Newcastle United have now reignited their interest in James Trafford, who has reportedly made his feelings clear about a potential move away from Manchester City in January.

The Magpies could certainly do with a lift in the winter window amid their current struggles. Eddie Howe’s side have won just three of their opening 11 games in the Premier League so far this season and are paying the price for a chaotic summer.

After defeat against Brentford, the international break couldn’t have been better-timed. It’s allowed record signing Nick Woltemade to find the back of the net for Germany once again and has granted Howe the time he needs to find a solution for his side’s problems.

The towering 23-year-old has been one of the few bright sparks for Newcastle since arriving in the summer, but Alan Shearer still believes he can still go up a few levels.

Speaking after Newcastle’s loss against Brentford, the Premier League’s record goalscorer said: “I’ve said before that as good as Nick Woltemade is with the ball at his feet, he is a problem for Newcastle because he’s not the quickest, and he can’t press, and he doesn’t run in behind.

“Eddie’s teams have always done that. Look at what Alexander Isak did or look at what Callum Wilson did, they all pressed and ran behind. But this guy can’t do that, and that’s a problem for Newcastle.”

Howe's "Geordie striker" could be a bigger Newcastle talent than Anderson

Newcastle could have quite the special player on their hands in this academy star.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 14, 2025

That said, it would be harsh to suggest that Woltemade is the Magpies’ biggest problem. Before anything, they must address the form of their wingers and perhaps even return for some missed targets such as Trafford from the summer.

Newcastle reignite James Trafford move

According to TeamTalk, Newcastle have now re-opened talks with Trafford via his representatives, as they a January deal with Man City.

The goalkeeper rejected the chance to join the Magpies in the summer, but has since been made to regret his decision after City signed Gianluigi Donnarumma so soon after his return to the Etihad.

Despite interest from Tottenham and West Ham, it is believed Newcastle’s ‘advanced talks’ from the summer, their pull and Saudi-backed ambition hands them an ‘edge’ in the race for his signature — making Howe’s side favourites.

He’s reportedly desperate to leave the Manchester club in an attempt to keep hold of his place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad. Newcastle, as a result, are moving ahead of the winter window.

If the 23-year-old could turn back time, then he could be a Newcastle player right now. He returned to Man City ready to take Ederson’s place, but was simply sold a dream by Pep Guardiola and others who quickly welcomed their true replacement for the Brazilian in Donnarumma.

Now, he arguably needs Newcastle more than they need him. With Aaron Ramsdale and Nick Pope providing them with solid options, Trafford’s arrival would be more of a luxury than a necessity at this stage.

Nonetheless, having been described as “world-class” by Burnley boss Scott Parker last season, the young shot-stopper is still undoubtedly a player full of potential in the Premier League.

Newcastle now ready to race Barcelona to sign De Bruyne-esque talent

Do Arsenal lack attacking firepower?

The arrival of Viktor Gyökeres this summer was supposed to end the Gunners’ search for a centre-forward but, so far, the Swede has scored just four Premier League goals, with supporters yet to be truly convinced by their new number nine.

The Swede, as well as Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Ødegaard, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are all likely to remain sidelined ahead of Sunday’s North London derby, meaning Mikel Merino will continue as the makeshift centre-forward.

So, could Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta address this issue in January by targeting “one of the best strikers in Europe”?

Arsenal searching for more attacking firepower

The January transfer window is often a quiet one for Arsenal, albeit they have pulled off some memorable winter signings down the years.

Nacho Monreal, Theo Walcott, Emmanuel Adebayor, Leandro Trossard and Andrey Arshavin all arrived in various Januarys, as did current club captain Ødegaard, albeit the most exciting mid-season addition surely remains Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who joined from Borussia Dortmund for £56m in January 2018.

So now, in a deal that would be very reminiscent, reports in Spain claim that Arsenal are ‘seriously considering’ a January move for another Dortmund centre-forward, this time Serhou Guirassy.

They claim that the Guinea international has a €50m release clause (around £44m) in his contract, making him an attractive proposition for any potential suitors, including Arsenal.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse

Former national team head coach Kaba Diawara is the only Guinean to ever feature for Arsenal, scoring zero goals in 14 appearances in 1999, infamously hitting the woodwork with pretty much every shot he took, so Guirassy would certainly surpass that legacy, should he swap North Rhine-Westphalia for North London.

How Serhou Guirassy would repeat Aubameyang's success

When Aubameyang joined Arsenal, he was 28 years old and had just scored 141 goals in 213 appearances for Borussia Dortmund, winning the previous season’s DFB-Pokal, scoring the winning penalty against Eintracht Frankfurt in the final at Olympiastadion.

Once at Arsenal, the Gabonese international netted 92 times in 163 outings, sharing the Premier League golden boot in 2018/19, while only five players have ever scored more goals for the Gunners in the competition.

For those wondering, this quintet are: Thierry Henry, Ian Wright, Robin van Persie, Dennis Bergkamp and Olivier Giroud.

Now 36, Aubameyang is proving that goal-scoring instincts never fade, having netted six times for Olympique de Marseille already this season, most recently breaking the deadlock during Friday night’s 5-1 demolition of Nice, having also scored when les Phocéens crushed Ajax 4-0 at Stade Vélodrome in the Champions League in September.

So, with Gyökers earning mixed reviews, Arsenal might just lack a striker with that killer instinct, but could that be Guirassy?

Well, let’s compare his and Aubameyang’s time at Borussia Dortmund to see if he would be able to replicate the ex-Gunners star’s career?

Guirassy 24/25 vs Aubameyang 16/17

Stats

Guirassy

Aubameyang

Appearances

50

46

Minutes

4,244

3,959

Goals

38

40

UCL Goals

13

7

Assists

9

5

Shots per 90

2.9

3.4

Shots on target per 90

1.8

2.2

Shot accuracy %

60.54%

63.11%

Big chances missed

31

32

% of touches in the box

15.9%

20.5%

Stats via Transfermarkt, SofaScore & Squawka

As the table documents, Guirassy’s form last season is remarkably similar to that of Aubameyang during his final campaign with die Schwarzgelben.

​​​​​​​

The current Dortmund centre-forward scored two fewer goals than peak Aubameyang, albeit he did net 13 times in last season’s Champions League, thereby picking up the competition’s golden boot.

Other numbers that are similar are the pair’s shots per 90, shooting accuracy and the percentage of their touches that come in the opposition’s penalty area, while the duo both missed more than 30 Opta-defined big chances, which, statistically speaking, is a lot!

Nevertheless, Guirassy’s form at Westfalenstadion​​​​​​​ led to Germany’s all-time record appearance holder Lothar Matthäus asserting that he has become “one of the best strikers in Europe”, underlining how highly rated he is by regular Bundesliga observers.

Thus, should Guirassy arrive at Arsenal in January, he would undeniably have a massive impact, one that could fire Arteta’s team to that elusive first Premier League title in 22 years.

Related Rice & Merino hybrid: Berta now exploring Arsenal move for £70m "monster"

Declan Rice & Mikel Merino remain two of Arsenal’s most important players, so is Andrea Berta now targeting a monster hybrid of of the two worth £70m?

Posts ByBen Gray Nov 21, 2025

Rangers’ winning streak continues, albeit in far from convincing fashion.

On Saturday, the Gers battled to a 2-1 victory over bottom of the table Livingston at Ibrox, with Emmanuel Fernandez marking his first start since August by scoring a towering header, only for Tete Yengi to equalise soon after, but Mohamed Diomandé’s goal 12 minutes from time, Bojan Miovski putting it on a plate for him, enough to snatch victory.

This makes it four Premiership wins out of four since Danny Röhl was appointed manager, the Gers’ longest streak since February, albeit they remain fourth, given that Hibernian beat Dundee 2-0 at Easter Road simultaneously.

Next up, Röhl’s team will take on Braga in a must win Europa League tie on Thursday and, despite victory on Saturday, which starter should be axed ahead of this one?

Rangers' current injury crisis

After some very underwhelming summer recruitment, most Rangers supporters agree that their squad lacks quality, so, when that is the situation, the last thing a coach needs is a lengthy injury list.

First-choice centre-back pairing John Souttar and Derek Cornelius are both expected to be sidelined until after Christmas, after suffering serious injuries while on international on the same evening, doing so within hours of one-another but more than 4,200 miles apart in Glasgow and Miami.

Meantime, just as he had started to click into gear, Mikey Moore suffered a muscle injury in training, so is set to spend weeks on the sidelines.

The Tottenham lonaee had made an inconspicuous start to life in Glasgow, but had started to show glimpses of his talent in recent weeks, scoring his first goal for the club at Dens Park in the last game prior to the international break.

In the absences of the teenager, Röhl’s team lacked dynamism, panache and flamboyance in attacking areas, with the player tasked with deputising certainly not earning rave reviews.

The Rangers star Röhl must axe after Livingston

Röhl went for a more attacking 4-2-3-1 formation for Livingston’s visit on Saturday, with Thelo Aasgaard given the free role as the central number ten.

Chalkboard

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

The Merseyside-born midfielder helped Norway qualify for a first World Cup since ’98 during the break, coming off the bench as his country crushed Italy 4-1 at San Siro last Sunday.

Thus, Aasgaard was handed a first club start since being sent off during the League Cup semi-final defeat at the hands of Celtic at Hampden.

Well, he certainly did not grasp this opportunity with both hands, as the table below documents.

Shots

Zero

12th

Successful dribbles

1

11th

Accurate passes

12

16th

Key passes

1

4th

Duels won

2

24th

Touches

19

23rd

SofaScore rating

6.4

21st

The statistics underline that Aasgaard was generally pretty anonymous during Saturday’s victory, completing just 12 passes and only one dribble, not registering a single attempt.

The most galling number is the fact that the Norwegian international touched the ball only 19 times before being hooked at half time, nine fewer than goalkeeper Jack Butland and six less than Livi scorer Yengi.

Writer Kai Watson asserted that Aasgaard went “missing” in the first half, adding that he “needs to offer something” and is “capable of much more than we’re seeing”.

Meantime, Aheed Abrar of Ibrox News exclaimed that the midfielder was “embarrassing” on Saturday, awarding him a 3/10 rating, while Let’s Talk Rangers believes he should not be an “automatic starter” over Nedim Bajrami, Lyall Cameron and others.

Thus, despite their ongoing injury issues, Röhl does appear to have better attacking options than Aasgaard, who did little to stake a claim for a start against Braga this weekend.

Rohl's own Maeda: Rangers begin talks to sign "very pacy" sensation

With Rangers set to heavily invest in January, they have reportedly began talks to sign a “very pacy” star who would be Danny Röhl’s own Daizen Maeda.

ByBen Gray Nov 21, 2025

As Borussia Dortmund prepare for a defining Bundesliga clash against an in-form Bayer Leverkusen, Niko Kovac is confronted with a growing dilemma with the uncertainty surrounding defender Nico Schlotterbeck. With contract talks stalling and interest from Bayern Munich and Liverpool intensifying, Dortmund now face the risk of losing their key centre-back.

• Kovac hit with Schlotterbeck questions ahead of Leverkusen clash

  The defender, whose contract runs until 2027, remains reluctant to sign an extension, pushing Dortmund into a corner as European giants circle. According to reports, the Dortmund defender is being circled by top European clubs with Bundesliga rivals Bayern also pushing to sign him, while Liverpool reportedly have him on a list of targets, with Ibrahima Konate possibly leaving and questions surrounding Virgil van Dijk's form.

  Dortmund are determined to convince him to stay, but Kovac admits that the situation is out of his control.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Kovac’s honest admission and Schlotterbeck's contract stalemate

  During his press conference ahead of the Leverkusen clash, the coach addressed the growing speculation head-on, saying: "I don't know to what extent I can influence things there – other than showing him appreciation. I show him that every day.

  "He knows what we have in him. But he also knows what he has in the club. I'm optimistic, but only time will tell. I'm not a fortune teller. Let's wait and see."

  Schlotterbeck’s hesitation stems from a mix of sporting and strategic concerns. Despite being offered a major salary increase and even the possibility of inheriting the captain’s armband, the defender remains unconvinced about Dortmund’s long-term title prospects and playing style. He previously stated the team “needs to play more football,” making his expectations clear.

  Sporting director Sebastian Kehl reaffirmed Dortmund’s stance that they want the contract situation to be resolved by the Christmas.

  "We are trying to provide conditions that offer Schlotti an attractive environment… Ultimately, a decision will have to be made," said Kehl.

• Bayern’s push, Liverpool’s interest, and the market pressure

  The tension around Schlotterbeck’s future has been amplified by Bayern's situation. Dayot Upamecano’s contract renewal has hit a wall due to a large gap in signing-fee demands. Should Bayern fail to extend him, Schlotterbeck becomes their prime target.

  That possibility has already been reported by , which claims the defender is seriously considering a switch to Munich. His second preferred destination is reportedly the Premier League, with Liverpool monitoring the situation closely.

  Dortmund’s next few matches, including consecutive Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal encounters against Leverkusen, are seen as pivotal. If the club falters while Leverkusen and Bayern accelerate, Schlotterbeck may conclude that his ambitions cannot be met in Dortmund’s current trajectory. After becoming one of the Bundesliga’s top defenders and playing a central role in Dortmund reaching the Champions League final, he now wants to compete consistently for titles.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  The wider picture for Dortmund

  Dortmund's form has fluctuated in recent weeks with an emphatic 4-0 Champions League win over Villarreal which followed a sharply contested last-minute league draw against Stuttgart. Leverkusen, meanwhile, are thriving under coach Kasper Hjulmand, winning six of their last seven Bundesliga games and coming off a confidence-boosting 2-0 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

  Despite the swirling speculation around Schlotterbeck, Kovac was determined to keep the team focused on football first. He praised Leverkusen’s pace and unpredictability, acknowledged Dortmund’s improvements, and urged realism while still keeping ambitions alive.

  “We need to prepare everything now to be in the mix at the end,” he said, noting the club’s strong Champions League run and potential on all fronts. His assessments of players like Julian Brandt, Fabio Silva, and young defender Aaron Anselmino highlighted the internal progress being made.

  But the truth is unavoidable. Schlotterbeck’s decision will shape Dortmund’s defensive future. If he stays, he could become the team’s highest-paid player and its next captain. If he leaves, Dortmund may be forced into a complete reconstruction of their back line.

Manchester United are set for some considerable squad changes in the new year with a deal now authorised for a new striker in 2026.

United planning for squad transformation under Amorim

The Red Devils’ charge for Champions League qualification is well and truly on as they picked up a crucial three points against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday.

Consistency is the name of the game for Ruben Amorim after his side showed their flaws in a defeat against a ten-man Everton side, but the signs are overwhelmingly positive for the forming Sporting boss heading into the hectic winter fixture schedule.

"Oh my" – Gary Lineker blown away by Man Utd's "world class" number one transfer target

The Red Devils are set to be active in January…

ByBen Goodwin Dec 1, 2025

United will play six matches in December, and will then head into the January transfer window with a very clear picture of what the manager needs to continue their recent transformation.

The futures of Harry Maguire and Casemiro are both in the balance, with the pair among United’s highest earners and both out of contract at the end of the season.

1

Casemiro

£350,000

£18,200,000

2

Bruno Fernandes

£300,000

£15,600,000

3

Matthijs de Ligt

£195,000

£10,140,000

4

Harry Maguire

£190,000

£9,880,000

5

Matheus Cunha

£180,000

£9,360,000

Fabrizio Romano revealed last week that Amorim would prefer to tie both players to down to new deals, but there is an understanding that will only be possible on reduced wages.

Man Utd hold "serious" talks over new forward signing

On the incoming front, the manager has so far failed to find a solution in the number nine position, with Benjamin Sesko injured after an up and down start to life at Old Trafford and Joshua Zirkzee yet to really cement himself as a viable option despite scoring in the win at Palace.

Sky Sports reporter Sacha Tavolieri delivered an update on Manchester United’s interest in Serhou Guirassy over the weekend, with INEOS seemingly pressing ahead with their search for more options up front despite furnishing Amorim’s squad with three new attackers in the summer.

According to Tavolieri, ‘Manchester United have made serious enquiries’ over a deal for the Borussia Dortmund striker, who will be one of the ‘hottest transfer stories to watch in 2026’.

What’s more, the Red Devils have already been ‘authorised’ to trigger the Guinea international’s €50 million release clause (£44m).

Guirassy has scored nine times in 17 appearances in all competitions for Dortmund this season, and manager Niko Kovač recently compared the 29 year-old’s influence to some of the best strikers in world football.

Indeed, his stats suggest he is more Kane than Haaland, as the striker ranks in the 86th percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 but also sits in the 74th percentile for assists per 90 (compared to other strikers in the big five leagues), suggesting he would bring more than just clinical finishing to United’s number nine position.

Experienced seamer back in international set-up after Kyle Jamieson’s withdrawal

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Oct-2025

Blair Tickner hasn’t played international cricket since 2023•BCCI

New Zealand have added Blair Tickner to their ODI squad to play England after Kyle Jamieson was ruled out with a side strain.Tickner, 32, has 13 ODI caps and last played for New Zealand in 2023. He took 1 for 55 in Central Districts’ win over Wellington in the Ford Trophy on Saturday, and will join up with the Black Caps squad in Hamilton ahead of the second match of series.”Blair’s an experienced campaigner and no stranger to international cricket,” Rob Walter, New Zealand’s head coach, said. “He bowls a heavy ball from a decent height with plenty of energy and aggression. In that respect he can fill a similar role to what Kyle would normally perform.”New Zealand are 1-0 up in the three-match series after a four-wicket victory in Mount Maunganui. England recovered from 56 for 6 through Harry Brook’s aggressive century but New Zealand chased down a target of 224 without too many scares thanks to an unbeaten 74 from Daryl Mitchell.Related

Tickner shelves the turmoil to embrace surprise New Zealand recall

Overton has his window to prove the point of his selection

Kyle Jamieson out of ODIs against England with side stiffness

Brook's stunning century can't deny New Zealand after Foulkes runs riot

Brook brilliance can't mask issues for brittle England batting

“It was a good start to the series, and I thought the bowlers set the tone superbly,” Walter said. “For Zak Foulkes to claim 4-41 in his first bowl in ODI cricket, including the big wickets of Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Jacob Bethell, showed the level of talent and composure he possesses.”It was encouraging to see the middle order then step up with the bat on a tricky wicket and I thought Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell showed their experience to help guide us to the target.”Seddon Park will bring new conditions and challenges, and we know England will be highly motivated to bounce back and level the series.”

Surprise package Sunderland were undone by Raul Jimenez’s late winner as Fulham eased clear of the Premier League drop zone with a hard-earned 1-0 win at Craven Cottage.

In a game of plentiful good intentions but few clear-cut chances, the Black Cats – superbly marshalled by midfield anchor Granit Xhaka – looked like hanging on for a point in a West London monsoon.

But six minutes from time, 34-year-old Mexican striker Jimenez beat Sunderland defender Dan Ballard to substitute Samuel Chukwueze’s teasing cross to prod home his third goal of the campaign.

In the week when head coach Marco Silva was reportedly offered a new three-year contract, Fulham’s perseverance in testing conditions was just the tonic after a worrying start to the season.

Fortified by their tenacious 2-2 draw with leaders Arsenal which left them fourth, the Black Cats were determined to extend their unbeaten run to five games – but they were caught napping at the death.

Compact and committed, Sunderland’s five-man defence had weathered the storm as Fulham dominated the first 45 minutes.

Harry Wilson, confidence high after his hat-trick for Wales in the World Cup qualifying rout of North Macedonia, raced on to Sander Berge’s pass and curled his finish just wide.

Two minutes later, Kevin’s skimming effort from the edge of the box was parried by the diving Robin Roefs, who soon kept out the Brazilian winger’s header from Berge’s cross and the Norwegian midfielder’s low effort towards the bottom corner.

Ballard was booked for clattering into Wilson, but Sunderland’s occasional excursions into Fulham territory were rarely threatening.

When Bertrand Traore drove into the box and extended Bernd Leno, his finish lacked sufficient power to beat the home keeper, and the Sunderland bench were convinced Calvin Bassey thwarted the escaping Wilson Isidor’s breakaway with a foul – although referee Darren England did not agree.

Sunderland fuming at referee display vs Fulham

Every referee in the 2025/26 Premier League ranked

Who is the top official in England right now?

By
Charlie Smith

Nov 8, 2025

Many fans and media figures alike flocked to social media to criticise the referee, who was infamously on VAR duty when Liverpool’s Luis Diaz saw a perfectly good goal ruled out due to a miscommunication surrounding the offside check.

One fan said it was “one of the worst refereeing performances I’ve seen in a very long time” while media personality Chris Hughes lamented England’s “absolutely abysmal” display, claiming it “cost us” the game,

Popular Black Cats magazine A Love Supreme had the harshest verdict however, claiming the 39 year-old should be docked wages and not allowed back on a football pitch.

At the other end, Black Cats keeper Roefs was relieved to escape when his heavy touch almost gifted Josh King an opening.

Ten seconds into the second period, Enzo Le Fee’s angled drive fizzed just wide of Leno’s left-hand post as Sunderland showed more ambition.

But they lived dangerously when Wilson, the home side’s likeliest source of joy, dragged Fulham’s best opportunity wide from 18 yards after collecting Ryan Sessegnon’s pass midway through the second half.

Substitute Emile Smith Rowe’s fierce drive soared just wide as Fulham cranked up the pressure in search of a late winner.

And Reinildo Mandava’s last-ditch tackle to deny Wilson was typical of the Wearsiders’ determination to preserve the stalemate.

But just when they looked like escaping with a point, Jimenez dug deep to hand Fulham their fourth win of the season – all of them at home.

Big picture: A potential World Cup final?

It was a false start to the T20I series in Canberra as the rain swept in, but the second match in Melbourne has the makings of a memorable evening with the crowd approaching, or even surpassing, 90,000 as India return to a city where they attracted huge support both in last season’s Test series and the 2022 T20 World Cup. That is, if the weather plays ball. It’s a watching brief on that front.With these two teams likely to be among the favourites for next year’s T20 World Cup, there is a chance they could meet in the final at the only cricket ground bigger than the MCG – the vast Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad where Australia toppled the home side in the 2023 ODI World Cup final. That, of course, is for another day, and there are plenty of things that could get in the way for both sides, so for now it’s about continuing the build towards the tournament.Related

• Suryakumar Yadav calls India's problem of plenty 'a good headache'

• Suryakumar finds form before washout in Canberra

• Nitish Kumar Reddy ruled out of first three T20Is against Australia

However, the prospect of close to a full house at the MCG is exciting even for the Australia players. “It’s an experience for the guys who haven’t been there and done it,” said Nathan Ellis, who has yet to play an international at the MCG, which hasn’t hosted a T20I since the final of the last World Cup.”I was just talking [to Marcus Stoinis] about the early days [in the BBL] where the Melbourne Derby would get 90-odd thousand and he was saying how exciting it is and how cool it is, running us through his experiences there. So really excited to play in front of a huge crowd at MCG, it’s an exciting prospect. A few of us have had that one in the calendar for a little bit.”There wasn’t too much to be gleaned from 9.4 overs in Canberra, but India’s top order had made an early statement and they looked set for a hefty total as Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav motored at 10 an over. Not that this Australian side would have been overawed by that, given their own batting power which has shone across the last three series, although India’s spin trio would have been a fascinating challenge to overcome and will likely remain so in Melbourne.

Form guide

Australia WWWLW (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
India WWWWWMitchell Marsh and Suryakumar Yadav will try again in Melbourne•Cricket Australia via Getty Images

In the spotlight: Tim David and Varun Chakravarthy

Like Ellis, Tim David has not played an international at the MCG. The one opportunity he has had so far was against England at the 2022 T20 World Cup but the game was abandoned without a ball being bowled. His BBL record at the ground is not too flash with 148 runs in nine innings. The average of 16.44 is his lowest at any venue he has batted more than five times in T20s. However, if there’s ever a moment for that to change, it feels like now. David’s move up the order – initially to No. 5 and now likely No. 4 in this series – has added a new level of dynamism to Australia’s top order and allowed him to shape games over a longer period.Australia’s play against spin has improved, but it still feels like an area they could potentially come unstuck. Varun Chakravarthy is the No. 1 T20I spinner in the world but has yet to send down a ball against this opposition in the format; Canberra was his first match against them, although there have been head-to-heads in the IPL. It will be very interesting if he is used early against Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head. Chakravarthy removed Head when he was threatening a big innings in the Champions Trophy final earlier this year.

Team news: Both teams might be unchanged

This is the last game Josh Hazlewood is available for before he switches to Ashes preparation. Australia could consider rotating in Sean Abbott, who is only around for the first three matches of this series.Australia (probable): 1 Travis Head, 2 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 3 Josh Inglis (wk), 4 Tim David, 5 Mitch Owen, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Josh Philippe, 8 Xavier Bartlett/Sean Abbott, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Matt Kuhnemann, 11 Josh HazlewoodGiven the lack of cricket in the first game, an unchanged team could be on the cards for India unless conditions persuade them to play Arshdeep Singh as an extra quick. Nitish Kumar Reddy is out for at least the first three matches of the series.India (probable): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 5 Sanju Samson (wk), 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Harshit Rana, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Jasprit BumrahJosh Hazlewood will get his Ashes preparations started after this T20I•Getty Images

Pitch and conditions

This will be the first match the MCG has hosted for the season. “I feel like every Big Bash game has been 180-plus [totals] there and you had good value for runs, whilst being a little bit in it for the bowlers,” Ellis said. The bowlers will need to adjust to some different dimensions. “It’s bigger square, shorter straight, [Canberra] was longer straight, shorter square,” he said.Frustratingly, it may be another evening of looking skywards with a chance of showers through the day and a possible thunderstorm. October may not have finished gifting its rain-affected matches just yet.

Stats and trivia

• India have won four of their six T20Is at the MCG.
• Marsh needs four runs to reach 2000 in T20Is; Sanju Samson needs seven for 1000 runs and Tilak Varma needs 38 for 1000.
• Jasprit Bumrah needs four wickets to reach 100 in T20Is.

Quotes

“T20 cricket now, the bowling side of things, you’re going to have a lot more bad days than good days. So [it’s about] being able to not ride the highs and not ride the lows too much, but just learning and trying to do it better the next time you are put in that scenario.”

He played 20 Tests for Pakistan in the earliest years of their international cricket history

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Oct-2025Wazir Mohammad, the eldest of Pakistan’s famous Mohammad brothers, has died. He was 95 years old.Wazir played 20 Tests for Pakistan in the earliest years of their international cricket history, the least of Hanif, Mushtaq and Sadiq. Raees, now the eldest of the brothers, didn’t play a Test for Pakistan. Hanif passed away in 2016.As a lower-middle order batter, Wazir’s average of 27.62 does little justice to his impact in some of Pakistan’s most celebrated performances in the 1950s, when they arrived as a Test-playing nation in such style. His career first-class average of 40 was much more reflective of his value, though Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Wazir’s Test captain, was long an admirer.The most seminal contribution came in the Oval Test win of 1954, when Pakistan became the first side to win a Test on their first tour of England (and drew the series 1-1). Though Fazal Mahmood was the hero with 12 wickets, he would not have had a total to defend had it not been for Wazir’s resistance in the second innings.Pakistan were only 85 runs ahead, with two wickets in hand, when Wazir (in at No. 8) put on 58 with Zulfiqar Ahmed and then another 24 for the last wicket with Mahmood Hussain. Wazir ended unbeaten on a four-hour 42, having doubled Pakistan’s score with the last two wickets. Pakistan won ultimately by 24 runs.

The PCB is deeply saddened by the passing of former Pakistan Test batter Wazir Mohammad. One of the four Mohammad brothers to represent Pakistan in Test cricket, he featured in 20 matches for his country from 1952 to 1959.

The PCB extends its heartfelt condolences to his family… pic.twitter.com/DarMeMYLW4

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 13, 2025