يعيش نادي برشلونة أوقاتًا صعبة خلال الساعات الأخيرة ، وذلك عقب الهزيمة التي تعرض لها البلوجرانا أمام تشيلسي ببطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.
برشلونة تعرض لخسارة قاسية أمام تشيلسي بثلاثة أهداف دون مقابل يوم أمس الثلاثاء، ضمن الجولة الخامسة من مرحلة الدوري في دوري أبطال أوروبا.
ويعتبر وضع برشلونة ليس بالمريح في دوري أبطال أوروبا، حيث فشل البلوجرانا في تحقيق الانتصار في المسابقة للقاء الثاني على التوالي.
برشلونة كان قد تعادل قبل حوالي أسبوعين من الآن مع نظيره كلوب بروج البلجيكي بثلاثة أهداف لكل فريق، في حين يحتل الفريق الكتالوني المركز الـ15 في دوري أبطال أوروبا بمرحلة الدوري وبرصيد 7 نقاط.
اقرأ أيضًا.. المباريات المتبقية لبرشلونة في دوري أبطال أوروبا بعد الخسارة أمام تشيلسي فرص برشلونة في التأهل لدور الـ16 من دوري أبطال أوروبا
تحدثت صحيفة “ماركا” عن فرص برشلونة في بلوغ دور الـ16 من دوري أبطال أوروبا، بعد الخسارة المخيبة للآمال أمام تشيلسي.
وأشارت الصحيفة، إلى أن برشلونة إذا أراد التأهل إلى دور الـ16 من دوري أبطال أوروبا، وبناءً على حسابات الفرق الأخرى، فإن البلوجرانا يحتاج إلى الوصول إلى 16 نقطة للتأهل بشكل مباشر إلى الدور المقبل.
وأضافت الصحيفة، أن المؤشرات تشير إلى أن برشلونة سيتمكن من الوصول إلى هذا العدد من النقاط، خصوصًا مع سهولة المباريات المتبقية نسبيًا للنادي الإسباني في مرحلة الدوري.
برشلونة لديه الآن 7 نقاط في مرحلة الدوري، بالتالي حال فاز البلوجرانا في الثلاث مباريات المتبقية له فسوف يصل إلى 16 نقطة بالفعل.
وتبقى لبرشلونة ثلاث مباريات في مرحلة الدوري بدوري أبطال أوروبا، حيث سيواجه في البداية أينتراخت فرانكفورت خلال شهر ديسمبر المقبل على ملعب كامب نو، ثم في العام الجديد سيلعب مع سلافيا براج خارج أرضه، وأخيرًا سيواجهه مرة أخرى على ملعب كامب نو إف سي كوبنهاجن.
وتتأهل الفرق التي تحتل المركز الأول إلى الثامن، بشكل مباشر إلى دور الـ16 من البطولة، على أن يخوض الذين يحتلون المراكز من التاسع إلى الرابع والعشرين، مرحلة الملحق، والتي تتمثل في مباراتي ذهاب وإياب، حسب قرعة.
Real Madrid’s turbulent dressing-room divide has been laid bare as reports in Spain reveal which players have aligned themselves with Vinicius Jr amid his escalating conflict with manager Xabi Alonso — and which stars, including Kylian Mbappe, have publicly and privately backed the under-pressure coach. With results slipping and tensions rising, Los Blancos now find themselves battling a crisis.
Real Madrid split in two camps over Alonso
Reports emerging from Spain over the last several days have alleged an internal split at Real Madrid, with multiple first-team players said to be unhappy with Alonso’s management. The situation intensified following the team’s 2-2 draw against Elche — their third straight game without a win after a disappointing stalemate against Rayo Vallecano and a Champions League defeat to Liverpool. According to COPE’s ‘El Partidazo’, as results slipped, frustrations that had been simmering beneath the surface erupted into clear divisions within the squad.
The outlet claims that six players — Fede Valverde, Vinicius, Rodrygo, Brahim Diaz, Endrick and Ferland Mendy — have grown discontent with the coach’s decisions and tactical management. Vinicius is believed to be at the centre of the unrest, having been left out of the starting line-up multiple times this season and completing the full 90 minutes on only four occasions. With the Brazilian star reportedly unhappy about his role and handling, Spanish media have framed his deteriorating relationship with Alonso as the catalyst for a broader dressing-room split.
Meanwhile, a second group of players has reportedly come out strongly in support of Alonso’s leadership during this turbulent period. That camp consists of Mbappe, Thibaut Courtois, Arda Guler, defender Dean Huijsen and full-back Alvaro Carreras. Their backing arrives at a crucial time for the former Bayer Leverkusen coach, who is facing growing scrutiny following the dip in form, despite the team still sitting top of La Liga after winning 10 of their opening 11 matches.
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Rift stems from Alonso and Vinicius' disagreements
The rift between Vinicius and Alonso is understood to be long-running and rooted in both tactical disagreements and a perceived change in treatment compared to the Carlo Ancelotti era. The conflict escalated in the summer during the Club World Cup semi-final, where Alonso initially planned to bench Vinicius and later deployed him on the right wing, a position the Brazilian strongly dislikes. Since then, the player has viewed the reduced minutes and repeated rotations as a loss of trust, fueling frustration and shaping his stance toward the coach.
This tension reached a boiling point after Vinicius reacted angrily to being substituted in El Clasico, a moment that demanded a public apology from the player. While he apologised to his teammates and the club as a whole, he notably did not mention Alonso, which many interpreted as a deliberate omission. The fallout has directly affected one of the club’s most important off-field issues: his contract renewal. Reports suggest the Brazilian has stalled talks and informed president Florentino Perez that he will not commit long-term while the current coaching situation remains unresolved.
The internal divide extends beyond personal clashes and now threatens squad harmony at a critical stage of the season. Alonso has already faced claims that he has “lost the dressing room” — a narrative historically difficult to reverse at Real Madrid. While the club hierarchy continues to publicly declare support for the coach, Real Madrid's history shows that results, dressing-room unity, and player power ultimately determine managerial longevity. With Vinicius positioned as a cornerstone of the club’s future project, the tension places extraordinary pressure on Alonso to regain control before long-term fractures set in.
Real Madrid's dressing room reportedly falling apart…
The reported factions within the dressing room have emerged during a worrying downturn in performances. After a blistering start, Alonso’s side have stumbled badly, dropping points in three consecutive matches. The 2-2 draw at Elche, where Madrid again struggled to impose themselves, intensified scrutiny and opened the door for speculation about personal tensions shaping performances. Although the team remains top of La Liga, a single point ahead of Barcelona, the momentum that carried them through the autumn has clearly faded.
Vinicius' case is particularly sensitive because of his influence within the squad and the club’s reliance on him as a long-term star. His displeasure has spread concern within Madrid’s management structure, especially with suggestions he may delay or refuse a contract renewal until the situation with Alonso is resolved. Spanish media have gone as far as to report that the pair have “fallen out badly”, raising alarms at Valdebebas over whether the rift can be repaired.
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What comes next?
Real Madrid now face a defining stretch of the season, with Alonso needing both results and unity to quell what is rapidly becoming a crisis. The upcoming Champions League clash against Olympiacos has been labelled a “crucial test”, with Spanish media suggesting a defeat could push the coach closer to the brink just months into his tenure. With January approaching, the club may be forced into decisive action if the dressing-room fracture worsens and contract negotiations with Vinicius stall further.
William Saliba will not play for Arsenal against Chelsea in a top of the table clash on Sunday afternoon. The defender picked up a knock in training and will not be fit enough to play for the Gunners at Stamford Bridge. With Gabriel also out injured, Mikel Arteta has entrusted Pierro Hincapie and Christhian Mosquera as his centre-half pairing for the London derby.
Gunners lose key defender
The injury to the Frenchman is a bitter blow for Arteta, who will have to play without one of Saliba or Gabriel in the middle of his defence for only the second time in the Premier League since Saliba made his debut at the start of the 2022-23 season. It represents a key test to Hincapie and Mosquera, both new signings in the summer, who play in the Premier League together for the first time. Hincapie impressed last week for the Gunners in their 4-1 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur, but Chelsea will provide a different test to the young defender on loan from Bayer Leverkusen.
On Saliba's absence, Arteta said: "He was uncomfortable yesterday, so we need to explore a little bit more what happened.
"I don’t think it’s something major, but enough not to be involved in the game."
There is some good news for the Spanish coach however, with Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres returning to the Arsenal squad and taking their place on the substitutes' bench. Jesus has hardly played for the Gunners in 2025 having sustained an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament in January. The Brazilian’s return is a huge boost for Arteta, who will be hoping the former Manchester City man will provide something different to his existing options.
Gyokeres will also be hoping to get back onto the field and could provide an impact off of the bench for the Gunners, who have been relying on Mikel Merino to lead the line in recent weeks. The Spaniard has chipped in with a couple of assists, against Sunderland and Spurs, but Arteta will be relieved to have the Swedish goal machine back from the medical table.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesHuge six pointer at top of Premier League
Sunday’s clash represents a huge chance for the Gunners to pull yet further away at the top of the Premier League. They will go seven points clear of second-place Manchester City with victory over the Blues, but will have been frustrated to see Phil Foden steal a late winner against Leeds on Sunday. Had Pep Guardiola’s team drawn against the Yorkshire side, Arsenal could have been as many as nine points clear by the end of the weekend.
Arsenal also know that defeat in west London could bring them back down into the thick of a title race. Chelsea can move within just three points of the league leaders and will be desperate to show their city rivals and the rest of the division that they are a genuine challenger for the title. The Blues are also uplifted by the return of an injured star, with Cole Palmer back as an option off the bench for Enzo Maresca.
Madueke returns to west London
Arsenal will also be without Leandro Trossard, who limped off the field against Bayern Munich on Wednesday. The Gunners do have reinforcements to call upon however, with Gabriel Martinelli getting the nod to start on the left-wing.
Noni Madueke returns to Stamford Bridge for the first time since joining Arsenal in the summer, but is only named amongst the substitutes. The English winger was on hand to grab his first goal as a Gunner in the 3-1 win over the German champions and will be relishing the chance to show his former side what they are missing.
Meanwhile, Martin Odegaard could make his first appearance in the Premier League in almost two months having sustained an injury to his knee against West Ham on 4 October. The Arsenal captain will hope to get some more minutes under his belt, but might struggle to dislodge Eberechi Eze in the Gunners' midfield.
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Getty ImagesChelsea look to stop rampant Gunners
Enzo Maresca's Chelsea side will be desperate to put a stop to a superb Arsenal, who have been one of the best sides in Europe this season. The Blues will hope their home support, as well as a weakened Gunners defence, can halt their opponent's title charge.
Manchester United have reportedly convinced Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes to leave his club, as they look to snap him up in a £50m deal.
Casemiro’s form may have improved for the Red Devils this season, but he is still past his best at the age of 33, and struggled in Monday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Everton in the Premier League.
Gomes has emerged as a potential option for United, coming in as a direct younger replacement for Casemiro, with David Ornstein saying Wolves could be forced to sell him in the January transfer window.
“There’ve been reports about Joao Gomes at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Sources I’ve spoken to around Molineux are sort of playing it down. They’re saying there’s no club-to-club talks at this point. And of course, if Wolves are staring at relegation come January, they might look to cash in on him then. As opposed to letting it go into the Championship when his value will decrease.”
Gomes looks to be a leading midfield option for United and now a fresh update has shed further positive light on the situation regarding him.
Big Joao Gomes to Man Uts claim
According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United and INEOS believe they will secure the signing of Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes, with the report saying they are “making behind-the-scenes moves”.
The player himself has already said ‘yes’ to the idea, so all that’s left is for INEOS to come up with an acceptable package for the higher ups at Molineux.
Transfer insider Dean Jones shared insight on a move for the £50m-rated Brazilian, saying: “Mainoo finally got a run out against Everton, but I’m not sure how much that is going to change his feelings about being wanted at the club. If they do sign a midfielder, then it’ll open the door for him to leave. We will have to see whether the Gomes one can truly open up.”
“I think that could turn into a player versus club battle that Man Utd have to deal with if they try to get him out of Wolves, because they don’t want to sell him. They will probably hike the price up, too. Man Utd don’t have much interest in loaning Mainoo out to another Premier League club at the moment, either, so that is another issue that will need to be dealt with.”
Gomes looks like a fantastic option for United, with the Brazil international similar to Casemiro in terms of style, but being able to offer more legs than his compatriot these days.
Joao Gomes vs. Casemiro 2025/26 PL stats
Gomes
Casemiro
Appearances
12
11
Starts
10
10
Minutes played
927
683
Goals
0
3
Assists
0
1
Tackles per game
2.6
2.0
Clearances per game
1.6
1.0
Pass completion rate
85.3%
83.1%
The 24-year-old is coming right into his prime and would arrive as an immediate key man for the Red Devils, with former Wolves manager Gary O’Neill describing him as a “super talent”.
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He has a massive future in the game.
ByHenry Jackson Nov 25, 2025
If a January move for Gomes materialises, it will be a big boost for United, allowing Casemiro to leave for free at the end of this season without too much fuss.
Worse than Bruno Fernandes vs Everton: Amorim must bin Man Utd's 3/10 flop
While ODI series had relatively little meaning other than both teams taking some early steps on the road to the 2027 World Cup, the five-match T20I series beginning in Canberra on Wednesday night is of far greater significance for the near term.The No. 1 and 2 teams in the world face off in the final throws of their preparations for February’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. The conditions will bear no relevance, but the chance for each side to test themselves and their game style against each other so close to a World Cup will be highly beneficial to both teams.India are unequivocally the No.1 team in the world. The reigning World Cup winners stormed to the Asia Cup title without being defeated and they were only run close once by Sri Lanka in the Super Fours and to an extent by Pakistan in the final. They have lost just three matches since winning the World Cup in 2024 and have arguably become an even stronger and more dynamic group with an influx of young IPL talent under Suryakumar Yadav.Related
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Jasprit Bumrah returns after being rested for the ODI series and will likely enjoy the early season conditions in Australia given his exploits with the red and pink balls down under last summer. One challenge facing India will be how to best balance the XI in Australian conditions, something they struggled with in the ODIs, having won the Asia with a spin-heavy team in spin-friendly conditions.Meanwhile, Australia have turned over a new leaf since their disappointing exit from the 2024 World Cup at the hands of India. Back-to-back mediocre showings in the 2022 and 2024 editions force a rethink from Australia’s hierarchy about their approach. The results have been spectacular since going to an all-out power-hitting method of playing under Mitchell Marsh. They have lost just two of their last 20 T20Is on the back of some electric batting led by Marsh, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Tim David, Mitchell Owen and Glenn Maxwell. They are without Green against India as he prepares for the Ashes but Marcus Stoinis and Matt Short fill the breach.”There has been a shift,” coach Andrew McDonald said on Monday in Canberra.”We’re 11 games in now from the initial conversation. When we set out on this journey, we’d failed in a couple of World Cups previously, so we wanted to shift and stretch the boundaries on what we thought we could do.”So yeah, we have been more aggressive, we’ve played people in different positions. Tim David has batted a little bit higher than previously.”Our admission was that we haven’t been successful in a couple of campaigns. We’ve got to change things up. We’ve got to stretch ourselves.”Is it the style that can win a World Cup? We believe so. Will we have to pivot and nuance it slightly, depending on whether we’re in Colombo or Delhi or Kolkata? There’s no doubt about that.”In the short term they get to test their new style against the best team on the planet.”You’re playing against India, so it’s a really good test on whether this style will hold up,” McDonald said. “They’re the number-one ranked team in the world, I think we’re number two. We’re excited to test ourselves against the best.
Form guide
Australia WWWLW India WWWWWSuryakumar Yadav’s form has been a worry•AFP/Getty Images
In the spotlight: Matthew Kuhnemann and Suryakumar Yadav
In any Australian white-ball team, Adam Zampa is the first name written on the team sheet and the rest are selected from there. For the first time since the 2023 tour of India, where Australia picked a second XI post their ODI World Cup triumph, Zampa won’t be in an Australian T20I XI having played every game in the past two years. He will miss the entire series for paternity reasons. It presents a great opportunity for Matthew Kuhnemann, who has played just one of Australia’s last 16 T20Is despite being in every squad. Australia want the option of playing two spinners in the same XI in the World Cup, particularly in Sri Lanka. Kuhnemann can lock himself into the final 15 with a good series against some of the best spin-hitters in the world that will put him under severe pressure.Suryakumar Yadav’s fall from being the No.1 ranked T20I batter in the world in the first half of 2024 to struggling for runs in 2025 has been startling. He has not scored a half-century in his last 14 innings and has averaged 10.50 and struck at just 100.80 in that time. How or why is somewhat of a mystery given he had an outstanding IPL earlier this year as the second leading runscorer across the tournament with five half-centuries at a strike rate of 167.91. It seems incomprehensible that he wouldn’t be a key pillar in India’s top four heading into the World Cup but he would love some runs against Australia to ease any pressure he might be feeling.
Team news: Inglis back, Short out, India to add pace options
Matthew Short’s hopes of bedding down his spot in the T20I side have taken another blow after he had surgery on the cut he sustained on his finger in the second ODI in Adelaide. He will remain with the squad but will be unavailable until the wound heals. Inglis missed the entire T20I tour of New Zealand and the ODI series against India with a calf strain that has taken some time to get right. He has been ramping up the intensity of his running since rejoining the squad in Sydney and looks set to return to the line-up. He will likely return at No.3 where he has had great success. How Australia structure their middle order remains to be seen as Glenn Maxwell does not return until game three. They are thin for options with backup keeper Josh Philippe set to play as a batter in Canberra while Ben McDermott has been called into the squad as extra cover. Australia do not have Ben Dwarshuis for the opening three T20Is due to a calf issue.Australia (possible): 1 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 2 Travis Head, 3 Josh Inglis (wk), 4 Tim David, 5 Josh Philippe, 6 Mitch Owen, 7 Marcus Stoinis, 8 Sean Abbott/Xavier Bartlett, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Matt Kuhnemann, 11 Josh HazlewoodIndia had a spin-heavy line-up in their last T20I outing in the Asia Cup final but will likely add some pace to their attack for the five matches in Australia. Arshdeep Singh is almost certain to return alongside Jasprit Bumrah but Harshit Rana may also come into the mix after his career-best ODI performance in Sydney on Saturday. If those two are added, then Shivam Dube could miss out. Nitish Kumar Reddy is fit again after missing the final ODI with a left quad issue and could be an allround seam-bowling option if needed.India (possible): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Sanju Samson (wk), 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Shivam Dube/Harshit Rana, 9 Kuldeep Yadav/Varun Chakravarthy, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Jasprit Bumrah
Pitch and conditions
It is expected to be cool in Canberra on Wednesday with a medium chance of showers during the day but the evening is expected to be clear and a full game is expected. Manuka Oval has tended to be a lower scoring ground in men’s T20I and BBL cricket with spin playing a role and the boundaries being large.
Stats and trivia
There have been five men’s T20Is in Canberra, with the most recent in 2022, with the record split 2-2 between defending and chasing teams
India won their only T20I in Canberra against Australia in 2020, defending 161
Suryakumar’s streak of 14 T20Is without a half-century is the longest of his career
Australia have not beaten India in a T20I series in Australia since 2008
Quotes
“The opportunity to play in front of sold out crowds in pretty much all three one-day games, and what’s looking like the next five T20 games, it’s fantastic. I think building into the World Cup, where there’s going to be big crowds and perceived pressure, it can only be beneficial for us.” “I have had good few sessions back home, good two to three sessions here, so I am in a good space. I think that is really important. Runs… it will come eventually but I think working hard towards the team goal, it’s more important what team wants from you in different situations and I take it one game at a time. If it starts, then I think it will be a good thing.”
New York Yankees utility man Oswaldo Cabrera suffered what is believed to be a season-ending left ankle fracture on May 12 while he was attempting to stumble in at home during a game. There was also ligament damage in his left ankle.
However, Cabrera isn't seeing this injury as an end to his 2025 season. He still has a sliver of hope that he can return to the field before the year ends.
“I want to [play], obviously,” Cabrera said, via MLB.com. “I’m not happy to be here and not playing. To be with my guys and watch them, I’m happy to watch what they are doing out there, but I want to be with them outside. That’s my motivation that I have, to do my things to get back sooner.”
Unfortunately for Cabrera, the Yankees and manager Aaron Boone seem to have a more realistic viewpoint on the possibility of Cabrera returning this year.
“I think there’s a small possibility," Boone said. “I don’t think we’re necessarily expecting it, but you never know how he heals over the next couple of months. I know one thing with Oswaldo, there’s not a better person who loves this as much as him. I know he’s going to pour everything into the rehab process and healing.”
Never say never, especially when it comes to determined professional athletes. Maybe Cabrera would be able to return in the postseason if the Yankees continue their hot season.
In 34 games this season before his injury, Cabrera averaged .243/.322/.308 with one home run and 11 RBIs.
Bryce Harper returned to the plate with a bang—literally.
During Harper's first at-bat on Tuesday vs. the Toronto Blue Jays, the Philadelphia Phillies star smashed a 394-foot home run. That's one way to make a notable return.
His homer came immediately after Trea Turner hit a two-run shot of his own, with Philadelphia quickly went up 3-0 thanks to Harper's big swing. This is the momentum the Phillies need right now as the team was entering Tuesday's matchup on a four-game losing streak.
Harper has been sidelined since last Tuesday after he was hit on his right elbow by a pitch from Spencer Strider. He suffered an elbow contusion, but he progressed quickly and was expected to return on Tuesday. It worked out in the Phillies' favor.
This was Harper's eighth home run of the season. Before Tuesday's game, Harper was slashing .267/.375/.450 through 54 games.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta issued a rallying cry to supporters. “Be in your seats by 7.30pm,” he commanded.
Fans inside the Emirates Stadium did not disappoint. North London Forever blared out from the sound system and after an intense week in which they’d gone unbeaten against Spurs, Bayern Munich and Chelsea, the fans were very needed.
The Gunners failed to defeat ten-man Chelsea at the weekend and it was a performance that looked tired. Arsenal have enormous squad depth but injuries are already testing this crop of players. As a result, Arteta rang the changes for the visit of Brentford on Wednesday night.
Arsenal may well have secured a 2-0 victory but it was not a vintage performance. It was a display befitting of just how different the starting XI looked.
There were no Bukayo Saka or Eberechi Eze. Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke started instead. With Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba still injured, the responsibilities at the heart of the defence fell to Cristian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie again.
Did they deliver? Well, Arsenal scored twice and kept a clean sheet, so it’s hard to argue against that.
Did Arsenal's midweek starters stake their claim?
Mosquera and Hincapie were rather patched together at the last minute when Saliba sustained a training injury late last week.
The Frenchman has now missed the last two games but for the two summer signings, this was a more composed and easier night than their showing at Stamford Bridge.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Hincapie has been brave and aggressive in both fixtures but Mosquera struggled against Chelsea, notably when it came to progressing the ball. Of course, a Brentford side missing the Premier League’s second top goalscorer in Igor Thiago for over an hour helped their cause, but if Arteta is going to be missing two of the world’s finest defenders, the stand-ins have proven they can more than do a job.
It was in attack where Arsenal perhaps struggled a bit more. While Set Piece FC seem to have become more about scoring from open play, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli didn’t do a huge amount to suggest they should be starting.
Madueke was energetic and effervescent on the right flank, performing four dribbles, two of which were successful, but he ultimately lacked end product, amassing two shots and failing to provide a key pass. Martinelli’s night was even worse. He had only one shot and completed just one dribble.
Odegaard, who stood in for Eze, was also lacking sharpness. The skipper created four key passes but lost six of his seven duels.
For Arteta, he will have been pleased with Mikel Merino, however. The Spaniard scored yet again, taking his goal tally as a centre-forward for the club to ten in 22 outings.
Arsenal have been fortunate that they can rely on their squad depth. They’ve missed Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus in recent weeks but Merino has more than stepped up.
It was the substitutes who changed the game on Wednesday too. Saka, who replaced Madueke, scored the second strike to seal all three points for the Londoners.
Yet, the goalscorers were pipped to the man of the match award by someone who’s been on the fringes of things this season.
Arsenal's man of the match against Brentford
The contributions that Saka and Merino came up with were vital but if it wasn’t for the performance of Ben White, this night would have been far more challenging.
For White, this has been a troubling last year or so of his career. Signed for a mega £50m back in 2021, he had established himself as a core member of the Arsenal side.
Ben White’s Arsenal career
Season
Games
Goal involvements
2021/22
37
0
2022/23
46
7
2023/24
51
9
2024/25
26
2
2025/26
8
1
Stats via Transfermarkt.
He was notably described by journalist Tom Barclay as “one of the best prospects in English football” in the summer he moved from Brighton and in the early stages of his Arsenal career he lived up to that, amassing nearly 100 appearances between 2022/23 and 2023/24.
Last season, however, things began to unravel. Fellow right-back Jurrien Timber was back from an ACL injury and his form since has been impeccable. In the words of the Standard’s Simon Collings, he is “the best right-back in the Premier League right now.”
What didn’t help White last season were persistent injuries that meant he was never really able to build momentum.
In 2025/26, though, he’s been available all season but has been met with stubborn resistance from Arteta to play him. He’s not the first person to find himself in this position during the Spaniard’s tenure.
Think of the likes of Aaron Ramsdale, Kieran Tierney, Emile Smith Rowe or Oleksandr Zinchenko. While they all didn’t do a lot wrong in Arsenal colours, Arteta sought to upgrade them at the earliest opportunity available.
Zinchenko, in particular, has suffered the same fate as White has this season. When the Ukrainian signed for Arsenal from Manchester City he revolutionised the way Arsenal were able to play.
Previously, Arteta’s system saw Tierney flying forward from left-back but Zinchenko was fielded as an inverted full-back, something we now see from both Myles Lewis-Skelly and Riccardo Calafiori.
During that 2022/23 campaign, Zinchenko and White were vital from their respective roles in defence. They contributed in all phases of play. The former Man City man was finally moved on in the summer, albeit only on loan to Nottingham Forest and if White wasn’t careful, he may have been heading elsewhere too.
But, he revived his career on Wednesday, given just his second start in the top-flight all campaign. The defender’s only previous start came against Manchester United on the opening weekend and since then, Timber has made the spot his own.
When Brentford came to town, White rolled back the years. The 28-year-old was phenomenal, notably providing the assist for Merino’s opener.
He took home the player of the match award and deservedly so for a display in which the England international won more duels (10) and made more tackles (6) than any other player against Brentford. He also made more clearances than any of his Arsenal colleagues (6).
Many have tried and failed to get back in Arteta’s good books. Zinchenko and Ramsdale can testify to that. However, White has showcased that he’s still very much an elite full-back and he should not be dismissed just yet.
With Mosquera having had to limp off the field in the first half with an injury, replaced at centre-half by Timber, it would not be a surprise to see White back in the starting lineup this weekend against Aston Villa. On the evidence of this performance, he is undroppable right now.
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West Ham United have now set their sights on welcoming a Premier League rival to become Nuno Espirito Santo’s first signing at the club, according to reports.
Frankfurt end interest in Fullkrug
It could be a fairly busy January transfer window on all fronts for West Ham as Nuno looks to mark his stamp on the side. The Hammers endured a frustrating summer transfer window and watched on as Graham Potter paid the price. In just under a month, however, they’ve got the chance to make up for lost time.
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That should see a number of reinforcements arrive, but it could also spell the end for a handful of current stars. And one of those likely to leave is Niclas Fullkrug. The towering German has simply never got going at the London Stadium and now finds himself behind the pecking order to Callum Wilson.
He desperately needs a move away, but that move won’t come courtesy of Eintracht Frankfurt. Despite initial interest, the Bundesliga side have reportedly dropped out of the race to sign the former Borussia Dortmund man.
Where that leaves the 32-year-old is the big question. There reportedly remains interest from Italian giants AC Milan and there’s little doubt that a winter sale would be the best outcome for all parties.
In the meantime, the Hammers must look towards the transfer market for reinforcements of their own. Whilst a striker should sit top of their priority list, it is also worth noting that they could do with further competition for Alphonse Areola following Mads Hermansen’s struggles. And that could come courtesy of Jose Sa.
West Ham targeting Jose Sa move
According to Football Insider, West Ham are now targeting a move to sign Sa as Nuno looks to raid his old club in 2026. The goalkeeper was recently dropped by new manager Rob Edwards and could only watch on as his replacement, Sam Johnstone, also struggled between the sticks.
Sa, who is represented by the same agent as Mateus Fernandes, is certainly not short on experience. The 32-year-old has been in the Premier League for the last four years and has maintained his starting place for the most part. As backups go, he would be a solid option for West Ham.
The choice between Sa and Johnstone may be a tad more complicated these days, but it wasn’t so long ago that Gary O’Neil was full of praise for the former, saying in 2024: “There’s no headache, no. Johnstone was injured today. Jose’s trained really well and been excellent. Sam was injured, Jose was excellent and has always been ready. There’s no headache, it’s really clear where we go next.”
The goalkeeper’s arrival wouldn’t steal the biggest headlines at the London Stadium, by any means. Alas, it would solve Nuno’s frustrating Hermansen problem.
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Chelsea’s title ambitions were always more realistically viewed through a wider lens than the current campaign, but this recent drop in form has been concerning for Enzo Maresca’s side nonetheless.
A creditable draw against table-toppers Arsenal last weekend, preceded a bitter defeat to promoted Leeds United at Elland Road in midweek, and this one marked the perfect chance to bounce back and keep a toe in the early Premier League title race.
Bournemouth stood strong against the Blues on Saturday afternoon, but they also pulled their weight in the final third, recording an xG total of 1.37 compared to the visitors’ 0.88.
There was an undeniable bluntness to Chelsea’s attack, with a number of stars flattering to deceive on the south coast.
Chelsea's worst performers at Bournemouth
Robert Sanchez certainly wasn’t among Chelsea’s worst performers at the Vitality, having made a string of important saves throughout the contest to keep parity intact.
Neither was Moises Caicedo to blame. The Ecuadorian served the second game of his three-match suspension after seeing red against Arsenal, and his absence was keenly felt in the middle of the park.
Enzo Fernandez toiled without his dance partner in the engine room, but he was sloppy on the ball. Likewise, Cole Palmer looked rusty on his return from injury, only creating one chance and wasting a few decent opportunities before being replaced by Joao Pedro before the hour mark.
There was another attacking instrument under Maresca’s command who struggled to impose himself despite some hustle and bustle, looking like a teammate of his who has been absent for some time.
Maresca must bench Mudryk-esque Chelsea forward
Since leaving Manchester United and joining Chelsea this summer in a deal worth £40m, Alejandro Garnacho has blown hot and cold, scoring two goals and supplying two assists across 14 matches in all competitions. In the Premier League, Maresca has handed the 21-year-old six starts.
Against Bournemouth, though, he was part of a Chelsea side who succumbed to an absence of end product, hitting the woodwork and failing to build on his positive form of recent weeks.
Football.london did hand Garnacho a 6/10 match rating, acknowledging his optimism and energy on the ball, but he left much to be desired all the same, with his end product leading to a sense that he is shaping into the club’s next version of Mykhaylo Mudryk.
Mudryk is suspended at the moment, but from a footballing standpoint, his £89m transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk to Stamford Bridge in January 2023 ended up a major misfire from Todd Boehly and co, with the Ukrainian’s pace and technical skill unable to be applied with efficiency on English shores.
Having failed with all three of his attempted dribbles and proved unable to even attempt a tackle, the South American left something to be desired, and though he created a chance, he also lost the ball 11 times, and that having only completed 17 passes on the evening.
Minutes played
77′
Goals
0
Assists
0
Touches
35
Shots (on target)
2 (0)
Accurate passes
17/20 (85%)
Chances created
1
Crosses
2/3
Dribbles
0/3
Ball recoveries
3
Tackles won
0/0
Duels won
3/7
We already know that Garnacho has a penchant for the spectacular, but he needs to channel his craft and grow into the player he has been touted to be.
In this, he is not too dissimilar to Mudryk, though hopefully he has more opportunities to showcase his skills.
Mudryk and Garnacho share a likeness in that they are both athletic and dynamic wingers, but the latter needs to prove now that Chelsea are going to get bang for their buck, and perhaps a return to the bench might fuel him with the requisite aggression and focus going forward.
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