All posts by h716a5.icu

Manchester City are enjoying their return after the international break, but could be set to allow a Pep Guardiola signing to leave the club despite the player in question only joining mere months ago.

Manchester City summer signings make instant impact

The transfer window has been and gone, leaving Manchester City hopeful they can start to build momentum as they look to reclaim the Premier League title from Liverpool.

Last weekend’s resounding victory over Manchester United will have restored belief after back-to-back top-flight defeats, and the introduction of Gianluigi Donnarumma to the fold has certainly provided an elevated level of assurance within the Citizens’ backline.

Impressing with his gigantic figure between the sticks, Peter Schmeichel admitted to Premier League Productions that he even tried to convince the Manchester City stopper to move to Old Trafford before his transfer to the blue side of the city materialised.

He said, detailing a previous encounter when he was at Paris Saint-Germain: “I asked my first question and he started to answer in Italian, and I had no clue! Over the last season I kept saying to him, ‘We want you at Man United.

“I did. So I went to him, ‘What are you doing here? You should be in the other goal (for United),’ but he said, ‘I’m very, very happy here.’ He showed it, he gave it to the team today, didn’t he.”

Man City plan offer to sign £87m star who Pep thinks can be key with Foden

The Citizens are looking to make a statement in the January window.

BySean Markus Clifford Sep 12, 2025

Little did Schmeichel know that Donnarumma would immediately be installed as Guardiola’s number one, but there are always ramifications that come with new signings being made.

Now, the Citizens could be willing to offload one of their summer additions in a surprise move that will shock many supporters.

James Trafford could make Man City loan exit

According to TBR, Man City could allow James Trafford to leave on loan in January to help keep his hopes of making Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad alive, given Donnarumma has become Guardiola’s preferred stopper.

The £50,000 per week earner has fallen down the pecking order, something that is further complicated by Stefan Ortega remaining at the club, and he could be permitted a temporary exit after joining for £27 million from Burnley.

Trafford, who himself is open to a loan move away, has started three of Manchester City’s opening four Premier League matches, keeping a clean sheet against Wolverhampton Wanderers, followed by less convincing performances against Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Nevertheless, he is a fine talent who also courted attention from Newcastle United during the summer before settling on a move back to the club where it all started.

Now, he needs minutes to keep his hopes of being under contention with England alive, and he is unlikely to be short of suitors once the January window opens.

In the absence of Wanindu Hasaranga, Royals tried just five bowlers against Titans, and no one apart from Jofra Archer made a mark

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Apr-20252:07

Jaffer: Quality of RR’s squad after auction is questionable

Getting the team balance right has been a concern for Rajasthan Royals (RR) from the start of IPL 2025. Against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Wednesday night, the problem was that they didn’t give themselves a proper sixth bowling option. Or, at any rate, they didn’t throw the ball to the part-timers, Riyan Parag among them, despite Maheesh Theekshana, Tushar Deshpande and Sandeep Sharma proving expensive, going at well over ten an over. RR “had to have a sixth bowling option,” Sanjay Bangar said after watching GT put up 217 for 6 and run out 58-run victors.”A wonderful wicket to bat on and the ball was coming on nicely. There was a little bit of pace and bounce which Jofra [Archer] exploited really well – [he was] the standout bowler,” Bangar said on ESPNcricinfo TimeOut show. “But apart from him, just felt that Rajasthan Royals had to have a sixth bowling option to take a little bit of pressure away from the other bowlers. In such batting-friendly conditions, you certainly felt they were under the pump.”RR were without Wanindu Hasaranga for the game after he opted out owing to personal reasons. That was a blow, though his replacement, Fazalhaq Farooqi, went at 9.50, not bad in the circumstances. Archer was the most economical, at 7.50, despite bowling the 18th over. Crucially, no wickets fell between 2.1 and 9.6, that’s almost seven overs, and then again for 5.4 overs after that.Related

Samson backs himself to lead Royals youngsters to IPL glory

RCB look to continue super away run as RR finally find their way home

Sai Sudharsan and Prasidh lead GT to the top of the IPL table

Prasidh, the silent superstar in Titans' mix-and-match attack

Samson fined INR 24 lakh for RR's second over-rate offence

“I think they missed Hasaranga, somebody who could take wickets in the middle overs,” Wasim Jaffer said. “Theekshana, even though he took a couple of wickets [2 for 54], didn’t look like [he was] putting any pressure. He and Tushar [2 for 53] went for 50-plus, that cost them more than 100 runs in those eight overs.”If RR failed to get more wickets in the middle overs, the platform set as a result meant GT could go big at the end – they got 18, 13, 11, 14 and 16 in the last five.”We could have, maybe, given about 20 runs less, but I think they batted well. They had better partnerships than what we did. That’s why they got a total which was big,” Sairaj Bahutule, RR’s spin-bowling coach, said at the press conference. “T20 is a format where sometimes the execution doesn’t go the way you want it to. Obviously they had plans, but the execution didn’t happen the way they wanted.”The last few overs, the death overs, we could have done a bit better.”After RR’s second game of the season, there were questions around the wisdom of playing with exactly six batters despite the Impact Player rule. Parag was the captain then, and Sanju Samson was restricted as a batter because of his finger injury. After their last game, the win over Punjab Kings (PBKS), though, it seemed like, with all systems go, they were getting close to the perfect combination.1:10

Bangar: Royals missed a sixth bowling option

That, curiously, is something GT aren’t even after. For them, flexibility is everything. “No one has a role,” assistant coach Parthiv Patel said, and anything can happen depending on how the pitch and other conditions look.”For our team, it’s about knowing the situation, understanding the conditions, and we felt we might need a fourth seamer in the second innings [so Kulwant Khejroliya came in as Impact Sub],” Parthiv said. “We are flexible as a team. We react to the conditions we see in front of us.”And then comes the execution.”Especially on a wicket like this, I thought every bowler came in and executed their plans really well. Obviously [Mohammed] Siraj is bowling really well; Prasidh Krishna has been phenomenal throughout the tournament; [R] Sai Kishore is probably the best spinner in this tournament, the way he has been bowling, how brave he is, bowling in difficult conditions.3:43

How can Rajasthan Royals get their team balance right?

“So after every game, you see a different bowler stepping up. Bowlers win you games. Obviously batters set it up.”Which didn’t happen for RR. Though, on the bright side, Archer has continued to sparkle after a terrible start to the tournament.”T20 is a game where you’re bound to make mistakes, and [if you] minimise your mistakes, you’ll be in a better position,” Bahutule said. “After that first game, he worked hand in hand with Shane Bond [the fast-bowling coach] and understood a few aspects about his bowling, and the way he has got back is purely due to his understanding of where he needs to improve, where are the areas, the lengths, the lines he needs to get better [at].”He’s a world-class bowler and obviously understood his areas of concern and he rectified it and he’s bowling in the best rhythm we have seen him.”

Manchester United are reportedly lining up a reunion with former fan favourite Cristiano Ronaldo. The Red Devils have been left with a £100 million ($135m) financial hole to fill after missing out on European qualification for 2025-26. It has been suggested that glamorous midweek friendlies could be arranged in a bid to raise much-needed funds, with one of those potentially seeing Ruben Amorim’s side line up against Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Nassr.

GettyRonaldo left Man Utd in 2022 & now plays in Saudi Pro League

Portuguese superstar Ronaldo, who has taken in two spells at Old Trafford over the course of his record-shattering career, is among those to represent Al-Nassr. The evergreen 40-year-old has committed to a new two-year contract in the Middle East that will take him beyond his 42nd birthday.

Ronaldo last severed ties with United in November 2022 when seeing his contract torn up. A falling out with then Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag led to the five-time Ballon d’Or winner becoming a free agent. He will, however, always be held in high regard by United supporters after helping them to Premier League and Champions League titles during Sir Alex Ferguson’s iconic reign.

AdvertisementNo documentary but glamour friendlies planned

It could be that his path crosses with the Red Devils again during the 2025-26 campaign. According to , Al-Nassr are one of the friendly opponents being considered by United. It is claimed that the Premier League giants are “holding early-stage talks with stakeholders while looking into possible dates and opponents”. Amorim’s side have plenty of gaps in their schedule having also suffered a humbling Carabao Cup defeat to League Two side Grimsby.

Failure to qualify for Europe has cost United around £100m, while co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe sees £750m ($1bn) worth of debt weighing heavy on the Red Devils. It is reported that the opportunity to take part in a money-spinning “fly-on-the-wall documentary”, which “could have earned them millions” has been shunned. Alternative ways to make money are now being explored.

Getty ImagesRatcliffe on trying to get Man Utd back on track

Ratcliffe has previously told of efforts to steady United’s ship on and off the field, with a long-term project being overseen in Manchester: “I didn't expect it to be a walk in the park. It's quite tough sometimes reading the press, obviously. But in a way I'd rather the press had a go at me than Ruben the coach. You know I suppose I've stood out there and said 'we can make Manchester United great again' so people are entitled to their opinions. In my view are on the trajectory I thought we would be on. We are in the process of change at the moment.

“We put a new management team in place. We didn't get that all right at the beginning, obviously. But today I think we have a really good management team in place. We are dealing with the financial issues in the club, because the club has got financial issues and we need to address those. Then we need to move on to the squad, recruitment, data analysis and those types of things. So we are on the path we anticipated we would be on.”

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Ronaldo & warm weather training: Man Utd's plan

The Sun has previously reported on how the likes of AC Milan, RB Leipzig, Lazio and Sevilla – four other leading clubs that have no European football on their agenda this season – have been sounded out regarding potential friendly dates. The plan is for said contests to take place in surroundings that would allow for warm weather training to be taken in – while Amorim and Co also work on building stronger bonds between underperforming players.

Saudi Arabia would fit the bill for United, especially if Ronaldo is involved. There would be plenty of interest in a meeting between the Portuguese GOAT and his former employers. United now need to determine whether a suitable date on their calendar can be found, with Al-Nassr also having to agree to a fixture that would be worked into a packed schedule that already sees them chasing down major honours in domestic and continental competition.

First half into IPL 2025, GT have won five out of seven games, with Mohammed Siraj being among their top performers

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Apr-20254:39

Finch: Gujarat Titans are the team to beat

After winning the IPL in their first season in 2022, and then finishing as runners-up next year, Gujarat Titans (GT) finished eighth in 2024. Last year, GT were being led by Shubman Gill after Hardik Pandya was traded to Mumbai Indians, and managed only five wins in 14 games. This time, Gill has led GT to as many wins in half the number of matches. Seven games into IPL 2025, GT are table-toppers with ten points.Vikram Solanki, their director of cricket, believes Gill has “lots to learn” as a captain, but that he’s growing and has been “quite brilliant”.”The connections that he’s formed with his bowling group – we saw that last year actually. He’s grown into the role from one game to the next,” Solanki said ahead of GT’s next fixture, against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Monday. “He’s sort of developing as a captain – developing his captaincy style – which is very good to see…”Related

Siraj returns fresher, sharper and hungrier after Champions Trophy snub

Shubman Gill fined for slow over-rate in GT's win against DC

Gill leads his Titans to his old home to face under-fire Knight Riders

“He’s got quite an experienced bowling attack to lean on as well, which is obviously very helpful. But he continues to go from strength to strength as far as his captaincy is concerned.”Among the bowlers at Gill’s disposal is the quick Mohammed Siraj, who has 11 wickets in seven games this season. He is GT’s joint second-highest wicket-taker so far, and has returned to form after being dropped by India for the Champions Trophy just before the IPL. Solanki highlighted the “big influence” which Ashish Nehra, GT’s head coach, has had on Siraj.”They obviously have a very good connection, but I don’t want, for a second, to take away from all of the hard work that Siraj has done also,” Solanki said. “Of course, he has all of the support of all of the coaches, and there is no doubt that Ashish has been a big influence. But we must also acknowledge the work that Siraj has done and respect that.”Solanki said that there was “no better coach” than Nehra when it came to instilling confidence in players. But while mentioning that, he also spoke of Siraj overcoming the disappointment of missing out on the Champions Trophy, a tournament which India went on to win undefeated.”It just seems as though we’ve got a guy that has something to prove,” Solanki said of Siraj. “I’m sure he was disappointed, but he’s channelled that disappointment in working hard, and, I suppose, having a real thought about what he wants to do. He’s got a great coach in Ashish Nehra helping him as far as his performance is concerned. Long may that connection continue and long may Siraj continue to thrive.”

Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeness has not minced words about the club's "risky" decision to sell star striker Nick Woltemade late in the summer window without securing a replacement. The decision to sell the forward late in the summer transfer window has resulted in a drop in quality, the coach argued. With top scorer Ermedin Demirovic now sidelined by injury, Hoeness says the task has become "significantly more challenging".

Stuttgart still coping with Nick Woltemade's last-minute sale

Woltemade joined Necastle this summer in a deal worth £69 million (€79m/$91m) after Stuttgart rejected multiple bids from Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich. Now two months into the campaign, Stuttgart head coach Hoeness has not fully come to terms with losing star striker Woltemade. The 48-year-old, who had earlier criticised the club selling the striker late in the window, calling it a "bitter loss," now claims they have not found his replacement yet. The Bundesliga club are missing Woltemade's goal-scoring prowess and are finding it hard to convert chances this season, with most of their league wins coming by a one-goal margin, compounded by a 2-0 loss against Basel in the Europa League.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportHoeness calls out club for "risky" Woltemade sale

Hoeness is clearly unimpressed by losing his team's ferocity in front of goal this season. The Stuttgart boss claims there was always a risk associated with the deal, and having failed to find his replacement, the campaign has become more challenging for him and his team.

"It's not about whether my fears were confirmed. We all knew that we were taking a risk by selling Nick and the Hyeon Gyu Oh transfer not coming to fruition," Hoeness said in an interview with . 

He further explains the club's failed plan to rely on backup striker Ermedin Demirovic: "There was great hope that he would make it through the season, as has been the case in recent years. But injuries are unfortunately a part of competitive sport.

"[Demirovic] is the only true centre-forward in the squad. For us, this means that we as a coaching staff have to work with the players on solutions. We were already doing this before Medo's absence due to the large number of games, but now the task is obviously significantly more challenging."

Speaking about losing Woltemade, the coach says: "I've always said that I could understand the financial implications of selling Nick. But I'm not a bank director, I'm a coach. Of course, the sporting quality of the squad is paramount. It was clear that we would lose a lot of quality by selling Nick, especially since his striker profile is so exceptional. We all recognised the need to sign a replacement for Nick, but unfortunately, the transfer couldn't be realised at this late stage for the reasons already explained."

Injury concerns further puts pressure on Hoeness

Despite a slight dip in form compared to last season, Stuttgart remains competitive, currently sitting fourth in the Bundesliga with three wins and two losses, having maintained a decent attacking output of eight goals in six league matches. However, the club is grappling with significant offensive challenges: the departure of key player Woltemade to Newcastle has left a noticeable gap in the attack after his 12-goal contribution last season, placing pressure on the remaining forwards. Adding to this trouble, top scorer Demirovic, who has scored three goals this season, is now sidelined for up to eight weeks with a fractured metatarsal. Without both Woltemade and their current leading striker, coach Hoeness must rely heavily on other attacking options and greater tactical flexibility to maintain Stuttgart's competitiveness during this critical transition and injury period.

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Getty ImagesCan Stuttgart compete at the top level without Woltemade?

Stuttgart face a tough test this season as they continue to adjust to the losses in the frontline. The German club's upcoming challenges include matches against Wolfsburg, Fenerbahce and Mainz. How head coach Hoeness manages these challenges tactically and keeps the team competitive will be vital, as consistency is paramount in this crucial phase of the season.

You could forgive Liverpool supporters for having been concerned that Jurgen Klopp’s departure in the summer of 2024 would lead to a period of decline at Anfield.

The German led the club back to glory during his spell that lasted more than nine years, winning the Premier League and the Champions League during his tenure.

You only have to look at Arsenal and Manchester United since the departures of Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson to see how an exit like that can be tough to recover from, as neither of those clubs have won a Premier League title without Wenger or Ferguson.

However, Arne Slot arrived from Feyenoord to replace Klopp in the dugout and hit the ground running by winning the league title in his first year at Anfield.

The Dutch head coach was a breath of fresh air in the Premier League last season with his side’s gung-ho approach to matches. They were incredibly fun to watch.

One of the players who has benefitted the most from the managerial change from Klopp to Slot is defensive midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, who has been transformed over the past 18 months or so.

How Arne Slot saved Ryan Gravenberch's Liverpool career

Liverpool signed the Netherlands international from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023 to bolster their options in the middle of the park, but he endured a frustrating first season at Anfield.

Gravenberch only started 12 of his 26 appearances in the Premier League under Klopp and mainly played as the left-sided central midfielder, tasked with getting forward to support the attack.

It was a role that did not suit the Dutch midfielder and his performances in that position led to his future at Anfield being thrown into doubt. Turkish giants Galatasaray were even linked with a move for his services in April 2024.

However, Slot’s arrival at the club later that summer saved Gravenberch’s career at the club, because the head coach correctly profiled where he would be best, at the base of the midfield as a number six.

Appearances (starts)

26 (12)

37 (37)

Pass accuracy

83%

89%

Assists

0

4

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.5

3.4

Clearances per game

0.4

1.5

Ground duel success rate

47%

56%

Aerial duel success rate

42%

65%

As you can see in the table above, the Dutchman started all 37 of his appearances in the Premier League after being moved to a defensive midfield role, and his statistics show that it was a tactical move that paid off in a big way.

Gravenberch started all 49 of his appearances in the 2024/25 campaign for the Reds and earned a place in the PFA Team of the Year for his performances as a number six.

The 23-year-old star looks set to be a key player for Slot and Liverpool for many more years to come, after a strong start to the 2025/26 campaign with two goals and two assists so far, per Sofascore.

As well as having the man himself, Liverpool also have an impressive teenage central midfielder who has the potential to be a homegrown version of Gravenberch in the future.

In The Pipeline

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

Trey Nyoni started in the middle of the park for the Reds against Championship side Southampton on Tuesday night and the contrast in his performance in the first half to the second half was akin to Gravenberch’s development throughout his career at Anfield.

Why Trey Nyoni may be Liverpool's next number eight

As an academy graduate who plays in central midfield, the 18-year-old star may have his eyes set on grabbing the number eight shirt from Dominik Szoboszlai in the future.

The Hungary international is the star who currently wears it, but it was academy graduate Steven Gerrard who really gave it meaning with his 186 goals in 710 matches for the club in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

Nyoni has mainly donned the number eight shirt at youth level for Liverpool, which suggests that he is a fan of the number, and as a homegrown talent from the academy, he may want to emulate even a small percentage of what Gerrard achieved with the number eight shirt at Anfield.

Despite this, it is the number six position where Nyoni’s future may lie after what he showed on the pitch against Southampton in the League Cup on Tuesday night.

The England U19 international started the game as a number ten behind Alexander Isak, but did not look suited to playing that position. However, when Curtis Jones came off for Conor Bradley after 57 minutes, Nyoni dropped deeper and took control of the game.

Minutes

90

Pass accuracy

96%

Passes completed

43/45

Key passes

0

Duels won

2/4

Clearances

3

Blocks

1

Tackles + interceptions

3

Dribbled past per game

0x

As you can see in the table above, his statistics looked much more like what you would expect from a defensive midfielder than a number ten, playmaker, type.

Nyoni did not register any shots on target or create any chances for his team whilst playing as a number ten, but his defensive contributions and reliability as a passer when dropped into a deep-lying role proved that he has a future as a number six.

As Liverpool-focused writer Lewis Bower noted after the match, the 18-year-old talent looked far more “influential” when he dropped into a deeper midfield position, rather than as an attacking midfielder.

His metronomic passing in the middle of the park coupled with his defensive strength suggests that he may have the potential to develop into the next Gravenberch in the future, as he is five years younger than the Dutchman.

Gravenberch’s Liverpool career took lift-off after being moved from an attacking or central midfield position to being a number six. Nyoni’s attributes suggest that a similar positional change could forge a future for him in the first-team at Anfield.

That could, therefore, set him on his path to earn the number eight shirt at Liverpool, as he looks to follow in Gerrard’s footsteps from the academy to first-team fame.

Not Ekitike: Liverpool have Sturridge 2.0 in star who's "making an impact"

Liverpool may have found their new version of Daniel Sturridge in this Reds star.

ByDan Emery Sep 24, 2025

Antonio Conte revealed why he left out star players Rasmus Hojlund and Scott McTominay from Napoli's matchday squad against Torino in Serie A on Saturday. The reigning Italian champions felt the absence of the former Manchester United duo as they went down 1-0 away from home, with Giovanni Simeone scoring the winning goal in the first half for the hosts.

Hojlund's blistering form since Napoli switch

Hojlund has enjoyed a purple patch ever since he moved to Napoli on a loan deal with an option to buy next summer from Manchester United. After being put into Ruben Amorim's 'bomb squad' at Old Trafford during pre-season, the Danish striker had little option but to leave United. However, the switch has proved to be a boon for the striker, who massively misfired in England after impressing at Atalanta in his early days.

Since the switch to Naples, Hojlund has already scored four goals in six matches across all competitions and was also in fine form during the international break. After starring with a brace in Denmark's 6-0 thrashing of Belarus in the World Cup qualifiers, he once again contributed with a goal in their 3-0 win over Greece in their second match in October. 

After a delightful showing against the Greeks, Hojlund took to social media to share his feelings, as he wrote: "A wise man once said: Goals are like ketchup. Once they come, they keep on coming."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportConte explained why Hojlund and McTominay were left out

Despite enjoying a brilliant run of form, Conte did not include Hojlund or another ex-United star McTominay, in his matchday squad for the Torino. After the loss, the Italian coach explained his decision.

On Hojlund and McTominay's exclusion, Conte told reporters: "They came with us because we wanted them to play. On Thursday, McTominay injured himself and needed six stitches to his ankle. It was annoying. We tried yesterday, but he preferred not to take any risks. I can't force anyone. 

"Rasmus arrived very tired from the national team: he wasn't playing, then he played every game against us and against Denmark. He had a small strain in his quadriceps: playing every three days, even a small problem like that becomes a problem. There was no point in risking him when we had alternatives. A healthy horse is better than a lame horse, they say in my house."

Napoli slips to second position in Serie A

The loss against Torino was the champions' second defeat of the 2025-26 campaign as they slipped to the second position on the points table, following Inter's 1-0 win over Roma. Napoli and Inter are now tied on 15 points but the Nerrazurri are ahead on goal difference.

Dissecting his team's performance, Conte added: "Today, if you look at the goal we conceded… we scored it. There wasn't a defensive blunder or someone's misplaced exit. Unfortunately, there was this rebound, where Gilmour (who had a great game) accidentally touched the ball and set up Simeone. It wasn't a move created by Torino that put us in trouble."

He added: "We have to be good at preparing for these counterattacks. This is a team that plays and moves forward, it's inevitable that when you leave 50 meters of the pitch, you have to be good at defending those 50 meters of the pitch. When you press high up, it's inevitable that you'll accept duels."

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AFPMcTominay yet to find his rhythm

McTominay took Serie A by storm in his maiden campaign at Napoli last season as he won the league's Most Valuable Player of the Year award and contributed to the club's league triumph. However, the midfielder has yet to replicate his form from last season in the 2025-26 campaign thus far. The Scottish midfielder has appeared in six league matches for the club and has provided just one assist. In the recent international break, McTominay finally found his scoring boots as he bagged the winner in Scotland's narrow 2-1 victory over Belarus in a World Cup qualifying match. 

Conte's side will be back in action on Tuesday as they face Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven in a crucial Champions League match. The manager will hope that Hojlund and McTominay recover properly and can return to the starting lineup for that match.

The last 12 months have been nothing short of a disaster for Manchester United, with the club falling way below the high standards it has set for itself in years prior.

Ruben Amorim led the side to a measly 15th-place finish in 2024/25, with such a position their lowest since the Premier League’s formation way back in 1992.

Despite such a disappointing year last time around, the hierarchy maintained confidence in the 40-year-old to bring the glory days back to Old Trafford.

He was subsequently handed a £200m injection into the first-team squad by the board in an attempt to help transform the situation and catapult the side up the table.

However, one player who has so often produced the goods for the Red Devils has fallen way below his own high standards during the early stages of 2025/26.

Bruno Fernandes’ struggles in 2025/26 for United

Last season, Bruno Fernandes was undoubtedly United’s biggest threat within attacking areas, with his contributions saving the club in countless key moments.

The Portuguese international popped up with 37 combined goals and assists across all competitions, undoubtedly preventing the side from an even lower top-flight finish.

However, he was subject to interest from Saudi Arabia during the summer, but he rejected the eye-watering contract in favour of remaining in Manchester.

The 30-year-old has struggled to replicate such form in the last couple of weeks, with the club captain only registering two combined goals and assists in his first outings.

He’s also missed two spot kicks to date, one against Brentford and the other against Fulham – with both misses undoubtedly costing the Red Devils key points.

Amid the big spending in the final third, Fernandes has had to drop into a slightly deeper role, which will have no doubt restricted him from making the desired impact.

As a result, the 30-year-old could well find himself further down the pecking order in the years ahead, with one player potentially inheriting his current squad number.

The Man United player who could steal the #8 from Bruno

A new midfielder was on the agenda for United during the summer transfer window, but they struggled to identify the key fit needed to improve the squad.

Carlos Baleba was one player hugely touted with a switch to Old Trafford, but his £100m asking price saw the Red Devils withdraw from negotiations, subsequently unable to identify an alternative.

Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte are just two players who still remain as options at Amorim’s disposal, but are seen by many as players not good enough to take the side back up the table.

However, another option currently on their books is Kobbie Mainoo, but the Englishman has struggled to make a huge impact since Amorim was appointed last November.

The academy graduate managed just 20 starts in the Premier League last campaign, often being selected behind the aforementioned duo and Fernandes.

However, such a decision may come as a surprise, with the youngster enjoying a phenomenal 2023/24 season, scoring in the FA Cup final triumph against Manchester City in his breakthrough season. It was during that term that he was labelled as a future “£100m-plus footballer” by United writer Alex Turk

This campaign has been just as tricky for the midfielder, making five league appearances – all of which were off the bench, and only featuring for a total of 113 minutes.

The “incredible” star, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has previously managed to impress, even being compared to Declan Rice by FBref for his performances in the league last campaign.

Games played

25

Minutes played

1656

Pass accuracy

87%

Chances created

1.7

Successful dribbles

1.3

Tackles won

63%

Duels won

5.9

Interceptions made

1.2

Recoveries made

4.8

He managed to outperform his compatriot in numerous key areas, further highlighting the talent he possesses when given the chance to star on a regular basis.

The Arsenal star cost a staggering £105m back in the summer of 2023, with such a fee being one of the highest in English history – but United could well have their own gem on their hands in Mainoo.

At just 20, he has bags of time to develop further and become a world-class talent, but he desperately needs the manager to put faith in him and give him the game time he needs.

With Bruno’s lack of impact as of late, the manager needs to give him an opportunity to stake his claim, with Mainoo having the tools to replace the Portuguese midfielder long term – subsequently taking his number in the process.

Fewer touches than Lammens: Man Utd star is on borrowed time under Amorim

Manchester United got back to winning ways with a vital win over Sunderland on Saturday afternoon

ByRobbie Walls Oct 5, 2025

Ecclestone, Morris claim five wickets between them as Lancashire take charge in low-scoring contest

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay26-May-2025Lancashire overpowered fellow Tier One side The Blaze in a rain-affected second semi-final of the Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup Finals Day. Following their seven-wicket victory, they will join Surrey in an all-Tier One final under the floodlights in Taunton, as they look to lift the first silverware of the new women’s era.The Blaze looked to be on top of an international-studded Lancashire bowling line-up before the rain delay, reaching 73 for 5 from 13.2 overs. After losing the toss and being put into bat first, the East Midlands outfit got off to a flyer as opener Marie Kelly scored a quick-fire 23 from 12, including five fours, before being bowled by Sophie Morris. Sarah Bryce was second top-scorer for The Blaze, hitting 18 from 22 before being caught and bowled by England international Kate Cross.However, the break in play stalled their momentum, as Thunder restricted them to 13 for 3 off their remaining 2.4 overs as the game was reduced to 16 overs a side. Lancashire’s spin duo of Morris (2 for 16 from three) and Sophie Ecclestone (3 for 19 from four) took the bulk of their wickets, with all three of Ecclestone’s wickets coming after the rain delay. That helped restrict The Blaze to 86 for 8, setting Thunder 90 to win after DLS was calculated.Requiring less than a run a ball to advance to the evening’s final, Thunder entered the chase as clear favourites. However, the run-out of Tilly Kesteven for a diamond duck on the second ball of their innings, taking on the arm of McCarthy, created some nervousness for the rest of their chase. Emma Lamb was caught off the bowling of Grace Ballinger by Ella Claridge in the next over, also for 0, before Fi Morris was run out in identical fashion to Kesteven for 9, leaving the team at 19 for 3 from 4.3 overs.The Blaze’s bowling attack did well to restrict Thunder to 45 for 3 after the opening 10 overs, six runs behind The Blaze’s 51 for 4 at the same stage. Cassidy McCarthy and Kirstie Gordon were the pick of the bowlers during this stage, with economies of 2.00 and 2.33 respectively.However, a 72-run partnership between wicketkeeping duo Ellie Threlkeld (34 from 34) and Seren Smale (35 from 42) allowed Thunder to fight back, chasing down the target with an over to spare.The Blaze will face Surrey in the final, where they have the opportunity to become the inaugural champions of the Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup, a knock-out tournament created by the ECB to allow all three tiers of the domestic women’s game to come up against one another.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank compared Xavi Simons to Liverpool's Florian Wirtz as the playmakers continue to struggle for form since swapping the Bundesliga for the Premier League in the summer. Simons left RB Leipzig to complete his move to Spurs, while Wirtz joined the Reds from former German champions Bayer Leverkusen as the Merseyside broke the British transfer record at that time.

Simons and Wirtz struggling form

Several star players arrived in the Premier League from the Bundesliga during the last transfer window, including star playmakers Simons and Wirtz. Simons was a target for Chelsea initially in the summer but the Blues drifted from the transfer race after they signed Manchester United outcast Alejandro Garnacho. Simons eventually ended up joining Spurs as the North London club was desperately looking for a creative midfielder after missing out on key targets Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze.

Wirtz has endured a testing start to life in England, with the huge price tag of £116 million ($156m) hanging around his neck bringing with it added pressure. The expectation is that a player of his undoubted talent will come good in time. The Germany international is, however, aware of the need to deliver the end product in order to silence any doubters and prove his worth. He will be hoping to savour collective success during his debut campaign on Merseyside, as major silverware is chased down, but also needs to post some eye-catching statistics as an individual.    

AdvertisementAFPSimons compared to Wirtz

Spurs boss Frank addressed the slow start of his star signing Simons in the Premier League as the German coach compared the Dutchman to Liverpool's Florian Wirtz.

Speaking to reporters, the Tottenham head coach said: "Very good comparison with Wirtz, also a very good player, just like Xavi, coming into a new country, new club, new city, just need to settle and it is part of it. We are all getting judged every game, but we also need to see the bigger perspective. I always look for glimpses, and Xavi, I asked him to be more arriving in the box, and when I looked back at the game, he did. Was there a bi,g eye-catching moment? No, but there were glimpses, so it’s going a little bit in the right direction."   

Goals and assists target set for Wirtz

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has set a target of goals and assists for Wirtz for the 2025-26 campaign that would justify his massive price tag.

Speaking in association with online casino BetWright, Murphy told GOAL: "It’s a difficult one because I think if Liverpool win the Champions League or win the league, his numbers become less relevant and the microscope on them becomes less because there has been collective success. If he is going to play the majority of the season as a 10 then you have got to be looking at, ideally, double figures for assists and goals – that would be a success. I think he has been a tad unfortunate in some ways, although you have to accept that he hasn’t started as well as we anticipated. I think he has been a bit unlucky because he has made a lot of chances that haven’t been converted. Sometimes if some of those go your way – [Mohamed] Salah missed a sitter against Everton, [Jeremie] Frimpong missed a sitter, a couple at Galatasaray, the beautiful flick at Chelsea that Salah mis-hit on his right foot. All of a sudden the narrative changes a little bit if a few of those go in, or it’s not as intense. I have seen so much to like about him, you can see his class and intelligence and his vision. I think he has been a little bit surprised by the physicality of the league and how intense and difficult that is, every game. In the Bundesliga you probably had more games where they were in control of the ball and not being up against so much intensity. You think of the Newcastle away game, for example, the power of Arsenal – every game you play in the Premier League is physically difficult. That’s probably the area where he has adapted the most."   

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Getty Images SportSimons in search of maiden Spurs goal

Simons has had only one goal contribution since moving to England in the summer, with his only assist coming in his league debut for the club against West Ham last month. The Netherlands international will now aim to register his first goal for Spurs as they take on AS Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday.