The women will also host Zimbabwe, for the first time, and South Africa for limited-overs matches in early 2026

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jun-2025

Getty Images

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) have announced a busy international schedule for both the men’s (BlackCaps) and the women’s (White Ferns) national teams. The men will host Australia, England, South Africa and West Indies across formats, while the women have 14 games lined up, against South Africa and Zimbabwe. All this, along with their respective World Cups: the women play the ODI World Cup through September and October in India and Sri Lanka and the men take part in the T20 World Cup early next year, also in India and Sri Lanka.Australia, England and West Indies will visit New Zealand before Christmas for men’s fixtures, with the T20 World Cup taking place soon after, followed by South Africa’s tour, which will feature double-headers with the women’s games. Australia will play three T20Is, all in October. The England series comprises three T20Is and three ODIs, starting in October and running into November. Then West Indies will feature in five T20Is, three ODIs, and three Tests to round off the tour, which starts on November 5 and runs till December 22.The women don’t have any fixtures scheduled before the ODI World Cup, and get into action in February 2026 with three ODIs and three T20Is beginning February and ending in March against Zimbabwe in what will be the team’s first visit to New Zealand for a bilateral series.This will be followed by the double-header T20I series against South Africa. Both the men and the women will play five T20Is between March 15 and March 25, and the women will then play a series of three ODIs between late March and early April.This adds up to 46 days of international cricket across nine venues in New Zealand.”It feels like a marquee summer,” Kyle Jamieson said in a NZC statement. “The calibre of opposition means we’ll be constantly tested for the duration of the season and that’s what you want as a cricketer.”It’s great to have another three-Test series at home and I’m sure the fans will get in behind the Test team as they have in seasons gone by. It’s always special to play in front of a home crowd and we’re hoping Kiwis will get out in force to support us once again this summer.”Compared to the 25 matches, including three Tests, that the men will play, the women have 14 fixtures lined up.”We can’t wait for the international season and the chance to play in another ICC Cricket World Cup,” Georgia Plimmer said. “We want to play as much cricket as we can, especially in front of our home fans and it’s exciting to have a 14-game home summer to prepare for.”It’s great to see more T20I doubleheaders as they are such a great experience for teams and fans alike and it was awesome to see such strong crowds last season.”New Zealand men’s fixturesAgainst Australia
Oct 1 – 1st T20I, Mount Maunganui Oct 3 – 2nd T20I, Mount Maunganui Oct 4 – 3rd T20I, Mount MaunganuiAgainst England
Oct 18 – 1st T20I, Christchurch Oct 20 – 2nd T20I, Christchurch Oct 23 – 3rd T20I, Auckland Oct 26 – 1st ODI, Mount Maunganui Oct 29 – 2nd ODI, Hamilton Nov 1 – 3rd ODI, WellingtonAgainst West Indies
Nov 5 – 1st T20I, Auckland Nov 6 – 2nd T20I, Auckland Nov 9 – 3rd T20I, Nelson Nov 10 – 4th T20I, Nelson Nov 13 – 5th T20I, Dunedin Nov 16 – 1st ODI, Christchurch Nov 19 – 2nd ODI, Napier Nov 22 – 3rd ODI, Hamilton Dec 2-6 – 1st Test, Christchurch Dec 10-14 – 2nd Test, Wellington Dec 18-22 – 3rd Test, Mount MaunganuiAgainst South Africa
Mar 15 – 1st T20I, Mount Maunganui Mar 17 – 2nd T20I, Hamilton Mar 20 – 3rd T20I, Auckland Mar 22 – 4th T20I, Wellington Mar 25 – 5th T20I, ChristchurchNew Zealand women’s fixturesAgainst Zimbabwe
Feb 25 – 1st T20I, Hamilton Feb 27 – 2nd T20I, Hamilton Mar 1 – 3rd T20I, Hamilton Mar 5 – 1st ODI, Dunedin Mar 8 – 2nd ODI, Dunedin Mar 11 – 3rd ODI, DunedinAgainst South Africa
Mar 15 – 1st T20I, Mount Maunganui Mar 17 – 2nd T20I, Hamilton Mar 20 – 3rd T20I, Auckland Mar 22 – 4th T20I, Wellington Mar 25 – 5th T20I, Christchurch Mar 29 – 1st ODI, Christchurch Apr 1 – 2nd ODI, WellingtonApr 4 – 3rd ODI, Wellington

Rohit says the team had their hearts in their mouths when the catch was being checked by the third umpire

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-20256:59

Rohit Sharma relives India’s T20 World Cup victory

Suryakumar Yadav’s catch to dismiss David Miller in the last over was “the moment” of the 2024 T20 World Cup final, India’s captain in the tournament Rohit Sharma said. He also admitted to feeling the nerves when India lost three early wickets and heaped praise on Virat Kohli’s knock that helped them win the title.South Africa needed 16 runs off the last over in their chase of 177, with Miller on strike. Hardik Pandya had the ball, and he started off with a wide full toss that Miller launched down the ground. Suryakumar ran to his left from long-off and grabbed the ball, before lobbing it up as momentum took him over the boundary rope, and then got back inside to complete the catch.”Even after [the catch], the umpires sent it up to the third umpire and it was being checked whether Surya caught the ball or not, and everyone’s hearts were in their mouths,” Rohit told JioHotstar in a video to celebrate the one-year anniversary of India lifting the trophy.”I thought it had gone [for a six]. Because I was at [long-on], I was standing opposite Surya. I was already thinking ’10 needed off five balls’, but then I saw that it’s coming to Surya.”It would have taken a blinder to take that catch. It would have taken a lot of effort to take that catch. Because when it was in the air, it looked like it’ll cross the rope easily. But the way the wind was blowing, that pulled the ball a little bit into the ground I think.”I was standing with Surya when they were checking the catch and I told him ‘You only tell me [if it was a catch or not], I don’t want to look [at the big screen]’,” Rohit said.”‘No, no I caught it.’ But then I saw him on the side telling someone ‘Maybe, I don’t know. But I caught it’. And then they showed the zoom camera, and when the ball or feet touch the boundary rope, it moves, but nothing happened. So we were a little happy. But unless it comes on the board, you never know what the third umpire is thinking,” Rohit said, recalling the catch.Eye-conic – How Suryakumar Yadav caught David Miller out•Getty ImagesSouth Africa only managed eight runs off that 20th over, as India sealed their second T20 World Cup trophy with a seven-run victory.India won the toss in the final, and got off to a good start with the bat. Three boundaries from Kohli in the first over, and then two from Rohit in the second saw them race to 23 off the first eight deliveries.But things took a turn when Keshav Maharaj dismissed Rohit and Rishabh Pant in the second over, and Kagiso Rabada removed Suryakumar to leave India three down in the powerplay.”When we lost those three wickets up front, there were obviously a lot of nerves in the dressing room,” Rohit said. “I was panicking. I was not comfortable. I was thinking that we let them into the game.”But of course, in the back of my mind there was always a thought that our lower middle order had not batted so much in the tournament but whenever they had the opportunity, they made an impact.”Axar Patel, batting at No. 5, joined Kohli at the crease and the two added 72 runs off 54 balls to revive India’s innings, before Kohli and Shivam Dube added another 57 off 33 to help India finish on 176.”Not many people are talking about [Axar’s] knock, but that knock was a gamechanger. To get 47 off 31 in that time was very, very crucial.Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli hug it out after winning the 2024 T20 World Cup•AFP/Getty Images”And then we needed one guy to stick around and Virat did that job perfectly. Batted throughout the entire innings, which was good. Because then Shivam, Axar, Hardik — they can come in and play their role.”Kohli had endured a difficult tournament until the final, with just 75 runs from seven innings. But he more than doubled that tally in the final, anchoring India with 76 off 59 — an innings that earned him the Player of the Match.”If you get three boundaries in the first over itself, then obviously you’ve started off well and that is what every cricketer wants. It relieves you a little bit,” Rohit said.”You know, the experience of playing for India for so long, being there, it really helps. You can control your emotions, you can control your thoughts and be in the moment. And I am sure he was thinking the same – ‘today is the day I need to be focused and not worry about what has happened in the past’. And he played a great knock.”

The Bengaluru Police have filed a first information report (FIR) against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise over the deaths of 11 people and injuries to many more in a stampede during the event held on Wednesday to celebrate RCB winning the IPL.In the FIR, a copy of which has been seen by ESPNcricinfo, the Bengaluru police have claimed that they denied RCB permission to conduct the events at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, around which the stampede occurred leading to casualties. RCB were listed as the first accused in the FIR, along with DNA Entertainment, the franchise’s event partners, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), which is in charge of the Chinnaswamy Stadium.The FIR was filed based on a complaint by Girish AK, a police inspector from the Cubbon Park Division. The report mentioned six sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita: 105 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 115 (voluntarily causing harm), 118 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous means/weapons), 132 (assault or criminal drone to deter public servant from discharge of their duty), 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 190 (unlawful assembly).In the FIR, Bengaluru police said its personnel had been on duty in the areas around the stadium until 5.30 am on June 4 following RCB’s victory, and on account of it being difficult to manage another large crowd the following afternoon, “permission for the event at the stadium was denied. Despite this, KSCA, RCB, and DNA went ahead with their plans and ignored the police’s instructions.”Related

• BCCI forms committee to prevent incidents like Bengaluru stampede

• RCB senior official Nikhil Sosale granted interim bail by Karnataka High Court

• RCB official challenges arrest as court grants interim relief to KSCA administrators

• Gautam Gambhir: No need for roadshows, lives more important

• Deaths and injuries to fans mar RCB's homecoming in Bengaluru

“Without any official permission, on June 4, RCB announced their celebration and victory parade on their social media and website, inviting fans to join,” Bengaluru police claimed in the FIR. “Once this news spread on TV channels and social media, we (Police) informed our senior officers and requested security and necessary arrangements. On June 4, 9:00 am, took permissions from the higher officers and asked police personnel from all over the city on urgent basis and the security arrangements were made. And security was provided for RCB players for the felicitation ceremony …”On June 4, the RCB team arrived at Vidhan Soudha for the felicitation ceremony, which went smoothly despite a huge crowd. Around 5:30 pm, the victory parade began towards Chinnaswamy Stadium. Police provided security at the stadium, but KSCA, RCB, and DNA failed to plan how the crowd would be allowed in. The stadium holds only 30,000 to 35,000 people, but lakhs of fans had gathered outside. At 3:10 pm, the gates were opened, and chaos broke out. There was a stampede. Police officers and VIP security struggled to rescue the injured and send them for treatment. Sadly, 11 people died, many were injured, and police had to disperse the remaining crowd outside.”The event started around 5:45 pm and was carried out without further problems. KSCA, RCB, and DNA went ahead with the celebration without police permission and failed to plan how to control the crowd or take safety precautions. The situation worsened because RCB’s social media accounts posted about free entry passes at the stadium gates. RCB did not inform the police or public about how passes would be distributed. This caused confusion among the lakhs of fans waiting outside, which led to overcrowding and the stampede. In total, 11 people died, 64 were injured (including police officers), and public property was damaged.”At a press conference announcing a committee to conduct an inquiry, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah directed the representatives of all parties named in the FIR to be arrested. He also ordered the suspension of top police officials in the city, including the Commissioner and the Inspector of the Cubbon Park police station, which has jurisdiction over the areas where the stampede occurred.On Thursday, the Karnataka government announced that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will investigate the cause of the stampede. In the immediate aftermath of the incident, Siddaramaiah had ordered a magisterial inquiry and said a report must be submitted within 15 days.The state government as well as RCB announced a compensation of INR 10 lakh for the families of the deceased, while covering all medical expenses for the injured. The government is also considering issuing fresh operating procedures for better regulation of public gatherings, meetings and celebrations of any kind.RCB have been contacted for a response.

We've been on a roll with our plus-money props.

Let's see if we can keep it going with a pair of striekout props today that look like good value on Monday night.

MLB Best Bets for Monday, June 17

Paul Skenes over 8.5 strikeouts (+130) at DraftKings

It's Paul Skenes Day again!

Last week, we took the over for plus money on his 7.5 K prop, and we cashed. Skenes ended the day with eight strikeouts vs. the Cardinals, and he pitched into the seventh inning. Today's prop is even higher, and it's a lot harder to get to nine strikeouts than eight, but here are a few reasons why we are going for it.

First, true MLB fans are obligated to always take the over when Paul Skenes pitches.  

I'm kidding (sort of).

Second, the Reds have the third-highest strikeout rate in the league when facing right-handed pitching (26.3%),  and this is the first time they will have seen Skenes. The advantage goes to the pitcher in that scenario. 

Remember: Skenes' fastball is 

Third, Skenes is striking batters out at a 34.5% clip, for an average of 12.42 batters per nine innings.  If Skenes can make it into the seventh again, he has an excellent chance to exceed this prop.   

Skenes has exceeded this prop in only two of six starts; however, he did it vs. the Tigers and the Cubs, who have the sixth and seventh highest K-rates vs. right-handed pitching, respectively. The Reds are even more strikeout-prone, as mentioned above. 

For a juicy +130 payout, I'm willing to pull a ticket. 

James Paxton under 3.5 strikeouts (+125) at DraftKings

Paxton has been punching out batters at a mere 5.28 per nine innings this season. 

No, that is not a typo. 

The Rockies hit better and strike out less against left-handed pitchers and at home. Paxton has not logged more than three strikeouts since May 24th, and he's only reached four or more strikeouts in five of 12 starts this season.  

Paxton's FIP is 5.27, and things could get away from him at Coors. I don't see him going deep into this game, so for plus money, I'll bet on the under. 

William Saliba remains fully committed to the Arsenal cause for now, having signed a new long-term contract, but he has admitted that any interest shown from Real Madrid will always be “tempting”. That admission will concern some in north London, with there no guarantees that the highly-rated France international defender will see out his fresh terms at Emirates Stadium.

New contract: When Saliba's deal at Arsenal expires

Saliba has become a talismanic presence for the Gunners, with a formidable partnership being struck up with Gabriel Magalhaes at the heart of their backline. A collection of assured performances over a prolonged period of time have been rewarded with a new deal through to the summer of 2030.

Arsenal hope that agreement will fend off any unwelcome interest from afar, with exit talk being brought to a close for now. Saliba is happy in his current surroundings, but is aware that speculation will forever rage when it comes to potential future challenges.

AdvertisementGettyTransfer talk: Why Saliba is ignoring interest from Real Madrid

There were plenty of rumours to be found regarding admiring glances from Spain prior to an extension being thrashed out at the Emirates, with La Liga giants Real Madrid considered to hold Saliba in the highest regard. However, no official offer from Santiago Bernabeu was ever tabled.

Saliba admits to having his head turned slightly, though, with it impossible to ignore Los Blancos and their collection of Galacticos. The 24-year-old told when asked about the links with Real: “Of course, it’s always tempting when a club like that tries to lure you, but for me, [my desire] was to stay at Arsenal. First, win trophies, before thinking about anything else.”

Trophy quest: Saliba targets silverware with Arsenal

Saliba has spoken on a regular basis of his desire to collect major honours with Arsenal. He has two Community Shield wins to his name, but is still waiting on the most prestigious of accolades.

He said after penning fresh terms with the Gunners and ignoring any transfer gossip: “To be honest, I was not really focused on the clubs from the outside, I was just focused on here. I knew that I wanted to stay here for more years, so I was not really focused on the other clubs. So I’m happy to be here and I signed a new deal, so full focus on my club.

“I didn’t win anything here except the Community Shield. I’ve done nothing for this club to think about leaving. I want to stay here and win a lot of trophies. I love this club. I cannot leave this club without giving them (the fans) something back. My first choice was to stay here and win everything first.

“We have a good team, we play well, we are good. We only miss trophies. The team and I will give everything to win this title. Of course, the people won’t remember you if you win nothing. So, at the end, it's trophies, trophies, trophies.”

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AFPPremier League title bid & World Cup: Challenges for Saliba

A move to Madrid would allow Saliba to reunite with Kylian Mbappe, a man who he represents France alongside and once worked with in the academy ranks at AS Bondy. When asked if they could become club colleagues again in 2026, Saliba told Le10 Sport: “No, no, the Bondy connection is with the French national team, for now.”

France are close to wrapping up qualification for next summer’s World Cup, with Saliba and Mbappe expected to help make Les Bleus fiercely competitive at that event – having claimed a global crown in 2018 and suffered a penalty shootout defeat to Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the 2022 final.

Saliba will hope to head to that event as a Premier League title winner, with Arsenal setting the early pace in English football. Mikel Arteta’s side have opened up a six-point lead on the chasing pack, as they look to secure domestic dominance for the first time since the fabled ‘Invincibles’ of 2003-04 – with a Champions League clash with Slavia Praha and a trip to Sunderland set to carry them into the next international break.

Everton have made a decent if unspectacular start to the Premier League season and have now identified a player they want to sign as a matter of urgency in January.

David Moyes urges Everton to continue seeking improvement

After a summer of tidy business in the transfer market and some intriguing signings, Everton have started the campaign on the front foot and look to have left the days of fighting survival behind them, providing they can sustain their momentum.

Jack Grealish has been the Toffees’ most impressive addition and created another four chances in their 1-1 draw at home to West Ham United on Monday, albeit David Moyes believes there is still more to come from the England international after he was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s latest squad.

He said before his side face Crystal Palace: “I think there’s still room for Jack to improve. We want more from him – more assists from him and goals from him, as well.

“He’s started very well, but we’re driving him on and trying to get more from him. I still think his ambition is to get back in the England team. If he scores some goals and keeps up the assists, he won’t be far away.”

Intriguingly, the Manchester City loanee could have competition for his place if Everton formalise their interest in Celtic forward Daizen Maeda after the Japan international cropped up on their radar to add versatility across the front three.

Bowen 2.0: Everton must regret selling "one of the best players in the PL"

Everton must now rue selling this gifted star before he hit his full potential.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 2, 2025

On the flipside, the Toffees’ rearguard has remained relatively solid despite only Seamus Coleman and the lesser-spotted Nathan Patterson available at right-back, something they could now be about to fix swiftly.

Everton ready to make formal approach for Juanlu Sanchez

According to Orgullo Biri, Everton view Sevilla defender Juanlu Sanchez as a priority signing in January and are ready to make a formal approach for his services.

The La Liga outfit aren’t willing to sanction any bids that fall under the £17 million mark, though the Spain Under-21 international is open to a new challenge if the correct opportunity arises.

Five similar players to Juanlu Sanchez (FBRef)
Timothy Weah	Marseille
Nathaniel Brown	Eintracht Frankfurt
Alessio Zerbin	Cremonese
Rayan Ait-Nouri	Manchester City
Joakim Maehle	Wolfsburg

Capable of attacking and defending with a high degree of output, Sanchez has registered six goals and nine assists in 80 appearances for Sevilla and is viewed as one of their prize assets, albeit it remains to be seen whether they allow him to depart after Loic Bade and Dodi Lukebakio.

Crucially, the report describes Everton’s need for a right-back as an ‘urgent’ priority, lending credence to the fact they appear keen to conclude a swift deal to offer a different option on that side of their backline.

Jake O’Brien has featured frequently in an adapted role, though having someone who is naturally capable of slotting in would offer Moyes tactical flexibility at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has told one of his key players to “step up” ahead of the Premier League encounter against West Ham United at Elland Road this Friday.

Leeds gearing up for potential early six-pointer against West Ham

Although we are still in the very early stages of the season, Leeds’ home match against West Ham this Friday could have big ramifications at the end of the campaign, given that both sides are looking like they could be involved in a relegation battle.

The Hammers have already dismissed Graham Potter, who was replaced by Nuno at the end of September, but the former Nottingham Forest boss has been unable to make an immediate impact, with Jamie Carragher not impressed by recent performances.

Farke’s side, on the other hand, were always going to find it tough to avoid the drop as a newly-promoted team, but still remain three points clear of the relegation zone, having picked up wins against Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The manager made a number of new additions to his squad in the summer, in order to boost their survival chances, and Anton Stach has started all eight of the Whites’ Premier League fixtures up to this point.

However, the Leeds boss has now warned Stach he needs to improve, despite playing through injury, given that his performances have gone downhill in recent weeks.

Farke said: “They weren’t poor performances but not on the top level as before. It’ll be good for him to get rid of these problems with his finger and ribs.

“Hopefully then he’ll keep going with delivering top performances. This week having a bit of time to recover was good for him, hopefully he can step up.”

Leeds linked with "one of the best coaches ever" to replace Daniel Farke

The German could soon be under huge pressure.

ByCharlie Smith Oct 22, 2025 Stach must improve against West Ham on Friday night

The German has shown his class at times this season, most notably putting in a fantastic performance in the 3-1 victory against a struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers side last month, chipping in with a stunning free-kick goal and an assist.

However, as pointed out by the Leeds manager, recent performances have not been at the same level, with the 26-year-old struggling to make an impact against Burnley last time out, losing three of the five duels he contested before being replaced by Joel Piroe.

It has recently become clear that Farke is looking to sign a new midfielder in the January transfer window, with talks being opened over a deal for Maccabi Tel Aviv star Issouf Sissokho, while there have been widespread links to Inter Milan’s Piotr Zielinski.

As such, in order to keep his place in the side, Stach will need to rediscover his best form soon, hopefully starting Friday against West Ham at Elland Road.

تحدث لويس دي لافوينتي، المدير الفني لمنتخب إسبانيا الأول لكرة القدم، عن أزمة إصابة لامين يامال وتصريحات هانز فليك التي أصابته بالاستياء.

ونشب خلاف حاد بين الاتحاد الإسباني لكرة القدم ونادي برشلونة، بسبب إجراء لامين يامال لعملية تخص منطقة العانة وهي مصدر إصابة اللاعب بدون إخطار سابق للجهاز الطبي لمنتخب لا روخا.

وكان الألماني هانز فليك، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة، قد أبدى استياءه من مشاركة لامين يامال بشكل مكثف مع منتخب إسبانيا في التوقف الدولي الماضي، مؤكدًا أن إجهاده هو السبب في أن تحدث له إصابة العانة.

في ضوء ذلك، قال دي لافوينتي، في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “آس”: “تصريحات فليك؟ لو كان لديّ ما أقوله لزميل لفعلته سرًا، لا أفعل ذلك بشكل علني لأنني قد أكون مخطئًا، لقد فقدت التعاطف مع فليك لأنه كان مدربًا لمنتخب ألمانيا وإلا فلا مشكلة لديّ معه”.

اقرأ أيضًا | دي لافوينتي يوضح أسباب اختيار لامين يامال بقائمة إسبانيا.. ويؤكد: برشلونة يجب أن يحترم قراراتي

وأكمل: “لم يخبرونا بأي شيء حينها، لم يذكر لامين أي ألم في العانة أيضًا فقط أخبرنا أنه يوجد ألم أسفل الظهر”.

وأردف: “لامين حزين، إنه لاعب ملتزم للغاية مع المنتخب الوطني ومحبوب جدًا، لقد غادر حزينًا للغاية كان يتطلع لخوض هذه المباريات، يريد أن يقدم موسمًا رائعًا مع ناديه كما أن الفوز بكأس العالم محفور في عقله”.

وكشف: “هو أكثر من يعاني، يتمنى دائمًا العودة وغادر حزينًا ومتألمًا كما قُلت، من يقول غير ذلك فهو كاذب أو لديه نوايا سيئة”.

وأتم حول وضع خطة لعب لـ لامين: “يمكن وضع خطة لتدوير اللاعبين ومنحهم الراحة والفرص للمشاركة لكن كرة القدم تأخذنا في اتجاه مختلف أحيانًا، نحاول إدارة دقائق لعبهم بعناية مع الأخذ في الاعتبار أن لدينا مباراتين مهمتين للغاية، ليس اليوم فقط بل دائمًا”.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank says a “not as highlighted” member of his Spurs squad is extremely underappreciated ahead of his side’s Carabao Cup trip to Newcastle on Wednesday.

Tottenham defence shines in 3-0 victory at Everton

On Sunday, the Lilywhites continued their solid start to the campaign overall by making history away to Everton.

Tottenham became the first away team to win at the brand new Hill Dickinson Stadium on Merseyside, with a brace from star defender Micky van de Ven and substitute Pape Sarr catapulting the north Londoners to third in the Premier League.

In the build up, much was made about Spurs’ problems with creativity in the final third, especially after a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa last weekend and their tepid 0-0 draw away to Monaco in the Champions League — where goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario spared their blushes time and time again with fantastic saves.

Vicario did make a vital stop to prevent Everton from going 1-0 up with a fine, point-blank save from Jack Grealish before van de Ven opened the scoring midway through the first-half.

The Toffees did briefly equalise, only for the goal to be chalked off for a foul on Vicario, with van de Ven then doubling the away side’s lead by getting on the end of another corner just before half-time.

Vicario’s fine form continued, thwarting Beto’s acrobatic overhead kick with an excellent reflex save from close range before denying them again. Richarlison had a chance to kill the game off when he found himself in on goal, but Jordan Pickford frustrated the Brazilian with a one-on-one save.

However, the striker redeemed himself with an assist for Sarr in the 89th minute to seal all three points for Frank’s side – putting what was a torrid week behind them as they prepare for another tough trip to St. James’ Park on Wednesday.

Tottenham will be without nine players to face Eddie Howe’s side, with Frank confirming no changes to their absentee list from their win at Everton.

Tottenham absentee list to face Newcastle

Problem

Estimated return date

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

22/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

08/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

08/11/2025

Cristian Romero

Groin

01/11/2025

Destiny Udogie

Knee

08/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

08/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

While van de Ven stole all the headlines for his obvious contribution, January signing Kevin Danso also enjoyed an absolutely solid outing.

The 27-year-old, tasked with replacing Cristian Romero, has done an excellent job in the Argentine’s stead, especially against Everton, with Danso winning 100 per cent of his duels, both in the air and on the ground.

Danso also made a whopping 18 clearances at the Hill Dickinson, and his defensive heroics were key to Spurs coming away with a much-needed three points.

Vs Everton

Kevin Danso

Micky van de Ven

Minutes

90

90

Tackles won

1/1

0/0

Clearances

18

7

Blocked shots

2

0

Ball recoveries

3

2

Ground duels won

2/2

1/2

Aerial duels won

4/4

1/4

Stats via Sofascore

In the aftermath, Frank was quick to herald Danso’s contribution.

Thomas Frank says Kevin Danso is Tottenham's underrated star

Speaking after Tottenham’s win at Everton in a post-match press conference, Frank claimed Danso’s performance was “not as highlighted”, but just as vital to his side claiming victory.

When asked about Danso again before Tottenham’s trip to the North East, Frank piled more praise on the Austrian – claiming he deserves praise.

Danso was brought in at the start of the year to help Spurs during their defensive injury crisis under ex-boss Ange Postecoglou, and he’s hardly set a foot wrong.

Signed on an initial loan with which became permanent for £21 million in the summer, Danso is proving to be worth every penny, but reports suggest he could face stiff competition for minutes pretty soon.

Tottenham are believed to be in the market for another defender in January, despite Danso’s presence and Radu Dragusin coming back from injury, so it will be interesting to see how often he’ll feature for Frank if a new centre-back comes through the door.

Celtic have endured a fairly disappointing start to the 2025/26 campaign across all competitions so far, in the Scottish Premiership and in Europe.

The Hoops sit second in the league table, behind Hearts, with five wins and two draws, whilst they are still looking for their first win on the European stage.

Brendan Rodgers has overseen one point from two Europa League matches after his team were beaten by Kairat in their Champions League play-off clash.

There have been several players in the squad who have not performed to the best of their ability this season, including central midfielder Reo Hatate.

Why Reo Hatate's form is a concern

The Japan international has gone eight matches without a goal or an assist to show for his contributions on the pitch, which is concerning for a player who typically provides creativity and quality on the ball in midfield.

Hatate delivered ten goals and created 14 ‘big chances’ for his teammates in 37 appearances in the Premiership last season, per Sofascore, but he has failed to provide the same kind of quality at the top end of the pitch in the current campaign.

Appearances

37

5

Goals

10

1

Minutes per goal

241

373

Key passes per game

1.2

0.6

Big chances created

14

0

Assists

4

0

As you can see in the table above, the Japanese star’s output as both a scorer and as a creator of goals has decreased for the Hoops in the Premiership.

This is concerning because it shows that Hatate is not as influential or effective as he once was for the Scottish giants, but it has also provided other players with a chance to step up and shine.

Chalkboard

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

One star who has stepped up and is now looking like a Reo Hatate-type player is summer signing Benjamin Nygren in the middle of the park for Celtic.

Why Benjamin Nygren looks like Celtic's new Reo Hatate

The left-footed star was signed from Nordsjaelland for £1.3m in the summer and may have been expected by some to play on the right wing, as that was where he played the majority of his football last season and Nicolas Kuhn left to sign for Como.

Despite that, Rodgers has played Nygren as part of his midfield three more often than not, essentially taking Arne Engels’ spot in the starting line-up from the 2024/25 campaign.

The Sweden international, who was described as “fearless” by Alexander Isak, has started five of the club’s seven matches in the Premiership, which shows that the manager already trusts him to start consistently.

Nygren has also shown that he can be a difference-maker at the top end of the pitch from a midfield position with four goals in five league starts, whilst no other Celtic player has scored more than two league goals for the club.

As well as being an impressive goalscorer, the summer signing ranks second in the squad for ‘big chances’ created (two) and first for key passes per game (2.6) in the Premiership.

These statistics show that Nygren has hit the ground running at Parkhead as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a central midfield position, taking on the role that Hatate played last season with his ten goals and 14 ‘big chances’ created.

The Japan international has not been at his best in the current campaign, as evidenced by his aforementioned form, but the Swedish star has stepped up to carry the team on his back at times.

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There is still plenty of football left to be played this season, but the left-footed star’s form for Celtic suggests that he can be the new midfield star in the final third moving forward.