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Tensions were high between the Red Sox and Astros at Fenway Park Saturday.

Benches and bullpens cleared after the seventh inning because Astros relief pitcher Hector Neris thought Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story was stealing signs as he stood on second base. Neris intentionally balked Story to third so he could get off second base and presumably stop looking at his grip and communicating to the plate.

Once the inning ended, Neris had some words for Red Sox third base coach Kyle Hudson as both teams headed to their respective dugouts which caused benches to clear. The skirmish deescalated from there with an umpire holding back Neris and both sides quickly moving on.

That didn't stop current NESN analyst and former Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks from taking a nicely-timed shot at the Astros for their history with sign stealing.

"Imagine the Astros being mad about stealing signs," Middlebrooks said on the Boston broadcast. "But guess what? That's part of the game when you can see the grip in a glove."

The Astros were disciplined by the league for illegally using a video camera system to steal signs during games in 2017 and '18. They won the World Series in '17 and were stripped of their first- and second-round picks in '20 and '21 as part of the sanctions. The league suspended general manager Jeff Luhnow and team manager A.J. Hinch for the '20 season for failing to prevent the violations before the two were fired after the punishment was announced.

Of course, the Astros are completely turned over from that time and as another interesting wrinkle, current Red Sox manager Alex Cora was the Astros' bench coach during the '17 season. But it was certainly a fair shot from Middlebrooks because any time sign stealing comes up, you can't help but think of the Astros' scandal.

Brazil starlet Estevao Willian has been warned by national team boss Carlo Ancelotti that he must follow instructions or risk losing his place, after the Chelsea sensation was berated in front of his team-mates during training. The teenager has shone for his country, but the former Real Madrid coach has now made it clear he will be ruthless if the winger persistently does his own thing.

• Estevao reprimanded by Ancelotti during training session

  Estevao found out the hard way during the October international break that Carlo Ancelotti's calm exterior does not extend to moments where discipline and concentration are compromised. As Brazil prepared for a friendly against South Korea last month, reports claim the teenager repeatedly ignored instructions to aggressively press the full-back during a tactical exercise. After several warnings, Ancelotti stopped the session and delivered a fierce reprimand in front of the entire squad.

  The Brazil boss allegedly shouted: "I only speak once. Either you do what I'm telling you, or you're out of the team," according to Globo Esporte. It was a clear message that the youngster's spectacular talent would not exempt him from rigorous standards within the Brazil national team setup.

  The tough love had an immediate effect. Estevao responded by scoring twice in the subsequent 5-0 win, and since then has continued to impress in the famous yellow shirt of Brazil. Despite the stern warning, Ancelotti has made it clear he sees the 18-year-old as a major part of his long-term plans, provided that he fully commits to tactical discipline.

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  Ancelotti wants to keep Estevao grounded

  Ancelotti’s approach to elite talent management is rooted in experience, having guided generational stars such as Kaka and Vinicius Jr, he knows the dangers of early hype. Estevao, nicknamed Messinho in Brazil due to his flair and left-footed magic, has quickly become a fan favourite, but expectations continue to grow at a rapid pace. The Chelsea youngster already boasts 10 international caps and four goals despite his young age, and this is why Ancelotti is intent on keeping him grounded. 

  Brazil are undergoing a major transitional phase, and the veteran coach is determined to build a squad with tactical maturity at its core. Estevao's blend of dribbling brilliance and intense work-rate fits that vision perfectly, but only if he continues to embrace defensive responsibilities.

  The winger has quickly shown he appreciates the guidance. He has embraced the challenge of adapting to a more complete role, adding pressing and ball recoveries to his already dangerous attacking game.

• Ancelotti's personal touch wins over Estevao

  Every stern moment appears balanced with trust and encouragement, the hallmark of Ancelotti's man-management. The Italian's relationship with Estevao isn't just demanding – it has a personal touch that has won the teenager's admiration. The Brazil boss recently allowed him to briefly leave camp in Sao Paulo to take his driving test, even waiting outside to celebrate the moment he passed. Ancelotti then publicly announced the achievement at lunch, prompting laughter and applause from team-mates.

  That balance has created the perfect conditions for Estevao to excel as he continues to deliver on the pitch, scoring the opener in a 2-0 win against Senegal at the Emirates Stadium last week. It was further validation that he belongs among the senior elite despite still being in the early stages of his European career.

  The forward only arrived at Chelsea in the summer after Palmeiras agreed a deal worth around £29 million ($38m) the previous year. His early Premier League minutes have been carefully managed, but his form for club and country leaves little doubt that he is already operating at an elite level.

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  Estevao to become a future star for Chelsea and Brazil

  Estevao is expected to continue playing a key role as Brazil face Tunisia next in Lille, looking to build on Ancelotti's encouraging start of four wins in six matches. With each appearance, the teenager grows in confidence, while the coaching staff push him toward becoming a complete attacker capable of changing matches on demand. The next challenge will be consistency, both in performance and tactical discipline.

  For Chelsea, his rapid rise is hugely encouraging. They believe he is a long-term cornerstone of their attack, and his international success only strengthens the feeling that they secured one of world football's brightest young talents.

He might not have the big trophies just yet, but Mikel Arteta has already achieved a lot at Arsenal.

He has taken a club that was spiralling into competitive irrelevance and turned them into serious contenders for the Premier League and Champions League.

Furthermore, on several occasions, he has helped revitalise the careers of players most considered to be done at the very highest level.

He has done the same this year, with someone who only last year received some particularly scathing criticism.

The best career revivals at Arsenal

When it comes to redemption stories at Arsenal, the one everyone will think of first, and rightly so, is Granit Xhaka’s.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

The Swiss international famously fell foul of the Emirates faithful in late 2019 when, as he was being jeered, he threw the armband and his shirt to the floor while swearing at the supporters.

At the time, it looked like his time in N5 was up, and were it not for the Spaniard, it probably would have been.

The midfielder would later tell the press that “my suitcases were packed, but I had a meeting with Mikel when he came” and that “he [Arteta] is the reason why I’m still at this football club.”

Over the next few years, the passionate international would slowly win the fans back onside, and by the time his final game came at the end of the 22/23 season, the entire Emirates was singing his name, and seemed desperate for him to stay.

Another player whose career has been revived in N5 is Kai Havertz.

The German wasn’t taken particularly seriously when he made his surprise move to the club in 2023, and the fact that he struggled to have an impact in the first half of that season certainly didn’t help.

In fact, just a month into the campaign, former professional Gabby Agbonlahor described the former Bayer Leverkusen man as a “joke.”

However, a move up front completely changed the game for the struggling player, and in 18 starts as a centre-forward, the “magnificent” ace, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored eight goals and provided seven assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.20 games.

Then last season, despite being ruled out halfway through, he still managed to score 15 goals and provide five assists in 36 games.

In all, Havertz might not be Arsenal’s best player, but his revival under Arteta is undeniably impressive, and now another player previously written off is starting to show his best form again this season.

The Arsenal star who is now undroppable

The good news for Arsenal is that there are more than a handful of players who are currently undroppable, although few would have expected Leandro Trossard to be among them at the start of the season.

Now, the £90k-per-week Belgian is an undeniably talented player, but it would be fair to say that he underwhelmed last season.

While it took him just 46 games to produce 20 goal involvements the previous year, it took 56 games to produce the same number last season.

Moreover, the former Brighton & Hove Albion star was simply having less of an impact on games, unless, of course, you include the red card he picked up against Manchester City, for which Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville blasted him. The latter notably labelled the situation as “ridiculous.”

The 30-year-old was such a disappointment that by the end of the season, fans seemed alright with moving him on to sign someone more dynamic, and based on reports, it looked like that might have been the club’s plan.

However, such a move never transpired, and fans should be delighted about that, as so far this season, he has been utterly superb.

For example, in just 14 appearances, totalling 832 minutes, the Waterschei-born “little magician,” as dubbed by Arteta, has scored four goals and provided four assists.

In other words, he is averaging a goal involvement every 1.75 games, or every 104 minutes, which is a rate of return not even Bukay Saka can match at the moment.

It’s not just his raw numbers that have improved, though; he is also having far more of an influence in games.

For example, while his thunderous effort against Sunderland caught everyone’s attention, he played brilliantly throughout.

Ultimately, it’s early in the season, but as things stand, Trossard is utterly undroppable and looks like another player Arteta has revived.

Arsenal dealt Martin Odegaard injury blow after three-word Norway update

The Gunners captain was reported to be eyeing a return against Tottenham.

By
Emilio Galantini

Nov 13, 2025

Who has impressed and who has struggled during the first half of the tournament?

Andrew McGlashan20-Apr-20251:38

Bishop: We saw the best of Starc tonight

Mitchell Marsh (Lucknow Super Giants)

Matches: 7 | Runs: 299 | Average: 42.71 | S/R: 167.97It’s been a notable return to action for Marsh, who missed the latter part of the Australia season through injury following his Test omission. He hammered four half-centuries in his first six innings before missing a game due to an illness in the family. He has benefited from the Impact Sub rule and has rarely had to push his body through fielding. “I’ve never been more motivated to score runs,” he said wryly about the ability to put his feet up. Marsh remains Australia’s T20 captain and has a big year ahead of him with the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next February.

Pat Cummins (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Matches: 7 | Wickets: 7 | Average: 36.00 | Economy 10.21It hasn’t been a stellar IPL yet for Australia’s Test and ODI captain while his team languishes near the foot of the table. Cummins hadn’t played since the end of the India Test series in January, having missed the Champions Trophy. His most recent outing brought his best return of 3 for 26 against Mumbai Indians but, overall, wickets have come at a price. From Australia’s perspective, if SRH don’t make the playoffs, it would give Cummins some extra time to prepare for the WTC final.Related

• Kohli, Padikkal fifties fire RCB to fifth away win

• Zampa's IPL ends due to shoulder injury

• Reverse in fast forward – Starc's three overs of yorker mayhem

• How Mumbai Indians' quicks kept Travishek on a leash

Travis Head (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Matches: 7 | Runs: 242 | Average: 34.57| S/R: 168.05There have been flashes of brilliance from Head, who started the tournament with 67 off 31 balls as SRH piled up a massive 286 for 6 against Rajasthan Royals. More recently, he flayed 66 off 37 deliveries in a rollicking stand of 171 with Abhishek Sharma, as the duo produced another iconic IPL moment with SRH chasing 247 with room to spare.

Josh Hazlewood (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)

Matches: 7 | Wickets: 12 | Average: 15.91 | Economy: 8.17Hazlewood is going along very nicely, which has been good news for both RCB, who are challenging towards the top of the table, and him personally, having not played since mid-December before the IPL started. His 3 for 21 against Chennai Super Kings was out of the top drawer and he bettered that return with 3 for 14 against Punjab Kings, although that came in defeat. It is looking increasingly like another Hazlewood vs Scott Boland debate for the WTC final.Josh Hazlewood has made an encouraging return from injury•Associated Press

Mitchell Starc (Delhi Capitals)

Matches: 7 | Wickets: 10 | Average: 26.70 | Economy: 10.68Starc began the season with a bang, taking eight wickets in his first two outings including a career-best T20 return of 5 for 35 against SRH, which included again removing Head. Since then, he has only taken two wickets in five matches, but played a starring role in DC’s Super Over victory against Royals when he nailed his reverse-swinging yorkers to secure the tie across 20 overs before keeping the Super Over to 11.

Tim David (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)

Matches: 7 | Runs: 142 | Average: 142.00 | S/R: 194.52David’s numbers neatly sum up the role he plays. Only dismissed once, facing 73 balls across five innings with an eye-watering strike rate of 194.52. Yet, two of his innings have come from No. 8 – where he has only batted five times in 249 T20 innings – to keep the talk going of when he comes in. Against PBKS, he single-handedly lifted RCB to a total that gave them half a chance with 50 off 26 balls.

Glenn Maxwell (Punjab Kings)

Matches: 6 | Runs: 41 | Average: 8.20| S/R: 100.00 | Wickets: 4 | Average: 27.50 | Economy: 8.46It is becoming another forgettable IPL with the bat for Maxwell, who was dropped for PBKS’ latest match against RCB after barely being able to make an impact in the first half of the tournament. That follows last season’s returns of 52 runs at 5.77. He has held his own with the ball, but that wasn’t enough to keep his place.Jake Fraser-McGurk is among those to have been dropped by his franchise•BCCI

Jake Fraser-McGurk (Delhi Capitals)

Matches: 6 | Runs: 55 | Average: 9.16 | S/R: 105.76It’s also been a tough tournament for Fraser-McGurk, who has not come close to replicating his success from last season. He made 38 of his runs in one innings against SRH but otherwise it has been five single-figure scores. He lost his place in the starting XI for DC’s latest match. The IPL struggles follow a BBL where he only came good at the end with 95 off 46 balls against Brisbane Heat.

Marcus Stoinis (Punjab Kings)

Matches: 6 | Runs: 66 | Average: 22.00 | S/R: 157.14 | Wickets: 0 | | Economy: 11.37There is not too much to show for Stoinis’ tournament to date. Curiously, he was left out after producing his best innings – 34 off 11 balls with four sixes in the high-scoring game against SRH – before being recalled in place of Maxwell one game later. Has been used sparingly with the ball and has been expensive.

Adam Zampa (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Matches: 2 | Wickets: 2 | Average: 47.00 | Economy: 11.75Zampa’s tournament never really got going before being ended by injury, used twice as an Impact Sub and coming away with two wickets. One of his outings was the astonishing 528-run game against Royals.Xavier Bartlett had to wait his turn, but has played in back-to-back victories•BCCI

Josh Inglis (Punjab Kings)

Matches: 2 | Runs: 16 | Average: 8.00 | S/R: 69.56Having started on the bench, Inglis has been brought in for the last two matches which have seen PBKS register back-to-back victories to climb up the table. But he has yet to get going with the bat – the first game he played was very low-scoring, as PBKS somehow defended 111, and the second shorted by rain.

Xavier Bartlett (Punjab Kings)

Matches: 2 | Wickets: 2 | Average: 28.00 | Economy: 9.33Ricky Ponting has no shortage of Australians in his squad and Bartlett is another who has been called off the bench for the last two matches. He has been used extensively in the powerplay and his two wickets have been key ones, of Quinton de Kock and Liam Livingstone.

Nathan Ellis (Chennai Super Kings)

Matches: 1 | Wickets: 1 | Economy: 9.50Only a single outing so far for Ellis, who came into the tournament off the back of an impressive run as captain of BBL champions Hobart Hurricanes and then consistent performances for Australia in the Champions Trophy.

Spencer Johnson (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Matches: 4 | Wickets: 1 | Average: 133.00 | Economy: 11.73It’s been slim pickings for left-arm quick Johnson with one wicket in four outings, and he has been left out of KKR’s last two matches.*Aaron Hardie, who is in the Punjab Kings squad, has yet to play.

The Houston Astros are reuniting with their World Series champion shortstop Carlos Correa.

According to a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Minnesota Twins, who have been very actively selling their roster at the deadline, have agreed to trade the three-time All-Star shortstop back to Houston. Correa waived his no-trade clause to secure the reunion with the Astros.

Correa played his first seven seasons with the Astros before leaving the franchise in free agency ahead of the 2022 season. He helped the Astros capture the 2017 World Series title.

Correa, 30, is hitting .267 this season with seven home runs and 31 RBI in 364 plate appearances. He will likely spend the rest of his career back in Houston, as he is under contract until 2033, when he will be 38 years old.

Julian Nagelsmann has fiercely defended his public warning to Leroy Sane, stating that his comments were not "for fun" and had been discussed with the player beforehand. The Germany boss faced criticism in the media for his handling of the Galatasaray winger, but Nagelsmann reiterated his expectations for Sane's performance on the pitch.

• Nagelsmann defends Sane comments amid criticism

  This week, the Germany coach reiterated his warning that Sane will not be given "countless" opportunities to show he deserves a place in the squad, having previously suggested that his move to Galatasaray will see him frozen out unless he puts in particularly outstanding displays in the Super Lig and Champions League.

  His comments drew criticism from prominent football personalities, including former Bayern Munich director Matthias Sammer and German football legend Lothar Matthaus, who questioned the wisdom of such public statements. However, Nagelsmann defended his stance, telling reporters: "I didn't do this for fun. It was discussed with him. I know what he's capable of and I want him to bring what he's capable of onto the pitch," said Nagelsmann . "Leroy knows what is required and he also knows that there are not countless opportunities left to prove himself at the national team level, at least not under my leadership.

  "I didn't use the phrase 'last chance' either. I said that he doesn't have countless chances anymore. That's a fact."

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  Experts criticise Nagelsmann's public approach

  Despite Nagelsmann's defence, several football figures have openly questioned his method of publicly criticising Sane. Former Schalke coach Jens Keller, who managed Sane and handed him his professional debut, suggested that such comments should be reserved for private conversations.

  Keller told : "I suspect Julian Nagelsmann wanted to provoke him, but I would have handled it differently. It's not my style to communicate publicly and increase the pressure like that. Leroy may be a laid-back guy, but he's also very sensitive." Keller believes that while Sane "used to need a talking-to now and then," it should always be done in private. "You can tell him your opinion in private, and he accepts it," he added.

  Ex-German Football Association director Sammer echoed this sentiment, arguing that individualists require a different approach. "My experience is that individualists need love, need so much love that it causes a clash. That's just the way it is," Sammer stated. 

  Nagelsmann, however, countered by saying: "Love so intense it's explosive? He got plenty of that from me for years."

• Sane's return to the Germany squad and club form

  Sane's recall to the Germany squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Luxembourg and Slovakia marks his first inclusion since the Nations League finals in June. The 29-year-old winger moved to Galatasaray from Bayern as a free agent over the summer and has since experienced a mixed start to his tenure in Turkey.

  Nagelsmann acknowledged an improvement in Sane's recent performances, stating in a press conference on Monday: "His scoring rate and performances have improved significantly compared to the beginning, both in the Super Lig and in the Champions League. But he still has steps to take to improve even further – both here and at the club." Sane himself had previously admitted to that he "had to settle in first" at Galatasaray, but now feels "very happy with my performances." He has scored three goals and delivered three assists in 15 games across the Super Lig and Champions League.

  Despite his recent form, the circumstances of Sane's call-up were also noted by Nagelsmann, who implied it was partly due to a lack of alternatives. "If we had six or seven players to choose from in that position, then it would be significantly more difficult for him," he had said earlier in the week.

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  What next for Sane and Germany?

  Sane is expected to start in Germany's attacking lineup alongside Serge Gnabry, Florian Wirtz and Nick Woltemade for the World Cup qualifier against Luxembourg on Friday. The match provides an immediate opportunity to respond to Nagelsmann's challenge on the pitch. Germany will then face Slovakia on Monday, a team that previously stunned them with a 2-0 victory, which Nagelsmann will be keen to avoid repeating.

  Germany are at least certain of a place in the World Cup play-offs, but will be eager to seal first place in the group to confirm their place in the competition. They sit level on points with Slovakia and three ahead of Northern Ireland heading into the last two matches of the round.

It’s reached a point of stagnation – there are no new ideas and they seem to be stuck in the mid-2010s in an ever-evolving format

Mohammad Isam07-Oct-2024George Costanza was a famously incompetent character from the 1990s TV sitcom . After several misadventures, including in his role as the assistant to the traveling secretary with the New York Yankees, Costanza gets a job in Kruger Industrial Smoothing. There, he meets the company president Mr Kruger, who matches Costanza in incompetence. After skipping office two days in a row, Costanza one day reveals the company’s motto to Jerry Seinfeld: “We don’t care and it shows”.It might sound harsh, but Bangladesh’s T20 cricket over the last several years, including in the first T20I against India in Gwalior on Sunday, is along the lines of “We don’t care and it shows” too.They looked out of depth against a relatively (internationally) inexperienced India side. The three changes to the playing XI since the T20 World Cup didn’t really make much of a difference as the majority of those who remained felt like liabilities. Worse, the team management also seems to be out of ideas.Related

• What will life after Big Five be like for Bangladesh in T20Is?

• Mahmudullah to retire from T20Is after series against India

• New-look India blow away Bangladesh to take 1-0 lead

.India mopped up the chase in 11.5 overs after bowling out Bangladesh for 127. India played like the world champions they are. They also played like owners of one of the best attitudes a T20 side can have. If there’s a higher gear available, they invariably opt for it.Bangladesh, meanwhile, are more or less the same unit that played at the T20 World Cup four months ago, where they only made a statistical improvement on the previous seven campaigns. They don’t appear to have planned something new or different for the format. They batted against India with the blueprint they employed at the T20 World Cup. After trying (and failing) to hit a few big ones in the powerplay, they struggled against the spinners before meandering to a low total.They brought in Parvez Hossain Emon, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Jaker Ali to replace Tanzid Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan and Soumya Sarkar from the last T20 World Cup game against Afghanistan.Parvez’s struggle was expected given his lack of international experience, and having played just four BPL matches this year. Mehidy top-scored with 35* but he batted at No. 7 – chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain had specified that he had been picked primarily as a batter. Jaker might be destined to remain a one-hit wonder.3:12

Takeaways: Mayank-Varun too hot to handle for Bangladesh

What about the regulars then? Litton Das timed a beautiful boundary before slashing across an Arshdeep Singh length ball. His shift in outlook in Test batting from Pakistan to India was a concern, and this needless – and careless – shot underlined the need for the team management to treat him differently when it comes to the different formats.Towhid Hridoy, Bangladesh’s most prolific T20I run-getter since the start of 2023, is showing definite signs of second-season blues. Not just that. He bats where the team management wants him to bat, but that can’t be good for someone who provides consistency.Mahmudullah’s second-ball dismissal in this game – at No. 5, where he hasn’t often batted – will raise questions about his place in the team, but the 139-game veteran showed the right attitude in trying to take on India’s fastest bowler, Mayank Yadav. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, who backed Mahmudullah vehemently in a recent press conference, is himself struggling to shift between formats. He scored 27 off 25 balls but the innings lacked punch and panache.Perhaps four wickets falling while he was at the crease forced Shanto to play a sedate game. Or, perhaps, the T20I captaincy is weighing heavier on him than in Tests and ODIs.Mehidy Hasan Miraz is frustrated – he wasn’t the only one•AFP/Getty ImagesWhich brings us to the team management. Bangladesh continue to play a dull form of T20 cricket. It is stuck in the mid-2010s when batting sides had anchors, and a middle-order batter with a strike rate of 120 or thereabouts mattered.Times have changed. The BPL isn’t providing the players with meaningful play time either, or the team management doesn’t really rate the BPL highly enough. The tournament’s top-scorer from the latest edition – Tamim Iqbal – was in the commentary box in Gwalior. Should someone not try to bring him back into the fold? Then there is the other experienced batter Mushfiqur Rahim. He was one of the top-five scorers in the BPL. Can’t he be brought out of T20I retirement?Bangladesh have shown in the last 12 months that they want to stick to a young-looking side even if results don’t come. It might be fair for the long term, but the long term that they talked about in September 2023 has moved to October 2024.Kruger had fired everyone in the company and given Costanza all the key files. What of the Bangladesh T20I team?