Hall of Fame infielder Ryne Sandberg's prostate cancer has returned and spread, he announced Tuesday in a statement on Instagram.

"Unfortunately we recently learned the cancer has relapsed, and it has spread to other organs. This means that I’m back to more intensive treatment. We will continue to be positive, strong, and fight to beat this. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for me and my family," Sandberg wrote.

Sandberg initially announced his prostate cancer diagnosis on Jan. 22—later announcing he was cancer-free in August. In that span, he was honored with a statue in Gallagher Way near Wrigley Field.

"Ryne is an inspiration to cancer survivors everywhere," Chicago Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said in a statement. "I know all Cubs fans join my family and me in sending positive thoughts to Ryne and keeping him and his family in our prayers as he faces this next round of treatments to defeat cancer."

Sandberg played 16 years in MLB—one with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1981 and 15 with the Cubs from 1982 to '94 and 1996 to '97. With Chicago, he made 10 All-Star teams and won seven Silver Sluggers.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil has been shut down from throwing for at least six weeks with a high-grade lat strain, manager Aaron Boone told reporters on Monday.

The Yankees are still gathering information on the injury for Gil before announcing a definitive timeline of return for their 26-year-old right-hander.

Gil made 29 starts last season for the Yankees, and went 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA and 146 strikeouts in 136.0 innings pitched.

Gil is expected to be a significant part of the New York rotation when he returns in his second full season at the big league level. Gil had previously started six games in the 2021 season, and made one start in '22.

In '23, he was a key starter in New York's run to represent the American League in the World Series.

Eberechi Eze spoke to Adebayo Akinfenwa on the latest episode of the 'Beast Mode on Podcast', opening up on the only difference between representing Crystal Palace and wearing the colours of Arsenal, the club that took him in as a child and eventually returned for him in a £60 million deal this summer. The 27-year-old midfielder, released by Arsenal at 13 and later rejected by Millwall at the end of his youth scholarship, has come full circle by rejoining the club he supported as a boy.

Realising his boyhood dream

Eze opened up on his new life at the Emirates in the latest episode of GOAL’s Beast Mode On podcast. The Gunners triggered a package worth £60m, including £8m in add-ons in the summer, beating Tottenham to a player long admired across north London. Spurs believed they had secured Eze's services, having agreed terms with Palace and with the player’s representatives, until a dramatic late twist saw Arsenal walk away with the prized asset. Their move was only made possible after Eze himself phoned Mikel Arteta to check whether the door to the Emirates was truly closed. It wasn’t, and within hours, Arteta called an internal meeting, the board approved the deal, and Spurs were left stunned. Eze signed a four-year contract, with the option of an additional season, and now inherits Arsenal’s iconic No. 10 shirt, which was previously worn by legends such as Dennis Bergkamp and Mesut Ozil, and academy favourites Jack Wilshere and Emile Smith Rowe.

AdvertisementGOALEze's take on the difference between Arsenal & Palace

Speaking exclusively to GOAL's Beast Mode On podcast, Eze said: "It’s up a level in terms of attention. There's a lot more surrounding Arsenal than there is surrounding Palace. You have to consider so much more. There's a lot more eyes on you. You get noticed a bit more."

While the off-pitch scrutiny has increased, he insisted that the football itself remains on a similar level.

"It's different off the football pitch, on the pitch it’s the same," he said. "Playing the same game, you're playing to win, you're having the same types of conversations. Different processes and systems, but still the same principle. But yeah, off the pitch is a big shift and I feel like that's a natural progression in football as you move club, move upwards. Things start to shift a bit, so this was expected. But it’s something I'm enjoying, I'm trying to handle with grace. So it's a blessing."

The long road back to the top

Eze’s path back to Arsenal is a fairytale. He first joined the Gunners at eight years old, only to be released five years later. After spells with Fulham, Reading and eventually Millwall, where he failed to earn a professional contract, his future seemed on the brink of collapse. A chance trial at Queens Park Rangers changed everything. Technical director Chris Ramsey was instantly convinced, offering the playmaker a contract that would become a lifeline. A productive loan at Wycombe Wanderers helped Eze develop his craft before he flourished at Loftus Road.

He went on to make 104 league appearances for QPR, prompting Crystal Palace to pay around £17 million in 2020. Eze made himself indispensable at Selhurst Park across five influential seasons, culminating in scoring the winner in last year’s FA Cup final. That success sparked a wave of interest, with Tottenham first, then, decisively, Arsenal.

Reflecting on the first major leap in his career, Eze admitted that going from QPR to Crystal Palace was an overwhelming experience.

"Shock. The intensity that you're playing at and the quality of players," he said. "They're thinking faster, they're more technically able. So things that maybe took two or three seconds in the Championship are now taking one-and-a-half seconds. You’ve got to be quicker in how you’re processing information. So for me going up, my mind was being stretched – as it is now – moving into a new environment. You're learning and you're being forced… you’re being put into an uncomfortable state. You’ve got to figure out, which was good. I felt like I needed that at that time.

“But of course, as time goes on, you start to acclimatise, feel more comfortable, and then you start being able to be your full self in that environment, which is for me, that's what I love about football.”

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With 11 gameweeks gone and the final international break of 2025 underway, the Premier League table is starting to form a true representation of where teams stand.

Sunderland’s hot start has turned into sustained success after their draw with title chasing Arsenal, while Liverpool’s downfall is more than just a blip.

Opta have ranked every team in the top flight by game state, or how much time they spend playing from behind in matches, and it’s more bad news for Arne Slot…

Rank

Team

Percentage of mins played losing

1

Crystal Palace, Chelsea

13%

2

Man City

14%

3

Arsenal

17%

4

Newcastle United

18%

5

Sunderland

21%

6

AFC Bournemouth

22%

7

Everton

24%

8

Aston Villa & Man Utd

26%

9

Fulham

30%

10

Brentford, Tottenham, Leeds, Nottingham Forest

32%

11

Brighton

35%

12

Burnley

36%

13

Liverpool

37%

14

West Ham

47%

15

Wolves

58%

1 Chelsea and Crystal Palace

It has been a promising start to the campaign for both Chelsea and Crystal Palace, with Enzo Maresca’s side potentially still in a position to mount a title challenge, given that they are currently just six points behind league leaders Arsenal.

Palace, on the other hand, continued their unbeaten run from last season into the ongoing campaign, which ultimately came to an end after a record 19 matches, with Everton emerging 2-1 winners at the Hill Dickinson Stadium at the start of October.

Both London clubs have just spent 13% of their matches in losing positions, with the Eagles very much on course to mount a push for Europe, having taken 17 points from their opening 11 games.

2 Manchester City

Man City have also emerged as title contenders, with their most recent victory undoubtedly their most impressive to date, dispatching of reigning champions Liverpool 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium.

Having won six of the last eight Premier League titles, City can never be written off, and they have spent just 14% of their matches trailing up to this point, with Erling Haaland in the form of his life, scoring a whopping 14 goals in the Premier League alone.

3 Arsenal

Having finished in second place three years on the spin, Mikel Arteta will be hoping this is finally the Gunners’ year, and the early signs have been very positive, having opened up a four-point gap at the top of the table.

Arsenal have had to show resilience at times, with Gabriel Martinelli scoring a stoppage-time equaliser against Man City back in September to cancel out Haaland’s early opener, which earned them what could prove to be a vital point in the Premier League title race.

Arteta’s side were also behind for the majority of the game against Newcastle United, but late heroics from Mikel Merino and Gabriel secured a 2-1 win.

Some other victories have been much more routine, however, battering Leeds United 5-0 back in August, while also recording a comfortable 2-0 win at Burnley earlier this month, which means the north Londoners have been in a losing position just 17% of the time.

4 Newcastle United

Newcastle, on the other hand, won’t be feeling anywhere near as positive about their start to the campaign, currently sitting in 14th place, seven points behind bitter rivals Sunderland, despite only spending 18% of their games trailing.

That is largely because the Magpies have developed a very bad habit of conceding late goals, with Rio Ngumoha scoring a dramatic late winner for Liverpool in August, while Gabriel’s 96th-minute winner ensured Arsenal secured a 2-1 victory in September.

Should Eddie Howe’s side be able to cut out conceding late on, however, there is still plenty of time to have a successful season, as the European places remain within touching distance.

5 Sunderland

Few would have predicted Sunderland to be flying high near the top of the table, but it has been a fantastic start, having made the Stadium of Light a fortress, most recently holding Arsenal to a draw, courtesy of Brian Brobbey’s late heroics.

Having taken 19 points from their opening 11 matches, the Black Cats are already nearly half-way to the magic 40 point mark, which would almost certainly secure Premier League safety.

There are some tricky fixtures on the horizon, with trips to Liverpool and Man City penciled in for December, but Regis Le Bris will no doubt be delighted with how things are going, with his side spending just 21% of their matches in a losing position.

6 AFC Bournemouth

Having lost some key players in the summer, including Milos Kerkez, Ilya Zabarnyi and Dean Huijsen, Bournemouth may have been expected to struggle, but that certainly hasn’t been the case.

The Cherries are once again looking like they could mount a push for Europe, as one of five teams currently on 18 points, having spent just 22% of their matches trailing.

7 Everton

It has been a solid, if not spectacular, opening 11 games for Everton, taking 15 points, which leaves them firmly in mid-table, exactly where they were probably expecting to be.

The Toffees have been chasing the game just 24% of the time, which is respectable, given that they have had some very tricky fixtures, already travelling to both Anfield and the Etihad Stadium.

8 Aston Villa and Manchester United

Both Aston Villa and Man United were very poor at the beginning of the campaign, with Unai Emery’s side failing to score in any of their opening four games, while the Red Devils suffered a 3-0 defeat in the Manchester derby and a disappointing 4-2 loss at Brentford.

However, since then, the Villans have gone on to win eight of their last ten matches in all competitions, and things are also looking up at United, having taken 11 points from their last five Premier League games.

A European push could be on the cards for both sides, who have been in losing positions 26% of the time.

9 Fulham

Marco Silva has managed to stabilise the Cottagers in the Premier League, but the manager is now under serious pressure, with his side just one point above the relegation zone following the 2-0 defeat at Everton last time out.

It is still too early to panic, but the early signs certainly haven’t been positive for the west Londoners, who have spent 30% of their matches in a losing position.

10 Brentford, Tottenham Hotspur, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest

The Thomas Frank era is now well underway, but Tottenham are still yet to put a consistent run together, with victories on the road against the likes of Manchester City and Everton being cancelled out by disappointing home defeats against Aston Villa and Chelsea.

That said, despite being one of four clubs who have spent 32% of their matches behind, Spurs are currently fifth in the standings, two points above Brentford, who have arguably surpassed expectations under the helm of new manager Keith Andrews.

Things aren’t looking quite as rosy for Leeds, who are now just one point above the relegation zone, as a result of losing four of their last five matches, while Nottingham Forest are already on their third manager and currently sit in 19th place.

Jofra Archer declared his performance in third ODI against South Africa at the Utilita Bowl as “one of those times you don’t want to put the ball down”, after routing his opponents with four powerplay wickets en route to England recording the largest margin of victory ever in a 50-over international match.Archer’s superb figures of 4 for 18 in nine overs weren’t enough to salvage the series for England, after their contrasting defeats in the first two matches at Headingley and Lord’s. However, in reducing South Africa to 18 for 5 in the space of his first 4.5 overs, he set up a thumping 342-run win that bettered England’s previous largest victory in the format by exactly 100 runs.With Brydon Carse claiming two wickets in his own opening spell, and with Temba Bavuma absent with a calf strain, South Africa were reeling at 24 for 6 in the ten-over powerplay, before Adil Rashid’s three wickets sealed the victory in 20.5 overs – the same figure that South Africa themselves had needed to complete their series-opening run-chase at Headingley last week.”I told Carse, when we were bowling, let’s just do it so nobody else has to bowl,” Archer said afterwards. “Unfortunately, it didn’t pan out that way, but we definitely did try. They were either going to get them or they were going to get bowled out trying to get them, and everyone’s figures are pretty good today. It’s good to win a game by that margin.”For Archer, the performance continued a hugely uplifting summer in which he has re-established his credentials across formats, including with his recall to the England Test team during the series against India in July.Related

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He admitted, after being named Player of the Match, that he had not expected to feature in his third match in a row, in light of the previous regime’s caution about his workload after numerous injuries. However, he acknowledged it “meant a lot” to be able to put in another strong performance for his team.”To be injury-free is always a plus,” he said. “This summer is a tick for me.”Archer’s first wicket came with the second ball of his spell, as Aiden Markram flashed outside off to nick off for a duck. But thereafter, he was nigh on unplayable, bowling back-to-back wicket maidens as Ryan Rickelton also edged to the keeper, before Matthew Breetzke and Tristan Stubbs were both dismissed by extra bounce.”There are some spells that you bowl like you hardly bowl a bad ball,” he said. “You can bowl good balls that go for boundaries. But when every single ball that you’ve released, you’re happy where it landed, today was one of those days.”Archer did, however, claim he had felt in even better rhythm in the series opener in Leeds, where his superbly economical figures of 5-1-8-0 were overshadowed by the brutal treatment meted out to Sonny Baker (7-0-76-0) on debut at the other end.”I felt I bowled better at Headingley, but obviously I didn’t get the wickets to show,” he said. “But for the first four or five overs, well, actually the first 10 of the powerplay today, it was overcast. The ball was hard, the pitch was nipping. I don’t know if a red ball would have done the same thing, but that’s probably one of the times you don’t want to put the ball down. I tried my best not to put it down today either.”Asked how it felt to be a part of such an emphatic victory, Archer admitted he had not known the specifics of the victory, mouthing “wow” when told that 342 runs was a world-record margin.”To be honest, I didn’t really look at the scoreboard much,” he said. “I actually don’t know what they finished on, we were so focused on just trying to get off. But it was exciting. There was an ‘ooh’ or an ‘aah’ every single over.”

Hale End may not quite be La Masia just yet but Arsenal’s academy is only going from strength to strength as far as supplying Mikel Arteta with first-team players is concerned.

While the Arsenal squad may now be packed with big-money stars, it was the academy that arguably kept him in the job.

The early knockings of the Arteta era were not too convincing but he was carried along the way by Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe.

Since then, the Spaniard has regularly called upon an academy graduate. Last season was the year of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly and this year is Max Dowman’s turn.

A generational talent if we ever did see one, the 15-year-old is already impacting Premier League games and became the youngest player in Champions League history when he came off the bench against Slavia Prague last week. He’s a special kid, alright.

However, for every Dowman and Saka, there is a Michael Olise, a Serge Gnabry, a Harry Kane, three players who failed to make the grade at Arsenal, having been in the academy.

It’s usually an attacker who makes the headlines but there’s a Hale End defender now beginning to impress and he’s giving Gabriel Magalhaes a run for his money.

How Gabriel has become Arsenal's most important player

Only three centre-backs have ever won the PFA Premier League Player of the Year award; Paul McGrath, John Terry and Virgil van Dijk.

Yet, if Arsenal lift the title next May, you’d have to say that Gabriel is one of the leading contenders to be named player of the season.

He is a unit, a colossus, a man mountain and in the words of Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher, currently the “most influential player” in England’s top division.

Why? Well, also described as the “leader” of the defence by Carragher, the centre-back has made a mockery of his £27m price tag.

The 27-year-old endured a rocky first few years at the Emirates but he is now an elite-level player and to some, the best defender on the planet.

That opinion is very much born out of the impact he’s made in the final third. Since joining the Gunners in 2020, no centre-back in Europe’s top five leagues has scored more goals than him (22). He’s added to his collection in 2025/26, netting two goals and supplying three assists in all competitions.

A steely defender, a manager’s dream, a commander in chief and a goalscorer, Gabriel seemingly has it all. Yet, did Arsenal let Hale End’s very own version leave for a pittance?

Hale End's very own Gabriel

While Arsenal’s academy have produced many a great forward player throughout the years, it’s safe to say it’s been a struggle to find an elite defensive talent.

Tony Adams is the most famous example and beyond him, not many players come to light. Adams is perhaps the greatest captain the club has ever had and he is now cast in bronze outside the Emirates.

Since the days of Adams, however, there have been very few central defenders to make the grade at the top level.

That may well be changing, though. Ayden Heaven left Arsenal for Manchester United at the beginning of the year and despite being just 19 years of age, has already appeared at first-team level under Ruben Amorim.

There is also 16-year-old Marli Salmon. Still in the academy, he represented the club during their pre-season schedule and has already been described as the ‘centre-back version of Dowman’. Fine praise indeed.

Salmon still has a number of years before he makes his big breakthrough but someone who is now making an impact is Dan Ballard.

Ballard played 35 official games for the Arsenal U18s and 25 official games for the U21s but he never made a competitive first-team appearance while in Islington.

As such, he needed to leave and it was Sunderland who gave him a home. The centre-back headed to the Stadium of Light in a deal worth just £2m back in June 2022.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

He has caught the eye since moving, particularly in the last year, where he’s beginning to emulate Gabriel.

Like Gabriel, he’s a leader of men and in the words of Sunderland writer Josh Edwards, a “colossus”. He showed as much against his former employers over the weekend where he outshone Arsenal’s number 6.

While much of the pre-game chatter had been about Granit Xhaka, it was another former Arsenal man who made the biggest of impacts.

He beat Declan Rice to the ball inside the Gunners penalty area and then crashed home an almighty effort that ended the visitors’ immense run of over eight games without conceding a goal.

Ballard was also involved in the Black Cats’ late equaliser. Once again the centre-back found himself in the opposition penalty box but this time he was assisting the goal, playing the ball into the path of Brian Brobbey who flicked the ball beyond David Raya. If that wasn’t enough, his remarkable goalline clearance to deny Mikel Merino a last-gasp winner was perhaps even better than his goal.

Ballard vs Arsenal
Minutes played	90
Touches	44
Accurate passes	26/33 (79%)
Clearances	6
Blocked shots	1
Ground duels won	1/2
Aerial duels won	5/11
Shots	1
Goals	1
Stats via Sofascore.

A true Gabriel-like performance, this was not the first time that the former Hale Ender has popped up with a vital attacking contribution.

It was Ballard’s crashing header that took Regis Le Bris’ men to the Championship play-off final last season, a game in which he also made a jaw-dropping 19 clearances, winning six aerial duels in the process. Gabriel-esque indeed.

Arsenal’s current defensive record means they will have no regrets about letting him leave for such a small fee but it’s nice to see him doing well elsewhere nonetheless.

Arteta will just be cursing his luck that one of the best performances of Ballard’s senior career came against the team that raised him.

Ashmini Munisar’s 3 for 21 including a maiden went in vain after she brought back Amazon Warriors into the contest

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Sep-2025Barbados Royals seemed down and out with 27 needed off 16 balls. With just three wickets in hand, Shreyanka Patil, batting for the first time in WCPL 2025, walked in to face the hat-trick ball. She reverse hit the first two balls she faced to release the pressure. Aaliyah Alleyne then hit a four and a six in the following over that went for 15. And soon after, Royals were rejoicing as they had not just registered a come-from-behind win in the title clash against Guyana Amazon Warriors, but also completed a three-peat in the WCPL.While Royals soaked it all in – team-mates rushing to try and get Alleyne, who was flat on her back after hitting the winning run, up on her feet – Amazon Warriors’ Ashmini Munisar couldn’t contain her tears. She was involved in four of the seven Royals dismissals and picked up 3 for 21 in her four overs that included a maiden.It was Munisar, 21, who turned the game on its head with a wicket-maiden in the 14th over of the chase. She dismissed the set Kycia Knight for 31 off 37 balls to leave Royals needing 56 off 36 balls. In her last over, the 18th of the chase, she got rid of Courtney Webb, who was controlling the chase with her 27-ball 31. With her next ball, Munisar got Afy Fletcher stumped to pick up her eighth wicket in the competition, the joint-highest. She had earlier taken a stunning catch at backward square-leg to remove the dangerous Chinelle Henry, Royals’ captain in Hayley Matthews’ absence. But Patil and Alleyne scored the remaining 27 runs in just 14 balls to etch their names on the trophy again.Ashmini Munisar kept Amazon Warriors’ hopes alive with 3 for 21•Randy Brooks/CPL T20/Getty ImagesThe start of each innings highlighted the contrast in the batting between the two sides. Chamari Athapaththu hit two fours in the opening over of the 137-run chase, including one on the first ball. Royals hit eight fours in the powerplay whereas Amazon Warriors earlier hit their first on the 20th ball, and just four fours in the first six overs.Opting to field, Royals managed to keep Amazon Warriors in check despite not picking up a lot of wickets. Opener Amy Hunter, who finished second on the run-scorers’ charts, hit just four despite batting till the 13th over. Stafanie Taylor was on 15 off 12 balls when she had to be stretchered off with a leg injury. She did not participate in the game after that.Laura Harris looked Amazon Warriors’ best batter, hitting two fours and a six in her eight-ball 18 before missing the line against Alleyne’s in-ducker. Their total only gained some respectability thanks to the unbroken 56-run partnership between captain Shemaine Campbelle and Dane van Niekerk.Royals were off to a fluent start with Player of the Tournament Athapaththu leading the way. Even after she fell, Knight and Webb kept up with the ask. Unbeaten through the competition, a collapse of 5 for 29 briefly threatened to undo Royals’ good work. Munisar was threatening to make it a happy ending for her. Only for Alleyne and Patil to deny her.

Whether this is his final season at Manchester United or not, there will come a time sooner rather than later when the Red Devils will line up without Bruno Fernandes in tow, with the Portuguese’s future likely to again be a talking point next summer.

As the 31-year-old revealed in a tell-all interview ahead of making his 300th United appearance last month, he had held talks with Saudi side Al Hilal over the summer regarding a potential move, only to eventually opt to stay put in Manchester with his business still seemingly unfinished.

Also the subject of interest from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024, the club’s long-serving talisman has rightly courted admiring glances amid his stunning form over the past five years or so, racking up 100 goals and 89 assists in his 302 outings to date.

While five of those goal involvements have come in this season’s Premier League already, it does appear that the baton is finally being passed, however, with Ruben Amorim’s influential skipper no longer the sole star attraction.

Indeed, all eyes are on INEOS’ £71m signing Bryan Mbeumo following his return of six goals in his first 12 games for the club, with Fernandes quietly pulling the strings in a deeper role.

With Amorim also outlining the prospect of his captain needing to adjust to potential “rotation” next season, should United return to European competition, the gradual phasing out of the playmaker might well have started…

The candidates to replace Fernandes as captain

Fernandes himself was awarded the honour back in the summer of 2023, with then-boss Erik ten Hag taking the decision to strip Harry Maguire of the captaincy, with reports subsequently stating that the Englishman was heading to West Ham United.

To his credit, the latter man stayed to fight for his place, since securing cult hero status with a string of vital goals, be it his last-gasp clincher against Lyon, or the late winner against Liverpool this season.

With the 32-year-old facing his own Old Trafford uncertainty amid his expiring contract, however, it would be unlikely to see him outlast Fernandes at the club, with other candidates in the running to take the armband.

Indeed, at present, Matthijs de Ligt – the hero against Tottenham Hotspur last time out – is showcasing captaincy material, albeit while not actually having been included in Amorim’s self-appointed leadership group in pre-season.

Instead, that experienced bunch includes Fernandes, Maguire, Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot, with the ex-Sporting CP boss singling them out as the leaders in his first-team ranks.

Like Maguire, however, Casemiro’s current deal expires in 2026, while Martinez may be more concerned with getting back fit and firing again, having been absent since sustaining an ACL injury back in February.

Mazraoui, too, has also endured an injury-hit start to 2025/26, with the Moroccan defender also no longer a guaranteed starter, following Amad’s emergence in that right wing-back berth.

The form of the Ivorian – which includes his stunning equaliser against Nottingham Forest – has also plunged Dalot’s long-term future into doubt, with the Portuguese full-back potentially in line for the axe before too long.

Why Man Utd's 'future captain' needs to be sold

The merits of Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system have long been debated, although amid United’s five-game unbeaten run, it looks like a corner may have been turned, with the squad beginning to find its feet at both ends of the pitch.

Bruno Fernandes

52

Noussair Mazraoui

45

Diogo Dalot

45

Manuel Ugarte

44

Leny Yoro

44

Rasmus Hojlund

40

Alejandro Garnacho

40

Harry Maguire

40

Matthijs de Ligt

39

One area which remains something of a headache is at wing-back, however, with the 40-year-old coach having flitted between Patrick Dorgu and Dalot on that left-hand side in recent weeks.

While the latter man did assist Mbeumo from that role against Burnley, he has largely looked rather uncomfortable in an unorthodox role, having notably failed to prevent Nicolo Savona from converting at the City Ground two weeks ago.

In a system that demands an attacking intent from those on the flanks, even on his favoured flank, the one-time Porto man has hardly flourished in that sense in recent times, racking up just nine goals and 18 assists in 220 games for the club to date.

While once something of a “standout” under Ten Hag – having claimed the Players’ Player of the Year award at United in 2024 – Dalot no longer appears to have a defined role under the new regime, putting his future into doubt heading into 2026.

With a contract that expires in 2028, it could prove the perfect time to try and cash in on the £24m-rated defender – as valued by Transfermarkt – with the INEOS regime no doubt needing to do what they can to reshape the squad in Amorim’s image.

Of course, Dalot appears to be an influential figure under his compatriot, as his place in the leadership group showcases, having reportedly produced something of a rallying cry in the dressing room following the 3-3 draw with Porto last season.

It is for acts like that that the £90k-per-week star had emerged as one of the club’s “future captains” – as relayed by Samuel Luckhurst – although with his own form now under scrutiny, his Old Trafford stay should be coming to an end.

Forget Sesko: Man Utd's "anxious" dud is now becoming INEOS' worst signing

Manchester United have one player who has massively struggled to meet expectations at Old Trafford.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 11, 2025

Newcastle United are in an unusual position at the moment, as Eddie Howe’s long-standing position as manager is now under threat.

Howe has been in the Magpies’ hot seat since October 2021, when the hugely unpopular Steve Bruce was ditched, and it’s fair to say the 47-year-old has been a resounding success, for the most part, finished twice inside the Champions League places and securing an EFL Cup triumph.

Still, with just three wins from 11 in Premier League action this season in isolation, it’s right that the beloved Toon boss is facing scrutiny currently.

Nick Woltemade could well be the man to guide Newcastle up the league in the coming weeks to keep Howe situated on Tyneside, though, with the 6-foot-6 goal machine continuing on his fine run of goalscoring form in England on the international stage for Germany during the break.

How Woltemade can save Howe's job

Off the back of bagging three goals for Germany during the recent stage of World Cup qualifying, the £69m summer recruit is now up to a stunning ten goals this season for both club and country.

If he keeps up this blistering form, the results will turn in the Toon’s favour in time, with Woltemade’s 12 goals for Stuttgart last season pushing them far away from the lower reaches of the Bundesliga and into European conversations.

On top of being clearly potent, which will hopefully stand the underachieving Newcastle in good stead during tense matches to come, Woltemade was also purchased this summer for that high amount for how he stylishly links up with teammates around him.

That was seen in him cleverly flicking a ball through to Harvey Barnes to score in the Champions League in October.

Journalist Adam Clery would even go out of his way to state that the much-loved German “made this entire goal” with this ingenious bit of skill, with this unselfish approach perhaps getting the best out of the likes of Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga down the line to rise the league standings.

Of course, he isn’t superhuman, with Woltemade frustratingly amassing no shots on goal against Brentford and West Ham United in back-to-back defeats when managing just 45 touches of the ball.

So, perhaps a different manager could get even more out of the clinical marksman if Newcastle were to replace Howe. After all, Toon reporter Craig Hope has already noted that ‘a 6ft 6in striker who plays with his back to goal & drops so deep was never the plan.’

Why a new manager can get more from Woltemade at Newcastle

The Mirror has speculated who could come in for Howe if he is to be relieved of his long-standing duties very soon, with the likes of Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner named.

But, if Newcastle want a manager in the same mould as the 47-year-old, they could look to hire Kieran McKenna, with the Ipswich Town boss making a name for himself from a very young age in the main management game, much like Howe did when managing AFC Bournemouth.

McKenna would transform the Tractor Boys’ faltering fortunes when taking them up all the way from League One to the Premier League via back-to-back promotions, leading to former Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt lauding the ex-Red Devils coach as “one of the best coaches” in England.

Woltemade would surely love to work alongside the 4-2-3-1-focused manager if he were to swap Suffolk for St James’ Park, with his Ipswich sides over the years centring on some explosive, yet team-oriented attackers, much like the German has already shown in spades at his new home.

Games managed

188

Wins

88

Draws

50

Losses

50

Goals scored

340

Goals conceded

239

Points accumulated

314

Indeed, from 188 games in charge of the Tractor Boys, McKenna has overseen 88 wins with a mighty 348 goals scored along the way.

Up in the Premier League last season, the Northern Irishman would turn Liam Delap into a Chelsea-bound centre-forward, having got 12 top-flight strikes out of the ex-Manchester City striker from 40 games, even as his side languished near the drop zone all campaign long.

Therefore, with Delap also coming in a slick, yet imposing presence like Woltemade at a 6-foot-2 frame, it’s intriguing to see what McKenna could do to Woltemade if he were handed the Newcastle reins, having further got an impressive haul of 73 goals out of Conor Chaplin and George Hirst in the EFL and above.

The worry here would be that McKenna’s only Premier League season to date as a manager resulted in relegation, but having been previously tipped to go to “the very top” by podcaster Dave Hendrick, this could be the 39-year-old’s chance of becoming an established boss in the big time.

With his glittering track record with strikers, Woltemade could come even more into his own under his fresh set of ideas if he does surprisingly succeed Howe, as the powers that be at Newcastle continue to ponder whether a change is the correct call right now.

Better deal than Woltemade: Newcastle among favourites to sign £100m star

Newcastle need to add some more quality to Eddie Howe’s side in 2026.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 18, 2025

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