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England scored 153 runs in the 28 overs of the middle session to hurt India

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Aug-2025

Harry Brook made a 91-ball ton after coming in at 106 for 3•Getty Images

Tea A stunning partnership worth 195 between Harry Brook and Joe Root put England on the cusp of a series-sealing win at The Oval. India had taken control of the fifth Test when Brook walked out to bat at No. 5 with 268 runs still required, but he seized the moment with an audacious 91-ball hundred, his tenth in Tests and his first in the fourth innings of a match.Brook was given a life late in the morning session, picking out Mohammed Siraj at long leg with a miscued pull shot only for Siraj to tread on the advertising toblerone on the boundary rope. Rather than prompting a change in approach, the reprieve led Brook to double down, slapping India’s seamers around as he raced to 38 off 30 balls at lunch.If he rode his luck at times, his attacking intent worked in his favour: soon after lunch, Prasidh Krishna drew a thick outside edge which flew away between the solitary slip and gully, with the field spread to try and keep a lid on England’s scoring. He continued to bludgeon anything short through the leg side, but rotated the strike with ease through the afternoon.Brook’s celebrations are typically restrained but he showed his emotion when sprinting back for two to reach three figures, pumping his fists, swishing his bat and throwing his head back in relief. He was out seven balls later, losing his bat as he attempted to swipe Akash Deep for a third boundary in a row, but the damage had been done.Root, meanwhile, played in Brook’s slipstream, ticking over with few qualms and occasionally freeing his arms – including belting Ravindra Jadeja back over his head for four, and swinging a high full toss over midwicket. India could not dislodge him, reviewing unsuccessfully after Siraj trapped him on the pad on 88, and he responded with back-to-back boundaries to reach 98.India’s session was personified by the exhausted Akash Deep: he attempted to stop a boundary by sticking out his boot, only to divert the ball back over the rope, and then lost his footing when Jacob Bethell skewed a caught-and-bowled chance back to him. Siraj kept charging in, bowling 17.1 overs in the first two sessions, but could not conjure up another game-breaking moment.

Gary Lineker is reportedly in talks with Netflix to feature in its US coverage of the 2027 Women's World Cup. The former Match of the Day host left the BBC's flagship football show in May after a string of controversies. Now, the former England international could return to sports broadcasting in 2027, with fellow Rest is Football podcast hosts Alan Shearer and Micah Richards potentially also being involved.

Lineker's long stay with BBC ends

In late May, Lineker announced his exit from MOTD after 25 years in the role. The ex-Tottenham striker eventually left the organisation after sharing an Instagram post about Zionism that included an antisemitic symbol. Now, The Times claims he is in discussions with Netflix about presenting at the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. This follows after the streaming giant secured the rights to show live coverage in the US of the 2027 and 2031 Women's World Cups. 

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'Quit or be quitted'

Following his BBC departure, the 64-year-old revealed his exit from the broadcaster was not entirely of his own volition.

In July, when asked if his exit was "of his own volition, or a case of quit or be quitted?", Lineker told The New World, via The Independent, "the latter".

He also apologised for his actions, saying, "I made a mistake and I immediately took it down and apologised, which I thought should have been enough."

'A defining voice in football coverage'

At the time of his departure, Tim Davie, the BBC's then director general, praised Lineker, while also alluding to his error of judgement. 

"Gary has acknowledged the mistake he made. Accordingly, we have agreed he will step back from further presenting after this season," he said. "Gary has been a defining voice in football coverage for the BBC for over two decades. His passion and knowledge have shaped our sports journalism and earned him the respect of sports fans across the UK and beyond. We want to thank him for the contribution he has made."

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Getty Images EntertainmentWhat comes next for Lineker?

While those talks with Netflix continue on in the background, Lineker will continue hosting his popular football podcast with Shearer and Richards. Aside from football, he is currently fronting the ITV game show, The Box.

The Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series last season and now they're continuing to win the offseason as they have agreed to a deal with another dominant pitcher.

Bob Nightengale reported Tuesday morning that the Dodgers have reached a tentative deal with closer Kirby Yates. The 37-year-old right-hander spent last season with Texas Rangers where he racked up 33 saves. He also had 85 strikeouts in just 61.2 innings of work.

This past Sunday the Dodgers added another stud reliever in Tanner Scott and a few days before that they signed Japanese phenom pitcher Roki Sasaki.

The Dodgers are clearly not messing around as they prepare to defend their title this season.

Arsenal’s terrible luck with injuries last year seems to have carried over to this season.

On top of the mountain of attacking injuries, Mikel Arteta is now set to be without Gabriel Magaheles for up to two months.

Fortunately, the squad is fairly well stacked in defensive areas, and so while it’s not ideal, the Spaniard should be able to find a way to make his backline work.

Moreover, that defensive depth is likely to get even stronger within a few years, as Hale End are currently brewing someone who could be a dream Gabriel heir.

Arsenal's next Hale End stars

It feels like every season now, a Hale End gem or two emerge and slot right into Arsenal’s first team, be that Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly or even Max Dowman.

The good news for the Emirates faithful and Arteta is that the production of incredible young talents shows no signs of stopping, with a few academy gems looking likely to make a first-team appearance or two in the coming years.

One of those who seems destined for the senior side is Northern Irish youth international Ceadach O’Neill.

The 17-year-old attacker joined the club in 2023 and has shone for the u18s.

On top of being able to play across the frontline, the “brilliantly” talented gem, as dubbed by the Gunners’ U21 coach David Horseman, has shown an eye for goal, scoring 11 and providing five assists in 32 games for the u18s.

Right Winger

11

2

3

Centre-Forward

7

6

1

Left Winger

7

3

1

Right Midfield

2

0

1

Left Midfield

1

0

0

Another hugely exciting young attacker is Brando Bailey-Joseph.

The 17-year-old only signed scholarship terms with the club a few months ago, but has already been rewarded with a professional deal thanks to his sensational performances this season.

For example, in 14 appearances this season, totalling 929 minutes, he’s scored four goals and provided four assists, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.75 games, or every 116.12 minutes.

Hale End expert Will Balsam has described the youngster as an “explosive” attacker whose “quickness and sharp cuts” make him a “menace” for opposing defenders – which sounds like the sort of left-winger the first team could use.

In all, there are more than a handful of academy gems like O’Neill and Bailey-Joseph who could soon make it into the first team, but few are as exciting as Hale End’s best defensive prospect in years.

Hale End's future Gabriel replacement

Now, for a youngster to be considered as a future replacement or heir for Gabriel, they’ve got to be something pretty special.

Fortunately, as things stand, Marli Salmon looks to be just that.

In fact, Mattinson has gone out on a limb and described the exceptionally talented prospect as “the best CB Hale End has produced.”

What makes the 16-year-old so special, then? Well, like the big Brazilian he might one day step in for, he’s excellent at reading the game and is incredibly cultured on the ball.

For example, Mattinson has described him as “technically advanced,” and Balsam argues that he’s “different gravy on the ball” and has a perfect “mix of control and aggression.”

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

However, if he wants to one day step into Big Gabis’ shoes, he also needs to be someone who can engage in a bit of old-school defending, someone who can hold their own against the battering rams.

Fortunately, despite looking relatively slight – he is still 16 after all – the Hale Ender is already showing signs that he’s far stronger than he looks.

According to Balsam, he’s an “athletically gifted” defender who marries technical composure with “freak physical attributes.”

Finally, the last sign that he has a bright future ahead of him is that he featured in pre-season and, just like Dowman, didn’t look too out of place.

Ultimately, there is still a long way to go, but Salmon looks like he could be Hale End’s next superstar and the perfect long-term replacement for Gabriel.

A new Zubimendi: Berta makes first move to sign "Rodri-like" CM for Arsenal

The incredibly exciting prospect could be another Zubimendi for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 20, 2025

Lamine Yamal is racing against time as Barcelona build a detailed recovery plan to get him ready for the upcoming Champions League showdown against Chelsea. The 18-year-old has been sidelined by a painful pubalgia issue, forcing him out of Spain duty and limiting his training load. Barca insist they won’t rush him, but optimism is growing after he partially returned to group training this week.

Yamal targets Chelsea return amid ‘tricky’ injury setback

According to , Barcelona have set a clear objective for Yamal to recover fully from pubalgia and return in time for the high-stakes Champions League meeting with Chelsea. The 18-year-old winger has been managing significant groin discomfort for weeks, an issue the club describes as “annoying rather than serious,” but one that demanded a complete stop to his activity. His condition forced him to withdraw from Spain’s World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Turkey, and Barca medical staff feared the injury could worsen if not treated aggressively.

The club began a two-phase treatment plan beginning November 10, when Yamal underwent invasive radiofrequency therapy. He was instructed to rest between 48 and 72 hours before starting a meticulous rehabilitation schedule with two of Barcelona’s physiotherapists. That programme has already produced visible progress, and Yamal returned to partial group training on Wednesday at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, a key step after days of exclusively individual work.

Inside Barca, the priority is simple, have Yamal match-ready for the Chelsea clash, a fixture that could define the club’s Champions League trajectory. While Saturday’s league meeting with Athletic Club has not been ruled out, any involvement would be minimal. His comeback timeline remains tight, but the club believes seven to ten days is realistic if his recovery continues without setbacks.

AdvertisementAFPDoctors warn of months out as external specialist oversees care

Barcelona’s medical team has been clear with Yamal that this injury is delicate, and mishandling it could lead to months on the sidelines. The pain returned sharply after his recent performance against Celta Vigo, where he scored and assisted but finished the match feeling a familiar discomfort. According to report, the teenager was “worried about the extent of the injury,” prompting Barca to bring in renowned Belgian specialist for an additional evaluation.

The doctors have reportedly since approved the rehabilitation plan and will return to Barca in the coming days to reassess the winger. Surgery was never considered an option, neither Yamal nor his entourage were willing to entertain it, but both sides agreed that external expertise was essential to managing a condition known for its tendency to linger.

Describing the injury as “tricky,” club doctors stressed that any shortcut could jeopardise the rest of his season. Their instruction to the player has been blunt to take the rehabilitation seriously, avoid unnecessary media and physical strain, and allow the treatment cycle to stabilise the groin area. Yamal has responded with full commitment, reducing public appearances and focusing exclusively on recovery work.

Reduced exposure, personal changes & renewed focus

The physical pain hasn’t been the only challenge for the sensation. The report reveal that the injury lay atop a complex emotional stretch. After El Clasico, the teenager opted to drastically reduce his media presence. His next planned video, he reportedly told his inner circle, “will only be released” if he plays against Chelsea. This shift is part of a broader effort to declutter his environment and cut back distractions during a crucial recovery phase.

A personal chapter that had introduced moments of tension in recent weeks, has also reportedly been ended. Barcelona believe this renewed focus will benefit him, especially given his relentless ambition. The winger has installed a physiotherapy zone and water-recovery systems in his new home, determined to refine every detail of his professional routine. Those around him insist his drive “to be number one” remains unchanged.

Even during the painful months since September’s international break, Yamal continued delivering decisive moments. He scored in league victories over Elche and Celta Vigo and had a goal and an assist in the Champions League draw against Club Brugge.

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Getty Images SportBarca’s UCL stakes and why Chelsea is the priority

Barcelona’s urgency stems from the club’s precarious Champions League position. With only two wins from four league-phase matches, the Catalans sit 11th, behind clubs like Tottenham and Galatasaray, and are fighting to secure a top-eight finish needed for a direct round of 16 berth. The tie against Chelsea has therefore become vital, both for points and momentum.

For Hansi Flick Yamal’s presence could be decisive, particularly with the team still adjusting to the reopened Camp Nou atmosphere after two and a half years away. While a cameo against Athletic Bilbao remains possible, Flick’s staff have made clear that no risk will be taken if any discomfort persists.

Barca want Yamal at full throttle for Chelsea, and Yamal is expected to continue alternating between individual work and controlled group sessions over the next four days as Barcelona monitor his response to load increases.

For Barcelona, the next week is critical and as they return to Camp Nou against Athletic Club before travelling to London for a match that may shape their European future.

Minto stars for England with five-for, but Ratan takes 4 for 9 to seal comfortable victory

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay05-Sep-2025Bangladesh U19 292 (Hossan 100, Minto 5-68) beat England U19 205 (Mohammed 75, Ratul 4-9) by 87 runsRizan Hossan’s authoritative century off 101 balls outdid a five-wicket haul from Durham’s James Minto and a sparkling 75 from Isaac Mohammed as Bangladesh Men U19s beat England Men U19s by 87 runs in the first Youth One-Day International at Loughborough.Despite a confident start, a target of 293 proved too much for the hosts, as England dramatically collapsed from 132 for two to 205 all out. Bangladesh’s spinners combined to take eight wickets. Samiun Basir Ratul stood out with outstanding figures of 4.2-0-9-4.Bangladesh openers Zawad Abrar and Rifat Beg made a brisk start, reaching 31 for none after five overs. Abrar’s brace of sixes over fine leg during an expensive opening spell by Minto typified their approach. Progress was halted when Leicestershire’s Alex Green claimed Beg’s wicket with his first ball, which grazed the leg stump and ended the 44-run opening stand.Bangladesh captain Azizul Hakim Tamim, who was dropped on four, was next to depart, caught by Kent’s Ben Dawkins off Yorkshire new-ball bowler, Matthew Firbank, for 11. England struck again when Abrar gloved Minto down the legside, at 69 for three in the 13th over the Young Lions appeared to gain a foothold in the game.However, a fourth-wicket partnership worth 148 between Kalam Aleen and Hossan allowed the visitors to regain the initiative.Initially Hossan was the main aggressor, he got to his fifty off 58 balls with a stylish boundary over midwicket. Aleen’s half-century, characterised by strong sweep shots, soon followed off 68 balls, as both batters manipulated the field effectively.The partnership was broken by Minto in the 39th over, who took two wickets in consecutive balls, leaving the score on 217 for five. Firstly, Aleen played across the line and was trapped LBW and then Mohammad Abdullah was the victim of another legside strangle, with captain Thomas Rew completing a regulation catch.England’s impressive death bowling meant that only 66 runs were added in the final 9.2 overs of the innings. The late flurry of wickets included Hossan, dismissed by Nottinghamshire’s Hatton-Lowe, one ball after getting to a deserved century. In the final over, Minto mopped up the innings, bagging two tailend wickets in two balls, the left-armer finishing with five for 68.England’s chase of 293 began badly, as Fahad castled Dawkins, in the first over of the reply. Joe Moores followed in the sixth over for 14, a looping top edge offering Tamim a catch off his own bowling.That brought Will Bennison to the middle, the Yorkshire batter in partnership with Mohammed proceeded to dominate the powerplay, accelerating the score to 129 for two after 15 overs. Isaac’s fifty, off only 34 balls, contained a ramped six along with several conventional boundaries.Bangladesh’s breakthrough came via Shadin Islam’s off-spin, bowling Bennison through the gate for 36 off 32 balls. Soon after, Mohammed’s fine innings of 75 ended with a catch to cover, leaving two new batters at the crease and 151 runs needed off 32.2 overs.Skipper Rew and debutant Jack Nelson maintained the pressure until a critical passage saw Middlesex’s Nelson undone by Ratul. The slow left armer also accounted for Rew as England faltered at 189 for six after 26.2 overs.The situation considerably worsened when Ralphie Albert was needlessly run out. The very next ball, Hatton-Lowe was then caught behind off Shahdin.Ratul closed out the game a few overs later with Firbank’s wicket, a sharp catch of his bowling.Mohammed said: “I really enjoyed it to be fair, I just felt good, I’ve doing a lot of training recently and I feel like a lot of that paid off today. At the end of the day the result didn’t go our way but when Sunday comes hopefully we can put it right.”When I’m batting, I like to stay positive, whatever the scenario is, I’m backing my ability.”Speaking about the Bangladesh spinners claiming eight wickets, he added: “At the start it was quite a fresh ball so it wasn’t doing as much. When the spinners did come back on, I’d just got out before that.”But looking at some of the videos, it looked like it was starting to grip, so if we are playing on the same wicket on Sunday, that could be something to look into.”Mohammed, whose Worcestershire are in the men’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup final against Hampshire later this month, to cap a breakthrough season for the batter said: “I’m loving it, and hopefully in the (Metro Bank) final against Hampshire, we can bring home the trophy.”

Before a game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs in August of 2024, then-rookie Paul Skenes took some time to share a pitching tip with fellow first-year pitcher Shota Imanaga of the Cubs. On Thursday, Imanaga returned the favor for Skenes.

Meeting with Skenes on the field at PNC Park before Thursday's game, Imanaga, with the help of interpreter Edwin Stanberry, appeared to be showing the Pirates ace a particular pitching grip, just as Skenes had done for him in '24.

Funnily enough, Skenes's advice to Imanaga came back to bite him later on in the '24 campaign, when the Cubs southpaw pitched seven no-hit innings against the Pirates a week after receiving advice from the '24 National League Rookie of the Year.

"I regret this one a little bit," Skenes said at an All-MLB Awards show in Las Vegas during the offseason. "Shota came up to me when we were in Pittsburgh and he asked me how I held my fastball. And not my sinker. And so I was like, 'Yeah, here you go dude, like, whatever, check it out.' "

"And then he no-hit us his next outing," Skenes said with a laugh.

Imanaga recounted that the talk he had with Skenes may have contributed to the stellar outing.

It's unclear if Skenes utilized any pointers from Imanaga during Thursday's outing. The Pirates flamethrower tossed five innings of three-run ball, walking four batters while striking out a pair.

Liverpool have now reportedly set their sights on hiring a Premier League manager, who Pep Guardiola called “incredible”, in a fresh concern for Arne Slot.

Carragher delivers "honest" Liverpool verdict after PSV defeat

Before the international break, Liverpool could at least fall back on the excuse that much of their bad form came on the road. Anfield, for the most part, remained a fortress. Just weeks later, however, and that fortress has been set ablaze by humiliating defeats at the hands of Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven.

Not everyone is ready to call time on Slot’s time at the club, however, and Anfield legend Jamie Carragher sent a timely reminder on punditry duty that Liverpool aren’t a sacking club, historically speaking.

He said: “Liverpool is not a sacking club, Liverpool, I think, are different from almost every club in European football where the manager is the king, you know, the managers get time.

“Liverpool have never sacked a manager who’s won the league, never in the history. They’ve all, you know, after a few years they’ve gone, they’ve resigned.

Slot must drop 3/10 Liverpool flop who was just as bad as Konate vs PSV

Arne Slot must now axe this Liverpool flop after he put in an extremely poor display at Anfield against PSV Eindhoven.

1 ByKelan Sarson Nov 27, 2025

“I couldn’t believe over the weekend that people were talking about the manager’s job when I spoke to Liverpool supporters after losing at home to Nottingham Forest.

“It’s only going to amplify now and I’ve always been in the camp of you stick with the manager because I’m angry with the players if I’m being totally honest, I’m really angry with the players but it does get to a stage with any manager at any club where I always use this word untenable, where it almost feels like it can’t go on any longer.”

Whether Liverpool chiefs share that view is the big question. Recent reports linking them to the likes of Andoni Iraola certainly suggests that they’re at least preparing for life without Slot.

Liverpool eyeing Andoni Iraola move

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are now eyeing a move to hire Iraola from Bournemouth if they decide to sack Slot. The Cherries boss is someone that Richard Hughes knows well, given that the sporting director hired the Spaniard during his time on the South Coast, and could now turn to him for a second time.

Iraola is one of the most well-respected managers in the Premier League these days. He’s taken Bournemouth to new heights and transformed the likes of Antoine Semenyo, who’s attracting interest from Liverpool ahead of the January transfer window.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been one of the many figures around English football to hand the Bournemouth boss praise, telling reporters earlier this season: “Andoni is an incredible, well-respected manager in Spain and did an incredible job in Rayo Vallecano.”

It doesn’t get much better than praise from the Man City boss, and Iraola could yet get the chance to become one of his biggest rivals if Liverpool make their move.

Gravenberch upgrade: Liverpool ready record bid for "best CM in the world"

There was a pause in play while Pakistan sought clarification from the umpires

Andrew Fidel Fernando05-Oct-2025

Pakistan captain Fatima Sana chats with the fourth umpire after Muneeba Ali’s run-out•Associated Press

Confusion over whether opening batter Muneeba Ali was actually deemed run-out caused a brief stoppage in the fourth over of Pakistan’s chase against India in their World Cup match in Colombo, with Pakistan querying the decision on the edge of the boundary while the dismissed batter Muneeba remained on the edge of the field of play.The sequence of events that led to the confusion was unusual. First, Muneeba had not been attempting a run – she had been batting out of her crease (presumably to counter swing) as India appealed for an lbw off the bowling of Kranti Goud. As that appeal went up, Muneeba had promptly grounded her bat behind the crease before the throw from Deepti Sharma came in from the slip cordon. However, she had very briefly raised her bat off the ground again without having grounded any other part of the body behind the line, and it was in the moments her bat was slightly raised that Deepti’s throw hit the stumps and dislodged the bails.ICC Playing Condition 30.1.2 does allow for a batter to lose contact with the ground beyond the crease and not be given out, but that exception is only granted to a batter who is “running or diving towards her ground”. Muneeba was merely stepping back into the crease, and there was no momentum that would have necessitated her bat leaving the crease.The playing condition states: “However, a batter shall not be considered to be out of her ground if, in running or diving towards her ground and beyond, and having grounded some part of her person or bat beyond the popping crease, there is subsequent loss of contact between the ground and any part of her person or bat, or between the bat and person.”Related

TV umpiring slip-ups come under the scanner at Women's World Cup

Sidra Amin reprimanded for breaching ICC code of conduct

Harmanpreet: 'It wasn't an easy pitch to bat'

Goud, Deepti seal another big win against Pakistan

Bugs halt play between India and Pakistan in Colombo

The confusion was partially caused by conflicting third-umpire decisions being flashed on the big screen. Muneeba was initially given “not out” on the screen and even the India players had returned to their places. But that decision was soon changed to “out”, prompting celebrations from the India players and a puzzled expression from Muneeba, who animatedly sought clarification from the on-field umpires.It is possible third umpire Kerrin Klaaste had first given Muneeba not out before having seen the footage beyond Muneeba’s initial grounding of the bat. It is likely that after seeing the full set of replays – where Muneeba raised her bat again – Klaaste changed her decision.Once the on-field umpires confirmed she was out, Muneeba began to leave the field, but a flurry of activity near the Pakistan dugout gave her pause. She seemed to be getting instructions from her team-mates to remain on the field while they queried the decision again, this time from fourth-umpire Kim Cotton, who was at her station in between the two team dugouts. Muneeba was seen to be in further discussion with her team-mates – captain Fatima Sana in particular – as next batter Sidra Amin stood on the edge of the boundary without entering the playing area.Eventually, Sana appeared to signal to Muneeba that she may leave the field, likely having received further clarification surrounding the dismissal. Amin entered the field and went on to take strike. The incident caused a stoppage that went for several minutes longer than a regular run-out would take.Muneeba would also have been given out lbw off that delivery had India reviewed the on-field umpire’s not out decision. Her dismissal left Pakistan 6 for 1 in four overs in their chase of 248.

Jurrien Timber says Harry Kane is one of the best players in the world but admits that Arsenal are relishing the chance to keep the Bayern Munich striker in check. The Gunners have had an outstanding start to their Champions League campaign, scoring 11 goals and conceding none in four games. That record has only been bettered by Bayern, who top the competition's league phase table on goals scored. Now, they are preparing to lock horns.

Getty Images SportArsenal host Bayern in heavyweight clash

On Wednesday night at Emirates Stadium, Premier League leaders Arsenal entertain Bundesliga table-toppers Bayern in a mouth-watering contest. Both teams have 12 points from a possible 12 in their Champions League campaigns so far and both have comfortable leads in their respective divisions. The German giants have scored a remarkable 41 goals in 11 Bundesliga matches, winning 10 of them, whereas the Gunners are six points clear ahead of second-placed Chelsea in the Premier League. Arguably for both sides, this is their biggest test of the season. Both teams are in strong positions to make it through to the knockout stages of the competition, and a defeat in north London will not be terminal. But bragging rights are on offer, likely sending a message to their European rivals. One man who has helped Bayern reach this point is England captain Kane, who has continued his prolific scoring form this season. If Mikel Arteta's side can stop him, they may come out on top.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKane presents 'a nice challenge'

Arsenal defender Timber is well aware of Kane's quality. The 32-year-old has scored 26 goals in 19 appearances for club and country this term, but on the flip side, the Gunners have conceded just six times in all competitions. Either way, this is a clash of two juggernauts fighting for supremacy.

When asked about having a plan to combat Kane, he replied: "That is not going to be easy, of course. I think he is an amazing striker, everyone knows that. He has so many qualities. He has been doing it for such a long time already, and now at Bayern Munich he has been one of the best players in the world. So, it is going to be a nice challenge for us as a team, as defenders, to stop him tomorrow. I think when you face an opposition with Harry Kane as the striker, he is a topic and you discuss him as defenders, because he is one of the dangerous players. It is the same with any other game, we discuss their players and the way they play. For tomorrow, it is the same."

Timber also talked up how hard it is for teams to breach Arsenal's defence, with the players eager to be part of that collective effort.

"If you look at Ebs’ [Eberechi Eze] performance the other day against Tottenham, he scored three goals but defensively he was amazing as well," he said. "So, I think it is the whole team that is trying to step up and do a bit more also. You have the example of Gabriel, everybody knows he is out and at the same time we know as defenders, as a team, we have to step up when a big player like him goes out of the team. I think it is just everyone taking their responsibility in defending and also attacking."

Kane wary of Arsenal's threat

You don't have to go too far back for an Arsenal vs Bayern clash. Indeed, the two clubs faced off against one another in 2024, with the Bavarian outfit knocking out Arteta's side in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Kane himself had an excellent record against Arsenal while playing for Tottenham, with the striker finding the net on 11 occasions. But he thinks that won't have much bearing on Wednesday's fixture.

Ahead of the game, he said: "With Tottenham, it was always one of the biggest games of the season against Arsenal; I have friends who are fans of both teams. It's not quite the same with Bayern as we don't always play against each other – we got an important win against them in the quarter-finals two years ago. I've scored a lot of goals here in this stadium – but haven't won many games. I hope we can change that tomorrow. Obviously when I was at Tottenham, the North London derby was always a big moment. But it's not about me against Arsenal, it's about Bayern against Arsenal. I'm in good form and it's all about helping my team and scoring goals."

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Getty ImagesArteta ready for big Bayern test

While some sides may balk at a challenge such as facing Vincent Kompany's high-flyers, manager Arteta is chomping at the bit for this one.

He told reporters on Tuesday: "For sure, this is the kind of game in the competition that we want to face, and we've been very consistent in both competitions and as you mentioned they have as well. Tomorrow is a great test for us to see where we are."