On the TNT Sports panel for Liverpool’s Champions League clash against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday, Steven Gerrard was hesitant to say that Arne Slot’s side are in a crisis.

But after being dispatched 4-1 by Peter Bosz’s Dutchmen, it’s difficult to argue anything even bordering the contrary. That was Liverpool’s ninth defeat in 12 matches across all competitions, and the crisis – yes, crisis – is deepening.

The most concerning thing is that there is so much talent in this side. Liverpool are chock-full of elite talent. But synergy and belief are in short supply at Anfield.

Slot is steadfast in his belief that he can craft an exit from this rut with the tools at his disposal, but sporting director Richard Hughes is gearing up for a January signing nonetheless.

Who Liverpool need to sign in January

There has been plenty of chatter relating to the need for a centre-back at Liverpool. It’s true. Despite Real Madrid ending their interest in Ibrahima Konate, the Reds are still short at the back after missing out on Marc Guehi last summer.

However, Slot has suggested that Liverpool have another area of the field on their mind, his frontline so imbalanced this season.

As per i News, Liverpool are leading the race for Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, following initial enquiries, with David Ornstein previously confirming the Reds’ interest and that the Ghanaian winger has a £65m release clause in his contract that becomes active this January.

Semenyo is also courting intrigue from the likes of Manchester City, but Liverpool feel they have a good chance of bringing him over to Anfield after opting against signing a like-for-like Luis Diaz replacement this summer.

What Semenyo would offer Liverpool

It is promising to note the incremental progress Semenyo has made since joining Bournemouth from Bristol City in the Championship for about £10.5m in January 2023.

Last season, he was lauded for going to “another level” in the Premier League by teammate Lewis Cook, growing into his skin under the tutelage of Andoni Iraola, instrumental in the Cherries’ 56-point finish.

Ferocious and powerful, he has only gotten better since the summer, notching six goals and three assists across his first 11 matches in the division this term.

There is far more to the 25-year-old’s game than just goal contributions, but he has still managed to post more than all of his teammates at the Vitality Stadium.

Antoine Semenyo

27 + 13

40

Justin Kluivert

23 + 11

34

Dominic Solanke

21 + 4

25

Marcus Tavernier

10 + 11

21

Evanilson

13 + 6

19

His talismanic qualities and “world-class” form, as said by another teammate, Justin Kluivert, underscore Semenyo’s suitability at Liverpool, especially as his pace and power and burgeoning prolificacy has led Reds analyst Josh Williams to dub him “the closest you’ll find to peak Mane right now”.

This, and Semenyo’s big-game ability, suggests he could be one of the Anfield side’s finest signings in a long time, perhaps even since £60m was paid to RB Leipzig to bring Dominik Szoboszlai over from Germany.

Szoboszlai has had his ups and downs in a Liverpool shirt, but has bloomed into a superstar of a midfielder this season, stepping up and becoming a leader of men while applying his tireless energy and sharp technical skills at a time when ailing Liverpool desperately need them.

Liverpool’s Hungarian general is a masterful midfielder, cut and dry as the outfit’s best player this term; it is not even close.

While he is a wholly different type of player from Semenyo, they share an athletic likeness and have both established themselves as leading lights at their respective sides.

If Liverpool can both add balance to their side while infusing the squad with more in-form ability than has been on show this year, it will only be a good thing as Slot and Szoboszlai and the rest fight to steer the club out of the ditch they have slipped into.

Such a signing could be a catalyst for change, and at a comparatively shrewd £65m figure, Semenyo might just prove to be one of Liverpool’s best signings in a number of years.

Better than Isak: Liverpool join race for "one of the best RWs in the world"

Arne Slot’s Liverpool tenure is crumbling before him, and FSG are considering changes.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 28, 2025

Prior to the international break Liverpool suffered a chastening 3-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City.

Considering Pep Guardiola’s side are perennial title challengers, you can excuse that blemish on Arne Slot’s copybook.

However, as the Reds welcomed lowly Nottingham Forest to Anfield on Saturday, it was a wonderful opportunity to build some momentum and find some form ahead of a kinder run of fixtures.

How disastrous it has started. Slot’s job was brought under further scrutiny as his men were downed 3-0 in front of their own fans. Gulp, this was not what Liverpool needed.

Across their last 11 games, they have only won three games. This is certainly not the team that won the Premier League at a canter last term.

At the centre of their issues has been Ibrahima Konate.

Konate's performance vs Nottingham Forest

Last season, Trent Alexander-Arnold didn’t quite throw in the towel but his performances were abject as he pursued a move to Real Madrid.

This season, the same thing appears to be playing a factor in the performances of Konate who looks a shadow of his former self.

The Frenchman has been error-ridden this season and his display against Forest summed everything up.

Analyst Raj Chohan took to social media to exclaim that “every time he makes one error, he makes multiple.”

He was notably at fault for the controversial moment that Igor Jesus was involved in when his goal was disallowed for handball.

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The Brazilian completely caught out Liverpool’s underperforming centre-back as he threw himself to the floor and was fortunate that it was ruled out.

So poor was Konate’s display that he was dragged off on 55 minutes soon after Liverpool went 2-0 down. He left the pitch with a wry smile, hardly the attitude you want from someone who’s been linked with a move away so regularly, and to Madrid of all places too.

He was handed a 3/10 match rating by GOAL but didn’t leave the pitch as their worst performer.

Liverpool’s worst performer against Nottingham Forest

While Liverpool’s defence will come under the microscope of scrutiny for their failings against Sean Dyche’s men, their forward line is also not pulling up any trees either.

For a side that spent over £200m on Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, far far more should be expected.

Wirtz did not start the game at Anfield on Saturday but Isak did. Fans, however, must be wishing he hadn’t.

Signed in a British record £125m deal over the summer, it has been a wretched first few months in Liverpool red for the Swede.

He has played nine times now and only has one goal, a strike in the Carabao Cup, to show for his efforts.

Since then, Isak has failed to score. He’s without a goal in five league games and all four of his Premier League starts have ended in defeat.

The nadir of his Anfield career so far came this weekend when he was anonymous against Forest. GOAL handed the striker a dismal 2/10 rating, writing that he ‘hardly had a kick’ and ‘wasn’t even close to breaking his duck here’.

As a result, he was subbed off for Federico Chiesa after 68 minutes and simply cannot be in the starting lineup for their Champions League clash in midweek.

Isak vs Forest

Minutes played

68

Touches

14

Accurate passes

5/7 (71%)

Key passes

1

Successful dribbles

0

Shots

1

Shots on target

0

Ground duels won

0

Aerial duels won

0

Stats via Sofascore.

While Hugo Ekitike has barely been in good form himself, Liverpool’s best displays in 2025/26 have come with their fellow summer signing in the team.

Isak’s display this time around was so anonymous that he had just 14 touches of the football. In the process, he gave possession away seven times. For every two touches of the ball, he was squandering possession.

Usually so technically secure and comfortable in possession, it’s a huge worry that he can’t even get himself into the action.

To compound the striker’s woes, he lost every single one of his duels and managed just one shot which wasn’t even on target.

For any new signing to be in such a desperate rut would be a concern, but when he’s the most expensive player in Premier League history, it only heightens the issue. He is paying the price for a lack of pre-season and it’s desperately hurting Liverpool’s season.

Perhaps they should have stuck with Ekitike after all.

Forde returns after recovering from a shoulder injury, while Springer has been drafted in because of injuries to other seam bowlers

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Nov-2025

Matthew Forde returns from injury and Gudakesh Motie has been left out for remedial work on his bowling action as West Indies announced their 15-member squad for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, scheduled from November 5 to 13.Forde, who hasn’t played any cricket since July, has completed rehab following a shoulder problem. His recall comes alongside the inclusion of Shamar Springer, drafted in to strengthen a seam attack depleted by injuries to Ramon Simmons and Jediah Blades, both ruled out of the tour. Springer has two wickets from two T20Is so far, the last of which took place in October 2024. Forde has 17 wickets from 13 T20Is.Related

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Gudakesh Motie looks to reinvent what it means to be a left-arm spinner

Motie, the left-arm spinner, has been omitted following what CWI described as a “recent dip in form” linked to technical issues in his action. On the tour of Bangladesh, he had figures of 0 for 44, 3 for 65 and 1 for 53 in three ODIs, while bowling just one over for 11 runs in a lone outing during the T20I series.He will work with specialists from the Royals Sports Group to address those concerns ahead of the SA20 in December, where he will represent the Paarl Royals. According to CWI’s statement, Motie is still expected to play a “key role” for them at next year’s T20 World Cup. The decision to leave him out of this tour was also related to pitches in New Zealand not being conducive to spin.A new face in the management set-up is Krisnan Hurdle, a clinical psychologist appointed as Mental Skills and Performance Coach beginning with the New Zealand tour. The role, first announced in October, was identified as a key step after an emergency board meeting earlier this year.Right-arm seamer Forde – who picked up a shoulder injury in the summer – is one of only two fast bowlers in the squad alongside Jayden Seales, but allrounders Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd and Springer add to their seam-bowling options. Shamar Joseph is sidelined after experiencing discomfort in his shoulder while training in Bangladesh last month.Led by T20I captain Shai Hope, the batters on the tour are Brandon King, Alick Athanaze, Ackeem Auguste, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford and Amir Jangoo.The spin department will be manned by Roston Chase, Akeal Hosein and Khary Pierre.West Indies’ five-match T20I series against New Zealand starts with back-to-back games at Auckland’s Eden Park on November 5 and 6, followed by two fixtures at Nelson’s Saxton Oval on November 9 and 10, before wrapping up at Dunedin’s University Oval on November 13. They recently completed their maiden 3-0 sweep in an away T20I series by beating Bangladesh.West Indies T20I squad
Shai Hope (capt), Alick Athanaze, Ackeem Auguste, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Amir Jangoo, Brandon King, Khary Pierre, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Shamar Springer.

حلل إريك جارسيا، مدافع نادي برشلونة، خسارة فريقه أمام تشيلسي في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، موضحًا أن البلوجرانا عانى كثيرًا ضد النادي الإنجليزي بسبب ضغط لاعبي البلوز، متطرقًا إلى إكمال البرسا اللقاء بعشرة لاعبين كذلك.

برشلونة تعرض إلى خسارة مذلة أمام تشيلسي بثلاثة أهداف مقابل لا شيء يوم أمس الثلاثاء، ضمن دوري أبطال أوروبا لحساب الجولة الخامسة من مرحلة الدوري.

وفشل برشلونة في تقديم أي شيء يذكر أمام تشيلسي، والذي كان الطرف الأفضل بوضوح في لقاء الأمس، وقدم مباراة مثالية استحق خلالها الانتصار.

ويرى جارسيا في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو”، أن طرد لاعب برشلونة، رونالد أراوخو، كان له دور كبير في خسارة الفريق أمس.

أراوخو طرد في نهاية الشوط الأول، عقب تدخل عنيف على مارك كوكوريلا، لاعب تشيلسي، ما جعل حكم اللقاء يشهر في وجهه الإنذار الثاني ومن ثم البطاقة الحمراء.

اقرأ أيضًا .. مدرب تشيلسي بعد الفوز بثلاثية على برشلونة: جعلناهم يفقدوا الشعور بالراحة

وقال جارسيا: “كانت مباراة صعبة، بل صعبة بالفعل مع 11 لاعبًا ضد 11، ثم مع وجود نقص عددي حاولنا القتال من أجل الفوز، إنهم يمتلكون الكفاءة ويعرفون كيف يجدون المساحات”.

وأضاف لاعب مانشستر سيتي السابق في حديثه: “كانوا يكسرون ضغطنا ولم نتأقلم جيدًا على ما حدث في المباراة، كانوا يلعبون من الخلف بثلاثة لاعبين، وكنا نحاول الاختراق مع الظهيرين. كانوا يجدون اللاعب الحر وكنا نطارد الكرة باستمرار”.

واختتم: “علينا أن نكون أكثر تنافسية في هذا النوع من المباريات، إن لاعبي الفريق المنافس يلجأون إلى الصراعات الثنائية والكرات الثانية، إذا لم تضع لنفسك حضورًا قويًا، فسيكون تحقيق الفوز شبه مستحيل”.

ثم تحدث زميل إريك جارسيا في برشلونة، خوان جارسيا وقال: “إنها هزيمة نكراء، بدأنا المباراة بشكل جيد ثم استقبلنا هدفًا من ركلة ثابتة، وفي الشوط الثاني أردنا الصمود وإيذاءهم بهجمة مرتدة، الهدف الثاني مؤلم”.

وأضاف: “يضغطون بقوة في منطقة الجزاء ويلعبون بكثافة، أتيحت لنا فرصنا بتشكيلة من أحد عشر لاعبًا ضد أحد عشر، وفي النهاية لم يكن ذلك كافيًا”.

وأوضح: “كانت الرسالة في الشوط الأول هي بذل الجهد واستغلال الفرص المتاحة لنا، لكن هدفهم المبكر أربك إيقاعنا”.

واختتم حارس مرمى إسبانيول السابق: “نريد الحفاظ على نظافة شباكنا قدر الإمكان، لم نتمكن من ذلك في المباريات القليلة الماضية ولا يزال أمامنا طريق طويل”.

Fast bowler has taken cautious route to recovery after knee surgery but says he’s nearly ready for action

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Oct-2025Mark Wood says he is “quietly confident” that he will be fit and ready to perform in the first Ashes Test in Perth on November 21.Wood was England’s leading wicket-taker in their 4-0 loss in the 2021-22 Ashes and blew Australia away with his pace to be named player of the match at Headingley in the 2023 series. But he has not bowled in a competitive match since the Champions Trophy in February, missing the entire English summer after surgery on his knee.He had initially targeted the fifth Test of England’s Test series against India for a potential comeback and was seen bowling with international team-mates in the nets throughout the summer. However, he reported swelling which required fluid to be drained from his knee. A similar setback saw him miss out on Durham’s County Championship run-in.Wood is due to arrive in New Zealand next week where he will join up with England’s white-ball squads and step up his rehabilitation, though he will not feature in a competitive match. He has been bowling in the heated marquee at England’s training base in Loughborough in recent weeks, and believes he is in a “good position” ahead of the Ashes.”It was a frustrating summer,” Wood told the podcast. “I didn’t get to play any cricket and my knee, at times when you think that you’re just about ready to play, it was not just quite there.Related

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“I got knocked back a couple of times, but in the tent it’s been going well. I’ve had the speed gun out and the pace is getting up there, so I’m building nicely into New Zealand first, and then the Australian leg.”Hopefully, I’m in form, bowling well in the practice games and in the nets, and can put my hand up for that game [in Perth]. The rehab hasn’t just been a straight curve. It’s been a bit up and down, but I’m in a good position now where I’m hoping to kick on for that game.”I never want to give an answer where I say, ‘Yes, I’m pumped, I’m ready’. But I’m in a confident place at the minute and feeling a lot more positive, so I’m quietly confident.”Wood said that his rehabilitation from knee surgery has been different to previous elbow and ankle injuries, and described the process as “annoying”. He explained: “You keep thinking, ‘I’m nearly there’ and you’re just about to press the trigger to play. The fifth Test against India, I was so close, and then when I was at my top speed, my knee swelled up so I had to have it drained.”Then again at the back end of the year with Durham, I was so close to playing a game, but again, I just kept getting this slight swelling. The ECB, with what was coming up, were like, ‘Look, it’s a risk we don’t need to take.’ Thankfully, the last few times I’ve bowled, there hasn’t been that swelling there. It’s much more positive.”Wood has also spent some of this summer building his coaching credentials for his post-playing career, including a short stint with the England Lions. He is studying for his Level Three coaching qualification in the same cohort as several former England players, including Steven Finn, Chris Jordan, Sarah Taylor and Chris Woakes.

Liverpool continue to push to complete the signing of Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise, with a new report suggesting an offer is coming his way.

Mohamed Salah’s struggles this season have increased the need for the Reds to look at bringing in a long-term replacement in 2026, with Jamie Carragher recently saying he should no longer be a guaranteed starter week in, week out.

“He should always start at Anfield because Liverpool will be on top, around the edge of the box and more often than not he scores in those situations today. But I do think in the away games and helping your full-back, I don’t think Salah should be starting every game right now, certainly away from home, with the form he’s in.

“Would he be OK with that? Probably not. But when you get to a certain age you have to understand that, especially when you’re not playing well, where’s your argument? It’s different if you’re banging in the goals and your manager makes a tactical decision and you’re frustrated. I don’t think Mo Salah’s in any position to complain if he was left out of one of the next two away games.”

Olise has emerged as an option for Liverpool next summer, having matured into arguably one of the best wingers in Europe, and now a new update has dropped regarding the situation.

Liverpool planning record offer for Olise

According to a report from Spain, Liverpool are now planning a mammoth £177m bid for Bayern star Olise, which would smash the club-record fee spent on Alexander Isak earlier this summer. It is added that the Reds have been ‘working for weeks on the salary structure and the leading role the player would have upon his arrival’.

The 23-year-old is naturally seen as a replacement for Salah, who will turn 34 next summer and isn’t a certainty to stay put, should the Premier League champions decide to cash in on him.

The idea of Olise joining Liverpool is so exciting, considering the Frenchman possesses such natural ability, gliding in off the right flank and wreaking havoc.

The former Crystal Palace man is adding more end product to his game, scoring four goals and registering three assists in eight Bundesliga starts this season, as well as being lauded by teammate Dayot Upamecano: “He’s a magician. His technical level is very high. He can do everything. He can score, set up, and even defend.”

Olise should be seen as arguably the best possible choice to be Salah’s successor at Liverpool, with the France international having few negatives working against him.

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He has Premier League experience, which is an added bonus, and has both an aesthetic style of play and plenty of substance in his game at the same time.

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Corinthians e Fortaleza se enfrentam neste sábado (4), pela quinta rodada da Série A do Brasileirão. A bola vai rolar a partir das 21h (de Brasília), na Neo Química Arena, em São Paulo (SP), com transmissão do Premiere.

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BRASILEIRÃO SÉRIE A – QUINTA RODADA

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📍 Local: Neo Química Arena, em São Paulo (SP)
📺 Onde assistir: Premiere
🟨 Árbitro: Felipe Fernandes de Lima (MG)
🚩 Assistentes: Bruno Raphael Pires (FIFA-GO) e Felipe Alan Costa de Oliveira (MG)
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CORINTHIANS (Técnico: António Oliveira)
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João Ricardo; Tinga, Britez, Titi e Bruno Pacheco; Tomás Pochettino, Zé Welison e Yago Pikachu; Hércules, Marinho e Lucero

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Kalvin Phillips left Leeds United for Manchester City to chase his dreams, but since penning an emotional, two-page letter to his boyhood club to mark his departure from Elland Road, his career has been a living nightmare. There have been multiple runs of bad luck, injuries and humiliation, and when his former club visit the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, the England international is highly unlikely to even be on the bench.

A Leeds native, Phillips knew he wanted to play for his local team from the first time he visited Elland Road as a boy. He had a tough upbringing, raised by his mother after his father was imprisoned for much of his childhood and adult life. Phillips was born a triplet but lost one of his sisters when she was a couple of months old, leading to his mother being left to grieve on her own while fending for herself, sometimes going without food so her children could eat.

Phillips would pass the prison his father was interned in every day on the way to Leeds' Thorp Arch training ground, and when he helped the team win promotion back to the Premier League in 2020 for the first time in 16 years, his dad called him so that Phillips could hear the in-mates chanting the club's anthem, 'Marching on Together'.

Phillips was one of the stars as Leeds finished ninth in their first season back in the big time, earning a call-up to the England team in 2020. He subsequently started all seven games for the Three Lions at the European Championship the following summer. One year later, having helped Leeds avoid relegation on the final day of the season, he moved to City in a deal worth up to £42 million, making him Leeds' record sale (albeit only for two weeks before Raphinha joined Barcelona for £55m).

"I hope you guys understand my decision and will accept that I only want to chase my dreams and test myself against and with the best teams and best players on the planet," Phillips wrote when he left for City. Unfortunately, his result in that test was a resounding failure, and Phillips' career has been on a downward slide since, one so steep that he now faces an almighty fight just to get it going again.

Getty Images SportDoomed from the start

It might have seemed like a small detail at the time, but with hindsight one could say that Phillips' time with City was doomed from the start. He was too ill to attend his presentation in front of fans along with the other new arrivals, including Erling Haaland, in the summer of 2022, and he did not have the best introduction to the coaching staff either. 

According to , Guardiola and his assistants noted that Phillips struggled to understand the role of being City's holding midfielder and they quickly concluded that the recently departed youth academy player Romeo Lavia, then 18, would have been a better fit.

Phillips made his first appearance for City in a pre-season friendly against Club America in the unfamiliar position of centre-back, replacing Nathan Ake at half-time. He got 21 minutes in the next game against Bayern Munich, this time in midfield, and when the season began, he played a grand total of one minute across City's three opening Premier League matches. 

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'Overweight'

Phillips made his first City start in an August friendly against Barcelona, but that was when his problems truly began as he injured his shoulder, aggravating a long-running issue. The only solution was to undergo surgery, meaning he missed the next 10 matches, only returning to the matchday squad for the final game before the season paused for the World Cup.

Phillips was still selected by England for the tournament in a call that emphasised how highly he was still regarded by Sir Gareth Southgate, and he made two appearances in Qatar. However, when he returned to Manchester, he was given a shock.

Guardiola didn't pick him for the Carabao Cup tie against Liverpool that kicked-off domestic action following the World Cup, and when asked why in the press conference, the coach gave a surprisingly strong response: "He's not injured, he arrived overweight."

Those comments plagued Phillips for years. "That narrative on social media just grew and grew," he told former Leeds team-mate Patrick Bamford. "Every club that I’d go to, I spoke to, like the manager and the nutritionist and stuff like that, they’d always speak about weight before they’d say anything else. And it got to the point where it peed me off a little bit. I was getting quite frustrated with it."

Getty Images SportNot part of Pep's vision

Phillips was a bystander during City's run to the treble in his first season at the club as he started just two Premier League games, both after they had already wrapped up the title. His second season was even more miserable as he played just 89 minutes of Premier League football across four substitute appearances. 

Again, the writing was on the wall from the start as City signed not one holding midfielder but two, first bringing in Mateo Kovacic and then Matheus Nunes in the summer of 2023. Phillips, who was already struggling to get any game time while competing with the un-droppable Rodri, was now very clearly fourth choice in his position. 

His first start of the campaign in the Carabao Cup against Newcastle ended in a 1-0 defeat, while his only other starts were in meaningless Champions League group games after City had qualified for the knockout stage. He did manage to score his only goal for the club, however, netting from the penalty spot against Red Star Belgrade.

When Guardiola was asked why he used Phillips so sparingly, he gave a damning explanation: "It’s just because I visualise some things and visualise the team and I struggle to see him. I feel so sorry for my decision for him. I’ve said that many times. He doesn’t deserve what has happened to him and I’m so sorry." 

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Getty Images SportNo respite

Having turned down the chance to leave City on loan in the summer of 2023, Phillips took the opportunity to get more game time in January 2024, moving to West Ham. But instead of turning his career around in east London, he plunged to new depths.

On his debut against Bournemouth, he gifted a goal to Dominic Solanke with his second touch of the ball, while in his next home game he was brought on at half-time as West Ham were destroyed 6-0 by Arsenal. At Nottingham Forest he was sent off, he was hauled off at half-time against Burnley, and when he boarded the team bus after a 4-3 defeat at Newcastle, one fan shouted "useless" at him. Phillips raised his middle finger in response.

He played just one more game for West Ham after that incident on Tyneside. His loan spell ended with him making just 10 appearances for the Irons, three of which were starts, while he failed to complete 90 minutes even once. 

Phillips returned to Manchester and went on City's pre-season tour of the United States in 2024, but with it being clear he had no hope of getting regular game time, another loan move beckoned. Newly-promoted Ipswich Town took him on and upon signing Phillips talked of "wanting to enjoy playing football again".

"The main reason I came to Ipswich was to get back playing football," he said. "[To] kind of play football, not stress free, but with less stress and less eyes on me, maybe. When I went to West Ham, I felt like there was quite a lot of eyes on me."

Arsenal are now the last team with a perfect Champions League record this season after they beat Bayern Munich 3-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Gunners have recorded five wins from five and kept up their 100 percent start by ending that of the Germans' in the process. Jurrien Timber put Arsenal ahead in the first half, while Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench to score.

Midway through the first half, Arsenal broke the deadlock. Bayern's terrible record on set pieces was emphasised before the game, and the hosts took full advantage from a corner, with Timber getting in front of Manuel Neuer to nod in a Bukayo Saka corner.

That lead should have been doubled soon after when Eberechi Eze played a neat one-two with Mikel Merino to set himself in on goal, but Joshua Kimmich made a brilliant recovery challenge to deny the derby-day hero. And that missed opportunity came back to haunt Arsenal as Bayern levelled the score seconds later. Kimmich's delectable ball over the head of Myles Lewis-Skelly found Serge Gnabry, whose first-time cross picked out teenager Lennart Karl to thunder in at close range.

After the break, Mikel Merino spurned a free header after an excellent cross from Saka to the back post, while Karl went down the other end in search of his second but his tame shot was held by David Raya. Merino then headed wide from a wicked Declan Rice corner and Neuer kept out Cristhian Mosquera from a few yards out shortly afterwards in a manic 15 minutes following the interval.

An almighty scramble saw Rice force Neuer into a low save with his foot, and the rebound didn't fall kindly for Saka to be able to convert, with the Bayern goalkeeper able to sweep up the loose ball, much to the frustration of a brooding home crowd.

With 20 minutes remaining, Arsenal went back in front. Riccardo Calafiori, just on as a substitute, drilled in a low cross right through the Bayern box, and Madueke arrived ahead of Konrad Laimer to tap in his first goal for the Gunners.

Bayern nearly pulled level again when another straight ball over the defence found former Gunner Gnabry, but he couldn't make contact with his acrobatic effort and Arsenal were let off the hook.

The hosts wrapped up the points in the final quarter of an hour after another howler from Neuer. Eze's dink over the top found Martinelli, who still had 50 yards to go to goal, only for the German keeper to try and meet him halfway, fluffing his clearance and allowing the winger to roll the ball into an empty net.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Emirates Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  David Raya (6/10):

  As has been the case for much of the season, the Spaniard had very little to do.

  Jurrien Timber (8/10):

  Got Arsenal off the mark with his third goal of the season, heading in Saka's corner. Scarcely troubled with his defensive duties despite Gnabry's fine performance, with the German winger having to vacate that flank to get most of his joy. Afforded a rest with White taking his place.

  William Saliba (7/10):

  Nearly cost his side when a clearance hit Zubimendi straight in the backside, but Raya was on hand to clear up the mess. Otherwise dealt well with Kane, who offered very little.

  Cristhian Mosquera (7/10):

  Similarly didn't allow Kane to have a sniff, allowing home fans to gleefully chant, 'Harry, what's the score?'.

  Myles Lewis-Skelly (4/10):

  A testing night for the teenager, who was continually targeted by Bayern's attackers, including in the build up to Karl's equaliser. Mercifully taken off for Calafiori.

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  Midfield

  Martin Zubimendi (7/10):

  Positionally and technically fine again, though his contributions paled in comparison to the scorers and midfield partner.

  Declan Rice (8/10):

  Ran through Bayern in the second half like they weren't even there. Unfortunate not to have grabbed an assist for himself with his tremendous set-piece deliveries.

  Eberechi Eze (7/10):

  Technically set up Martinelli though you could probably chalk that one down as a Neuer assist instead. Didn't look out of place on this Champions League stage. Subbed for the returning Odegaard.

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  Attack

  Bukayo Saka (7/10):

  For the most part a thorn in Bayern's side, coming up with the assist for Timber from a corner, but Arsenal fans may be worried about his rusty physicality. Taken off for Martinelli.

  Mikel Merino (6/10):

  Led the line well and had some opportunities to get on the scoresheet with a couple of headers, but lacked that scoring touch this time out.

  Leandro Trossard (5/10):

  Was set through on goal in the opening exchanges but completely fluffed his lines when faced with the onrushing Neuer. Substituted before half-time with an injury.

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  Subs & Manager

  Noni Madueke (8/10):

  Replaced the injured Trossard before the break. Took it upon himself to constantly get at the Bayern defenders and was eventually rewarded with a goal.

  Gabriel Martinelli (8/10):

  Similarly got what he deserved for showing enthusiasm and personality, racing beyond Neuer to add Arsenal's third goal of the evening.

  Riccardo Calafiori (8/10):

  Made an instant impact in place of Lewis-Skelly, putting in a cross that Madueke couldn't miss.

  Ben White (N/A):

  A late replacement for Timber.

  Martin Odegaard (N/A):

  Made his return from injury in place of Eze.

  Mikel Arteta (8/10):

  Credit to the Arsenal boss again. His side drifted to the end of the first half before they grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck, and his substitutions were pivotal to that.

Marnus Labuschagne’s case for an Ashes call-up continues to grow after scoring his second century in the space of a week in Queensland’s five-wicket One-Day Cup loss to Tasmania.Labuschagne cracked 105 off 91 balls to lead Queensland to 311 of 45.3 overs at Allan Border Field on Thursday.Related

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In reply, Tasmania reached the victory target with 10 balls to spare courtesy of big knocks from Tim Ward, who made his first one-day century from 88 balls, Jordan Silk and Caleb Jewell.Tasmania (3-0) remain unbeaten on top of the table, while Queensland slipped to a 2-1 record.Labuschagne’s hundred came just days after he scored 160 off 206 balls in Queensland’s Sheffield Shield draw with Tasmania, following on from his 130 off 118 balls in the Bulls’ One-Day Cup opener against Victoria last month.The hot run of form comes at the perfect time for Labuschagne, who is in the midst of a huge bat-off for an Ashes spot at the top of the order.Tim Ward drives during his maiden one-day century•Getty Images

Labuschagne is competing with the likes of Sam Konstas, Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris, Nathan McSweeney, Jake Weatherald and Matt Renshaw to partner Usman Khawaja as opener for the five-Test series against England.There is also the option of Labuschagne returning to his preferred No. 3 position if selectors opt not to pick allrounder Beau Webster, who is battling an ankle injury.Labuschagne cracked eight fours and two sixes in his sparkling knock on Thursday. He was dropped on 91 when spinner Nikhil Chaudhary couldn’t hold on to a sizzling return chance.Labuschagne punched Chaudhary for four behind point to bring up his ton off 89 balls, but he was out a short time later when he edged the spinner behind.The exit of Labuschagne sparked a collapse of 7 for 70 as Queensland failed to capitalise on a strong start. Renshaw, who was called up ahead of Labuschagne for the upcoming ODI series against India, scored 38 off 35 balls.Labuschagne’s most recent Test century came against England in 2023, with his lean run of form since then resulting in his axing for the 3-0 series win over the West Indies.His ODI snub this week added further salt to the wound, but Labuschagne replied in perfect style with his ton on Thursday.