Jackson Chourio, the 20-year-old Milwukee Brewers' wunderkind, is the youngest player on any MLB roster right now. So Chourio could be forgiven if the moment of October baseball was a little too big for him—he's simply never seen anything like it.

But that couldn't be further from reality, especially after Chourio's two-home run game on Wednesday night kept the Brewers, on the brink of elimination against the New York Mets, alive in their Wild Card series.

Not only did Chourio's performance save the club's season, but it also put the rookie in a class with one of the game's greatest players ever, Babe Ruth. The Brewers outfielder is the first player to hit two game-tying homers in the same postseason game since Ruth did so for the 1928 New York Yankees in Game 4 of the World Series.

Chourio's first homer tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning. His second long ball was much more dramatic.

Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth, Chourio led off the inning with a game-tying homer that electrified the fans at American Family Field. Milwaukee would go on to take the lead on a two-run homer by outfielder Garrett Mitchell moments later.

But make no mistake. Chourio's home runs were the spark that ignited the club—and its ballpark.

I think I still feel the adrenaline," Chourio said through his interpreter. "It was a very special moment for me, and it's one I'm going to look back on and remember for the rest of my life."

In addition to joining the Babe in baseball lore, Chourio also became the fifth-youngest player to hit two homers in a postseason game.

Chourio and the Brewers will take on the Mets in a win-or-go-home Game 3 on Thursday night at 7 p.m. ET.

Jesse Winker isn't a big fan of the Milwaukee Brewers.

The New York Mets outfielder has been a big part of his squad's postseason run after the team picked him up from the Washington Nationals before the MLB trade deadline.

Winker had a terrible 2023 season as a member of the Brewers, and when the Mets faced them in the wild card round, he faced loud cheers from the fans. It's safe to say he's not a fan of Milwaukee.

When asked about it, Winker said via , "As far as Milwaukee goes. I'll hate them forever."

"It's part of sports, these fans, they can react to you however they want, he continued. "They pay the tickets. They're the veins and the lifeblood of our sport… but I'll hate the city of Milwaukee forever."

In 2023, Winker played 61 games for the Brewers and slashed a woeful .199/.320/.247, while hitting one home runs and driving in 23 runs. He was making $8.25 million after Milwaukee traded second baseman Kolten Wong to acquire Winker and infielder Abraham Toro.

After the last two years, it's a safe bet the feelings of hate between Winker and Milwaukee are mutual.

Tottenham are emerging as prime contenders to sign an Inter Milan star Yann Bisseck after West Ham saw a bid rejected for the player last summer, according to a new report.

Spurs boss Thomas Frank is now just under two months away from his January at the club, and the winter is also set to mark Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange’s first transfer window as co-sporting directors.

Paratici assisted Lange, Frank, CEO Vinai Venkatesham and ex-chair Daniel Levy during the summer window in an advisory capacity, and worked regularly as an outside consultant for the club since he was forced to resign from his post as managing director in 2023.

The Italian was repeatedly linked with a return to N17 once his worldwide FIFA ban came to an end this year, but Levy’s departure briefly threatened Paratici’s Tottenham comeback given the chiefs were close allies during their time together at Spurs.

1. Cristian Romero

£42.5m

2. Dejan Kulusevski

£25.5m

3. Rodrigo Bentancur

£21.5m

4. Pedro Porro

£40m

5. Djed Spence

£20m

However, Venkatesham and co elected to re-hire Paratici after all, with the 53-year-old set to partner Lange as the Lilywhites officials take on very different sporting director roles.

While Lange will mainly oversee the talent spotting, scouting, academy and data-driven recruitment side of things, Paratici is tasked as Spurs’ dealmaker to get high-profile signings over the line — using his renowned negotiating skills and extensive contact list (Sky Sports).

It’s poised to be a very intriguing January with this restructured leadership model, and reports suggest that Paratici is already “working behind the scenes” on a few key Tottenham targets like Brentford star Kevin Schade.

It is also believed by some media sources that Spurs are keen to bring in a new centre-back at the turn of the year, having reportedly considered late summer moves for the likes of Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji.

Radu Dragusin could be back in action after the November international break as he nears the end of his recovery from an ACL injury, with the Romanian unable to feature since their Europa League clash against Elfsborg last January.

Kevin Danso has impressed as a reliable deputy for Cristian Romero when needed as well, but it will be a while before Dragusin is a reliable option once again and a serious injury to star man Micky van de Ven would spell disaster.

As such, it is little surprise that the north Londoners are considering their long-term options at centre-half, and Inter’s Bisseck is apparently an option for them.

Yann Bisseck increasingly keen to join Tottenham after rejected West Ham bid

The one-cap Germany international, who has been in and out of Cristian Chivu’s starting elevens so far this season, was subject to a rejected bid from West Ham in the summer window, but a Premier League move could still be on the cards for him.

That is according to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, who report that Bisseck and his camp are growing intrigued by the prospect of joining Tottenham, with Inter pondering the defender’s sale as they look to raise transfer funds.

The towering 6 foot 4 centre-half was a regular under Simone Inzaghi last term, making 46 appearances in all competitions — even chipping in going forward with three goals and three assists.

Bisseck has a desire to test himself in England, but he’ll have to settle for playing second fiddle to the likes of Romero and van de Ven, who are currently one of the best centre-back partnerships in England.

The former Aarhus sensation has been called a “diamond” by members of the Italian press, with reports in the summer even claiming that the Nerazzurri wanted as much as £44 million to consider a sale.

Even with Tottenham’s £100 million of new injected capital via the Lewis family, which could be reinvested into the club’s recruitment strategy, it is very debatable whether Spurs would be willing to cough up such a fee on a back-up defender.

Price will be a major factor here, with the player’s willingness apparently there.

Thomas Tuchel has dropped a massive hint about his potential midfield pairing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be staged next summer. England continued their faultless march toward the 2026 World Cup with a measured and professional 2-0 victory over Serbia on Thursday, and the German manager wants his troops to tap into the winning mentality ahead of the global showpiece event.

• Subs transform the match as England extend historic run

  Bukayo Saka’s crisp volley set the tone early on, but it was the late-game surge led by Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Eberechi Eze that restored England’s control and secured all three points. Serbia frustrated Tuchel’s side with a compact defensive shape, and England needed patient buildup play to break through. Tuchel turned to his bench early in the second half, releasing a wave of attacking talent that immediately shifted the rhythm. Eze capped a lively cameo with a superb late strike, doubling England’s advantage, while Foden and Bellingham came on as substitutes to help the Three Lions see things out.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Anderson emerges as Tuchel’s midfield revelation

  Tuchel seems increasingly convinced that Elliot Anderson is the man to partner Declan Rice at the World Cup. Against Serbia, Anderson delivered another commanding performance. Although he is adept at playing in a more advanced role at Nottingham Forest, the player has adapted seamlessly to a deeper role for England. He averages 118 touches per 90 minutes in England’s qualifying run, which is a figure usually reserved for seasoned international metronomes. 

  Tuchel made no attempt to downplay his growing reliance on the 23-year-old: "Elliot and Declan are at the moment ahead in midfield. They are a very good pair and complement each other very well. They are performing at the highest level for club and country. Biggest complement to both of them. We took Declan out [of the last match] after 65 minutes to have the chance to play again, Elliot played 90 minutes and it is his first season to play international games as well as for Nottingham Forest, he is a key player there too."

• Tuchel calls for hunger as records fall

  The victory against Serbia took England to seven wins from seven qualifiers, boasting an astonishing 20 goals scored and not a single goal shipped in. No European nation has ever reached this stage of a World Cup qualifying cycle with a 100 per cent clean sheet and winning record. Despite England’s flawless defensive record, Tuchel insisted he has never spoken about chasing history. For him, the focus remains on mentality, not milestones.

  "I didn't speak a single word about that. We made sure we had yesterday the training session that we had, the quality and mentality of the guys who didn't play was on the highest level which was pure pleasure to watch and be part of," he said. "It showed me again that we are building and growing in the right way. Everyone is ready to play, everyone is desperate to start. The competition is still on, the hunger is on to be on the pitch tomorrow. That is the most important.

  "Today we prepared for Albania and we prepared our offensive solutions, spoke about the defensive structure of Albania like always and had a tactical training session. Everything we talk about is about the process and about the things that we can influence. We need to get the foundation right to have a chance to have these records. Just by thinking about it or by talking about it nothing will change, we need to deliver tomorrow again. The feeling and the trust is absolutely there because I witnessed this in camp. I trust my players to perform again tomorrow."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images Sport
  

  England turn focus to final test in Albania

  England now travel to Albania for their final qualifier, seeking to complete an unprecedented perfect campaign. While qualification is already assured, the fixture offers Tuchel another chance to refine combinations and evaluate players who are pushing for greater involvement.

  "In general, I just hope and I feel the hunger for us to win and to achieve something is bigger than the fear of losing and the fear of maybe losing a record of clean sheets," he said. "These things just happen. We are well aware that we put a lot of effort in to defend as a team and it's only possible to have so many clean sheets because we defend properly as a team which is the case but you also need a bit of luck in certain moments. We should not focus too much on what we have to lose, we should be more excited about the next possibility to show our quality and to have another exciting and intense match."

  With Rice and Anderson emerging as the heartbeat of Tuchel’s midfield, the manager appears closer than ever to identifying the foundation of the team he hopes will carry England deep into the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer.

Bayern Munich are expected to enter the race to sign Liverpool defender Ibrahim Konate. The 26-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid next summer, with the player able to leave Anfield on a free transfer with his contract running down. The Bavarian giants have ignited interest in the player, with his former RB Leipzig teammate Dayot Upamecano also out of contract in the summer.

Bayern make contact with Konate's entourage

Konate's deal with the Premier League Champions expires in June 2026. He is allowed to negotiate a switch to a European side from January. 

German outlet Bild reports that the 34-time German champions have been in contact with the player's representation, with a view to bringing him back to the Bundesliga. Konate made his reputation during a four-year spell at Leipzig, before completing a £36m switch to Merseyside in 2021. 

Upamecano's similar contract situation with Bayern could be the impetus for the switch. The France international has been a near ever-present for the Bavarian giants since joining from Leipzig in the same summer that Konate left for England. 

Los Blancos will be watching both contract sagas with a keen eye. They had been rumoured to be pursuing Konate since the summer, but a Fabrizio Romano report has now suggested they are intent on making Upamecano the latest player to move to the Spanish capital on a free transfer. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLiverpool in similar situation to Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Van Dijk sagas

The brewing Konate saga is a familiar story to Liverpool fans. Much of the 2024/25 run-in was dominated by discussions over the futures of Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold. 

While their record Premier League goalscorer and club captain decided to stay at Anfield, Alexander-Arnold eventually moved to the Spanish capital for a fee of €10m. The nominal fee was agreed to allow the right back to be released from his contract early to play in the Club World Cup, after he had already agreed personal terms with Los Blancos. 

Konate struggles for form in 2025-26 season

Konate, who has played 147 games for the Reds, has been singled out for criticism at times this season, particularly after the 2-1 defeat away at Crystal Palace which started Liverpool's run of five straight defeats in all competitions. Suggestions that concerns over his future have led to poor performances have been quickly rubbished by his manager, Arne Slot however. The Dutchman defended his player back in October following his side's loss to Galatasaray saying it's not just the Frenchman that was found lacking. 

"If you are losing a game of football, it doesn’t help if you lose the ball a few times very easily," Slot said. "Ibou has been one of them, but definitely not the only one. Against Galatasaray, apart from the penalty, maybe they got three or four other moments, all from us losing simple balls without any pressure, which happened to him once in the Palace game and once against Galatasaray.

"If you lose there is so much focus on that moment and, all of a sudden, 90 minutes have been very poor. That’s not the way I analyse a game when I watch it back. I see what we did well and what we did wrong. In the last two games, it has been obvious and clear we have made a few errors, not only him, but also others we are not used to. If you do things that people are not used to then normally the manager gets criticised."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Will Liverpool push for Konate's signature?

Liverpool's willingness to allow another player's contract to run down will inevitably draw questions from the fan base. Now with two of Europe's most vaunted sides sniffing around the player, the idea the Reds can re-sign Van Dijk's partner of the past few seasons look increasingly slim. With the decision to let Jarell Quansah leave for Leverkusen in the summer, Joe Gomez clearly a distant third option in the centre of defence and their pursuit of Marc Guehi failing to materialise in a move, Konate's dwindling contract is not just a distraction for the Reds, it presents a serious problem for the makeup of their squad going forward. 

It was a tale of two halves for Everton, having dominated Sunderland at the Stadium of Light for much of the opening half of their Premier League clash.

Ultimately, David Moyes’ side had to settle for a draw, with Iliman Ndiaye’s irresistible dribble and strike after 15 minutes cancelled out by Black Cats skipper Granit Xhaka, whose piledriver took a nasty deflection off James Tarkowski’s outstretched leg to wrong-foot Jordan Pickford.

In some ways, the Toffees will be content with a point gained on the road, but Moyes cut a frustrated figure on the sideline as his side continued to be so wasteful in attack.

And (with apologies for the continuing trend), Thierno Barry flattered to deceive once again as the focal frontman.

Thierno Barry's struggles continue

At the moment, it’s something of a pick-your-poison situation for Moyes when it comes to naming a striker. Beto and Barry are powerful, mobile strikers, but neither can hit a barn door at the moment, with one goal between them in the Premier League this season.

Barry was given the nod here, and while he caught the eye with strong link-up play and confident movement in the early stages, he came unstuck when skying a glorious close-range chance to put the Blues 2-0 up in the first half.

How that could have changed things, but the £27m summer recruit fizzled out along with Everton, and he was hooked before the hour mark for Beto, who found himself marooned in the final third as Sunderland upped the ante and cranked up the pressure and pushed for a winner that did not come.

Sometimes in football, it really is that simple. Everton need a striker, someone reliable and clinical in the final third to connect with Ndiaye and Jack Grealish and the like.

However, football isn’t that simple. Everton are a team of 11 players, and there was one Moyes mainstay in particular who had an evening to forget behind Barry and then Beto.

Moyes must relocate Everton mainstay

Everton have been profligate this season, no doubt about it. However, too much creative emphasis has been placed on the wide players, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will be disappointed with a limp display in Sunderland.

Having arrived from Chelsea for about £28m this summer, the English midfielder has been one of Everton’s most important cogs this term, industrious and influential in his advanced role, sat behind the striker.

However, a strong start has tapered away some, having created only two chances across his past three Premier League matches, missing a litany of crosses and long passes besides.

Against Sunderland, this lapse in form was on full show. The 27-year-old’s passing was errant, with former Everton correspondent Ric George even saying the Englishman’s “passing is atrocious” when observing a slew of failed efforts to connect with his teammates in the danger area.

Dewsbury-Hall vs Sunderland
Match Stats	#
Minutes played	83′
Goals	0
Assists	0
Touches	43
Accurate passes	19/24 (79%)
Chances created	1
Crosses	1/2
Dribbles	2/2
Recoveries	3
Tackles	0/1
Duels won	4/9
Data via Sofascore

While he’s still a fantastic player with plenty in his locker, Moyes might want to consider starting Dewsbury-Hall from a deeper midfield berth over the coming weeks; given Barry and Beto’s issues in front of goal, it might be worth digging out alternative routes. Dwight McNeil and Tyler Dibling would both fancy themselves able in the role, for example.

Dewsbury-Hall nearly showed off his quality with a late through ball to Beto, but this was about the extent of his good work in attempting to break lines and thread the thirds together. Liverpool World handed him a creditable 6/10 match rating, though acknowledged he faded quickly after a bright start.

Brighter days are ahead for the talent, but perhaps he should be connecting with an attack-minded midfielder next, sitting in the centre and showing off his all-encompassing midfield qualities.

Moyes could be brewing Everton's own Adam Wharton in "abnormal" 18-year-old

Everton could now be brewing their very own version of Crystal Palace midfield sensation Adam Wharton.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 31, 2025

Any Premier League outfit with well-lined pockets can spend money on attractive players. Newcastle United’s financial fortunes changed when PIF swooped in nearly four years ago, but there’s far more substance to the Toon’s revival.

Appointing Eddie Howe was a shrewd and calculated move. Less than one month before the former Bournemouth boss’s arrival at St. James’ Park in November 2021, The Times reported Unai Emery, Steven Gerrard and Roberto Martinez were at the top of the shortlist to replace Steve Bruce.

Newcastle looked elsewhere, and they haven’t looked back. Howe is the real deal, leading the Magpies to Europe across two of the past three campaigns and winning the Carabao Cup last season; victory over Liverpool at Wembley ended 70 years of searching for domestic silverware.

Newcastle have unloaded their financial strength across recent transfer windows, sure, but they are almost unerring in their strategy.

Many players are a testament to that, and Sandro Tonali is a shining example.

Sandro Tonali's Newcastle journey

In July 2023, Newcastle paid £55m to sign Tonali from AC Milan. It was Howe’s first signing of the summer. All knew United had recruited a top midfield talent, elegant and intelligent in the middle of the park, and he is now producing the goods with consistency.

He didn’t at first. The Italy international managed only eight Premier League appearances in 2023/24 before being suspended due to betting breaches. He would not return until after the start of the following campaign.

Tonali was worth the wait, though, having been hailed by pundit Paul Scholes this month as being the best midfielder in England.

Howe has reworked his central system over the past 12 months, rewiring the nucleus of his team by moving Tonali into the deepest area of the midfield, thus freeing Bruno Guimaraes to be more dynamic ahead of him.

Games

15

36

Wins

7

23

Draws

4

2

Losses

4

11

PPG

1.66

1.97

The 25-year-old is a product of Howe’s vision and tactics. He has shaped him into a star. The English manager has something of a knack for crafting high-class midfielders, and he could do it again with Lewis Miley.

Newcastle's new version of Tonali

Miley is the boyhood star in Newcastle’s first team. Howe might dream of a reunion with Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson down the line, but if Miley realises his potential over the coming years, that need will be lessened.

Already rather seasoned within Howe’s squad, the 19-year-old is a composed and cool customer in the engine room, not afraid to commit in the challenge, crisp on the ball and with an unteachable eye for goal.

Miley has faced adversity across the opening weeks of the campaign, with Howe condemning “unjustified” criticism and vowing to “protect” the homegrown talent last month.

An adaptable player, Miley could follow in Tonali’s footsteps under Howe’s wing, weathering adversity and working hard toward achieving respect and awe at St. James’ Park. He has the completeness to match the Italian, if not the experience or refinement.

Injuries have affected the young star’s rise to the Newcastle first team, but he has still made his mark over the past couple of years, already with 53 appearances for the seniors and seven direct goal involvements.

Pundit Pat Nevin has kept a close eye on Miley’s development and has even proclaimed him to be “the next young English superstar”, carrying a strength on the ball that belies his 19 years and showing technical qualities that will only harden as the months and years pass by.

That’s quite the claim from the one-time Scotland international, but it’s clear Miley has the natural talent and the determination to win over the doubters and make headway at Newcastle this season and thereafter.

With the Toon fanbase rallying behind him, Howe truly might unearth the club’s next version of Tonali.

PIF sold Newcastle's next Gazza on the cheap, now he's better than Bruno

Did Newcastle United sell an even better midfielder than Bruno Guimarães?

1 Oct 13, 2025

Sussex 277 for 9 (Clark 82, Hannon-Dalby 3-53) beat Warwickshire 258 (Barnard 82, Davies 74, Lenham 5-48) by 21 runs (D/L)Warwickshire suffered Metro Bank One-Day Cup heartbreak after a 21-run (D/L) home defeat to Sussex caused qualification to slip through their fingers.In a match reduced to 48 overs per side, Sussex totalled 277 for nine with only Tom Clark (82 from 77 balls) building an innings beyond the cameo stage. Olly Hannon-Dalby’s three for 53 was well-supported by the spinners who shared five wickets.Warwickshire’s D/L target was adjusted to 280 from 48 overs and they were bowled out for 258 in 45.1 overs. Ed Barnard struck 82 (75) and Alex Davies (74, 90) but Archie Lenham took his maiden List A five-for – five for 48 – as the middle and lower order imploded.That left Warwickshire’s players clinging to the hope of Middlesex losing to Lancashire – but half an hour later those hopes were extinguished as Middlesex snuck home by one wicket at Old Trafford.Sussex chose to bat and soon lost Henry Rogers, caught by a diving Hamza Shaikh at extra cover off Hannon-Dalby, but Clark sped to a 45-ball half-century. After a short rain break, Daniel Ibrahim tickled a potential leg side wide from Rob Yates to wicketkeeper Kai Smith.The fluent Clark was 18 short of emulating his championship century at Edgbaston in April when he lifted Tazeem Ali to deep mid-wicket. Batters throughout the tournament have learned that you attack the young leg-spinner at your peril – Tom Alsop joined the list when his top-edged slog landed in the hands of mid on.John Simpson fell lbw, sweeping at Jake Lintott and as the innings stalled against the spinners, it needed late impetus. Danny Lamb provided some with a run-a-ball 42 before reverse-sweeping Lintott to deep point. Bertie Foreman (30, 33) lifted the total over 250 but, on a good batting pitch, Sussex appeared around 27 under par.Warwickshire quickly lost Yates, who sliced a wide Sean Hunt half-volley to point. Zen Malik assured a brisk start with 27 from 25 balls but then hoisted Clark to long leg.Barnard and Davies shifted the game their side’s way with a stand of 107 in 99 balls. Barnard was imperious, deploying sparkling footwork to the spinners, but his departure, caught at extra cover off Troy Henry, triggered a collapse.Although out of the qualification picture, Sussex back fought back with great heart. Foreman ousted Shaikh, who reverse-swept to short third, and Lenham removed Davies, caught at extra, and Vansh Jani, bowled cutting, with successive balls.Lintott swept Lenham to deep mid-wicket, Kai Smith played on and when Adam Sylvester edged to slip, Vaughan had his five for. When Hannon-Dalby swung and missed at Henry Crocombe, the Bears were left hoping for a Middlesex defeat. They hoped in vain.

Manchester City knew they were going to have to be at their very best to get the better of a stern AFC Bournemouth side at the Etihad on Sunday afternoon.

Thankfully, the usual suspects Pep Guardiola knows he can depend on shone once more, as Erling Haaland picked up yet another brace in City’s sky blue, to take his Premier League goal tally for the season up to an untouchable 13 strikes, from just ten clashes, to also steer the hosts to a convincing 3-1 victory.

The superhuman striker is already up to a mind-boggling 25 goals for club and country this campaign, with Guardiola understandably jubilant at the full-time whistle, as the Norwegian’s lethal edge proved to be the crucial difference maker.

But, he wasn’t the only unstoppable attacker that caught the eye against the Cherries, as Rayan Cherki also effortlessly went about his business, as a perfect teammate for the deadly number nine to bounce off of.

Cherki's standout performance vs Bournemouth

Even before the match had gotten underway, the former Lyon playmaker was being spoken about in glowing terms, with Sky Sports’ Izzy Christiansen labelling him as a “player of the highest quality.”

He lived up to his lofty post-match billing with a stylish showing against Andoni Iraola’s men, as the hard-to-read Frenchman followed up the goal and assist he had collected against Swansea City, with two assists versus the Cherries to bump up Haaland’s ever-growing goal count in England.

Cherki would get the ball rolling for City when using his head to play Haaland in after 16 minutes, while his second assist of the night would see him catch the South Coast side’s defence out with an intricate pass, before City’s lethal number nine unsurprisingly fired home.

Managing to win 100% of his tackles, too, to show off some levels of grit in his varied game, Cherki will surely be retained now for Guardiola and Co.’s difficult match-up in the Champions League on Wednesday night against Borussia Dortmund, with a hope he can unlock the Black and Yellow’s defence in a similar manner to his standout showing against Bournemouth.

One of the possible hurdles stopping Cherki from becoming a recognised first-teamer, though, is his recurring injury problems, as a different teammate in the middle of the park now also prepares to become a key first-team face week in, week out, too, after putting in another formidable showing centrally.

The 8/10 star who is now as undroppable as Haaland

It could be argued, too, that the number ten faded out of the contest somewhat after his breakneck assists were tallied up.

On the other hand, Nico Gonzalez was full-blooded throughout as City’s main man centrally, as Tijjani Reijnders had to sit out the clash on the bench through injury.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

79

Accurate passes

57/63 (90%)

Tackles won

1/1

Interceptions

3

Blocked shots

1

Ball recoveries

8

Total duels won

4/6

On just his sixth start for City in the Premier League this season, Gonzalez put in – arguably – his best display of the season to date, with a high eight ball recoveries won and four duels being won, also being matched by the ex-Porto star rarely giving the ball away, having ended the match with a high 90% pass accuracy still intact.

Bournemouth would fail to mount a comeback courtesy of the Spaniard remaining switched on throughout; therefore, with Cherki only winning 30% of his duels, in contrast, while also coming in with a lower 85% pass accuracy, despite teeing up Haaland for two goals, per Sofascore.

The aforementioned Reijnders has also struggled, recently, to be that Rodri-type figure City desperately desire as their talisman remains out injured, meaning Gonzalez could now be seen as a key part of the starting jigsaw that Guardiola relies on, much like the 54-year-old is heavily dependent on his unerring Scandinavian, still, to lead the line with venom.

Manchester Evening News journalist Simon Bajkowski would reward the 23-year-old’s impressive night with a high 8/10 post-match rating, with the steady midfield presence noted as bringing a needed sense of “calm and authority” to proceedings in the second 45 minutes, as the game ticked down to its conclusion.

This 3-1 win pushes City up to second in the early league standings, with Guardiola well aware that it’s going to take an unbelievable team effort to catch Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, with Gonzalez hopeful he can be of use, next to Haaland, in the long run, after his assured, yet forceful display at the Etihad.

Erling Haaland's Man City "escape route" as striker's opinion about Real Madrid shared

This would be a disaster.

ByHenry Jackson Nov 1, 2025

The trio will tour Bangladesh for the three T20Is because of injuries to Ryan Klein and Fred Klaassen, and the withdrawal of Saqib Zulfiqar

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Aug-2025Netherlands have handed a maiden call-up to 17-year-old batter Cedric de Lange and recalled right-arm quick Sebastiaan Braat and allrounder Sikander Zulfiqar for the upcoming T20I series in Bangladesh starting August 30. The changes had to be made after Ryan Klein and Fred Klaassen were ruled out with injuries, while Saqib Zulfiqar withdrew due to personal reasons.De Lange has been a consistent performer at the Under-19 level as well as for his club and in the recent Pro Series, the domestic T20s in the Netherlands which concluded on August 20.”It’s always exciting to bring a youngster into the squad,” captain Scott Edwards said. “Cedric has been impressive all summer and he’s really earned this call-up. We’re looking forward to seeing what he can offer us on this tour and, hopefully, across a long career ahead of him.”Related

Vikramjit back in Netherlands squad for Bangladesh T20Is

Braat returns to the Netherlands side for the first time since 2021, when he played T20Is against Nepal, after solid numbers in domestic cricket as well as club cricket.Sikander Zulfiqar’s absence from international cricket was even longer, having last turned out in T20Is in 2019.”It’s also great to welcome Sebastiaan Braat back into the side,” Edwards said. “It’s been a couple of years since he last played for us, but he’s had a very strong summer at club and domestic level, and we’re looking forward to having his experience back in the group as well.”Sikander has been a valuable member of our national team before and I’m glad to see him back in orange. He’s got phenomenal ability to clear the fence late in the game and I can’t wait to see him back and amongst the group.”Netherlands have only played five T20Is against Bangladesh and this will be their first time touring Bangladesh. The series acts as a preparation ground for Netherlands, ahead of the T20 World Cup early next year, while Bangladesh will use the series as an opportunity to finalise their line-up for the Asia Cup starting September 11.Netherlands train in Sylhet for three days before their first T20I on August 30, the second on September 1, and the third on September 3.Netherlands squad for Bangladesh T20IsScott Edwards (capt & wk), Noah Croes, Max O’Dowd, Vikramjit Singh, Teja Nidamanuru, Sikander Zulfiqar, Cedric de Lange, Kyle Klein, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren, Shariz Ahmad, Ben Fletcher, Daniel Doram, Sebastiaan Braat, Tim Pringle