ‘heavy touches and poor passes’.

The Algerian was replaced by Nico O’Reilly at the interval, and the form of the 20-year-old is also a problem for him.

The youngster has been outstanding this season, thereby starting both England World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania earlier this month, and will not be an easy man to displace at left-back, for club or country.

Thus, unlikely to be given regular starting opportunities any time soon, Aït-Nouri is in danger of slipping into the Phillips vortex of being forgotten and cast aside by Guardiola.

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BySean Markus Clifford Nov 23, 2025

Arne Slot has revealed the date on which Mohamed Salah will join the Egypt squad for AFCON, while admitting that the Liverpool star was "not happy" with his benching at West Ham over the weekend. The Dutchman said that the club, Salah and the Egyptian FA jointly agreed on the final date, following a swirl of rumours that the forward might depart earlier than expected after Egypt arranged a friendly against Nigeria on December 14.

• Salah set to leave for AFCON in mid-December

  Slot dismissed the suggestion of an early exit, making clear that Salah will remain on Merseyside for Liverpool’s Premier League meeting with Brighton and will join the Egypt squad on December 15 ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations. The manager stressed that the decision had been made through what he described as a three-way conversation involving all parties, and he pointed to FIFA’s regulations, which state that December 15 is the latest possible release date, to underline the outcome.

  "The way we have worked is that there's a communication between all three – the player, the club and country," he explained. "That's nothing new. But FIFA have said December 15 is the last day a player has to be released."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Salah’s dip in numbers raises concerns

  Salah’s performances have come under the microscope following a prolonged dip in form. The 33-year-old’s return in front of goal has dropped significantly, with only four goals and two assists in 12 Premier League appearances this campaign. Statistically, the decline stretches across numerous attacking metrics. Salah is attempting fewer shots, contributing less inside the opposition penalty box and completing far fewer dribbles than he once managed almost effortlessly. 

  A key factor repeatedly cited by analysts is the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose move to Real Madrid stripped Salah of his long-time creative partner on the right flank. Under Slot’s evolving tactical system, the supply lines that once suited the Egyptian so naturally have shifted, and the adaptation has been far from seamless. He was benched against West Ham, and Slot pointed at the demanding schedule behind his decision. 

  Ahead of the match with West Ham, Slot told : "We played four games in 10 days. I have many good players so today I chose a different line-up. Sometimes Alex is on the bench, sometimes Florian. It's about the players on the pitch. It's the 11 I chose. I have more than 11 good players and it's not the first time I've chosen not to play Mo."

  Asked whether Salah was annoyed by the decision, Slot offered a candid response in a press conference on Tuesday. 

  "Fair assumption and normal reaction for someone who can play for us," he said. "Of course, a player isn't happy he isn't playing, he wasn't the only one I can tell you. The way he behaved was as you would expect from the professional he is, he was very supportive for his team-mates and handled himself really well. You can't play that well every three days if you go with your emotions, but Mo is so disciplined. He will always be that top professional as he was the last few days."

• Carragher’s comments after PSV defeat add pressure

  Salah produced one of his quietest displays of the season against PSV in the Champions League last week, and Jamie Carragher expressed deep frustration, suggesting that some performances were beginning to push the team into a position he described as approaching "untenable".

  The former Liverpool defender told CBS Sports: "I'm angry with the players, if I'm being totally honest, I'm really angry with the players. But it does get to a stage with any manager at any club, I always use this word, untenable, where it almost feels like it can't go on any longer. I'm not quite there yet, personally in terms of the manager, but I know a lot of supporters will be. I've had a lot of time to think about it, because I knew the game was over well before the final whistle. I think what you see now is, Liverpool in 2018 under (Jurgen) Klopp starts this sort of journey being a great team, and then Slot comes in, and we're now seven or eight years later.

  Carragher added: "The catalyst for Liverpool at the very start of that run was Alisson, [Virgil] van Djik and Salah. Alisson's injured a lot now, so he doesn't play so much, but you're watching van Djik now, not the same player, and Mo Salah looks like his legs have gone. I don't like criticising them, and I think some of the criticism of them this season as players has been harsh. You’re always looking for your leaders in your team to step up when things are not going well."

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  How many Liverpool games could Salah miss while at AFCON?

  The Reds now find themselves navigating a precarious moment in their campaign. After the morale-boosting 2-0 win over West Ham stemmed a worrying slide, Slot’s squad must rebuild consistency before the season falls into a deeper spiral. Fixtures against Sunderland and Leeds United present opportunities to re-establish rhythm ahead of a pivotal Champions League showdown with Inter. But overshadowing all of it is Salah’s impending departure to represent his country. Egypt’s AFCON campaign could see him miss as many as eight Liverpool matches, potential absences stretching across the festive calendar and into mid-January, with the tournament’s final set for January 18.

When it comes to flop signings, Chelsea have made more than their fair share over the last four or five years.

The likes of Romelu Lukaku, Kalidou Koulibaly, Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk are just some of the players who arrived for big money and failed to live up to expectations.

Another star who looked destined for greatness at Stamford Bridge, but ultimately left a flop, was German international Timo Werner.

Unfortunately for Enzo Maresca and Co, one of the players in his current squad looks like he could be on his way to becoming Chelsea’s new Werner.

Werner's failed Chelsea career

When Chelsea agreed to pay RB Leipzig £45m to activate Werner’s release clause in the summer of 2020, there was an understandable level of excitement among the Stamford Bridge faithful.

Chalkboard

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

At the time, the then-24-year-old forward was one of the most exciting players in the whole of Europe and had just spent the last two campaigns scoring for fun.

For example, across the 18/19 and 19/20 seasons, the Stuttgart-born sensation had scored 53 goals and provided 23 assists in 82 appearances, totalling 6692 minutes.

In other words, the German international was averaging a goal involvement every 1.07 games, or every 88.05 minutes, which was a truly world-class rate of return.

Unfortunately, while he was perhaps not as bad as some fans made out, the 29-year-old would never recreate that sort of form for the Blues.

In fact, he wouldn’t even get close.

Across his two campaigns with the West Londoners, in which he made 89 appearances, the 57-capped international would score 23 goals and provide 21 assists, averaging a goal involvement every 2.02 games.

Now, that isn’t horrendous, but it wasn’t deemed enough to lead the line, and something the stats don’t really show is that he ended up getting quite the reputation for missing chances, especially following that game against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Chelsea decided to cut their losses in the summer of 2022, selling the rapid striker back to Leipzig for just £25m. Fast-forward to today, and it now looks like Maresca might have his own Werner in the squad.

Chelsea's new Werner

The unfortunate truth is that you could make the case that several of Chelsea’s summer signings have struggled this season, but the one who feels like he could become the new Werner is undoubtedly Jamie Gittens.

Now, the Englishman is still young and could therefore come good in the long run, but as things stand, it’s hard not to see the similarities between him and the German’s start to life in West London.

For example, like the former Leipzig star, the Reading-born gem joined the Pensioners after impressing in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund.

Despite being so young, the 21-year-old scored 12 goals and provided five assists in 49 appearances for the German giants, totalling 2803 minutes.

In fact, the winger was so impressive at points during the campaign, such as his performance away to Real Madrid, that Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley went as far as calling him “England’s best left winger.”

Unfortunately, as was the case with Werner, Chelsea fans are yet to see the dynamic winger at his best this year.

For example, while his tally of one goal and five assists in 18 appearances is already disappointing enough, it becomes more so when you take into account that three of his goal involvements came in the League Cup game against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

As things stand, the former Dortmund star is nowhere near good enough to start games for Maresca, nor does he seem to have much impact off the bench, so, while it’s harsh, it’s hard to disagree with one analyst who dubbed him a “pointless signing.”

Ultimately, there is still time for Gittens to come good at Chelsea, but at the moment, he looks destined to become another Werner.

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Liverpool have now reportedly joined the race to sign a rising star who could replace Ibrahima Konate, having already sent their scouts to watch the defender in action.

What next after Salah's explosive rant?

Just when they thought it couldn’t get any worse, Mohamed Salah found himself strolling through the mixed zone towards the first microphone available. And this was no friendly catch-up. The Egyptian unleashed a sensational rant, accusing Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus” and claiming that there is no longer a relationship with manager Arne Slot.

So, where do Liverpool and Salah go next? The Egyptian has trained today and a decision is yet to be made as to whether he travels to face Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

According to The Athletic’s James Pearce, some teammates were expecting his rant and those higher up at Anfield knew it was only inevitable that the chances increased that he’d speak out with every passing week on the bench.

Slot maintains the backing of Anfield chiefs, however, who view his decision to drop Salah as a selection choice which was unlikely to be long-term.

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What’s more, as reported by the BBC’s Sami Mokbel, the relationship between Slot and Salah is genuinely broken at present and the Egyptian simply does not see a future at Liverpool whilst the Dutchman is in charge.

It’s the lowest moment of Liverpool’s season so far and one that they could certainly do without as the fixtures come thick and fast. Alas, business goes on for FSG, who have reportedly joined the race to solve another one of Slot’s glaring problems at Liverpool.

Liverpool join race to sign Jeremy Jacquet

According to Sky Sports’ Sacha Tavolieri, Liverpool have now joined the race to sign Jeremy Jacquet, who has impressed their scouts at Stade Rennais.

The Reds have already made checks on the 20-year-old defender and could welcome his arrival to replace Konate in 2026. The Frenchman is in the worst form of his Liverpool career and has already played himself out of a potential move to Real Madrid. Now, with his contract still on course to expire in the summer, he could still leave as a free agent.

Dubbed “physically imposing” by Como scout Ben Mattinson back in May and as “an insane centre-back in the making” by Jacek Kulig, Jacquet has only come on leaps and bounds ever since. At 20 years old, he’s someone that should be on the radar of several top clubs.

For Liverpool, that physicality would be key. The Reds have been bullied far too often this season with Konate at the scene of the crime all too often.

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