Here Are the Sports Figures Who Received Votes in New York’s Mayoral Election

Zohran Mamdani may have won New York City’s mayoral election on Nov. 4, but it was not for a lack of trying on the part of … his city’s athletes?

After every mayoral election, New York publishes the recipients of write-in votes—often a motley crew of celebrities and politicans past and present. This election’s field was no exception.

Here, per Spencer Gustafson of WPIX-TV and Gary Phillips of the , are the athletes who received at least one write-in vote to become mayor of New York in Jan. 2026. The list includes the living and the dead, as well as representatives of three different sports.

ATHLETE

POSITION

TEAM/ORGANIZATION

NOTES

Pete Alonso

First baseman

New York Mets

Five-time All-Star

Carmelo Anthony

Forward

New York Knicks from 2011 to ’17

Six-time All-Star with Knicks

Saquon Barkley

Running back

New York Giants from 2018 to ’23

Two-time Pro Bowler with Giants

Jalen Brunson

Guard

New York Knicks

Two-time All-Star with Knicks

Jaxson Dart

Quarterback

New York Giants

1,556 passing yards in 10 games this season

Walt Frazier

Guard

New York Knicks from 1968 to ’77

Seven-time All-Star with Knicks

Lou Gehrig

First baseman

New York Yankees

Two-time American League MVP; died in 1941

Aaron Glenn

Coach

New York Jets

3-9 in 12 games this season

Josh Hart

Shooting guard and small forward

New York Knicks

11.8 points per game in 19 games this season

Derek Jeter

Shortstop

New York Yankees

14-time All-Star

Aaron Judge

Right fielder and designated hitter

New York Yankees

Three-time American League MVP

Sandy Koufax

Pitcher

Brooklyn Dodgers from 1955 to ’57

1963 National League MVP with Los Angeles Dodgers

Rob Manfred

Commissioner

Major League Baseball

Commissioner since 2015

Cam Schlittler

Pitcher

New York Yankees

4–3 with 2.96 ERA in 14 starts this season

Cam Skattebo

Running back

New York Giants

410 yards in eight games this season

Tom Thibodeau

Coach

New York Knicks from 2021 to ’25

2021 NBA Coach of the Year with Knicks

The list can be grouped with relative neatness into four brackets—the modern baseball figures (Alonso, Judge, Manfred, etc.), the faces of the Knicks’ 2020s renaissance (Brunson, Hart, Thibodeau, etc.), the football rookies (Dart, Skattebo, etc.), and the past greats (Anthony, Gehrig, etc.).

Mariners fans still grimacing at Judge’s MVP win over catcher Cal Raleigh must now ask themselves: would they trust the Big Dumper to run Seattle?

How Did the Expos Get to Washington? Explaining Their Strange Ownership Swap

This week has been a strangely newsy one for the Montreal Expos, a Major League Baseball team that has not taken the field since 2004.

The release of a Netflix documentary examining the team's demise—entitled —was long planned. However, the filmmakers probably didn't count on Canada's younger MLB team—the Blue Jays—reaching the World Series and throwing an even bigger spotlight on baseball in the Great White North.

Like many of baseball's more famous relocations—the Dodgers', the Giants', or (more recently) the Athletics'—the Expos' defection to Washington to become the Nationals marked the culmination of a long and arduous process. It was also unique in that it involved a quasi-ownership "trade" that influenced the fate of a franchise thousands of miles away from Quebec.

Here's a look at how Canada's second-largest city lost its team.

How did Jeffrey Loria buy the Expos?

Liquor magnate Charles Bronfman and five partners founded the Expos in 1969—a time when Montreal was still widely known as Canada's cultural capital (Toronto wouldn't jump it in population until Canada's 2001 census). The Expos found sledding tough in their early years, making just one playoff appearance (1981) despite numerous winning seasons. Bronfman sold the team to Claude Brochu in 1991, and after a tumultuous decade, Brochu sold a controlling stake to art dealer Jeffrey Loria in 2001.

How did Jeffrey Loria get out of his deal with the Expos?

For much of Montreal's existence, the team faced one overarching question: how would the team replace Olympic Stadium? The oft-derided building long overstayed its welcome for the 1976 Summer Olympics, and Loria quickly sought public funding for a new park. As attempts to replace Olympic Stadium dragged, MLB attempted to fold the Twins and Expos—a move only stopped by a successful court challenge. Amid this turmoil in Montreal, Loria sold the team to MLB and used the money to buy the Marlins—taking the Expos' resources with him.

How did the Expos get to Washington?

MLB's purchase of the team was effectively the ballgame for Montreal, but the years leading up to the team's relocation produced a slew of interesting what-ifs. First, in 2003 and 2004, the Expos split their home games between Montreal and San Juan's Hiram Bithorn Stadium—routinely drawing better in Puerto Rico than in Canada. Along with San Juan, several non-Washington cities circled the Expos, with Charlotte and Portland discussed as contenders. Ultimately, the American capital won the Expos sweepstakes, and the team took on the name of several early Washington teams—the Nationals.

What is the legacy of the Expos' final years?

For many years, the legacy of the Expos' messy relocation seemed to be MLB's eagerness to avoid a repeat—but the Athletics' widely reviled, slow-motion departure from Oakland appears to have scuttled that. Montreal retains an appetite for baseball, as the Expos live on as a nostalgia item—"The DNA is still here even though they’re gone," documentary director Jean-François Poisson told 's Matthew Roberson Thursday. If expansion one day brings baseball back to Quebec, the Expos—as ever—will likely need to do something about Olympic Stadium, which somehow still stands on the eve of its 50th anniversary.

ماركا تكشف كواليس الفوضى أمام سيلتا فيجو.. فينيسيوس يتنبأ بقرار الحكم وطرد ثالث في ريال مدريد

شهدت مباراة ريال مدريد وسيلتا فيجو في الدوري الإسباني، مساء الأحد، حالة من الفوضى في الدقائق الأخيرة، أسفرت عن إشهار حكم المباراة بطاقة حمراء ثالثة لأصحاب الأرض.

واستقبل ريال مدريد خصمه سيلتا فيجو على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو”، وقد تعرض للهزيمة بهدفين دون مقابل.

وخلال اللقاء، أشهر الحكم بطاقة صفراء لفران جارسيا في الدقيقة 64، ثم أشهر بطاقة حمراء لألفارو كاريراس في الدقيقة الثانية من الوقت المحتسب بدلاً من الضائع، وكلاهما نال البطاقة الحمراء بعد الحصول على بطاقة صفراء ثانية.

وبحسب ما ورد في صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية، انفعل لاعبو ريال مدريد بسبب البطاقات الحمراء، وسخر فينيسيوس بالقول: “سيشهر بطاقات حمراء أكثر”، وهو ما حدث بالفعل.

اقرأ أيضًا | موعد مباراة ريال مدريد القادمة بعد الهزيمة أمام سيلتا فيجو في الدوري الإسباني

وعلى مقاعد البدلاء، بدا الغضب واضحًا على أسينسيو، ماستانتونو، إندريك، إبراهيم دياز، والمدرب تشابي ألونسو، ويوضح التقرير أن الجميع حاصر الحكم الرابع.

وأما كاريراس، الذي كان قد طُرد بالفعل، فاضطر زملاؤه للإمساك به لتهدئته، إلى أن عاد الحكم كوينتيرو جونزاليس مجددًا، ليُشهر بطاقة حمراء جديدة، هذه المرة في وجه إندريك، الذي بدا الأكثر انفعالاً، رغم أنه لم يكن أول من واجهه.

ومع صافرة النهاية، كان نصف لاعبي ريال مدريد في طريقهم إلى غرف الملابس، حاول بيلينجهام فهم قرارات الحكم، فيما كان فينيسيوس على غير العادة الأكثر هدوءًا، فأمسك بزميله من خصره وأبعده من أمام الحكم تفاديًا لمزيد من حالات الطرد.

Robinson aids Smith's Ashes prep as Stokes steps up bowling return

Former England seamer makes surprise appearance in NSW nets during Sydney grade-cricket stint

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Nov-20257:23

Will Joe Root finally score his first hundred in Australia?

England’s Ollie Robinson has emerged as an unlikely figure in Australia’s Ashes preparation after bowling to his former Sussex team-mate Steven Smith in the New South Wales nets on Thursday.Robinson has taken 21 wickets in seven Ashes Tests but has not featured for England since February 2024, falling out of favour after his body let him down in one match too many. He took 39 wickets at 24.74 for Sussex in the County Championship this year, but never appeared in serious contention for a Test recall and was also overlooked by England Lions.

Instead, he has signed for Sydney University for a stint in grade cricket and was seen bowling at NSW batters at the SCG on Thursday ahead of their Sheffield Shield game against Victoria. The reported that Robinson bowled for “about 45 minutes” to batters including Smith and Sam Konstas, and later spoke at length to NSW coach Greg Shipperd.While Robinson was bowling in Sydney, the first arrivals among England’s Ashes squad trained at Lilac Hill in Perth. They included Ben Stokes, England’s captain, who has not played competitively since sustaining an injury to a shoulder muscle against India in July but is confident of playing a full role in the first Test at Optus Stadium on November 21.Related

Vaughan: 'Stokes will expect to win the Ashes, that is his mentality'

Stokes signals 2027 Ashes intent with two-year England deal

Cummins feeling good for Gabba, but rest may be needed

Stokes was welcomed to Australia by a front-page story in the which dubbed him “England’s Cocky Captain Complainer”, and the same newspaper reported that he had bowled in training on Thursday. Stokes stopped off in New Zealand to visit family before arriving in Australia, where he trained in the nets at Lincoln, Christchurch.Around half of England’s 16-man squad have already arrived in Perth, with the remainder due to follow this weekend. England’s only warm-up fixture – a three-day match against England Lions – starts on Thursday at Lilac Hill.

How Martin Coetzee fell in love with Hong Kong cricket

A chance move away from his hometown in South Africa unlocked a door he never knew existed

Shashank Kishore10-Sep-2025When Martin Coetzee was let go by his provincial team in South Africa in 2019, he felt like it was curtains on his cricket career.He had hovered on the fringes of the first-class set-up for years without really breaking in. As he contemplated what next – “the thought of moving to another provincial team, or quit cricket altogether and explore another path, like coaching” – the Covid-19 pandemic struck.He was 29, and time was ticking.Then came the move to Hong Kong, far from a cricketing decision. His wife, Lindy, a teacher, had just landed a job at a private school, and the couple decided to take the plunge into the unknown.Related

Uphill task for Hong Kong against dominant Sri Lanka

Kaushal Silva: 'No one is going to hand us anything'

Will fifth time be the charm for Hong Kong?

Upbeat Bangladesh look to start with a bang against Hong Kong

Just prior to leaving South Africa, though, Coetzee was told casually by his wife’s school principal, “Don’t forget to pack your cricket bags.” The principal happened to be a former New Zealand first-class cricketer, Ben Hart.”It seemed an odd comment at the time,” Coetzee laughs at the memory. The 36-year-old top-order batter is now in Dubai, part of Hong Kong’s squad at the Asia Cup. “I thought at best this may be a way to play recreationally, get to know a few people at the cricket club, it will help with keeping myself in shape. Nothing more.”When they landed, Hong Kong wasn’t the buzzing global hub he had imagined it to be. Covid restrictions had made the city unrecognisable. “Restaurants were shuttered, masks were compulsory, and residents had to line up for regular blood tests,” Coetzee says.But amid all that, Coetzee found comfort in the fact that he could get outdoors for a few hours. And that outdoor place happened to be the Hong Kong Cricket Club.”I turned up there with no expectations honestly, it was just to get outdoors, rather than being locked in,” he says.

“I thought at best this may be a way to play recreationally, get to know a few people at the cricket club, it will help with keeping myself in shape. Nothing more”

Over time, Coetzee discovered the city’s cricket culture was far more organised and ambitious than he had imagined. He saw talented players fiercely compete, and was explained the pathways into club cricket and possibly international cricket if he stayed the course.”That got me dreaming,” he says. “Suddenly, a three-year qualification criteria didn’t seem to matter, I thought let me start playing and put myself up there. Yes, the wait was long, at times frustrating, but in that period, I played a lot of club cricket, made a lot of friends and enjoyed competing. It got me hooked.”It’s only then I thought of all the things I take for granted back home. In South Africa, you tend to take some things for granted – outdoor nets, fields, space,” he explains. “In Hong Kong, the biggest challenge is facilities. Say, just leading up to our prep tour here, all we had were indoor nets. No grass. It makes you appreciate what you had growing up. But it also makes you work harder.”By the time Coetzee’s qualification period ended, he went on to become one of Hong Kong’s key batters and a regular fixture in the national squad. When not playing, he is a professional coach at the club he represents.”It still surprises me how much Hong Kong has given me,” he says. “You won’t believe it, but there’s a rivalry that is always packed,” he says. “Kowloon Cricket Club and Hong Kong Cricket Club – mate, it’s fiercely competitive as well. The talent is immense.Hong Kong are playing their fifth Asia Cup•Asian Cricket Council”My own team-mates – Nizakat Khan, Anshuman Rath, Kalhan Challu – these guys are all so dedicated. It makes you feel good to be playing with a group that’s as enthusiastic and keen to show what they’re capable of. From day one, Hong Kong cricket felt like a family.The “family” has recently had to channel the disappointment of not qualifying for the 2026 T20 World Cup – their chances at the Asian qualifiers were scuppered by the weather.”Yeah, that still hurts,” Coetzee says. “We were having dinner last night, watching the tennis [US Open final] and one of the UAE lads just mentioned it as a joke and it actually still stung a little bit.”We are very disappointed with that, but with the new coach [Kaushal Silva] and the whole new group and vibe we have got going, we try not to think about that too much, and we are excited about everything that’s ahead. The next week or so is a good example. There’s always the next one to qualify for.”The game has also taken him places – Nepal, Oman, and the UAE – he never imagined visiting when he was lying on a South African rugby field with a broken leg, convinced his sporting life was over. That injury when he was 17 had driven him back to cricket, but the end of his Lions contract had almost pushed him out for good. Yet here he is, living a second chance, wearing new colours, and having a new perspective at 36.”We love the city so much,” Coetzee says. “We’re based just outside the hustle and bustle, in Green Pulse Bay. We can see ourselves living here for quite a while. The cricket crowd is growing, the local kids have so much talent, and the passion is unbelievable.”I never thought I’d find this in Hong Kong. But now I know exactly why Ben told me to pack that cricket bag.”

From Kappie to Dercky: South Africa's pace-bowling allrounder's torch is being passed

Marizanne Kapp is heading into her fifth ODI World Cup. She and Annerie Dercksen, her young successor, talk role models, work ethic, and more

Firdose Moonda01-Oct-2025Nobody wants to be reminded of one of their worst moment but perhaps Marizanne Kapp won’t mind this one:”It was the 2017 World Cup semi-final and – I don’t know if I should say this – there was a picture of Marizanne crying on the floor. I still see that vividly in my head,” Annerie Dercksen says. “That’s probably the first women’s game I’ve ever watched. And after that, I realised there’s women’s cricket in South Africa and thought maybe I could also play.”Six years later Dercksen was in the same squad as Kapp and had to pinch herself when she was at breakfast and Kapp was there in the flesh. “In an interview, I said that I could now take water to her on the field and it was just the moment of my life. I’m still like that daily,” Dercksen says.The hero worship brings out Kapp’s sterner side. “Dercky is young. She makes me tired,” she says, only half-joking, on the same call. “She is a very playful, busy person. I have to warn her and the other young ones every second night not to have their tea parties or coffee parties close to my room. They must go to the [room of the] person that’s furthest away from my room. They like to walk up and down in the corridor at night and make a noise. I’m asleep by then.”Before the casual observation that Kapp, all of 35 years old, is starting to sound like a senior citizen can be made, Dercksen says she would like to jump in and defend herself.Related

  • The colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the South African sky

  • Annerie Dercksen, from farm girl to fast bowling allrounder

  • Marizanne Kapp: 'I try to keep it simple. If I stick to what I do best, usually it works out'

  • South Africa makes itself heard at loudest Cape Town party

“I’m a little socially awkward,” she says. “And obviously with Kappie being my hero, I’ve got to think when I have to ask her a question. I’ve got to prepare it, play it in my head first, and then I’ve got to go up to her. In the last couple of years, it’s been getting a bit easier to speak to her.”I really like her. She wants to pretend that she’s more serious than she actually is. There’s a little playful side of her that we’re going to get out of her. She started taking part in our soccer warm-ups now, which is cool. We’ve been told off quite a bit for being too loud, but if maybe she can go to bed a bit later, we can invite her to the tea parties.”Is it really tea that’s being drunk? “Yes, I had to bring 200 Rooibos bags from South Africa because we can’t find them anywhere else,” Dercksen says.Will Kapp consider joining? Probably not, because the badass image she gives off on the field is not a persona; it’s who she really is when she’s in work mode.”I get so annoyed with people when they judge me on how I am on the field,” she says. “This is my job. I’m not going to smile and laugh when people hit me for six or four. I want to do well. I want to win. So if you are judging me because I’m not smiling on the field, just know that this is competition.Kapp copes with the disappointment of losing the 2017 World Cup semi-final to England by two wickets•ICC”I’m just very focused, even at training. If we’re playing around, or it’s not structured, I immediately get so annoyed because I feel like I need to get something out of this training session. I’m not just here to spend time at the field. There has to be a purpose for me, otherwise I’d rather just leave it. I’m just that way in life as well. If I can’t do something, I’d rather just leave it. But if I am good at something and I can do something, then I give it 200%.”The tears Dercksen saw in that World Cup semi-final eight years ago serve to illustrate. They came when South Africa, playing on television screens for the first time, pushed hosts and eventual champions England so hard that they came within two balls of winning the match.They ought to have scored more than 218 for 6 in 50 overs but defended those runs with tenacity. Their last-over defeat left them devastated. Kapp sat alone in the outfield and then used her hands and her shirt to cover her face as she walked off. Though no one expected South Africa, then a relatively unknown force in the women’s game and only newly professionalised at international level, to get that far, the team had a quiet belief about them.”That was probably one of the best teams we ever had,” Kapp says. Dercksen could say that she and Kapp played in one of the others: the outfit that reached the T20 World Cup final last year.In six ODI innings in the subcontinent, Dercksen has scored 280 runs at 56, with one hundred and two fifties, but she’s now trying to focus more on her bowling with Kapp as her mentor•Matthew Lewis/ICC/Getty ImagesThat they were favourites to win that match is testament to their growth since Dercksen first watched them; that they didn’t win asks questions of both their ability to perform under pressure and their depth. In Dercksen, Kapp sees an opportunity for the side to start to address the latter, especially as her own career enters its twilight phase.”In South Africa, years ago we never had someone coming in to fill a spot,” she says. “If someone left, you almost had to start again, and then you ended up further behind Australia, India and England. Now it’s getting easier. Experience is something you can’t buy, but it’s such a good thing that we have youngsters coming in and they take the field with some of the seniors, and it just speeds up the learning for them. When we started back then, there was none of that.”Kapp has played in eight of Dercksen’s 13 ODIs and 16 of her 24 T20Is. She was rested from South Africa’s tri-series in Sri Lanka, where Dercksen scored two fifties and her first ODI hundred in six matches (but only bowled 14.5 overs and took two wickets). As someone who came up as a bowling allrounder, Kapp’s concern has been with Dercksen’s progress in that second department, and it was the focus of their pre-World Cup training camp.”Kappie gave me a good talking to – not a telling off, she was nice to me and she told me the truth, which is that I haven’t been working really hard on my bowling and I need to try and contribute a bit more there,” Dercksen says. “My stats probably show that my bowling has been going through a bit of a rough patch lately. Kappie’s been telling me that I cannot bowl a different ball every ball, which is probably what I’m trying to do. She said to just try to keep it simple and to understand that I should train in that way and be hard on myself, which I wasn’t being.”No Kapp: she ain’t comin’ to your tea parties, kids•Alex Davidson/ICC/Getty ImagesSince Shabnim Ismail’s retirement, South Africa have lacked a certain aggression with ball in hand, and a lot of pace. Dercksen, with her natural athleticism and height, could look to fill that gap but it will take work.”She’s so talented and I don’t want to see that go to waste,” Kapp says. “So I just told her what I do when I structure my overs when I’m at training: nail your top-of-off-stump ball first, and then move towards working slower balls, yorkers and death bowling. I gave her a bit of advice on how to structure overs in her training so she’s a bit more focused.”Whether the results of that will show at this year’s World Cup remains to be seen. Dercksen is one of six seam options in a squad that includes Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nadine de Klerk and Masabata Klaas, and she is the least experienced of them. She will also be needed to do a job with the bat in a middle order that can sometimes seem brittle.Let’s not forget that she is only 24 years old, made her debut a little over a year ago, and is playing in her first ODI World Cup. Despite having received recognition – she was the ICC’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year in 2024 – Dercksen is still learning her trade. If South Africa are to go far in this tournament, it will likely be because of those who have already travelled the distance, like Kapp.The 2025 tournament will be Kapp’s fifth ODI World Cup. Her first ODI, in 2009, was also her first World Cup match, and she has since seen South Africa go from no-hopers to two-time semi-finalists.One of Kapp’s best performances in the ODI World Cup came against England in 2022: she took 5 for 45 and then scored 32 off 42 balls in a three-wicket win, but England went on to beat South Africa in the semi-final yet again•Fiona Goodall/Getty Images”I am a bit sad that I’m this age now because these kids are so blessed with where women’s cricket is at the moment,” she says. “They can just get better and better and it’s just going to get bigger and bigger. The few of us that started way back in 2009 had nothing and played for the love of the sport. It’s been hard. I’m not going to lie, it’s been tough over the years but I’m extremely blessed to still be sitting here and still playing for South Africa.”Dercksen does not take that history for granted. “We’ve got it better than they have,” she says. “The amount of work they’ve put in from when they started, and there weren’t even contracts… They stayed in places we probably would never stay now. They flew economy. So they did the hard yards for us.”As a thank you, Dercksen and many of her younger tea-party team-mates like Sinalo Jafta would like to give their seniors what they couldn’t a year ago. “At the last World Cup, I was more sad for the senior players like Kappie and Chloe [Tryon] and Aya [Khaka] than I was for myself,” Dercksen says. “They thoroughly deserve to win a World Cup. If this is Kappie’s last one, I’m hoping we can give a little bit of an extra effort to sort of make it special for them. And for the whole of South Africa.”Will it be Kapp’s last World Cup? “I don’t know. At the next one I’ll be 39, so that’s a bit far away.”Dercksen, of course, has to have the last word. “I think Kappie still has one more left in her.”

The new Anderson: Newcastle could see £13m bid accepted to sign “special” star

Minus Zian Flemming’s late penalty for Burnley at St James’ Park, Newcastle United’s 2-1 win over the relegation-threatened Clarets on Saturday was rather straightforward.

Scott Parker’s men never gave in, but after Anthony Gordon stroked home his fourth penalty of the season, there was a sense of inevitability that the Magpies were going to secure a sixth Premier League victory of the campaign, especially as the away side had to play all of the second half with just ten men.

It was far from vintage, but Newcastle will be pleased that they now enter into the upcoming Tyne-Wear Derby with a confidence-boosting win under their belt.

Then, it’s a tough encounter with Chelsea in league action, before more and more clashes come their way across the bumper Christmas period.

Before you know it, Eddie Howe’s men will be concerning themselves with matters in the January transfer window, as plenty of new signings are tipped to move to Tyneside.

Newcastle's transfer latest

Away from any new arrivals, though, Yoane Wissa lining up for Howe and Co against Burnley would have felt like a fresh signing in itself, as the injury-plagued striker finally pulled on Toon black and white, after exiting Brentford in the summer.

Still, even with Wissa’s return, Newcastle have been credited as being interested in the services of Bees goal machine Igor Thiago, as Keith Andrews fears another Magpies swoop could be forthcoming.

Of course, there is also constant talk bubbling away that Elliot Anderson might well seal a Tyneside return from Nottingham Forest.

Yet, with a ludicrous £100m price tag above the England international’s head, Newcastle might well be better placed to seek out cheaper alternatives, as Hungarian sensation Alex Tóth is allegedly catching the Premier League side’s eye.

Already garnering a lot of hype in his native country for Robbie Keane’s Ferencváros TC, Football Insider has now revealed that a £13m bid could be accepted down the line for the 20-year-old’s services, with Newcastle and Bundesliga clubs eyeing up the emerging talent.

Newcastle could be tempted to land such a promising midfield gem if he is available at such a cut-price fee, with the lingering disappointment of letting Anderson go prematurely, softened somewhat by the Budapest-born star’s arrival.

How Toth could be Anderson 2.0

Newcastle must still have restless nights about the decision to sell Anderson to Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2024, after the homegrown Toon prodigy had made 55 promising appearances in the first team ranks.

He was only just getting started at St James’ Park, though, with hindsight on side, as the 23-year-old is now a regular in Thomas Tuchel’s England set-up, and for good reason.

He’s made a mind-blowing 8.4 ball recoveries per game this season in Premier League action, and won 7.8 duels per match, gifting him the label of being an “elite” performer at the very top by analyst and social media personality Statman Dave.

Likewise, journalist Bence Bocsak has tipped the Ferencváros number 64 to go to “the top” too, with a new Anderson-style project potentially on Newcastle’s hands if they land Tóth this January.

Tóth’s league numbers

Stat (* = per 90 mins)

24/25

25/26

Games played

17

12

Goals scored

2

1

Assists

7

1

Touches*

65.9

54.5

Accurate passes*

37.6 (84%)

32.8 (87%)

Big chances created

8

4

Ball recoveries*

4.2

2.0

Total duels won*

4.8

4.0

Stats by Sofascore

Winning four duels per fixture his season in Fizz Liga action, Tóth isn’t a million miles off the high-octane approach Anderson is known for. He even regularly lines up for Hungary, alongside Liverpool faces Milos Kerkez and Dominik Szoboszlai, off the back of these well-drilled showings, with three ground duels successfully won against the Republic of Ireland, just last month.

But, as per analyst page Football Wonderkids, it’s also his well-rounded ability to chip in with goals and assists and tidily play the ball about the pitch that makes him a “special talent” worthy of a Premier League switch, with a standout 11 goal contributions tallied up across his last two league seasons. Like Anderson, therefore, he’s got a goal involvement from the middle of the park in him too.

This has further led to the aforementioned Bocsak hailing the £13m asset as a “modern day midfielder” who is capable of everything, much like Anderson, who has three goals and seven assists for the Tricky Trees in total, yet is also known as a “warrior” for his defensive grit by Como scout Ben Mattinson.

Of course, if Tóth were to make the move to England, he wouldn’t become an Anderson-like talent overnight in his new, intimidating surroundings.

But, for just £13m, it’s surely worth the gamble that he could morph into Newcastle’s second coming of their departed midfielder in time.

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“I’d be really worried” – Carragher says Arsenal now have a “huge problem”

Jamie Carragher has delivered his verdict on Arsenal and their Premier League title challenge after their dramatic 2-1 loss at Aston Villa.

Arsenal suffer first defeat in 18 games as five-point lead slips

Arsenal’s agonising defeat at Villa has ended the Gunners’ 18-game unbeaten streak whilst threatening their title aspirations, with Man City’s subsequent 3-0 dismantling of Sunderland now reducing the gap to just two points.

Emiliano Buendia’s 95th minute winner highlighted familiar weaknesses that have plagued previous title challenges.

Mikel Arteta’s makeshift defence, deprived of William Saliba and Gabriel through injury, conceded soft goals that championship-winning teams simply cannot afford.

Matty Cash’s thunderous opener exploited Eberechi Eze’s defensive negligence, whilst Buendia’s late intervention punished Arsenal’s inability to clear.

Leandro Trossard’s second-half equaliser briefly sparked hope of a hard-fought victory in the Midlands, yet Arsenal ultimately succumbed to Villa’s relentless pressure.

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While Arsenal have only lost twice this campaign, Arteta will be hoping Saturday’s defeat doesn’t sap his squad’s confidence given the manner of their slip up.

Cristhian Mosquera’s ankle injury compounds their current defensive crisis, forcing 16-year-old Marli Salmon onto the bench against Villa.

Man City ruthlessly capitalised on Arsenal’s hiccup, delivering their arguable most complete performance this season against an in-form Sunderland side.

Rúben Dias opened the scoring with a spectacular 25-yard thunderbolt before Josko Gvardiol doubled the advantage through a towering header from Phil Foden’s corner.

Foden completed the scoring after 65 minutes, converting Rayan Cherki’s outrageous rabona cross for a serious highlight reel moment.

Pep Guardiola praised it as potentially City’s finest 95-minute display this season, emphasising how it is consistency rather than individual results that determines success.

The title race has dramatically intensified, with Aston Villa themselves now genuine contenders sitting third, merely three points behind Arsenal following seven consecutive wins in all competitions.

Make no mistake, it is all to play for, and Carragher is convinced that Arsenal have a ‘huge problem’ in the form of Foden.

Jamie Carragher says Phil Foden is a 'huge problem' for Arsenal

Speaking on Monday Night Football, Carragher insists that the England international, alongside Erling Haaland, poses a massive threat to Arsenal’s quest to win a first Premier League title in 22 years.

After a difficult 2024/2025, Arsenal have every right to be concerned, as Foden is now back to his imperious best.

Foden has emerged as City’s most potent attacking threat bar Haaland during their resurgent title challenge, scoring nine goals across all competitions so far this term.

The 25-year-old has also notched six Premier League goals in thirteen appearances, averaging 0.51 goals per ninety minutes whilst contributing two assists.

His recent purple patch has been particularly devastating, with five goals scored in his last three league games. His goal involvement rate of 0.69 per ninety minutes highlights his constant influence in the final third, with Guardiola praising his exceptional qualities following Saturday’s performance.

Foden already surpassed his career milestone of 100 City goals during the summer’s Club World Cup, cementing his status amongst the club’s elite scorers.

His personal renaissance couldn’t have come at a worse time for Arsenal, but luckily for Arteta, the title is still theirs to lose.

England sink to another low as Lions thrashed by Australia A

O’Neill took 4 for 53 while Bartlett and Hadley took two wickets each as Australia A romped to an innings and 127-run victory

AAP08-Dec-2025

Xavier Bartlett, Ryan Hadley, Todd Murphy and Fergus O’Neill celebrate Australia A’s win•Getty Images

England’s miserable Ashes tour has reached the depths of their Lions side, who were beaten by an innings and 127 runs by an Australia A team.England’s alarming lack of Ashes depth has been further emphasised, after their Lions side were thrashed by an innings and 127 runs by Australia A in Brisbane.Fresh off the tourists’ heavy loss at the Gabba on Sunday leaving them 2-0 down in the Ashes, the Lions were humiliated 10 minutes down the road at Allan Border Field on Monday.Related

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After being bowled out for 166 on Friday, England’s batting managed slightly better in their second innings before being all out for 295.Youngster Asa Tribe, who has played five ODIs for Jersey, finished unbeaten on 129, but Fergus O’Neill’s 4 for 53 for Australia A ensured there was no chance of a final-day draw.Those innings were sandwiched by Australia A’s 588 for 8 declared, with Nathan McSweeney using the match to push his Test claims with an unbeaten 226.The defeat follows a loss to a Cricket Australia XI last month, but most players featured in a first-innings win over a Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra.England’s senior side desperately need change ahead of next week’s third Ashes Test in Adelaide, but realistically their options are limited.Ollie Pope is under mounting pressure to keep his spot at No. 3, after failing to reach 50 in any of his first four innings of the series.But the man most likely to replace him, Jacob Bethell, is still yet to hit his maiden first-class hundred in a career spanning 25 matches.Bethell showed some signs of promise with a 71 against Australia A on Sunday, but his returns for the tour are now 3, 70, 44, 16, 19 and 71.Tribe’s century in the third innings in Brisbane has been the only hundred of the tour from an England Lions player, with no one sticking their hand up for selection.The bigger concern for England could be spinner Shoaib Bashir, after years of preparing him for this Ashes summer.The 22-year-old went for 0 for 115 from 25 overs against Australia A, with McSweeney pulling his first two balls for four on day one, and the match barely getting any better.Will Jacks was picked ahead of Bashir for the Gabba Test and took the wicket of Brendan Doggett, while offering some value with the bat.England’s back-up quicks Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts did not play in this Lions fixture, with Nathan Gilchrist taking 4 for 128 and Josh Hull 3 for 103.

'He's not over the hill!' – Raheem Sterling tipped to push for sensational Wrexham transfer amid ongoing exile from Chelsea squad

Chelsea star Raheem Sterling has been urged to push for a sensational transfer to Wrexham and end his struggles at Stamford Bridge. The winger is part of the club's infamous 'bomb squad' and is training away from the first team in west London. Former Wales and Liverpool striker Dean Saunders says a transfer to Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac's side would be a great bit of business.

Sterling out in the cold at Chelsea

Sterling has been deemed surplus to requirements at Chelsea which has led to speculation over his future, and talk of a sensational transfer to Wrexham. The winger's last competitive appearance came back in May, at the end of his loan spell with Arsenal, and it remains to be seen when he will return to action. With the January transfer window now just weeks away, Sterling's future is likely to come under the spotlight once again. Saunders has been left baffled by Sterling's situation at Chelsea and feels a shock move to Wrexham is not out of the question.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWrexham told Sterling 'not over the hill'

Saunders told BOYLE Sports who offer the latest football betting: "Raheem Sterling to Wrexham? Why not? You might see some big players that have watched the documentary and they think, ‘I'll have a bit of that. I'd love to play for them, Wrexham.’ You might get somebody like Raheem Sterling saying that. I can't get my head around his situation. What's going on? He’s not over the hill. He's a very good player. Having said that, the Championship's not easy to play in. I've managed in the Championship and sometimes Premier League players come down and play in it and they can't believe what's going on. We're playing all the time and every game's a battle. Millwall away on a Tuesday night. When the ball's up in the air all night, some of them find it difficult."

'Everybody wants to play for Wrexham'

Saunders also feels that Wrexham is an attractive club to join following their rapid rise up the leagues under Reynolds and Mac, and the Hollywood duo's subsequent heavy investment in the first team.

"I always thought that if we could get Wrexham back in the league, I thought our team would be better than most of the League Two teams. If you get in League Two, you can go up again to League One.  Now, when you get to League One, the budgets can be five million, then you get teams like Sunderland who are in there with twenty million," he added.

"You get a few big clubs trying to go up. To get into the Championship, once you get into the Championship, I thought we could get to the Championship, but then you're competing with three Premier League teams who've just got relegated. A couple who tried to go back up but never made it, with massive playing budgets and Premier League players in it. And I thought that might be the difficult bit because you have got to put your hand in your pocket then to try and compete in the Championship. And to be fair, they have.

"I mean, I'm hearing what some of the players are earning now. You know, they've signed Josh Windass, they've signed Nathan Broadhead, Kieffer Moore. They can play at that level every day of the week and all day long and have an impact most weeks. Fair play to the manager because they've turned the players over ruthlessly so they've kept momentum.

"If Wrexham get to the Premier League I'll be delighted because it's a great club. They've got great, great supporters. And there is a massive catchment area around Wrexham, in between Wrexham and Cardiff, there's a catchment area which they're getting players through now into the academy. 

"Obviously not far the other way is Man City, Man United, Liverpool, Everton. So they normally nick the best young kids. Then you've got Stoke not far away. So they have had all the best players nicked off them, but now everybody wants to play for Wrexham, don't they? Famous all around the world. It's an incredible story."

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Getty Images SportSterling to move on in January?

Wrexham have been tipped to spend again in January as they bid to secure promotion to the Premier League. Phil Parkinson's side currently sit 10th in the table but are only three points off the final play-off place. It's not clear yet if Sterling could be tempted to head to Wales, but it certainly would be no surprise to see the 30-year-old move on in a bid to try and resurrect his career after losing his place at Chelsea.

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