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Chelsea’s chances of securing a place in the Champions League were dealt a blow when they lost to rivals Newcastle United 2-0 in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Blues remain fifth in the division, in the last Champions League spot, but only one point separates them from Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest in the table, which tees up a tense final two matchdays.

As shown in the highlights above, Enzo Maresca’s side were not helped by Nicolas Jackson’s decision to charge into Sven Botman whilst the ball was in the air.

The Senegal international had a look at the Dutch defender and moved his defender into the upper chest and lower face of the Newcastle star whilst grappling to win an aerial duel, which led to VAR recommending a red card for the striker.

Jackson will, now, sit out the final two matches of the Premier League season, and the first game of the 2025/26 campaign, after being hit with a three-game ban for violent conduct, which is a big blow for the Blues.

Why losing Nicolas Jackson is a big blow for Chelsea

The former Villarreal star scored three goals in his last three games before the trip to St. James’ Park and looked to be on his way back to his best in front of goal after a barren run.

Prior to his strike against Everton in the Premier League last month, Jackson had gone 13 matches without a goal in all competitions for the Blues, stretching back to the middle of December.

However, a goal against the Toffees and two goals against Djurgarden in the Conference League suggested that he was on track to play a pivotal role in the final few games of the season.

There is little doubt that Jackson is a player who has the ability to make a big impact in the final third for Chelsea, despite his tendency to miss ‘big chances’, because he has had plenty of impressive moments since his move to Stamford Bridge.

Nicolas Jackson (Premier League)

23/24

24/25

Appearances

35

30

xG

18.63

12.34

Goals

14

10

Big chances missed

24

19

Big chances created

8

6

Assists

5

5

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the former LaLiga star has been a wasteful finisher, missing 43 ‘big chances’, but he has also been directly involved in 34 goals in 65 Premier League games for the club.

This shows that, despite his flaws, Jackson is a constant threat who can be a difference-maker at the top end of the pitch as either a scorer or a creator of goals, which is why losing him to suspension for the last two games of the campaign is a blow for Maresca.

The 23-year-old centre-forward, who scored a hat-trick against Spurs last season, is Chelsea’s best number nine option and has proven that he can score goals in the Premier League, hence why he would have been useful to have as an option heading into these last two games.

What makes the situation even worse for the Blues is that Christopher Nkunku, their other forward option, is currently out with an injury that could keep him out of the last two matches if he does not recover in time.

That is not the only problem with the France international, though, as he has also failed to deliver quality when called upon this season when fit, which is why the club must ruthlessly cash in on him this summer.

Why Chelsea must cash in on Christopher Nkunku

The Premier League side reportedly paid £52m to bring him to Stamford Bridge from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023, as they aimed to bolster the quality of their attacking options, having offloaded Kai Havertz to Arsenal that summer.

Nkunku scored 70 goals and provided 55 assists in 17 matches for Leipzig in all competitions during his time in Germany, which made him an exciting signing, at face value, as he had a history of providing consistent quality in a major European league.

Unfortunately, however, the France international has been unable to translate that form over to English football in his two seasons at Stamford Bridge to date, as he has struggled to make an impact in the final third for the Blues.

After the club’s exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Brighton earlier this year, former Chelsea player Craig Burley criticised the 27-year-old star, who reportedly earns £195k-per-week, and described him as a “waste of money”.

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Burley said: “There was no cutting edge to the game. [Cole] Palmer has stopped influencing games like he was. Nkunku up front, I mean what a total waste of money he’s been.”

It is hard to argue with his assessment of Nkunku’s situation because he has not provided much quality back on the pitch to make up for the £52m fee and £195k-per-week wages as a forward player.

Christopher Nkunku (Premier League)

23/24

24/25

Appearances

11

27

xG

2.30

4.83

Goals

3

3

Big chances missed

3

6

Key passes per game

0.3

0.5

Assists

0

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the French flop has only been involved in seven goals in 38 appearances in the Premier League since the start of last season, and has underperformed his xG overall, which shows that he has been even worse than Jackson in the last two campaigns.

The experienced forward has not delivered goals or assists on a regular, or even semi-regular, basis in the top-flight, despite the huge outlay to bring him to London almost two years ago, whilst the Senegal international has, at least, delivered 34 goals and assists.

Arsenal have been linked with an interest in Nkunku ahead of the summer transfer window, and Chelsea must finally cash in on the big-money flop in an attempt to recoup some of the £52m fee that they splashed out on his services.

The French dud has not done enough to suggest that he will be a key player for Maresca moving forward, given his lack of quality in the Premier League, which is why the club should ruthlessly ditch him this summer, whether that is to Arsenal or another club.

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini May 11, 2025

Liverpool have won back the Premier League from Manchester City, five years after they last stoop atop the mountainous English pyramid.

Pep Guardiola’s side have broken records to win four in a row since Jurgen Klopp put Liverpool back on their perch, but City have fallen by the wayside this season and Arsenal have never managed to build the requisite consistency to end their recent runner-up reputation.

But consistency has been Arne Slot’s middle name this year, his first since replacing Klopp in the Anfield dugout and putting the Reds back in the ascendency.

It bears testament to FSG’s business model that already sporting director Richard Hughes is liaising with Michel Edwards ahead of the summer transfer window, with signings needed in defence and attack to protect this exciting new position at the summit.

Ryan Gravenberch, a revelation

Gravenberch is a Premier League-winning midfielder. The Dutchman has started every single match as Liverpool have capered toward the title, deeply set in the midfield soil, no way of being uprooted.

Who saw it coming? Many of a Liverpool persuasion will no doubt admit they had reservations after a stop-start 2023/24 campaign, his first in England after Klopp completed his midfield rebuild by signing the Bayern Munich prospect for a £34m fee at the end of the 2023 summer transfer window.

The Netherlands international, 22, has recently spoken of the adversity he has had to overcome after playing so infrequently last year, and while he’s looked a little sapped at times recently, Gravenberch has been “first-class all season” in the eyes of pundit Peter Crouch.

Ryan Gravenberch in the Premier League

Stats (* per game)

23/24

24/25

Matches (starts)

26 (12)

34 (34)

Goals

1

0

Assists

0

4

Touches*

28.8

67.3

Pass completion

83%

89%

Key passes*

0.6

0.7

Dribbles*

0.9

1.0

Ball recoveries*

2.8

5.3

Tackles + interceptions*

1.5

3.6

Duels (won)*

2.8 (47%)

5.0 (58%)

Stats via Sofascore

He’s effectively improved across every metric, turning from a meandering midfield prospect into a deep-lying general of surpassing quality.

However, Gravenberch has indeed alluded to the fact that he’s been overworked, and it’s something Slot and Hughes have considered, for Liverpool seem to be getting ready to sign a midfield rival this summer.

Liverpool ready to sign Premier League midfielder

According to reports, via Caught Offside, Liverpool are interested in signing FA Cup hero Adam Wharton this summer and are preparing to lodge a £50m offer in the coming months.

Wharton, 21, has been a revelation at Crystal Palace and is not going to be short of suitors, with Arsenal and Manchester United also reported to be keen on doing a deal.

Though Liverpool’s title-winning midfield is probably the area of the pitch least in need of external assistance, Wharton might prove to complete the puzzle and maybe even leave Gravenberch sweating over the security of his starting berth.

Why Adam Wharton would be perfect for Liverpool

Crystal Palace produced a consummate performance against Aston Villa last weekend to set their place in next month’s FA Cup final. Wharton was among the standouts, with BBC pundit Shay Given even likening him to a rather well-respected midfielder of old.

Centre-midfielder Wharton left Blackburn Rovers in the Championship to sign for the Eagles for an initial £18m fee, leaving the club that had reared him.

He’s not going to have looked back, striking from the get-go a reputation for his slick passing and composed stride in the centre of the park.

His renown has burgeoned over the past 15 months, reaching its apotheosis (so far) after dismantling a Villa side at Wembley to move within touching distance of a first major trophy in Palace’s long history.

As per FBref, Wharton ranks among the top 5% of Premier League midfielders this season for progressive passes, the top 9% for ball recoveries and the top 15% for shot-creating actions made per 90, perfectly illustrating his elite passing game, crisp as you like while being creative too. He’s also a thoroughbred athlete, covering so much ground.

It’s a similar profile to that of Gravenberch. Although the argument that he’s performing such metrics to a lesser standard is there. It’s recorded that the Dutchman ranks among the top 31% of said midfielders for progressive passes, but also among the bottom 36% for shot-creating actions per 90.

Given that both players operate in positionally similar zones, it’s easy to ascertain that Wharton is the better man in distribution. Moreover, he doesn’t shirk from his defensive duties either, winning 1.8 tackles per Premier League game this season, as per Sofascore.

There’s nothing to say that these two players couldn’t work in conjunction within Slot’s Liverpool set-up, but there’s little question that Gravenberch lacks the natural-born seamlessness in possession. Not to say it’s a tactical deficiency of his, but rather, a glowing endorsement of Wharton’s talent.

The fact is, Gravenberch has lulled, and while he has areas that eclipse that of Palace’s man, the semblance between the two, which still manages to contrast and show off distinctive qualities, suggests that Liverpool would hit the jackpot in forging ahead with a deal for Selhurst Park’s midfield star.

Slot’s finely-wrought system hasn’t seen too much tinkering this term, but Wharton would be able to ply his work effectively at number six, fitting in for Gravenberch and given the opportunity to make the role his own.

He’s demonstrated his capacity on the big occasion, with esteemed journalist Henry Winter describing Wharton as a “passing machine” and the “best player on the pitch” during the FA Cup semi-final.

You could even make the strong claim that the one-cap England international has the superior ball-playing game to Gravenberch and may well be a more fitting number six in Slot’s flowing system.

In any case, having both in the mix would hardly be a bad thing; indeed, this is exactly the type of move that Liverpool need to make so as to consolidate their position at the top of the Premier League.

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Posts ByDan Emery Apr 26, 2025

It’s because of the presidential elections, which means a travel day for Sri Lanka players and officials to go and vote

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2024Are the players just being lazy?
In an era in which even four-day Tests feel like a hard-sell, it does seem weird to have a match that stretches across six days. But no, the reason is that Sri Lanka is holding its presidential election on Saturday. These are the first major polls since the country overthrew its last president in 2022, and so kind of a big deal.And while the New Zealand players are free to relax at any of Galle’s beaches, most Sri Lanka players will be traveling to their electorate to vote. While this is simple enough for someone like Kamindu Mendis – a Galle local – it does represent a challenge for many others.The team is in fact organising a bus for those voting in Colombo, soon after play on Friday. They are expected to vote on Saturday morning and return. Some players must travel even further. Asitha Fernando is going to his electorate near his hometown Katuneriya, roughly 175 kilometres from Galle. Others, such as Lahiru Kumara, will go all the way to Kandy, about 225 km away.In addition to the players, many groundstaff, journalists, commentators, match officials, and board staff will also travel to vote.Couldn’t they have scheduled the Test around the election?
Not really. The Tests were being planned long before the election date was announced. And as New Zealand have a tight playing schedule – this series sandwiched between stints in India – the schedulers say the clash was pretty much unavoidable. Though, given the New Zealand vs Afghanistan match that was supposed to be played in Greater Noida did not see a single ball bowled, perhaps in retrospect they could have rocked up to Sri Lanka a few days earlier.Has this ever happened before?
Rest days were actually pretty common in Tests, right into the 1990s, so this is far from unprecedented (there’s a fact to throw at people who say cricketers had it tougher in decades gone by). In fact, it’s not even unprecedented for Test matches to take a break for an election – the same thing happened in 2008, to allow for Bangladesh’s parliamentary polls that year, also against Sri Lanka. That was the most recent rest day in the game.If the game goes till Monday, won’t it effectively be a day six pitch?
They will, of course, cover the Galle surface and keep it under wraps on Saturday, to prevent the sun and wind from drying it out.Perhaps the players will be fresher as a result?
Again, not really, in the medium term at least. What the boards have actually done is steal a “rest day” from in between the first and second Tests, and plonked it on September 21.There are only two free days between scheduled day five of the first Test, and day one of the second Test. This means there are 10 scheduled Test-match days in a 13-day period, which is normal for a two-Test series.They have been spared having to travel to another venue, however. The second Test will also be played in Galle.

Here’s everything you need to know about the fast bowler, who impressed with figures of 5 for 3 in the match against Gladiators

Umar Farooq17-Feb-2023

So, what is Ihsanullah’s story?

He was born and raised in Arkot village, a hilly area in Matta Tehsil in Swat valley, the northern part of the country. He lost his house during the 2022 Pakistan floods, which affected millions of people, after which he had to rebuild his life from scratch.

How did Ihsanullah get into cricket?

Ihsanullah and Sirajuddin (another emerging bowler in the Peshawar Zalmi squad) were called up by Rashid Latif in Islamabad for trials. The duo had enrolled in the Kamyab Jawan Sports Drive, a talent programme by former Prime Minister Imran Khan in collaboration with Lahore Qalandars’ player development programme. He was recommended to three PSL franchises – Qalandars, Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans – and Multan managed to get him registered in the PSL 2022 draft.In 2017, he played in PCB’s Under-16 tournament representing FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Area) and was the second-leading wicket-taker for the region with 12 scalps. He was selected to play PCB’s U-16 Pentangular T20 Tournament in 2018 but soon fell off the radar. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) picked him to play three-day cricket in 2021. But he shot in prominence only last year when Sultans got him in the supplement category half-heartedly as their last pick, just to have a back-up fast bowler on the bench.

Did Ihsanullah play PSL last year?

He did. He had bowled one over against Karachi and got injured in his very next game against Lahore Qalandars and was never able to complete his quota of overs. He touched 138kmph and was a reluctant starter for competitive cricket. He was ruled out of the remainder of the tournament last year. A year later he was among the eight players that the franchise preserved as their core.

What did Ihsanullah do to earn back Sultans’ faith?

He finished his rehabilitation and recovered ahead of the domestic season with KP under head coach Abdur Rehman (also an assistant coach at Sultans). He played seven first-class matches, the National T20 Cup and the Pakistan one-day Cup – where he become the second-leading wicket-taker with 25 dismissals at an average of 19.96 and a strike rate of 18.2. An improved Ihsan managed to hit the form right in time before the PSL.

Wasn’t Ihsanullah a bowler with 130kph speed? How did he work on it?

He was always quick. In domestic cricket, his average speed was in the 130s but often crossed the 140kph mark. According to his coach Rehman, “he had minor issues in his action like running with bigger steps in early days but with time, with minor tweaks, he started to get fluent. He [has] got height, his muscles are building and he is growing with every game he is playing. He is understanding the importance of fitness and the mechanic of fast bowling and now getting into the right frame. A proper fast bowler. The good thing about him is not just pace but he is economical with speed as well and it’s a complete package. He, with time, has room to add another 2kph to what he bowled yesterday (150kmph). We entered into the tournament with him among our main bowlers we can rely on.”

Even victory in the Border-Gavaskar series would likely require Australia to still avoid a series loss in South Africa

Daniel Brettig16-Jan-2021No better measure may be found for how Australia’s Test team have struggled to live up to their own expectations this summer than their increasingly shaky hold on a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Due to the events already played out over three Tests and two days against India, Tim Paine’s team may now stand a better chance of reaching the decider at Lord’s later this year should their looming tour of South Africa be cancelled rather than be played.This is not just a sharp reflection on the “points per series played” metric that was brought in once the WTC schedule was ravaged by Covid-19, but also a marker of how – against a severely under-manned India – a nominally full-strength team have plateaued rather than flourished. A 3-1 series margin over India would have meant that a 1-2 series loss to South Africa would have been sufficient to ensure a place in the final.Instead, another determined show from India to get a draw at the Gabba would mean that the Australians require at least a 2-1 margin against South Africa over three Tests away from home to guarantee their place in the final.Even a dominant performance over the next three days – weather permitting – to emerge victorious in the Border-Gavaskar series would still mean Australia would most likely need to avoid a series loss in South Africa, with draws being worth more than defeats. It is a series currently the subject of vigorous discussion between Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa, given the deteriorating coronavirus situation in South Africa.There has been informal discussion of moving the series in its entirety to Perth, where South Africa enjoy an enviable record of success. But the scenario presently being war-gamed is for a repeat of South Africa’s recently concluded series against Sri Lanka, where the squad was housed in a self-contained resort and shuttled between Test matches at the Wanderers in Johannesburg and Centurion Park in Pretoria.”We saw even with the England series. It wasn’t ticked off until really, really late – four or five days before the team jet set over there,” Andrew McDonald, Australia’s senior assistant coach, said. “For me, it’ll be [on] until we’re informed [otherwise]. Otherwise, we’re expecting the tour to go ahead. All our planning and preparation with our quicks and everything on the back end of this tour will be geared around the team going to South Africa for the Tests and going to New Zealand [for T20Is]. I think it’s important for world cricket that the show goes on.”This task would be a steep one given the mental and physical fatigue on display among the Australians at the Gabba, where they were again unable to convert a promising overnight position into one of first-innings dominance on a quickening pitch. Ever since India were shot out for 36 to bring the opening Test in Adelaide to a shatteringly rapid conclusion, the hosts have never quite managed to pull it all together; now, they look increasingly as though they will be facing a substantial penalty for being unable to do so. Only they will know how much of this can be put down to the disorientation of a “Covid-safe” summer.Paradoxically, Tim Paine’s team may stand a better chance of reaching the WTC final should their scheduled tour of South Africa be cancelled•Getty Images”What I would say in terms of the biosecurity and the way we’ve been looked after, it’s been outstanding,” McDonald said. “There were fears at the start of the series that if we were to go into tighter restrictions and regulations that would have an effect on the group. At this stage, so far so good. Everyone’s in a great mental space, [and] physically we’ve got most of our bodies available.”In terms of team performance, there’s no doubt we’ve had some lulls with the bat. A couple of difficult surfaces in the first couple of games that lent themselves to a bit of movement – in particular seam – which made it difficult for the batting units. We saw that equalled out in Sydney where we did get a flat wicket that didn’t deteriorate, and then here there’s a lot of cricket to go that will define the series and the team performance.”As Marnus Labuschagne rightly pointed out after the first day in Brisbane, players are generally their own harshest critics. If Labuschagne, with 401 runs for the series at 57.28, cannot be entirely happy with his performances, then others will be even more introspective. Steven Smith has had – by his own lofty standards – a mediocre time of it, and his batting compatriots Joe Burns, Travis Head, David Warner and Matthew Wade have achieved even less.At Nos. 6 and 7, Cameron Green and the captain Paine have scored respectable amounts of runs, but without enough of the defining performances they would still be expected to provide in those positions. Paine’s innings in Adelaide was among the best of his career, but he was clearly frustrated not to at least match it in Brisbane, wincing as he walked off after a week in which his behaviour and performance were both put under enough scrutiny to have him make a public apology for his actions on day five at the SCG.Similarly, Green’s 199 runs at 33.16 have showcased a talent that is far from fully developed, but likely to learn quickly given the chance at a young age. Both Paine, suckered into the drive at an away-swinger, and Green, bowled by a gentle drifter from Washington Sundar that did not turn, might have wished to sell their wickets a little more dearly and not require Nathan Lyon to nearly double his series aggregate to ensure the total passed 350.Related

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A judge as shrewd as Brad Haddin reckoned the Australians fell at least 100 runs short of the ideal first innings, given the conditions and the opposition, and the early passages of India’s first innings did not suggest a rush of wickets will follow unless they are to be conjured by the remarkable Pat Cummins. Alongside Josh Hazlewood, Cummins has performed at extremely close to his best throughout. He might have even easily dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara once again if not for the India No. 3’s soft hands on a defensive blade.But neither Mitchell Starc nor Nathan Lyon can make the same claim, meaning that out of the players selected during this series for Australia, only three could reasonably suggest they have been close to the level they want to be. This will be a problem for the WTC final qualification, as it has already been for closing out an Indian side more resilient and persistent than most.”It probably is already,” Ricky Ponting said on Seven, when asked whether the SCG result would hurt Australia over the rest of this Test. “I think they would still be smarting about what happened in Sydney, but they’ve got no one else to blame. They weren’t able to get the job done.”Unable to get the job done in Sydney, Australia now face a far more difficult job to qualify for the Test Championship decider. Unless, that is, the administrators are forced into taking a decision through which the vagaries of the points system paradoxically reward them more for avoiding South Africa rather than playing there.

Going into the transfer window, Tottenham Hotspur had one clear objective under new boss Thomas Frank – improve the quality and depth across all areas of the pitch.

That was certainly achieved during the £100m+ spending spree, with the hierarchy completing a deal in the region of £55m for winger Mohammed Kudus.

Much was made around his transfer after joining from rivals West Ham United, but it’s safe to say the Ghanaian has already adhered himself to the supporters in North London.

The 25-year-old has already opened his account for the Lilywhites, scoring the winner in the last outing against Leeds United – subsequently adding to his tally of four assists in the Premier League.

However, Frank’s side could have looked a lot different had they completed a move for one of their other targets instead of landing Kudus during the off-season.

How close Spurs were to signing Mbeumo this summer

After appointing Frank from Brentford over the summer, there were always going to be rumours over which players he would bring with him – but one stuck out more than the rest in the form of Bryan Mbeumo.

The Cameroonian international scored 20 times in the Premier League last campaign, with such form making him one of the hottest properties during the recent transfer window.

At one stage, it appeared as though the Lilywhites had a genuine chance of landing the 26-year-old, even reportedly making an offer for his services after the Dane’s appointment.

The player himself spoke about the 51-year-old’s appointment, wishing him the best in North London, which only fuelled speculation over a potential switch to follow his former manager across the capital.

However, it wasn’t meant to be, as Manchester United completed a £71m transfer for Mbeumo, a figure that was way over the original offer that was supposedly made by the Lilywhites.

After joining the Red Devils, the Cameroonian claimed that he only had his heart set on a move to United during the summer – subsequently dismissing any interest in following Frank.

Missing out on his signature will no doubt have been a disappointment to the fanbase, but they shouldn’t have to worry, with one player already in their ranks already similar to Mbeumo.

The Spurs star who is Frank’s next Mbeumo

The return of Fabio Paratici this week will give the fanbase an added reason to be positive after their impressive start to the 2025/26 campaign under Frank’s guidance.

He spent a couple of years in the role between 2021 and 2023 before stepping down, but he’s now been brought back into the club to fill the Sporting Director role once again.

It will no doubt hand him the responsibility of recruiting new players to add to the Dane’s early success, whilst overseeing those who could be offloaded.

However, he’s already showcased his tremendous work within the transfer market, conducting phenomenal business to land Dejan Kulusevski from Juventus for just £25m.

The Swede would have been an unknown quantity to many in North London, but he’s made himself a fan-favourite with his incredible performances prior to his recent injury setback.

He registered 10 goals and 11 assists across all competitions last campaign – the best return of his career – and certainly playing a huge role in the club’s Europa League success.

Such is the level of his quality, he was labelled as a similar player to Mbeumo by FBref – a huge statement given the performances of the former Brentford star in 2024/25.

When comparing their respective stats during the same time period, the Lilywhites gem managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, with Kulusevski highlighting the quality he possesses when fit.

The former Juve star, who’s been dubbed “incredible” by Jay Harris, completed more progressive passes per 90 (4.7), subsequently registering more key passes per 90 (2.5).

Kulusevski & Mbeumo – PL stats (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)	Kulusevski	Mbeumo
Games played	32	38
Goals & assists	11	27
Progressive carries	4.5	3.4
Progressive passes	4.7	3.7
Pass accuracy	74%	66%
Key passes	2.5	1.8
Passes into final third	2.3	1.6
Take-ons completed	1.4	1.3
Carries into final third	2.5	1.8
Stats via FBref

Such figures highlight the creative nature the Swede possesses, with such a feature massively adding to Frank’s side when he returns from his latest injury.

He also completed more take-ons per 90 (1.4), whilst notching more carries into the final third per 90 (2.5) – highlighting his desire to transfer the ball into dangerous areas whenever possible.

There’s no denying that a deal for Mbeumo would have further strengthened the Spurs first-team squad, but ultimately it would have been a huge risk paying such a fee after one impressive season.

With Kulusevski, the club have one of the most underrated players in the division, with the forward able to take his career to the next level under Frank in the years ahead.

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By
Ethan Lamb

Oct 17, 2025

It wasn’t perfect, but Manchester United secured three points at Molineux to return to winning ways in the Premier League and gear up for another charge toward Champions League contention.

Bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers crumbled away after the break, and the Red Devils made them pay, with Bruno Fernandes’ brace coming either side of second-half strikes from Bryan Mbeumo and Mason Mount.

The home side might be at the centre of a catastrophic failure this season, but take nothing away from United’s slick attacking play, creating a platform to build on after labouring to a draw against West Ham United at Old Trafford last week.

How Man Utd beat Wolves

Amorim’s Red Devils have rekindled the feel-good factor. There is work still to be done, and the Portuguese tactician’s system leaves something to be desired, but Manchester United are just one point behind fourth-placed Crystal Palace.

Amorim knew his side would dominate the ball, and dictate the flow of possession they did, but he would have drilled into his troops at half-time a lesson about wayward shooting. As per Sofascore, United chalked up an xG total of 4.01 across the match, with 3.06 of that total coming after the interval despite 14 of the 27 shots on the evening being lashed across the first half.

It’s also worth noting that five of United’s seven shots on target came during the first half. This may have smacked of desperation in other circumstances, but at Molineux illustrated a tactical tweak orienting toward greater variation, a ramping-up of the gas that outfoxed a Wolves backline that crumbled under pressure.

One way of looking at it would be that United toiled, to little avail, before the break, but we also saw tactical adaptation from a manager who has been criticised for his obstinacy.

Content creator Adam Joseph said that “tonight doesn’t solve any issues”, but he praised the victory all the same. Now, Amorim needs to go one step further and deepen the nuances of his system, surely ending one protracted experiment which might have seen the visitors come unstuck, had they been playing a higher calibre of opponent.

Amorim must boldly drop Man United talent

Amad Diallo is one of the most talented players in Manchester United’s squad, but he’s also been played out of position for the lion’s share of the Amorim era, and the contest at Molineux issued a reminder that he cannot continue in an unnatural wing-back berth forever.

Not only does it hinder the 23-year-old’s attacking play, but it also fails to offer United’s system the balance and fluency it requires down the right channel.

Minutes played

90′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

68

Accurate passes

39/44 (89%)

Chances created

4

Possession lost

9x

Crosses

1/3

Dribbles

2/4

Recoveries

3

Tackles won

1/1

Duels won

5/9

This was by no means a, quote unquote, disasterclass, but Amad did leave something to be desired, lacking end product and culpable for a few defensive lapses. The Manchester Evening News recognised this, handing the Ivory Coast international a 6/10 match rating.

Amad, after all, was perhaps at fault for the Old Gold’s parity-restoring goal before the break, failing to close David Møller Wolfe as the wing-back cut back to Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, who scored.

There were flashes of quality, for sure, but we must remember that Amad is performing, dutifully, in a role that is not his own, and this was picked up by analyst Raj Chohan, who remarked that it has been “completely unserious squad planning” on Amorim’s part, shoehorning a fleet-footed forward into a position that he “does not suit playing” in.

This season, ten of Amad’s 15 appearances have come as United’s right-sided wing-back, with five outings made in an attacking role off the central striker.

There he plays his best stuff, and if Amorim is to succeed at the club and lead the squad for the long run, he will need to find a way to maximise this talented forward’s skills in a position that he can call his own.

Bad news for Mainoo: INEOS make £70m "passing machine" Man Utd’s no.1 target

Man United’s need for a new centre-midfielder is as pressing as ever.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 8, 2025

Manchester United are keen to strengthen their attacking ranks under Ruben Amorim and could now be set to raid South America for a bristling talent dubbed the next Neymar Jr.

Man Utd prepare to address squad issues in mid-season window

The Red Devils find themselves in the middle of the Premier League pack heading into a hectic run of fixtures between now and the New Year, which will offer Amorim some insight regarding where he needs to add steel to help his side continue their recent improvement.

Ultimately, setbacks are part of football, and Monday’s defeat against Everton will sting for the Manchester United support, especially given the difficulty their side had in breaking down the low block David Moyes deployed at Old Trafford.

Delivering an honest assessment of what needs to change going forward, Matthijs De Ligt urged his teammates to bounce back against Crystal Palace on Sunday and show improved urgency in South London.

He stated: “Overall, just a really bad performance. The next game, obviously, is really important now. We have to bounce back from this performance. We had some good performances over the last couple of weeks, and now we had a bad one.

“Now, it’s for us to come back, to stay together and to make clear what has to be better. We lacked maybe the urgency to score the goals, to create the chances – and then you know against a team like Everton, who drop back and are really strong in the air, it’s going to be quite difficult. That basically sums up the night.”

Man Utd to "complete" move and sign "the next Casemiro" in coming days

The Red Devils are now ready to open their transfer chequebook.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Nov 28, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers pair Andre and Joao Gomes have been identified by Manchester United as January targets. Casemiro’s potential contract expiry has led Amorim down the path of searching for a midfielder, and it is clear he is making inroads on that front.

Conversely, the Red Devils are now said to be leading the race for a talent who could become one of South America’s brightest stars in the next few years.

Man Utd leading race to sign Santos star Robinho Jr

According to reports in Spain, Man Utd are leading the race to sign Santos prodigy Robinho Jr, and they have made contact with his entourage over bringing the 17-year-old winger to Old Trafford.

Compared to Neymar by peers in his homeland, he is a recognisable name as the son of former Manchester City and Real Madrid star Robinho, and he may be allowed to leave his current club due to their financial situation.

Robinho Jr’s statistics at Santos
Appearances	13
Goals	0
Assists	1

Santos are unlikely to let the winger go for a modest fee, albeit Manchester United have been tracking his progress for months and see a unique opportunity to develop his talent in England.

This is something that the Brazilian giants are willing to seriously evaluate as they look to bring funds into the club, especially given they are at risk of relegation, potentially creating a scenario where everyone is a winner.

The New York Mets are on an absolute roll and they kept it going on Wednesday with a walk-off win to complete a sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies. One camera angle of the game's final play showed the crowd at Citi Field erupt as the home team scored the winning run.

The play came in the bottom of the 10th inning after the Mets had tied the game 3-3 on a Pete Alonso double. Alonso occupied second base while Brandon Nimmo was on first with two outs and Starling Marte at the plate. Marte blooped a 1-0 Jordan Romano slider back up the middle for a single and Alonso took off, chugging around third and sliding in safely at home.

Here's another angle of Alonso's running:

And here's the angle that shows Citi Field and the Mets' dugout erupting as Alonso reaches home.

That's seven straight wins for the Mets who now also possess MLB's best record at 18-7.

كشف الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم “كاف” عن القائمة النهائية للمرشحين لجائزة أفضل لاعب شاب في القارة لعام 2025، وذلك ضمن حفل جوائز كاف المرتقب.

ومن المنتظر أن يقام حفل توزيع جوائز الكاف يوم الأربعاء 19 نوفمبر بالعاصمة المغربية الرباط.

طالع|رسميًا | قائمة المنتخبات المرشحة لجائزة الأفضل في إفريقيا.. موقف مصر

وبحسب بيان كاف الرسمي على منصة “إكس”، ضمت قائمة أفضل لاعب شاب، ثنائي مغربي من المتوجين بجائزة كأس العالم للشباب 2025.

ويلعب الثنائي المغربي، عبد الله وزان في أياكس الهولندي، وعثمان معما في واتفورد الإنجليزي. المرشحون لجائزة أفضل لاعب صاعد في إفريقيا 2025

– المغربي عبد الله وزان.

– المغربي عثمان معما.

– الجنوب أفريقي تيلون سميث.