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The 2024/25 campaign was truly one to forget for everyone involved with Manchester United, as the club registered their worst-ever Premier League finish.

Ruben Amorim’s side ended the year in a measly 15th position, sitting just three spots above the relegation zone, with various issues rearing their head throughout the season.

The Red Devils had a real goalscoring issue during their top-flight campaign, as seen by their measly tally of just 44 goals in their 38 outings – an average of just 1.15 per game.

However, at the other end, things were just as disappointing, as they shipped 54 goals in just 38 matches, ultimately leading to a total of 18 league defeats in 2024/25.

Many of the failures that season were directed that way of one man, with Amorim desperately needing to make the right call on his future during the recent summer window.

The stats behind Andre Onana’s failures for United in 2024/25

After David de Gea’s departure from United back in the summer of 2023, former boss Erik ten Hag decided to delve into the transfer market to bolster his ranks – landing the signature of Andre Onana.

As a result, the Dutchman decided to fork out a reported £47.2m for the Cameroonian’s signature – a deal which could go down as one of the worst in the club’s history.

Upon Amorim’s arrival last November, he decided to stick with the former Inter Milan shot-stopper between the sticks, but he was unable to match the confidence shown in him by the boss.

The 29-year-old featured 50 times across all competitions last campaign, but made nine direct errors that led to goals, many of which came in key moments.

From parried shots against Lyon to misjudging Morgan Gibbs-White’s effort against Nottingham Forest – it truly was a regular occurrence for Onana to drop numerous clangers.

His only appearance for the Red Devils this season came in the Carabao Cup defeat to League Two Grimsby Town – a game that would signal the end of his first-team place at Old Trafford.

Amorim decided to ship Onana out on loan to Turkish Super League side Trabzonspor, with the hierarchy backing him with a new goalkeeper on Deadline Day.

Man Utd have another Onana-esque liability

As a result of Onana’s departure, Senne Lammens was the man chosen to fill the void in the goalkeeping department for United, with the Belgian joining from Royal Antwerp.

At just 23, such a move may have been a daunting task to many, but the youngster has wasted no time in cementing the number one shirt as his own at Old Trafford.

He’s made six appearances for the Red Devils to date, keeping one clean sheet, but his goal prevented xG of 0.2, showcases his immediate impact between the sticks.

Lammens is also yet to register an error leading to a goal after his big-money transfer, with his arrival already solving one of the glaring issues in the squad from last season.

However, not all the new additions have slotted in as seamlessly as the goalkeeper, with full-back Patrick Dorgu unable to be as successful at Old Trafford.

The Dane arrived from Italian side Lecce back in January for a reported £30m, with such a move seeming to end the hierarchy’s hunt for a long-term left wing-back.

However, nearly a year on from his transfer, it’s evident that the 21-year-old simply isn’t at the level required and is now becoming a huge liability for Amorim’s men.

Dorgu has only started seven out of a possible 12 league games to date this campaign, with his latest showing highlighting why he’s been an inconsistent figure in 2025/26.

He featured for 58 minutes in the defeat against Everton on home soil, before being replaced by Diogo Dalot after struggling to make the desired effect at both ends.

Minutes played

58

Touches

40

Passes completed

75%

Tackles made

1

Aerials lost

100%

Crosses completed

0

Possession lost

11x

Dribbled past

1

The youngster was labelled “unreliable” by one analyst, after only winning one tackle, and losing all four of the aerial duels he entered – offering a lacklustre option out of possession.

Even with the ball, Dorgu struggled to impress, only completing 75% of his attempted passes, losing possession a staggering 11 times whilst failing to complete a single cross.

As a result, he’s massively becoming a liability under Amorim, arguably the biggest one since Onana’s lack of form for the club back in the 2024/25 season.

A solution for all parties is desperately needed before the January transfer window, with the club potentially needing to reinvest in the market to solve the problem at left wing-back.

Alongside Zirkzee: Man Utd's "waste of time" must not start again for Amorim

Ruben Amorim has a bold decision to make over the future of one Manchester United flop.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 25, 2025

In our second batch of team report cards for 2024: India, Australia, South Africa, Bangladesh, West Indies, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe

02-Jan-2025Indiaby Sidharth Monga
It was almost like India used up a year’s worth of luck on one afternoon in Barbados. It brought the country immense joy. What the T20 World Cup, their first ICC title in 11 years, meant to India really hit home when parts of the financial capital of the country came to a standstill for the victorious team’s trophy tour. It was as though not just the players but the entire country let themselves release their emotions after the heartbreak of the defeat in the last year’s ODI World Cup final.However, the tears of joy soon turned into anguish when India ended their dominant home run of 18 unbeaten series with not just any series defeat but their first-ever whitewash at home.As after the ODI World Cup in 2011, India hurtled towards a transition, with R Ashwin announcing retirement and pressure building on some others. Only the relentless genius of Jasprit Bumrah kept the men’s team from resembling the side that sleepwalked to eight straight Test defeats in England and Australia in 2011 and 2012.At the end of the year, needing a win in Sydney to stay alive in the World Test Championship, the memories of the T20 World Cup win and the home series win against England seemed so distant they might as well have been nostalgia.You can’t take away from those victories, though. Especially the T20I one, where the younger batters kept going from strength to strength. India scored at 9.55 an over in 2024, the third-fastest by any Full Member side in a calendar year in T20Is. Their batters made seven centuries in the format, and they lost just two games out of 26 all year, truly entering the modern T20 age.That they lost three times as many Tests should tell you which format needs their leadership’s utmost attention.The year was much more temperate for the women, lacking dramatic ups and downs. While they won the only Test they played, they kept losing to Australia. The surprise defeat to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup T20 final will remain a disappointment.High point
When Heinrich Klaasen hit Axar Patel out of Kensington Oval during a 24-run over, South Africa were left needing just 30 off 30 balls in the World Cup final. The replacement ball, though, began to reverse, and all of a sudden, everything started to go India’s way. Everything needed to be inch perfect to be able to pull off that defence, and that is exactly what it turned out to be, ending years of agony for a trophy-starved nation.Low point
Later in the year, everything started going against India to result in the snapping of their 12-year unbeaten run in Test series at home. Unseasonal rain in Bengaluru created a seaming track that helped New Zealand, and a Rishabh Pant six hit out of the Chinnaswamy brought out a ball that started seaming afresh. In a panic, India demanded extreme turners for the remaining Tests, lost the tosses, and for once, their spin-bowling allrounders failed to bail them out. The streak was ended by the unlikeliest of opponents, who last won a Test in India in 1988, and ended up more than doubling their tally of wins in India.ResultsMen
Tests: P15 W8 L6 D1
ODIs: P3 W0 L2 T1
T20Is: P26 W24 L2Women
Tests: P1 W1
ODIs: P13 W8 L5
T20Is: P23 W15 L7 NR1After disappointment in the World Cup, Australia found redemption with a 2-1 series lead over India•Getty ImagesAustraliaby Andrew McGlashan
Australia’s men saved their best for last, taking a 2-1 lead over India with a race-against-time victory at the MCG in a Test that saw record attendances. It was a significant turnaround after a crushing defeat in Perth to start the series. They will head into 2025 with hopes of a first series win over India in a decade and a good chance of defending their World Test Championship title.There was a sense of renewal, too, after the sparkling debut of 19-year-old Sam Konstas amid what had become a churn of openers following David Warner’s retirement at the start of the year – first Steven Smith and then Nathan McSweeney were tried at the top of the order. Regardless of how Konstas’ career pans out, it will be fascinating to watch.The shock defeat to West Indies at the Gabba (against an inspired Shamar Joseph) and a Super Eight exit at the T20 World Cup meant it wasn’t quite a year to match the highs of 2023.The women’s team, too, fell below their usual heights – although they had set a bar very hard to stay above forever. Going out in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup was a surprise, and doubts grew over the future of captain Alyssa Healy, who has been beset by injury, but the question was also about how to make the best use of the abundance of talent available in the likes of Phoebe Litchfield, Annabel Sutherland, and latterly Georgia Voll.High point
The MCG on the penultimate day of the year. Pat Cummins and many of his team-mates termed the victory against India as among their greatest. A game that began with the thrilling debut of Konstas, who took the attack to Jasprit Bumrah, came down to Australia needing seven wickets at the start of the final session and surging over the line with 12 overs to spare. Cummins, as so often, led from the front with an immense all-round performance.Low point
Both Australia teams were eliminated from their respective T20 World Cups early, but given their legacy it was the women’s exit in Dubai that was the more surprising. They were bundled out by eight wickets against South Africa, missing injured captain Healy, and it ended a run of seven consecutive finals for them in the competition. Was it a sign of a decline, or a defeat that was inevitable at some point? With an Ashes early in 2025 and an ODI World Cup later in the year, the coming 12 months will tell us a lot.ResultsMen
Tests: P9 W6 L2 D1
ODIs: P11 W7 L4
T20Is: P21 W17 L4Women
Tests: P1 W1
ODIs: P12 W11 L1
T20Is: P17 W14 L3South Africa men rode a very bumpy, unpredictable path to their first WTC final•AFP/Getty ImagesSouth AfricaBy Firdose Moonda
Three finals in one year screams success (even if two were lost and one has yet to be played) and points to a consistent upward trajectory for the South African game. But there is a caveat: 2024 was a year where South Africa won when it mattered and lost, often badly, when it didn’t.Their Test year started poorly, with a defeat to India in a 107-over aberration at Newlands and a first series loss to New Zealand, where they were forced to take a second-string sidebecause the first-choice players were committed to the SA20. But they roared back for series wins against West Indies and Bangladesh away, and Sri Lanka at home to put themselves on the brink of the World Test Championship final. Before the year was out, South Africa secured their spots for that match in a nerve-shredding two wicket win in the Boxing Day Test. A feature of their performances has been the upturn in century-scoring. In 2024, eight South Africa Test batters reached hundreds; Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne twice each.Their white-ball performances peaked when they reeled off eight successive wins to reach the T20 World Cup final – a first for the men’s team – but a narrow loss by seven runs to India left the trophy cabinet bare.In ODIs, South Africa lost series to Afghanistan in Sharjah and Pakistan at home, the latter the first time any team has whitewashed South Africa in their own backyard. They also lost their first four T20I bilateral series in 2024 – and were blanked 3-0 by West Indies either side of the World Cup – before beating Pakistan in December. It is difficult to assess these results on numbers alone because South Africa played most of their bilateral white-ball cricket without first-choice players due to various factors.The women’s team reached a second successive T20 World Cup final, after losing series to Australia away and Sri Lanka at home, but against expectation, thrashed defending champions Australia in the semi-final. They then they took on much less fancied New Zealand in the final but it wasn’t to be, again.An all-format visit by England in the summer brought more misery: South Africa won only one out of seven matches and were dismissed for their lowest Test total, 64. But there are signs things are steadying. In the last three weeks of the year, the South African women’s team finally got a new head coach, Mandla Mashimbyi, who has promised to advocate for red-ball cricket at domestic level. In 2025 the focus will be on the ODI World Cup, for which South Africa have qualified after ending the women’s championship in fourth place.High point
Reaching the WTC final is a testament to consistent high performances. South Africa recovered from early lows to peak in the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan, which they won by two wickets. A thrilling fourth day also saw South Africa do what they’ve rarely managed before – hold their nerve in a chase.Low Point
While its understood that financial reasons compelled CSA to make room for the SA20 in the calendar (and it turned a profit again in its second year), the consequences were alarming. South Africa named a Test squad with seven uncapped players for their tour of New Zealand, and they duly lost the series 2-0l. That was the first time South Africa had lost a Test series to New Zealand, and at the time it threw their WTC hopes into disarray.ResultsMen
Tests: P10 W6 L3 D1
ODIs: P9 W3 L6
T20Is: P23 W12 L11Women
Tests: P3 L3
ODIs: P12 W3 L8 NR1
T20Is: P21 W9 L11 NR1The Shamar sizzle: the Gabba win at the start of the year was one of West Indies’ great achievements in Tests this century•Albert Perez/Getty ImagesWest Indiesby Shashank Kishore
A seminal Test win at the Gabba, West Indies’ first in Tests against Australia in 21 years and their first in Australia in 27, set the tone, but their Test year got tougher from there, with an away sweep in England and losses at home to South Africa (1-0) and Bangladesh (1-1).Though the results were a mixed bag, there were flashes of individual brilliance from time to time, like Kevin Hodge’s maiden Test hundred at Nottingham in the face of some serious heat and hostility from Mark Wood.In T20Is West Indies underachieved by crashing out of their home World Cup without making at least the semi-final. England inflicted further agony by beating them 3-1 in the T20Is in the Caribbean in November. A win in the ODI leg over England may have been a temporary balm, but it meant little, given they don’t have a Champions Trophy to look forward to, having failed to qualify for the eight-team event.The women’s team achieved far more than they were expected to, reaching their first T20 World Cup semi-final since 2018. That campaign marked the international return of superstar Deandra Dottin, who contributed wholesomely to their success.High point
The Gabba Test win, which came on the back of a ten-wicket drubbing in under three days in Adelaide.Equally massive was them knocking off tournament favourites England to qualify for the semi-final of the women’s T20 World Cup. Having last beaten England in 2018, they broke a 13-match losing streak against them. It was only the second time England failed to make a T20 World Cup semi-final since 2010.Low point
A Super Eight exit from the men’s T20 World Cup after losing to England and South Africa.Results
Men
Tests: P9 W2 L6 D1
ODIs: P12 W6 L6
T20Is: P27 W14 L12 NR1Women
ODIs: P8 W3 L5
T20Is: P16 W10 L6Bangladesh swept Pakistan at home in a Test series for the first time ever•Associated PressBangladeshby Mohammad Isam
Bangladesh men’s 3-0 win against West Indies in the T20I series capped a hot-and-cold year for them. It was hard to gauge exactly where the team stood at the end of a year in which they beat Pakistan 2-0 in a historic overseas Test series, but they were also beaten by USA 2-1 in a T20I series.They also had their share of controversies and drama. The year began with an ill-tempered multi-format home series against Sri Lanka. Then came the series defeat to USA in Houston, which caused much trepidation for the T20 World Cup, but Bangladesh made it to the tournament’s second stage for the first time in its history. Still, their exit caused controversy as they gave up a potential semi-final spot chasing just 114 runs against Afghanistan.When they beat Pakistan two months later, Bangladesh looked like a different side. However, they then had series defeats against India, South Africa and Afghanistan. They went to West Indies an injury-hit side, but ended up winning a Test in Jamaica, and then beating the home side in the T20I series in St Vincent.The women’s team, meanwhile, had a poor year, struggling in the T20 World Cup and in the format overall, culminating in a 3-0 defeat to Ireland at home in December.High point
Bangladesh’s sweep of Pakistan – their first ever – was their best performance in an away Test series in years. Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das starred with the bat, and the pace attack carried the side when the batters couldn’t. Mehidy Hasan Miraz was stunning with both bat and ball.Low point
USA beating Bangladesh in a T20I series was a real low, but they were also bossed at home in a Test series by an inexperienced South African side.Results
Men
Tests: P10 W3 L7
ODIs: P9 W3 L6
T20Is: P24 W12 L12Women
ODIs: P6 W3 L3
T20Is: P19 W3 L16In 2024, Afghanistan made it to their first World Cup semi-final•AFP/Getty ImagesAfghanistanby Danyal Rasool
In 2024, Afghanistan continued their inexorable rise in white-ball cricket as demonstrated by an ODI series win against South Africa and their run to the T20 World Cup semi-final. There were also T20I series wins over Ireland and Zimbabwe, which showed signs Afghanistan were building depth, slowly but surely moving on from the generation that first oversaw their emergence in international cricket.There remain bouts of inconsistency, as is perhaps inevitable for a side still early in their development. Test matches remain few and far between, and Afghanistan lost the two they played in 2024. Plus, an ODI whitewash by Sri Lanka indicated there is work they still need to do in the 50-over format as well.But the wider story of Afghanistan cricket continues to be marred by the complete absence of a women’s team, with the ruling Taliban having banned women from playing cricket. It has led to social isolation of Afghanistan cricket, most notably with Australia refusing to play them in bilateral series, though the sides have competed multiple times in ICC tournaments.High point
Afghanistan seem to improve with every ICC tournament they play, but the 2024 T20 World Cup was the real breakthrough. They blitzed New Zealand and stunned Australia to qualify for the semi-final for the first time in their history. While South Africa eased to victory in that game, it showed the progress Afghanistan have made in all these years.Low point
Test cricket is not Afghanistan’s forte, but even so, they were expected to beat Ireland in the UAE, where the conditions favoured them. They paid the price for a poor first innings and never quite recovered, as Ireland secured a six-wicket victory.Results
Men
Tests: P2 L2
ODIs: P14 W8 L5 NR 1
T20Is: P21 W11 L10 Sikandar Raza became Zimbabwe’s first T20I centurion in a record-breaking 290-run win against Gambia•International Cricket CouncilZimbabweby Firdose Moonda
A continuing sparse run of fixtures means it may be a while yet before Zimbabwe’s assessment on one of these report cards can improve, but at least 2024 was not quite as disastrous as the year before.There were no tournaments the men’s side could qualify for, though they remain in the running for the 2026 T20 World Cup after winning their sub-regional qualifier. The women’s team took part in the T20 World Cup qualifiers and recovered from an embarrassing loss to Vanuatu to beat UAE, but finished fourth in their five-team group. There was some success at continental level for both sides: a Zimbabwean men’s Emerging side won gold after beating Namibia at the Africa Games in Accra, and a full-strength women’s side also finished as champions after beating the South African Emerging side. Neither of those matches were classed as T20Is though.The games that do qualify don’t make for pretty reading. The men lost the only Test they played, in Ireland, and won only one ODI, against Pakistan. Their T20I form was slightly better: they had one-off wins over Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan but have not won a bilateral series since beating Ireland in early 2023. The women’s team had better fortunes, notching up an ODI series wins against Papua New Guinea (PNG) and USA, a T20I series win over PNG and have been included in the new women’s FTP.Off the field, Zimbabwe appointed a new men’s coach – Justin Sammons – and began work on a couple of infrastructure projects, expected to be ready in time for the 2027 men’s ODI World Cup, which Zimbabwe will co-host with South Africa and Namibia.High point
Against the run of play, Zimbabwe racked up a world record, and a good one. They have the highest score in men’s T20I cricket, 344 for 4 against Gambia, in the Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier to win by 290 runs. They topped the points table in that qualifying tournament and advance to the eight-team regional final, which will be played in 2025. The top two teams from that tournament will go through to the 2026 World Cup.Low point
Some of Zimbabwe’s batting collapses in 2024 were nothing short of spectacular. They were bowled out for 54 by Afghanistan in an ODI – their joint fourth-lowest total in that format – and lost the game by a massive 232 runs. They were also dismisssed for 57 by Pakistan in a T20I – their lowest total in the format. The women’s team lost to 32nd-ranked Vanuatu in the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier; they were bowled out for their lowest T20I score: 61 in that game.Men
Tests: P 1 L1
ODIs: P9 W1 L6 NR 2
T20Is: P24 W10 L14 Women
ODIs: P11 W6 L4 T1
T20Is: P22 W8 L14 Report cards for the other top teams
More in our look back at 2024

The gloom of the fog hanging over San Francisco could be felt in the Giants' clubhouse after a 2-1 loss to the Pirates in extra innings and the team trading reliever Tyler Rogers to the Mets.

The Giants sent Rogers to the Mets Wednesday in exchange for prospects Blade Tidwell, Drew Gilbert and reliever José Butto. Rogers, who is 4-3 with a 1.80 ERA across 50 innings pitched this season, leaves after spending all six and a half seasons of his MLB career with the Giants until this point.

Giants starter Logan Webb, who allowed 1 run and struck out 11 in the loss, simply said of the Rogers trade, "The Mets got a good one."

"Ty's one of my best friends in baseball," Webb also said. "We live right near each other in the offseason. Our entire big league careers, we've been together. … Sucks we're losing a guy like that, but at the end of the day it's what happens. … He's saved me a lot of times, he's saved the Giants a lot times. He's been one of the best relievers in baseball."

The trade not only signified Webb's close friend moving away, but that the Giants would be sellers—rather than buyers—at the deadline this year. After getting off to a hot start this season, they have lost 10 of their 12 games since coming back from the All-Star break. They are 54-55, and reality is setting in as they currently sit outside of the wild card conversation in the National League.

"It sucks," Giants All-Star third baseman Matt Chapman said. "We lost the last six in a row. We haven't given Buster [Posey] and the front office any reason to add. We did it to ourselves. Obviously you can tell that everybody's pretty upset, and it's not how we saw this thing going. … When you trade one of your best arms in the bullpen, I think it shows where we're headed."

The grey clouds that have been hanging over West Ham United this year might just be starting to shift.

It’s still very early on in Nuno Espírito Santo’s tenure, but in the draw away to Everton and, more crucially, the win over Newcastle United, he’s shown enough to excite the fans.

More importantly, though, the win over the Toon suggests that the Portuguese coach might just be able to keep the Hammers in the Premier League.

Another huge positive to come out of that game was the display of Freddie Potts, and it’s already looking like the academy is brewing another talent like him.

Why Freddie Potts is such an exciting talent

Potts had made a few fleeting appearances for West Ham before Sunday’s game, but that was his first competitive start for the club.

However, he’s no inexperienced youngster, as he spent last season on loan with Portsmouth in the Championship, where he made 38 appearances, and the season before that with Wycombe Wanderers, where he made 43 appearances.

That experience clearly paid off against the Toon, as despite them being a Champions League side, the Barking-born ace looked completely unfazed.

Minutes

90′

Key Passes

2

Crosses

2

Passes

33/39

Touches

57

Tackles (Won)

3 (2)

Interceptions

1

Clearances

6

Recoveries

1

Ground Duels (Won)

4 (3)

In fact, he thrived, and from the first minute to the last, he was practically faultless, putting in a perfect all-action midfield performance.

One analyst claimed he had a “similar aura to Rice” and was particularly impressed with his “confidence and ability to create time and space on the ball.”

He was so good, in fact, that he got special attention on Match of the Day, and it feels like it won’t be the only time that happens this season.

In all, while it is still early on in his career, it looks like West Ham have an unreal midfield talent in Potts.

So, fans should be excited that the academy appears to be producing another prospect who could be a lot like him.

West Ham's next Potts in the making

The good news for West Ham and the fans is that there are currently several genuinely exciting players in the academy.

Bowen thinks he's "special": West Ham are brewing a bigger gem than Potts

The incredible gem could be an even bigger star for West Ham United than Freddie Potts.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 3, 2025

For example, Preston Fearon appears to have the potential to become a midfield destroyer one day, Emeka Adiele has been providing assists with ease at left-back, and Josh Landers seems to be a natural centre-forward.

However, another youngster, less well-known but with the potential to be a future Potts-esque star, is Isaac Thomas.

The 16-year-old Welshman made his debut for the club’s U18S over the weekend, and to say he impressed would be an understatement.

The young Hammers beat Ipswich Town 8-2 away from home, and instead of scoring one, a brace or even a hat-trick, the exciting prospect ended up with four goals to his name.

In The Pipeline

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

Amazingly, three of his goals were headers, with the fourth coming off his foot in the dying embers of the match. However, what makes the whole thing even more remarkable is that he was playing at centre-back.

Perhaps a little unsurprisingly, Thomas is not a natural defender, but stepped in to play there for the team regardless.

It’s this ability to be something of a utility player so young that makes him feel similar to Potts, as he, too, played at the back for the U21s and U18s on occasion.

Furthermore, if the “brilliant” teen, as dubbed by his coach, Lauris Coggin, possesses both the tactical awareness to play in defence and the technical ability to score four goals in a game, there is no reason he couldn’t eventually thrive in the middle of the park.

Ultimately, it is still so early in his career, but in Thomas, West Ham look to have another hugely promising talent, much like Potts.

It doesn’t often occur in the Premier League, but Manchester City – even with Erling Haaland leading the line – drew a blank away at Aston Villa on Sunday.

In the end, a fiercely hit effort by Matty Cash in the first half would be the difference between the two sides, as the Citizens fell to their first league defeat since coming unstuck away at Brighton and Hove Albion at the close of August.

Tijjani Reijnders, in particular, struggled at Villa Park, with the number four’s early fall from grace at City a concerning tale to keep tabs on.

Why Reijnders was disappointing against Aston Villa

When the Dutchman has been given the freedom to express himself further up the pitch, he has been a joy to watch; however, with a goal confidently put away on his debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers, even seeing statistician Statman Dave herald him as being “De Bruyne’s heir.”

However, the ex-AC Milan man wasn’t played in a De Bruyne-style position against Unai Emery’s hosts, with Reijnders not looking so comfortable as an anchor figure for Guardiola’s side on their travels, who are still presumably reeling that Rodri remains in and out of the Etihad treatment room.

Tackles won

0

Interceptions

0

Clearances

1

Blocked shots

0

Ball recoveries

2

Total duels

0/7

While Reijnders did trudge off at the end of the 1-0 loss with just two passes not reaching their intended target, the 27-year-old did noticeably find it tricky to battle away for his losing side, with an alarming zero duels won from seven attempted.

Moreover, the £46.5m summer purchase also failed to win a single tackle, with Amadou Onana for the hosts – in stark contrast – winning a combined tally of two tackles and six duels, as Reijnders routinely lost every 50/50 and scuffle that came his way.

With Nico Gonzalez also out injured, it remains to be seen what option Guardiola will go with in the games to come in the defensive midfield spot on the pitch, with Reijnders clearly not cut out for the demands of the position long-term.

He isn’t alone, though, in being worried about his first-team spot moving forward, with this “wasteful” attacker – as he was branded by journalist Amos Murphy – also in some bother about his immediate future in the Spaniard’s main XI.

The 5/10 City star who must be dropped

Watching back over the highlights from Villa Park, it’s clear that City could have nicked at least a point on another day if they had packed their shooting boots and weren’t so “toothless”, as they were branded by journalist David Mooney at the full-time whistle.

Indeed, Haaland uncharacteristically fluffed a one-on-one opportunity directly after Cash’s sweetly struck opener, with Savinho also falling victim to some poor finishing himself, when two chances in quick succession in the second 45 minutes passed him by.

Minutes played

84

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

50

Shots

2

Accurate passes

22/31 (71%)

Accurate passes in the opposition half

15/28 (54%)

Accurate crosses

0/5

Possession lost

18x

Successful dribbles

1/4

Total duels won

3/9

His overall play in attacking positions, away from spurning some big chances, also makes for some pretty grim reading, with Savinho only managing to make 15 accurate passes when in the opposition’s half of the pitch, leading to him giving away possession a mammoth 18 times.

On top of that, the lacklustre Brazilian could only muster up one successful dribble from his 84-minute stint in the West Midlands, alongside further failing to complete a single accurate cross to try and pick out the likes of Haaland, who can strike fear into any defenders he’s coming up against at a moment’s notice.

Savinho will surely now sense that his starting spot is on thin ice, with only one assist next to his name from his four Premier League starts this season, not exactly the most glowing track record.

Manchester Evening News journalist Simon Bajkowski would hand out a low 5/10 rating to the 21-year-old, subsequently, who stated that Savinho was ‘largely poor’ when attempting to unlock Villa, away from a promising effort here and there on Emiliano Martinez’s well-guarded net.

Cutting a forlorn figure at the close of the slim 1-0 defeat, Guardiola will have many a selection issue to address ahead of City facing off against AFC Bournemouth at the beginning of November, with both Reijnders and Savinho potentially removed from his starting lineup for the test of the Cherries.

Man City "interested" in title-winning 39 y/o manager to succeed Guardiola

Would he be the ideal successor at the Etihad?

ByHenry Jackson Oct 25, 2025

They haven’t won every game, but this season is shaping up to be a truly special one for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta has got his side playing some sensational football at times while simultaneously ensuring they remain the best defensive team in the Premier League.

It seems like every player, new and old, is all pulling in the exact same direction and helping each other reach new levels.

One of the team’s best players in recent weeks has been summer signing Eberechi Eze, and so fans should be excited about recent reports linking Arsenal with someone who could be another version of the Englishman.

Arsenal target another Eze

There was tremendous excitement from the Arsenal fan base when it was announced that the club had signed Eze, and understandably so.

Transfer Focus

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

After all, here was a player who many considered to be one of the most exciting in the Premier League, and had just spearheaded Crystal Palace to FA Cup glory.

Fortunately, while it took him a few games to get up to speed, the 27-year-old has more than delivered so far this season, racking up a tally of nine goal involvements in 19 games for the club and scoring that North London Derby hat-trick.

So, with all that in mind, it’s not all that surprising to hear that the Gunners may be after another player who has the potential to be another Eze in Kenan Yıldız.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal have maintained their intense interest in the Turkish wonderkid.

In fact, the report has revealed that the North Londoners are going all out to sign him and have been in contact with his representatives.

However, Juventus are understandably keen to keep hold of the incredible youngster and, according to other reports from earlier this month, would need a fee of at least £88m to consider selling him.

Therefore, it could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Yıldız’s ability and potential, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as he could be another Eze.

Why Yıldız would be another Eze

Now, there are obviously some key differences between Yıldız and Eze, such as their age, but there are also more than a few similarities between them.

For example, like the Englishman, the young Turkish superstar is an attacker who can and does play in a multitude of positions.

Since making his first team debut for Juventus, the 20-year-old monster has played as a second-striker, on the left and right wings, in attacking midfield and even up top a few times.

The second similarity is that, like the former Palace star, he is a dual threat, someone who is as happy scoring a goal as he is assisting one.

For example, in 52 appearances last season, totalling 3520 minutes, he scored 12 goals and provided nine assists, which comes out to a goal involvement on average every 2.47 games, or every 167.61 minutes.

Appearances

52

18

Minutes

3520′

1457′

Goals

12

5

Assists

9

5

Then this season, he has become even more dangerous, scoring five goals and providing five assists in 18 appearances, totalling 1457 minutes, which is a goal involvement every 1.8 games, or every 145.7 minutes.

Finally, and this is related to his output, the 26-capped international is, in the words of content creator Alex Moneypenny, “capable of the spectacular.”

He doesn’t just score tap-ins; he already has quite the impressive catalogue of goals, ranging from long-distance strikes to ones stemming from brilliant close control.

It is also this ability to create magic on the football pitch that likely led European football writer Danny Corcoran to describe the youngster as having “Mbappe-like ability.”

Ultimately, it won’t be an easy transfer to get done, but Arsenal should be going all out to sign Yıldız in 2026, as he could be another Eze.

A Saka & Olise hybrid: Arsenal in contact over signing £70m "superstar"

The incredible talent would be as game-changing for Arsenal as Bukayo Saka has been over the years.

ByJack Salveson Holmes 7 days ago

After warming the bench throughout in England, Kuldeep Yadav picked up a four-for in his first T20I since the 2024 T20 World Cup final

Shashank Kishore10-Sep-20252:21

Can UAE take anything away from this thrashing?

Kuldeep Yadav couldn’t resist a bit of mischief at training.After a lengthy bowling session, as he settled in for a refreshment break, he turned to the journalists that had gathered to focus on every single aspect of India’s training ahead of the Asia Cup.Which of his team-mates had matched his Yo-Yo test score, he asked them. He was referring to the chatter he had apparently seen on social media about certain players achieving certain fitness benchmarks. It was all light-hearted fun after two hours of bowling in sapping heat and humidity.Related

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Kuldeep didn’t stop there. Soon the chatter veered towards Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal and Neymar, the latter his favourite footballer. Kuldeep was effortlessly drawn into a football tangent. Recently, the self-confessed football tragic has even found a new outlet for that obsession in the form of his own YouTube show, .As he bantered with journalists, he looked completely in his element. It spoke of the mindspace of a man at ease with where he is at with India returning to the white-ball formats, where he is more or less assured of a place in the XI. Only two months ago, the England Test tour had felt agonisingly long.He had spent the entire summer warming the bench, often spotted with an earpiece plugged in, listening to commentary when not running drinks. For a bowler at the peak of his powers, it must have taken enormous mental discipline to stay focused, knowing it wasn’t because of his primary skill, but because of the team’s need for batting depth, that he had to sit out.On Wednesday, when the chance finally came, Kuldeep grabbed it with both hands – taking four wickets to run through UAE in India’s Asia Cup opener. It was a nice evening out upon his return to the T20I set-up since that memorable June afternoon in Barbados at the T20 World Cup last year.ESPNcricinfo LtdThat tournament should have triggered another surge in his stop-start career, but a groin injury that was later diagnosed as sports hernia forced him to miss five months of cricket. He returned to play a part in India’s Champions Trophy win, and had a decent IPL – 15 wickets in 14 games at an economy of 7.07 – for Delhi Capitals, but the England tour was a setback of sorts personally.”It was tough for me,” Kuldeep said at the post-match presentation of the time spent sitting out in England. “I was working on my bowling and my fitness with Adrian [Le Roux, India’s strength and conditioning coach], and everything came together tonight. In this format, the length is the key – reading what the batters are trying to do and reacting to it ball by ball.”When Kuldeep came on to bowl, UAE were decently placed. Their only bright sparks came early in the innings when Alishan Sharafu’s audacious lofted drive over extra cover off Axar Patel and a flurry of boundaries from Muhammad Waseem against Jasprit Bumrah had them end the powerplay at 41 for 2.Kuldeep Yadav ran through UAE’s batting order•Getty ImagesBut two boundary-less overs thereafter, including one from Kuldeep, forced the batters to take extra risks. One such mistimed hit against a nicely tossed-up delivery had Rahul Chopra drag Kuldeep to Shubman Gill at wide long-on. Three balls later, Kuldeep picked up another with his trademark fizz, trapping Waseem lbw.He nearly had a third the very next delivery against left-hand batter Harshit Kaushik but the inside edge narrowly missed leg stump. But Kuldeep wasn’t to be denied. He tossed up a wrong’un that dipped, drew Kaushik forward, and ripped past the inside edge to crash into the stumps. The zing bails lit up, as did Kuldeep’s face.He had just taken three wickets in an over, all off different deliveries. It was as if he was laying out one trick after another for everyone to see. He finished with a fourth, off another wrong’un that brushed the batter’s pad on the way to Samson – a fortuitous wicket into his kitty only because UAE had run out of reviews. UAE were bundled for 57, which India knocked off in bext to no time.After a summer spent waiting for his turn, it felt like Kuldeep was finally beginning to revel in the joy of being back where he belongs.

Rangers manager Danny Rohl has confirmed that as many as six players are currently injury doubts to square off against Livingston in the Scottish Premiership this Saturday.

It’s bad timing for the Gers, who are attempting to make it four league wins from four under their new manager. Victory over bottom side Livingston would also see those at Ibrox rise to third if Hibernian also fail to beat Dundee. It would be the result of the strong start that Rohl has made to turn things around following the disaster that was Russell Martin’s tenure.

Related Thelwell can upgrade on Souttar by signing £8m defender for Rangers

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Posts ByBen Gray Nov 20, 2025

The German told reporters in the build-up to Rangers’ return to action that he believes they’re “in a good way”, but still need to work on breaking old habits on the pitch.

As January approaches, the former Sheffield Wednesday boss may also be eyeing up some potential improvements to his squad amid recent links with the likes of Kilmarnock’s David Watson.

The midfielder would add the kind of depth that the Gers could do with this weekend following the latest injury news.

Rangers vs Livingston team news

As revealed by Rohl, as many as six stars could miss Rangers’ game against Livingston this weekend following a frustrating international break. Mikey Moore, John Souttar, Derek Cornelius and Bailey Rice are all certain to be absent after picking up knocks, whilst Youssef Chermiti and Liam Kelly are facing a race against time to return to full fitness.

Rohl told reporters: “I am very happy and very proud of my players during the international break. We do have a couple of injuries from players returning, such as John Souttar, Micky Moore, and Derek Cornelius, who all have muscle injuries. Bailey Rice got injured during training, and Liam Kelly is a question mark at the moment.”

It’s a particular blow for Tottenham Hotspur loanee Moore, who scored his first Rangers goal against Dundee just before the international break. The 18-year-old, who was dubbed “brave” by former manager Martin upon arriving, has now seen his recent momentum halted by an untimely injury.

With Rangers set to face Braga in the Europa League next Thursday, Rohl will hope to have a positive update on several injuries just in time for what is a crucial game.

Rangers open talks to sign "quality" attacking star ahead of Aberdeen

Leeds United have their eyes on a “fascinating” Brazilian forward in January after his name came up in “conversations with Red Bull”.

Leeds’ lack of goal threat in the Premier League

The Whites have struggled in front of goal so far in the Premier League, having the joint second-worst attack in the top-flight. Daniel Farke’s side have only scored 10 goals in 11 games, with bottom of the table Wolves the only team to score fewer (7).

The 49ers Enterprises didn’t exactly splash the cash in the final third over the summer either, with strikers Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin both joining on free transfers.

Leeds’ summer signings

From

Fee

Noah Okafor

AC Milan

£18m

Anton Stach

Hoffenheim

£17.4m

Jaka Bijol

Udinese

£15m

Lucas Perri

Lyon

£13.9m

Sean Longstaff

Newcastle

£12m

Gabriel Gudmundsson

Lille

£10m

James Justin

Leicester City

£10m

Sebastiaan Bornauw

Wolfsburg

£5m

Louis Enahoro-Marcus

Liverpool

Undisclosed

Lukas Nmecha

Wolfsburg

Free

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Everton

Free

Noah Okafor was the most expensive attacking addition from AC Milan, and he has been one of a few bright sparks for Leeds going forward this season.

Centre-back Joe Rodon is Leeds’ joint-top goalscorer so far with two goals, highlighting the fact that the Whites need more firepower in the second half of the season to help their push to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.

Leeds looked at and failed with a deadline day move for Fulham attacker Harry Wilson, and now a new attacking target has emerged.

Leeds keen on signing Jhon Jhon

According to reports from Leeds United News, Leeds are eyeing up a move for Jhon Jhon, a versatile attacker who plays for Red Bull Bragantino in the Brazilian Serie A.

Journalist Graeme Bailey called Jhon a “fascinating player” and said that his name “has come up in conversations with Red Bull”.

“He’s a fascinating player. Very interesting. A bit of an attacking midfielder, can play as a forward. His name has come up in conversations with Red Bull, and he’s within the Red Bull name. He’s a good age, good player. Ticks a lot of boxes.

“Leeds aren’t the only ones looking. He’s come up in conversations, and one I’d not heard before until recently.”

The 23-year-old previously played for Palmeiras, but it is with Red Bull Bragantino where has has gone from strength to strength.

Jhon now holds a career-high €9m Transfermarkt valuation and has scored 15 goals in 69 appearances for his current employers, registering 12 assists.

2025 has also been Jhon’s best ever year in front of goal, and for the right price, he could be an interesting addition for the Whites.

The 49ers will more than likely need more firepower than just Jhon, though, but by the looks of things, his name will be one to watch heading into 2026.

He called Bielsa a "genius": Leeds can hire "one of the best coaches ever"

MatériaMais Notícias

O Vasco publicou uma nota oficial na tarde desta quarta-feira (13) repudiando o fato de não poder atuar no Maracanã, contra o Nova Iguaçu, pala partida de volta da semifinal do Campeonato Carioca.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Vasco

Na publicação, a diretoria do cruz-maltino manda um recado direto à Flamengo e Fluminense, dupla que administra o consórcio do Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho.

– Esses poucos nobres, encastelados, não percebem o dano que causam ao campeonato e ao espetáculo, afastando o torcedor de um dos maiores palcos do esporte – diz trecho do comunicado.

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Mandante da partida, o Nova Iguaçu solicitou à administradora para que a partida fosse disputada no Maracanã, mas não recebeu uma resposta – positiva ou negativa. Em razão de questões operacionais, a FERJ (Federação de Futebol do Estado do Rio de Janeiro) definiu a sede do confronto e anunciou que a partida será disputada no Raulino de Oliveira.

CONFIRA O COMUNICADO DO VASCO

“Um Maracanã de poucos faz mal ao futebol. É, no mínimo, lamentável a dificuldade em se jogar no estádio.

Esses poucos nobres, encastelados, não percebem o dano que causam ao campeonato e ao espetáculo, afastando o torcedor de um dos maiores palcos do esporte.

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Por que não, então, uma gestão compartilhada? Por que não? Estamos dispostos a administrar com todos e para todos.

Pelo bem do futebol, do Rio e por um.”