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While finally getting over the hill and winning the Premier League is going to require a Herculean effort from the team, it would be fair to say spirits are high around Arsenal at the moment.

Mikel Arteta’s side beat AC Milan in Singapore and then got one over Newcastle United in Hong Kong, and now have a North London derby to look forward to tomorrow.

Unsurprisingly, one of the stars of pre-season so far has been Bukayo Saka, who scored the only goal in the first game and was more than lively in the second.

So, fans should be thrilled about reports linking them with another international superstar who could be Arteta’s new Saka.

Arsenal target their new Saka

While the football in pre-season has been great, it’s been an even better summer for Arsenal off the pitch.

Transfer Focus

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

After years of fans crying out for one, the club have finally signed a new top-quality number nine in Viktor Gyokeres, and that’s not all, as Martin Zubimendi looks like he could be even more consequential at the base of midfield.

Moreover, Arteta won’t have to worry about squad depth quite as much anymore, with Noni Madueke, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera all coming in to bolster the squad.

Yet, even with six new faces through the door, the North Londoners want to do more business, business which could see them land their new Saka.

At least that is according to a recent report from Spain, which has claimed Arsenal have a ‘clear name’ in mind when it comes to further improving the squad this summer: Rodrygo.

While the report reveals that the Gunners will likely have to sell a player or two before signing the Brazilian, it does not mention how much he might eventually cost them.

However, multiple stories from earlier this summer indicate that a fee of around £86m could be enough to seal the deal, and while that’s a lot of money, it would be worth it for a player of Rodrygo’s quality, especially as he could be the club’s new Saka.

Why Rodrygo could be Arsenal's new Saka

So, before the pitchforks and torches come out, we aren’t necessarily saying Rodrygo will come in and be just as good as Saka right away, as the Englishman has practically made this team his own over the last few years and is unquestionably now world-class.

However, we are saying that there is every chance the Real Madrid star could come in and end up having a similar impact on the left-hand side, albeit without the homegrown academy product side of things.

Why do we think this? Well, for starters, despite playing out of position for much of the last two seasons, the Brazilian has remained a seriously dangerous attacker.

For example, the “incredible” talent, as dubbed by former manager Carlo Ancelotti, has found the back of the net on 31 occasions and provided 20 assists in 105 appearances, totalling 7159 minutes.

That translates to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 2.05 games, or every 140.37 minutes across the last two years, which is a level of output the Gunners’ left side could do with.

Second, much in the same way the Hale End icon has taken the club on his back in the past, the former Santos gem has often been the difference maker in big European games for his side.

In 64 Champions League games, the 24-year-old has scored 25 goals and provided 14 assists, but crucially, eight of his goals have come in the knockout rounds and eight have been game-winning.

Finally, despite neither one of them being particularly tall, they’ve proven themselves to be tough to dispossess in recent seasons, be that through sheer strength or an underappreciated ability with the ball at their feet.

Moreover, when given space, both wingers can be quite explosive and an absolute nightmare for backtracking defenders, with FBref placing the Brazilian in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for carries into the penalty area and the Englishman in the top 11%.

Ultimately, while Saka will likely always be the most popular player at Arsenal thanks to his deep ties with the fans and club, Rodrygo could be almost as effective as him off the left, and therefore, Arteta and Co should be doing all they can to sign him this summer.

Arsenal eye "fascinating" Eze alternative with £22.5m release clause

The Gunners are after another number 10.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 30, 2025

And what’s the lowest number of bowlers who took all 20 wickets in a Test between them?

Steven Lynch04-Jul-2023In the Lord’s Test England’s new-ball pair had a combined age of more than 78 years. Was this a record? asked Jeremy Lambton from England

England’s opening bowlers in the gripping second Ashes Test at Lord’s were Jimmy Anderson, who’s nearly 41, and 37-year-old Stuart Broad. In terms of combined age they were the oldest pair to take the new ball in a Test since 1951, when the South Africans Eric Rowan (41) and Dudley Nourse (40) did it in the second innings at Lord’s. Rowan and Nourse were really batters – neither ever took a Test wicket – who had a trundle because England needed just 16 to win.The only England new-ball pair with a higher combined age was Gubby Allen (45) and Harold Butler (34) against West Indies in Port-of-Spain in 1947-48. This is actually the highest instance of all with two supposedly fast bowlers: there are two older new-ball pairs, both involving the venerable Australia left-arm spinner Bert Ironmonger. “Dainty” was 46 when he made his debut against England in Brisbane in 1928-29; in the second innings he took the new ball with fellow spinner Clarrie Grimmett (36). Two years later, against West Indies in Sydney in 1930-31, Ironmonger – by now 48 – opened in the second innings with medium-pacer Ron Oxenham, who was 39; their combined age was around 88½ years.These instances are taken from ESPNcricinfo’s database. But Charles Davis, the distinguished Australian statistician who has re-scored many early Test matches from the original scorebooks, warns: “There are many cases of incorrect second-innings bowling order in the ‘received’ scorecards for older Tests. Both the instances mentioned about Ironmonger are actually incorrect: in the fifth Test of 1930-31, Oxenham opened with Stan McCabe in the second innings, while in Brisbane in 1928-29, Grimmett and Stork Hendry opened in the second innings. Ironmonger and Oxenham did open the bowling in Melbourne in 1930-31, but in different innings.Where does Ben Stokes fit in the list of the highest scores in the fourth innings of a Test? asked Martin Steele from England

Ben Stokes’s valiant 155 at Lord’s was the 27th time a batter has reached 150 in the fourth innings of a Test.Only 21 of those innings were higher than 155, and just four were for England, whose highest remains Bill Edrich’s 219 in the timeless Test against South Africa in Durban in 1938-39. Highest of all is George Headley’s 223 for West Indies against England in another drawn timeless Test, in Kingston in 1929-30. (Both these games had to be left unfinished as the England teams needed to catch their boat home.)Of those 27 scores of 150 or more, 13 came in wins (the highest was Gordon Greenidge’s 214 not out for West Indies vs England at Lord’s in 1984), nine in draws, and five (including Stokes’) could not prevent defeat – the highest in vain was Nathan Astle’s 222 for New Zealand vs England in Christchurch in 2001-02.Stokes was the first to score 150 in the fourth innings of a Test from as low as No. 6 in the batting order. Adam Gilchrist hit 149 not out from No. 7 for Australia against Pakistan, in Hobart in 1999-2000. The previous-best from No. 6, before Stokes’ innings, was Asad Shafiq’s 137 for Pakistan vs Australia in Brisbane in 2016-17.Six Australian bowlers took wickets in England’s first innings at Lord’s. How unusual is this? asked Kasey Anderson from Australia

England’s first innings at Lord’s provided the seventh instance in the Ashes of six different Australian bowlers taking at least a wicket each. It was, however, their first such instance in the Ashes for more than 60 years, since Sydney 1962-63.England have done it eight times, and also have the only case of seven men taking a wicket in an Ashes innings, in Melbourne in 1897-98. In all Tests, there are three further instances of seven, and over 100 cases of six.Tony Lock takes a catch off Jim Laker in the Test where the two spinners took all 20 wickets – between them – Laker 19, Lock one•PA PhotosWhat’s the lowest number of players involved in taking all 20 wickets of an opposition in a Test? I am guessing one answer at least involves Jim Laker. And what’s the number for an entire Test match? asked Ashwin from India (not that one, I don’t think!)

The Old Trafford Ashes Test of 1956 – when Jim Laker took 19 wickets and Tony Lock one – is one of six Tests in which just two bowlers shared all 20 opposition wickets. It happened to Australia again a few months later, in Karachi, when Fazal Mahmood took 13 wickets for Pakistan and Khan Mohammad seven.The only instance since then was at Lord’s in 1972, when the Australian debutant Bob Massie took 16 of England’s wickets, and Dennis Lillee claimed the other four. The earlier instances were by Australia against England in Melbourne in 1901-02 (Monty Noble took 13 and Hugh Trumble seven), England vs Australia at Edgbaston in 1909 (Colin Blythe 11, George Hirst nine), and South Africa against England in Johannesburg in 1909-10 (Bert Vogler 12, Aubrey Faulkner eight).There are two Tests in which just six bowlers shared all 40 wickets: England vs South Africa at Headingley in 1998, and Sri Lanka vs Australia in Kandy in 2003-04. Only five bowlers took wickets in the 1901-02 Melbourne match mentioned above, but one batter was run-out.Who was the first man to score 42 in the second innings of his 24th Test? asked Sudarshan Narayanan Poondi via Facebook

This one made me smile, as I think it’s a variation on those old jokes about cricket statisticians pointing out things that had never happened before at Lord’s on a wet Tuesday afternoon. But it did make me wonder whether anyone had ever done this – and it turns out four people have.The first to score 42 in the second innings of his 24th Test match was the allrounder Charles Kelleway, in the course of Australia’s innings defeat against England in Melbourne in 1924-25. He was followed in 1971-72 by Bruce Taylor, who made 42 not out to help New Zealand force a draw against West Indies in Port-of-Spain.This exclusive band was boosted in the current century by Chris Gayle, for West Indies against India in Mumbai in 2002-03, and Martin Guptill, for New Zealand vs West Indies in Kingston in 2012.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Visitors recover from 160 for 6 thanks to maiden hundred from wicketkeeper-batter

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay 22-Jun-2025

Joe Cracknell scored an unbeaten 106, his maiden first-class century, while Leus du Plooy struck 66 as Middlesex staged a spirited fightback against Northamptonshire on day one of this Rothesay County Championship match at Wantage Road.Keeper-batter Cracknell, whose previous first-class best was just 33, having largely played white-ball cricket to date, played a superbly-paced innings, facing 164 balls and striking 11 fours and a six to take the visitors to 397 for 8 at stumps. It was Cracknell’s third century of the week after tons in each innings of Middlesex’s Second XI game against Glamorgan at Radlett.Middlesex bounced back after Liam Guthrie, who took 6 for 87 with the Kookaburra ball, his first five-wicket haul for Northamptonshire, had the Seaxes reeling on 33 for 3 inside the first half an hour, removing the visitors top order.But du Plooy started to revive Middlesex’s fortunes, sharing two 60-run stands, first with Ryan Higgins and then with Ben Geddes. When they fell, Middlesex were still in a precarious position at 160 for 6 before Cracknell and Luke Hollman (51) combined to add 103 for the seventh wicket. Cracknell was then joined by Zafar Gohar and Toby Roland-Jones in stands of 81 and 53 at the end of a satisfactory first day in charge for Middlesex’s new men’s first-team coach Dane Vilas.Earlier left-armer Guthrie struck in the second over, coming round the wicket. Josh de Caires fell into the leg-side trap as he worked one off his hip straight to leg gully. Then Max Holden was trapped lbw by a Guthrie delivery that moved in and straightened. When Sam Robson became Guthrie’s third wicket, edging low to Harrison at second slip, the visitors were in real trouble.Leus du Plooy and Higgins rebuilt positively, keeping the scoreboard ticking as they put on 62. Du Plooy garnered boundaries off back-foot punches off the seamers and played Guthrie down the leg side for four to take Middlesex past 50 in the 12th over before driving him sweetly through cover.Higgins was proactive, strong on the reverse sweep against the spinners, but was adjudged lbw to a Justin Broad delivery that looked a little high as he stepped down the wicket aiming to play to leg.Du Plooy joined forces in another confident stand worth 60 with Geddes who started positively, Middlesex passing 100 in the 23rd over before powering Broad through extra cover. Du Plooy meanwhile punched Guthrie off the backfoot through cover point and then pulled legspinner Calvin Harrison for four to reach his half-century just before lunch.Runs flowed quickly against the seamers after the interval. Geddes punched Guthrie off the back foot, while du Plooy drove Luke Procter for four before coming down the wicket and pulling him dismissively through mid-on. He had a rush of blood though, attempting to repeat the shot, failing to control it and instead top-edging to long-on where Rob Keogh took an excellent diving catch running back.Liam Guthrie caused havoc with the new ball•Getty Images

Geddes drove Procter handsomely through extra cover but departed soon afterwards, edging behind off a Broad delivery which held its line.That brought together Cracknell and Hollman who started briskly, Cracknell pulling and driving Broad for consecutive boundaries. Northamptonshire fielded four spinners and both batters took a liking to them with the ball offering little turn. Hollman hit Harrison back over his head, smashed him through the covers and swept behind square. He swept Lloyd Pope to the boundary too and drove his next ball through cover point.Cracknell also tucked into the spinners, muscling Keogh down the ground before dispatching his next ball, a half-tracker, over midwicket for six to go past his previous highest score.After tea, both batters reached their fifties and brought up the 100 partnership, but were parted next over when Hollman skied an attempted hook off Guthrie, Pope taking a good catch at deep-backward square leg.Cracknell continued to locate the boundary, driving Broad through extra, pulling a Pope half-tracker through midwicket and pummelling Guthrie through extra cover. Gohar (34) offered strong support as Cracknell neared three figures, taking consecutive boundaries off Procter with the new ball before Guthrie got one to lift, Gohar fending it to Vasconcelos at slip.Cracknell smashed Guthrie through extra cover and then worked Broad into the off-side to take him to three figures and a well-deserved celebration before some Toby Roland-Jones fireworks ensured Middlesex rounded off the day positively.

da brdice： It’s been an excellent summer for Chelsea so far this year.

da bwin： On top of winning the Club World Cup, the Blues have made a number of exciting additions to the first team, including Joao Pedro, who was spectacular in pre-season.

However, the West Londoners looked less than impressive against Crystal Palace on Sunday, and the Brazilian centre-forward looks nothing like his usual dangerous self.

It was likely just a one-off, but fortunately, Chelsea are now closing in on another brilliant signing who’d be able to help Pedro get up and running even faster this season.

Chelsea target dream signing for Pedro

In addition to Pedro, Chelsea have completed several potentially game-changing signings this summer, with Liam Delap coming in to provide real competition for the starting number nine position, and Jamie Gitten joining to liven up the left-hand side.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

The Conference League champions have even bolstered their defensive ranks with the seriously exciting Jorrel Hato, who at just 19 years old already has 111 appearances for Ajax and six senior caps for the Netherlands under his belt.

Yet, the West Londoners are not done there, as they now appear intent on picking up another incredibly exciting attacker, someone who could help Pedro get up and running as soon as possible.

At least that is according to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, who has claimed that Chelsea are still very interested in Xavi Simons.

The Italian journalist has revealed that while talks between the Blues and RB Leipzig are still ongoing and there are things that need to be done, the club are “confident” of landing the Flying Dutchman, who still only wants them.

Romano does not mention how much the 22-year-old might cost, but reports from earlier this summer claim that a fee of around £61m should do the trick, which seems fair for a player of Simons’ quality, especially as he could get Pedro up and firing.

Why Simons would be perfect for Pedro

Now, the first and undoubtedly most crucial reason Simons would be able to help Pedro get up and running sooner is his output.

For example, despite playing for a lacklustre Leipzig side that failed to qualify for Europe last season, the Dutch magician was able to score 11 goals and provide eight assists in just 33 appearances, totalling 2763 minutes.

In other words, the explosive “game-changer,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.73 games, or every 145.42 minutes.

Therefore, not only would the Amsterdam-born dynamo be able to provide the Brazilian forward with an abundance of goalscoring chances, but he’s also got the finishing ability to get on the end of the chances created by the former Brighton & Hove Albion star.

Moreover, it’s not like the former PSV Eindhoven gem was lucky, or on a hot streak last season, as his underlying numbers are just as impressive.

According to FBref, he ranked in the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Bundesliga last season for passes into the penalty area, through balls, and carries into the final third. He also ranked in the top 5% for ball recoveries and the top 6% for progressive passes, all per 90.

These numbers paint the picture of a creative maestro who is as capable of passing the ball into dangerous areas as he is carrying it, meaning opposition defenders will never be quite sure what he’s planning to do.

Finally, the last reason the former Paris Saint-Germain gem would be such a great teammate for Pedro is his position versatility.

Simons’ Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Goals – xG

+0.21

Top 2%

Non-Penalty Goals – npxG

+0.21

Top 2%

Passes into Penalty Area

2.51

Top 3%

Through Balls

0.96

Top 3%

Carries into Final Third

2.97

Top 3%

Passes Completed (Long)

3.64

Top 5%

Ball Recoveries

5.36

Top 5%

Progressive Passes

5.86

Top 6%

Goals/Shot

0.20

Top 7%

Passes Attempted (Long)

6.61

Top 8%

Touches (Mid 3rd)

32.07

Top 8%

Fouls Drawn

2.34

Top 8%

Progressive Passing Distance

167.32

Top 9%

Passes from Free Kicks

1.67

Top 9%

Dead-ball Passes

5.53

Top 10%

SCA (Fouls Drawn)

0.46

Top 10%

Touches

65.18

Top 10%

All Stats via FBref

For example, while he spent much of last season playing in attacking midfield and has even been dubbed “one of the best 10s in the world” by one data analyst, he’s just as comfortable playing on both wings and has even spent time up top.

In other words, Maresca would be able to play the 22-year-old wherever he needs him, in turn giving him more opportunities to play and form a proper understanding with the Brazilian sharpshooter.

Ultimately, Pedro looks like he’s going to be a success for Chelsea regardless, but if the club want to get even more out of him and help him get up and running faster, then Simons is the answer.

Related Better than Enciso: Chelsea prepare bid to sign "electric" £25m star

The international star would be a far better signing for Chelsea.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 22, 2025

There’s a point in , the Disney+ documentary released on Friday about the life of England allrounder Andrew Flintoff, that stands out from a cricket perspective.Amid harrowing, never-seen-before images of the devastating injuries he suffered in a car crash just over two years ago, interspersed with footage from the highs and lows of a storied career, Flintoff’s wife, Rachael, says it first: cricket saved him.In the most confronting examples imaginable of cricket’s influence on his life, and the accident itself, Flintoff describes his instincts during the crash while filming the TV series in December 2022 as being like the split-second decision a batter makes on how to deal with a delivery hurtling towards him.As the open-topped three-wheeled Morgan Super 3 he was driving around Surrey’s Dunsfold Aerodrome overturned on that fateful day, he believed that if he turned his head a certain way, he would likely break his neck or die. So he made the decision to fall face first.He was left with broken ribs and serious facial injuries, which required extensive reconstructive surgery and left him with noticeable scarring.Related

• Lauren Winfield-Hill: 'Good fielding shows how much you're willing to commit'

• Flintoff: Top Gear crash 'something I'll have to deal with for rest of my life'

• Andrew Flintoff appointed as England Lions men's head coach

• England Lions suffer heavy defeat in one-off tour match

• Andrew Flintoff 'remembers everything' about near-fatal crash in Disney+ documentary

“You get 0.4 seconds to make your mind up where the ball’s going, what shot are you going to play, how are you going to move your feet,” Flintoff says. “As it started going over, I looked at the ground and I knew if I get hit on the side, I’m going to break my neck. If I get hit on the temple, I’m dead. My best chance is go face down. I thought my face had come off. I was frightened to death.”And perhaps it is his cricket background that has contributed to the difficulty he has experienced healing the psychological scars of the accident.As a player, he says, he was able to not just visualise performing a particular skill, but to feel like he was living it. In the documentary, he likens that experience to the intensity of the nightmares and flashbacks he has of the crash, remembering everything in vivid detail. It left him battling anxiety which kept him housebound for months except for medical appointments early on in his recovery.”After the accident, I didn’t think I had it in me to get through,” Flintoff says. “This sounds awful, part of me thinks I should have been killed. Part of me thinks I wish I had died. I didn’t want to kill myself. I wouldn’t mistake the two things. I wasn’t wishing, I was thinking: that would have been so much easier. Now I try to take the attitude, the sun will come up tomorrow and my kids will still give me a hug. I feel in a better place now.”Andrew Flintoff says cricket has played a pivotal role in his recovery•ECB via Getty Images

Again, cricket has played a pivotal role in Flintoff reaching this point, finding comfort and purpose in his role as head coach of England Lions.”The common theme through my life is obviously my family – parents, brother, grandparents, Rachael, the kids – but then it seems almost everything comes back to cricket,” he tells friend and former England rugby player now presenter Martin Bayfield in a Q&A session after the film’s premiere in London.”That’s been the one constant thread through my life. It’s probably the one thing, like Rachel again said, probably saved me. I’ve been welcomed back into that fold and I’m loving it. I’ve got the opportunity now to coach. Who would have thought a 31-year-old me would be put in charge of kids, the next-best England players? And I absolutely love it.”So for everything that’s happened, I think sport has been the one thing that’s given me the coping mechanisms to get through pretty much anything, because some of the lows in cricket were so low, and you have to come back. It was resilience, it was passion, surrounded by people you love and people you trust. It was probably one of the most important things in my life after my family and my friends.”One of the friends most instrumental in Flintoff’s return to cricket is Rob Key, a former team-mate who is now director of England men’s cricket.In a moving scene in the documentary, Key sheds rare tears talking about how cricket has helped to look after his mate of nearly 30 years. The film reveals how, after the accident, Key would invite Flintoff to attend England Test matches in virtual secrecy, watching from a secluded area and visited by a select few mutual friends as he began to venture out of the house after so long.Key is now also effectively Flintoff’s boss, overseeing the Lions coaching role he has held since last October. And Flintoff was eager to bat away a question from Bayfield about progressing to the England head coach role, held by another friend, Brendon McCullum.”As a player, you’re always looking for the end of the game,” Flintoff says. “It’s about making decisions now, make a good decision now, and make a move, and then put yourself in a position to win a cricket match. I was guilty of that with a lot of things. You do a TV job, and it’s, ‘what’s the next job?’ It’s always chasing something.”We have got an exceptional England coach who is incredible. I’m so happy with where I’m at now. I’m not looking for the next job, I’m coaching the Lions, and I think for me, that is the perfect place for me to sit.”I can work with these young lads. You’re not just coaching them as cricketers, you’re trying to help them navigate through a career, through life, to be better people. I don’t see it as a stepping stone, I see it as the perfect job for me at this moment in time. I hope I am the perfect choice for them.”Flintoff says he will also continue to work in television from time to time.The crash interrupted filming a second series of Flintoff’s programme, where he teaches a group of young men from his hometown of Preston about cricket as a positive influence on their lives and which he has since finished and seen go to air. He also filmed a special edition of the gameshow with plans for more to come.But cricket is very much back as an integral part of his life again. Perhaps it never left.‘Flintoff’ is available exclusively on Disney+

MatériaMais Notícias

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+ Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada

A ausência será muito sentida pelo técnico Pintado, que gosta do futebol do meia e o colocou como titular nos últimos 11 jogos.

Desde a sua chegada ao Verdão do Oeste, Denner apresenta um currículo de 30 jogos disputados e um gol marcado.

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Who's hot, who's not? GOAL ranks all 29 teams across Major League Soccer

The 2024 MLS field is more open than ever. There's a clear hierarchy atop both the Eastern and Western Conferences, but outside the top teams, it's open season for playoff qualification.

On Matchday 32, Lionel Messi made his triumphant return to the pitch for Inter Miami, scoring twice and notching an assist as well. The Herons hold a seven-point lead at the top in the race for the MLS Supporters' Shield after the Argentine's weekend heroics.

Meanwhile, it was rivalry weekend elsewhere. The LA Galaxy defeated rivals LAFC 4-2 in another edition of , while in the Midwest, the derby failed to live up to the hype. FC Cincinnati and the Columbus Crew played to a stalemate, as No. 2 and No. 3 in the West left it scoreless.

Elsewhere, the Colorado Rapids are soaring, Minnesota United have turned a new leaf and the Houston Dynamo are quickly becoming a sneaky dark horse in the West.

With the MLS campaign nearing a close, which club leads the pack, and who is falling short of expectations? GOAL presents the latest MLS Power Rankings.

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now

Imagn29San Jose Earthquakes ⬇️

Officially eliminated from playoff contention with a 2-0 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Looking ahead to a next year, once again.

AdvertisementUSA Today Images28St. Louis City SC ⬆️

St. Louis had their spirits crushed in front of their home fans, conceding three unanswered to lose to MNUFC 3-1. Without a permanent head coach, they've flatlined. Playoffs are a fever dream for this group.

27New England Revolution ⬇️

The Revs were pummeled into the ground by Orlando City at the weekend, being shutout 3-0 on the road. It was a rude wakeup call for Caleb Porter's side, who are nearly facing playoff elimination now.

Bottom of the East, six points out of a play-in game. It's not going well.

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26Nashville SC ⬆️

BJ Callaghan got his first win as Nashville's coach but the playoffs are still out of grasp for this club. Yet, a win on the road against Atlanta is nothing to glance over. Job well done.

Follow the latest updates as teams select players for the inaugural LPL

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Oct-2020