New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza made sure umpire Roberto Ortiz knew how he felt about his calls during Saturday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Mendoza started going off on Ortiz from the dugout during the top of the fourth inning when a pitch thrown to Mark Vientos on a 3-0 count appeared to be a ball. Vientos prepared to walk to first, but Ortiz called the pitch a strike. Mendoza was clearly upset about the call.

Mendoza didn't stop yelling from there. By the bottom of the fourth inning, Mendoza was fed up again when Ortiz called one of pitcher Brandon Waddell's sinkers a ball instead of a strike. Ortiz ended up ejecting Mendoza from the game while hearing him bark, which ended up lighting more of a fire under the Mets manager. Mendoza jumped out of the dugout, ran up to Ortiz and began shouting directly in his face. Watch the heated interaction below.

This was the first time this season Mendoza's been ejected, so it's clear the situation really upset him. It can't help that the Mets have lost 11 of their last 14 games.

And has anyone beaten his success rate of 75% as captain in ODIs?

Steven Lynch11-Mar-2025Rohit Sharma has won 42 of his 56 ODIs as India’s captain, a success rate of 75%. Has anyone got a higher win percentage than that? asked Rekhi Singh from India
Five wins out of five in the Champions Trophy did lift Rohit Sharma’s success rate to 75% in one-day internationals. Given a minimum of 35 matches in charge, the only captain with a bigger win percentage is Clive Lloyd of West Indies, with 76.19% (64 wins out of 84). As Rohit has said he’ll continue playing ODIs, he might yet surpass that.Faf du Plessis (71.79%), Ricky Ponting and Hansie Cronje (both 71.73%), and Mike Gatting (70.27%) all had win percentages above 70% in ODIs.KL Rahul averaged 140 during the Champions Trophy. Was this a record? asked Naved Ahmed from Pakistan
KL Rahul batted four times in the 2025 Champions Trophy, scored 140 runs and was out only once – ending up with an impressive average of 140. Given a minimum of three innings, that’s the highest batting average in any edition of the Champions Trophy, beating the 129 of Virat Kohli (258 runs) in England in 2017. The other 100-plus averages were recorded by the South Africans David Miller (121 this year) and Herschelle Gibbs (120 in Sri Lanka in 2002), and Sourav Ganguly (116 in Kenya in 2000). .Rahul is down the list for all multi-team tournaments, but another Indian leads the way there too: Ajay Jadeja scored 354 runs for once out – giving him an average of 354 – in a triangular series also involving Australia and Zimbabwe in 1998.The World Cup record is 166.50, by New Zealand’s Glenn Turner in the inaugural tournament in 1975.Was Rohit Sharma’s 76 the highest individual score in a Champions Trophy final? asked Mahesh Tripathi from India
Rohit Sharma did much to set up India’s victory in the Champions Trophy final in Dubai at the weekend: his 76 matched Hardik Pandya’s score in the 2017 final at The Oval.However, there have been seven higher scores in all Champions Trophy finals, including six centuries. Fakhar Zaman made 114 as Pakistan won that 2017 final, but the highest of all remains Sourav Ganguly’s 117 for India against New Zealand <in Nairobi in 2000.Sourav Ganguly scored 117 in the Champions Trophy (then the ICC Knockout) in 2000, the highest individual score in a final in the tournament's history•AFPHow often has anyone won a Test after being dismissed for less than 100 in their first innings? asked Nirmal Mendis from Sri Lanka
There have now been 13 instances of a team winning a Test match despite scoring under 100 in their first innings. That number excludes the controversial match in Centurion in 2000 when England declared at 0 for 0 and South Africa forfeited their second innings, but it does include the rain-affected game in Bridgetown in 1935 when England declared at 81 for 7 and went on to win by four wickets.The lowest first-innings total by a team that went on to win the Test is 45 all out, by England in Sydney in 1887. They managed 184 in their second innings, and bowled Australia out for 119 and 97. However, this feat is not restricted to such elderly matches: five of the 13 have happened in the current century, most recently in 2019, when England beat Ireland at Lord’s after being skittled for 85, then Australia by one wicket at Headingley after being bowled out for 67 in the first innings.Who’s the only opener to bat twice in a Test and be not out both times? asked Michael Fordyce from Barbados
This happened not terribly long ago, and I remember at the time being very surprised that it was unique. The opener concerned was Kraigg Brathwaite, and in the third Test against Pakistan in Sharjah late in 2016, he carried his bat for 142 in West Indies’ first innings, and was 60 not out in the second when they completed victory.Another distinguished Barbadian opener had a notable near miss: against New Zealand in Dunedin in February 1980, in the sixth of his eventual 116 Tests, Desmond Haynes was the last man out in both innings, scoring 55 and 105.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

After the saga surrounding Alexander Isak during the summer transfer window, it was crucial that Newcastle United navigated their way past the situation.

The Swedish international netted 23 Premier League goals last campaign, helping the Magpies secure Champions League football, but that wasn’t enough to keep the striker happy on Tyneside.

Eddie Howe was left with no choice but to cash in on the 26-year-old’s services during the summer transfer window, subsequently taking in an English record £125m for his services.

However, it no doubt left a huge hole that needed filling within the final third, leading to over £100m being splashed on numerous players to soften the blow of his departure.

Despite the recent spending spree, the hierarchy appear to be targeting numerous attacking reinforcements to take the club to the next level in the months ahead.

Newcastle’s hunt for new attacking signings in January

Over the last couple of days, Newcastle have been just one side credited with an interest in landing Stuttgart star Bilal El Khannouss ahead of the January window.

The Moroccan international joined the German side on loan from Leicester City in the summer window, already making an immediate impact – as seen by his tally of five goals and assists in 10 outings.

However, Howe’s men could strike a permanent deal with his current employers this winter, which could result in a £25m switch to St James’ Park for the attacking midfielder.

He’s not the only player currently on their radar, with Brentford striker Igor Thiago another player currently being considered ahead of the upcoming window.

According to TEAMtalk, the Magpies are just one Premier League club monitoring the Brazilian, after his tremendous start to 2025/26, which has seen him score 11 times to date.

However, the report also states that Keith Andrews’ side are unwilling to sanction a move, but may be forced to consider a move if a huge offer is made for his signature.

Why Newcastle’s latest target could be bad news for Woltemade

In an attempt to soften the blow of Isak’s summer departure from Newcastle, the board backed Howe by spending a reported £69m on the signature of striker Nick Woltemade.

The German’s transfer fee certainly raised eyebrows across the division, but a couple of months on and the deal now appears to be an excellent piece of business by the board.

He’s already featured in 11 Premier League matches to date, scoring on five separate occasions, whilst also managing to lay on one assist for his teammates.

The 23-year-old’s latest effort came in the 4-1 demolition of Everton, with Woltemade producing an outrageous lob over Jordan Pickford to cement all three points for the Magpies.

However, despite his excellent start to life in the North East, he could struggle for consistent minutes if Thiago arrives, with the Brazilian man in tremendous form in recent weeks.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats, the Brazilian has managed to outperform Woltemade in key areas, showcasing why it could be bad news for the German.

Thiago, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by boss Andrews, has scored almost double the number of goals netted by the Magpies star – showcasing his clinical edge in front of goal.

Games played

14

12

Goals & assists

11

6

Shot on target accuracy

50%

30%

Shots on target per 90

1.1

0.5

Passes into final third

0.9

0.6

Take-on success

56%

38%

Aerials won

2.9

1.5

Aerial success rate

43%

34%

He’s also registered more shots on target per 90, whilst achieving a better accuracy rate with the chances he’s been presented with – arguably making him a more consistent option in the final third.

However, he’s also demonstrated a more all-round skill-set than the German star, as seen by his higher take-on success rate and higher tally of passes into the final third per 90.

The Brazilian’s dominance over Woltemade is further reflected in his aerial presence, which no doubt makes him a better focal point than the number 27.

It’s unclear how much the Bees would demand to part ways with their talisman, but it’s clear he’s currently a leading talent in the Premier League this season.

Such a move could be harsh on Woltemade, but the added competition in the months ahead could allow the youngster to find the next level in his career as a result.

Eddie Howe has already found a bigger talent than Anderson at Newcastle

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ByAngus Sinclair Dec 5, 2025

There has now been a new update on Crystal Palace’s pursuit of a “true warrior”, with it being revealed a “good value” January deal is possible.

Palace on course to push for Europe

Palace remain in a strong position to push for European qualification, having taken 20 points from their opening 13 Premier League games this season, although they will be frustrated about Manchester United coming from behind to win at Selhurst Park on Sunday.

The Eagles fell to a 2-1 defeat against Ruben Amorim’s side, but they will have the opportunity to put things right tonight, when they travel to Turf Moor to take on an out-of-form Burnley side, who have lost their last four Premier League matches.

However, with the likes of Sunderland, Everton and Brighton & Hove Albion all in European contention after impressive starts to the campaign, it is getting congested at the top of the table, and Oliver Glasner’s side are now looking at new additions for the January window.

Last week, it was revealed that a concrete offer had been made for Bayern Munich’s Sacha Boey, who Glasner is a big fan of, according to a new update on their pursuit of the defender from TEAMtalk.

In an interview, journalist Dean Jones said: “Palace have been made aware that there could be a possibility for this one on a permanent deal and it actually could be a good value one. I’m told that is the preference at the moment.

“They [Bayern] don’t have much interest in letting him out on a loan. In the case of a loan offer they may well just hold on to him until the summer instead.

The journalist also went on to clarify that negotiations aren’t currently at an advanced stage, saying: “At this stage I think Palace are just feeling out the terms and understanding the player’s situation.”

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ByHenry Jackson Nov 25, 2025 "True warrior" Boey could be exciting addition for Palace

The right-back certainly caught the eye during his time with Galatasaray, having been hailed as a “true warrior” by members of the Turkish media, and he is very assured in possession of the ball, as displayed by his performance across some key metrics over the past year.

Sacha Boey’s key statistics

Average per 90 (past year)

Passes attempted

73.18 (97th percentile)

Pass completion %

90% (99th percentile)

Progressive passes

6.31 (95th percentile)

That said, the 25-year-old, who rakes in £80k-a-week should probably seek a move this winter, given that he has fallen down the pecking order considerably, being benched for the last three Bundesliga games.

With Palace competing in Europe this season, it would be a smart move to bring in additional strength in depth at right-back this January, and a long-term replacement for Daniel Munoz may be needed regardless, amid interest from Chelsea and Barcelona.

As such, Glasner’s side should make a move for Boey, and it is promising news that a deal could be possible for a reasonable price.

It would be fair to say that it has not been the ideal week for Danny Rohl and Rangers, with the new boss already in danger of falling into Russell Martin territory at Ibrox.

Having failed to beat ten-man Braga a week ago, the Gers have since slipped to two frustrating draws against Falkirk and Dundee United, the latter of which was only rescued following a last-gasp Nedim Bajrami spot-kick on Wednesday night.

At a time of initial chaos at Celtic following Brendan Rodgers’ resignation, alongside a recent slump for Premiership leaders Hearts, the Light Blues have failed to capitalise, now finding themselves still nine points off the pace in fourth spot.

Of course, much of the blame will lie at the feet of the departed Kevin Thelwell and co, following a simply bizarre summer of recruitment, although Rohl himself should not be free of criticism amid his continued, head-scratching selection decisions.

Rangers' worst performers against Dundee United

After the highs of scoring his first Rangers goal against Livingston not too long ago, Emmanuel Fernandez was brought crashing back down to earth following arguably his worst display for the club to date in midweek, having been particularly at fault for the hosts’ opener.

The 24-year-old simply allowed goalscorer Zachary Sapsford to breeze past him down that left flank, while his overall woes were evident as he lost eight of his 18 total duels, as per Sofascore, alongside the hapless Nasser Djiga.

All eyes are on that struggling backline, although the attacking unit must also shoulder their share of the blame, with Bojan Miovski’s early Rangers woes continuing, having scored just once in the league following his arrival from Girona.

A former hero at Aberdeen – and at one stage lauded as the “best player” in the Premiership in his position – the 26-year-old has yet to fire in his new surroundings, with his inability to provide a physical focal point laid bare after losing eight duels himself against the Tangerines.

The man behind him, Danilo, was also notably ineffective, having failed to convert any of his five shots, while Djeidi Gassama was also lacking on the flanks, having lost the ball 20 times from just 56 touches.

A moment of magic from Jayden Meghoma, alongside Bajrami’s 98th-minute penalty, helped to spare most of those blushes somewhat, although heading into a hectic festive schedule, Rohl must surely ring the changes.

On the evidence again of Wednesday night, the aforementioned Djiga must well be one of them – and not just in the short-term.

The Rangers star who must not start again under Rohl

As the old saying goes, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

As harsh as it may be, we are approaching similar territory with regard to Djiga, with the on-loan Wolverhampton Wanderers man again looking so underpar at Tannadice.

Calamity after calamity has been the theme of his Ibrox stint to date, memorably sent off on his home Premiership debut against Dundee, while going AWOL in the desperate defeat at Club Brugge in the early weeks of the season.

Too many errors to count, in truth, with the 23-year-old again somewhat culpable last night, having failed to engage with that man Sapsford, as the Dundee goalscorer surged into the area.

For the home side’s second of the night, Djiga was also again at the scene of the crime, tamely turning his back as Amar Fatah weaved his way through to score.

Quite why Rohl – albeit while limited with regard to alternatives – is persisting with the summer signing is to be debated, with the defender’s woes also seen in how he failed to register a single tackle or interception, nor provide a single key pass from his centre-back berth.

Perhaps a saving grace for Rohl might be the upcoming African Cup of Nations, with Djiga set to link up with Burkina Faso as early as 15 December, thus ruling him out of contention until the New Year.

While it is yet to be made clear whether there is a break clause in the 6 foot 4 flop’s loan deal, perhaps January might then provide a perfect opportunity to send him back to Molineux, once he returns from international duty.

In an ideal world, that scenario would ensure that Wednesday’s draw represents the final time that Djiga lines up, or at least starts under the Rohl regime, with the German coach in desperate need of a different solution at centre-back.

His job might depend on it.

Worse than Miovski: Ibrox flop just played his worst game for Rangers

This Glasgow Rangers flop played his worst game for the club in the 2-1 defeat to Dundee United on Wednesday.

By
Dan Emery

Dec 4, 2025

Ahead of a crucial week for Celtic, the last thing the Hoops needed was some disruption.

There was an argument to be made that Martin O’Neill should have remained in charge for the game against Hearts and the League Cup final next week.

The other argument, however, suggested that new manager, Wilfried Nancy, needed to get his feet under the table as soon as possible in a bid to assess the squad ahead of the January transfer window.

Well, his tenure got off to the worst possible start, losing to Hearts 2-1 and surrendering ground on the league leaders.

What made things worse was Nancy’s behaviour on the touchline. We aren’t ones to judge too hard, but the fact that he was clipped moving little magnets around on a whiteboard in the dugout with his team losing sent alarm bells ringing.

Nancy discusses his Celtic tactics

Celtic have traditionally played in a classic 4-3-3 in recent years but the Frenchman tweaked things against the Jambos, starting with Kieran Tierney in a back three, with Sebastian Tounekti and Yang Hyun-jun playing at wing-backs and a four-man box midfield.

Evidently, it did not work and rightfully, Nancy was quizzed about his tactics post-game.

The new Celtic boss said: “To be honest, in the first half we changed the system. I would say in the second half it was the same system. After that, when we wanted to push, it was not the system that we started with.

“So for me this is more about how we can deal when teams are really low. The centre-backs for example, when they had the ball, recognise the moment to play a little bit quicker, recognised the moment to play in between. The intention was here. These are now the nuances that we need to improve.”

Nancy continued: “This is more about how we can connect a little bit more. When we connected, we had opportunities to break them. But second half, we didn’t connect. When we conceded the second goal, we started to put in cross and cross and cross. We needed to combine a little bit more, to attack the box with numbers because they are really good defensively with big tall guys.”

McInnes reveals how Hearts beat Celtic

What should be really concerning for the Bhoys is just how easily Hearts were able to pinpoint the way in which Celtic would play under Nancy.

Usually when a new manager arrives, things are a tad unpredictable for the opposition but that was not the case for Derek McInnes and his side on Sunday.

Speaking at the conclusion of the match, he said: “We have studied the last two or three days, watching a lot of Columbus Crew and what they want to do and expect from their players.

McInnes continued: “We felt well prepared for that and it meant we needed to fill the middle of the pitch with bodies. Celtic have got a lot of good players in that central area, so we needed to make sure we were nice and solid through that part of it.

“We tried to play in the spaces between the outside centre-back and the winger because it’s quite a big distance at times,” the Hearts boss said.

This was a crucial game for Nancy, not just because it was his first in charge, but because the Edinburgh side moved three points clear at the top of the Premiership.

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ByDan Emery Dec 8, 2025

يستعد فريق برشلونة، بقيادة المدرب هانز فليك، لخوض مباراة جديدة في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم، وذلك يوم السبت المقبل بعد فوزه المثير يوم الثلاثاء.

وخاض برشلونة مباراته المقدمة من الجولة التاسعة عشر من بطولة الدوري الإسباني، موسم 2025/26، على ملعب “كامب نو” ضد أتلتيكو مدريد.

وتمكن برشلونة من قلب الطاولة على أتلتيكو مدريد حيث حقق فوزًا بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف، بعدما كان متأخرًا في النتيجة، ليعزز صدارته في جدول الليجا برصيد 37 نقطة (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا). موعد مباراة برشلونة القادمة بعد فوزه على أتلتيكو مدريد في الدوري الإسباني

من جهة أخرى، يخوض برشلونة مباراته في الجولة الخامسة عشر من الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم يوم السبت المقبل ضد خصمه فريق ريال بيتيس، على ملعب الأخير، في تمام الساعة 7:30 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 8:30 بتوقيت السعودية.

Leeds United have now reportedly sent scouts to watch a standout European winger, who’s also attracted the interest of Manchester United.

Farke prepared for "top class" Liverpool

When the fixtures were released, this would been a week that many Leeds fans dreaded. By the end of this weekend, the Whites will have faced Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool in consecutive games in the most difficult run of games they’ve had so far this season. But what began as a nightmare may yet leave Leeds in dreamland.

Daniel Farke’s side were minutes away from securing a point from behind at the Etihad against Man City and then eased past Chelsea in shocking fashion on Wednesday. Now, they have the chance to compile the misery on a frail Liverpool side at Elland Road – making it six points from a possible nine.

It’s the greatest opportunity that Leeds will get to beat the Premier League champions, but Farke was quick to point out that Liverpool are still a “top class” side in his pre-match press conference.

Those in Yorkshire may have to get used to competing against the top six on and off the pitch, having also reportedly joined the race to sign Manchester United target Nilson Angulo.

Leeds join race to sign Nilson Angulo

According to TeamTalk, Leeds have now joined the race to sign Angulo after their scouts were spotted watching the Anderlecht winger in action. The Whites are joined by United, Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford in what is set to be a frantic Premier League battle.

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Dubbed one of Europe’s standout wingers by TeamTalk, the interest in Angulo should come as no surprise. The 22-year-old has taken his game to new levels in Belgium this season and looks destined for English football.

As scout Jacek Kulig pointed out, it was a “fantastic” start from Angulo this season and a start which has since seen him take his total to four goals and eight assists in all competitions.

It would be a major coup if Leeds managed to fend off competition from their rivals and sign the talented winger.

Leeds now prioritising £35m move to sign South American defender ahead of Juventus

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras teve, pela primeira vez, uma escalação montada por Abel Ferreira com Endrick, Estêvão e Luis Guilherme atuando juntos. O trio começou como titular no empate diante do San Lorenzo, na quinta-feira (30), pela Libertadores.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão

A escalação dos garotos da base juntos era algo muito desejado pela torcida alviverde. Segundo o treinador palmeirense, esse foi justamente o motivo de escalá-los, em vez de pensar no que seria melhor para o time.

— Se calhar aí, fui mais a procura daquilo que era melhor para todos verem os três em campo, do que o melhor para a equipe. Sinceramente. Não há dúvida nenhuma da qualidade, todos gostam de jogar do lado esquerdo. O próprio Endrick, quando entra de centroavante, ele passa a ocupar a zona do Veiga. Tirei o Veiga para por um centroavante e ter o Endrick mais atrás para ter chegada. Acima de tudo, estou feliz em pertencer a uma equipe jovem, que luta com objetivos de ser campeão e formam jogadores. Não é fácil – afirmou.

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Abel Ferreira também explicou os pontos positivos e negativos de escalar Endrick, Estêvão e Luis Guilherme no Palmeiras. Ainda de acordo com o técnico, embora sejam avançados tecnicamente, eles ainda estão em processo de formação.

— Foi uma decisão difícil meter os três. Eles tem muita qualidade. Nos dão umas coisas, mas em determinado momento do jogo vão precisar dessa maturidade competitiva que ainda não têm. Mas entendi que deveria fazer. Ganhamos umas coisas, perdemos outras. São jogadores que nos dão irreverência, ainda estão no processo de formação competitiva e como homens. Dois deles ainda não têm idade adulta. Foi uma decisão difícil. Mas tinham muitas pessoas que queriam os ver juntos – disse.

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Os três são os expoentes do projeto de revelações de jogadores do Verdão e se destacaram nas categorias inferiores. Abel Ferreira, inclusive, foi quem subiu Endrick, Estêvão e Luis Guilherme para o time profissional do Palmeias.

Referência na base, Endrick se despediu no Allianz Parque, contra o San Lorenzo, e está a caminho do Real Madrid. Estêvão caminha para fechar negócio com o Chelsea e Luis Guilherme desperta interesse de europeus. Todas as transferências orbitam em valores muito acima da média em relação ao mercado brasileiro, e a eles chegaram a ser chamados de “Geração do bilhão”.

Tudo sobre

Abel FerreiraEndrickLibertadoresPalmeirasStar +

The match went down to the wire, but with three needed for a win and two for a tie, Sophie Ecclestone was run out off the final ball

AAP07-Dec-2025

Ellyse Perry smashed her way to the best score of her WBBL career as Sydney Sixers secured a thrilling one-run win to book their first appearance in a finals series in three years.Facing Adelaide Strikers in a straight shootout for a spot in the finals, Perry looked to have all but wrapped up Sixers’ berth when her side batted first at North Sydney Oval on Sunday and finished on 173 for 4.Opener Perry crunched 111 off 71 balls, which included three sixes and 16 fours.But a late surge from Strikers, led by Bridget Patterson, meant the game went down to the wire with the Adelaide side requiring three runs for a win off the final ball. Sophie Ecclestone was run out as she chased a second run that would have sent the match to a Super Over, handing Sixers victory.