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Often when it comes to Leeds United and promotion races, the Whites let their nerves get the better of them.

However, with only one game remaining of the current Championship season, the West Yorkshire outfit are already Premier League bound away from any worries seeping in.

Daniel Farke’s side looked every bit ready for the challenge ahead when brushing aside playoff-chasing Bristol City effortlessly in a huge 4-0 win on Monday night.

There was a carnival-like atmosphere in the air at Elland Road throughout, with no hangovers in sight from the home side’s perspective after sealing promotion.

Leeds' best performers vs Bristol City

Leeds might have been anticipating a trickier tie in truth, considering Liam Manning’s Robins aren’t mathematically safe inside the top six positions.

But, from the get-go, the clash felt like a walk in the park for the hosts, with Ao Tanaka’s calm and collected finish from a floating Manor Solomon ball opening the scoring in the 21st minute.

Solomon – away from assisting Tanaka to break the deadlock – really stood out himself during the one-sided contest, with the electric Tottenham Hotspur loanee amassing two successful dribbles and four shots of his own to try and catch out the sheepish visitors from Bristol even more.

Both Wilfried Gnonto and Largie Ramazani would shine too as the other goal scorers on the night, with Ramazani only needing nine minutes of action to bag a brace, whilst both Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu would accumulate a ridiculous 291 accurate passes between them in the heart of the Leeds defence.

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Of course, alongside the aforementioned Welsh pairing, there was also the influential figure of Junior Firpo pulling the strings once more from defence, with his assist for Ramazani’s first of the clash taking his assist haul to the season up to a mighty ten.

Regardless of his standout showings this season, according to reports, it looks unlikely that the ex-Barcelona man will be kept around for the forthcoming challenge of the Premier League.

However, there is another face in Farke’s starting XI who may succumb to the same fate as the left-back over the summer.

7/10 Leeds star needs an upgrade

Tough conversations will have to take place at Leeds this coming off-season involving who is cut out for the intense jump up to the top-flight, with Farke’s neck already allegedly on the line in this regard.

Brenden Aaronson will also be worrying slightly about his long-term future in West Yorkshire, considering the American has previously floundered at the elite level.

Indeed, last time he was plunged into the choppy waters of the Premier League, Aaronson would only manage to pick up one goal and three assists from 36 outings, culminating in the Whites falling back into the reaches of the Championship.

Now, the ex-Red Salzburg attacker will have a point to prove. But, based on his somewhat wasteful approach against the leaky Robins and his topsy-turvy form this season, he might not be Farke’s preferred choice of number 10 in the far tougher division.

Aaronson’s performance in numbers

Stat

Aaronson

Minutes played

86

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

50

Accurate passes

28/33 (85%)

Key passes

2

Shots

3

Big chances missed

1

Stats by Sofascore

It must be said, this was not Aaronson’s worst night of the campaign, far from it. The £45k-per-week attacking midfielder did manage to link up nicely with Solomon and Co at points as another vibrant option up top, but another goal or assist to add to his season collection of 11 from 45-second tier clashes annoyingly evaded him.

Whilst the likes of Solomon and Tanaka wouldn’t look out of place in the top-flight, Aaronson could well find he’s pushed back into the deep-end once more, with Yorkshire Post journalist Tom Coates even labelling his night as “frustrating” despite his 7/10 rating. It was a night of mixed reviews for the American, which rather sums up his time at Leeds, with the Athletic’s Larry Henry suggesting it was a “really positive display”.

Evidently, an upgrade will be required in the Premier League and it might well be that the likes of Firpo, Farke and Aaronson have all just enjoyed their last nights under the Elland Road lights.

Before any more talk centres on whether the inconsistent 24-year-old could be let go of, Leeds still have the chance to clinch the Championship title on the final day of the season, with Plymouth the location for the Whites’ potential triumph.

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Bangladesh have a rare chance of starting a fresh day with ten wickets in hand, and they have Shadman and Zakir to thank for that

Mohammad Isam22-Aug-2024One thing batters do not look forward to is to face twelve overs of bowling after spending the whole day fielding. Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam’s brave faces weren’t fooling anyone in Rawalpindi. Justin Langer wrote in his autobiography about wanting the twilight challenge, but few are cut from the same cloth.Zakir and Shadman are Bangladesh’s tenth different opening pair in the last three years. After Shan Masood declared the Pakistan innings on 448 for 6 at 4.34 pm local time, they were set to face at least an hour of hellfire from Pakistan’s pace attack. And they did… okay. They blunted Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, and annoyed Khurram Shahzad a little bit. That’s not a bad evening’s work. They have a more work to do but for now this will do.Related

• Rizwan, Shakeel tons define Pakistan's day of gains

• Muted Rawalpindi shows little love for a Pakistan in rehab

The expectations of Bangladesh’s batters have been so low these days that going twelve overs unscathed felt like a big deal. On a tough day for Bangladesh, Shadman and Zakir looked in control to ensure the visitors left the ground with some respite. Shadman is returning to the Test side after 16 months while Zakir is playing his first overseas Test. The pair played out 58 dot balls in the twelve overs and even hit three fours.Batting coach David Hemp wore a smile at the end of the day. He looked like one of those dads who watching their kids’ recital and mouthing their lines along with them. Hemp had received good news earlier in the day from the Islamabad Club where Saif Hassan and Jaker Ali struck hundreds for Bangladesh A. He was however more pleased with what he saw in Rawalpindi.”It is always a challenge to bat for a limited time in the back end of the day,” Hemp said. “After being in the field for five hours. We are really pleased not to lose wickets, but more importantly their approach. They are still trying to capitalise on scoring options. I also felt that they made good judgements about leaving the ball.”Shadman’s recent form should provide some confidence. He made 88 against Pakistan A in Darwin recently. Zakir didn’t have a good outing against Pakistan A in Islamabad last week, but he was beginning to forge a solid partnership with Mahmudul Hasan Joy, whose groin injury kept him out of this Test.Zakir Hasan cuts the ball•Associated PressHemp added that the rest of the Bangladesh batters are also prepared to take on the Pakistan attack. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque are up next, followed by the veterans Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan, and Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz lower down the order.”From what we are seeing in the preparation period, they have all been striking the ball well and getting into good positions,” Hemp said. “They are all confident that they can contribute to the team. We have depth in the batting order with Litton at seven and Mehidy at eight.”[Pakistan] have four good seamers and a reasonable spinner. They have bowling options. They are a good attack. It is going to be a challenge. The priority is to bat the day. We have to negotiate each session, and then see where we are.”Hemp also expected the lower order to contribute runs, citing how the Bangladesh tail stood up against New Zealand in their last Test win, in November 2023.”The mantra in the team is for everyone to be able to contribute,” he said. “Everyone is expected to bat as much as possible. For us internally, we look at contributions from the lower order. We are more interested in balls faced than runs from No 9, 10 and 11. During the New Zealand series at home last year, the last four batters averaged 33 to 34 balls per innings. That’s 120 balls, which kept New Zealand in the field for 20 extra overs. It had a massive impact on the game. For us it is a really important factor.”Shakib, Shanto and Litton have not been among the runs. Mominul and Mushfiqur are low on game time, while Mehidy is also returning from a considerable break. Bangladesh will need a massive effort from the batters to get even in this Test.

“I see a bit of myself in him,” Lewis says of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who he is expected to open with at Sharjah Warriors in the ILT20

Deivarayan Muthu02-Jan-20231:41

Evin Lewis: ‘UAE players should use ILT20 as a stepping stone’

Evin Lewis has called West Indies’ first-round exit from the T20 World Cup in 2022 “a tough pill to swallow”, but says he has moved on and is ready for the inaugural ILT20, where he will represent Sharjah Warriors.During the T20 World Cup, Lewis had also sustained a hamstring injury, which sidelined him from the Super50, West Indies’ premier domestic one-day competition, but he is good to go now.Related

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ILT20 will start with Knight Riders vs Capitals on January 13

“Yeah, it [the T20 World Cup] was a tough pill to swallow, to be honest,” Lewis told ESPNcricinfo. “I had the help of my family, which was the most important thing. When I came home, I tried not to dwell on it too much. These things can actually hurt you a lot if you go too deep into it. So, I had to give that responsibility to my family and the support that they’ve been giving me since I reached home… I’m very thankful for that.”I think I’m in a good space now – both fitness-wise and mentally. I’m happy with the way I’m going about my cricket at the moment. I think Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah – all these are pretty good wickets for batsmen. I think, as batsmen, we have to make the best use of it.”Lewis: ‘I see a bit of myself’ in Gurbaz
Lewis is particularly excited at the prospect of combining with Rahmanullah Gurbaz at the top of the order for Warriors. Having watched him from close quarters at the CPL – Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Gurbaz played for Guyana Amazon Warriors last season – Lewis saw shades of his own attacking style.”I’m looking forward to batting with him [Gurbaz],” Lewis said. “He’s actually a great guy and as everyone knows, he’s a very aggressive batsman and probably someone who can take a bit of pressure off you [while] opening the batting. So, I’m looking forward to opening with him.”I see a bit of myself in him as he’s a guy who looks to get on with the game and tries to score as fast as possible in the powerplay to give the team a good start. So, I think that’s something teams look forward to as an opening batsman.”Evin Lewis and Rashid Khan were team-mates at St Kitts & Nevis Patriots last season•Getty ImagesLewis has played just 12 T20s in the UAE, returning 260 runs at a strike rate of 142.07, but he believes that his most recent T10 stint with Bangla Tigers in Abu Dhabi and the experience of having faced unorthodox spinners like Rashid Khan and Akila Dananjaya at the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots nets in CPL 2022 will hold him in good stead.”I haven’t played much T20 cricket in UAE, but I think the T10 has actually helped me a lot [to get used to conditions] and how to go about my innings,” he said. “You don’t have much time in T10, like in T20, but you always need to get a good start for the team, which is important.”Rashid is someone different when it comes to bowling legspin. I don’t think there’s anyone who is playing cricket like him at the moment. It’s difficult to pick when you’re batting [against] him, but I try my best to pick his mind at times; probably try to analyse which ball he’s going to bowl when. These guys [Rashid and Dananjaya] are professionals and they go about their games very seriously and I respect them for that.”Lewis: ILT20 ‘can open the way’ for UAE players
In a T20 World Cup warm-up game last year at Junction Oval in Melbourne, UAE made West Indies sweat for victory. Fast bowler Zahoor Khan, who picked up two wickets in that game, turned out for Kandy Falcons in the Lanka Premier League last December. Legspinner Karthik Meiyappan, who bagged a hat-trick in the T20 World Cup proper, will now be Lewis’ team-mate at Warriors. Lewis reckons that impactful performances in the ILT20 will open up more opportunities for UAE’s local players in franchise cricket.

“Sometimes, we, as batsmen, tend to focus more on strengths than weaknesses and it’s something we have to learn to do”Evin Lewis

“It would be great for cricket for these guys, playing a huge tournament like this,” Lewis says. “People all around the world will see what these guys can do and probably can open the way for them in terms of different franchises, so I think they should use this competition as a stepping stone more or less and just go out there and perform.”Earlier, Lewis was vulnerable to the incoming delivery, with his head often falling over, but he has recently tweaked his stance, which could serve him well on his return to the Emirates.”Yeah, I’ve worked on that,” he said. “Sometimes, we, as batsmen, tend to focus more on strengths than weaknesses and it’s something we have to learn to do. I made a slight change in my batting stance and not trying to shuffle as much. I try to stay as still as possible and I think that has been going quite well for me thus far.”I haven’t worked specifically with anyone on this. I just have a couple of friends – supportive friends who will go with me when I want to hit balls. Throw balls at me, use bowling machines – these guys have been very supportive in this aspect.”Warriors will open their ILT20 campaign against MI Emirates in Abu Dhabi on January 14.

Kings XI Punjab could do with quicker runs – and not more runs – from their captain

Karthik Krishnaswamy10-Oct-20207:41

Did KL Rahul’s sedate strike rate cost Kings XI?

It feels almost unfair to begin with that quote, but then again, how can one not? On a day when KL Rahul made 74 off 58 (strike rate 127.58) and his team lost by two runs while chasing 165 for a win?How can you not begin with that quote when Rahul wears the Orange Cap with 387 runs at a strike rate of 134.84, while his team sits at the bottom of the IPL table with just one win in seven games?How can you not draw a line connecting all the runs Rahul has scored, and his manner of scoring them, with his team’s results?There are other factors behind where Kings XI sit halfway through their league campaign. Their bowling, for one, particularly in the death overs. But think of it this way: Rahul has been on strike for 287 of the 824 balls faced by Kings XI’s batsmen this season. That’s just under 35% of all the balls they have faced. No other batsman has had as much influence on how their team’s innings have been shaped. No bowler, by the simple fact that they are restricted to delivering at most a fifth of their team’s overs, has had a comparable influence.KL Rahul’s smart runs in his last five innings•ESPNcricinfo LtdAn overall strike rate of 134.84 doesn’t sound terrible. But over the first 30 balls of all his innings, he’s made 195 off 174 balls, at a strike rate of 112.07. Keep in mind that if he has faced 30 balls, he’s used up a fourth of his team’s quota of deliveries.It isn’t that Rahul can’t play any other way. In IPL 2018, he had a first-six-overs (powerplay) strike rate of 157.57. Since then there’s been a perceptible shift in approach, with his strike rate in that phase dropping to 120.83 in 2019 and 116.00 this year.There are reasons behind why he is playing this way, of course.One, Rahul and the Kings XI management probably believe he has the game to make up for his slow starts if he spends a certain amount of time at the crease. So he has a certain allowance to put a price on his wicket – a bit of a luxury in T20s – and play risk-free cricket for a certain amount of time.When it comes off, it can be spectacular. For instance, he smashed 42 off the last nine balls of his innings against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, and finished with 132 not out off 69.But how often will he get that deep into his innings, and once there, how often will he explode as spectacularly? Rahul made 90 off 39 (strike rate 230.77) after crossing the 30-ball mark against the Royal Challengers, but in the three other games where he’s gotten to that point of his innings, he’s made 32 off 24 (against the Rajasthan Royals), 31 off 22 (against the Chennai Super Kings) and, on Saturday against the Knight Riders, 39 off 28.

Compare the situations Maxwell has walked into with the relative blank slates Rahul has at the start of his innings, and you might begin to see that different types of players get judged by different standards in T20 cricket. Recognising that, ask yourself this: what exactly does being the leading run-getter in a T20 league mean if your team has lost six out of seven games?

That’s not a whole lot of payoff. And if Virat Kohli hadn’t dropped him twice just before he went on that late blitz against the Royal Challengers, Rahul would have finished with 83 off 55 (41 off 25 after the 30-ball mark) or 89 off 59 (47 off 29).Rahul certainly can make up for slow starts, but he hasn’t been doing it consistently this season. It can’t be easy for anyone to bat with a certain rhythm for a significant length of time and suddenly change their approach and pull it off time and again.The second reason behind Rahul’s approach could be that he’s often batted alongside someone scoring rapidly enough to make him – or the team management – believe that his best role is to give that batsman the strike and keep the partnership going. Mayank Agarwal has been the quicker-scoring partner in two century opening stands this season, and in both games, Kings XI seemed to be in an impregnable position when he and Rahul were at the crease.Kings XI, however, have lost both those matches. It’s not an unexpected outcome. Data drawn from all seasons of the IPL shows that long partnerships with one partner scoring slowly are often counterproductive. Perhaps Rahul and the Kings XI know this, but feel it’s the only option left to them. That could be another reason behind Rahul’s approach. He may be batting in this manner because the Kings XI either don’t bat that deep – they have played an extra bowler in their last two games and ended up with a long tail – or don’t trust their middle and lower order to build on smaller but more explosive starts from their top order.KL Rahul was dismissed at a most inopportune time for his team•BCCIThat the Kings XI sent in Prabhsimran Singh – who had 258 runs in 15 T20 innings, at a strike rate of 139.45, before Saturday – and not Glenn Maxwell when they needed 21 from 16 against the Knight Riders would suggest they haven’t invested a whole lot of trust in at least one of their regular middle-order batsmen.The fact that Maxwell had only made 48 off 56 balls over six innings before Saturday might suggest that the Kings XI had a reason to not trust him, but that begs two questions: One, why play him at all? And two, could his lack of form and rhythm have something to do with how the Kings XI have used him, or at least be part of the same vicious cycle?Maxwell came into this IPL season having just played two counterattacking, match-winning knocks – 77 off 59 and 108 off 90 – in three ODIs against England. T20 is an entirely different format, but that sort of ball-striking form surely can’t just disappear so quickly.But it can get misplaced if you’re playing in entirely different conditions, and you walk in time and again with not a lot of time to get used to those conditions.In three out of his seven IPL innings this season, Maxwell has finished not out having faced fewer than ten balls. On three of the other four occasions – against the Delhi Capitals, the Mumbai Indians and the Sunrisers Hyderabad – he’s failed to make a significant contribution after walking in with the Kings XI struggling in chases. He’s not been at or even close to his best, but he’s usually not come in with time to play himself in.It’s the job description of the middle-order hitter in T20s, of course: a lot to do in not a lot of time. But compare the situations Maxwell has walked into with the relative blank slates Rahul has at the start of his innings, and you might begin to see that different types of players get judged by different standards in T20 cricket. Recognising that, ask yourself this: what exactly does being the leading run-getter in a T20 league mean if your team has lost six out of seven games?

The Colorado Rockies are trading right-handed reliever Tyler Kinley to the Atlanta Braves, according to a report from Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

The trade will send a prospect back to the Rockies.

The 34-year-old Kinley has accumulated a 5.66 ERA this season, but advanced analytics suggest he's been a better pitcher than his ERA shows. The Braves are hoping that he can be a reliable righty out of the bullpen for the second half of the season, while also giving the franchise the option to add another year of team control. Kinley is earning $3 million this year in the final year of his contract, but has a $5 million club option that Atlanta could exercise for 2026.

The Braves are a disappointing 45–61 this season, and sit in fourth-place in the NL East.

Liverpool have a remarkable aversion to confidently defending Premier League titles. This season and in 2021/22, the Reds have found themselves on a sticky wicket after reaching the top, and Arne Slot has to find the answers quickly.

In fairness, the endless rut the club have found themselves in this season looks to have abated. Liverpool have gone four games without defeat, though it would simply be incorrect to suggest that they are back to their best.

With Mohamed Salah’s uncertain future rumbling in the background, FSG are ready to reinforce the struggling champions with a winter recruit or two.

But it might be at the back, and not in attack, that Liverpool need to prioritise.

Liverpool ready to sign a centre-back

Ibrahima Konate is out of contract at the end of the season, and there is still no resolution in sight. Real Madrid have ended their interest in the French centre-back, though, such has been the severity of his dismal season.

Errors have come by the dozen. Couple that with Konate’s weakness in the build-up, exposed by Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure, and you can see that Liverpool desperately need a new elite partner to help the ageing Virgil van Dijk.

Last summer, Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi was the chosen man, and now, sporting director Richard Hughes is ready to return for him.

According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool remain in pole position for the Three Lions star, with FSG confident that a deal can be struck, considering that personal terms have already been agreed and the player is said to still view Anfield as his preferred destination.

However, Bayern Munich are pushing, and so if the Reds want to avoid any doubts before Guehi’s contract expires at the end of the season, they must bid around £20m to bring him over next month.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, Liverpool’s defensive crisis suggests that that might not be the worst idea in the world.

Why Liverpool must sign Guehi in January

Guehi, 25, is one of the best centre-backs in Europe. Over four years since leaving Chelsea and joining Crystal Palace, he has established himself as “an absolute Rolls Royce of a defender” who is “world-class calibre”, as put by academy coach David Matthews.

The England star is just now coming into his own, stretching toward a widely recognised elite status. Liverpool must ensure that they secure his services before someone else does, especially since it could revive Van Dijk.

There’s no denying that the Netherlands captain has been poor this season, lacking his typical authority and imperiousness at the back.

But then Liverpool’s dysfunctional system has promoted inconsistency, and Guehi could prove the upgrade on Konate needed to rekindle Van Dijk’s flame.

The Eagles star’s ball-playing game is more expansive and dynamic than Konate’s own, and alongside the 34-year-old Van Dijk, he would help create a wider variety of passing patterns than Liverpool fans have been treated to this year.

Looking at how Guehi compares to Konate in the Premier League this season, you can see that the Englishman has more quality on the ball while also proving more combative and mobile in protecting his backline. Palace, remember, have only conceded 12 goals in the league this season, a total bettered only by Arsenal.

Forget all the technical frills for a second; Guehi is quite simply much more composed on the ball than his Les Bleus counterpart, who has made so many mistakes this season.

Couple that with his progressiveness and intelligence when making forward passes, Guehi could be the perfect partner for the veteran skipper, who is still one of the best centre-halves in the business but is getting on a bit and could do with a stable partner who complements his strengths and adds synergy to the wider tactical system.

Liverpool make move for £88m Semenyo upgrade who can be "Ballon d'Or level"

Liverpool may need to sign a new winger given the unsavoury Mo Salah situation.

By
Angus Sinclair

3 days ago

Manchester United have now been told that a £50m offer for an “all action” midfielder will be accepted in the January transfer window.

Man Utd determined to sign central midfielder amid Casemiro update

Casemiro has emerged as one of Ruben Amorim’s key players this season, with the only Premier League game the Brazilian has missed being due to suspension, and Fabrizio Romano has now confirmed that talks over a new contract are now underway.

The transfer expert said: “So now the desire is from Man Utd obviously to continue with Casemiro, but on different conditions.

“So the salary he has right now is a salary Manchester United don’t want to pay in the future. Not because of unhappiness with the player, but because they want to change the salary structure.”

Given that the Brazilian rakes in a whopping £350k-a-week, it is no surprise United are keen to reduce his salary, and it would also be savvy to bring in a long-term replacement for the former Real Madrid man, considering he is set to turn 34 in February.

As such, Man United have recently identified Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Joao Gomes as a target, and there has now been a development in their pursuit of the midfielder, having been told that a £50m offer would be accepted in January.

That is according to a report from Football Insider, which reveals Man United are determined to bring in a new central midfielder, having missed out on their key summer targets, and they could launch a move for Gomes when the upcoming transfer window opens.

Wolves are hesitant to sanction a departure, which is why they are demanding £50m, although the 24-year-old would still be far more affordable than Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, who would both cost over £100m.

"All action" Gomes could be viable Casemiro heir

Much like his compatriot, the Wolves star excels at winning back possession, having averaged 3.34 tackles per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 96th percentile when compared to other midfielders.

Scout Ben Mattinson has also confirmed he rates the Brazilian highly, describing him as an “all action” midfielder, a “dog of a ball winner” and an “excellent box crasher”, while also praising the central midfielder’s physicality.

The 10-time Brazil international is also now very experienced in the Premier League, having made 104 appearances in the competition for Wolves, during which time he has amassed seven goals and four assists.

Their new Pogba: INEOS "would love" to sign £100m + star for Man Utd

Manchester United appear to be making strides in a deal to land a top-level player for Ruben Amorim’s squad.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 26, 2025

Gomes has proven he deserves a chance to prove himself at a bigger club, and Man United should definitely capitalise on Wolves being bottom of the table by trying to lure him away in the January transfer window.

The Los Angeles Dodgers touched down in Tokyo, Japan on Thursday morning ahead of their MLB regular-season opener at the Tokyo Dome next week.

After landing in his home nation, Shohei Ohtani took to social media with a simple message for his fans, helping to build excitement for the upcoming two-game set against the Chicago Cubs.

"I'm back," wrote Ohtani, translated from Japanese.

Ohtani posted a series of images and videos upon his arrival in Japan, one of which included his beloved dog Decoy next to plenty of luggage.

The two-game series against the Cubs gets underway on Tuesday, March 18, with first pitch set for 6:10 a.m. ET.

Before establishing himself as a generational talent in MLB, Ohtani was lighting it up back home in Japan, where he was a two-way superstar for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. He played in the Nippon Professional Baseball league until 2017, after which he joined MLB's Los Angeles Angels, and subsequently the Dodgers. Now, he's hoping to put on a show in front of his adoring fans in his home country.

In addition to Ohtani, the Dodgers roster fellow Japan natives Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, both of whom are expected to take the Tokyo Dome mound for the games against Chicago. Meanwhile, the Cubs will be deploying All-Star starter Shota Imanaga during the first of the two games.

Chelsea and England talisman Cole Palmer has now successfully trademarked his infamous goal celebration even though he has previously admitted that he copied the idea from Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers. The trademark is only related to use of the celebration in commercial ventures, meaning other players can still use it on the pitch should they wish to do so.

Palmer trademarks his 'cold' celebration

Palmer's trademark application has been approved by the United Kingdom's government Intellectual Property Office, as reported by The Chelsea star had previously trademarked his 'Cold' nickname and has now made the same move with his celebration. It won't stop players from mimicking him on the pitch, but it does means others can't use it for commercial purpose without his permission. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhy has Palmer made this decision?

Paul Jordan, partner and co-head of the trademark, designs and copyright group at Bristows LLP told "I think for me this just looks like someone, in Cole Palmer, he or his advisors are taking their intellectual property and image rights really seriously. And they're just trying to assemble a bundle of registered rights that they can demonstrate to the world are super important, which might drive value when he’s entering into deals. I think is about assembling a bundle of rights to say, 'hey, look, I take intellectual property seriously, I'm doing everything in my power to button up anything that I think is proprietary to me', rather than you’re going to see lots of lawsuits seeking to restrain other people doing the gesture."

Chelsea star follows Ronaldo and Mbappe

Palmer's move sees him follow in the footsteps of some greats of the game. Ronaldo has previously trademarked his famous 'Siuuuu' celebration, while Kylian Mbappe has done the same with his signature move of crossing his arms and tucking his hands underneath his armpits after scoring. Former Real Madrid star also Gareth Bale moved to trademark his 'Eleven of Hearts' celebration during his career and Erling Haaland's famous yoga pose has received the same treatment. Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly famously copied Haaland's celebration on the pitch after scoring for Arsenal against Manchester City earlier this year.

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Palmer admits celebration came from Rogers

Palmer may have become synonymous with the celebration but he has previously admitted to taking the idea off former Manchester City team-mate Rogers. He told : "I first did the 'cold' celebration last December in a game against Luton where we won 3-2. It's a nod to my former City academy team-mate Morgan Rogers [who is now at Aston Villa]. It symbolises joy, passion and hard determination for the game plus it's funny as it works well with my name. Everyone knows it's my celebration. Lots of people might have done it, but everybody knows it is my celebration."

Rogers subsequently admitted he had come up with it first:He definitely copied me. It's my celebration. Check the timeline, I did it first. He's one of my closest friends in life. I couldn't be more proud of him."

Palmer isn't the only player to have used the celebration, with Valencia winger Diego Lopez insisting he came up with the idea first. He told earlier this year: "I haven't received the receipt yet… I don't know if it's because he doesn't have my address, because they haven't given it to him or why. If you want, I can explain that I have been doing this celebration for four years and I will continue to do it. In fact, I hope to do it more often because it will mean that I have scored a lot of goals."

The NWSL finished the season with a five-percent overall dip in attendance from its record-setting 2024 season, when it averaged 11,235 fans per game. This year, the league had an average attendance of 10,669 across 182 games, nearly even with 2023. Eight of the NWSL's 14 teams had year-over-year drops. Meanwhile, four clubs set attendance records.

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  A developing trend?

  The NWSL's decline mirrors MLS's five-percent drop this season as well, with the men's top-flight league also having a record attendance year in 2024. Among the more concerning declines were the San Diego Wave, which had a 26-percent decrease from 2024 and 35-percent drop from 2023.

  The arrival of San Diego FC, an MLS expansion club in the city, and Alex Morgan's retirement could have played a factor in those numbers, according to Sports Business Journal. The other major drops included the Chicago Stars FC (22 percent), Angel City FC (16 percent), Utah Royals FC (16 percent) and Racing Louisville FC (15 percent).

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  On the bright side

  To the positive, five clubs had increases, and four set franchise records for attendance. 

  North Carolina Courage crowds increased by 21 percent to an average of 7,684, the biggest improvement in the league – despite the club missing the playoffs. The Orlando Pride increased by 15 percent while the Washington Spirit continue to grow under owner Michele Kang, with a nine-percent increase.

  Bay FC had an increase of eight percent, but that includes a match at Oracle Park, which set an NWSL attendance record of 40,091. Gotham FC, the Courage, Spirit and Pride all set club records for attendance.

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  The top five

  San Diego led the league with 18,233 fans on average last season, but their decline in 2025 put the Portland Thorns on top at 18,173 per game. 

  NWSL 2025 Top Attendance Leaders

  Rank	Club	Average Attendance
  1	Portland Thorns FC	18,173
  2	Angel City FC	16,257
  3	Washington Spirit	15,259
  4	Bay FC	14,823
  5	San Diego Wave FC	13,427

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• 'Business is incredibly strong'

  Sarah Jones Simmer, NWSL COO, downplayed the dip in overall attendance. 

  "Our underlying business is incredibly strong,” Simmer said in a statement. “Across the league, we’re seeing consistent attendance growth, franchise-best seasons, and record-breaking moments in markets big and small. The fact that so many clubs set all-time attendance highs in 2025 speaks to the durability of demand and the momentum powering the NWSL’s future.”

  Overall, seven of the 12 teams that have been in the league for more than two seasons drew larger crowds in 2025 than they did in 2023.