Tag Futebol

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been handed a fresh injury update on forward Kai Havertz, with a timeline emerging on his possible return.

The Gunners, even without Havertz, have made a brilliant start to the 2025/2026 season, with their last defeat coming all the way back at Anfield against Liverpool.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Since then, Arsenal have been a force to be reckoned with, sitting firmly atop the Premier League table and showing no signs of slipping.

One of the defining features of Arsenal’s campaign so far has been their dominance from set pieces. Arteta’s side have already scored an incredible 11 goals from dead-balls, making them the undisputed set-piece kings of the league.

From pinpoint corners to clever free-kicks and long-throws, Arsenal have turned these situations into a very reliable source of goals, much to the detest of some critics.

What’s particularly impressive is that they’ve done it while missing a plethora of key stars for long periods.

Club captain Martin Odegaard, who is back on the treatment table until mid-November following a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury against West Ham, had only just come back from a shoulder problem beforehand.

Gabriel Jesus, meanwhile, ruptured his ACL at the very start of 2025 and hasn’t played since Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat to Man United last season.

Noni Madueke, who was really impressing on-lookers with his early-season form, picked up a knee injury in their 1-1 draw at home to Man City, but the England international could apparently make a “faster-than-expected” return to the team (GiveMeSport).

With Havertz, the signs have also been pretty good.

Arteta’s versatile forward — the club’s highest earner on around £280,000-per-week — is believed to be impressing Arsenal staff with his recovery from knee damage behind-the-scenes.

As a result, Havertz is apparently ahead of schedule to return for Arsenal, but it still might not be too imminent.

Arsenal handed fresh Kai Havertz injury update

The 26-year-old, who scored 15 goals and bagged another five assists in all competitions last season, has played just half an hour so far this term and Arteta will be hoping to have him back as soon as possible.

However, according to journalist and founder of Premier Injuries, Ben Dinnery, Havertz may not be back in full match action until as far down the line as December.

Arteta will want to be careful managing the former Chelsea star’s load, especially considering how light Arsenal are going forward right now after Gabriel Martinelli was also sidelined recently.

Summer signing Viktor Gyokeres has done fairly well in Havertz’s place up front, albeit his goal return so far isn’t what most had hoped for.

The return of Havertz would give Arteta an extra option in that area, and Arsenal have already been tipped to bench Gyokeres for the attacker in big games once he makes his comeback.

Mikel Arteta's underrated Arsenal star adds something "people really don’t see"

Victory keeps mathematical hopes of quarter-finals alive, although results must go their way

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay17-Jul-2025

Ethan Brookes produced an all-round showing for Worcestershire•MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Worcestershire Rapids retained their sliver of a hope of Vitality Blast qualification with a 45-run win over Notts Outlaws at Visit Worcestershire New Road.The Rapids amassed a hefty 206 for seven thanks to punchy contributions from the top five, led by Ethan Brookes (57 from 20 balls) and Brett D’Oliveira (46, 36). Dillon Pennington took 3 for 34.The Outlaws replied with 161 all out (Tom Moores 57 from 29, Matt Montgomery 47 from 22, Brookes 3 for 30) to suffer a defeat which leaves their qualification hopes also hanging by a thread. The Outlaws must beat Lancashire Lightning tomorrow and hope that Warwickshire Bears and Leicestershire Foxes lose. The Rapids, meanwhile, their group games over, need the Bears, Foxes and Outlaws to lose, accompanied by the required seismic shift in net run-rate.Both sides require a highly unlikely cocktail of results from the final round of games. After their erratic campaigns, it’s highly likely that neither will figure in the quarter-finals.The Rapids were put in but Isaac Mohammed (27, 15) delivered a vibrant start before he was superbly held on the deep mid-wicket boundary by Calvin Harrison, so close to the Ladies Pavilion that he could have had a cake.D’Oliveira and Kashif Ali kept the tempo high with a stand of 62 from 39 balls. Kashif (34, 21) lifted Liam Patterson-White to long-on and D’Oliveira steered Pennington to slip but Brookes and Adam Hose bashed 59 from 28 balls.Hose (33, 21) lifted Pennington to long off but Brookes struck the ball beautifully to thunder to an 18-ball half-century. He took his side past 200 with 16 from three balls from Sams in the final over.The Outlaws’ chase suffered early damage when Freddie McCann sliced a slog at the eighth ball, from Khurram Shahzad, to cover and Jack Haynes was brilliantly caught by Blast debutant Ben Gibbons at long on. Gibbons took a simpler catch from a failed Joe Clarke scoop off Shahzad and when Moises Henriques skewed Brookes to backward point, The Outlaws were 49 for four and in a pickle.Montgomery kept his side in contention by flailing a six and nine fours. The South African was starting to worry the home fans and had taken 19 from a Ben Allison over before lifting the last ball of it to deep cover.Brookes’ happy day continued when he had Sams and Patterson-White caught off successive balls. Moore peered through the gloaming to biff a 27-ball half-century but his departure, to another fine boundary catch, this time by Hose, effectively ended the content.Both these teams still harbour a vestigial hope of qualification but both are likely to be sitting at home in quarter-final week pondering what might have been with a bit more consistency.

Glasgow Rangers finally got their first win of the season in the Scottish Premiership to alleviate some of the pressure on head coach Russell Martin.

The Light Blues had failed to win any of their first five matches in the division, their worst start to a league campaign in 47 years, but finally got three points on the board on Sunday.

Max Aarons scored in the 94th minute to win the match for the Ibrox giants after coming off the bench to strike, scoring his first goal for the club since his loan move in the summer.

How Max Aarons won the game for Rangers

The former England U21 international popped up with a crucial goal that was desperately needed, because the Grs were staring down the face of six games without a win to start the season.

As heard in the clip above, Martin needed a goal from that corner and that is exactly what he got when Aarons evaded his marker to smash home a brilliant finish on the spin.

It was a goal that a striker would have been proud of. The way he moved to get away from his marker and then the finish to find the bottom corner was textbook centre-forward play, but it came from a right-back.

Chalkboard

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

Whilst Aarons was the player who scored the winner, it may have been Nicolas Raskin who just saved Martin’s job at Ibrox with his performance against Livingston.

How Nicolas Raskin may have saved Russell Martin's job

Ironically, after being left out of the matchday squad for games against Celtic and Hearts by the manager, the Belgium international may have saved his job by heavily contributing to the 2-1 win for the Light Blues.

Martin is under a lot of pressure from some supporters, who protested against him before during the recent League Cup win over Hibernian, due to the nature of the results and performances this season.

A sixth game without a league win, after losing 1-0 to Genk on Thursday night, could have put the manager’s position into major doubt, at least from the outside looking in, which is why beating Livingston feels like a big moment for Martin.

It was a win that was largely orchestrated by the quality of Raskin in the middle of the park, because he showcased his ability in and out of possession throughout the game.

Minutes

90

Pass accuracy

88%

Key passes

3

Big chances created

1

Penalties won

1

Duels won

8/14

Dribbled past

0x

As you can see in the table above, the former Standard Liege star won the majority of his defensive duels and was not dribbled past a single time, which shows that he was incredibly reliable and solid defensively.

On top of that, Raskin won the penalty that James Tavernier missed in the first half and created three chances for his teammates in total, the last of which was his excellent delivery from the corner that Aarons scored from.

The 23-year-old star, who earned an 8/10 player rating from IbroxNews, never stopped running from the first whistle to the last, closing down opposition players, making unselfish runs to stretch the game, bursting beyond his man to spark attacks.

It was a terrific performance that was full of energy, grit, determination, and quality. Things that the team’s overall performances this season have been lacking.

Not Dyche or Gerrard: Rangers should axe Martin for future "elite manager"

With Russell Martin under intense pressure as Rangers boss, the 49ers should make a future “elite manager” their top target to replace him at Ibrox.

Sep 25, 2025

If Martin keeps his job and goes on to be a success at Ibrox, he may have Raskin to thank for his match-winning performance in midfield against Livingston in this game.

Everton look to be enjoying a new era under David Moyes and could be set to launch an offensive to complete a bargain move once the New Year comes around.

Everton willing to trigger Omar El Hilali's release clause

The summer window saw an influx of arrivals at the Hill Dickinson Stadium that marked the start of a new era for all involved, with Jack Grealish being the pick of the bunch after claiming the Premier League Player of the Month award.

While the England international impressed in a 0-0 draw against former club Aston Villa on Saturday, Everton have already made Espanyol full-back Omar El Hilali one of their main priorities come January and plan to trigger his £26 million release clause once the mid-season market opens.

After trying and failing to land him during the summer, Moyes may now act to bring in some competition on the right-hand side of defence for Jake O’Brien, putting another piece of the jigsaw in place as the Toffees continue to probe on the transfer front.

Solidity is a quality that has underpinned the Scot’s sides over the years, but that also needs to be tempered with offensive quality, something that slowly appears to be emerging due to the Friedkin Group’s investment power.

Despite the window being closed, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has emerged as a free agent target for Everton, potentially offering a balance of the two qualities in the engine room.

Optimism is growing on the blue half of Merseyside and supporters appear willing to stick with Moyes’ blueprint as his side find their niche in the Premier League, and they may now be ready to sanction a bargain move come 2026.

Everton hopeful of bargain permanent Jack Grealish transfer

According to The Telegraph, Everton are hopeful they can sign Jack Grealish for less than his £50 million transfer option included in his loan agreement at Manchester City.

The outlet claim a bargain deal may be possible due to his clause being a result of accountancy rather than being set in stone, given he has two years on his deal at the Etihad Stadium and his market value at the club was factored in before Pep Guardiola sanctioned his departure.

Everton's "incredible" star is quietly having a bigger impact than Grealish

Everton appear to have turned a corner with David Moyes at the helm this season, with Jack Grealish central to it. He’s not alone, however…

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 12, 2025

Loved by Wayne Rooney due to his character on and off the field, Grealish has registered four assists in his first five matches for the Toffees across all competitions and has endeared himself as a fan favourite due to some dazzling displays.

However, his wages are said to be around £12 million per year and that may be a sticking point in negotiations, meaning a free transfer may be the only way for Everton to afford the Three Lions man if they were to take on his full earnings.

Time will tell on that front, but it is clear to see that Everton and Grealish have hit it off instantly and their relationship is worth continuing at any cost.

The Premier League are set to vote on scrapping the divisive Profit and Sustainability Rules and bringing in a new system that will be more aligned with the UEFA financial regulations. The PSR was introduced by the Premier League ahead of the 2015/16 season in a bid to prevent clubs from overspending on transfers, however, time and again, the rules have faced criticism.

• PSR set to scrapped after facing criticism

  Premier League CEO Richard Masters has revealed that they will soon decide on the fate of the divisive PSR and might introduce a new squad-cost ratio system. Introduced in the 2015/16 season, the PSR has often been criticised by clubs like Manchester City, Newcastle United and Aston Villa for limiting their ability to spend in the transfer market. 

Advertisement

• (C)Getty Images
  

  Premier League in talks with clubs

  Speaking at the Leaders sports conference, Masters said: "We are talking to our clubs about an alternative system. That's not to say we don't think the PSR system works. It's about closer alignment with European regulation, which is squad cost ratio, which is a revenue test. 

  "The PSR is a look-back profitability test and has its own strengths and weaknesses. No system will be perfect. We have to keep these things balanced and continue the conversation with our clubs, and that's an important decision, so we should take the time to get it right. But that decision is coming up."

• New rules could be aligned with UEFA's financial regulations

  Masters added: "In UEFA, it's now set at 70 per cent. Our system will be 85 per cent because we always want our clubs to have the ability to invest. So when you compare the Premier League system at 85 percent, if it happens, and you look at the other big European leagues, we have a more permissive system, too permissive some might say… The Premier League has been built on the back of investment in which international capital flows (are) coming in. We don't want that to be stifled."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Premier League clubs to vote on scrapping PSR next month

  Initially, the Premier League wanted to put the new rules in place for the 2025-26 campaign, however, all 20 top-flight clubs will meet in November to vote on implementing the new system.

It’s safe to say the last few weeks have been incredibly Spursy. From the lows of missing out on Eberechi Eze to the highs of defeating Manchester City and then announcing Xavi Simons on Saturday, Tottenham Hotspur supporters have been through the wringer.

That was capped off this weekend. In front of their new arrival, Thomas Frank’s side came unstuck for the first time this season, defeated by Bournemouth.

While Frank’s tenure at Spurs has so far been pretty smooth on the pitch, behind the scenes, the transfer business has been tricky.

They missed out on Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White, two of the Premier League’s finest English talents, while a deal for Savinho has been in the works for a while now, but they are likely to miss out on him as well.

Spurs' Savinho alternative on deadline day

A number of weeks ago, it was revealed that Spurs had opened talks with Manchester City in an attempt to bring Savinho to north London.

A deal looked possible but the further we’ve got into the window, the less likely the chances of concluding a deal have become.

The Brazilian has missed the opening few weeks of the campaign with an injury but recent reports suggest that City aren’t too keen on losing the winger. Still, the Londoners are pressing on with their attempts to sign the player.

As a result, Spurs have to look elsewhere, and according to TEAMtalk, one alternative could be Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman.

Transfer Focus

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

The former Everton and Fulham man is enjoying a fine time of it in Italy but he wants out and has already moved back to London in a bid to force his way out of Bergamo for good.

One destination could well be Tottenham Hotspur. The report suggests that the Serie A side have been in talks with clubs across Europe to find him a new home and should the Lilywhites fail in their pursuit of Savinho, Lookman is likely to emerge as a prime target.

A deal could be done in the region of £35m-£40m in the dying embers of the transfer window.

How Lookman compares to Savinho

It’s been a transfer window fraught with hurdles for Spurs but if they can conclude a deal for another new forward before the window slams shut at 7pm on Monday, they’d be in a fabulous place to challenge for a top four berth come next May.

With Frank in need of finding more creativity, Savinho would certainly tick a lot of boxes.

Last season, the Brazil winger supplied 13 assists in all competitions and ranked among the top 13% of wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for assists, via FBRef.

However, despite his ability to create goal-scoring opportunities, his lack of goal threat must be outlined.

In 2024/25, Savinho found the net on just three occasions, only one of which came in the Premier League. This is a problem, particularly when comparing him with Lookman.

The Nigeria international has come a long way since that dire penalty miss in a Fulham shirt and is now “one of the best forwards in Europe”, as described by journalist Oma Akatugba.

Why? Well, he’s become a true superstar of Serie A, netting on 20 occasions in 40 games last season. During the 2023/24 term, he scored 17, seven of which came on the left wing and a further seven came as a centre-forward, highlighting his versatility.

So, unlike Savinho, he’s capable of playing in a plethora of positions and he’s a genuine goalscorer. He’s also capable of creating for his teammates, registering ten assists in 2023/24 and seven in 2024/25.

Lookman vs Savinho – 2024/25 league
Stat (per 90 mins)	Lookman	Savinho
Goals	0.60	0.05
Assists	0.20	0.41
Expected assists (xA)	0.32	0.31
Shots	3.24	2.81
Key passes	2.44	2.35
Progressive passes	2.92	3.42
Successful take-ons	1.48	2.65
Progressive carries	5.68	6.99
Data via FBRef.

Analysing the data, it’s evident that Savinho is the better dribbler and carrier of possession.

Yet, despite the City forward trumping Lookman for overall assists in 2024/25, the latter proved that he can be equally, if not more creative, registering a higher volume of key passes and thus, also registering a better rate of expected assists.

So, depending on where you were to field the Atalanta attacker, he could provide everything Savinho does, just with an incredibly greater goal threat.

At just £40m, this feels like a snip for Spurs if they enter the race at the last minute.

Bigger talent than Simons: Spurs in talks to sign a "£100m-plus footballer"

Tottenham Hotspur could land another top young prospect after the signing of Xavi Simons.

3

By
Ethan Lamb

Aug 31, 2025

It’s officially FPL season and that means absurd forfeits, creative team names and feeling guilty about cheering a late Bruno Fernandes penalty. Come on, we’ve all done it.

After three gameweeks, a clearer picture is beginning to emerge as to who the must-have players could be. Last season, it was Jacob Murphy who emerged as a surprise option, but in the current campaign the likes of Jack Grealish are proving to be worthwhile transfer coups.

There’s still plenty to think about, however, and with two wildcards at your disposal, there’s still time to ensure that your Dad who still thinks Fernando Torres is Liverpool’s No.9 does not win the family league title for a third straight season.

Best gameweek to use FPL wildcard

The international break is here and, more importantly, the summer transfer window has ended. Using your wildcard now could be wise. It would be an understandable urge, but holding fire and implementing a free hit this time around may be the way forward. That way, any slight gamble taken on a now-underperforming player can be solved for at least one week whilst some much-needed points are gained.

The fixtures are also not the most suitable after the international break. In back-to-back weeks, Manchester City face Manchester United and then Arsenal, which could instantly see potential wildcard pick Erling Haaland struggle to leave his usual mark.

More factors to consider are form, injuries and how far players have travelled during the international break. Whilst it may seem tempting to jump the gun and welcome Alexander Isak into your side, for example, the last thing you want is to spend £10.4m on a player who is unlikely to start until he is deemed ready to go after missing pre-season.

So, when is the best time to wildcard? Well, gameweek six stands out. By that point, it will be clear whether a new signing can hit the ground running or if they are even in a starting role. Any lasting effects of the international break will also be known by this point and the fixtures become more routine for the likes of Haaland and Man City, while Arsenal also have an easier swing coming in October.

Top scoring FPL strikers GWs 1-3

Points

Joao Pedro

26

Erling Haaland

24

Hugo Ekitike

22

Richarlison

19

Chris Wood

17

After getting Haaland into your side that week, it would be an ideal time to captain the Norwegian against newly-promoted Burnley at the Etihad.

Best wildcard picks in FPL

By holding out until matchday six, several impressive options should emerge – including Isak. By that point, he should be ready to go and in a Liverpool side that already includes Florian Wirtz, Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike no less. The Swede is almost a guarantee for goals and is far cheaper than Haaland or new teammate Salah, who cost £14.1m and £14.5m respectively.

Most expensive FPL players

Current Price

Mohamed Salah

£14.5m

Erling Haaland

£14.1m

Alexander Isak

£10.4m

Cole Palmer

£10.5m

Bukayo Saka

£10m

To partner the Premier League’s record signing, getting Joao Pedro in is a must at this stage. At £7.6m, he is a bargain buy and should now start most games under Enzo Maresca following Liam Delap’s injury.

Having Ekitike, Haaland and Pedro together – albeit whilst sacrificing Isak and/or Salah – gives you three of the hottest players in the league right now and would leave room for a strong midfield.

Elsewhere, Xavi Simons at £7m is also one to watch as a player who scored 11 goals and assisted eight more for RB Leipzig last season before recently joining Tottenham. The arrival of several fresh faces in North London has thrown up some interesting FPL decisions to make, but Thomas Frank and Daniel Levy did not spend £52m on a benchwarmer, so his minutes should be secure once he settles, perhaps at the cost of Brennan Johnson.

If you’re searching for a differential, new Crystal Palace signing Yeremy Pino (£6.0m) looked fantastic off the bench in his Gameweek 3 debut, and the injuries to Ismaila Sarr and Adam Wharton mean he is almost certain to start most matches from here on out.

In defence, at least one Arsenal defender becomes a must as their fixtures turn from Gameweek 7 onwards, with Gabriel at £6.1m the safest for minutes while Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori – both £5.6m – offer a goal threat.

Continuing that theme, the obvious pick in goal is David Raya, but keep an eye on Marco Bizot at Aston Villa, who now appears to be Unai Emery’s favoured choice at just £4.5m.

Joe Root has hailed Harry Brook as “far and away the best player in the world” after Brook powered England to their first series victory in New Zealand since 2008.Both Root and Brook registered centuries in an emphatic 323-run win in the second Test against the Black Caps that confirmed an unassailable 2-0 scoreline after just three days at the Basin Reserve. It was their 35th and eighth hundreds respectively, with Brook’s 123 in tough first-innings conditions earning him the player-of-the-match award.Brooks’ opening-day effort, reaching three figures in 91 deliveries (the second-fastest of his career), came in challenging conditions, dragging England to 280 inside just 54.5 overs, having at one stage been 26 for 3. The tourists were then able to dismiss New Zealand for 125, establishing a 155-run lead that Root’s 106 would eventually lift to a mammoth 582. In reply, New Zealand could only muster 259 in just 54.2 overs.Last week, Brook moved up to No.2 on the ICC Test rankings off the back of his 171 in the first Test at Christchurch, which set up an eight-wicket win. Root sits at No.1, but England’s all-time leading run-scorer believes his Yorkshire and England team-mate is currently at the top of the modern game.”Brooky is by far and away the best player in the world at the minute,” Root said, off the back of Brook’s exploits in New Zealand.”He can absorb pressure, he can apply it. He can whack you over your head for six. He can scoop you over his head for six. He can smack spin. He can smack seam.”He’s so hard to bowl to and dovetailed with someone like Pope [174 for the fifth wicket in the first innings], who’s extremely busy and scoring in awkward areas, [which] makes it very difficult to stop the flow of runs. I think they just played exceptionally well together.”Related

• Brook rises to No. 2 in Test batting rankings, closes gap with table-topper Root

• Joe Root: Harry Brook's 317 is just the first of his 'monster' scores

• Stats – England's first series win in NZ since 2008, New Zealand's worst home defeat

• England crush New Zealand to claim series despite Blundell defiance

• Stokes lauds England's 'more dominant cricket' for series win in NZ

Brook returned the compliment to Root, who has a chance to beat his previous calendar-year best of six centuries (2021) in this Saturday’s third and final Test at Hamilton.”I’m trying to catch him, but he’s too good, isn’t he?” Brook said, when asked if he fancied taking the No. 1 tag off Root. “[He] got another hundred this week. No, he’s obviously one of the best players, if not the best player, to have ever played the game.”Though only two years into his Test career, Brook’s average of 61.62 from 23 Tests is currently third on the all-time list. Having become England’s first triple-centurion in 34 years with 317 against Pakistan, his work in New Zealand over the last two weeks has moved his average away from home to a remarkable 89.35, though he has only played in those two countries.Brook, however, insists on keeping his feet on the ground and believes he has more work to do to improve all aspects of his game.”I’ve only played 23 games, so them stats could soon come soaring down!” he said. “So I’m just trying to keep on getting as good as I can and working hard in the nets and improving areas that are uncomfortable. Just keep on going really. You can always get better everywhere.”Meanwhile, Root has been announced on the shortlist for BBC Sports Personality of the Year. The award, to be judged by the public on who they regard as most accomplished sportsperson in 2024, has only been won by a cricketer on five occasions. Ben Stokes was the most recent, in 2019, while Stuart Board finished runner-up last year.”I didn’t expect that at all, really,” Root said of Monday’s announcement. “I guess I’m honored to be involved in it. You know, it’s been a wonderful year of sports so to even be considered is is pretty humbling, to be honest.”I wasn’t expecting at all, but it’s something I’ve watched as a kid growing up. I don’t really know how to sum it up.”England will meet up in Hamilton on Wednesday ahead of the third Test. A number of players left Wellington on Monday to explore New Zealand’s North Island and will travel separately to the inland city.

The PCB has taken strong exception to the post, saying that Fakhar has brought the game in Pakistan into disrepute

Danyal Rasool15-Oct-2024

Fakhar Zaman is likely to receive a penalty for his comments in support of Babar Azam•Associated Press

Babar Azam’s dropping from the Pakistan squad has seen Fakhar Zaman entangled in a dispute with the PCB, with the cricket board issuing him a show-cause notice for a social media post. After news of Babar’s omission from Pakistan’s squad for the second and third Test broke, Fakhar took to X (formerly Twitter) before the PCB had officially announced the squad.He described the development as “concerning” saying “sidelining arguably the best batter Pakistan has ever produced” risked sending a “deeply negative message across the board”. He called on the PCB to “safeguard” players rather than “undermining them”.The PCB has taken strong exception to the post, telling ESPNcricinfo the batter had been issued a show-cause notice for bringing the game in Pakistan into disrepute. They have alleged that as a centrally contracted player, Fakhar had a responsibility not to make such comments against his employer in public. They are understood to be disappointed Fakhar did not raise any complaints privately.