Wayne Rooney has admitted he was “sceptical” about one Manchester United star, who has since been “by far” the best player and proven him wrong.

Man Utd end nine-year wait for victory at Anfield

Despite Liverpool’s poor form, few would have predicted Man United going to Anfield and picking up all three points, but that is exactly what they managed to do, with Harry Maguire’s late header ending a nine-year wait for a win at the home of their major rivals.

Maguire scoring a late winner was a fitting end to the game, given that the defender missed a golden chance to bag all three points for United at Anfield last season, and Ruben Amorim will be hoping his side can now kick on, after a turbulent start to the season.

The manager spent heavily to strengthen his squad in the summer, and a number of new signings have caught the eye, with goalkeeper Senne Lammens impressing on his debut against Sunderland, before going on to make four saves from inside the box against Liverpool.

However, Rooney has now claimed that a different new arrival has been the Red Devils’ most impressive player in the early stages of the campaign, singling out Bryan Mbeumo for high praise on his BBC Sport podcast.

The former striker said: “I’ll be honest, I was a bit sceptical when Manchester United signed him. I didn’t know whether he had the ability to come and play for Man United but he’s proven me wrong, and I think he’s been a great addition to the team, and by far Man United’s best player this season.”

£62m Man Utd star looks like their best player "since Fergie retired"

Manchester United might just have turned a corner under Ruben Amorim’s wing.

2 ByAngus Sinclair Oct 20, 2025 Mbeumo strikes early to help see off Liverpool

Mbeumo opened the scoring at Anfield after just 62 seconds, albeit in controversial fashion, with debate arising about whether the goal should have stood, given that Alexis Mac Allister was down due to a head injury.

The 26-year-old’s second Premier League goal wasn’t his only contribution either, having also created one big chance, which helped him earn a 7.6 SofaScore match rating, the highest of any Man United player.

The £150k-a-week star has been a shining light for United, amid a slow start to the campaign, chipping in with an assist against Sunderland, as well as his side’s second goal in the 3-2 victory against Burnley at the end of August.

With no European or EFL Cup football to contend with, the Red Devils have a golden opportunity to mount a push for the Champions League this season, and Mbeumo is likely to be key to their success.

Manchester United are keen to kick on under Ruben Amorim and could now be set to target a defender as part of a two-pronged solution to bolster their ranks.

Man Utd look to tie Harry Maguire down to contract extension

Harry Maguire was the man of the hour for the Red Devils last weekend after scoring the decisive goal in their victory over Liverpool at Anfield, though there is still a question mark over his future with the New Year now approaching.

The England international earns around £9.8 million annually at Old Trafford and has more than proved his worth. With that in mind, former chief scout Mick Brown made it clear to Football Insider that the defender appears primed to extend his stay.

He explained: “As long as he’s still got an important role to play, for Manchester United, I still feel there’s a willingness from all parties to get a new contract done.

“Maguire is very much open to staying at Man United. There’s been talk of reported interest from the Saudi pro league, but Maguire would prefer to stay at Manchester United as long as the terms are right.”

Leny Yoro appears to be a natural long-term heir once Maguire moves on. However, there is still a collective realization that further defensive reinforcements are needed to ensure the Red Devils can challenge for major silverware under Amorim.

Man Utd now eyeing "world class" Brazilian youngster who wants to be the next Casemiro

The Red Devils want to add midfield quality in 2026.

BySean Markus Clifford Oct 24, 2025

January promises to be another significant milestone during his reign, and new blood will be imperative if aspirations of qualifying for continental football is something that is on their agenda.

With that in mind, Amorim may now have turned his attention towards a star who could solve one of his key concerns at Old Trafford.

Man Utd could kickstart January transfer spree with Ousmane Diomande

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are keen to land Sporting star Ousmane Diomande, who has a release clause deemed to be in the region of just under £70 million.

Nevertheless, there is belief that he could be attainable at the £43.6 million mark, and Amorim views the Ivorian, previously labelled “assured” by Goncalo Tristao Santos, as someone who could fit perfectly into his complex tactical set-up.

Intruigingly, the youngster profiles as the next Thiago Silva from a statistical standpoint, ranking similarly to the PSG and Chelsea legend in goal threat, passing ability and aerial prowess.

Most similar players to Ousmane Diomande – (FBRef)

Thiago Silva

Fluminense

Sergio Ramos

Monterrey

Nehuen Perez

Porto

Jeison Palacios

Nashville

German Pezzella

River Plate

Athletic Club midfielder Oihan Sancet has also been budgeted for in what could be a combined spend on both players of almost £105 million. However, Diomande would be an impressive arrival due to his ability to play out from the back and willingness to take on responsibility.

Making four appearances acros all competitions this season, the 21-year-old is currently suffering from a muscle injury, though it is believed that his relationship with Amorim could see a swift transition into starting matches at Old Trafford.

The mid-season window is nearing and Manchester United appear to be preparing their strategy in plenty time, which will delight supporter as they aim to keep pace with the Premier League’s big-hitters.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has fired back at Cristiano Ronaldo and urged the club to look to the future, rather than focus on the mistakes made under his regime and those made by previous managers. The United manager has also highlighted the key problem "he cannot allow" to continue holding his team back this season.

Ronaldo wades in on United slump

In a recent interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo criticised Man Utd's continued struggles, stating the club "don't have a structure" and are "not on a good path". He expressed sadness over the team's decline, despite still loving the club. Ronaldo claimed that Amorim could not perform "miracles" with the current set-up and that some players don't have the right mentality for a club of United’s stature. The comments came nearly three years after his explosive 2022 interview with Morgan, which led to his departure.  

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner said: "You have to follow with the intelligent people, smart people, to create a base for the future as Manchester United have (done) so many years ago. Nicky Butt, Gary (Neville), Roy Keane, (David) Beckham, they became big players but they had youth. So Manchester United right now, they don't have a structure. I hope that changes in the future, present/future, because the potential of the club, it's amazing. It's one of the most important clubs of the century. 

He added: He's (Amorim) doing his best. What are you going to do? Miracles? Miracles is impossible. We say in Portugal, 'miracles is only in Fatima', and he's not going to do miracles." 

The Miracle of Fatima occurred in Portugal in 1917,  where observers claimed to have seen the sun dance, spin, and appear to fall towards the earth. 

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'Let's continue and forget the past'

Amorim said: "Of course, he knows and he (Ronaldo) has a huge impact in everything he says. What we need to focus on is the future. We know that we as a club made a lot of mistakes in the past and we are trying to change that. Let's not focus on what happened, let's focus on what we are doing now and we are doing that. We are changing a lot of things in the structure, the way we do things and want the players to behave. We are doing that and we are improving, so let's continue and forget the past."

Amorim identifies key problem

Amorim added: "I think you can attack really well. Sometimes when you defend better, you attack better. I think it's not that, it's the way we defend the box, but the last game we struggled inside the box because we allowed the crosses into the box without any pressure.

"These small details that you watched during the last game, we have worked on that. In our last game, they had 17 shots and we cannot allow that. It's something we need to change. We can attack the same way, score even more goals, but we need to defend better."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

AFPUnited Spurred on for revenge

United face Tottenham this weekend, the first time the two teams have met since the Europa League final in May, which the Reds lost 1-0. Spurs have an excellent away record, but have been woeful at home and Amorim believes his side have improved since losing the final in Bilbao. 

Amorim said: "The characteristics of the players, we have different characteristics in our team, but we also have a lot of players who played last year. We are a better team, we play better and we understand the game better. We are more confident. At this moment, we play with a different confidence. We manage better the moments of the game, but if you remember that game, they had that shot on the goal and won the game. I expect a different game. We can play better, but also have a little bit of luck to win the game."

He added: "I think we are more confident. We believe more that we can win any game and we prove already that we can win any game. The last game was tough on us because in some moments we weren’t the team we were supposed to be in every minute. And compare that against Brighton, it was a different thing.”

Nottingham Forest have now made an approach to sign a “fast” £22m defender, with Sean Dyche replacing Ange Postecoglou in the City Ground hotseat.

Forest make contact to sign centre-back as Dyche joins

Postecoglou’s awful stint as manager came to an end on Saturday, following a 3-0 home defeat against Chelsea, in which Forest once again struggled defensively, having also shipped three goals at home against FC Midtjylland at the beginning of the month.

Evangelos Marinakis perhaps has one eye on the January transfer window, given that the Tricky Trees are at risk of being drawn into a relegation battle, having taken just five points from their opening eight Premier League games.

With the City Ground outfit currently in the bottom three, it would perhaps make sense to bring in a manager with a proven track record of guiding teams to safety, and Dyche has just that from his time at Everton and Burnley.

Related Nottingham Forest's most expensive sales of all time

The biggest departures from the City Ground.

Posts ByCharlie Smith Oct 9, 2025

Dyche has agreed to join Forest on the condition they give him a long-term deal. He is of course well-known for a more defensive style of play than Ange, which means the 54-year-old may be keen to bolster his options at the back in January, and a new centre-back has now emerged as the first target.

That is according to a report from Spain, which reveals Nottingham Forest have now accelerated contact over a move for CA Osasuna defender Enzo Boyomo, who has caught the eye with his spectacular performances for the La Liga side.

Boyomo has a €25m (£22m) release clause included in his contract with the Spanish club, and Osasuna would not consider a sale for any less, given his importance to the side, but there is certainly no shortage of interest from England.

Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion are also in the race, alongside the Tricky Trees, with the three Premier League clubs said to be in pole position for his signature.

"Fast" Boyomo could be solid addition to Forest's backline

Forest are likely to be happy with their current centre-back options, given that Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo formed a formidable partnership in the Premier League last season, with the duo missing just three games between them and helping secure European qualification.

However, should the new manager be keen to bring in more depth, there are signs the 24-year-old could be a solid signing. When asked to describe his own game after arriving at Osasuna, the Cameroonian said: “I think I’m a calm center-back, with good ball control, and I think I’m also fast.”

Not only that, but the France-born defender is also strong at winning back possession, placing in the 88th percentile for tackles per 90 over the past year, when compared to other centre-backs.

At £22m, Boyomo would be an affordable signing for Forest, who are clearly in need of a fresh injection of quality after a very poor start to the campaign.

With the pressure increasing on Chris Davies, Birmingham City chief Tom Wagner has flown in and will attend the Blues’ next game against Wrexham on Friday.

Davies admits "relief" after Sheffield Wednesday draw

After an impressive summer transfer window saw Birmingham welcome the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi and Demarai Gray, many expected them to be fighting for a place in the top six or perhaps even more in the Championship. So far, however, they’ve been sent plummeting back down to reality in ruthless fashion and sit routed to the middle of the pack.

On a run of one win in their last six games in all competitions, the pressure is increasing on Davies and he couldn’t help but admit the “relief” in his side’s dressing room after rescuing a late point against Sheffield Wednesday.

The manager is under unique pressure at a newly-promoted side after Birmingham’s summer spending and with Wagner set to attend the Wrexham game, a timeline for how long he might have left at the held has been reported.

When Birmingham could sack Chris Davies

As reported by Football Insider, Davies is under scrutiny at Birmingham, who will relieve him of his duties if they lose confidence that he can take them to the Premier League. Despite his achievements at St Andrew’s, Wagner and the rest of the Blues’ hierarchy would repeatedly not hesitate to make the decision if they deemed it necessary in the quest for promotion.

Three wins in eight games is hardly a record worthy of the Premier League but a lot could still change. Davies is still waiting for the likes of Kyogo to come good. The former Celtic star is certainly talented enough to be among the Championship’s best, yet has so far scored just once in 10 games in all competitions.

How many games Ethan Laird will miss for Birmingham as Davies confirms "real blow"

It’s not good news…

By
Tom Cunningham

Oct 1, 2025

It must also be noted that Birmingham are asking Davies to do something that only Ipswich Town and four others have done in EFL history by achieving back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League. Whether Wagner and co. take that into account when watching this Friday’s Wrexham clash remains to be seen, however.

Glasgow Rangers have made a “genius” compared to the legendary Brian Clough a frontrunner for the Ibrox vacancy alongside former Gers boss Steven Gerrard.

Steven Gerrard holds positive talks over Rangers return

Rangers are now on the search for their fourth manager of 2025, with the 49ers Enterprises’ move for Russell Martin lasting just 123 days.

Martin was sacked by Rangers following Sunday’s 1-1 Scottish Premiership draw with Falkirk which has left the Gers on just eight points from their opening seven league games.

Rangers have recorded just one league win during that time, with chairman Andrew Cavenagh and vice-chairman Paraag Marathe already opening the process of hiring Martin’s successor.

One name who has been heavily linked with a move to Ibrox is Gerrard, who enjoyed three years in Glasgow before departing for Aston Villa, winning Rangers’ only Scottish Premiership title in the last 14 years.

Manager who sued Barcelona enters Ibrox frame as Rangers' manager search rumbles on

He could be a shrewd appointment by the Gers.

ByHenry Jackson Oct 7, 2025

It has been reported that Rangers have already held positive talks with Gerrard over a sensational return to the club, although negotiations are thought to be complex.

Gerrard isn’t the only candidate on the Rangers shortlist, though, and it has been revealed that he is joined by one manager at the top of the Ibrox wishlist.

Sean Dyche another frontrunner for Rangers job with Gerrard

According to The Scottish Daily Mail, relayed by Ibrox News, Rangers are keen to act swiftly and appoint a new manager as soon as they can.

It is claimed that as well as Gerrard, Sean Dyche is the other frontrunner for the Rangers job, with the ex-Everton manager keen on a move to Ibrox.

Dyche, called an “absolute genius”, has been out of work since January after leaving the Toffees, where he was replaced by David Moyes.

The 54-year-old, who plays a 4-2-3-1 system, has plenty of experience in England with Burnley, and during his time with the Clartes, he was even compared to former Derby County and Nottingham Forest manager Clough by ex-winger Michael Kightly.

By the looks of things, either Dyche of Gerrard could well be the manager in charge of Rangers following the international break against Dundee United at Ibrox on 18 October, providing this latest claim is accurate.

MatériaMais Notícias

Ainda sem vencer no seu retorno ao Corinthians, o técnico Mano Menezes concedeu entrevista coletiva após o seu primeiro jogo na Neo Química Arena na passagem atual. Na noite deste sábado (7), o Timão ficou no empate em 1 a 1 com o Flamengo, pela 27ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. Gerson abriu o placar para os cariocas, mas Fábio Santos, lateral corintiano, igualou o placar em cobrança de pênalti. 

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasBrasileirãoAssista aos melhores momentos de Corinthians x FlamengoBrasileirão07/10/2023BrasileirãoEm noite chuvosa, Flamengo abre o placar, mas Corinthians busca empate pelo BrasileirãoBrasileirão07/10/2023Futebol NacionalGerson marca golaço e é destaque em empate entre Corinthians x Flamengo, pelo BrasileirãoFutebol Nacional07/10/2023

Com a pausa do Brasileirão, por conta do período de datas Fifa, Mano terá a sua primeira janela para encaixar melhor o seu trabalho à frente da equipe alvinegra. A volta corintiana aos gramados será no dia 18 de outubro, contra o Fluminense, no Rio de Janeiro.

+VEJA A TABELA DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO E SIMULE OS PRÓXIMOS JOGOS

+ Tem promoção exclusiva de boas-vindas pra você! Aposte a partir de R$10 e receba até R$200 de bônus na Lance! Betting

+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

كشفت مصادر خاصة سبب عدم استدعاء ناصر ماهر، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، إلى قائمة منتخب مصر الثاني.

وأعلن حلمي طولان، المدير الفني لمنتخب مصر الثاني المشارك في كأس العرب، قائمة اللاعبين المستدعين لمعسكر شهر نوفمبر الجاري.

طالع.. “بعد غضبه بسبب منتخب مصر”.. شوبير يوجه رسالة خاصة لـ ناصر ماهر

ويبدأ المعسكر المغلق غدًا الإثنين، استعدادًا لمواجهتي الجزائر الوديتين، ضمن المرحلة الأخيرة من خطة إعداد منتخب مصر الثاني قبل انطلاق البطولة مطلع الشهر المقبل.

ومن المقرر أن تُقام المباراتان في القاهرة على استاد السلام يومي الجمعة 14 والاثنين 17 نوفمبر، وذلك ضمن معسكر منتخب مصر المشارك في كأس العرب خلال فترة التوقف الدولي المقبلة.

وعلم بطولات من مصادر خاصة أن عدم انضمام ناصر ماهر لقائمة منتخب مصر الثاني المشارك في كأس العرب ليس لأسباب فنية.

وأضاف المصدر أن المنتخب أراد استدعاء اللاعب، لكنه فضّل عدم التواجد في الوقت الحالي لأسباب شخصية.

Earlier, Pant, batting with a fractured right foot, scored a half-century and helped India cross 350

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jul-20250:52

Manjrekar: India batted in different bowling conditions from England

Tea England backed up their captain Ben Stokes taking a five-for with an unbroken opening partnership of 77. Those runs came at over five an over, taking a big bite out of India’s 358 all out on the second day in Manchester.It was a disappointing bowling performance from the visitors, particularly in helpful conditions and to follow a display of great bravery from Rishabh Pant who came out to bat on a fractured foot and scored a half-century.England weren’t particularly keen to score so quickly. Zak Crawley needed 13 balls to get off the mark and those runs came with a reminder of the danger the pitch still posed as a Jasprit Bumrah delivery rose up sharply to rap him on the bottom hand. Crawley displayed excellent judgment outside his off stump and ironically only started to look vulnerable once he had runs against his name, the confidence of seeing off the new ball coaxing him to play away from his body and could have been bowled off the inside edge.Ben Duckett didn’t need to be so careful, at any point in his innings. India fed him on his pads and he tucked in with glee. All his seven boundaries came on the leg side and he stands on the cusp of completing a half-century at almost a run a ball. Duckett welcomed Anshul Kamboj with three fours in his first over of Test cricket, the debutant chosen to open the bowling ahead of Mohammed Siraj.India must pick themselves back up again because they showed great heart in getting to an above-par total. Pant put his body on the line – literally because Stokes targeted that broken front foot of his – and had enough in him to hit a 90th six in Test cricket, putting him level with Virender Sehwag for the national record. He also went past Alec Stewart for most runs by a wicketkeeper in a Test series in England. The mere fact that he was able to walk – let alone bat – moved the fans at Old Trafford who gave him a rousing ovation.Stokes found similar approval from the crowd when his tireless and relentless display was rewarded with a first five-for in eight years. He was a threat when he bowled full because he was getting both ways movement – Shardul Thakur found that out when he was caught at gully for 41 – and he was a threat when he went short – which did Washington Sundar in. Stokes has 16 wickets in the series now, a career-best for him going past the 15 he took in the 2013-14 Ashes when he made his debut.

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) head Tavengwa Mukuhlani has been appointed chairman of the Africa Cricket Association (ACA) after serving in the same role in an interim capacity since November last year. Mukuhlani was unanimously appointed by the 23 ACA member associations at their annual general meeting in Singapore on Friday.”We stand today at the threshold of a new era for African cricket – an era defined by stronger governance, broader opportunity and renewed ambition,” Mukuhlani said in a statement issued by ZC. “Let us continue building on the progress we have made, united by a common purpose and driven by a shared love for the game.”The ACA, which includes two Full Members in South Africa and Zimbabwe, has recently been through an administrative overhaul, which has included the adoption of a new memorandum of incorporation to ensure better governance.Related

• Zimbabwe give back the joy as long exile ends in heroic failure

• From poverty to plenty: 2025 a bumper Test year for Zimbabwe

Among the body’s next tasks is the establishment of an Africa T20 competition, which has been in the works for several years, the resumption of the Afro-Asia Cup, which was mooted last year, and the inclusion of cricket at the Africa Games in Egypt in 2027 after it debuted at the same competition in 2023.Cricket made its first appearance at the continental competition in Ghana, where Zimbabwe won both the men’s and women’s events (the men’s with an emerging side) as South Africa sent experimental sides instead of their full-strength teams.Mukuhlani is interested in extending cricket’s reach at the Africa Games, in part, with the hope of securing more funding for the ACA. “These engagements are crucial not only for visibility but also for opening new doors of investment, policy support and continental collaboration,” he said.Mukuhlani has been ZC’s chair since 2015 and has been re-elected three times. He also sits on the ICC’s finance and commercial affairs committee.In his tenure, ZC has worked its way out of debt, navigated an ICC suspension for government interference, and got the women’s team on the future tours programme.The men’s team, however, is not part of the World Test Championship and failed to qualify for the last two ODI World Cups and last T20 World Cup, but will play in the 2027 50-over World Cup, which Zimbabwe will co-host with South Africa and Namibia. Zimbabwe will also co-host the 2026 men’s Under-19 World Cup with Namibia.