The 120th World Series has the potential of being epic, both on and off the field. The ingredients are similar to the 1975 World Series, when the Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox, loaded with star players, waged such dramatic games it set the tone for the free agent era and—thanks to a fortuitous rainout of Game 6—for weeknight prime time sports. It helped catapult the sport into an era of huge growth.

Dodgers vs. Yankees has that kind of potential. It marks the first time 50-home run hitters will oppose each other in the World Series (Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge), only the third time in 30 full wild-card seasons that the teams with the best outright record in each league play in the World Series and, given international interest, it could draw an audience that ranks with 2004 and 2016 as one of the best this century.

There are so many star players that the active rosters account for six MVP awards, six home run titles, three postseason MVPs, two Rookies of the Year, two batting titles, one Cy Young Award and one All-Star MVP.

It’s Hollywood meets Broadway.

That’s the marquee. But how will the games be decided? Read on for the nine keys to this World Series:

Yankees fastballs vs. Dodgers hitters

New York starters love their four-seam fastballs: Gerrit Cole (44.5% in the postseason), Carlos Rodon (51.6%) and Luis Gil (55.7%). The average height of their four-seamers is 2.96 feet off the ground—the top rail of the strike zone.

The Dodgers love to hit four-seam fastballs.

Did you see how the Dodgers took away that high fastball from Sean Manaea in NLCS Game 6? The home run hit by Tommy Edman—the highest fastball ever hit for a homer off Manaea—was a great example of the new approach the Dodgers are taking this year.

First baseman Freddie Freeman said after the Dodgers were beaten by velocity in recent postseasons, the team decided before the playoffs this season it would hunt fastballs, especially in the area where the opposing pitcher most liked to work (in, out, up, for example). By sitting on velocity and location, it made it easier for Los Angeles hitters to be on time against those pitches and to stay off chase spin and off-speed.

The Dodgers spend loads of time before games hitting off high velocity machines and the Trajeckt pitching machine that includes virtual imaging of the pitcher.

The turnaround on offense, especially against fastballs, has been spectacular:

Dodgers in Playoffs

Games

W-L

Runs

Runs Per Game

AVG

AVG vs. Fastballs

2021–23

19

7–12

66

3.5

.231

.213

2024

11

7–4

70

6.4

.251

.265

Look for Gerrit Cole in Game 1 to lean more on his knuckle curve, especially against the lefthanded hitters. His use of the pitch has risen from 15% in his first two months to 21% in the past three months.

Warning to L.A.: The Yankees are even better on fastballs

While the Dodgers’ adjustment on heaters is impressive, keep this in mind: the Yankees are obliterating fastballs this postseason. They are slugging .563 against them, the . Nine of the 13 home runs they’ve hit this postseason have been off heaters.

Yankees 2024 Playoffs by Pitch Types

Percentage Seen

Batting Average

Slugging Percentage

Home Runs

Four-seamers and sinkers

48.1%

.304

.563

13

All other pitches

51.9%

.181

.287

4

Said Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior after I brought to him New York’s prowess against fastballs, “I mean, the damage they have in the lineups in general is real, but yeah, it's obviously alarming to see the fastball. They like to hit your fastball. Yeah. So do we sometimes. But, yeah, we know. It's about at the end of the day, we've got to execute good pitches.

“You know, you're going to have to throw your fastball at some point. So, it's about whether or not making sure we do it in the right situations. We try to execute at a high clip to where we know we're going to the safe spots. And we hope we don't miss to these guys who can barely touch it, and it goes out like 30 rows.

“But we're aware of it. We can't hide from it. And we just got to embrace it and, you know, try to do the best that we can. You know, fortunately we have a lot of guys with a lot of good stuff. Some of their fastballs aren't always the straightest and easiest to hit. And so we're going to bank a little bit on that. And we got some really good guys with some sliders. So, we're going to have to do our best to pitch. But we know that they can hit a fastball.”

Much of the Yankees’ damage off heaters against Kansas City and Cleveland came after pitchers fell behind by nibbling. Nobody is beating the Yankees by getting them to chase. 

The Dodgers are throwing 51.8% fastballs this postseason. I would expect that number to go down.

“Again, it comes down to count control,” Prior said. “Control on those counts. And hopefully we don't have to give in a predictable fastball where they can really do something.”

Dave Roberts’s use of his high-leverage arms, especially Blake Treinen

The Dodgers manager has been an expert this postseason in playing the long game. He has limited the exposure of his best bullpen arms, which meant it took him the max games to win the NLDS and the penultimate game in the NLCS. It’s time to be more aggressive.

The Juan Soto-Aaron Judge-Giancarlo Stanton nexus is going to force decisions earlier than Roberts would prefer. Rather than worrying about the Law of Exposure, he should fire his best arms in any spot plus or minus three runs. If it means Treinen sees Judge four times in this series—even before the ninth inning—so be it. Bet on his stuff.

Roberts can afford to be more aggressive with his high-leverage guys if he has Alex Vesia and Brusdar Graterol back on the roster.

The Dodgers rotation: Can anybody go five?

Here is the Los Angeles rotation:

Jack Flaherty, who in his last start had the lowest velocity in his past 60 starts. The drop-off in his stuff was alarming. Roberts chalked it up to Flaherty being “under the weather.”

Prior said it was due to a flaw in his delivery. Flaherty wasn’t staying on his backside long enough (over the rubber) causing him to “push” the ball. They think a bullpen session fixed it.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto: He hasn’t faced 20 batters in a start in four months.

Walker Buehler: He has pitched more than five innings once since the end of May.

There is no length here (including a bullpen game for Games 3 or 4).

This stat tells it all:

Postseason Pitching

Year

Games

Innings

ERA

Fernando Valenzuela

1981

5

40.2

2.21

All Dodger starters

2024

11

40

6.08

Juan Soto and the “Red Blinking Light” Zone

Like me, Dodgers personnel were baffled why Cleveland catcher Bo Naylor called for a high fastball after Hunter Gaddis threw six straight sliders and changeups in the 10th inning of ALCS Game 5. It was one of the worst pitch calls in recent memory.

Why? The world knows you don’t ever throw Soto a high fastball—especially not with the season on the line. He is the greatest high fastball hitter on the planet.

“There are scouting reports and there are some pitches that are red blinking lights,” said one Dodgers baseball operations executive. “A high fastball to Juan Soto is a red blinking light. You don’t ignore. You never assume you are going to surprise him with a high fastball. You simply just never throw it.”

Soto has hit 10 career postseason homers—.

Soto’s 10 Career Postseason Home Runs

Pitcher

Pitch

2019 NLDS Game 3

Hyun-Jin Ryu

High fastball

2019 NLDS Game 5

Clayton Kershaw

High slider

2019 World Series Game 1

Gerrit Cole

High fastball

2019 World Series Game 5

Gerrit Cole

High fastball

2019 World Series Game 6

Justin Verlander

High fastball

2022 NLCS Game 4

Brad Hand

Middle sweeper

2022 NLCS Game 5

Zack Wheeler

High fastball

2024 ALCS Game 1

Alex Cobb

High fastball

2024 ALCS Game 4

Gavin Williams

High fastball

2024 ALCS Game 5

Hunter Gaddis

High fastball

Soto is the best high fastball hitter on the planet—always has been. I’d rather have right-handed power sinkers on Soto than the high fastball of the left-handed Vesia. Throw Soto nothing but sinkers, spin and off-speed down.

Soto Career Batting by Height of Strike Zone

Batting Average

Slugging Percentage

Home Runs

Top

.325

.736

71

Middle

.350

.691

104

Bottom

.256

.393

22

Giancarlo Stanton: This Year’s Corey Seager?

Like Seager, the ALCS and World Series MVP last year, Stanton is a streak power hitter who is on a tear, especially with how well he is laying off chasing breaking pitches.

Stanton vs. Two-Strike Chase Breaking Pitches

Number Faced

Strikeouts

Strikeout Percentage

Regular season

169

40

23.7%

Postseason

10

1

10%

There’s another reason to like Stanton in this series if you’re a sucker for boyhood dreams. Stanton grew up in Panorama City, about 19 miles northeast of Dodger Stadium. He went to games often with his dad, Mike Sr., a postal worker.

“This was the place that made me love baseball,” he said in 2017. “I grew up here. I like to perform here.”

One day when he was 10 years old, shagging batting practice home runs in the left field pavilion, he was so enthralled by the way the crowd reacted to the long flies that he told his dad, “Someday I’m going to hit one out of the stadium.”

In 2015, he did: 475 feet worth of a dream come true.

Seven years later, he crushed a home run into those left field seats to win the All-Star Game MVP.

His slugging percentage at Dodger Stadium is .723, the second best among all players to come to bat in MLB’s third-oldest ballpark at least 100 times (trailing only Christian Walker).

The Dodgers had two chances to draft Stanton in 2007. The legendary scout George Genovese pushed hard for the team to pick him. Instead, they took two pitchers, one of whom never made the majors. Stanton went to the Marlins in the second round, No. 76 overall.

The Dodgers had another shot at Stanton in 2017, when he told the Marlins he would accept a trade to the Yankees, Cubs, Astros or Dodgers. But a deal never got off the ground because the Dodgers viewed the salary cost, including luxury tax implications, as too severe.

The stealth MVP candidate: Anthony Volpe

In the spirit of Bucky Dent, the MVP of the star-studded 1978 World Series between the Dodgers and Yankees, Volpe looms as a surprise star of this series. He has reached base in all nine postseason games, he is going to see pitches to hit and after finishing the regular season in a 1-for-17 slump, he has found new life in his bat from all the off days the postseason affords. His bat just doesn’t look quicker. It is quicker.

Volpe Average Bat Speed by Month

MPH

April

68.9

May

68.6

June

69

July

69.6

August

70.2

September

69.9

Postseason

72.1

What changed? Here’s what Volpe told me:

“I think having those five days in between [helped],” he said. “You kind of just get to take a deep breath, assess and then just have conversations with the guys.  You're not always getting ready for a game. So we worked on some stuff.

“I got to take a couple of live ABs. And then hit a lot off all the pitchers we’re able to face [via Trajeckt]. I think probably for me mainly just getting eyes on the guys you're going to face and being able to keep on facing has helped me a lot.”

About the bat speed he said, “When I feel like I'm at my best, it may sound like counterintuitive, but it feels like I'm taking way easier swings. So that's what I like the feel of. It feels just quick and efficient and I feel like I can lay off pitches and swing at the ones I want to when it's necessary.”

Is that your bat angle?

“Probably. I just feel like I'm in a good spot with my lower half. I'm able to just have two reads in the pitch. One out of hand and one when it gets closer. I'm making my decisions throughout the field.”

The Aaron Judge hot streak

It’s coming. The question is when. Judge hit a home run off Emmanuel Clase in ALCS Game 3 that is exactly the kind of swing that can get him untracked: an opposite-field bullet off a cutter on the outside black.

Judge opened his stance slightly in the ALCS—after tearing the cover off the ball with his feet neutral starting with his May 5 home run off Tarik Skubel. Keep an eye on his feet in Game 1 against Jack Flaherty. If he’s squared up, that’s a sign he’s feeling more comfortable against the steady flow of pitches he sees away.

One thing he needs to do in any case is tighten up his strike zone discipline:

Judge 2024

Chase Rate (*=career low)

Regular season

18.7%

Postseason

27.1%

The chess match between Dave Roberts and Aaron Boone

Roberts, 52, and Boone, 51, were born 10 months apart.

They played against each other in college. Roberts went to UCLA (1991–94). Boone went to USC (1992–94).

Both were drafted in 1994: Roberts was taken by Detroit in the 28th round (signing bonus: $1,000); Boone taken by Cincinnati in the third round ($150,000).

Roberts was a .266 career MLB hitter. Boone was a .263 career hitter.

Both are known for an iconic postseason moment—one for and against the Yankees. Both were deadline acquisitions that year and both played only in that season for those franchises.

Boone hit the walkoff homer to win the 2003 ALCS. In March 2004, the Yankees released Boone after he tore his ACL playing basketball. Eight months later, Roberts stole the base in ALCS Game 4 that changed baseball history.

Both will need to make many tough pitching calls during this series. This is not Sandy Koufax vs. Whitey Ford. The lineups are so star-studded and balanced that the opposing manager is going to have to use relievers through “pockets” of hitters as the lineups turn over a third and fourth time.

Boone probably is going to want to use Tommy Kahnle and Nestor Cortes on Ohtani. Roberts needs Treinen, Graterol and Evan Phillips on Soto-Judge-Stanton. The idea that any starter goes fully three times through these lineups seems like a very big ask. This is going to be a huge series to get the pitcher vs. batter matchups right.

Most Games Over .500, Active Managers

1. Dave Roberts

+344

2. Aaron Boone

+174

Highest Managerial Win% (min. 1,000 games)

W-L

Win %

1. Dave Roberts

851–507

.627

2. Joe McCarthy*

2,225–1,333

.615

3. Jim Mutrie

658–419

.611

4. Charlie Comiskey*

839–540

.608

5. Frank Selee*

1,284–862

.598

6. Billy Southworth*

1,044–704

.597

7. Frank Chance*

946–648

.593

8. John McGraw*

2,763–1,948

.586

9. Aaron Boone

603–429

.584

10. Al Lopez*

1,410–1,004

.584

*Hall of Famer

India’s new-ball bowlers picked off England’s top three with the same ease with which Shubman Gill ticked off records during his maiden Test double-hundred to take control of the second Test. This was a near-perfect day for India’s captain: Gill cruised to 269 before offering his first genuine chance, then snaffled a blinder at third slip to prompt England’s slump to 25 for 3.Gill made clear at the toss that he supported India’s decision to reinforce their lower-order batting after two collapses at Headingley, and it has paid off so far. He added 203 for the sixth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja, then 144 more for the seventh wicket with Washington Sundar, turning 211 for 5 into the highest total that England have conceded in the Stokes-McCullum era.Related

• England's bid for smarter choices may start now

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• Stats – All the records Gill broke during his historic 269

Gill personified class and composure. He milked Shoaib Bashir for singles with the ease of a father teaching his son a lesson in the back garden, caressed back-to-back boundaries off Brydon Carse through wide mid-on and cover, and treated Harry Brook’s medium pace with utter disdain as he swept landmarks aside.He started England’s innings off the field after his 387-ball epic, and then took a spectacular catch four balls after walking back on. Akash Deep, India’s replacement for Jasprit Bumrah, cramped Ben Duckett for room from around the wicket and induced a thick outside edge; Gill flung himself acrobatically to his left and clung onto the chance, sending last week’s fourth-innings centurion crashing back to earth.Akash Deep struck again with his next ball, a full outswinger that Ollie Pope optimistically tried to whip leg side. His outside edge flew to KL Rahul at second slip, who parried the chance up to himself and grabbed it at the second attempt; Pope said after his first-innings century in Leeds that he was determined to avoid a familiar tail-off as the series wears on but has now failed twice since.India were rampant and soon had a third when Mohammed Siraj, who bowled a faultless opening spell, had Zak Crawley edging to first slip. It was a textbook Crawley dismissal, pushing with hard hands – and no foot movement – at a ball which left him, which left Brook and Joe Root to pick up the pieces: after 151 overs in the field, England were still 362 short of the follow-on mark.While Root was watchful, Brook sensed an opportunity to take the pressure off himself – and to get rid of some close catchers. After surviving an umpire’s call lbw shout – with Sharfuddoula consistent across both innings – Brook charged Siraj, flat-batting him through extra cover before launching him for six down the ground. He made it through to stumps, the deficit still 510.But a 52-run stand could not take the shine off Gill’s day. It is increasingly hard to fathom that he averaged barely 35 in Tests before this tour: he has led by example in his first series as captain and already looks ensconced in his new role at No. 4. Chief among his records were the highest score by an India men’s captain, and the highest score by any India batter in England.He was brilliantly supported by India’s two spin-bowling allrounders. Jadeja was the aggressor at the start of the day, slapping Ben Stokes through the off side for back-to-back boundaries. The pair exchanged words about Jadeja’s habit of taking two strides down the pitch before deciding whether to attempt a run or not, and both were warned off the danger area by umpires.1:39

Aaron: English bowlers were way off their mark

Jadeja fell shortly before lunch, gloving Josh Tongue’s short ball down the leg side for 89, and Washington struggled early against the bumper barrage. But he decided to take Tongue on after lunch, pulling him over long leg for six, and otherwise held up one end while Gill dominated the scoring.Stokes opted to preserve Chris Woakes’ body, and his own: neither man bowled an over after their initial bursts which started the day, with Bashir relied upon to hold up an end as Tongue, Brydon Carse and Brook rotated from the other. It took Root, curiously under-bowled, to break the partnership, ripping an offbreak past Washington’s outside edge and into middle stump.Gill fell shortly after tea, mistiming a pull straight to square leg: it was the first genuine chance he had offered, after a half-hearted lbw shout on the first evening and an outside edge past second slip in Woakes’ early burst on the second day. Bashir was handed the final two wickets on a platter: Akash Deep holed out to long-on and Siraj walked past a carrom ball to be stumped.India’s selection plan is halfway to working: Gill explained that Washington’s selection ahead of Kuldeep Yadav owed to the extra batting he provided, and he played a major role in helping India add a national-record 372 runs for the last five wickets. The second half relies upon them taking 20 England wickets with the resources available: after three early strikes, so far, so good.

Sonia Bompastor has hit back at Mary Earps in defence of Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, after former England star Earps heaped criticism on Hampton's behaviour in her new autobiography 'All In'. Bompastor claimed Hampton is "the class one" when compared with Earps, and questioned the PSG goalkeeper's decision to criticise three-time European Championship winning manager Sarina Wiegman.

• Bompastor defends Hampton and Wiegman after Earps comments

  The fall-out from Earps’ comments surrounding Hampton has begun, as the Lionesses goalkeeper’s club manager came swiftly to her defence after Earps’ controversial statements on Hampton’s behaviour during Euro 2022 and subsequent return to the side.

  The 32-year-old claimed Hampton’s behaviour within the camp was “destructive” and took “energy and time” away from the team and coaches as Wiegman’s side went on their way to securing a first of what is now two consecutive Euros titles.

  Bompastor’s allegiances were clear as she spoke on Earps’ comments, which she branded as “not acceptable” towards either of Hampton or Wiegman.

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  'Hannah is the class one' – Bompastor

  Bompastor said: "I think the comments I read from Mary Earps were not acceptable. To not show respect to your team-mate or manager… I would say we are talking about Hannah, but I would also raise my voice for Sarina. 

  “I think when you use some words saying something about someone who won the Euros three times in a row, you should probably think about it before you speak.

  "I think one of them is class, and Hannah is the class one."

• Earps' side of the story as true feelings revealed

  In an extract from her book published in The Guardian, Earps said: "The only negative that each group reported back on was that behaviour, which was overwhelmingly considered disruptive and unreliable, with a risk of being destructive, taking energy and time from coaches who needed to work with the rest of the team on set-pieces, mentality and of course goalkeeping sessions. 

  "It affected us all in a domino effect to an extent that was extremely unusual in a successful elite team environment. It also completely contradicted my professional values, which included preserving everything I had, mentally and physically, for performance and for a goalkeeper union where everyone, whatever their role, had the space and support to be great at their job."

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• Hampton returned to Lionesses set-up, leading to Earps' retirement

  Earps revealed that she had been consulted about a possible return to the squad for Hampton in 2023, something she said she was not comfortable with.

  “I was happy to be part of those conversations and no matter whether you were among the more experienced or junior players in her squad, feeling like you had a say was a part of our success.

  “‘It doesn’t make me feel comfortable,’ I said in response to the idea of a return, not needing to remind her of the disharmony that the squad had felt before. I felt protective of the good energy we now had in goalkeeper training and the morale of the wider team.

  But in 2024, this time Hampton was reinstated by Wiegman and Earps was given no say in the matter.

  Speaking to Wiegman, Earps said: "I don’t get it. It’s a qualifier match. And bad behaviour is being rewarded."

  Earps continued: "Now this felt unjust. My eyes welled with tears. It was a choice that went against my core values. I couldn’t get my head around it because when my values were compromised, the strain always felt heavy enough to keep me up at night. When this kind of a decision compromised my football, I was sleepless. The affinity I had for Sarina and this job – one I’d given every last cell of myself to – was being destroyed, the trust and respect evaporating.

  She added: "I wasn’t entitled to keep my place if Sarina didn’t want me to but I was entitled to decide what happened next. I could do what other people do if they’re no longer enjoying their job: I could leave, I could retire."

Zak Foulkes takes three catches and two wickets, Will Rhodes scores 51

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay06-Jul-2025Durham gave their chances of reaching the knockout stages of the Vitality Blast a massive boost when they defeated Birmingham Bears by eight runs at the Banks Homes RiversideNeeding 183 to secure their sixth win of their Blast campaign, the Bears were restricted to 174 for 8 with Zak Foulkes taking three catches and two wickets to add to the ex-Bear Will Rhodes’s 51 in his side’s 182 for 7.Having opted to bowl first in a match delayed by 70 minutes by rain, the Bears struck an immediate blow when home skipper, Alex Lees, was caught by Ed Barnard off Hasan Ali for 4 in the second over, the fielder running back from point to take a fine catch.Ollie Robinson was the next batter dismissed when he was caught at mid-off for 7 by George Garton in Hasan’s next over but Durham still got to 58 in their powerplay, thanks partly to Sam Hain dropping Clark at point the ball after the opener had hit Danny Briggs for six.The batter celebrated by smacking Briggs’ next delivery for six too but was caught behind by Alex Davies off Garton for 43 in the eighth over to leave his side three down with 75 runs on the board. Durham became a trifle becalmed after Clark’s departure and reached the midpoint of their innings on 86 for 3.But Colin Ackermann and Will Rhodes wellied 25 runs off the next 11 balls before fine work by Tom Latham and Dan Mousley ran out Ackermann for 27. Mousley then caught Jimmy Neesham on the long-on boundary for 14 when the New Zealander was trying to hit Jake Lintott for a second successive six but Rhodes reached his second T20 fifty of the season and Kasey Aldridge whacked 31 off 19 balls to steer the Bears towards what seemed a par total.Hasan was the most successful Bears bowler with 3 for 32 but Garton was the most miserly with 1 for 25.The Bears reply got off to a grisly start when Alex Davies skied Matty Potts to Zak Foulkes at mid-on and departed for a single in the second over but the next wicket was an all-Kiwi affair when Tom Latham was caught by Foulkes off Jimmy Neesham in the fifth over for 23.With their side on 43 for 2 and therefore 15 runs worse off than Durham after their powerplay, Hain and Mousley sought to accelerate but their efforts were scuppered when both fell to catches to deep square leg, Hain’s being taken by Potts off Parkinson for 20 and Mousley’s by Nathan Sowter off Aldridge for 19.Those wickets reduced the Bears to 65 for 4 in the tenth over and but the visitors never gave up their hopes of victory. Needing 90 off the last seven overs, they lost Rob Yates, caught by Clark at long leg off Foulkes for 17 and a fine juggling catch on the boundary by Sowter in the same over saw Garton on his way for one.But Barnard and Hasan’s onslaught on the Durham bowling saw 52 runs scored in four overs and left the visitors needing 31 off the final 12 balls. Neesham bowled the penultimate over and conceded just seven runs while taking the wicket of Hassan, caught by Lees at extra cover for 22, and Potts had Barnard caught on the deep midwicket boundary by Foulkes for a valiant 49 off the first ball of the final over, a dismissal which effectively ended the contest, despite Lintott smashing 15 off the last four balls of the game. Durham 182-7 beat Birmingham Bears 174-8Durham 4pts Birmingham Bears 0ptsReport filed by Paul Edwards (07962-115171) – Please do not use by-lineDurham gave their chances of reaching the knockout stages of the Vitality Blast a massive boost when they defeated Birmingham Bears by eight runs at the Banks Homes RiversideNeeding 183 to secure their sixth win of their Blast campaign, the Bears were restricted to 174 for eight with Zak Foulkes taking three catches and two wickets to add to the ex-Bear Will Rhodes’s 51 in his side’s 182 for sevenHaving opted to bowl first in a match delayed by 70 minutes by rain, the Bears struck an immediate blow when home skipper, Alex Lees, was caught by Ed Barnard off Hassan Ali for four in the second over, the fielder running back from point to take a fine catch.Ollie Robinson was the next batter dismissed when he was caught at mid-off for seven by George Garton in Hassan’s next over but Durham still got to 58 in their powerplay, thanks partly to Sam Hain dropping Clark at point the ball after the opener had hit Danny Briggs for six.The batter celebrated by smacking Briggs’ next delivery for six too but was caught behind by Alex Davies off Garton for 43 in the eighth over to leave his side three down with 75 runs on the board. Durham became a trifle becalmed after Clark’s departure and reached the midpoint of their innings on 86 for three.But Colin Ackermann and Will Rhodes wellied 25 runs off the next 11 balls before fine work by Tom Latham and Dan Mousley ran out Ackermann for 27. Mousley then caught Jimmy Neesham on the long-on boundary for 14 when the New Zealander was trying to hit Jake Lintott for a second successive six but Rhodes reached his second T20 fifty of the season and Kasey Aldridge whacked 31 off 19 balls to steer the Bears towards what seemed a par total.Hassan was the most successful Bears bowler with three for 32 but Garton was the most miserly with one for 25.The Bears reply got off to a grisly start when Alex Davies skied Matty Potts to Zak Foulkes at mid-on and departed for a single in the second over but the next wicket was an all-Kiwi affair when Tom Latham was caught by Foulkes off Jimmy Neesham in the fifth over for 23.With their side on 43 for two and therefore 15 runs worse off than Durham after their powerplay, Hain and Mousley sought to accelerate but their efforts were scuppered when both fell to catches to deep square leg, Hain’s being taken by Potts off Parkinson for 20 and Mousley’s by Nathan Sowter off Aldridge for 19.Those wickets reduced the Bears to 65 for four in the tenth over and but the visitors never gave up their hopes of victory. Needing 90 off the last seven overs, they lost Rob Yates, caught by Clark at long leg off Foulkes for 17 and a fine juggling catch on the boundary by Sowter in the same over saw Garton on his way for one.But Barnard and Hassan’s onslaught on the Durham bowling saw 52 runs scored in four overs and left the visitors needing 31 off the final 12 balls. Neesham bowled the penultimate over and conceded just seven runs while taking the wicket of Hassan, caught by Lees at extra cover for 22, and Potts had Barnard caught on the deep midwicket boundary by Foulkes for a valiant 49 off the first ball of the final over, a dismissal which effectively ended the contest, despite Lintott smashing 15 off the last four balls of the game.

After missing out on an extra forward in the summer, BlueCo have now reportedly made their first approach to sign a Bundesliga attacker for Chelsea in 2026.

Maresca reveals Marc Guiu warning

Following a strong start on the transfer front in the summer, Liam Delap’s injury threw Chelsea’s final week into chaos. Nicolas Jackson’s move to Bayern Munich was off then back on again, Marc Guiu was recalled from his Sunderland loan before he could truly get going and a number of rumours emerged. Ultimately, however, Enzo Maresca was forced to settle for his current attacking options.

Guiu’s recall caused particular debate. From a likely starter at Sunderland, the young striker has since found himself forced to watch on from the bench at Chelsea in frustrating fashion. What’s more, it’s only in recent weeks that he’s had the chance to impress for the Blues again.

Having his say, Maresca revealed earlier this week that the forward simply was not training well enough to earn the game time that he desires at Stamford Bridge.

There have been rumours that Sunderland could yet return for Guiu in January, but that may depend on Chelsea’s own movements. Ahead of the winter window, a number of names have already been linked with a move to West London.

That includes both Guela Doue and Porto’s Samu Omorodion, who would certainly add more firepower to Maresca’s side. Whether BlueCo will be willing to spend big or look to hijack Barcelona’s move to sign a Bundesliga alternative is the big question ahead of 2026.

Chelsea launch approach to sign Asllani

According to reports in Spain, BlueCo have now launched their first approach to sign Fisnik Asllani for Chelsea in 2026. The deal would see them beat Barcelona to one of the most in-form forwards that the Bundesliga has to offer.

Related Chelsea offered "world-class" Barcelona player on loan in "fascinating" development

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In a formal move, the Blues have turned their focus towards the Kosovo international in an attempt to add further depth to their frontline behind one of their most expensive signings, Joao Pedro. After scoring five goals in eight games in all competitions for Hoffenheim so far this season, there’s little doubt that the 23-year-old has the quality to seal a big move.

Dubbed “clinical” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Asllani is certainly one to watch. Whilst his name is not as well-known as Omorodion, his numbers speak for themselves and Chelsea have the chance to get one over on Barcelona by securing his signature. Whether they choose to do so as soon as January remains to be seen, however.

It would be fair to say that it’s not exactly the best time to be a West Ham United fan at the moment.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s side have lost their last three games and currently look on track to be relegated from the Premier League.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom as it’s still early in the season and the Hammers do have a number of very talented players in their squad.

Moreover, while they sold one of their star players, Mohammed Kudus, in the summer, the manager has another player who is far better than he’ll ever be, and it could even be said that it was the right decision to sell the Ghanaian.

Why selling Kudus was the right decision

Now, the first thing to say is that on his day, Kudus can be a real game-changer, and during his first campaign for West Ham, he was exactly that.

For example, across 45 appearances for the Irons in 23/24, he racked up an impressive tally of 14 goals and nine assists, which works out to a goal involvement every 1.95 games.

However, as many a West Ham fan will report, the former Ajax star was only a useful player to have when the going was good, as in challenging moments he’d often go missing entirely.

This is exactly what happened in his second season at the club.

For example, in 35 appearances across all competitions last season, the Accra-born international was only able to score five goals and provide four assists.

Appearances

45

35

Goals

14

5

Assists

9

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.51

0.25

That means his average dropped from a goal involvement every 1.95 games to one every 3.88 games, and worse yet, his fifth goal of the season came in the final league game against an already relegated Ipswich Town, when nothing was on the line.

Moreover, his underlying numbers were just as unimpressive, so he wasn’t just getting unlucky.

According to FBref, he only ranked in the top 32% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the league for shot-creating actions, the top 37% for non-penalty expected goals and progressive carries, the top 43% for touches in the opposition’s penalty area and more, all per 90.

In short, while he might have been useful this season, West Ham were probably smart to sell him for £55m, especially as Nuno has another more talented star who will give his all for the badge when things get tough.

The West Ham star miles better than Kudus

Now, West Ham do have a few players who could help them get out of trouble by the end of the season, including Lucas Paqueta, El Hadji Malick Diouf, and Mateus Fernandes.

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

However, when it comes to the most important star of all, and the one who is still comfortably better than Kudus, it’s obviously Jarrod Bowen.

The modern legend has already cemented his name in club folklore with that Conference League Final-winning goal, but he continues to be the most dangerous attacker in the squad.

For example, since joining the Hammers in January 2020, the former Hull City ace has racked up a sensational tally of 77 goals and 53 assists in 248 games, averaging a goal involvement every 1.90 games.

Moreover, while Kudus was letting the fans down with his performances and output last season, the Englishman was picking up the slack and consistently delivering, scoring 14 goals and providing ten assists in 36 games, which is a goal involvement every 1.5 games.

What about this year, though? How does the Leominster-born star’s output stack up to the Ghanaian international’s?

Well, in 13 appearances for his new side, the former Hammer has scored one goal and provided five assists.

That comes out to a reasonably impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.16 games.

For his efforts, the Irons’ “unplayable” talisman, as dubbed by Thomas Frank, has scored three goals and provided two assists in ten appearances.

Appearances

10

13

Goals

3

1

Assists

2

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.50

0.46

Amazingly, that means that, despite playing for a team threatened with relegation, Bowen has maintained a better average of a goal involvement every other game.

Therefore, while Nuno might have been able to tune out of Kudus at West Ham, he already has a far better player at his disposal, and one that will fight to the end for him and the team.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 28, 2025

Sweden has a proud modern history of producing elite strikers, from Henrik Larsson and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, to Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres. If the hype is to be believed, then 16-year-old Kevin Filling is the latest sensation off that conveyor belt of talent, and the AIK prospect is already being linked with a transfer to one of the Premier League's big hitters.

Filling's senior career is truly still only in its infancy, but following his eye-catching debut in the summer, the teenager is already in the headlines – finding himself linked with English giants Manchester United, among others.

INEOS have already demonstrated their ruthlessness in pursuit of the best young talent around, snaring another Scandinavian wonderkid in Chido Obi from Arsenal as well as Malian midfielder Sekou Kone since taking control of football operations at Old Trafford in late 2023. Whether another deal for a prodigious teenager is on the cards remains to be seen, with some other big names supposedly in the running while United's name is often used in the press for agents to gain leverage. What's clear, though, is that Swedish football has another huge talent on its hands…

Where it all began

Eligible to represent both Sweden and Senegal through his parents, Filling was born in the Swedish city of Vasteras – about 100 kilometres west of capital Stockholm – in November 2008. His football journey began at Vasteras-based IK Franke, but aged 11 he stepped up to bigger local club Vasteras SK, who ply their trade in the second tier. Interestingly, that is also where ex-United defender Victor Lindelof came through the ranks.

It was there that Filling caught the attention of Stockholm's biggest club, AIK, and he joined their academy ahead of the 2023 season at 14. He made swift progress through the age grades, earning game time with the Under-16s and U17s, ultimately netting 10 times in 14 games in 2023. He continued on that upward trajectory the following year, netting 12 times in 26 games as a fully-fledged member of the U17s squad.

He was promoted to the U19s earlier in 2025, and after a brief loan at third-tier partner club Enkopings SK, where he netted once in just three appearances, the 16-year-old was deemed ready for an opportunity by his parent side.

AdvertisementGettyThe big break

In late June 2025, the teenager was given a huge vote of confidence by manager Mikkjal Thomassen as, out of nowhere, he started the Allsvenskan clash against AIK's fierce inter-city rivals IFK Goteborg.

That roll of the dice paid off handsomely, as Filling scored a debut goal to more or less wrap up an eventual 3-0 victory just before the break. Curving his run to stay onside like a seasoned veteran, the youngster latched on to a cute through-ball and found himself in on goal. Keeping his cool, he rolled the ball under the goalkeeper and into the back of the net to spark wild scenes in the stands. Filling was later taken off to a standing ovation from the home section of the Strawberry Arena.

Explaining the big selection call afterwards, Thomassen said: "He (Filling) started because he trained enormously well. He has convinced me." On whether it was a risk, he added: "It's not about daring. I picked the best team today. It was a 16-year-old and a guy who turned 18 last week. We lined up with the strongest team we had.

"We don't take into account what age they are. Kevin brings quality and energy. We are very impressed by him."

How it's going

The very next day, AIK announced that young Filling had signed a his first professional contract to keep him at the club until June 2028.

"It feels completely unreal to sign my first contract with AIK," he effused. "It is a dream come true to be able to step up to the men's team at the age of 16 and now I look forward to continuing my development in order to achieve my next dream in the future, which is to win the Swedish Championship gold medal with AIK."

However, Filling's goal-scoring exploits on his debut unfortunately did not spark an immediate breakthrough, as it emerged that the teenager had suffered a knee injury. That problem would keep him out for two months, and he has since been eased back into action – starting just one out of eight matches since late August, albeit he will still be happy with that level of game time at his age.

He has, though, bagged his second senior goal for AIK in another euphoric moment, rising highest to head home a 96th-minute winner against Stockholm rivals IF Brommapojkarna. "This is the best there is, this is how football should be," he told afterwards with his arms spread wide in a refreshingly enthusiastic interview. "A chance, a goal, it's enough."

At international level, Filling already forms part of Sweden's U18s squad and recently netted a brace against Wales in a friendly. He had already represented the U15s, U16s and U17s, and seems destined to make his senior bow in the not-too-distant future.

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GettyBiggest strengths

Filling's two senior goals are a reflection of the attributes he is already exhibiting at such a young age. The first against Goteborg showed his speed and fearlessness, as he raced clear of the defence but stayed composed when one on one with the goalkeeper and coolly finished; the second demonstrated his aerial ability, as he already stands at an imposing 6'1" despite having many more years to grow. Indeed, he was clearly up for the physical battle on his debut as he engaged in plenty of duels. He has the versatility to play out wide, too, often operating in the left channel and cutting inside.

"Kevin was one of the first academy players I noticed when I came to the club, and since then his development has been very positive," AIK's head of scouting and recruitment Fredrik Wisur Hansen said when Filling's contract was announced. "With his pace, intensity and natural aggression, he is a perfect fit for the football we want to play."

It seems at this early stage that he has the mentality required to make it to the very top, too. Thomassen revealed after the striker's goal against Goteborg: "(He is) Very ambitious. I had to call him in from the last training session. He stood half an hour after we finished training and practiced finishing. He has taken enormous responsibility for his own development and it has gone quickly forward."

There’s been many a Sliding Doors moment in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era at Manchester United.

What if Cristiano Ronaldo had never returned in 2021? What if David Moyes had managed to land his top targets of Cesc Fabregas and Gareth Bale in 2013? What if the United hierarchy had waited before handing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a permanent contract in March 2019?

Perhaps one of the most pertinent questions is what would have happened if the Red Devils had listened to Solskjaer’s advice regarding a then-teenage Molde striker by the name of Erling Haaland.

According to the treble winner, he recommended that the Old Trafford side sign his young compatriot for a fee of just £4m in 2018, albeit with the Norwegian goal machine ultimately heading to Red Bull Salzburg, prior to joining Borussia Dortmund.

Now, of course, on the books at rivals Manchester City, the 25-year-old has plundered 136 goals in just 155 games under Pep Guardiola’s watch, including 12 goals in just nine games at club level alone this season.

The man who sets the bar for all other strikers to try and reach, Haaland is the cream of the crop. Can £74m sensation Benjamin Sesko get close to achieving such feats?

How Sesko compared to Haaland before the Premier League

It’s hard to deny it was a muted start to life in Manchester for Sesko, with the Slovenian giant failing to score in any of his first six outings in all competitions, largely reduced to cameos off the bench, while having been struck down by cramp amid that grim night away at Grimsby.

Having seen his persistence pay off – quite literally – after netting at the third attempt on the rebound away at Brentford, the 22-year-old followed that up with a first Old Trafford goal last time out, after prodding home from Diogo Dalot’s long throw.

Encouragingly, the ex-RB Leipzig man has suggested that there is still “loads to come” with regard to his displays, with it an exciting prospect to consider just how far he can go in a United shirt.

As already stated, that man Haaland will be the benchmark, with the pair notably enjoying a similar route to the Premier League, after traversing Austrian and German football in their formative years.

In the case of Sesko, his own time at Salzburg – following a loan spell at second-tier side FC Liefering – yielded 29 goals and 11 assists in 79 games in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt, with Haaland also reaching 29 goals for the club, albeit from just 27 outings.

Haaland vs Sesko – 25/26 PL
Stat (*per game)	Haaland	Sesko
Games (starts)	7 (7)	7 (4)
Goals	9	2
Mins per goal	66	193
Big chances missed	6	2
Assists	1	0
Big chances created	3	0
Key passes*	0.6	0.7
Successful dribbles*	0.4	0.1
Total duels won*	58%	38%
Stats via Sofascore

As for their respective time in Germany, the new United star scored 39 goals in 87 games for Leipzig, including 27 goals in 64 Bundesliga games.

His Man City counterpart, meanwhile, scored 62 goals in 67 Bundesliga games, having registered 86 goals in just 89 outings for Dortmund across all fronts.

Haaland, as is evident, is a class above, although could United have the tools to try and help Sesko close the gap?

How Man Utd can help Sesko reach Haaland levels

The key to any star striker is quality service, with Haaland notably combining with the great Kevin De Bruyne for 25 goals during their prior stint together at the Etihad, as per Transfermarkt.

The Belgian’s genius is now on show for new club Napoli, having even managed to get Rasmus Hojlund firing for the Serie A side, after assisting both of the Dane’s goals against Sporting CP in the Champions League last week.

While Ruben Amorim may not have De Bruyne to call upon, he certainly has the next best thing, with Bruno Fernandes even hailed as a “creative machine” by the ex-City talisman in the past.

The man who topped the charts for most chances created in the Premier League again last term, as per Fotmob, Fernandes will be the key to unlocking Sesko, having previously failed to strike up a fruitful connection with Hojlund – the pair only combined for seven goals in 87 games together.

There have already been flickers of life, with the Portuguese skipper and Sesko combining for a neat one-two on the edge of the box against Chelsea, while his record of 9.72 progressive passes per 90 as per FBref – ranking in the top 2% of European midfielders – showcases the playmaker’s relentless creative approach.

That said, the 32-year-old can’t do it alone, with Amad Diallo likely to also be a key source of creativity, having finished joint-second at Old Trafford in 2024/25, alongside Alejandro Garnacho, for assists made in all competitions (10).

While Amorim does now boast the talents of Bryan Mbeumo – who assisted Mason Mount at the weekend – last season’s 20-goal Brentford hero is primarily a goalscoring threat, with Amad perhaps more adept creatively.

Described as “unstoppable” in the past by Fernandes, the diminutive Ivorian is a real outlet in that right wing-back berth, with last term seeing him create seven big chances in the league, while averaging 1.9 key passes per game, as per Sofascore.

Deploying the 23-year-old in that wing-back berth on a consistent basis could be a game-changer with regard to getting the best out of Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system, with that more attack-minded approach likely to help the likes of Sesko flourish ahead of him.

With Fernandes taking on the De Bruyne role, Amad could then assume the Phil Foden mantle, with the Englishman ranking second behind the Belgium hero for joint-goal contributions with Haaland (14) at Man City.

Such a duo were crucial in allowing Haaland to hit the ground running under Guardiola, with now the time for United’s own £420k-per-week pairing to help Sesko reach similar heights at the Theatre of Dreams.

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Bukayo Saka revealed a pre-match message from Thierry Henry helped make sure Arsenal did not allow history to repeat itself at home to West Ham.

Saka’s second-half penalty ensured the Gunners downed London rivals West Ham by a 2-0 score on Saturday in Mikel Arteta’s 300th match in charge of the club.

It was a milestone occasion with Saka able to mark his 200th appearance in the Premier League with a goal, which Henry had previously achieved. It brought up 100 goal involvements in the division for the England attacker. Asked about those stats and Henry, Saka told broadcasters:

“I’m really happy on these records. I’m just going to keep pushing and try and get some team trophies, which is what we have been searching for.”

Arsenal should have scored after 13 minutes but Viktor Gyokeres could not finish off Saka’s dangerous delivery and Eberechi Eze blazed the rebound over.

The deadlock was broken seven minutes before half-time when Eze had a shot saved by Alphonse Areola and Declan Rice made no mistake against his old club.

West Ham remained in the contest until Jurrien Timber was bundled over in the penalty area by El Hadji Malick Diouf and Saka tucked away the spot-kick for his first goal of the campaign after 68 minutes to seal a comfortable victory at Emirates Stadium.

It was Saka’s 55th goal in the Premier League to go with 45 assists. “I don’t really like to linger on these things, but you said it – it’s a beautiful achievement and I’m really proud of it,” Saka, 24, said.

“Obviously 200 games for Arsenal in the Premier League is a really big moment. I’m going to enjoy it and it was nice to get the goal as well and the win.”

Arteta talked up Saka’s “really impressive” numbers, saying: “When you look at those numbers, 200 games, 100 goal involvements, I mean it’s unbelievable.

“His age, what he’s doing, the manner that he’s doing it as well, really impressive. That’s the kind of players that we need to achieve what we want.”

Nuno Espirito Santo handed a debut to West Ham academy graduate Callum Marshall over experienced forward Callum Wilson.

“First of all, let’s be correct and I said it, it’s not easy to play a young lad in front of Callum Wilson, but I think it’s important for us that

we all understand that we need as soon as possible to have total knowledge of what we have in the squad,” Nuno said.

“It’s good on that aspect but this is the issue and the main reason behind that is we are going to need all of them. We have hopes that the young lads bring new things.”

Leeds United have built up a six-point gap between themselves and the bottom three in the Premier League after their 2-1 win over West Ham United last week.

Three wins, two draws, and four defeats in nine matches is a respectable return for Daniel Farke’s side after their promotion from the Championship in the 2024/25 campaign.

Prior to this season, the last six teams to have been promoted from the Championship had all been relegated at the first attempt, which illustrates the size of the task ahead of the Whites.

Not only did that mean that Leeds needed to recruit well, which they have with the likes of Noah Okafor and Sean Longstaff, but they also needed some of their stars from last season to make the step up.

The Whites did not recruit an entire new starting line-up and bench to bolster their squad for the Premier League, instead hoping that some of their players could bridge the gap.

One player who is still looking to convince supporters that he is good enough for the top-flight is Brenden Aaronson, who has revived his Leeds career.

How Brenden Aaronson has revived his Leeds career

In the summer of 2022, Jesse Marsch and Victor Orta swooped to sign the American attacking midfielder from RB Salzburg for a fee of £28.5m to bolster the club’s options for the 2022/23 Premier League campaign.

Aaronson scored one goal from 3.86 xG in 36 appearances in the division that season, earning himself the lowest Sofascore rating (6.51) in the entire division, as he made the website’s ‘Worst Team of the Season’.

The USA international opted to go out on loan to Union Berlin for the 2023/24 campaign, rather than remain at Elland Road to fight for promotion from the Championship, at which point the writing appeared to be on the wall for his career at the club.

However, Aaronson returned to the club after his loan spell and Farke revealed that he was “desperate” to help the team, and that he would need to win his place by working hard.

The American was met with some “boos” from supporters, per reporter Graham Smyth, in pre-season, but he then went on to feature in all 46 Championship games as Leeds racked up 100 points, scoring nine goals.

This shows that he proved to Farke, with his performances in training and in matches, that he could be a reliable player for the head coach, and that has carried over to the Premier League.

Appearances

9

xG

1.62

Goals

1

Key passes

9

Big chances created

3

xA

1.27

Assists

0

Duel success rate

52%

As you can see in the table above, Aaronson has not set the Premier League alight with his performances, with one goal in nine games, but he has been a solid performer and has been unfortunate not to register any assists.

Overall, it is fair to say that the 25-year-old has revived his Leeds career, after it looked all-but-finished when he joined Union Berlin on loan, thanks to his hard work and performances on the pitch.

Chalkboard

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

Aaronson, though, was not the first member of the current first-team squad who revived his career after being sent out on loan by the club. Dan James was the original Brenden Aaronson.

Why Dan James was the original Brenden Aaronson

A year before the American was signed by the Whites, Marcelo Bielsa and Orta swooped to sign James from Manchester United for a fee of £25m to bolster the team’s options out wide.

The Wales international scored four goals and provided four assists in 34 matches in the Premier League in his first season at Elland Road, per Sofascore, but ended the campaign with a new manager in Jesse Marsch.

Despite starting three of the first five league games at the start of the 2022/23 campaign, James was then sent out on loan to Fulham in the summer of 2022, and claimed that he made the move because he “wanted to play games”.

After that move was confirmed, journalist Phil Hay almost wrote off the winger’s chances of continuing his career at Leeds in the future. He wrote: “I don’t think I see Dan James coming back, or it feels like a long shot. James is 24. He’s not especially young and Leeds have essentially said to him that they can do without him this season.”

You can see where Phil Hay was coming from. Leeds were willing to let a player they signed for £25m a year earlier join another Premier League team on loan.

However, the Whites were relegated from the Premier League that season and Fulham did not opt to sign James permanently, which led to him emerging as a star under Farke in the Championship.

The Wales international scored 13 goals and provided seven assists in 40 appearances in the second tier in the 2023/24 campaign, per Sofascore, which shows that his performances paid back the faith that the German head coach showed in him.

Appearances

40

36

xG

10.0

10.46

Goals

13

12

Conversion rate

16%

12%

Big chances created

13

16

Key passes per game

1.4

1.3

Assists

7

9

As you can see in the table above, James delivered consistent quality at the top end of the pitch in his two seasons in the Championship under Farke, with 25 goals and 29 ‘big chances’ created.

The winger claimed last season that he wants to be “ruthless” and has a “ruthless” mentality, which is evidenced by his impressive goal return, as he outperformed his xG in both of those seasons.

James has yet to score a goal in the Premier League so far this season, but he has started three of his six appearances and is a key member of the squad.

His revival of his Leeds career, which looked on the ropes after his move to Fulham in 2022, pathed the way for Aaronson to follow in his footsteps after being in a similar position a year after James’ remergence at Elland Road.

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1 ByKelan Sarson Oct 28, 2025

James was the original Aaronson and now both players are brilliant examples for the club to show future players that there is always a chance to revive their careers, if they are willing to put the hard yards in to be reliable on the pitch.