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Sometimes a win is just that, but other times it feels far more consequential, as was the case for Chelsea on Tuesday night.

Enzo Maresca’s side were handed the challenging task of hosting Spanish champions Barcelona in the Champions League and blew them away.

The Blues emerged 3-0 winners, but so dominant was the display that they could have probably scored another three on a different night.

It also felt like a statement performance from the young Estêvão, so fans should be delighted that the club have already signed another prospect who could be just like him.

Estêvão's statement performance vs Barcelona

As he started Saturday’s Premier League game against Burnley on the bench, there were question marks over whether Estêvão would be given the nod in what should have been such a challenging game.

Fortunately, Maresca opted to hand the youngster his third Champions League start on the bounce, and it was in part thanks to him that the match was so one-sided.

The former Palmeiras gem was a constant threat for the Blues, darting out wide and into the middle with ease, making life particularly nightmarish for Alejandro Balde.

Moreover, it was the 18-year-old who scored the club’s all-important second goal to take the game well and truly away from Hansi Flick’s ten-man side.

It was a sensational effort as well, one that saw him get the better of two defenders with quick footwork before burying the ball into the roof of the net.

However, the “ridiculous talent,” as dubbed by one content creator, did more than just score a goal.

In his 83 minutes of action, he produced an expected assists figure of 0.35, played three key passes, created one big chance, was accurate in 100% of his long passes, took 47 touches, completed two dribbles, and recovered the ball four times.

Minutes

83′

Expected Goals

0.13

Goals

1

Expected Assists

0.35

Big Chances Created

1

Key Passes

3

Long Balls

1/1

Shots

2

Touches

47

Recoveries

4

In all, it was the sort of performance that felt like a statement, as if Estevao was announcing his presence on the world stage and as someone who will be considered among the best in years to come.

So, fans should be delighted that Chelsea have already signed another youngster who could become the next Estêvão.

Chelsea's next Estêvão

It’s no secret that Chelsea have been spending big on some of the most exciting young talents from around the world in recent years.

Chalkboard

The likes of Deinner Ordonez, Kendry Páez and Dastan Sätpaev, for example, could all develop into serious players for the Blues over the next decade or so.

However, arguably the most exciting of the lot, and the one who feels like he could start emulating Estêvão the quickest, is Geovany Quenda.

The West Londoners signed the 18-year-old for an eye-watering sum of £44m in March of this year, and so to say that there are high expectations for him would be an understatement.

Fortunately, the Portuguese gem, whom respected talent scout Jacek Kulig describes as “one of the most exciting teenagers in World football,” already looks on his way to meeting them.

For example, so far this season, he has scored four goals and provided seven assists in 19 first-team appearances, totalling just 1078 minutes.

Moreover, the incredible talent also amassed 11 goal involvements for the senior side last season, and, as journalist Bobby Vincent points out, is on his way to “emulating CR7” at the Lisbon side.

Appearances

19

Starts

10

Minutes

1078′

Goals

4

Assists

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.57

Minutes per Goal Involvement

98′

Points per Game

2.32

In fact, he actually took Ronaldo’s record of being the youngest player to score in the country’s top flight when he opened his account last year.

Finally, despite being just 18, the game-changing winger has already won 12 caps for Portugal’s U21 side, during which he’s scored five goals and provided five assists.

Ultimately, it’s still early in his career, but Quenda looks like another world-class talent and, in the words of one Chelsea content creator, it’s easy to imagine him having an impact “just like Estêvão” next season.

As good as Estevao: £60m star is on his way to becoming "a Chelsea legend"

Estevao was the star of the show as Chelsea beat Barcelona in the Champions League.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 26, 2025

Varun Chakravarthy also made the cut as India picked three spinners for their Asia Cup opener

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Sep-20252:34

Bangar: Samson deserves a slot in the top three

India won their first toss in 16 attempts across formats, and chose to bowl first in their Asia Cup opener against UAE. Suryakumar Yadav, the India captain, felt there was a chance of dew later in the match on a humid evening in Dubai.Muhammad Waseem, the UAE captain, said he would have preferred to bowl first too, and expected a bit of early help for the seamers.India sprang a few surprises with their selection. They retained Sanju Samson as wicketkeeper, despite the return of Shubman Gill to the top of the order displacing him into a middle-order role more familiar to Jitesh Sharma. They also picked both their wristspinners in Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav.This left the issue of whether they would prioritise depth in their batting or their seam attack. They went with the former, picking the allrounder Shivam Dube rather than a second frontline quick in Arshdeep Singh or Harshit Rana. Jasprit Bumrah starts as the only specialist quick, with Hardik Pandya expected to partner him with the new ball.Related

Gill and Abhishek begin new chapter in old bromance

UAE made one change to the XI that played their last match, the four-wicket loss to Afghanistan in the recent home tri-series, bringing in the offspin-bowling allrounder Dhruv Parashar for the legspinner Muhammad FarooqIndia: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Sanju Samson (wk), 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Jasprit BumrahUAE: 1 Muhammad Zohaib, 2 Muhammad Waseem (capt), 3 Asif Khan, 4 Alishan Sharafu, 5 Rahul Chopra (wk), 6 Dhruv Parashar, 7 Harshit Kaushik, 8 Haider Ali, 9 Muhammad Rohid, 10 Junaid Siddique, 11 Simranjeet Singh

It wasn’t easy, but Chelsea managed to get over the line against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night.

Enzo Maresca’s side managed to get themselves ahead of the Old Gold just five minutes into the game, and looked completely out of sight by half-time.

However, the West Londoners found themselves in a real scrap halfway through the second 45, and were it not for a wonder goal from Jamie Gittens, they might not still be in the League Cup.

However, while there were a few players who let themselves down in the second period, the biggest disappointment for the Blues was Liam Delap, and if he’s not careful, the Englishman could see himself replaced next season.

Delap's diabolical night

After spending the last two months out with a hamstring injury, Delap finally made his return to first-team action against Wolves.

Chalkboard

The former Ipswich Town star came on for Estevao in the 61st minute, and it would be fair to say he more than made his mark, just not in the way he would have wanted.

In the 79th minute, he received a yellow card for pushing a Wolves player and arguing with the referee, which at the time was a foolish thing to do.

However, just seven minutes later, the Englishman did something even stupider and elbowed Emmanuel Agbadou in the head, which unsurprisingly saw him receive a second yellow and get sent off.

It was a true horror show from the striker, as he wasn’t even able to have a single shot before being sent off.

Speaking after the match, Maresca didn’t hold back, describing the incident as “embarrassing” and “very stupid.”

Such a response might sound harsh, but given the state of the game and the nature of the cards, it is hard to disagree with the Italian.

Delap will surely be desperate to make amends when he returns, although he might have to do more than that, as come next season, Maresca will have another forward in the squad who could be a significant upgrade on the Englishman.

Chelsea's future Delap upgrade

With Nicolas Jackson at Bayern Munich and Joao Pedro playing better behind a striker, there aren’t too many options for replacing Delap this season.

However, that will not be the case next year, as Strasbourg star Emanuel Emegha will be making his way to Chelsea in the summer.

The Dutchman might not be a particularly well-known name in England at the moment, but he’s been playing well in France for a couple of years now and looks like he could make a real impact at Stamford Bridge.

For example, in his first season with the Ligue 1 outfit, the 22-year-old managed to rack up a tally of nine goals and two assists in 31 appearances, totalling 2226 minutes.

However, last season he did even better, ending the campaign with an impressive haul of 14 goals and three assists in 29 appearances, totalling just 2408 minutes.

In comparison, Delap managed to score 12 goals and provide two assists in 40 appearances, totalling 2670 minutes, for the Tractor Boys.

Unfortunately, the “simply phenomenal” centre-forward, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is currently injured. However, before his injury, he looked set for his best season to date, scoring four goals and providing two assists in just six appearances, totalling 384 minutes.

Appearances

66

Starts

56

Minutes

5018′

Goals

27

Assists

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.51

Minutes per Goal Involvement

147.58′

Ultimately, not only does Emegha have a better record than Delap, but he has also never received a red card; therefore, he could be a real upgrade for Chelsea next year.

Not Estevao: Chelsea star looks like Palmer 2.0 after Wolves "masterclass"

The exciting ace made all the difference for Maresca and Chelsea vs Wolves.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 30, 2025

Big picture: Bangladesh look for series sweep

The second and final Test between Bangladesh and Ireland in Dhaka will start off as a celebration of Mushfiqur Rahim’s 100th Test match. Mushfiqur is the first Bangladesh cricketer to reach the milestone, and tributes poured in from current and former team-mates and coaches. Ireland, meanwhile, will no doubt try to spoil the party.Ireland were no match for Bangladesh in the first Test in Sylhet, where they went down by an innings and 47 runs. Only when Paul Stirling and Cade Carmichael batted well on the first day did Ireland look in the game. They crumbled for the rest of the game.Related

• For Shanto, return to form 'a good start, nothing more'

• Who does Mushfiqur have the most Test hundreds against?

• Tamim: Mushfiqur's 100th Test 'should be celebrated by every Bangladesh cricket lover'

Stirling and Carmichael hit fifties, while Andy McBrine also fought hard to get a half-century in the second innings. Left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys took an expensive five-wicket haul. But all told, Ireland had a forgettable outing.Bangladesh had plenty of strong performers including Mahmudul Hasan Joy, who returned to the Test side with 171. Mahmudul looked compact at the crease, and opened up his shoulders once he reached his second Test century. Najmul Hossain Shanto also struck a century, his eighth in Tests and fourth as the captain. It was a rapid knock, aided by Litton Das’ stroke-filled 60. Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque also made eighties.It was Bangladesh’s bowling that put them on top in the first place. The spinners Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam and Hasan Murad took 14 wickets among them. Murad, making his Test debut, bowled tight lengths with found subtle turn from time to time. Fast bowlers Nahid Rana and Hasan Mahmud too contributed with wickets in both innings.Mushfiqur was the only one in the Bangladesh top five who didn’t get a fifty. Perhaps he is saving one for the big occasion.

Form guide

Bangladesh WLDWL
Ireland LWWWLMahmudul Hasan Joy celebrates his hundred in Sylhet•BCB

In the spotlight: Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Paul StirlingMahmudul Hasan Joy returning to Test cricket with an innings 171 is an encouraging sign for the young batter. He is said to have corrected his technique and worked on his mental make-up after he was dropped earlier this year. He played mainly in front of square on the off side, and struck a few good-looking drives. He looked focused and clearly wanted to play a long innings, which was the promise on which he was brought into the Test side in his debut four years ago.Paul Stirling looked comfortable in both innings in Sylhet, though he couldn’t quite make either a big one. He was enterprising in his handling of Rana in the first innings, cutting and square driving with ease. He had a tougher role in the second innings in Balbirnie’s absence from the top order and was later run out for 43. Stirling will have another major role in Dhaka, particularly because of his ability to handle low, spinning deliveries.Andy McBrine was one of the Ireland batters to give a good account of himself in Sylhet•Bangladesh Cricket Board

Team news: Teams likely to make one change each

Ebadot Hossain could take Rana’s place in the only change in the Bangladesh playing XI.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Shadman Islam, 2 Mahmudul Hasan Joy, 3 Mominul Haque, 4 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Litton Das (wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Taijul Islam, 9 Hasan Murad, 10 Hasan Mahmud, 11 Ebadot HossainGavin Hoey could enter the fray for Ireland, replacing Craig Young in the spinners’ paradise that is Dhaka.Ireland (probable): 1 Cade Carmichael, 2 Andy Balbirnie (capt), 3 Paul Stirling, 4 Harry Tector, 5 Curtis Campher, 6 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 7 Andy McBrine, 8 Jordan Neill, 9 Barry McCarthy, 10 Gavin Hoey, 11 Matthew Humphreys

Pitch and conditions: A spin test as always

The spin fest during the Bangladesh vs West Indies ODI series in Dhaka last month could continue into this Test match. The weather is on the drier side.

Stats and trivia: Mahmudul takes second spot

• Mahmudul’s 171 is the second-highest score by a Bangladeshi opener in Test cricket.
• Jordan Neill was Ireland’s youngest Test debutant in Sylhet, at 20 years and 69 days.
• During the Sylhet Test, Taijul became the third Bangladesh bowler after Abdur Razzak and Enamul Haque to reach 500 first-class wickets.

They haven’t won every game, but this season is shaping up to be a truly special one for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta has got his side playing some sensational football at times while simultaneously ensuring they remain the best defensive team in the Premier League.

It seems like every player, new and old, is all pulling in the exact same direction and helping each other reach new levels.

One of the team’s best players in recent weeks has been summer signing Eberechi Eze, and so fans should be excited about recent reports linking Arsenal with someone who could be another version of the Englishman.

Arsenal target another Eze

There was tremendous excitement from the Arsenal fan base when it was announced that the club had signed Eze, and understandably so.

Transfer Focus

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

After all, here was a player who many considered to be one of the most exciting in the Premier League, and had just spearheaded Crystal Palace to FA Cup glory.

Fortunately, while it took him a few games to get up to speed, the 27-year-old has more than delivered so far this season, racking up a tally of nine goal involvements in 19 games for the club and scoring that North London Derby hat-trick.

So, with all that in mind, it’s not all that surprising to hear that the Gunners may be after another player who has the potential to be another Eze in Kenan Yıldız.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal have maintained their intense interest in the Turkish wonderkid.

In fact, the report has revealed that the North Londoners are going all out to sign him and have been in contact with his representatives.

However, Juventus are understandably keen to keep hold of the incredible youngster and, according to other reports from earlier this month, would need a fee of at least £88m to consider selling him.

Therefore, it could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Yıldız’s ability and potential, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as he could be another Eze.

Why Yıldız would be another Eze

Now, there are obviously some key differences between Yıldız and Eze, such as their age, but there are also more than a few similarities between them.

For example, like the Englishman, the young Turkish superstar is an attacker who can and does play in a multitude of positions.

Since making his first team debut for Juventus, the 20-year-old monster has played as a second-striker, on the left and right wings, in attacking midfield and even up top a few times.

The second similarity is that, like the former Palace star, he is a dual threat, someone who is as happy scoring a goal as he is assisting one.

For example, in 52 appearances last season, totalling 3520 minutes, he scored 12 goals and provided nine assists, which comes out to a goal involvement on average every 2.47 games, or every 167.61 minutes.

Appearances

52

18

Minutes

3520′

1457′

Goals

12

5

Assists

9

5

Then this season, he has become even more dangerous, scoring five goals and providing five assists in 18 appearances, totalling 1457 minutes, which is a goal involvement every 1.8 games, or every 145.7 minutes.

Finally, and this is related to his output, the 26-capped international is, in the words of content creator Alex Moneypenny, “capable of the spectacular.”

He doesn’t just score tap-ins; he already has quite the impressive catalogue of goals, ranging from long-distance strikes to ones stemming from brilliant close control.

It is also this ability to create magic on the football pitch that likely led European football writer Danny Corcoran to describe the youngster as having “Mbappe-like ability.”

Ultimately, it won’t be an easy transfer to get done, but Arsenal should be going all out to sign Yıldız in 2026, as he could be another Eze.

A Saka & Olise hybrid: Arsenal in contact over signing £70m "superstar"

The incredible talent would be as game-changing for Arsenal as Bukayo Saka has been over the years.

ByJack Salveson Holmes 7 days ago

Litchfield and Mooney’s half-centuries for Australia went in vain

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Sep-2025Alice Capsey and Sarah Glenn headlined England’s four-wicket victory over Australia in their Women’s World Cup warm-up match in Bengaluru. After the legspinner claimed 5 for 32 to dismantle Australia’s middle and lower order, Capsey anchored the chase with an unbeaten 88.After a shaky start, Australia found stability through Phoebe Litchfield’s 71. However, after her dismissal, wickets continued to fall at regular intervals. Beth Mooney was forced to come in unusually low at No. 9, where she counterattacked with an unbeaten 59 off just 42 balls. Despite her efforts, Australia were bowled out for 247 in 34.4 overs.In reply, England suffered an early collapse, slipping to 32 for 3, but Sophia Dunkley and Emma Lamb steadied the innings with their half-centuries. But it was Capsey who was the difference-maker, pacing the chase well to take England home with 5.3 overs to spare.Kim Garth was the pick of the Australia bowlers, taking 2 for 17, but lacked support as the English batting line-up found its rhythm.

England scored 153 runs in the 28 overs of the middle session to hurt India

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Aug-2025

Harry Brook made a 91-ball ton after coming in at 106 for 3•Getty Images

Tea A stunning partnership worth 195 between Harry Brook and Joe Root put England on the cusp of a series-sealing win at The Oval. India had taken control of the fifth Test when Brook walked out to bat at No. 5 with 268 runs still required, but he seized the moment with an audacious 91-ball hundred, his tenth in Tests and his first in the fourth innings of a match.Brook was given a life late in the morning session, picking out Mohammed Siraj at long leg with a miscued pull shot only for Siraj to tread on the advertising toblerone on the boundary rope. Rather than prompting a change in approach, the reprieve led Brook to double down, slapping India’s seamers around as he raced to 38 off 30 balls at lunch.If he rode his luck at times, his attacking intent worked in his favour: soon after lunch, Prasidh Krishna drew a thick outside edge which flew away between the solitary slip and gully, with the field spread to try and keep a lid on England’s scoring. He continued to bludgeon anything short through the leg side, but rotated the strike with ease through the afternoon.Brook’s celebrations are typically restrained but he showed his emotion when sprinting back for two to reach three figures, pumping his fists, swishing his bat and throwing his head back in relief. He was out seven balls later, losing his bat as he attempted to swipe Akash Deep for a third boundary in a row, but the damage had been done.Root, meanwhile, played in Brook’s slipstream, ticking over with few qualms and occasionally freeing his arms – including belting Ravindra Jadeja back over his head for four, and swinging a high full toss over midwicket. India could not dislodge him, reviewing unsuccessfully after Siraj trapped him on the pad on 88, and he responded with back-to-back boundaries to reach 98.India’s session was personified by the exhausted Akash Deep: he attempted to stop a boundary by sticking out his boot, only to divert the ball back over the rope, and then lost his footing when Jacob Bethell skewed a caught-and-bowled chance back to him. Siraj kept charging in, bowling 17.1 overs in the first two sessions, but could not conjure up another game-breaking moment.

The India allrounder said working on his mindset and fitness had helped him maintain his superb form in 2025

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-20255:13

Jadeja on vice-captaincy, batting higher and playing without Ashwin

It was his 50th home Test, but the first one Ravindra Jadeja was playing without his long-time spin partner R Ashwin, who retired from international cricket last December. It was an unusual experience, but it made no difference as far as the impact Jadeja was able to make on the match. He scored an unbeaten 104, his sixth Test hundred, and took four second-innings wickets as India wrapped up victory over West Indies by an innings and 140 runs inside eight sessions in Ahmedabad.Among the factors behind India winning so commandingly was the strength of their spin attack even without Ashwin, with Jadeja bowling alongside Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar, and with Axar Patel on the bench.”Obviously we do miss him,” Jadeja said after the Test, when asked how Ashwin’s absence felt. “Ash has contributed so much to Indian cricket, been a match-winner for so many years.”I was playing a [Test] match in India without Ash for the first time, so sometimes I did find myself thinking, yeah, Ash will come on and bowl, and then realising he isn’t there. But Kuldeep and Washy have already played so many matches, and we can’t call them youngsters, but it was a different combination.”In the future you will ask, Jaddu isn’t here, and someone else will be there. This is inevitable, and it will keep happening, but it feels good to contribute to the team.”Related

India trying to ready Reddy for greater challenges

Jadeja, Siraj wrap up India's innings win inside three days

Gill: 'No complaints, was a near-perfect game for us'

Jadeja’s performance in Ahmedabad left him tantalisingly close to the double of 4000 runs and 300 wickets in Test cricket. He needs only 10 runs to become the fourth member of that particular club, and membership to an even more exclusive club — 5000 runs and 400 wickets, which presently only includes Kapil Dev — could also be within reach.”You’re putting pressure on me now,” Jadeja joked when asked about this. “I’ll have to start thinking about how to score 1000 more runs and take 60-70 more wickets.”At this stage I’m enjoying my cricket. I’m not thinking about records or milestones. I’m just working on my fitness and enjoying my cricket. Whenever I’m at home I always work on my fitness so that I just continue doing what I’ve been doing [for] so many years, so that’s about it.”At 36, Ravindra Jadeja is still sprightly on the field•Associated PressThe century in Ahmedabad extended a sensational 2025 with the bat for Jadeja. So far this year, he has scored 659 runs in seven Tests at an average of 82.37, with two hundreds and five fifties, with 516 of those runs coming in a series of remarkable consistency in England, which included a stretch of eight innings with six 50-plus scores.”I’ve worked on my batting — I’ve made some changes both mentally and skill-wise,” Jadeja said. “I used to have a different mindset before, in my batting, but I’ve made a few changes now.”Part of this, he said, came from regularly batting up the order. Since the start of 2023, he has batted 22 times at Nos. 5 and 6 in 40 innings.”If you get the chance to bat up the order, you definitely bat with a different mindset,” he said. “I’ve batted at No. 8 and 9 in Test matches before, and that comes with a different mindset, and if you bat with that mindset you can end up playing a loose shot and getting out.”I’ve also batted at No. 5 and 6, and that comes with a different mindset. You are aware of the responsibility you have to build partnerships with whichever batsman you are batting with. That has definitely made a difference.At 36, Jadeja is showing no perceptible signs of slowing down; he prowls the outfield as athletically as ever, and he has been largely injury-free since getting through a frustrating period in 2021-23 when injuries repeatedly kept him away from action.”Injuries can happen anytime,” he said. “There is no guarantee, and no precautions you can take [against them]. If you’re giving your 100% on the ground, you could have to dive anytime or put in an effort for a catch or a run-out.”Luckily, by god’s grace, I haven’t been injured that much and I work a lot on my fitness. I don’t put up a lot of videos of what all I do on social media, but I do it. And it has been making a difference on the ground, and it feels good that I’m able to give my 100% at this age, and it doesn’t feel like my fitness level is going down, so it puts me in a good frame of mind.”On being asked to expand on his fitness routines and whether that included monitoring his sleep cycles, Jadeja burst into laughter. “I keep it simple,” he said. “Not 8-9 hours, sometimes I sleep for longer too, and if I’m [enjoying my evening] I might sleep less too. But on a serious note, when matches are approaching, I know when to start my training, when to change my food intake. I have a very good idea of my body and what it needs and in what state it is in at any time.”

Leeds United secured a sensational win in the Premier League on Wednesday night. Daniel Farke’s side beat title challengers Chelsea 3-1 at Elland Road, to pick up a huge three points in their quest for top-flight survival.

The game started in perfect fashion for the West Yorkshire outfit.

Defender Jaka Bijol rose highest from a corner to head home, after making a darting run from the edge of the 18-yard box to the corner of the six-yard box before unleashing his powerful header.

Chelsea did not really threaten despite dominating possession, having 71% across the game. Leeds were able to double their lead on the stroke of half-time, thanks to a sublime effort from Ao Tanaka.

The ball broke to Jayden Bogle on the edge of the box, who laid it off to Tanaka. The midfielder smashed it in from range to put his side 2-0 up.

Enzo Maresca’s men were able to pull a goal back just five minutes after the restart through Pedro Neto. However, Leeds resisted their pressure and managed to get a third goal after a calamitous mistake from Chelsea allowed Dominic Calvert-Lewin to score.

It was a superb win for Leeds, with some standout performances across the pitch.

Leeds’ best players vs. Chelsea

One of the most impressive things about this Leeds victory was how hard everyone worked. That was certainly the case for captain Ethan Ampadu. Playing against his former club, the Welshman was the dominant force in midfield.

His stats from the game reflect how well he performed, both on and off the ball. Ampadu had 54 touches of the ball and had an 86% pass accuracy. He also won six duels and made six ball recoveries.

It was an all-action showing from the Wales international.

Another player who shone for the Whites was right wing-back Bogle. He was a real handful for Chelsea going forward, with his performance earning him an 8/10 rating from Graham Smyth, journalist for the Yorkshire Evening Post.

Smyth praised the fact that he ‘drove Leeds forward’, with the defender a real threat in attack.

That all came to a head with his assist for Tanaka, where he pounced on a loose ball before a Chelsea player could reach it, and quickly found his teammate with a first-time pass.

Ampadu and Bogle played well, but they were arguably outshone by one of their teammates.

Leeds’ best signing since Raphinha

It seemed to be a good night for wing-backs at Elland Road. Bogle was not the only one who stood out, with left wing-back Gabriel Gudmundsson one of the best players in a White shirt against Chelsea.

He enjoyed plenty of success defensively, coming up directly against the electric Estevao, and offered a threat going forward.

Gudmundsson won an exceptional 12 from 19 duels and five from eight tackles, as well as creating two chances.

Gudmundsson key stats vs. Chelsea
Stat	Number
Touches	55
Ground duels won	12/19
Tackles won	5/8
Ball recoveries	6
Crosses completed	2
Key passes	2
Stats from Sofascore

The excellent performance from the Swede was noticed by Smyth, who gave him a 9/10 for his efforts. The journalist praised him for how well he got forward, and credited him for the fact that he ‘got back in to defend and do his bit’.

As far back as September, the left-back was being called “the best” player in the Premier League in his position by journalist James Marshment.

The 26-year-old has made a brilliant start to life at Elland Road, featuring in all 14 of their top-flight games so far, and playing 90 minutes nine times.

There is a case to be made that the defender is Leeds’ best signing since Raphinha. The Brazilian was exceptional for the West Yorkshire side, and really hit the ground running in the Premier League. He managed 15 goals and assists in his first top-flight season.

Chalkboard

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

Well, Gudmundsson is making an equally fast start. To be branded as one of the best players in the league so soon is a testament to how well he has performed.

There haven’t really been any Leeds players who have started this fast, especially on the top-flight since Raphinha, with several of the players they have signed in previous Premier League campaigns now having left the club.

Farke will be desperate for this form to continue, and for Gudmundsson to prove he is one of their best signings since Raphinha.

Better than Calvert-Lewin: 9/10 hero had his best game for Leeds vs Chelsea

This Leeds star shone in their 3-1 win over Chelsea

By
Joe Nuttall

Dec 4, 2025

Defending champions Liverpool moved up to eighth in the Premier League table after a 2-0 win over West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday.

Goals from Alexander Isak, who netted his first league goal for the club, and Cody Gakpo secured all three points for the Reds for the first time since the 1st November against Aston Villa.

Arne Slot will surely be pleased with the win and the clean sheet to end a run of three successive losses in all competitions, whilst the Dutch boss will also be buzzing with the performances of several of his players.

Ranking Liverpool's top performers against West Ham

When ranking the team’s top performers against the Hammers, it is hard to look past Gakpo as the standout star because he was directly involved in both of the goals, with a goal and an assist.

Ibrahima Konate also deserves credit for his colossal display at the heart of the defence, winning 100% (5/5) of his aerial duels and making a team-high ten clearances, per Sofascore.

Both the France international and captain Virgil van Dijk kept Alisson quiet with their dominant performances, but Konate was the standout centre-back with four more clearances and three more aerial duels won than his skipper.

1

Cody Gakpo

2

Florian Wirtz

3

Ibrahima Konate

4

Virgil van Dijk

5

Alexander Isak

As you can see in the table above, Isak also has to be in the top five performers on the pitch for the Premier League champions, as he netted his first league goal for the club with a brilliant first-time finish into the bottom corner.

You will also notice that £115m signing Florian Wirtz ranks in second place, just behind Gakpo, after he caught the eye whilst playing in a central position for the Reds.

The Liverpool star who could be their new Thiago Alcantara

Recruitment analyst Jan Riha stated that the “incredible” Wirtz made him “feel about football the same way Thiago Alcantara” did at Liverpool, after his performance against the Hammers.

It is hard to argue with that assessment because his metronomic display at the London Stadium was incredibly impressive, even if it lacked the punch of a goal or an assist to add some extra flavour to his season.

Thiago ended his playing days with a 90% pass accuracy, per WhoScored, and Reds supporters got to enjoy his midfield majesty for three seasons, with plenty of exceptional raking passes and cultured through balls, as shown in the clips below against Man United in 2022.

Wirtz may not play in a deep-lying midfield role like Thiago did, but his technical ability is comparable to the Spaniard’s, and he showed it off plenty of times in the win over West Ham.

The Germany international has failed to deliver a goal or an assist in the Premier League this season since his big-money move from Bayer Leverkusen, but his display on Sunday was a step in the right direction because it was his best of the campaign.

Sofascore rating

6.51

6.9

Passes completed

25

42

Pass accuracy

82%

93%

Passes completed in oppo half

18

32

Passes accuracy in oppo half

76%

91%

Passes accuracy in own half

86%

100%

As you can see in the statistics above, Wirtz’s use of the ball on Sunday was on another level to what he has previously shown in the top-flight for Liverpool.

Playing centrally, rather than being out wide on the left or the right, allowed him to float around and knit play together with his technical brilliance, much like Thiago used to do further back on the pitch during his time at Anfield.

Slot must continue to play the German star in the middle of the park, rather than out wide, because he could flourish as a metronomic number ten who is able to buzz around the pitch and control the tempo of the match.

The hope, then, would be that the goals and assists naturally follow as he becomes more comfortable and confident on the pitch in the Premier League.

Big Konate upgrade: Liverpool have "one of the best young CBs in the world"

Liverpool have a blooming centre-back who could surpass Marc Guehi and Ibrahima Konate.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 30, 2025

Whilst there will be understandable disappointment that a £115m attacking midfielder is yet to provide a direct goal contribution in the top-flight, Wirtz’s performance against the Hammers was his best of the season and he appears to be on the right track to become a success at Anfield.