MLB announced the winners of the first major annual award on Monday, revealing the winner of the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year award for both the American and National League.

The Rookie of the Year awards are annually voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America, with 30 voters determining who was the top rookie in MLB during the season. The reigning Rookie of the Year winners are Yankees pitcher Luis Gil and Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes.

Here’s a look at the 2025 Rookie of the Year winners.

American League Rookie of the Year Winner

Winner: Nick Kurtz, Athletics 1B

Finalists: Roman Anthony, Red Sox OF and Jacob Wilson, Athletics SS

Nick Kurtz made his debut for the Athletics on April 23, 2025 and finished his stellar rookie campaign slashing .290/.383/.619 with 122 hits, 90 runs, 36 home runs, 86 RBIs and a 1.002 OPS. Kurtz, nicknamed the “Big Amish” and known for his butter churning celebration, finished 10th in MLB in home runs and led all rookies in 2025 in home runs, RBIs, runs and walks.

Kurtz’s finest performance of the season came on July 25, when he went 6-6 with four home runs and eight RBIs against the Astros, becoming the first rookie ever to hit four home runs in a single game.

He is now the unanimous AL Rookie of the Year. Teammate Jacob Wilson finished second in the voting with 23 second-place votes while Roman Anthony comes up in third after receiving three second-place votes and 15 third-place votes.

“It’s a great ending to the first year,” Kurtz told MLB Network. “Like Jacob said earlier, use this and keep on grinding and come back better next year.”

National League Rookie of the Year Winner

Winner: Drake Baldwin, Braves C

Finalists: Caleb Durbin, Brewers 3B and Cade Horton, Cubs pitcher

Drake Baldwin made his MLB debut at the start of the season on March 27, 2025. Over the course of 124 games during his first season, he slashed .274/.341/.469 for 111 hits, 56 runs, 19 home runs, 80s RBIs and a .810 OPS. Baldwin finished the season leading all National League rookies in RBIs, second among NL rookies in home runs and second on the Braves in WAR.

كشفت تقارير صحفية إسبانية، أن برشلونة تلقى دفعة معنوية قوية بشأن داني أولمو، الذي يقترب من العودة والتعافي من الإصابة التي أبعدته عن صفوف الفريق.

وبحسب صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية، فإنه من المرجح أن يعود داني أولمو للمشاركة مع برشلونة ضد إسبانيول، في 3 يناير، في مباراة تمثل نقطة تحول حاسمة في موسمه.

ويغيب داني أولمو عن الملاعب منذ تعرضه لخلع مؤلم في كتفه الأيسر، خلال فوز برشلونة أمام أتلتيكو مدريد بثلاثية لهدف واحد.

وأشارت تقارير أخرى إلى أن برشلونة قد يستعيد أحد أبرز لاعبيه، حيث من المتوقع أن يحصل الألماني مارك تير شتيجن على التصريح الطبي الأسبوع المقبل، ليعود لقائمة الفريق ضد أوساسونا.

اقرأ أيضاً.. رافينها يحسم الجدل بشأن أنباء رحيله عن برشلونة إلى الدوري السعودي

ويمر شتيجن بالمرحلة الأخيرة من التعافي من إصابة في أسفل الظهر، أبعدته عن الملاعب لعدة أشهر، ويتقدم بشكل رائع وزاد من كثافة تدريباته اليوم بشكل ملحوظ، لاستعادة لياقته البدنية الكاملة.

وستمثل عودة تير شتيجن إلى برشلونة إنجازًا هامًا، بعد أكثر من أربعة أشهر من الغياب، وهي فترة غياب أطول بكثير مما كان متوقعًا وقت خضوعه لعملية جراحية.

ويستعد خوان جارسيا لحراسة مرمى برشلونة بشكل طبيعي، بعد أن أثار القلق بتعرضه لكدمة عقب الفوز ضد ريال بيتيس بخمسة أهداف لثلاثة على ملعب لا كارتوخا، حيث شوهد وهو يعرج قليلاً أثناء صعوده لحافلة الفريق في طريقها للعودة لمطار إشبيلية ومرة أخرى أثناء صعوده للطائرة مع بقية الفريق ليثير تكهنات حول حالته البدنية.

وكانت تدريبات برشلونة قد شهدت مشاركة رافينها بشكل طبيعي قبل لقاء آينتراخت فرانكفورت.

وكان فليك قد فضل إراحة البرازيلي ضد ريال بيتيس كإجراء احترازي في الدوري الإسباني بعد معاناته من إجهاد عضلي طفيف.

MatériaMais Notícias

A Fifa retirou o transfer ban que impedia o São Paulo de realizar contratações e registrar novos reforços. A confirmação foi feita nesta segunda-feira (8).

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O clube realizou o pagamento de cerca de 1,2 milhão de dólares à Bama, empresa de agenciamento de atletas responsável pela contratação de Calleri em 2021. O valor corresponde a uma comissão de intermediação e foi pago na quarta-feira (3), mas só foi registrado oficialmente nesta segunda-feira (8).

➡️Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! São Paulo

Com a liberação, o São Paulo ganha mais tranquilidade em meio a problemas políticos, pressão da torcida por resultados e até depoimentos ao Ministério Público.

continua após a publicidade

Vale destacar que a janela de transferências abre em 5 de janeiro e, até o momento, o clube ainda não anunciou nenhuma negociação.

Segunda punição no ano

Este é o segundo transfer ban do São Paulo na temporada. O Tricolor sofreu o primeiro em agosto, após o atraso de parcelas da contratação de Damián Bobadilla com o Cerro Porteño, ex-equipe do jogador. A dívida, em si, foi quitada no mesmo dia.

➡️ Calleri promete reação no São Paulo em 2026: ‘Daremos a volta por cima’

Jonathan Calleri em 202518 jogos (14 titular)3 gols4 assistências164 minutos para participar de gol1.7 finalizações por jogo (0.4 no gol)10.3 finalizações para marcar25% de conversão em grandes chances0.8 passes decisivos por jogo5 grandes chances criadas46% de eficiência nos duelos1.4 faltas sofridas por jogoNota Sofascore 6.86

Tudo sobre

Futebol NacionalSão Paulo

Wrexham's seven-match unbeaten run in the Championship came to an end on Wednesday as they went down 2-0 against a dominant Hull City on the road. The Red Dragons' star forward Kieffer Moore had a night to forget as his two costly misses cost Phil Parkinson's side crucial points. Wrexham have dropped to 14th place in the second tier after the defeat.

• Hull return to winning ways with dominant performance

  Hull headed into the game on the back of a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Middlesbrough and were naturally under a lot of pressure. However, the Tigers took control of the game right from the start. It took the hosts just 10 minutes to break the deadlock as Kyle Joseph came up with a clinical finish.

  The move started with a long ball from their own half, which went straight to Mohamed Belloumi, who outpaced Dominic Hyam on the right side and entered the box before feeding Matt Crooks. Crooks attempted a first-time shot, which was initially stopped by Arthur Okonkwo but Joseph found the back of the net from the rebound.

  Wrexham striker Moore had a golden opportunity to restore parity just six minutes later as he found himself in a very good shooting position inside the Hull box, but his effort went wide of the far post. Hull dominated possession in the first period and created more positive goal-scoring chances as Parkinson's side found it difficult to break down the home defence.

  Moore then had yet another opportunity to equalise at the start of the second half as the Red Dragons earned a penalty, but the striker's weak spot-kick failed to trouble Ivor Pandur, who comfortably parried the ball away by diving to his right.

  The Wales international was punished for his wastefulness as Hull's Oli McBurnie came off the bench and doubled his team's lead with a clinical finish in the 67th minute. The 29-year-old forward, who returned to action after two months, made an immediate impact as he pounced on Ryan Giles' low cross inside the Wrexham box and put the ball past Okonkwo.

  This was Wrexham's first defeat in their last seven Championship matches as they dropped to 14th position in the league after today's result, while Hull moved up to sixth and the playoff places. 

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  The MVP

  Sergej Jakirovic's decision to bring in McBurnie in the second half proved to be a masterstroke as the experienced striker doubled Hull's lead and sealed three points for them just four minutes after coming onto the pitch. The Scot had been sidelined since October due to a calf injury, but he has now regained fitness and is ready to star for the Tigers again.

• The big loser

  Moore joined Wrexham from Sheffield United in the summer transfer window and has proved to be a successful signing right from the off. He is the club's top goal-scorer in the 2025-26 campaign, with 10 goals in 20 matches across all competitions. However, on Wednesday, the star striker had a rare off day as his two costly mistakes, including a penalty miss, cost the Red Dragons crucial points.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Match rating (out of five): ⭐⭐⭐

Chelsea must now be longing for a swift return to Stamford Bridge in Premier League action.

Indeed, the Blues’ push towards the top of the table to challenge Arsenal has stalled after two disappointing performances on the road, with a 3-1 collapse away at Leeds United, followed up by a lacklustre showing on the South Coast to secure a 0-0 draw at AFC Bournemouth.

Not even Cole Palmer’s re-entry into Enzo Maresca’s starting XI could shake Chelsea into life away at the Cherries, as the former Manchester City superstar ended up losing possession a costly 16 times in a drab individual performance.

He was far from being the only underperformer in attack up against Andoni Iraola’s hosts, though, as Chelsea now looks at the January transfer window with hope that they can boost their underwhelming options up top.

Chelsea's attacking woes vs Bournemouth

Liam Delap must have thought that grabbing a much-needed Blues goal against Barcelona at the tail-end of November would kickstart his faltering Stamford Bridge spell.

Unfortunately, though, the former Ipswich Town striker remains without a goal in Premier League action for Maresca’s men, as the £30m summer recruit hobbled off after just 32 minutes to continue on his ongoing Chelsea nightmare.

Neither Marc Guiu nor Joao Pedro could break the deadlock either against a stubborn Cherries defence, with Guiu only managing an unconvincing two shots at the Bournemouth goal from his minimal 25 touches.

Pedro will also have Chelsea punching the panic button at this point, with the bumper £60m signing now goalless across his last four games for Maresca and Co.

It’s not the greatest shock in the world, therefore, to read that the frustrated West Londoners are targeting a move for Borussia Dortmund ace Serhou Guirassy in January, with Sky Sports’ Gary Neville weighing in after the Blues’ disastrous 3-1 loss at Elland Road to say that the attackers Chelsea currently possess are not “of the level” to lift the Premier League title.

However, it’s not just in the sole striker spot where grumbles are beginning to emerge, with other pitiful performances on the South Coast giving Maresca plenty of food for thought over what his consistent starting lineup should be.

Chelsea duo must never start together again

The former Leicester City boss would lament his side’s indecisive nature in the forward areas at the full-time whistle, with Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho very much not helping proceedings as Chelsea’s main options down either flank.

Between them during the 0-0 stalemate, they only completed one of six dribbles, with plenty more unsatisfactory numbers tallied up by the frustrating pairing come the close of the dull affair.

Minutes played

90

77

Goals scored

0

0

Assists

0

0

Touches

35

55

Shots

2

2

Accurate passes

34/41 (83%)

17/20 (85%)

Key passes

4

1

Accurate crosses

3/6

2/3

Accurate dribbles

0/2

1/4

Possession lost

12x

10x

Duels won

4/7

1/5

Looking at the table above in detail, it really doesn’t make for pretty reading for the number seven and the number 49, with possession given up a high 22 times between them, on top of just one of their combined efforts being hit on target at Dorde Petrovic’s goal.

If Chelsea is to instantly respond to this shambolic performance at the Cherries against Atalanta in the Champions League, Maresca will surely have to ditch this duo, with Estevao hopeful of a starting spot in place of Neto on the right, after scoring a stunning effort last time out in Europe’s premier competition versus Barcelona.

His constant determination to burst forward with pace and terrorise defenders would be a clear departure from the out-of-sorts offerings from both Neto and Garnacho, with five goals and one assist already tallied up in Chelsea blue by the Brazilian, seeing pundit Pat Nevin hail him as an “utterly brilliant” asset to have around.

Neto does have credit in his bank, arguably, considering he bagged his side’s only goal of the game in West Yorkshire, but an injection of freshness could still go down a treat.

This might also result in Jamie Gittens getting the nod to start on the left over Garnacho, after successfully completing all 100% of his dribbles versus Leeds as a rare bright spark.

Whatever lineup does end up taking to the field, Maresca will be hoping for an immediate response.

If he wants more energy and excitement from the get-go mid-week, he needs to ensure both Neto and Garnacho don’t start together again, after they passively went about their business at Bournemouth.

Worse than Enzo: Maresca must drop Chelsea star who lost the ball 17x

This Chelsea ace struggled in the 0-0 draw away to Bournemouth

ByJoe Nuttall 5 days ago

“The Australian white-ball captain remains open to the prospect of playing Test cricket,” a WA Cricket statement said

Andrew McGlashan08-Dec-2025Mitchell Marsh will retire from the Sheffield Shield at the end of this season, meaning in all likelihood he has played his final first-class match for Western Australia, but the door is ajar to add to his 46 Test caps in the Ashes.Marsh made a rare Shield appearance for WA last week against Victoria at the MCG where he scored 4 and 9. But his involvement in the T20 World Cup, where he will captain Australia through February and the start of March, will overlap with the resumption of the competition after the BBL, then he will be part of the IPL with Lucknow Super Giants.”It has been an honour to play Sheffield Shield cricket for WA,” Marsh, who made his Shield debut as an 18-year-old said in a statement. “Right now I am deeply committed to the group and the [Perth] Scorchers. Playing for WA has been a huge part of my life and I plan to give back in any way possible long into the future.”Marsh was an outside chance of featuring in the Ashes if there had been injuries or loss of form, particularly if things had started badly for Australia, on the back of an impressive run of performances in recent ODI and T20I series with the selectors valuing his skills against pace bowling.The final part of the WA Cricket statement said: “The Australian white-ball captain remains open to the prospect of playing Test cricket.”Australia coach Andrew McDonald has previously said they would be willing to pick Marsh for Tests without him playing red-ball cricket and confirmed on Tuesday that Marsh remained available for this season although suggested it would not be the case beyond that.”He is available for Test match selection, which is exciting for us,” McDonald said. “I don’t want to put words in Mitch’s mouth, but I assume that if he’s retired from first-class cricket, that he would potentially look at Test cricket retirement, also at the end of the season. But as I said, I can’t speak for him, but that would be my assumption.”Having been out of Test cricket for four years, Marsh made an outstanding return during the 2023 Ashes when he scored a century in his comeback match at Headingley and went on to average 46.87 in a 10-game stretch, during which he won the Allan Border Medal.However, he lost form during last summer’s series against India and was dropped for the final match at the SCG. His bowling has also taken a backseat as he manages his body.In the Sheffield Shield for WA, Marsh has scored 2744 runs at 29.50 and claimed 82 wickets at 29.48.”Mitch embodies everything about what it means to be a Sheffield Shield player for Western Australia,” WA head coach Adam Voges said. “From playing alongside him to coaching him in more recent times, he’s given his all for his state.”It’s been a privilege to watch him progress from Sheffield Shield to being a very successful player at international level for Australia. He’s an outstanding character on and off the field and it’s been a pleasure to play a part in his journey.”Marsh is currently only full-time captain of Australia’s T20I side, but has led the ODI team in their last two series against South Africa and India since the Champions Trophy in the absence of Pat Cummins.

The USMNT’s placement in Group D for the 2026 World Cup – alongside Paraguay, Australia, and the winner of Play-Off C (Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo) – quickly ignited debate. Fans, analysts, and pundits reacted in real time, sharing everything from excitement to anxiety as the draw unfolded.

USMNT DRAWN INTO GROUP D

After four years of anticipation, the USMNT has finally learned its 2026 World Cup fate, drawn into Group D alongside Paraguay, Australia, and the Winner of Play-Off C (Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo), their first home World Cup since 1994. With the tournament just months away and serving as a crucial test for Mauricio Pochettino's squad on home soil, there is plenty at stake for the Americans – and fans are building excitement across social media platforms.

GOAL takes a look at the best social media reactions following the USMNT's favorable group stage draw, with supporters already analyzing potential knockout round matchups should they advance as expected.

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Getty Images SportWHAT COMES NEXT

The group draw has contributed to the growing narrative of the 2026 World Cup as a pivotal moment for American soccer. Social media conversations reflect a broader enthusiasm for the sport’s growth in the U.S. and the opportunity to showcase the national team on a global stage. The matchup against diverse opponents in Group D symbolizes the challenges and opportunities facing the USMNT as they seek to make a deep run in the tournament.

Manchester United’s draw against West Ham United yesterday once again highlighted the struggles faced by the side during Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Old Trafford.

Diogo Dalot’s strike looked as though the Red Devils would secure all three points for the second time in a week, but their inability to defend set pieces ultimately cost them all three points.

Soungoutou Magassa’s effort was enough to secure the visitors a point, with Amorim left frustrated by his side’s lack of killer instinct to put the game to bed in the second half.

The result leaves United in eighth place in the Premier League, just two points off fourth, but the season could already look a whole lot different had the side managed to once again hold on for the win.

Numerous players failed to deliver during the meeting at Old Trafford, which could see the manager make some needed changes ahead of their next outing over the weekend.

United’s poor performers against West Ham last night

During the draw against Nuno Espírito Santo’s side, Luke Shaw was once again handed a start in the Premier League, now taking his run of starts to 14 in a row.

However, it was yet another performance to forget for the Englishman, with the centre-back struggling to deal with the threat posed by opposition forward Jarrod Bowen.

Shaw was dribbled past twice, lost 75% of the ground duels he entered, whilst also committing three fouls – showcasing his inability to stop his compatriot from impressing.

At the other end of the pitch, Bryan Mbeumo also struggled to continue his fine recent form in the Premier League, as the Cameroonian once again failed to find the back of the net.

Like Shaw, he struggled in his duels against the Hammers at Old Trafford, as seen by his measly tally of 100% aerials lost out of the five battles in which he entered.

He also failed to complete any of the crosses he attempted, whilst only placing one of his shots on target, subsequently being unable to provide the added threat needed in attacking areas.

The Man Utd star who needs to be dropped after West Ham

After failing to win for an eighth time in the league this campaign, Amorim will certainly need to find a winning formula quickly if he is to be a success as United manager.

He’s massively come under fire over recent months for his lack of success in the role, no doubt down to his reluctance to move away from his 3-4-2-1 system in key moments.

At 1-1 last night, he had the opportunity to bring Kobbie Mainoo onto the pitch in an attempt to secure victory, but it was his conservative substitutions which led to the draw.

The 40-year-old simply laughed in his post-match interview when one journalist suggested that the Englishman should have been brought on to push for the win.

Such a move wasn’t the only questionable decision made by Amorim last night, with the manager deciding to utilise Ayden Heaven at centre-back alongside Shaw and Noussair Mazraoui.

The youngster was handed his first league start of the campaign, but it was a decision that massively backfired, given his struggles at the Theatre of Dreams last night.

He featured for 45 minutes during the contest, before being replaced at the break after picking up a yellow card for a rash tackle on Bowen during the closing stages of the half.

The 19-year-old lost 100% of the duels he entered, whether that being on the ground or in the air, whilst committing two separate fouls, which no doubt led to his booking.

Heaven was also only able to complete a measly tally of six passes out of a possible ten, with none of his long balls being completed – showcasing his struggles in possession.

His struggles were compounded by his lack of involvement during the first half, only achieving a tally of 17 touches of the ball – with goalkeeper Senne Lammens having more, as seen by his tally of 29.

After such a performance, the manager must surely look to more senior options to fill the void, when his Red Devils side face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night.

Leny Yoro was brought on to replace the Englishman at the break, with the manager needing to select the Frenchman next time around to help the side return to winning ways.

18x ball lost: Amorim must ruthlessly bench overhyped 5/10 Man Utd man

This Man Utd ace struggled in their 1-1 draw at home to West Ham

ByJoe Nuttall 7 days ago

Now 35, former captain remains at peak of his powers, and England ought to cash in while they can

Matt Roller18-Sep-2025Jos Buttler turned 35 last week, an age that marks him out as the clear veteran of the young batting line-up that England have taken to Dublin. He was the only man in the top seven picked in Wednesday’s series opener in his 30s, and the contrast with two 21-year-olds at No. 3 and 4 – Jacob Bethell, on captaincy debut, and Rehan Ahmed – was stark.It begs a question that England will be understandably reluctant to confront: could next year’s T20 World Cup, Buttler’s seventh, also be his last? Perhaps it is premature to ask at a time when his output remains so consistent – only Nicholas Pooran has scored more T20 runs this year – but Buttler is now the same age that Eoin Morgan was when he called it quits in 2022.Buttler remains as destructive as ever, as evidenced by his 30-ball 83 against South Africa in Manchester and his cold-blooded takedown of Ireland’s Graham Hume in Malahide, but the fundamental truth of sporting careers is that they cannot last forever. Next year’s 50-over World Cup in South Africa looms as the natural endpoint of Buttler’s for England.It is why England must keep Buttler at the top of their batting order, enabling him and Phil Salt to continue the dominant partnership that they resumed almost by default last week. Until this month, Buttler had spent a year batting at No. 3 in T20Is, the IPL, the Blast and the Hundred, but has clearly relished his return to opening in the last week.”It’s been good fun,” Buttler said. “To be honest, I think I’m at that stage [of my career] where I don’t really mind too much; I’m quite happy to bat anywhere. I’ve batted in those positions quite a bit now, so a change is quite refreshing sometimes. Having been at No. 3 for a little bit… I quite like those little subtle changes, and it gives you something new each time.”Phil Salt and Jos Buttler have continued their fine partnership in Dublin•Getty ImagesWhile batting at No. 3 protects Buttler from the swinging new ball – his only real vulnerability as a T20 player – it also means that he does not always have access to the fielding restrictions in the first six overs. “Going out at 0 for 0, you’ve got that full Powerplay,” he said, asked what he had enjoyed about returning to the top of the order.He has shown over the past week just how clinical he can be when there are only two fielders outside of the 30-yard circle: when he opens for England, Buttler averages 53.58 in the Powerplay, while striking at 155.31. He remains England’s best batter, and their first question when constructing their batting line-up must be how to maximise his chances of success.This block of T20 cricket has also served a reminder of Buttler and Salt’s remarkable combination as an opening pair. After their 126-run stand off 47 balls last Friday, they added 74 in 28 on Wednesday and became the first England openers to score 1,000 T20I runs in partnership in the process.”We bounce off each other,” Salt said. “I’m always the one looking to be aggressive early on, to throw the first punch. Jos, more often than not, comes in and does his own thing straight after. It’s a bit of a one-two in that regard. But then there’s been times when I’ve not started quickly, and have given the strike over to Jos… The more you bat with one person, the easier it gets.”Related

• England 304 for 2; Salt 141* sets up crushing 146-run victory

• England break 300 barrier on record-smashing night

• Salt and Buttler make opening case irrefutable

• Switch Hit: Dub smash

• Salt's latest onslaught powers England in 197-run chase

Buttler’s own view is similar. “We’ve batted together quite a bit together at the top,” he said. “We don’t go out there with any set plan, to be honest. Obviously Salty’s brilliant at getting going straightaway, and can take the pressure off [me] if needed. But we certainly try to bounce off each other, and just keep encouraging each other to play the way we do.”They have now opened the batting together 46 times across short-form cricket for England, Lancashire and Manchester Originals, and only five opening pairs in T20 history have scored more runs in partnership. Harry Brook said last week that England faced some “headaches” in selection but leaving a world-class opening pair together should act as a painkiller.It means that Ben Duckett may have to shuffle down to No. 3, where he should be well equipped to take on spin through the middle overs, while Jamie Smith might have to wait his turn. In any case, recent history suggests that it would be a misstep for England to rely too heavily on Test players at the T20 World Cup, given its proximity to an Ashes series in Australia.The fixtures have still not been published but England are expecting to spend most of next year’s World Cup in India, a country that Buttler knows as well as anyone thanks to a decade of IPL experience. He remains one of the few players who could win his country the tournament almost single-handedly: England must give him the best chance to do so.

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.

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.

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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.

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