Daniel Farke and the Premier League is never a happy marriage and he already now needs to find a way of saving his skin as Leeds United manager across his side’s upcoming games in November.

Indeed, the Whites were resoundingly beaten 3-0 away at Brighton and Hove Albion over the weekend, as ex-Elland Road star Georginio Rutter came back to haunt the West Yorkshire giants, the day after Halloween.

Next up for Leeds is a huge clash away at Nottingham Forest, which feels like a must-win game, not only so the Whites don’t get dragged further into the early relegation fight, but also so Farke can try to survive another day in the dug-out.

After all, Wolverhampton Wanderers have now just dismissed Vitor Pereira, as fixtures become more and more pressurised for managers all across the bumpy division.

Farke will know he has some decisions to make regarding who he starts down either flank for this crucial tie at the City Ground, with both areas of the pitch becoming a problem for the German in recent weeks.

Leeds' winger issues

Coming up to the Premier League, Leeds had a very frightening attack to try and keep their hands on.

Manor Solomon, in particular, stood out for his gung-ho displays down the left wing for Farke’s title-winners, with a stunning ten goals and 13 assists falling into his lap from 41 Leeds outings.

Thankfully, £18m summer recruit Noah Okafor has shown signs of his brilliance as a Solomon-style replacement, with two goals already next to his name in the Premier League, despite his new side’s overall up-and-down form. That said, they did have to rely on the underperforming Jack Harrison when the Swiss missed a period through injury.

It’s more on the right channel where Farke will feel less at ease, as both Daniel James and Wilfried Gnonto – who are EFL superstars in their own right – have failed to maintain fitness so far this season, leading to the German having to shoehorn Brenden Aaronson into a right wing spot regularly.

The heavily scapegoated American did put in a sublime showing on the right channel against West Ham United, as his early goal set Leeds on their way to a 2-1 home victory.

But, that is Aaronson’s only goal contribution in Leeds white from this position on the pitch, with the other ten strikes he has put away for Farke and Co in the past all coming from a more central viewpoint.

Subsequently, the former Norwich City manager might well feel he needs more reinforcements in this spot, particularly with Gnonto also being linked with a January move away from West Yorkshire.

Leeds could sign "special" £23m Gnonto replacement

Leeds showed in the summer that they are willing to splash the cash, with £98m forked out on the likes of Okafor and many more talents.

£23m could soon be added to that spending amount, if Ismael Saibari’s Transfermarkt valuation is anything to go by, with a recent report from the Boot Room linking the Premier League newcomers to the on-fire Moroccan attacker.

At the close of October, the site speculated that a whole host of top-flight outfits were taking a look at the blistering PSV Eindhoven forward, with Aston Villa, Everton, and West Ham named as onlookers, alongside the West Yorkshire side.

Leeds are desperately in need of some additional firepower, and while Saibari has regularly lined up as a central option for PSV, whether that be as a number ten or as a traditional midfielder, he can also cut it as a right or left winger.

His immense goal and assist record in the Netherlands to date will no doubt be further music to the ears of an under-pressure Farke.

Saibari’s record for PSV
Stat	Saibari
Eredivisie games played	77
Goals scored	24
Assists	17
Champions League games played	26
Goals scored	8
Assists	1
Sourced by Transfermarkt

After advancing up the youth system in Eindhoven, Saibari has never looked back since entering the first-team fold.

He has a stunning 24 goals and 17 assists from just 77 games in the Dutch top-flight. Staggeringly, eight of those strikes have come just this season, leading to his current manager in Peter Bosz, hailing him as a “special” asset to possess.

With further Champions League pedigree under his belt – which has led to Saibari collecting ten goals from 15 games this season – Leeds could really show they mean business by landing the red-hot 24-year-old’s services this January, as they attempt a revamp of some of their attacking spots shortly.

With Farke further set on what the makeup of his central midfield options looks like, with no number 10 position in fill in his current formation choice, either, Saibari could well be handed one of the wing roles on his potential arrival at Elland Road, as Leeds perhaps puts their money where their mouth is to ensure an immediate return to the Championship is pushed to one side.

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Kelan Sarson

Nov 3, 2025

Veteran opener steps away from the game after 16 seasons at Bristol

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jul-2025

Chris Dent was a Gloucestershire fixture for 16 seasons•Getty Images

Chris Dent, Gloucestershire’s long-serving opening batter, has announced his retirement from professional cricket with immediate effect.Dent, 34, represented Gloucestershire in 356 matches, scoring over 15,000 runs across all formats, including 11,237 at 36.01 in first-class cricket, placing him 28th on the club’s all-time list.Born in Bristol, Dent joined Gloucestershire’s Pathway at the age of 12, and made his senior debut in 2009 during a Pro40 match against Nottinghamshire. He passed 1,000 first-class runs in a season on four occasions, most recently in 2019, when he captained the side to promotion to Division One, their first such appearance since 2005.This season, however, he struggled for form in the opening round of Championship games, and had not featured for the first team since April.”After 16 memorable seasons playing professional cricket, I’ve decided that the time is right to step away from the game,” Dent said. “It’s hard to put into words what cricket has given me, but I will always be truly grateful.”I want to thank Gloucestershire CCC for giving me my opportunity 16 years ago. The support and faith you’ve shown me have been a huge part of any success I’ve had over the years.”To the fans – your encouragement throughout my career has meant everything. What stands out most, especially over these last few difficult years, is the love and kindness you’ve shown me. That support helped me more than you’ll ever know.”The biggest thank you goes to all the players. You guys are what made the last 16 years so memorable. I feel incredibly lucky to have shared the field with so many brilliant people. When I look back on my career, my favourite memories are special because of the people I shared them with. Even though my time as a cricketer is over, I hope there are still more memories to be made with you all.”Mark Alleyne, Gloucestershire’s head coach, said: “Reaching the end of a first-class playing career is always a daunting time, but I am sure Denty will look back with brilliant memories of his time with Gloucestershire.”I remember him in his teenage years, knocking around in the Academy, and I am not surprised he became one of our most valued players to come through our Pathway.”Batting at the top for most of his career in England is an unenviable task, but once again he managed to impact games from that position on a regular basis. His presence there kept him perennially in England’s shortlist, though he never quite got the call. I believe the international stage could have seen him flourish.”Although still in great physical shape, it has been more challenging mentally, and on that sad note, his appearances have been somewhat restricted.”The last few years will not define what has been a stellar career with the Glorious, and I would like to thank him for his immense contributions over the years.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now targeting Brendan Rodgers as a replacement for Vitor Pereira, amid boardroom doubts about the Portuguese manager, who has made a very poor start to the campaign.

Indeed, Pereira is arguably fortunate to still be in a job, given that West Ham United and Nottingham Forest have already made changes, with the Old Gold sitting bottom of the Premier League, having failed to win any of their opening nine games.

Wolves have amassed just two points, which means they are currently six points adrift of safety, and the most recent result is likely to be particularly concerning, suffering a 3-2 defeat at home against newly-promoted Burnley.

Pereiera had to be dragged away from an altercation with the fans after the full-time whistle, before going on to urge the supporters to stick with the team in his post-match interview, saying: “We understand the frustration of the people and supporters but what I must say, if we fight united with them, we can win games and compete and achieve our targets – without them, it is impossible,”

“If we win two or three games in a row, things will change.”

The 57-year-old appears to be safe for the meantime, with the board not taking any drastic action after the Burnley defeat, but the club’s hierarchy are starting to have doubts about their manager…

Wolves targeting Rodgers to replace Pereira

According to a report from The Boot Room, Rodgers has now emerged as a target for Wolves, with the 52-year-old now available after resigning from his position as Celtic manager earlier this week.

Transfer expert Graeme Bailey adds: “Wolves, as it stands, are sticking with Vitor Pereira, but I understand the club’s hierarchy is split. Some wanted Pereira out after their weekend defeat to Burnley, so they are one to watch.”

As such, the former FC Porto manager may get a few more games to save his job, but if results don’t improve, the Northern Irishman could be brought in to replace him, having decided moving back to England is his “number one priority”.

After such a poor start to the season, the Old Gold may need a special manager to guide them to safety, and the ex-Celtic boss, who has managed 34 Champions League games, could fit the bill.

Gabriel Agbonlahor once lauded the former Leicester City boss for the work he did at the King Power Stadium, describing him as a “world-class” manager.

During his time with the Foxes, Rodgers, who often utilises a 4-3-3 formation, secured two fifth-place finishes and won the FA Cup, showcasing that he is capable of punching above his weight with a smaller club.

Despite signing a new three-year contract last month, there is only so long Wolves can stick with Pereira if results don’t improve dramatically, and the former Leicester manager could be the ideal replacement.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 18, 2025

Hetmyer scored his first T20I fifty since August 2023 but it wasn’t enough

Andrew McGlashan28-Jul-20251:29

David, Owen pepper the stands with sixes

Australia put on a final display of their batting power to secure a 5-0 T20I whitewash over West Indies. Tim David and Mitchell Owen launched seven sixes between them, as the overall series tally ended as the second-highest for a bilateral series, with Aaron Hardie then finishing the chase after Akeal Hosein had kept West Indies’ hopes alive.The victory was set up by an excellent performance with the ball after Mitchell Marsh had won his fifth toss – making it all eight for Australia on the tour – and declining the opportunity to have his side set a target. They claimed three wickets in the powerplay to set West Indies back and kept chipping away each time a stand threatened to turn the game. Shimron Hetmyer and Jason Holder added 47 for the fifth wicket and the former went to his first T20I fifty since August 2023 but fell the ball after reaching the landmark.Nathan Ellis was again excellent in the closing overs, including a very sharp piece of work off his own bowling to end the innings as he under-armed into the stumps, while Adam Zampa claimed a wicket in his 100th T20I – the fourth Australia men’s player to reach that milestone.Australia’s powerplay was hectic as Holder struck twice in his first over, Mitchell Marsh was cleaned up by a beauty from Alzarri Joseph and David bludgeoned 30 off 12 balls with four sixes all inside five overs. From there, the asking rate was never an issue, it was just a question of whether West Indies could keep taking wickets. Their chances took a blow when Joseph limped out of the attack and while Hosein was excellent, there were not enough runs to work with in the end.2:13

Australia clean up West Indies for 170

Dwarshuis’ powerplay inroads

Ben Dwarshuis is building a handy record for Australia as the left-arm pace option in this attack. He may well have pushed himself to second in the pecking order ahead of Spencer Johnson, who missed this series through injury, and behind Mitchell Starc.Having been rested for the fourth match, he returned with a brace of early inroads, responding to a pair of boundaries from Shai Hope by spearing one through him, then having Brandon King taken at midwicket to bag West Indies’ in-form openers.His figures were dented in his final over that cost 19, including a big full toss to Hetmyer which resulted in a free hit that was sent for six. Next ball, Hetmyer went to his half-century from 30 balls but couldn’t stay to finish the innings when he was well caught by Sean Abbott running in from long-off to give Dwarshuis his third wicket.

Maxwell’s match-up win

It wasn’t quite as memorable a night for Glenn Maxwell. He dropped a sitter at mid-on to reprieve King (although it did not prove costly) and would later collect a first-ball duck when he edged Holder to short third. However, he did have one key moment when he won his brief match-up with Sherfane Rutherford as the left-hand batter, who has struggled for form since last year’s T20 World Cup, was threatening to turn the innings around.Rutherford had moved to 35 off 16 balls, lifting West Indies from 32 for 3 inside the powerplay, when he exposed the stumps to Maxwell against a delivery that slid on. He was aiming too square with his stroke and the ball cannoned into middle stump. With one of the left-hand batters gone, Maxwell’s work with the ball was done for the night.0:53

Hetmyer streak ends with Dwarshuis’ third wicket

Only one way in the powerplay

It is pretty much all-out aggression for Australia with the bat. After Maxwell’s early departure – courtesy of a juggling catch by Jediah Blades – Josh Inglis missed a reverse scoop first ball and collected two boundaries before finding mid-on in the same Holder over. Marsh, who has had a lean series, found the boundary twice off the middle and once off the inside edge before Joseph produced a terrific delivery to nip past the inside edge to leave Australia 25 for 3 in the third.David’s response was to take 16 off four balls against Holder then two further sixes against Joseph as he threatened a repeat of the record-breaking 37-ball hundred in the third match. But for once, he couldn’t get enough elevation on an attempted six as he was well taken at deep square leg.

Hosein’s late entry

Owen picked up where David left off, taking consecutive sixes off Matthew Forde and sent another onto the roof against Blades. Hope had held back Hosein, no doubt conscious of what Australia’s hitters could do, but when he was introduced in the 10th over, he removed Owen second ball when he skewed to short third.Cameron Green, later named Player of the Series, was shaping as though he would finish another chase but found long-off with 30 still needed to give West Indies a glimmer. However, Hardie produced a composed hand and by the time Hosein removed Dwarshuis it was too late.

Liverpool are a team with distinct flaws, and yet they are also breathtaking and brilliant when firing on all cylinders.

Too often this season, Arne Slot’s side have failed to get going, outthought and outfought across the past few months, losing six of seven matches across all competitions before a controlled win over Aston Villa in the Premier League stopped the rot.

The 1-0 victory over European nemeses Real Madrid was something different, though. Anfield roared and cheered Virgil van Dijk and his Redmen, bayed and bellowed at Los Blancos and ex-Liverpool man Trent Alexander-Arnold, who received a frosty reception when welcomed after 80 minutes.

1

Goals

0

2.51

Expected goals (xG)

0.45

17 (9)

Shots (on target)

8 (2)

4

Big chances

1

111.4km

Distance covered

112.7km

38.8%

Possession

61.2%

4

Corners

2

45%

Duels won

55%

This is the Liverpool we know. Energy and intensity and purpose across every area of the field. However, while Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate stood firm against Kylian Mbappe, with the full-backs excelling too, the plain truth remains of the Merseysiders’ desperate need for reinforcements in central defence.

Liverpool searching for a centre-back

Of course, Liverpool did sign a centre-back this summer, adding Giovanni Leoni to their ranks for a £26m fee. The 18-year-old is worth his wait in gold, but ruptured his ACL on his debut against Southampton and now sits sidelined for around a year.

The inability to prise Marc Guehi away from Crystal Palace, however, is surely the bigger blow. A deal was almost in place on deadline day, but the Eagles had not found a suitable replacement, and with such little time to pull out the stops, the move disintegrated, with the player having been permitted to carry out a medical with the Anfield side.

It still could come together. Guehi, 25, has entered the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park and has no desire to pen a fresh deal. The issue now is that a host of Europe’s top outfits want his signature, though Spanish paper AS have confirmed with week that, alongside Bayern Munich, the Reds are still leading the race, ahead of the likes of Real Madrid.

Liverpool will hope to snap Guehi up on a Bosman by the end of the campaign, but if they fall short in that race, sporting director Richard Hughes has lined up the perfect alternative in Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni.

As per further Spanish sources, Liverpool have been named as potential suitors for Italian defender Bastoni, with FSG considering making a €100m (£87m) bid this January.

The veracity of this developing story is uncertain at this stage, but the 26-year-old is undoubtedly talented enough to stand out under Slot’s wing, with the style and experience to make a marked difference as Van Dijk inches ever closer to the autumn of his illustrious Anfield career.

What Bastoni would offer Liverpool

Liverpool need a centre-back; they’ve needed one for some time. While Guehi was the first-choice option this summer, Bastoni might actually prove a more compelling option for the Anfield side, having been hailed for his “world-class” ability by commentator Matteo Bonetti.

This is a defender who is at the top of their game, one of the most important cogs in an I Nerazzurri machine that has won two Scudettos and two Coppa Italia titles in five recent seasons, winner of the 2021 European Championship with Italy besides.

And, aged 26, he falls into a similar bracket as Guehi: a centre-back with the talent to make an instant impact and the prime years still ahead to grow deeper into their role in Slot’s squad and reach entirely new levels of performance.

He’s one of the best players in his position worldwide. In Serie A this season, Bastoni has scored a goal and supplied two assists across nine outings, winning 70% of his aerial duels and averaging 1.8 tackles per game (data provided by Sofascore).

A strong passer and outside-the-box thinker, he could even trump Guehi across ball-playing metrics, with the Palace man renowned for his cool, composed and creative presence on the ball.

Goals

0.05

0.06

Assists

0.05

0.09

Touches

89.54

60.67

Pass completion (%)

86.5

83.5

Progressive passes

5.29

4.09

Shot-creating actions

2.36

1.53

Progressive carries

1.88

0.77

Successful take-ons

0.31

0.26

Ball recoveries

3.53

4.12

Tackles + interceptions

2.62

3.12

Clearances

2.85

4.56

Aerial duels won

1.53

1.91

As you can see, Guehi has been more active in defensive contributions over the past year. This you would expect from an outfit like Palace in the Premier League when compared to Italian giants like Inter. But Bastoni is slicker and more able on the ball, and that when Guehi shines in that regard.

Sure, Guehi is a free agent come the end of the campaign, and that counts for a lot, but whether Liverpool and FSG would be willing to pass up an opportunity to sign a talent of Bastoni’s ability is another question entirely. After all, the reports suggest that a bid is currently being packaged together.

Here is a fearsome centre-half with the passing range of a maestro. Liverpool could do a lot worse than add Bastoni to their ranks, securing a long-term Van Dijk heir with the perfect skillset to ease the agony of his moving on.

Bastoni. The perfect, elite bastion to secure Liverpool’s backline for many years to come. He has a wealth of experience at the highest level and the hunger to achieve even more.

He is immensely talented, perhaps more so than Guehi, and Slot’s defence would reach frightening levels of security and balance and progression with him added into the mix.

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ByKelan Sarson Nov 6, 2025

Fresh off being named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, St. Clair joined GOAL Convo to reflect on his breakout campaign and why Minnesota United could be a postseason threat.

Dayne St. Clair doesn't necessarily think he has a right to be MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. These things are never guaranteed, nor should they be taken for granted. But as he reflects on his season, looks at the body of work he pieced together for Minnesota United, and considers everything, it just might be deserved. Even he, in the middle of a playoff run, can allow himself to admit that.

"You want to be involved in the conversation always, because that means that you're at the top. Of course, every individual is going to have their own kind of thought process or what they value more. But I knew that I put myself in good standing, and I think my play spoke for itself," St. Clair tells GOAL.

And it would make sense, too. St. Clair has been, by most metrics, the best shot stopper in the league this year. Minnesota United have conceded the third fewest goals in the league. Part of that is due to an excellent defense. But a lot of it is on St. Clair. The stats make for fine reading. He has the second-highest post-shot expected goals in the league. No full-time goalkeeper conceded fewer goals. He is tied for third in clean sheets. He was named to the MLS All-Star Team.

The eye test looks good, too. St. Clair is a more composed presence, a better passer, and a vocal leader. This is the year St. Clair became the keeper many hoped he could be. The immediate impact is the fact that his team is now very much in the conversation for the MLS Cup. After beating Seattle in the first round of the playoffs last week, St. Clair and Co. are now three wins away from lifting the trophy. That could happen – especially given the style they play.

"We're not going to be winning many games three, 4-0, or 5-0. You know what I mean? We're very much a team that's built to win a lot of games, 1-0, 2-0, and having good, strong defensive performances gives our team the best chance to win," St. Clair says.

And more broadly, it has thrust St. Clair into the conversation for his national team. In the past, the Canadian has been in a dead heat with veteran Maxime Crepeau. Now, manager Jesse Marsch might just have enough evidence to go with St. Clair as his No.1 for good. The World Cup is a true focus of his, St. Clair admitted.

"We're taking a lot from exhibition matches and preparation from what it would look like in terms of a World Cup, and taking in the learnings and preparing us so that when the World Cup comes, the first game in Toronto, we're ready," St. Clair says.

Following his Goalkeeper of the Year announcement, St. Clair joined GOAL Convo, a weekly Q&A with central figures in the North American soccer scene, to discuss his award, Minnesota United’s playoff push, and what representing Canada means to him.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  ON BEING NAMED MLS GOALIE OF THE YEAR

  GOAL: Congrats on being named MLS's 2025 Goalkeeper of the Year. What does it mean to you? And do you reflect on these things in real time?

  ST. CLAIR: I think it comes a little bit at a weird time because of the playoffs. So that's the focus. You know what I mean? Of course, after the season, I'll really kind of take it in, digest it. So it's like, OK, I can say I had a great regular season, and I think I'm deserving of the award, but at the same time, I know that my focus now is to help my team lift the trophy. So it's a little bit of both, but I think after the season, it'll sink in a little bit more.

  GOAL: Are you thinking about these things in advance? Do you think 'Yeah, I deserve to be in the running for this?'

  ST. CLAIR: You want to be involved in the conversation always, because that means that you're at the top. Of course, every individual is going to have their own kind of thought process or what they value more. But I knew that I put myself in good standing, and I think my play spoke for itself in terms of a lot of the metrics that people look at. But at the same time, I just want to win games. 

  And I know that, for the way in which we play, I need to play well for our team to win…So I think you're kind of always paying attention to see what's going on in the league, of course, with standings and performances. And I think my position is probably a little bit easier to compare.

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• ON HIS BEST GAME OF THE SEASON

  GOAL: So, what was the best game you played this year?

  ST. CLAIR: I'd probably say the San Diego game. I think not only the performance, but what the game was, especially at that time. It was a No. 1 vs. No. 2, going to the top-ranked team. We knew if we lost, that it'd be very hard for us to fight for that No. 1 spot. And although we did win, we still didn't end up fighting for where we want to. But we knew that would result in momentum. And I think even now, playing them in the next round, we have confidence in the fact that we beat them. For me, the first time we played them, when we lost in my home, I wasn't there because I was away with the national team, and there were a few other guys that were missing as well. So I'm thinking in my head, all right, this is our team. When we played with full strength versus full strength, we beat them. And I think that kind of gives you confidence leading into the playoffs versus the team that's untouchable, or seems like they're untouchable.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  ON THE CANADIAN NATIONAL TEAM

  GOAL: And on the Canadian National Team, what's it been like playing for Jesse Marsch? 

  ST. CLAIR: He was the right person that we needed for the job. Anytime you put yourself in the spotlight, there's gonna be more eyes. And I think he's someone who wants a spotlight on us, but has definitely been willing to fight for us. And you see the red cards, the talk, and I think especially living in the U.S., you see a lot of the American media, so by us having an American coach, they're forced to talk about Canada more. Although he's American, he wants us to win. He has that chip on the shoulder, like a lot of us have. He's really embraced who we are as Canadians and what our team represents. And I think he's done the best job of getting the best out of us and putting ourselves in a situation where we feel confident going into the World Cups six months from now.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  ON THE WORLD CUP

  GOAL: How would you say World Cup prep has been going? It seems like you've had some good results but also some critics have pointed out you haven't had a signature win of sorts…

  ST. CLAIR: For sure. I think we've had our hiccups along the road. You look at the Gold Cup. Of course, it's disappointing that we go out in the quarterfinals to Guatemala, even the Curacao game in the group stage. I think we expect better from ourselves. But I think we've also had great results. We went to Europe and got two wins for the first time. 

  So like, as much as there have been some of these hiccups and things like that, we have also had a lot of success. Obviously, Copa America last summer, I don't think anybody would have picked us to get to third place outside of us. So we kind of have that chip on our shoulder. But at the same time, we know all these results mean nothing. It's about preparation and setting ourselves up for six months from now. If you told any team in the world right now that you'd lose every single game to the World Cup, and then you win the World Cup, everyone's gonna gonna be gonna take that. So for us, it's been nice that we've already qualified. But we're taking a lot from exhibition matches and preparation from what it would look like in terms of a World Cup, and taking in the learnings and preparing us so that when the World Cup comes, the first game in Toronto, we're ready.

  GOAL: And what would it mean to play a World Cup game at home?

  ST. CLAIR: Very few players get to go to a World Cup, even less get to play in a World Cup, and even less get to do it on home soil. It's definitely a once in a in a lifetime opportunity, and it's something that I don't think any of us are taking for granted. And we know how much support we had leading up to the last World Cup, and we know that that's even going to be magnified to a whole other level when we're playing on home soil.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has urged Benjamin Sesko to “embrace” the challenge of proving his doubters wrong after receiving criticism following his slow start to the season. The Slovenia international has found it difficult following his £74 million (€84m/$97m) move from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig but his manager has now challenged him to change the script.

Sesko has struggled to match Mbeumo and Cunha's instant impacts

Excitement was sky high over the summer as United invested over £200m on a new forward line consisting of Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. However, while Mbeumo and Cunha have hit the ground running for the Red Devils, it has been a different story for Sesko, who has scored just two goals in 11 appearances in all competitions.

Such has been Sesko’s difficulties adapting to English football that United legend Gary Neville has questioned whether the forward represents a good investment by the 20-time champions.

AdvertisementAFPSlovenia striker criticised by United legend

Speaking to on the back of United’s 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest in the Premier League last Saturday, Neville said: "I’m no further forward with him, the jury’s still out. He’s miles off it compared to the other forwards United brought in, like Cunha and Mbeumo. He looks awkward, his touch was off a few times when balls went over the top. For £80m [sic], yes he’s young and still settling but you want to see something more.”

However, while United head coach Amorim accepts Sesko has struggled upon his arrival from German football, the Portuguese has advised his charge not to take criticism from club legends too personally.

Amorim urges Sesko not to take criticism too personally

Offering an insight into how hard Sesko is working behind the scenes in order to change the narrative surrounding his big-money move, Amorim said: "I'm relaxed, [but] he's not relaxed. I understand how things are in football and he's going to struggle. That is normal. He has no experience here.

"The first impact [is] when everyone says that you are so good, you are the next big thing and you hear that about Sesko. Then you come to one club that is the hardest club. If you don't perform every week, you are going to hear a lot of things from club legends, from pundits, from the media – and sometimes they are right.

"Of course, nobody likes to hear but he struggled a little bit, and that is a fact. So, let's embrace that. It is hard to hear but it's not personal. It's an opinion that is going to change in three weeks. Everything that is true today, in three weeks, could be a lie.

"Ben is a young kid, a control freak. He wants to control everything – and he's not going to control everything.

"He has more potential than I was thinking [but] we need to understand how he likes to play and also to put in our ideas. I'm quite relaxed with that. He is going to be our striker for the long term but he's going to have these struggles and these bumps during the ride. That is a normal thing in football."

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Getty Images SportRed Devils looking to extend unbeaten run in trip to Spurs

Sesko will be hoping to ease the pressure on his shoulders when United travel to Tottenham in the league on Saturday. It is the first meeting between the two sides since the Europa League final in May, when Spurs ended their 17-year trophy drought with a 1-0 victory over Amorim’s men.

United, however, head to north London in great spirits following a four-game unbeaten run in the league. The Old Trafford club – who are currently eighth in the table and just a point behind sixth-placed Tottenham – secured three consecutive victories over Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton before last weekend’s draw with Forest.

Previewing his side’s trip to Spurs, Amorim said: "I think we are improving as a squad. We are winning games because we train better, we understand better the game. We have more options. So it's more, the consistency from the results is more a squad thing than a starting XI."

يستعد برشلونة لمواجهة أتلتيكو مدريد، يوم الثلاثاء المقبل على ملعب الكامب نو في الجولة الخامسة عشر من الدوري الاسباني لكرة القدم.

ويحتل برشلونة صدارة ترتيب الدوري الإسباني مؤقتاً بـ34 نقطة، بينما يحتل أتلتيكو مدريد المركز الرابع بـ31 نقطة.

وكان رافينها لاعب برشلونة قد تلقى إشادة من دييجو سيميوني المدرب الأرجنتيني لنادي أتلتيكو مدريد، والذي أثار إعجابه بقدرات النجم البرازيلي الدولي.

وقال سيميوني في تصريحات نشرتها “barca blaugranes” عن رافينها: “أحب أسلوب لعب برشلونة وأحب رافينها”.

وأضاف: “أحب رافينها وتحركاته وروحه الجماعية، قدم بيدري أداء رائعًا وغياب هؤلاء اللاعبين في بداية الموسم يثقل العبء على الفريق رغم امتلاكه لاعبين رائعين، لكنهم يغيرون مجرى المباراة ومن يغير مجرى المباراة يحدث الفارق”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. نهائي كوبا ليبرتادورس يحرم برشلونة من إنعاش خزينته بـ مليون يورو

ويدخل أتلتيكو مباراة برشلونة بعد ستة انتصارات متتالية في الليجا لكن سيميوني لا يبدو منبهراً بأداء فريقه.

وقال سيميوني: “لا أركز على هذه المواقف، كرة القدم تتعلق دائماً بالحاضر والمباراة القادمة، تتعلق بمسؤولية تقديم أداء جيد، علينا التحسن والحفاظ على الثبات وهذا أصعب شيء في الدوري بتقلباته”.

وختم: “لا أفكر بنفس هذا القدر، فزنا بمباراة كان علينا الفوز بها، والآن تنتظرنا مباراة صعبة للغاية ضد خصم نعرفه جيداً ولديه إمكانيات هائلة وتزداد مع عودة بيدري ورافينها، سنواجه خصمًا صعبًا للغاية”.

There’s a real sense of optimism building at Arsenal Football Club that this year could finally be their year, with Mikel Arteta’s men the current pace setters in the Premier League.

The Gunners sit top of England’s top flight after the first ten outings of 2025/26, only losing once and currently enjoying a nine-game winning run across all competitions.

Saturday’s victory over Burnley was their eighth of the league campaign, keeping their fourth successive league clean sheet – now only conceding three goals in the Premier League.

Their summer dealings have no doubt aided their success in recent weeks, with Arteta now having a squad full of incredible talent, but more importantly, strength in depth.

One of the players already at the Emirates before the summer transfer window has since seen a decline in performance levels despite the added quality around him in North London.

Bukayo Saka’s decline in form at Arsenal in 2025/26

Over the last couple of years, winger Bukayo Saka has firmly been Arsenal’s star man, with the Englishman often tasked with providing the goods within the final third.

Whilst he suffered a serious hamstring injury last campaign, the 24-year-old still managed to achieve a total of 25 combined goals and assists in his 37 appearances across all competitions.

However, this season is yet to ignite for the Hale End academy graduate, with Saka currently unable to reach the high standards that he’s set for himself at the Emirates.

In his first eight league outings in 2025/26, the England international has only registered two goals and has yet been able to register any assists at present.

His recent performance against Burnley saw the forward blank once again, which has seen his goalless run extend to three games in England’s top-flight.

Saka was also able to register just 34 touches of the ball during his 90-minute performance – a tally that was the lowest of any player from either side at Turf Moor.

He also failed to complete a single dribble or create any chances, further highlighting his lack of impact within the final third despite the Gunners securing a 2-0 triumph.

The Arsenal player who’s now becoming Arteta’s best player

There’s no denying Saka will return to his best form in the coming months, but his recent lack of impact has seen numerous other Arsenal players take the headlines.

Declan Rice has been hugely influential from set pieces, often being the man to provide the goods from dead-ball situations – as seen by his tally of three assists so far this campaign.

However, the 26-year-old turned goalscorer against the Clarets on Saturday afternoon, adding to his tally and netting his second Premier League goal this term.

Viktor Gyokeres and David Raya have both had impacts at opposite ends of the pitch, as seen by their respective tallies of four goals and seven clean sheets to date.

Whilst both the aforementioned trio have all made a positive impact of late, none have quite matched the levels produced by centre-back Gabriel, who has been a real dominant force at both ends.

The Brazilian centre-back, who joined from Lille in 2020, would no doubt have been signed to provide defensive quality, but he’s now making a name for himself in the final third.

The 27-year-old has already achieved a staggering total of five combined goals and assists in his first 15 outings in 2025/26, with his latest coming against Burnley this weekend.

He rose highest at the back post from Rice’s corner, before nodding the ball across the face of goal and into the path of Gyokeres, who tapped in from close range.

However, Gabriel, is the main man. He has also dominated at the back – subsequently playing a key role in the club’s tally of seven league clean sheets during the early months of 2025/26.

He made 11 defensive contributions, which included nine clearances and one tackle and an interception made, further highlighting his ability without the ball at his feet.

Gabriel – stats against Burnley

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

90

Touches

72

Passes completed

93%

Defensive contributions

11

Clearances

9

Tackles made

1

Interceptions made

1

Duels won

100%

Stats via FotMob

The Brazilian also completed 93% of the passes he attempted, whilst also registering a total of 72 touches – numbers which make him the perfect modern-day centre-back.

His ability to be outstanding at the back, coupled with his tremendous goalscoring threat, has made him one of the most well-rounded talents in world football at present.

If the Gunners are to end their two-decade wait for a Premier League title, Gabriel will likely be a key component to any of their success – especially if he can maintain his current form. As Jamie Carragher put it, he’s now the frontrunner to be named PFA Player of the Year & he’s now “the most influential player in the Premier League.”

As for Saka, his lack of form will no doubt be a concern, but if he can return to his own incredible heights, the club’s chance of claiming title glory in May will no doubt increase tenfold.

Related Forget Gabriel: Arsenal "monster" is now the best player in the league

Gabriel put in another titanic performance as Arsenal defeated Burnley 2-0.

Posts 1 ByMatt Dawson Nov 1, 2025

How a lanky offspin-bowling allrounder overcame early setbacks and became Mumbai’s man for every situation

Vishal Dikshit08-Nov-2024Mumbai were training in Raipur for their penultimate league game of the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy season when captain Ajinkya Rahane walked up to the offspin-bowling allrounder Tanush Kotian. Rahane told the spindly youngster that he had bundles of batting potential, and it was time he added a three-figure score to his streak of four half-centuries that season.A couple of weeks later, Kotian obliged his captain, and it was no ordinary hundred. His maiden first-class century, which he brought up off 115 balls at No. 10, came in a record 232-run stand with Tushar Deshpande, the second-highest for the 10th wicket in Ranji Trophy history. At a time when a wicket would have left Baroda with a stiff but realistic fourth-innings target in their bid for a quarter-final win, the last-wicket pair shut them out in style, with Kotian driving and pulling with authority and hitting four sixes down the ground.”I told him, ‘you have the ability, if you can score a hundred at No. 8 or 9, that’ll be the game-changer,'” Rahane tells ESPNcricinfo of that conversation with Kotian in Raipur. “I could see that in his game. Sometimes you need some guidance when you’re scoring 70-80 and you have only one or two batters to accompany you. So you have to take your chances. I told him to identify which bowlers to target, when to keep the strike, and so on. I always felt he had the game to become a good allrounder where he can win matches single-handedly.”If Baroda couldn’t dismiss Kotian in that knock of 120, neither could Tamil Nadu in the semi-finals, when he scored 89 not out to turn a tricky position into a dominant innings win. When he couldn’t contribute with the bat in the final against Vidarbha, he bagged seven wickets to script an imposing win at the Wankhede Stadium. Mumbai lifted the Ranji Trophy for the 42nd time, and Kotian the glittering Player-of-the-Tournament award with 502 runs at an average of 41.83 and 29 wickets at 16.96. Kotian was the only player from any side to complete the season’s double of 500 runs and 25 wickets.ESPNcricinfo LtdHe was duly fast-tracked into the India A side for the Duleep Trophy six months later, before he impressed in the Mumbai whites once again in the Irani Cup last month, first with a patient 64 and then – as if his captain’s words had rung again in his ears – with a knock of 114, to rescue his side from a precarious 125 for 6. His second century was also brisk, coming off 135 balls, against an attack as good as any in domestic cricket, featuring Mukesh Kumar, Prasidh Krishna and Yash Dayal, a testament to his temperament under pressure. It was a result of the realisation Kotian had had early in his career – he has still only played 32 first-class games – that performing in India’s premier red-ball competition was about making a few things happen together.”There’s a big difference in performing at this level and age-group cricket, and I knew that handling pressure would be key because oppositions have top bowlers and you don’t get that many opportunities,” a padded-up Kotian tells ESPNcricinfo, dripping sweat in the Mumbai dugout after a nets session. This is before he leaves for the tour of Australia with India A, who are currently playing their second four-day game at the MCG. “You also don’t get loose balls that often so you must convert whatever chances you get.”I don’t think of situations in such a way that, ‘oh, this is a tough situation.’ I back my natural game, my confidence, and my shots. I don’t want to defend unnecessarily just because it’s a pressure situation. Instead, I try to dominate the bowler in those situations so that they go on the back foot. I also try to build the innings in chunks of five-five runs, and not think about the next 50 or 100 runs.”Now 26 and in his fifth Ranji season, Kotian recalled how he was dropped after playing just two games in his maiden campaign six years ago, forcing him to go back to the Under-23s to prove himself again. Being pushed one level below hit him hard, and made him think hard about what he needed to do to return to the senior Mumbai side, which he did in 2022.”I backed myself completely: my shots, my bowling strengths,” he says. “I kept thinking about how I can improve and make the captain believe in me that whenever required, I’m there to contribute with both bat and ball for the team. I wanted to make the most of the opportunities. I built my game around that, I worked with the coaches every day in training sessions about coming up with different plans, like what line to bowl with just two fielders on the off side. I worked a lot on my bowling over two years. This also gave me a lot of confidence which I didn’t have earlier because I had not performed.”This relentless work ethic translated into match-winning performances. His wickets tally rose from 18 in the 2021-22 season to 20 in the next, and 29 in the victorious 2023-24 campaign, and at the same time his runs count swelled from 262 to 303 and then 502.”I think he has been a very good team man,” Rahane says of Kotian. “That’s the best quality I would say about him because he’s always willing to put his hand up and say, ‘I’ll do it for the team,’ when the team needs it. Whenever we’ve told him in the last two-three seasons that this is his role, he’s always willing to do that. He’s been very hard-working and he’s very confident about his abilities, both bowling and batting.”Kotian took 29 wickets at 16.96 during Mumbai’s victorious 2023-24 Ranji campaign•PTI A lanky offspinner, Kotian is routinely likened to R Ashwin in the Mumbai fraternity, mostly because of the body of work he is building. Kotian suggests that his biggest strength with the ball is the pace – in the range of 85 to 90kph – at which he gets turn and extra bounce. This could have something to do with the fact that he often used to bowl pace in his school days. The son of a semi-professional cricketer who now runs a coaching academy close to their house, Kotian grew up playing in the gullies of Vikhroli, where he picked up the Hinglish patois of Mumbai’s bustling streets.” tennis ball games street smartness quick games every time Saturday-Sunday match dad ,” he says. “School games locality friends game .” In short, he suggests that the early diet of constant tennis-ball cricket with his friends along with the more formal environment of school matches shaped him into a quick learner with street smarts.And in those early days, he opened the batting and bowled both pace and spin. It was when he switched from St. Joseph’s School to VN Sule School, when he was just about to hit his teens, that he had a growth spurt and began focusing on his offspin in the highly competitive environment of the Harris and Giles Shields.”Offspin , wickets offspin build Mumbai Under-14, Under-16 19 .”The India Under-19 debut came in 2017, in the Asia Cup in Malaysia, where he played alongside the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh and Riyan Parag, and 2018 brought him his Ranji Trophy debut at the age of 20. A week after lifting the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy for Mumbai, Kotian bagged his maiden IPL contract with Rajasthan Royals, as a replacement for Adam Zampa.Kotian didn’t get to bowl in IPL 2024 but found an excellent learning environment in the RR camp, where he could learn the art of deception from the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal and Keshav Maharaj, and, of course, Ashwin.3:38

Duleep Trophy: Easwaran, Arshdeep and Kotian impress

Kotian was already excited about speaking to Ashwin, but also felt “on the back foot about meeting the legend.” When they finally met, it wasn’t the IPL that Kotian picked Ashwin’s brains about but red-ball cricket.”The way he plays mind games and plans for different batsmen in red-ball cricket is completely different,” Kotian says of his RR senior. “I tried to learn that from him, how to read the batsmen in red-ball and plan their wickets.”He gave me valuable advice on field placements and how to hold the seam position differently to get different results. I normally grip the ball fairly tight; he asked me to keep it a little loose, change the grip slightly and then release it.”Even when I was batting against him in the nets I could see how the ball was coming at a different pace and the revs he was putting on the ball. I learnt that if you have to play at the top level, you have to give revs on every ball.”There is, however, only so much you can pick up from others compared to learning from your own experiences and even mistakes. Rahane suggests that if Kotian has to progress to the next level as a bowler, he will have to learn how to pick up wickets even when conditions do not favour spin.”It’s important he learns from the experiences he gains by playing there [against Australia A],” Rahane says. “As he plays more and more, he will know himself things like how’s the bounce and what line and length to bowl accordingly.”You can’t be bowling the same kind of deliveries, one has to improve. As a bowler you need to use angles, to lefties or righties. If the wicket is not offering anything then what do you do, how to use the rough, if it’s there, how to create pressure when conditions are not in your favour. He has all the qualities, but these are the things he needs to be aware of, how to adapt in different situations and conditions. His game is good enough to take him forward, he doesn’t need to change anything.”Once back from Australia, Kotian will get back into the grind of domestic cricket, well in time for the mega IPL auction on November 24 and 25. While an international debut may have to wait, Kotian will hope his promising showings will help fetch him a memorable IPL deal.