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Mikel Arteta has been tipped to become a “legend like Arsene Wenger” as Arsenal push for a long-awaited Premier League crown, with former team-mate Louis Saha insisting the Spaniard finally has the strongest squad in England. Saha believes Arteta’s mentality, maturity and tactical growth now put him on the brink of matching the Frenchman’s legacy, if he can turn dominance into a title.

Arsenal again deemed Premier League favourites

Arsenal once again find themselves in the thick of a Premier League title race, and this season’s strong start has reignited belief that Arteta’s project may finally reach its long-promised peak. Having fallen painfully short in three consecutive campaigns, the Gunners have assembled a squad widely regarded as the most complete in the division, giving Arteta his best chance yet to lift the coveted league trophy. The renewed optimism has prompted former players to speak out, including Saha, who believes Arteta is now positioned to achieve something historic.

Arteta’s transformation of Arsenal has unfolded over several phases, from the emotional near-miss of 2022-23 to the more controlled title push of 2023-24 and the tense, regression-tinged 2024-25 campaign. Throughout these cycles, Arsenal have developed resilience, tactical depth and a hardened mentality that was once lacking, allowing them to compete with serial winners, Manchester City, and Liverpool. The club’s consistent presence near the summit has built a foundation of scars, experience and belief that Saha suggests could prove decisive this time around.

Yet the stakes are higher than ever, as Arsenal’s inability to convert dominance into silverware remains the one lingering shadow over Arteta’s tenure. Having crafted a squad rich in talent, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, William Saliba and Martin Odegaard among them, the Spaniard now carries both expectation and pressure. According to Saha, this combination is not a burden but a necessary ingredient for a manager who aspires to sit in the same pantheon as Wenger.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSaha believes Arteta could emulate Wenger's legacy

Saha believes Arteta finally has the strongest squad in England and a genuine chance to win the Premier League this season. He explained: “This is definitely the first time that he has the best squad in the Premier League, and they’ve had the best start of any side, too. To be honest, he has the most confidence in his team, because after three or four years under his belt, you can see he has the composure and the mentality the club needs. He needs to still be like that come the end of the season, at those real crunch moments. They’ve been there before. They’ve done this for two years already, and then it falls away, so now they need confidence to go the whole way, to prove it to themselves and others.”

Saha insists that this season could be Arsenal’s breakthrough based on the completeness of the squad. He said: “I think this is the year because when you look at the squad, when you look at the talent, what they have, it's the most complete squad in the league. He has built confidence around it.”

He also praised Arteta’s personal evolution, adding: “I think Mikel has proven that he’s a top manager… sometimes he has made mistakes in communication, but it’s normal to make mistakes as a young manager.  I think now he can prove his critics wrong and show he has learned his lessons.”

He also discussed Arteta’s long-term future and the expectations surrounding him. Saha said: “ It’s good pressure for Mikel to be under. It’s because he has shown tactically he can solve so many problems. He has got on top of the mentality problems at the club, even if they still have not yet got that major trophy. He has shown he and his team can overcome difficult moments, but they need to show that they can keep that approach into February and beyond, when the pressure ramps up even further. If next year they are playing as champions or winners of the Premier League, then the pressure will be even greater to maintain that level of excellence.

Finally, Saha concluded by claiming that Arteta could reach the peaks once walked by Wenger in north London: "He could be a legend like Wenger, and he wants to see the team winning leagues in the same way. They have matched the quality of Wenger’s teams, but not their ability to win titles. That’s their goal next.” 

Getty Images SportArteta and Arsenal forged in the fire of heartbreaks

Arteta’s Arsenal journey has been built on near-misses that shaped the club’s identity while simultaneously frustrating supporters desperate for a return to the top. The 2022–23 season saw Arsenal lead the league for 248 days before collapsing due to injuries and inexperience, setting the template for heartbreak. The following year, they improved defensively and mentally, but could not outlast Manchester City’s relentless run, missing the title by a single point.

The 2024–25 season deepened the psychological burden, as Arsenal faltered in key moments, with Liverpool taking home the title, and ultimately finished third despite possessing one of Europe’s strongest squads. This sequence of narrow failures has hardened the team and matured its core, allowing the 2025–26 campaign to begin with renewed clarity and composure. Crucially, the current season has seen Manchester City show genuine vulnerability, creating a title landscape unlike any Arteta has previously navigated.

Arteta himself has evolved significantly in both tactical flexibility and communication, shifting from a dogmatic structure to a more pragmatic, opponent-specific approach. His squad, enriched by experienced leaders and technical standouts, has shown improved game management and resilience.

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Arsenal fighting for all three titles this season

Arsenal’s title bid now depends on maintaining consistency through the winter schedule, where past seasons have faltered under physical and psychological pressure. The challenge will lie in navigating injuries, managing squad rotation and converting tight matches against lower-table sides—historically a decisive weakness. If Arteta delivers where he previously fell short, Saha’s prediction of a Wenger-like legacy could become the defining conversation of the season.

Following their 3-1 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Arsenal are also being touted as one of the favourites to become European champions for the first time in their history. However, there remains a large part of the season yet to come, and nobody knows better than Arteta that it's not over until the fat lady sings.

It took 12 years, but third baseman Nolan Arenado's play finally and truly took a dip in 2024.

In each of his first 11 years, Arenado either won a Gold Glove, made the National League All-Star team, or both. In '24, he did neither, and his St. Louis Cardinals accordingly missed the playoffs for the second straight year.

At 33, Arenado has three years left on his contract, and his name has surfaced frequently in trade rumors this offseason. On Wednesday afternoon, ESPN's Buster Olney reported that Arenado had a particular team in mind.

"Given that Nolan Arenado vetoed the potential deal to the (Houston) Astros, what some of his friends say is important: They think he would really like the idea of going to the (Boston) Red Sox, if Boston and the Cardinals work out terms," Olney wrote on social media. "Arenado's current mindset: 'Highly, highly motivated.'"

That's positive news for the Red Sox, a team in an intriguing position: while Boston has missed the playoffs three years in a row, its farm system is renowned as one of the best in baseball.

Arenado, a top-10 finisher in the NL MVP race in six of the past 10 seasons, slashed .272/.325/.394 with 16 home runs and 71 RBIs in '24.

Elly De La Cruz just won't stop making history in the early days of his promising MLB career.

The Cincinnati Reds phenom stole his 100th career base Friday night in the fourth inning of a matchup against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park, swiping second base against right-hander Mitch Keller.

Per Opta Stats, De La Cruz is the first player in MLB history to notch at least 100 stolen bases and 30 homers over his first two seasons in the big leagues. De La Cruz has mashed 37 homers—and counting—over his first 250 career games.

De La Cruz's accomplishment is even more impressive when stacked up against more MLB history.

He is one of four players in league annals to tally at least 20 homers and 75 stolen bases in his first two seasons, joining Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. and two other players who competed many decades ago—New York Yankees outfielder Ben Chapman and Cincinnati Reds outfielder Bug Holliday.

MLB players with 20+ homers and 75+ stolen bases in first two seasons*

PLAYER

YEARS

HR

SB

Elly De La Cruz (CIN)

2023 to ’24

37

100

Bobby Witt Jr. (KC)

2022 to ’23

50

79

Ben Chapman (NYY)

1930 to ’31

27

75

Bug Holliday (CIN)

1889 to ’90

23

96

De La Cruz also is on the verge of becoming MLB's first player to lead all of baseball in both stolen bases and strikeouts.

Despite the 204 punchouts entering Friday's game, De La Cruz still has a .343 on-base percentage, high above MLB's league average of .312 this season. And he's clearly making the most of his time on base with 65 steals—14 more than Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani in second place.

يلعب منتخب السعودية تحت 17 عامًا، مباراته الأولى في بطولة كأس العالم للناشئين، مساء اليوم الأربعاء، ضد منتخب النمسا.

منتخب السعودية يلاقي النمسا، في إطار مواجهات الجولة الأولى من عمر منافسات المجموعة الثانية عشر لبطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا.

ويتواجد منتخب السعودية في المجموعة الثانية عشر من بطولة كأس العالم، بجانب منتخبات النمسا ومالي ونيوزيلندا.

وتقام بطولة كأس العالم للناشئين تحت 17 عامًا، في دولة قطر، حيث انطلقت منافستها يوم 3 نوفمبر الحالي وتسمر حتى 27 نوفمبر 2025. موعد مباراة السعودية والنمسا اليوم في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا

تقام مباراة السعودية والنمسا، اليوم الأربعاء 5 نوفمبر، في تمام الساعة 3:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 4:30 بتوقيت السعودية.

طالع.. فيديو | منتخب مصر يسحق هايتي برباعية في افتتاح مشواره بكأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا القنوات الناقلة لمباراة السعودية والنمسا اليوم في كأس العالم للناشئين

تنقل مباراة السعودية والنمسا، عبر قنوات بي إن سبورت المفتوحة على النايل سات، بالإضافة إلي قناة الكأس 3.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

Arsenal's Eberechi Eze has shared that he was ready to sign for the Gunners' rivals Tottenham Hotspur before a call with Mikel Arteta sealed his move to the red side of north London. The former Crystal Palace star had agreed a move to Spurs, but when Arsenal swooped for his signature at the last moment, he never had any doubts about moving to the club he supported as a boy.

'One chat with Mik Arteta…'

On August 19, Eze had seemed set to join Spurs in a blockbuster move that would underscore the club’s ambitions under new boss Thomas Frank. Daniel Levy had all-but sewn up the minor details and the England international looked certain to make a switch to north London.

One day later, the midfielder made a final call to the Arsenal boss with a desperate plea. The FA Cup final hero had supported Arsenal as a youngster, even playing for the club’s academy, and wanted to make a late check that there was no way to move to the Emirates. By the evening, Arsenal had struck the same deal with Palace and completed the hijack of Spurs’ top transfer target to send the footballing world into meltdown.

Speaking about that phone call, Arteta explained: “That shows you how much he wanted to come. It's very different sometimes because you want to be very open and transparent with the players as they have to make decisions in their careers but I'm delighted to have him. I'm delighted to have him, I can tell how much it means to him and his whole family."

A few days later, Eze was unveiled to the raucous Gunners crowd ahead of their victory over Leeds United and, in showing the cold shoulder to their bitter local rivals, had ensured he was already considered a fan favourite.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesEze goes back to school

Now with a handful of games and a goal under his belt at Arsenal, Eze is a key man in the Gunners’ midfield and will face his former club on Sunday. Eze will play against Palace for the first time since making his £60 million ($81m) move and, ahead of the crucial game, returned to south London to visit a school.

As per , Eze was put in the hotseat and thrown a barrage of questions from excited students – including one pertaining to that last-minute Spurs snub. Asked whether he would have signed on the dotted line for the Lilywhites, Eze admitted that “I was prepared to go to Tottenham, but from the moment Arsenal came, it was always going to be them”.

Gazumping Spurs has already paid dividends for the Gunners, who had initially been planning to use the Englishman on the left-wing. Following the injury to Martin Odegaard, Eze has been deployed centrally in midfield and provided a creative spark that was missing from the Gunners midfield when they also lost their captain to injury last season.

Arsenal look to strengthen grip on top

Despite a string of impressive performances, Eze is yet to truly explode at Arsenal. He has chipped in with a handful of assists and scored his first goal in the Carabao Cup, but will now be looking to get on the scoresheet in the Premier League against Palace. He is no stranger to goals in this fixture either, having found the back of the net with a sumptuous volley at the Emirates last season.

Should Arteta’s men see off the Eagles, they will maintain, or potentially extend, their advantage at the top of the division. They are three points clear of second-placed Manchester City and four clear of champions Liverpool as their quest for a first Premier League title since 2004 continues.

With just three goals conceded across all competitions this season, the Arsenal defence has provided an impeccable foundation for the club’s attacking players, now featuring the mercurial Eze, to make the difference. The new Gunners’ new look attack is yet to truly fire on all cylinders, but with Eze starting to find his groove, Arsenal could start to stamp their authority on their lofty perch.

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AFPA first encounter against Palace

Sunday will provide an emotional encounter to Eze, who departed the Eagles as a hero. The Englishman scored in both the semi-final and final of the FA Cup to write his name into the history books at Selhurst Park. As well as FA Cup success, he helped the club beat Liverpool to lift the Community Shield and provide the Palace fans with yet another special day at Wembley.

Despite his affinity with the club, the 27-year-old will have to avoid letting the occasion get the better of him if the Gunners are to take the maximum points available and compound Palace’s recent disappointing run of form.

Cristiano Ronaldo has broken yet another record as the Portuguese legend made World Cup qualifying history with a first-half brace in a 2-2 draw with Hungary on Tuesday. Attila Szalai gave Hungary an early lead in the eighth minute of their match but Ronaldo brought his side back in the game with an equaliser in the 22nd minute before handing the Selecao the lead on the stroke of half-time.

Portugal denied World Cup berth despite Ronaldo heroics

Portugal were on track to book a place at the World Cup next year as they had to come from behind against Hungary. The man who was responsible for leading the charge was none other than their legendary captain Ronaldo. The 40-year-old struck twice in the first half after Szalai handed the visitors an early lead, but Dominik Szoboszlai's last-minute equaliser ensured the match ended 2-2 and Portugal will have to wait until November to secure qualification.

AdvertisementRonaldo breaks World Cup qualifying record

With the equaliser against Hungary in the 22nd minute, Ronaldo went past former Guatemala international Carlos Ruiz's tally to register his 40th World Cup qualifying the most in history. He increased his tally to 41 in 50 appearances with the second goal just before the half-time whistle. He now also has 143 international goals to his name, while the all-time tally reached 947 for club and country. 

CR7 eyes 1000 career goals

Ronaldo is looking to become the first player in history to reach four figures on the competitive goal front. He is within sight of that target after maintaining remarkable individual standards. Prolific strike rates have been enjoyed for Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al-Nassr and Portugal in a career that has spanned over two decades now. The all-time leading scorer in Champions League and men’s international football is determined to further cement his legacy and is now just 53 goals shy of fulfilling that dream.

The former United man has even been told that goalkeepers will want to let in his 1,000th goal. Rene Meulensteen, who has worked with the Portugal icon at Old Trafford, recently said: "He will be remembered for 1,000 goals, but if it is done in a spectacular manner, if it would be done for Portugal, if you would have had a choice, then probably you would say, yeah, let's do it for Portugal. The world will be watching, telling you. Can you imagine being the goalkeeper? You want to let it in, don't you? Because you're going to be remembered as the goalkeeper that let Cristiano's 1,000th goal in."

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AFPPortugal on the hunt for World Cup glory

Ronaldo has achieved almost everything in football, be it on a personal level or collectively with his clubs and the national team. He has won five Champions League titles, league titles in all four countries he has played in and the European Championship with Portugal in 2016. Yet, the only trophy that eludes the Portugal legend is the World Cup trophy. It is also something that his rival Lionel Messi won in 2022, thereby settling the GOAT debate.

However, Ronaldo should once again has a chance in North America next year. Even in the twilight of his career, the Al-Nassr star continues to remain a key player for Portugal. The Selecao will heavily bank on their captain to guide them to glory in 2026 once they secure qualification.

Manchester United and Chelsea both continued their unbeaten starts to the Women's Super League season as a stunning Anna Sandberg strike earned the Red Devils a well-deserved 1-1 draw against the champions, who dropped points for the first time this season. Wieke Kaptein scored an early opener for the Blues and both sides could have gone on to clinch victory in an entertaining encounter between the two early pace-setters.

Man United came into the game having never beaten Chelsea in the WSL, but had the better of much of the first half as they showed just why they have begun the new season unbeaten. Marc Skinner's Red Devils could have gone to the summit of the table with victory, and played like a team with a point to prove.

United striker Elisabeth Terland forced the game's first save early on, before Ella Toone freed Jess Park on the break but she could only clip the ball over. The early signs of encouragement were there, though, until Chelsea took the lead against the run of play in the ninth minute. It was a moment of undoubted quality. Catarina Macario back-heeled the ball into the onrushing Kaptein, who calmly passed the ball beyond Phallon Tullis-Joyce and into the back of the net.

The home side would soon be level, though, and what a goal it was. Receiving a knock-down from Toone, left-back Sandberg hit the ball first time on the volley and saw her strike nestle perfectly into the corner of the net. It was a goal which even the champions could do nothing about.

United were the better side for much of the second period, Fridolina Rolfo seeing a deflected strike rebound off the top of the crossbar while Toone struck just over on a couple of occasions. If any side would win, it looked like the Red Devils – until a couple of nervy moments late on, where Keira Walsh forced a smart save while Dominique Jansen caused a nervy moment for her goalkeeper. One final cross by Blues substitute Alyssa Thompson sailed agonisingly out of play and the referee blew the final whistle after an enthralling encounter.

GOAL rates Manchester United's players from Progress with Unity Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Phallon Tullis-Joyce (7/10):

The Red Devils shot-stopper made several important saves, including one top-class stop from Wieke Kaptein in the first half which she had no right to make from point-blank range. Got down low to keep out Walsh, while sliding at the feet of Thompson to prevent the Blues striker getting in on goal after a defensive error.

Jayde Riviere (6/10):

Did her job admirably as Chelsea's forward line were frustrated. Her opposite number Aggie Beever-Jones ended her impressive five-game goalscoring streak, which is always a bonus for the full-back.

Maya Le Tissier (8/10):

The United captain made history by becoming the first WSL player to start 71 consecutive league matches for one club. She led by example as ever, marshalling the back line and making crucial blocks at either end of the 90. A brave double block almost created a goal for her side on the break early on, before Le Tissier put her body on the line in stoppage time to preserve the result.

Dominique Jansen (6/10):

Had a tough task dealing with the Chelsea front line and was largely solid until a short back-pass late on, with her goalkeeper needing to come out and save Jansen's blushes at the feet of Thompson. Also could have been tighter on Macario before her audacious back-heel for the Chelsea goal.

Anna Sandberg (8/10):

What a goal it was by the full-back to get her side level. Her very first goal for United, you would have never been able to tell as the 22-year-old volleyed home from long range.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Hinata Miyazawa (7/10):

Kept things ticking in midfield, while looking to play incisive passes to set United away on the attack. Did not allow the Blues to dominate in the middle of the park.

Julia Zigiotti Olme (6/10):

The Swede joined from Bayern Munich in the summer and looks at ease alongside her new team-mates. Did both sides of the game well against a tough Chelsea midfield.

Ella Toone (8/10):

The Lionesses hero showed her combination of industry and technical quality to drive United into attacking positions and create chances. She could have had a goal herself but could only shoot over the crossbar from a couple of presentable positions on the edge of the area. Also grabbed the assist for Sandberg's stunning strike.

Getty Images SportAttack

Jess Park (8/10):

Park was a bright spark in attacking areas, looking to take the game to her full-back and get shots off on goal. Though she did not provide the finish necessary to get herself on the scoresheet, her enthusiasm was clear to see.

Elisabeth Terland (6/10):

The Norwegian striker had a shot saved early on but had a largely quiet evening. Replaced just before the hour mark.

Fridolina Rolfo (6/10):

The versatile former Barcelona ace was playing further forward down the left and caused the away defence her fair share of problems. She saw a deflected strike rebound off the bar while combining well with Toone to create opportunities.

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Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Melvine Malard (7/10):

Brought on for Terland after an hour and posed a threat to the Chelsea defence, cutting in on one occasion to force a save from Hannah Hampton.

Celine Bizet (N/A):

Replaced Riviere for the final exchanges as United looked to make an attacking change and take the game to their visitors. Though this meant they had to withstand a final late siege at the other end.

Rachel Williams (N/A):

Showed enterprise when she came on late on, looking to drive forward and make things happen on the break.

Marc Skinner (8/10):

Set up his side not only to contain the champions, but to take the game to them. United were very well deserving of a point, and could have had all three on another day.

Imam-ul-Haq, who hasn’t played for Pakistan since December 2023, will link up with the team ahead of their next game, against India on February 23 in Dubai

Danyal Rasool20-Feb-2025Pakistan’s hopes of defending their Champions Trophy title have taken a significant dent with opener Fakhar Zaman ruled out of the remainder of the tournament with an oblique injury. Imam-ul-Haq has been approved by the ICC as Fakhar’s replacement.Fakhar picked up the injury off just the second ball of the tournament, when he hared off in pursuit of a cover drive from Will Young off Shaheen Shah Afridi. When he collected the ball, he appeared to be in some discomfort. After treatment on the field, he was take off, and remained out for more than two hours.

Representing Pakistan on the biggest stage is an honour and dream of every cricketer in this country. I have been privileged enough to represent Pakistan multiple times with pride. Unfortunately I’m now out of ICC Champions Trophy 2025 but surely Allah is the best planner.… pic.twitter.com/MQKmOI4rQU

— Fakhar Zaman (@FakharZamanLive) February 20, 2025