Crushing loss in Hamilton cannot dent celebration of series win, ahead of blockbuster 2025

Vithushan Ehantharajah18-Dec-2024Two blokes walk into a pub in Hamilton.One is wearing Ben Stokes’ batting gloves, having donned them for the 10-minute scooter ride from Seddon Park, where he had obtained them from England’s Test captain. The other is wearing Brydon Carse’s Test jumper – a surprisingly good fit considering he was giving up about a foot in height to the Durham seamer.Punters revelling in freshly-acquired souvenirs felt like an sound allegory for the journey this England team has embarked upon in 2024. Their joint-busiest year of Test cricket has provided room for a regeneration. Of the 24 players have been used, seven had the honour of wearing that kit for the very first time.Each has seized their chance in different ways across a variety of roles. Gus Atkinson, Jamie Smith and Carse have made themselves immediate first-teamers. Jacob Bethell’s assuredness over the last month has brought on a pleasing headache. Shoaib Bashir, for all his pluck, remains a work in progress.The new year offers more bucketlist moments for a new-look team, with India at home and Australia away. For those at the opposite end of the spectrum, 2025 promises to be a legacy year. Defining for the project Stokes and Brendon McCullum have embarked upon together. Legend-lifting for Joe Root. Status-deciding for Harry Brook. “Get a ticket early,” urged McCullum, as much to supporters as the cricketers desperate to be in the mix for those blockbuster events.Shoaib Bashir benefitted from Stokes’ empathetic captaincy in India, but that trait was misplaced in Pakistan•Joe Allison/Getty ImagesGetting excited about all that can wait. On Tuesday, much like those two punters, England were celebrating. It did not take them long to shed the frustration of a 423-run defeat in the third Test. Coolers of drinks made their way onto the field not long after the broadcast cameras were switched off. A first series win in New Zealand since 2008 was toasted, before morphing into a celebration of Tim Southee’s retirement. Both teams mingled late into the day, before everyone piled into the home dressing room. Games were played – namely “Zimmy Zimmy”, a staple of university students, essentially ‘pass the parcel’ based on rhythm and numbers – before goodbyes were said.Such geniality between these two teams is nothing new, of course. Nor is an England team’s affinity with the gorgeous vistas and range of outdoor activities (not just golf) this country provides. But while the extra-curricular parts of 2023’s New Zealand tour felt like a bit of a lads holiday – camaraderie high on the agenda ahead of that summer’s Ashes – this was more of a spa retreat.A Queenstown base to start, the odd course along the way, and encouraging players to take the scenic route from Wellington to Hamilton to enjoy the best of what the North Island has to offer after establishing an unassailable 2-0 lead in Wellington. England achieved the primary objective of this trip, but they also ticked off a secondary: de-stressing from a wearying 12 months.The 4-1 loss in India at the start of the year crushed a few older souls, the 2-1 loss to Pakistan on the other side of the home summer tested newer spirits. It was during the former that Stokes realised the team needed more dynamism. And as much as that would come from a refresh, his return as a functional allrounder would be integral to that.Fast forward to Pakistan and Stokes’ obsession to get back to the “old him” had reached untenable levels. By his own admission, he had “ruined” himself by ramping up his own training levels after a left hamstring tear in August had wiped out the hard work of the previous six months.Brydon Carse has inked himself into England’s first XI after some thrilling displays as the third seamer•Getty ImagesHe was tetchy, off the pace as captain and, worst of all, had lost the empathetic perspective that had been a vital crutch for his leadership. A trait all the more important given the number of players new to the environment.Stokes has been able to rediscover his emotional equilibrium on this trip. He came out to Christchurch ahead of time to surprise his family, many of whom, including his mother Deb, were in attendance at Hagley Oval for pretty much every ball of the first Test. Time with loved ones has perhaps brought a reminder for perspective. Reflections of his captaincy came in the weeks following the Pakistan series, and subtle changes have been made. Even with the recurrence of his hamstring injury, the 33-year-old seems to be in a much healthier place.Perhaps the most interesting strand of 2024 to tug at is the other side of the personnel transition. Punting on young “unproven” talents is the easy bit. The hard part has been moving on the established ones.James Anderson was the highest profile example of this. A necessary parting of ways, conducted via an uneasy hotel meeting, meant that Stokes, McCullum and managing director Rob Key came with a good deal of heat from all corners (including the man himself, of course). The silver lining for Anderson is, much like Southee this week, he got closure. The others have not been quite so lucky.Related

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Jonny Bairstow was parked after notching 100 caps at Dharamsala in February. The 2022 Bazball poster boy will enter the new year as a dead weight on the central contract list until October, without any clarity on whether his international future is actually over. Similarly, Ben Foakes sat out the last six months of his deal as Smith came in to offer the best parts of both keeper-batters.Ollie Robinson, once regarded as a vital cog in the Anderson-Broad succession plan, has also not been seen since that tour, He is unlikely to feature again under the current regime, as much through losing the trust of McCullum and Stokes as the emergence of Atkinson.Even serial reserve batter Dan Lawrence seems to have run his race after underperforming as a fill-in opener in the Sri Lanka series when Zak Crawley broke his finger. It was a thankless task in an unfamiliar role – both of which Bethell has excelled in the last month.Ollie Pope finishes 2024 with his place in jeopardy despite launching it with a hall-of-fame innings in Hyderabad•Getty ImagesIndeed Bethell has now brought a further awkward conversation around Ollie Pope. A man who started the year with a star-turn in the heist of Hyderabad now finds himself at a peculiar juncture in his international career.England’s vice-captain is a team man in a team of team men. His initial play for the No.3 spot was a way of getting into the XI, but as his stint has gone on, there has been a growing sense his presence in the role has been for the benefit of others. It allows Root to remain at four, and Brook at five. Just as importantly, Pope’s average remains above 40 in that position.But Pope’s selflessness is also why he now finds himself in a conundrum. There was no surprise when he took the hit of moving down the order to No.6 for this series, so that he could keep following the injury to Jordan Cox. Stokes in particular lauded him for doing what was best for the team. But the vacancy allowed Bethell to state an all-too-attractive case.It is a case that does not have to be answered for a good few months, given England’s next Test is not until May. But it is remarkable to think a player who began 2024 with a hall-of-fame innings and went on to captain four Tests in the middle is now ending it with such uncertainty.Alas, that is international sport. And the growing pains of a revamp are these necessary evils – tough decisions that, in the case of Pope, might seem contrary to the team’s promoted values of backing players unequivocally, ridding them of fear and rewarding their loyalty.Therein lies the main takeaway from this year. The results read nine wins and eight defeats, but majority of the year post-India has been about revitalization and amending the broad brushstrokes of the first two years.Stokes and the England team might not like the word “ruthless”, but there is no better word to describe the mentality they will need to adopt as 2024 comes to a close. With India and Australia on the horizon, 2025 will be about winning at all costs.

Chelsea have now entered negotiations over a deal to sign a rapid new centre-back, and an opening offer is set to be made within weeks.

Blues looking to sign new centre-back despite Cahill comments

With Levi Colwill suffering an ACL injury back in August, the Blues’ offer centre-back options have had to step up to the plate this season, and Gary Cahill has been very impressed with their performances, so much so that he believes his former club don’t need to sign a new defender.

Cahill said: “There has been a lot of noise around this for a long time, but I think the lads that are there are doing a very good job of proving that they don’t need to add to this position,”

“I’ve been very impressed with Wesley Fofana since he’s come back. Touch wood that he stays fit.

“Trevoh Chalobah: look at the job he’s been doing – he’s a bit of an unsung hero. Trevoh is probably the most underappreciated player at Chelsea.

However, while a senior centre-back may not be required, BlueCo are always keen to bring in exciting up-and-coming prospects, and they have now entered negotiations over a deal for Gremio defender Luis Eduardo.

That is according to a report from AS (via Sport Witness), which states Chelsea have now entered talks to sign Eduardo, alongside Premier League rivals Manchester United, with opening offers set to be made in the coming weeks.

The Blues are now trying to ‘accelerate’ their pursuit of the centre-back, given that scouts have been left impressed with his performances, with the 17-year-old well-known for his pace, having reached 38 km/h for Gremio earlier this year.

The speedster has a €60m (£53m) release clause included in his contract with the Brazilian club, although it is unclear whether BlueCo would be willing to shell out such a big fee on a very young player.

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ByDominic Lund Nov 30, 2025 Luis Eduardo impressing at youth level

The teenager is yet to establish himself as a regular starter for Gremio, having made just one appearance for the senior team, but he has put in some eye-catching performances for both club and country at youth level.

Despite being a centre-back, the Corrente-born ace managed to score two goals in seven appearances for Gremio U20s in 2025, while he has also netted three goals in 13 appearances for Brazil U17s.

Eduardo could be one for the future, but Cahill is correct in his assessment that Chelsea don’t need to worry about bringing in a new centre-back anytime soon, given Chalobah’s recent form, most recently netting the opening goal in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

Enzo Maresca also has Josh Acheampong and Benoit Badiashile at his disposal as back-up options, and with Colwill still to return, the manager is well-stocked at centre-back.

da premier bet： Leicester City are currently on the lookout for a new head coach after Enzo Maresca moved on from the King Power to join Chelsea earlier this summer.

da bet vitoria： The Telegraph recently reported that English boss Graham Potter has emerged as the leading candidate to take the job, after talks with the club.

Last in charge of Chelsea, the 49-year-old tactician will hold more discussions with the Foxes as they attempt to convince him to lead them into the Premier League next season.

If Leicester can persuade the former Brighton & Hove Albion manager to make his way to the King Power this summer then they could land a dream first signing for him as they are reportedly keen on an exciting talent from the Serie A.

Leicester's interest in Serie A star

According to TuttoSport, the Foxes are one of the clubs eyeing up a swoop for Juventus youngster Matias Soule during the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Leicester and West Ham United have already met with the player's representatives for meetings in London ahead of a possible move to the Premier League for the 21-year-old wizard.

It states that the Italian giants would close a deal quickly if either of the interested clubs are willing to put down an offer of €40m (£34m) for his services.

The Old Lady are willing to cash in for that price so that they can use the funds to make signings of their own, although it remains to be seen whether or not the Foxes are prepared to pay it.

This may now be an interesting transfer saga to keep an eye on over the coming weeks, and the appointment of Potter could help to speed things up if he decides that Soule is a player he would want in his team.

Why he could be a dream first signing

The Argentine winger could be a dream first signing for the English boss as he can play as one of the two inside forwards in the manager's preferred 3-4-2-1 formation.

Soule spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan with Frosinone in the Serie A and showcased his ability to make a big impact in the final third, whilst primarily playing as the right sided number ten behind the striker in a 3-4-2-1, which makes him a perfect option for Potter.

23/24 Serie A

Matias Soule

Appearances

36

xG

10.46

Goals

11

Big chances created

8

xA

5.34

Assists

3

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the young talent, who was hailed as "unpredictable" by analyst Ben Mattinson, caught the eye with ten goals and eight 'big chances' created in the Italian top-flight.

At the age of 21, Soule also has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve, which means that he could be an investment by Leicester, as well as someone who could hit the ground running.

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Therefore, the Juventus youngster could be a dream first signing for Potter, should the club appoint him, due to his perfect suitability to the Englishman's formation, his proven ability to score and create chances in a major European league, and his age profile.

Somerset batter brought in for third ODI after finding form in Blast

George Dobell01-Jul-2021England have added Tom Banton to their squad for the third and final ODI against Sri Lanka in Bristol on Sunday.Banton, the 22-year-old Somerset top-order batter, hit a 47-ball century in the Vitality T20 Blast at the start of the week. He has played six ODIs and nine T20Is for England.He joins the squad to provide back-up with Dawid Malan currently absent for personal reasons. Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes, of England’s first choice batting line-up, are also missing as they recover from injury.Related

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In a different era Banton, who has more than a touch of Kevin Pietersen about his batting, might already be established in the England limited-overs sides. But with the side currently blessed with impressive depth of top-order options, Banton has been obliged to wait for another opportunity. He has been preferred to other options such as Phil Salt, Alex Hales or Sam Hain.Somerset confirmed that Banton will miss their derby in the Blast against Gloucestershire on Thursday evening, as well as their home fixture against Middlesex on Friday.England are 1-0 up in the three-match ODI series and take on Sri Lanka at The Oval in a day-night game on Thursday.

Bayer Leverkusen's CEO has revealed he told Jonathan Tah not to join Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich, but admitted Florian Wirtz could head that way.

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Tah and Wirtz linked with Bayern moveLeverkusen CEO advised Tah to stay putAdmits Wirtz could leave for record feeFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Centre-back Tah nearly joined Bayern this summer, only for a move to collapse late on in the transfer window. His team-mate and attacking midfielder Wirtz has been linked with a Leverkusen exit as well and while CEO Fernando Carro wants to keep the duo, and not strengthen a direct rival, they could both leave eventually.

Advertisementgetty imagesWHAT THE BAYER LEVERKUSEN CEO SAID

He said on the podcast, via Sky Germany: "It goes without saying that we don't want to strengthen direct competitors in our own league with top players. Incidentally, I also said that directly to Jonathan Tah. I understand if you want to leave, but I would have preferred any club to one in Germany."

When asked if he could promise Wirtz wouldn't join Bayern, he said: "You can't promise anything in football. We would be happy if he stayed with us forever."

Carro added that there was a strong likelihood Wirtz would become the most expensive German transfer in history if he left.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Tah, 28, will be a free agent in 2025 and may head to Bayern at the end of the season, as the German defender is unlikely to sign a new deal at Leverkusen. Wirtz's contract runs until 2027, so the reigning Bundesliga champions have more negotiating power with the 21-year-old. But, if he does go, CEO Carro believes it will be a record fee for a German player – something that is held by Kai Havertz's 2020 move from Leverkusen to Chelsea for £71 million ($92m).

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Both Tah and Wirtz could be in action for Leverkusen, who sit fifth in the Bundesliga, in their next league match at home to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday afternoon.

The home side were left to chase 253 on a surface that has offered assistance throughout

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Mar-2021Jake Doran played arguably the innings of his career with a brilliantly complied 98 on a demanding pitch at the MCG to give Tasmania a good chance of victory having set a target of 253.Doran was the ninth man out, edging James Pattinson to slip, having faced 237 deliveries, only five of which were boundaries, on a surface that offered help for pace and spin. His effort, which followed a half-century in the first innings, enabled the last five wickets to add 147 before Victoria’s openers managed to get through a testing four overs.”Think that’s the best I’ve batted in first-class cricket so far,”: Doran said. “The toughest conditions and a good bowling attack. First innings it was your early sort of MCG wicket where it was nipping around then second innings you weren’t convinced if it was staying up, going low, nipping, a bit of everything.”In total, Tasmania fought their way to 199 further runs on the third day in 90 overs having resumed on 2 for 64. The match appeared to have tipped Victoria’s way when Mac Wright’s 129-ball stay ended with an edge to slip off Scott Boland who then claimed Caleb Jewell in the slips to leave Tasmania 4 for 90.Alex Doolan fell trying to attack Jon Holland, but Beau Webster (22) and Jarrod Freeman (30) provided valuable contributions alongside Doran as the lead slowly grew towards 200.A 47-run stand for the eighth wicket between Doran and Ellis then strengthened Tasmania’s position further before the last three wickets fell for five runs. Jake Fraser-McGurk held a stunning reflex grab at short leg to remove Ellis while last-man Peter Siddle, who has a damaged left thumb, edged a delivery from Holland that spat from the surface.Holland finished with 2 for 46 from 33 overs while Pattinson produced some unplayable deliveries among his 3 for 54.

Celtic are interested in signing a player from a huge European club this summer, with Manuel Neuer an admirer of the reported target.

Celtic transfer news

The Hoops have been linked with various potential signings since completing the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup double this season, with Brendan Rodgers no doubt wanting to stave off the threat of Rangers as much as possible.

Paulo Bernardo impressed for Celtic on loan from Benfica in 2023/24, helping them secure trophy success, and he could make a return to the club on a permanent basis this summer. The 22-year-old is thought to be "keen" on the idea of coming back to Parkhead, with his current club also willing to sell him.

Meanwhile, Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips has been mentioned as a high-profile target, as the Englishman looks to rebuild his career after an underwhelming spell at the Etihad. Another loan spell has been mooted, but Rangers are also among the teams who are interested in snapping him up.

Bojan Miovski was one of the most impressive attacking players in the league this season, shining for Aberdeen and scoring 16 times in the competition, and he has been tipped to move to Celtic, too, being seen as a potential alternative to Adam Idah if he doesn't join permanently.

Celtic want £24,000-a-week player on loan

Joe Hart will need to be replaced after his retirement from football, and according to Bild [via Sport Witness], Celtic are interested in signing Bayern Munich goalkeeper Daniel Peretz on loan during the summer window.

The Scottish giants are far from alone in expressing a willingness to snap up the 23-year-old, however, with Premier League side Nottingham Forrest also mentioned in the report. The same applies to FC Copenhagen, Anderlecht, Real Betis and Villarreal, too, with all six clubs making initial enquiries.

Peretz would represent a strong addition for Celtic, not least because he has spent the past 12 months or so working next to one of the leading 'keepers in the history of the game in Neuer, having arrived from Maccabi Tel Aviv last summer.

In fact, the iconic German has shown his appreciation for his teammate, following an agreement to allow him to replace him in one Bundesliga game, in order to enjoy his only league minutes of the campaign: "That was agreed upfront. We agreed if the result allows it we’ll do it. Daniel gave the team so much over the entire season. He deserved to get the minutes today. We’re all happy Dani was on the pitch today."

Still only 23, Peretz is still growing in his role, but he could be an excellent replacement for Hart, potentially even moving to Parkhead on a permanent deal if he impresses on loan.

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The importance of nailing Hart's successor cannot be understated, and while the £24,000-a-week Israel international is less experienced and at a different point in his career, the fact that Bayern signed him and he is playing for his country suggests he is a standout option between the sticks.

Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly considering launching a 2026 bid to sign an impressive defender who just scored a Premier League brace.

Carragher name-drops Marco Silva as pressure grows on Frank

Thomas Frank should be pleased that his side showed some resilience to complete their comeback against Newcastle United late on in midweek, but it was ultimately another attacking performance to forget. The Lilywhites found themselves relying on Cristian Romero brace to salvage a point as their frontline once again struggled to create.

The pressure is certainly growing on Frank, who is quickly losing the backing of supporters thanks to his pragmatic style. It remains to be seen whether ENIC pull the plug so early into the manager’s tenure, but that didn’t stop Jamie Carragher from suggesting a manager that he’s always seen heading to Spurs.

The Sky Sports pundit and Liverpool legend said: “I actually think he was the one manager Everton should have stuck with. I’ve always seen Silva at Tottenham, I’m not saying Tottenham as in change Thomas Frank put Marco Silva in.

“The point I’m trying to make is not quite go from Fulham to like you know a Liverpool or Manchester City you think going to sort of compete for the league but sort of that sort of level just belong with it trying to get you know Champions League maybe, you know Aston Villa, that type of team that would almost be the next step for him in the Premier League.”

Of course, if Spurs are to make a decison then it should come before the January transfer window, when they could look to sign a defensive addition.

Tottenham eyeing Van Hecke bid

According to TeamTalk, Tottenham are now eyeing a bid to sign Jan Paul Van Hecke in 2026 following the defender’s impressive start to the campaign for Brighton. Like Romero in midweek, Van Hecke netted an unlikely brace for the Seagulls, highlighting his surprising goalscoring threat in a dramatic 4-3 defeat against Aston Villa.

That said, Van Hecke’s set-piece threat is unlikely to be the main reason for Tottenham’s interest. Instead, their focus will be on his defensive prowess – especially as Frank continues to experiment with an occasional back three.

In Romero, Micky van de Ven and Van Hecke, the Lilywhites would suddenly have a solid trio to choose from in a back three. That, in itself, would go a long way towards turning things around for Frank.

Brighton rarely make things easy for buying clubs, however, and the praise of manager Fabian Hurzeler suggests that the Seagulls will be keen to keep hold of their man.

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The young manager told reporters last season: “I think it’s very important that we recognise he’s a very young player. He’s 23 and he plays an unbelievable season. He shows great character. I like his character because he’s very straight. He says his opinion, he always has good intentions.”

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Winning the Premier League title is easier said than done, but defending that crown is then another challenge entirely. It makes Pep Guardiola’s and Sir Alex Ferguson’s consecutive title wins in Manchester that much more impressive and exposes the level that Arne Slot looks incredibly unlikely to reach at Liverpool this season.

The Reds spent over £400m in the summer, breaking their transfer record twice. It seemed as though the Premier League title could only be destined for Merseyside, but the reality is that Liverpool are on course to endure one of the worst defences in Premier League history.

Although others have recovered to end the season strongly in the past, the Reds look destined to enter the history books among nine other previous champions.

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Charlie Smith

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Ranking factors:

• League finish – how far the champions fell after securing the title the season prior.
• Club context – The context of the champions’ situation, such as injury issues and other deciding factors.

10

Arsenal 2004/05

From invincible to 12 points behind winners Chelsea, Arsenal failed to follow up their historic campaign a season prior in the 2004/05 season, as Jose Mourinho arrived in style at Stamford Bridge. Whilst it was always going to be difficult to follow the Invincibles, the Gunners would have been disappointed with their blunt title fight.

Defeat against Manchester United ended their unbeaten run and from there, their cloak of invincibility evaporated. Arsene Wenger’s side won one of their next five games, leaving Chelsea to take full advantage.

9

Man Utd 2003/04

Man Utd can be forgiven for being up against the Invincibles in the 2003/04 campaign, but it’s still a season that didn’t meet the incredibly high expectations set by Ferguson. The Red Devils slipped to third place, despite leading the title race in early January.

After defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers, United didn’t recover and allowed Arsenal to take full control on their way to a historic title win. To make matters worse, those at Old Trafford also fell behind Chelsea in the same season.

8

Liverpool 2020/21

The 2020/21 season saw Liverpool’s Anfield superpower handed its very own Kryptonite, as the world came to a standstill courtesy of the Covid-19 pandemic. There were fears that the Reds wouldn’t even get the chance to end a dominant title win the season before, but football soon resumed and they ended their wait for glory, albeit in an empty stadium.

A season later, anything that could go wrong did for Jurgen Klopp as injuries piled up and Liverpool were left with a centre-back partnership of Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips. It was touch and go whether they’d secure a top four finish, but Alisson Becker’s stunning header against West Bromwich Albion ensured that Liverpool ended a nightmare campaign in glorious fashion.

7

Chelsea 2017/18

The first season under Antonio Conte is one to remember for most clubs, but what tends to happen next is anything but memorable. The Italian arrived at Stamford Bridge in the 2016/17 campaign and secured the English crown after changing to a back three and reviving Victor Moses into an excellent wing-back.

One season later, however, and a public fall-out with Diego Costa sparked the start of Chelsea’s downfall. The Blues looked a shadow of the champions that they became a season prior and were beaten 3-0 by Bournemouth and 4-1 by Watford, before Conte lost his job at the end of the campaign.

6

Man Utd 2013/14

Over 10 years ago, Man United last entered a Premier League campaign as defending champions. And that’s where their problems commenced. In their first campaign without Ferguson, the Red Devils finished as low as seventh as David Moyes lasted until April before facing the sack.

At the time, the Scot took much of the blame, but United’s problems didn’t end when they sacked him. In fact, in the last decade, things have only become worse and worse for the Red Devils, who finished as low as 15th under Ruben Amorim last season.

5

Blackburn Rovers 1995/96

Like Man United in 2013, Blackburn Rovers went from lifting the Premier League title in the 95/96 campaign to finishing as low as seventh one season later. Blackburn, again like United, lost their manager at the end of their title-winning campaign, with Sir Kenny Dalglish choosing to resign off the back of success.

As a result, the champions struggled under Ray Harford and dropped to as low as 17th at one stage, before a revival in the second-half of the season took them up to seventh. It was a season to forget and not enough to keep hold of Alan Shearer, who netted 31 goals before heading to Newcastle United.

4

Leicester City 2016/17

It was back to reality for Leicester City in the 2016/17 season after they pulled off the miracle of all miracles one year prior. From shock champions, the Foxes found themselves attempting to avoid relegation, as Claudio Ranieri lost his job and the late Craig Shakespeare was left to pick up the pieces.

The champions still sat 17th by the time that February arrived, before Shakespeare picked up five straight wins to take Leicester to a 12th-place finish. Statistically, it is the worst title defence in Premier League history, but the context of their squad and just how great a shock their title win was in itself matters here.

3

Leeds United 92/93

Although Leeds United were technically not defending the Premier League title, the 1992/93 season was the first campaign of the rebranding and they entered it as English champions. After winning three of their first 10 games, the Whites’ title defence was all but over and the departure of Eric Cantona to Man United in January all but confirmed that.

By the end of the campaign, a Leeds side who lost their best player finished as low as 17th, with United taking full advantage to begin an incredible run under Ferguson.

2

Liverpool 2025/26

No one could have predicted the season that Liverpool are having. The Reds won their opening five games, albeit by utilising stoppage-time in dramatic fashion more than once, and looked on course to defend their crown when it all clicked. But then it never did click.

After breaking their transfer record twice to sign Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, Liverpool have been a shadow of the champions that they became. Truth be told, they’ve looked like a squad still in mourning for their teammate, Diogo Jota.

Mentally, Liverpool look entirely drained. Physically, they’ve been outmatched. The effect of Jota’s passing is undeniable, but Slot must find a tactical solution to steady the ship before his side, who sit 12th after 12 games, make unwanted history.

1

Chelsea 2015/16

The return of Jose Mourinho restored Chelsea’s glory in the 2014/15 season, but things were far from special one season later. The legendary manager started the season by arguing with physio Eva Carneiro, who eventually won a £5m settlement, and things only got worse from there.

After nine losses in 16 games, Mournho was sacked by the Blues and replaced by Guus Hiddink. The caretaker manager finally got Eden Hazard firing on all cylinders again to win the famous ‘Battle of the Bridge’ and end Tottenham Hotspur’s title hopes, yet it was not enough to restore Chelsea’s pride. They ended the campaign in 10th.

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Skipper slams 75 from 44 to help make short work of small chase

ECB Reporters' Network15-Jun-2021

Luke Wright entered the 2021 Vitality Blast with a stunning 75 off 44 balls as Sussex Sharks made it three wins from three with a seven-wicket victory over Essex Eagles.The Blast’s all-time leading run-scorer missed the opening two rounds after splitting the webbing in his hand while practising fielding on the eve of the competition. But he made up for lost time by bringing up his fifty in 33 deliveries as Sussex chased down Essex’s below-par 128 for eight with 36 balls to spare.Wright looked at home right from the start, with boundaries from his second and third deliveries – two of eight fours.Opening partner Phil Salt earned a life when he bludgeoned a full toss to mid-on, only to earn a reprieve for the umpire to judge the ball to have been above waist-height, much to Simon Harmer’s chagrin. Salt was run out for 13, after putting on 54 with Wright before Travis Head added 60 together with the skipper.Wright continued to his 26th Blast half-century, going past 8000 T20 career runs, with a pair of straight sixes and another over cow corner. He departed with six still needed but Delray Rawlins clattered the winning runs over long-off soon after.Wright’s day had started perfectly as he won the toss and stuck the hosts in – although Will Buttleman struck successive sixes in the fourth over. On a used hybrid pitch, scoring proved difficult for Essex with only Buttleman, Michael Pepper and Jimmy Neesham’s strike rates topping 100, for those who reached double figures.The strain on scoring was exemplified by the last over of the Powerplay, which saw just one run, as Paul Walter struggled to lay a bat on Chris Jordan – the run rate throughout the innings hovering just below seven an over.To add to the Eagles’ woes, wickets were a regular occurrence. Tom Westley and Buttleman fell in the Powerplay – the former picking out deep midwicket off George Garton and the latter slapping a Tymal Mills slower ball to cover.Walter was stumped, Ryan ten Doeschate clubbed old pal Ravi Bopara to long off, Pepper – having scored 38 off 25 balls – drilled to extra cover, Harmer miscued to midwicket, Jack Plom skied to mid-off and Neesham was comprehensively bowled.Garton ended up with 3 for 31, with Mills, Jordan and Bopara all going at under a run-a-ball.