Celtic did not have a perfect summer transfer window, as they failed to land any strikers on deadline day, but they did do some good business on the whole.

Bringing Kieran Tierney back to the club on a free transfer from Arsenal was arguably the highlight of the window on paper, six years on from his £25m move to Arsenal in the summer of 2019.

The Scotland international was the first signing of the window and the highest-profile addition to the squad to replace Greg Taylor for Brendan Rodgers.

How Kieran Tierney has performed for Celtic

Expectations were, understandably, high for the left-footed star after what he achieved during his first spell at the club, and the fact that he has played in the Premier League and LaLiga over the past six years.

The 28-year-old full-back has not had a perfect start, losing 100% of his ground duels in the second leg against Kairat for example, but that should have been expected given his injury issues in recent years.

Tierney missed 45 matches through injuries in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns combined, per Transfermarkt, but he has still shown glimpses of the quality that he can provide, with an excellent assist against Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership.

Whilst it has been exciting to see such a high-profile player return to Celtic this season, Tierney is not the most valuable full-back in the squad – Alistair Johnston is.

Celtic have hit the jackpot with Alistair Johnston

Ange Postecoglou signed the Canada international from Montreal for a reported fee of £3.5m in January 2023, and the Australian head coach hit the jackpot for the club with that move.

The impressive right-back, whose work rate was hailed as “phenomenal” by Rodgers, has gone on to play 115 times for the Scottish giants in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, and registered 22 assists.

Johnston did not have a Transfermarkt market value at the time of Tierney’s £25m move to Arsenal in 2019. Now, six years later, the Canadian star is worth even more than the Scotland international.

Celtic’s full-backs’ fluctuating market values
Date	Kieran Tierney	Alistair Johnston
August 2019	£25m move to Arsenal	N/A
July 2020	£24m	£43k
May 2021	£28m	£2m
May 2022	£28m	£2.5m
June 2023	£21m	£6m
March 2024	£10m	£7m
October 2024	£9m	£8m
June 2025	£8m	£9m
Valuations via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old star is worth more than the Scottish defender for the first time in their respective careers, which speaks to his rise and the fall of the left-back.

This also shows that the Hoops hit the jackpot with the right-back because his value has soared from £3.5m to £9m in less than three years, making him a far more valuable asset than he was when they signed him from the MLS.

Johnston, who is currently out injured, has proven himself to be a huge attacking threat from right-back for Celtic, creating 15 ‘big chances’ in 30 league starts last term, per Sofascore.

His superb performances on the pitch for the Scottish giants have led to his market value soaring to the point that he is now worth even more than Tierney, who was once a £25m-rated player.

Sold by Rodgers, now worth £22m more: Celtic messed up with prolific star

Celtic must regret selling this star who is now worth over £20m more than the fee they received for him.

1

By
Dan Emery

Sep 4, 2025

Overall, Postecoglou hit the jackpot for Celtic by signing him from Montreal and the club will be hoping that he can continue to deliver on the pitch to increase his value by even more.

In January 2023, when Anthony Gordon forced his way out and signed for Newcastle United in a £45m deal, Everton supporters were livid.

The Toffees were in the throes of a relegation battle, after all, and Gordon was one of their own, handed his big break after graduating from the academy and featuring 65 times in the Premier League for the club before buying a one-way ticket to Tyneside.

It was a blow, but Everton staved off relegation, and then, in 2024, welcomed Iliman Ndiaye to the fold from Marseille in a £15m deal, and that has certainly proved to add flair and potency to the flanks.

No player scored more goals than the Senegalese winger last season, whose combination of pace and skills quickly established him as a fan favourite. Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp marvelled that he brought a “dynamite” style to Goodison Park, while analyst Ben Mattinson noted that he “could play for any Premier League side”.

Everton Top Scorers 24/25 (all comps)

Player

Apps

Goals

Iliman Ndiaye

37

11

Beto

34

10

Dwight McNeil

24

5

Abdoulaye Doucoure

31

4

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

26

3

Michael Keane

31

3

Data via FBref

Any frustration around Gordon has long since passed, but this football club have a deep connection with their academy ranks, and might find a new homegrown hero, having welcomed a few to the senior stage over the years.

Everton's best academy graduates

Where else to start but with Wayne Rooney? One of the Premier League’s all-time greats, Rooney was handed his professional debut by Moyes during the manager’s iconic first tenure on Merseyside, starting with a bang and then signing for Manchester United for £30m when he was still only 18.

How the Toffees would like their next version of the Three Lions legend to join their ranks from Finch Farm.

There have been more, Leon Osman being a case in point. The 44-year-old was more of an unsung hero, a versatile midfielder, but he racked up 433 appearances for Everton and served dutifully for Moyes during his first term in office.

Ross Barkley was slated as Rooney’s natural successor, so impressive was his start to life at Goodison Park. Barkley came and went, and then Gordon did too, but Everton still seek their next big star from the youth ranks.

And though such talents are few and far between, Moyes might have a versatile attacking talent at his disposal who might even cause Jack Grealish to cast a glance over his shoulder.

Braiden Graham could be a star for Moyes

Grealish has made quite the start to his new career on Merseyside, having joined on loan from Manchester City this summer after falling from grace at the Etihad.

Four assists from as many matches and the Premier League Player of the Month award to boot emphasise just how impressive a start to this new chapter it has been for Grealish, so much so that he has moved Ndiaye out onto the right flank, a role he performed just once last season, and three times already in 2025/26.

It would take a special talent indeed to displace the silky Three Lions star, but Everton might just have such a player rising to the fore in 17-year-old Braiden Graham, who completed a move from Linfield in Ireland to Everton in July 2024, when he was only 16.

It would take only a couple of months for Graham to earn his first professional contract, proving to Everton his capacity to score and to assist across a number of attacking berths after ex-Linfield boss David Healy hailed his “incredible” potential.

Braiden Graham: Everton Stats by Position

Position

Apps

Goals (assists)

Attacking midfield

8

6 (1)

Centre-forward

5

2 (2)

Left winger

4

3 (1)

Right winger

2

1 (0)

Centre-midfield

2

0 (0)

Stats via Transfermarkt

He scored eight goals across only 12 matches in the U18 Premier League last season, assisting two goals too, thus earning a promotion to the Premier League 2, nestled right underneath the big time.

At 17, he wouldn’t have been expected to offer more than support as he cut his teeth among older hopefuls, but eight games later, the Irish talent had five goals and an assist to his name. All told, 13 goals in all competitions last year saw him rise above Ndiaye as Everton’s top goalscorer, albeit at a lower level.

The fanfare is real, and Moyes will no doubt be interested in handing him a senior shot this season, perhaps in a domestic cup against lesser opposition, should the opportunity arise.

The right-footed teenager is still working out his best position, but he seems at his most fluent and dangerous when coming off the left flank and into the danger area, fearless on the ball and endowed with natural strength and balance.

His physical development continues to be the biggest hurdle yet to be leapt over, but that’s only natural given his age. Praised as “a good finisher” by Everton U21 boss Paul Tait, that advantage in goalscoring could see him offer something excitingly different to Grealish, who has never really been clinical in front of goal.

Grealish appears to be the cream of the crop right now, but Everton have got a whole load of creative forces who weren’t there af few years back.

What still appears lacking is a range of goalscoring threats. Up top, Beto currently lacks the clinical edge that comes to him in bursts, and Thierno Barry is unrefined within the English game.

Graham is a player who has the lot: goals, assists, pace, power, smarts. Whether he can transfer his youthful flair to the senior stage remains to be seen, but there’s little question that if he keeps going from strength to strength, he will come knocking on the 29-year-old Grealish’s door, with sights set on claiming that left-sided spot and adding a new dimension to Everton’s frontline.

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Charlotte Edwards is ready to drop “the F-word” from conversations about her England Women’s team as they seek to change their image and banish doubts about their fitness ahead of a home T20 World Cup next year.A month to the day after her appointment as successor to Jon Lewis, who was sacked as head coach after the team’s poor showings at the last T20 World Cup and Ashes, Edwards gave some insight into the changes she has looked to implement already.The need to play more domestic cricket, with selection to be performance-based going forward, as stated in her first press conference as England Women’s head coach at Lord’s on April 2, was at the forefront, as was changing public opinion of the team.”We’ve got to look at our professional behaviours and how we go about stuff and that’s everything across the board,” Edwards said. “Social media, we talked very openly about the perception of the team at the moment and we’ve got to change people’s perceptions.”But we’ve got to earn the right to do that and we’ve got to stop putting stuff on social media that doesn’t need to be on there. If it’s not going to positively reflect on them or us as a group, then it probably is not worth posting. But equally I want them to be themselves because that’s really important to me.”Related

• Nat Sciver-Brunt juggles captaincy, motherhood and injury ahead of England redemption quest

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

• Charlotte Edwards' appointment rings in new era for women's game

• Charlotte Edwards: 'I'm under no illusions, this role is about winning'

• Charlotte Edwards: Lord's portrait unveiling caps 'whirlwind' month

England have faced criticism of their fitness levels since an error-strewn defeat in their last group game, against West Indies, at the T20 World Cup in Dubai, where social media posts from a day-off boat trip also raised eyebrows.Edwards was back at Lord’s again on Thursday speaking to journalists as the ground was announced as the venue for the final of the T20 World Cup on July 5, 2026. A month earlier, she had said she would assess fitness standards within the group for herself. After working with them at their national performance centre in Loughborough for a few weeks, she reflected on what those perceptions were versus her experience.”Well, it was clear from the winter, I mean, I call it the F-word,” she said. “I said at my press conference, ‘I’ll go and judge that for myself’. I was so impressed by the standards in terms of where everyone was at. They’ve clearly worked very hard from the period after the Ashes. That is an area, but it’s one part of performance and had we won, that doesn’t get brought into question. So we’ve equally got to keep working really hard there.”But the cricket and getting our game-plan is more important to me. I think that’s where they lost a lot of their games was through their cricket awareness. And what I want to instil in this group is that we’re really smart about how we play the game – we know when to be aggressive, we know when not to be, we play every game to win. Bottom line, big tournaments are about winning and it’s creating an environment so we can do that more consistently and having a game-plan to do that.”Key to implementing that game plan will be new captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, who has worked with Edwards to secure two WPL titles with Mumbai Indians in the past three years and returns from maternity leave next week, replacing long-serving skipper Heather Knight.”When I’ve worked with her in Mumbai, she was vice-captain to Harmanpreet Kaur and the way she kind of drove that team, but not in a captaincy role, was something I was really impressed by,” Edwards said. “She’s been instrumental to success over there as well. So the opportunity for Nat to lead her own team – she’s not had that opportunity – is something I think she’s very excited about and we certainly are.”Edwards, who was England captain before Knight, said she would look to ease pressure on Sciver-Brunt to allow her to perform duties other than playing and leading the team, and build a leadership group around her, which could change depending on format or series. But, she added, she would probably steer clear of having a permanent vice-captain, and confirmed that Knight would not be part of the leadership group.”For me it’s Heather enjoying cricket, really focusing on her batting, she’s playing as well as I’ve ever seen her,” Edwards said. “We’ve had some good chats around where I see her role in the team and her bowling. I want to see her bowling more, which she was quite excited about.”She’s been great around the group. She gets on really well with Nat, they’ve been good friends for a number of years, so she’s obviously really pleased for Nat and I genuinely think we’re going to see Heather Knight scoring a lot of runs over the next couple of years.”In that time frame, England have a home series against West Indies starting on May 21, followed by India, who will then host the 50-over World Cup towards the end of the year before England stages the T20 edition next summer.The ECB is expected to appoint a national selector ahead of the West Indies series and while Edwards said some players had “credit in the bank” from past performances, the early rounds of the Metro Bank One Day Cup have yielded some contenders for a place in the squad.Emma Lamb is the leading run-scorer with 268 from three innings, including an unbeaten 130 in front of Edwards in Lancashire’s opening game. Lamb last played for England on the tour of Ireland in September, but most memorably scored a hundred and two half-centuries in three ODIs during South Africa’s visit in 2022.Ella McCaughan has scored 64 and 133 not out in her last two appearances for Hampshire to press her claim for an England debut.Sophie Ecclestone, Charlotte Edwards, Sophia Dunkley and Lauren Bell pose with the T20 World Cup•ECB via Getty Images

Lauren Bell, the seam bowler who was part of England’s T20 World Cup and Ashes squads, has taken two wickets in each of her two outings for Hampshire as part of the centrally contracted contingent being called upon to play as much domestic cricket as possible.”My case has always been workloads,” Bell said. “I want to play as much cricket as possible. I always have done. Lottie’s really keen for us to play cricket and I’ve said to her the best way I’m going to learn now is through playing cricket and through bowling and being competitive.”As organisers laid out ambitious plans for the 2026 World Cup to bring women’s cricket into the mainstream sporting landscape permanently, being competitive has never felt so important.Edwards was forthright in saying that winning was paramount when she took on the coaching job and she believes success in the context of a home T20 World Cup at Lord’s, where England won the 50-over event in 2017, would be reaching the final.Bell, for one, appears to have bought into Edwards’ winning mentality.”I was very thankful to Jon Lewis, he helped with me and developed me as a cricketer, very much so, gave me a lot of opportunities,” Bell said. “What he brought to his team was amazing and he very much brought a lot of ‘living in your shoes, enjoying it, being grateful, appreciating what you have’, which will stick with me throughout my career.”But I think we’re ready to win cricket matches now and I think we just lost sight of how maybe to win and what the goals were. Hopefully now a lot can come in with a winning mentality and we can hopefully try and actually win some cricket.”

Russell Martin has survived another day as Rangers manager.

On Saturday, the Gers reached the League Cup quarter-finals, managing to win 2-0 at Ibrox, although a Glasgow derby at Hampden on 2 November is probably far from what they need right now.

The question though still remains; will Martin be in charge by then?

Well, to avoid becoming the shortest-serving permanent manager in Rangers’ history, breaking Pedro Caixinha’s record, Martin would still need to be at the helm for the visit of Braga in the Europa League on 27 November, which appears unlikely considering he is yet to win a Premiership match in five attempts, leaving them second-bottom, ahead of Sunday’s trip to Almondvale.

Thus, surely 49ers Enterprises, who took over the club in the summer, are considering potential replacements, so a future “elite manager” should be top of their wish list, not the obvious front-runners.

The favourites to replace Russell Martin at Rangers

Ever since it became clear that Martin was not going to last particularly long in Govan, amid widespread protests against him and chief executive officer Patrick Stewart present throughout the weekend win over Hibs, two obvious front-runners have emerged, both with Merseyside connections.

Steven Gerrard would be the populist choice, with many supporters wanting to see him return to Ibrox, having managed the club for 194 matches between 2018 and 2021, re-establishing Rangers as a force in European football, as well as leading them to their sole Premiership title since 2011, stopping Celtic’s pursuit of ten-in-a-row.

A key figure in Gerrard’s success in Glasgow was then-assistant Michael Beale, who returned to Ibrox as manager himself in 2022, lasting just 43 matches before being hounded out.

The pair did briefly reunite in Saudi Arabia, working together at Al-Ettifaq before Gerrard was unceremoniously sacked in January, so could the 49ers get the band back together?

The other leading candidate is Sean Dyche, who has also been out of work since January, dismissed by Everton earlier this year.

Having taken charge of 557 games as a manager, of which 332 have come in the Premier League, the former Burnley boss is surely one of the most experienced coaches Rangers could attract, and he has proven himself adept at getting the best out of whatever he has to work with, something the current occupant of the Ibrox hot seat certainly is not doing.

However, rather than playing it safe, Rangers should be bold and appoint a future “elite manager” who is currently out of work.

Rangers' dream Russell Martin successor

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Jordi Cruijff, son of the legendary Johan, asserted that “all the best managers were midfielders”, a claim supported by a study from The Athletic, which found that ‘almost half of coaches with a professional playing background were midfielders’.

Well, a man looking to reinforce that stereotype is Michael Carrick – formerly tipped to replace Gerrard in the hot seat by Charlie Adam back in 2021.

After spending 12 years at Manchester United as a player, he retired in 2018 and worked under José Mourinho and then Ole Gunnar Solskjær as an assistant coach, placed in interim charge for three matches in 2021, overseeing victories over Villarreal and Arsenal, as well as a draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

After leaving Old Trafford, Carrick returned to the North East, where he was born and raised, appointed Middlesbrough manager in October 2024.

As the table below documents, his time on Teeside was generally pretty successful.

Matches

136

Wins

63

Draws

24

Defeats

49

Goals scored

220

Goals conceded

177

22/23 league finish

4th

23/24 league finish

8th

24/25 league finish

10th

Best EFL Cup run

Semis

As outlined by the table, Carrick led Boro into the Championship play-offs in his first season, having taken over with the side 21st, before they were beaten 1-0 by Coventry City in the semi-finals.

He also guided them to the EFL Cup semi-finals, actually defeating Chelsea 1-0 in the first leg at the Riverside, but eighth and then tenth place finishes in the Championship saw him sacked and replaced by Rob Edwards during the summer, who has made a flying start in fairness, with Middlesbrough currently top of the table.

Nevertheless, Carrick earned plenty of praise, labelled a future “elite manager” by one analyst, while Jack Manship of Total Football Analysis was impressed by his ‘eye-catching’ brand of football, praising Boro’s ‘organisation’ and ability to attack quickly.

Meantime, Solskjær has backed Carrick to be a future Manchester United manager one day, describing him as a “winner”, forecasting he will be a top-class coach in the near future.

Thus, while Carrick is out of work, Rangers should surely do everything they can to convince him to take over in Glasgow, successfully taking a chance on Gerrard back in 2018, even more of a rookie himself at the time, so a young coach with fresh ideas is surely exactly what they need.

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Tottenham’s transfer business for 2025 has officially concluded following one of the most dramatic and memorable summer windows on-lookers have ever seen, with Spurs enjoying a solid one themselves.

Despite their failure to bring in a natural left-winger and centre-back for manager Thomas Frank, which were two key items on their to-do list (Sky Sports), a recruitment team stocked with Daniel Levy, CEO Vinai Vinkatesham, technical director Johan Lange and unofficial advisor Fabio Paratici did work some magic.

Mohammed Kudus

£55 million

Kota Takai

£5 million

Mathys Tel

£30 million

Joao Palhinha

Loan

Kevin Danso

£21 million

Xavi Simons

£52 million

Randal Kolo Muani

Loan

Following their infamously botched deals for Morgan Gibbs-White -who reportedly phoned Frank to apologise for his U-turn over joining Spurs – and Eberechi Eze, Spurs finally managed to get a replacement for the injured James Maddison by signing Xavi Simons in a £52 million deal from RB Leipzig.

It was all happening in N17 during the final days, with an ankle injury to striker Dominic Solanke also partly forcing Frank’s side into a late temporary deal for long-time target Randal Kolo Muani.

Tottenham were actively pursuing the PSG-owned forward in January, only to back out and see Juventus win the race for his signature instead.

The France international really impressed for Juve, bagging 10 goals and three assists in all competitions, and while Igor Tudor wanted him back in Serie A, they couldn’t agree to re-sign him despite lengthy summer talks.

Instead, Spurs tempted Kolo Muani with a move to the Premier League, and Frank is set to benefit from the introduction of a centre-forward who can play in multiple areas with a proven scoring record. Interestingly, the 26-year-old was also a player who ex-manager Ange Postecoglou pushed for in the winter (Paul O’Keefe), and it’s not hard to see why.

His best-ever season to date in 2022/2023 saw the attacker rack up a brilliant 23 goals and 17 assists in all competitions for Eintracht Frankfurt, with Kolo Muani also making his mark for France on the international stage.

Semi-final goals against Morocco at the 2022 World Cup and Spain in Euro 2024 showcase partly why Didier Deschamps has kept faith in Kolo Muani, even amidst a lack of game time at PSG, and Tottenham are in dire need of him now that reports suggest Solanke could be out for even longer than anticipated.

Kolo Muani’s arrival could end up being crucial with the influx of matches awaiting Spurs after this international break, leaving little wonder Levy and co were clamoring to get him through the door.

Tottenham agreed "un-Spurs like" Randal Kolo Muani deal condition

Giving his take on the deal, reliable correspondent Alasdair Gold says that Tottenham agreed an ‘un-Spurs like’ condition to sign Kolo Muani from PSG.

Namely, Gold states that the lack of any buy option in this move is something quite out of the ordinary for them, and some might suggest that it highlights their “desperation” to bring in another new attacker (football.london).

Without the inclusion of an obligation or option to buy, if Kolo Muani’s move proves a success, then Levy will need to return to the negotiating table with PSG – by which point they’d be able to command a loftier price tag.

They’ll also face competition from other elite sides on the look-out for a proven striker, so Tottenham face the prospect of this being Kolo Muani’s only season in north London, regardless of how well he performs.

It’s certainly out of Tottenham’s character not to take the future into account, but Frank’s need for attacking reinforcements was pressing, and it perhaps indicates Levy’s increasing willingness to compete after the Lilywhites tasted Europa League glory in May.

Gujarat Titans becomes the sixth team to be penalised for a slow over rate this season

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Apr-2025

Shubman Gill chose to bowl first on a hot afternoon in Ahmedabad•BCCI

Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Shubman Gill has been fined after his team was found to have maintained a slow over-rate in the IPL 2025 match against Delhi Capitals (DC) in Ahmedabad on Saturday.”As this was his team’s first offence of the season under Article 2.22 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct, which pertains to minimum over-rate offences, Gill was fined INR 12 lakhs,” the IPL said in a statement.Gill joined Axar Patel (DC), Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals – RR), Rajat Patidar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru – RCB), Rishabh Pant (Lucknow Super Giants – LSG), Riyan Parag (RR) and Hardik Pandya (Mumbai Indians – MI) in the list of captains who have been penalised for slow over-rate offences so far this season. Unlike last year, however, the IPL has done away with player bans for repeat over-rate offences and will only levy demerit points and fines, in addition to in-game penalties.Gill had chosen to bowl first in hot conditions in Ahmedabad, where the maximum temperature hit 40C. There were frequent stoppages as players struggled in the extreme weather. DC scored 203 for 8, a total that GT chased down with seven wickets in hand and four balls to spare. Jos Buttler was the Player of the Match for scoring an unbeaten 97 off 54 balls in the chase.The victory took GT to the top of the points table with five wins in seven games, level on ten points with DC but ahead on net run-rate. The game marked the halfway point in the league stage, with all ten teams having played seven games each.

حقق منتخب مصر للناشئين تحت 17 عامًا، فوزًا غاليًا على أمريكا، في ثاني مبارياته ببطولة العالم لكرة اليد المقامة في المغرب. 

وواجه منتخب مصر للناشئين تحت 17 عامًا نظيره منتخب أمريكا، في تمام الساعة 8:50 بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية، في الجولة الثانية من بطولة كأس العالم لكرة اليد.

طالع..ترتيب مجموعة مصر في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا بعد الفوز على أمريكا

وكان منتخب مصر لكرة اليد للناشئين قد فاز على نظيره البرازيلي في افتتاح مشواره ببطولة العالم المقامة في المغرب، بنتيجة 35-26.

وحقق منتخب مصر الفوز على أمريكا بنتيجة 42-22، في ثاني مبارياته في بطولة العام للناشئين لكرة اليد. 

يذكر أن منتخب مصر للناشئين تحت 17 عامًا لكرة اليد، يقع في مجموعة تضم منتخبات البرازيل وأمريكا والمغرب صاحب الأرض والجمهور.

وبهذا الفوز، رفع منتخب مصر للناشئين لكرة اليد رصيده إلى 4 نقاط، في صدارة ترتيب المجموعة، وحجز بطاقة التأهل رسميًا إلى نصف نهائي البطولة. 

Just six months after Arsenal stunned Lyon on their own patch in the Champions League semi-finals on their way to a second European triumph, the French giants got some revenge on Tuesday night as they spoiled the start of the Gunners' title defence with a 2-1 victory that, in truth, flattered the holders. Alessia Russo gave the hosts the lead with seven minutes on the clock but once Melchie Dumornay had quickly cancelled that out, it was all Lyon as two goals from the Haitian star secured all three points for the eight-time winners.

Russo's early strike was a real moment of quality, too, both in the finish and the excellent footwork from Beth Mead that set it up. However, it seemed to serve to only poke the bear as Lyon battled back ferociously with some relentless play throughout the first half in particular. It was a gift that helped them draw level, as goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar passed the ball to Dumornay when playing out from the back under no pressure, but the 22-year-old's second was a stunner, one she sent flying into the top corner from 20 yards out.

Lyon should've added to that lead multiple times but efforts either flew off target or were parried away by Van Domselaar, who did make amends for her earlier blunder with a terrific double stop just before the break especially. Arsenal couldn't make them rue that wastefulness, either, with chances few and far between bar Mariona Caldentey's well-saved effort a minute after Dumornay's second and Caitlin Foord's strike just wide in the final seconds.

It means it's now four games without a winner for the Gunners, after draws against Manchester United and Aston Villa were followed up with defeat at Manchester City at the weekend and now this loss. It's the first time since January 2022 that they have endured such a barren run. Five months after winning the Champions League, head coach Renee Slegers isn't under any real pressure in terms of her job, it must be said, but she and her Arsenal team are in terms of regaining some momentum and getting their season back on track for success.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Meadow Park…

• AFP
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Daphne van Domselaar (3/10):

  Made a real blunder for Lyon's first goal and her distribution was questionable for the second, too. Made amends to an extent with some terrific saves but the damage was already done.

  Emily Fox (4/10):

  Was overwhelmed in the first half in particular, dealing with Bacha and Diani both running down her side. Could've done more at times but also needed more help.

  Katie Reid (4/10):

  Her most difficult night of the season but she still wasn't the most culpable.

  Steph Catley (4/10):

  Lost the ball far too often in dangerous areas.

  Taylor Hinds (3/10):

  Caught out of position too often as Lyon thrived out wide.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Midfield

  Kim Little (5/10):

  Kept the ball better than most, though the bar wasn't very high.

  Mariona Caldentey (4/10):

  Poor awareness led to her giving the ball away for Lyon's second goal. A surprisingly sloppy performance from the Ballon d'Or runner-up.

  Frida Maanum (4/10):

  Battled well off the ball, winning most of her duels, but was on the fringes of the game in an attacking sense all night.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Attack

  Chloe Kelly (3/10):

  Could not get involved at all in attack and didn't do enough defensively to help deal with Bacha, who always had so much space coming forward from left-back.

  Alessia Russo (5/10):

  Took her goal brilliantly. That was about the only service she had all night, however.

  Beth Mead (5/10):

  Showed great footwork and vision to pick out Russo for the opening goal but struggled to make much of an impact after that.

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  Subs & Manager

  Caitlin Foord (6/10):

  Arsenal's liveliest introduction, she was not far away from equalising in the final moments.

  Olivia Smith (5/10):

  Battled well and won plenty of duels but couldn't really get anything going in attack.

  Kyra Cooney-Cross (N/A):

  Made a rare appearance in the final 15 minutes.

  Stina Blackstenius (N/A):

  On for the final 15 minutes but didn't get any service.

  Katie McCabe (N/A):

  A late sub.

  Renee Slegers (5/10):

  Was too predictable with her team selection and set-up, and the same with her subs. Didn't do anything to give Lyon a particularly different look going forward in order to help Arsenal get back into the game.

Keira Walsh's stunning strike gave Chelsea a 1-0 win over Tottenham on Sunday as the defending Women's Super League champions maintained their position at the top of the table. The Blues huffed and puffed a lot in this game, producing a lot of nice build-up play without the incisive final ball. And so, up stepped Walsh just past the hour mark to rifle an effort from range into the bottom corner of Lize Kop's goal and secure all three points in some style.

No fixture in WSL history has a more dominant head-to-head than this one, with Chelsea having won all 11 meetings between the two sides ahead of this game. That disparity was evident in the way the afternoon unfolded, too, with Spurs constantly pinned back in their own defensive third as the Blues peppered the box with crosses and attempted passes. However, despite a record number of corners and touches in the opposition's box for the first half in a WSL game, Sonia Bompastor's side failed to really trouble Kop in the away goal. It wasn't until the second half, when Alyssa Thompson curled an effort on target, that the Tottenham goalkeeper was really forced into action.

It wasn't long after that, though, that she was beaten. Chelsea cranked up the pressure after the break and showcased better decision-making in key areas, carving out a chance for Thompson from close range which was well-blocked. But it was actually from range that the opening goal would be scored, as Walsh lined up a shot from 25 yards and rifled it into the bottom corner brilliantly.

Once the net rippled, the result felt secure, with Spurs having defended excellently but done little to trouble Hannah Hampton. There would be one a heart-in-mouth moment for the home fans, when Hampton uncharacteristically lost possession in a dangerous area, but it was a situation from which Chelsea escaped unscathed as they saw the victory out in an otherwise comfortable fashion, making it five wins from their first six WSL games and extending their unbeaten run in the competition to 31 matches, the second longest streak in competition history.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Kingsmeadow…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Hannah Hampton (6/10):

Didn't have much to do. Was good in possession, bar a sloppy error midway through the second half that, fortunately for her, went unpunished.

Ellie Carpenter (7/10):

Another fantastic display in defence and attack. Linked up well with Rytting Kaneryd to cause Spurs plenty of problems down their left.

Millie Bright (6/10):

Dominant in her duels and good in her positioning to prevent Spurs from having any joy on the counter.

Nathalie Bjorn (6/10):

Battled well when called into action, though that wasn't too often.

Niamh Charles (6/10):

Got just under an hour under her belt on her return from injury. Was solid in possession and won plenty of her duels.

AdvertisementMidfield

Keira Walsh (7/10):

Tidy on the ball at the base of midfield and won the game with her terrific strike.

Erin Cuthbert (8/10):

Never stopped in a typical all-action performance. Won so many duels and was excellent in possession.

Wieke Kaptein (5/10):

Had a fantastic chance to break the deadlock in first half stoppage time but didn't connect with the cross well enough. 

Attack

Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (7/10):

Caused plenty of problems with her direct running and ability to get in behind. Became more accurate with her final ball as the game went on.

Aggie Beever-Jones (6/10):

Worked hard off the ball and produced some nice touches in and around the box. Didn't get much service, however.

Alyssa Thompson (7/10):

Alongside Rytting Kaneryd, was one of Chelsea's liveliest players for most of the game, forcing Kop into her first meaningful save in the game. Final ball could've been better, though it did improve.

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Subs & Manager

Catarina Macario (5/10):

Couldn't impact the game too much on this occasion, though it wasn't for a lack of trying.

Veerle Buurman (6/10):

Slotted in nicely on the left. Wasn't racing up and down the wing but did help recycle possession and keep the pressure on Spurs with her quality in possession.

Guro Reiten (N/A):

Ensured Chelsea's threat out wide remained until the end, picking up the baton nicely from Thompson.

Sam Kerr (N/A):

Another late sub whose presence and quality on the ball kept Spurs pinned back.

Lucy Bronze (N/A):

Made her first appearance of the season in the closing minutes, after overcoming injury.

Sonia Bompastor (6/10):

Will want to see more cutting edge from her team in the final third, especially after similar issues plagued them in a 1-1 draw with Twente in midweek, but will have been pleased with how that improved in the second half as well as other aspects of this win, not least the fact she was able to get Bronze and Charles back from injury. Didn't panic at 0-0 and trusted her side to get the job done, which they did.

Essex batter retires hurt on 103 two days after being called up for England’s Test against Zimbabwe

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay04-May-2025Jordan Cox suffered an injury concern while celebrating his latest England call-up with a century for Essex on the third day of their Rothesay County Championship match with Somerset at Taunton.The 24-year-old fell to the ground clutching his left side just above the hip after taking a quick single off Jack Leach to put him on 99. He had been feeling the same area while batting and remained prostrate while being treated before being helped to his feet.Related

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Cox recalled to England Test squad for Zimbabwe

Harmer, Cox help Essex turn tables on Somerset

Cox stayed at the wicket just long enough to hit a boundary off Leach and reach his ton at which point he immediately retired hurt. He took no further part in the Essex second innings and was replaced in the field when Somerset batted.Essex’s captain, Tom Westley, confirmed the extent of the injury at the close of play.”Jordan has a problem with his side, which our medical staff are in the process of assessing,” he said. “Unfortunately, because it is a Sunday it has not been possible to get the injury scanned. Hopefully, that will happen as soon as possible tomorrow and we will know a lot more then.”He played a tremendous innings and it was a shame he was not able to go on.”A broken finger forced Cox to miss England’s tour to New Zealand last year. On Friday he was recalled to the squad for the Test match against Zimbabwe later this month.The England squad are expected to assemble in London next week before a training camp in Loughborough leading into the four-day Test, which will be played at Trent Bridge on May 22-25. The encounter will be England’s first Test against Zimbabwe since 2003.