Manchester United are now “confident” about signing a player to strengthen a priority position early in the January transfer window, and journalist Chris Winterburn has given an overview of who they could sign.
Amorim wants new left-back at Man Utd
Ruben Amorim has seemingly decided that signing a new left-back is high up his list of his priorities this January and beyond, having repeatedly urged Man United officials to strengthen in that area of the pitch.
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With Luke Shaw struggling on the injury front, Diogo Dalot has been filling in on his unnatural side, so it makes sense that Amorim is eager to bring in a more capable option this winter.
Theo Hernandez has fallen down the pecking order at AC Milan, and the Red Devils are now ready to orchestrate a move for the 27-year-old, while they are also eager to win the race for soon-to-be out of contract Bayern Munich man Alphonso Davies.
Bayern Munich'sAlphonsoDaviescelebrates scoring their fifth goal
Both Davies and Hernandez are established names in the top bracket of European football, meaning interest is likely to be high, so there is a possibility that United make a move for a more unknown option.
Winterburn has now provided an update on Amorim’s pursuit of a left-back, naming Girona’s Miguel Gutierrez as a target in what could be a more financially prudent deal. The journalist said that Utd are confident of signing a left-back early in the winter window.
Gutierrez impressing for Girona
Gutierrez has certainly caught the eye for La Liga side Girona, most notably in an attacking sense, ranking in the 94th percentile for assists per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.
U23 scout Antonio Mango was full of praise for the Spaniard last season, claiming that he was among the best players in the first tier of Spanish football:
The 23-year-old has established himself as an important player for the Spanish club over the past few seasons, adding to his experience by featuring six times in the Champions League this term, and he has also made five appearances for national side.
Given his talent, Girona should still be able to command a high fee for Gutierrez this winter, particularly considering he is contracted until the summer of 2027, but he could be a fantastic signing for United if they are able to orchestrate a deal.
Khaled Mahmud, the Bangladesh team director, feels Mustafizur Rahman should not have been allowed to pick and choose the formats he wished to play, as it has led to a fast-bowling vacuum in the Test side. Mustafizur is currently playing in the IPL for Delhi Capitals, having taken eight wickets in as many matches this season.Ahead of this year’s IPL, the BCB gave Mustafizur the clearance to play in the tournament even when Bangladesh were playing Tests in South Africa.It wasn’t a topic of particular interest at the time because Bangladesh had already won the ODI series, and they still had Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam around. While there has been debate about who decides on the format, the BCB president Nazmul Hassan has been saying since mid-2021 that the centrally contracted Bangladesh players will be allowed to pick and choose their formats, regardless of their experience.It started as a verbal promise last year, and the players have since signed the 2022 contracts by providing their choice of format in some cases. Mustafizur was given the IPL No Objection Certificate (NOC) this season after the Bangladesh selectors didn’t pick him in the squads for the South Africa and Sri Lanka Tests. Mustafizur has not played a Test since February last year, having taken just four wickets in the last four years.”(BCB president Nazmul Hassan) Papon said that the players can discuss which format they want to play but this was only applicable to the senior players, not all players,” Mahmud said in a press briefing at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Saturday.”Would it be okay if (Mahmudul Hasan) Joy said that he doesn’t want to play Tests? How old is Mustafiz? How long has he been playing for? He is not Shakib, Tamim, Mashrafe or Mushfiq. These players have provided service for many years. I don’t know why Mustafiz doesn’t want to play Tests. The board should decide which format a player plays.”Shakib and Tamim are 34-35 years old. They deserve breaks. But Litton Das doesn’t need breaks. When he becomes Shakib or Tamim, I will say that he deserves rest. Mustafiz must play Tests. It is his peak time. I am not saying he should play all the Tests but he should definitely be available for six to eight matches per year. I used to hear that he doesn’t want to play due to bio-bubbles, but now things have changed so that can’t be an excuse anymore. If Taskin and Shoriful can play (Tests), he should too.”Capitals are currently just outside the top four with four games remaining in the league stage, so Mustafizur will be available for them till May 21 at the very least. There’s still no movement from the BCB or the selectors to bring him into the Test side, but Mahmud said that with Taskin Ahmed already out of the Sri Lanka series due to a shoulder injury and Shoriful Islam’s availability still subject to a fitness test, the home side are missing out on their best bowler, regardless of the format.”With Taskin injured, one of our main bowlers is out. Shoriful could be injured any time soon. Both Taskin and Shoriful are injury-prone bowlers. In that case we need Mustafiz who, when you consider his experience, skills, technique and tactics, is Bangladesh’s best fast bowler. Mustafiz would have provided balance to the side.”There’s a lot of cricket in the three formats so everyone needs time off. Taskin and Shoriful also deserve rest. When we have enough bowlers, we probably won’t need Mustafiz in this format but till then he should provide support. He is dangerous in white-ball cricket but I also know that he can be a handful with the red ball too.”Mahmud came down strongly on Mustafizur’s commitment towards red-ball cricket and Bangladesh, but also felt that someone should have gotten in touch with him to clarify the situation.”He might get two or four crores in the IPL, but isn’t cricket bigger than the money? Isn’t the country bigger than money? We never played for money. Now a cricketer needs the BCB’s help when he is dying. (Mustafizur) won’t need the BCB (in that situation). They can themselves help others (financially). Why won’t I want to play for Bangladesh?”Cricket board means Mustafiz, and Mustafiz means the cricket board. They are both in the same place. There’s no distance. Maybe nobody spoke to him.”
Fair to say, it’s been a mixed season for Rangers so far.
It started badly off the park for the Ibrox side, with the Gers strangely forced to play four home matches at Hampden due to “a delay in a materials shipment from Asia” meaning their planned renovations of the Copland Stand overran, impacting the start of the season.
During this period, Philippe Clement’s team were ignominiously dumped out of Champions League qualifying by Dynamo Kyiv, albeit the Light Blues have shone back in their favourite competition, the Europa League, currently sat eighth in the league phase table, enjoying victories over Malmö, Steaua București and, most recently, Nice by the French Riviera, beaten only once so far.
Last Thursday, Rangers welcomed Tottenham Hotspur to Ibrox, a ground Ange Postecoglou obviously wasn’t expecting to receive a warm welcome back at back in Glasgow, before another glamour tie against Manchester United at Old Trafford to come next month.
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou celebrates.
However, domestically, having lost three Scottish Premiership games already, Rangers are actually down in third, two points below Aberdeen and a whopping 11 adrift league-leaders Celtic, ahead of Sunday’s Old Firm League Cup Final that no Rangers support is looking forward to.
So, with ground to make up in the second half of the season, could Rangers dip into the January transfer market?
Assessing Rangers' attacking options
So far this season, Clement has given minutes to ten different senior attacking midfielders, wingers and strikers, still searching for the best formula.
Václav Černý
1,360
9
3
Cyriel Dessers
1,201
7
3
Nedim Bajrami
1,146
2
0
Tom Lawrence
739
5
2
Hamza Igamane
614
6
1
Ianis Hagi
361
0
3
Ross McCausland
313
1
1
Danilo
251
3
1
Rabbi Matondo
171
2
2
Óscar Cortés
93
0
0
Václav Černý, on loan from Wolfsburg, has been Rangers’ most impressive attacking player so far this season, although Hamza Igamane has somewhat come out of nowhere to shine in recent weeks, bagging a brace away to Nice, also on target during the last two Premiership matches, comfortable victories over Kilmarnock at Ibrox and Ross County in the Highlands on Sunday.
Will the Moroccan continue his scoring spree? Who knows.
In terms of number tens, Ianis Hagi was sensational when he first arrived from Genk in 2020 but has not been the same player since suffering a ruptured ACL against Stirling Albion in January 2022, requiring surgery.
The Romanian has endured persistent injury issues ever since and, after spending last season on loan at Alavés, he made his first Rangers appearance for 404 days in early October, but marked the occasion by being sent off half an hour after his introduction, dismissed by referee David Dickinson following VAR review.
Thus, Clement will surely want to dip into the attacking-midfielder market in January, so could a highly-rated Englishman, who might just be exactly what they’re looking for, become available?
Rangers could sign Ianis Hagi replacement
As reported by Pete O’Rourke for Football Insider earlier this week, Chelsea midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will be available for transfer when the January window opens on New Year’s Day.
Chelsea's KiernanDewsbury-Hallin action with Southampton's Kamaldeen Sulemana
The 26-year-old had been with Leicester City since the age of eight, but joined Chelsea for a reported fee of £30m last summer, easing the Foxes’ PSR concerns and reuniting with manager Enzo Maresca, who himself had swapped Filbert Way for Stamford Bridge a few weeks earlier.
However, Dewsbury-Hall has been used infrequently so far, making just 13 appearances, totalling 684 minutes, for the Blues to date, appearing for a miserly 55 minutes in the Premier League, very much part of the B-team, starting both EFL Cup ties as well as five of six UEFA Conference League fixtures, introduced at half time of the other.
He scored his first, and so far only, goal for Chelsea as the Blues smashed Gent 4-2 back in September.
However, having not even been amongst the substitutes for six of Chelsea’s last ten Premier League fixtures, Dewsbury-Hall could be on the move again in January.
In that aforementioned Football Insider article, O’Rourke claims Rangers have “expressed an initial interest” in Dewsbury-Hall, while conceding that the Scottish club do not have the finances to finalise a permanent deal.
Thus, could the Gers agree a loan deal, reminiscent of Aaron Ramsey’s shock move to the Glasgow giants from Juventus in January 2022?
Current Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers once described Dewsbury-Hall as “sensational” when the pair were together in the East Midlands, but the midfielder could surface on the opposite side of the Glasgow divide, potentially adding the creative spark that Rangers desperately lack.
Having scored 12 goals and registered 15 assists in the English Championship last term, he could be just what the doctor ordered in that regard.
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The England youngster was involved in a rare moment of quality in a difficult game for Sonia Bompastor's side as they extended their lead at the top
Chelsea nearly came unstuck against a plucky Leicester City side again on Wednesday, but escaped from a difficult evening with all three points thanks to goals from Catarina Macario, Aggie Beever-Jones and Erin Cuthbert. The Foxes held the Blues to a draw in December, representing the first winless game of Sonia Bompastor's reign – with the second only coming on Sunday in a 2-2 result at Brighton, and they were a tricky opponent again in the rematch, even if the reigning Women's Super League champions managed to come away with a 3-1 win.
Macario's goal from a deflected free-kick, which wrong-footed goalkeeper Janina Leitzig in the eighth minute, was Chelsea's only shot on target in a disappointing and disjointed first half, one disrupted by a lengthy stoppage when England youngster Ruby Mace was stretchered off. A rare moment of quality doubled that lead early in the second period, as Mayra Ramirez's backheel put Beever-Jones through to finish, but it wouldn't put the game to bed as the Blues might've hoped.
Despite losing a key player in Mace, Leicester grew in confidence in the game, best evidenced by the gorgeous scooped finish that Yuka Momiki produced to halve the deficit before the hour. It was no less than the Foxes deserved, but they could not turn it into more, as Bompastor looked to her stacked bench to wrestle some of the momentum back.
Cuthbert's curling strike in the final minutes, which came just after she crashed another effort off the bar, made the scoreline flatter the Blues, who extended their lead at the top of the WSL table to eight points.
GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Kingsmeadow…
Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence
Hannah Hampton (6/10):
Positioned herself well to deal with any Leicester threats, making a few comfortable saves as a result.
Lucy Bronze (5/10):
A little sloppy in possession at times and didn't always make the best decisions on the ball.
Nathalie Bjorn (5/10):
Awareness of the space she was responsible for felt lacking at times. Went off with more than half an hour to go.
Millie Bright (6/10):
Had a few sloppy moments, but generally mopped up well at the back where needed.
Niamh Charles (6/10):
Battled well in defence, winning possession back more than any other player, but found her attacking impact limited.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield
Oriane Jean-Francois (6/10):
Did her job well enough, covering her defenders where needed and moving the ball around nicely. Just lacked a bit of help in a defensive sense in the midfield at times.
Maika Hamano (6/10):
After finding herself somewhat limited in her position in the first half, seemed to be pushed further forward in the second and immediately played an important role in Chelsea's second goal. Was much better from there.
Catarina Macario (6/10):
Was always looking to get on the ball and get involved, even if her end product wasn't always there. Free-kick broke the deadlock and another went close, too.
Getty Images SportAttack
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (5/10):
Offered plenty of endeavour down the right, albeit without the final ball to make a difference.
Mayra Ramirez (6/10):
Couldn't really pick the ball up and run at defenders like she so often does. Produced a gorgeous backheel to put Beever-Jones through to double Chelsea's lead, however.
Aggie Beever-Jones (6/10):
Showed good movement off the ball to be an option when Chelsea got forward, with her run through to finish and make it 2-0 great evidence of that. Did lose possession in a dangerous area for Leicester's goal, though can't shoulder all that blame.
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Subs & Manager
Wieke Kaptein (7/10):
Came on before the hour to add some steel to the midfield and she did exactly that, while also offering a good attacking threat.
Ashley Lawrence (6/10):
Took up the right-back role for the final half hour or so and didn't do too much wrong.
Erin Cuthbert (7/10):
Made her return from a rib injury in the final 20 minutes and her impact was significant, with a fantastic late strike one of three troubling efforts she sent towards the away goal.
Sjoeke Nusken (N/A):
A late introduction to help see the game out.
Sonia Bompastor (6/10):
Lack of any flowing passing moves felt in part due to the lack of a proper midfield deployed, with Jean-Francois sat behind two players who are essentially forwards. There was not much shape in the middle as a result and that hurt the team as a whole. Improved when changes were made, at least.
Both BPL matches on Friday were abandoned due to rain, without a ball being bowled. After the Sylhet Sunrisers-Fortune Barishal match was called off at 3:52pm, the Comilla Victorians-Minister Group Dhaka game was also declared abandoned at 8:40pm.All four teams got one point each, which leaves Barishal with nine points from six games, Comilla with nine from seven, Dhaka on seven from seven and Sylhet on three from six. All the teams had arrived at the Shere Bangla National Stadium and even got on the field to warm up only for rain to begin shortly before the scheduled toss of the first match.Barishal, Dhaka and Comilla would rue the washouts, having got in their groove over recent matches in Chattogram. The Shakib Al Hasan-inspired Barishal side had shaken off their early troubles to win their last three games, after winning only one of their first three matches.Comilla’s overseas signings Sunil Narine and Moeen Ali have joined the squad, giving them a stronger look. Dhaka have impressed during the BPL’s Chattogram leg too.Sylhet, however, will have welcomed the one point, having lost four of their first five matches. Despite Nazmul Islam returning in their last match, Khulna routed them by nine wickets. They even handed debuts to left-arm quick Sheraz Ahmed, the first UAE player in the BPL, and legspinner Jubair Hossain, but to no avail.The BPL will take a break for the next two days, before reconvening in Sylhet for the first time this season. The good news is that the weather forecast is of mostly dry days in the eastern city.Sylhet will host three matchdays before the BPL returns to Dhaka until its conclusion on February 18.
West Brom face Luton Town in the Championship on Friday night and a damaging double injury update has emerged in the lead-up to the game.
Struggling West Brom need win at Luton
The Baggies return to action with a trip to the Hatters, kicking off the weekend action and hopefully making a much-needed return to winning ways in the league. West Brom have drawn their last four Championship matches, causing a huge amount of frustration among the fanbase, and they haven’t actually tasted victory in the competition since the 1-0 win at home to Plymouth Argyle back in September.
In many ways, it has been a shock dip in form for Carlos Corberan’s side, who were top of the table heading into their trip to Sheffield Wednesday, prior to losing 3-2 at Hillsborough and not bouncing back since.
For that reason, an element of pressure has started to grow on Corberan, even though his side are still in fifth place, and in fairness to the manager, he hasn’t been helped by a number of injury problems, with the likes of Kyle Bartley, Semi Ajayi and Paddy McNair all suffering recent setbacks. Now, a concerning update has emerged in that respect.
West Brom handed double injury blow
Taking to X, journalist Matt Maher confirmed that Ajayi and McNair will be injured for four and two months respectively, in a hugely damaging update.
This is a disastrous update for Baggies fans, considering what an important defensive pair Ajayi and McNair are, and it isn’t going to help Corberan’s chances of turning things around in the slightest.
In fact, the duo will likely miss a combined total of 34 matches should they be out for as long as Maher has predicted, highlighting what a massive blow this is for West Brom.
Matches that Ajayi and McNair will miss for West Brom
Ajayi
McNair
Luton Town (A) – November 1st
Out
Out
Burnley (H) – November 7th
Out
Out
Hull City (A) – November 10th
Out
Out
Norwich City (H) – November 23rd
Out
Out
Sunderland (A) – November 26th
Out
Out
Preston North End (A) – November 30th
Out
Out
Sheffield United (H) – December 8th
Out
Out
Coventry City (H) – December 11th
Out
Out
Watford (A) – December 15th
Out
Out
Bristol City (H) – December 22nd
Out
Out
Derby County (A) – Boxing Day
Out
Out
Sheffield United (A) – December 29th
Out
Out
Preston North End (H) – New Year’s Day
Out
Swansea City (A) – January 4th
Out
Stoke City (H) – January 18th
Out
Middlesbrough (A) – January 21st
Out
Portsmouth (H) – January 25th
Out
Plymouth Argyle (A) – February 1st
Out
Sheffield Wednesday (H) – February 8th
Out
Blackburn Rovers (H) – February 12th
Out
Millwall (A) – February 15th
Out
Oxford United (H) – February 22nd
Out
For now, it is a case of getting by without the pair, and Bartley for that matter, but there is no doubt that it could have a major impact on the Baggies’ hopes of sealing promotion from the Championship to the Premier League this season.
Manchester United forked out an initial £55m to sign Mason Mount from Chelsea back in 2023. However, the midfielder hasn’t had the best of luck during his career when it comes to injuries.
The England international has fallen out of favour with the Three Lions as a result of his fitness issues, with Red Devils supporters yet to see the best of Mount in the Premier League.
Mount recently returned to the first-team fold with a cameo appearance towards the end of United’s Europa League victory over PAOK at Old Trafford, replacing Amad Diallo in the closing stages for his first game since late September.
But how many games has Mount missed in recent years, and what kind of injuries has he had? With help from Transfermarkt data, we’ve taken a look at Mount’s injury history at Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford since 2022.
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ByAlex Caple Jul 14, 2023 Ankle injury, 1 game missed February 14, 2022 to February 21, 2022
Back in 2022, Chelsea were crowned FIFA Club World Cup winners under Thomas Tuchel, with Mount making substitute appearances against Al-Hilal and Palmeiras.
However, a week later, he was forced to sit out of Chelsea’s 1-0 win at Crystal Palace with an ankle injury, but in total, Mount did make more than 50 appearances during the 2021/22 season.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Chelsea
19 February, 2022
Premier League
Knock, 1 game missed January 5, 2023 to January 7, 2023
2022 only saw Mount miss one game through injury, but at the beginning of 2023, he was ruled out of a Stamford Bridge clash with Manchester City.
Mount started in a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest on New Year’s Day but was forced off in the second half.
Chelsea 0-1 Man City
5 January, 2023
Premier League
Pelvic contusion, 4 games missed February 28, 2023 to April 3, 2023
The second month of 2023 resulted in a second injury for Mount, who was sidelined for a number of games with a pelvic contusion.
As well as missing three Premier League games and Chelsea’s Champions League last-16 second-leg win over Borussia Dortmund, Mount was also ruled out of two England European Championship qualifiers.
Chelsea 1-0 Leeds United
4 March, 2023
Premier League
Chelsea 2-0 Borussia Dortmund
7 March, 2023
Champions League
Leicester City 1-3 Chelsea
11 March, 2023
Premier League
Chelsea 2-2 Everton
18 March, 2023
Premier League
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ByBrogan Clasper Sep 15, 2023 Pelvic injury, 7 games missed April 25, 2023 to May 31, 2023
Just weeks after making his return, Mount suffered a recurrence of his pelvic injury, which kept him out of the remainder of the Premier League season, leading him to undergo surgery on the problem.
The Blues would win just one of their seven final games without Mount, and his last appearance as a Chelsea player would prove to be the 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on 15th April 2023.
Chelsea 0-2 Brentford
26 April, 2023
Premier League
Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea
1 May, 2023
Premier League
AFC Bournemouth 1-3 Chelsea
6 May, 2023
Premier League
Chelsea 2-2 Nottingham Forest
13 May, 2023
Premier League
Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea
21 May, 2023
Premier League
Manchester United 4-1 Chelsea
25 May, 2023
Premier League
Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle United
28 May, 2023
Premier League
Unknown injury, 5 games missed August 19, 2023 to September 25, 2023
Mount made his Man Utd debut on the opening weekend of the 2023/24 season against Wolves at Old Trafford. He then followed that up with a start away to Tottenham before suffering an unknown injury.
As a result, Mount would go on to miss five games in all competitions, including a thrilling Champions League encounter in Germany against Bayern Munich.
Manchester United 3-2 Nottingham Forest
26 August, 2023
Premier League
Arsenal 3-1 Manchester United
3 September, 2023
Premier League
Manchester United 1-3 Brighton
16 September, 2023
Premier League
Bayern Munich 4-3 Manchester United
20 September, 2023
Champions League
Burnley 0-1 Manchester United
23 September, 2023
Premier League
Calf injury, 21 games missed November 24, 2023 to March 13, 2024
Two months after his return, the injury issues were back for Mount, and a calf problem kept him out for a large part of the campaign.
Initial reports suggested that Mount would only be sidelined for a month, but that soon turned into four months, with the Red Devils man missing 21 games in all competitions.
During that time, Man Utd were dumped out of the Champions League, though they did reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in his absence (before going on to win the competition), with Mount marking his Premier League return with a goal against Brentford.
Everton 0-3 Manchester United
26 November, 2023
Premier League
Galatasaray 3-3 Manchester United
29 November, 2023
Champions League
Newcastle United 1-0 Manchester United
2 December, 2023
Premier League
Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea
6 December, 2023
Premier League
Manchester United 0-3 AFC Bournemouth
9 December, 2023
Premier League
Manchester United 0-1 Bayern Munich
12 December, 2023
Champions League
Liverpool 0-0 Manchester United
17 December, 2023
Premier League
West Ham 2-0 Manchester United
23 December, 2023
Premier League
Manchester United 3-2 Aston Villa
26 December, 2023
Premier League
Nottingham Forest 2-1 Manchester United
30 December, 2023
Premier League
Wigan Athletic 0-2 Manchester United
8 January, 2024
FA Cup
Manchester United 2-2 Tottenham
14 January, 2024
Premier League
Newport County 2-4 Manchester United
28 January, 2024
FA Cup
Wolves 3-4 Manchester United
1 February, 2024
Premier League
Manchester United 3-0 West Ham
4 February, 2024
Premier League
Aston Villa 1-2 Manchester United
11 February, 2024
Premier League
Luton Town 1-2 Manchester United
18 February, 2024
Premier League
Manchester United 1-2 Fulham
24 February, 2024
Premier League
Nottingham Forest 0-1 Manchester United
28 February, 2024
FA Cup
Manchester City 3-1 Manchester United
3 March, 2024
Premier League
Manchester United 2-0 Everton
9 March, 2024
Premier League
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ByLuke Randall Sep 4, 2025 Hamstring injury, 3 games missed August 28, 2024 to September 19, 2024
Mount would have been hoping that the 2024/25 season would be an injury-free campaign, but he suffered his first issue before the end of August.
The midfielder started the Premier League opener against Fulham and kept his place in the side the following week at Brighton & Hove Albion, but after suffering a hamstring injury, he was kept out of two top-flight games and an EFL Cup win over Barnsley.
Manchester United 0-3 Liverpool
1 September, 2024
Premier League
Southampton 0-3 Manchester United
14 September, 2024
Premier League
Manchester United 7-0 Barnsley
17 September, 2024
EFL Cup
Head injury, 7 games missed September 29, 2024 to November 6, 2024
After making his return from a hamstring injury against FC Twente in the Europa League, Mount was brought on at half-time in Man Utd’s 3-0 Premier League defeat to Tottenham.
However, he couldn’t make it to full-time after suffering a nasty head injury in a collision with Radu Dragusin and needed to be replaced. It summed up Mount’s woeful luck when it comes to staying fit at Old Trafford, with another period on the sidelines lasting five weeks.
FC Porto 3-3 Manchester United
3 October, 2024
Europa League
Aston Villa 0-0 Manchester United
6 October, 2024
Premier League
Manchester United 2-1 Brentford
19 October, 2024
Premier League
Fenerbahce 1-1 Manchester United
24 October, 2024
Europa League
West Ham 2-1 Manchester United
27 October, 2024
Premier League
Manchester United 5-2 Leicester City
30 October, 2024
EFL Cup
Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea
3 November, 2024
Premier League
Hamstring injury, 20 games missed December 22, 2024 to March 16, 2025
Mason Mount’s injury problems continued throughout 2024/25, with his hamstring causing him further issues just before the festive period.
The midfielder had to be replaced early on in a clash with Manchester City and proceeded to miss the next 20 Manchester United games in all competitions, seeing the Red Devils exit both domestic cup tournaments from the sidelines.
He returned to the bench just before the March international break before finally marking his comeback in early April during United’s defeat to Nottingham Forest.
Meg Lanning: “Cricket has shown that when you properly invest in female sport, the results follow and everyone benefits”
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Retainers in the WBBL have risen by 22% under the latest cash boost•Getty Images
Australia’s domestic female players have been given a significant pay increase on the eve of the new WBBL season with an extra A$1.2 million of funding.That will see an additional A$800,000 invested in WNCL retainers and $A400,000 for the WBBL which relates to a 22% and 14% increase respectively for the two tournaments although the gap to the men’s game remains significant.”This is another incredibly important step in driving gender equity in our game. Our players have made enormous sacrifices the last 18 months,” Nick Hockley, the Cricket Australia CEO, said. “We pride ourselves over results to really lead the charge about driving equality cricket and particularly investing in the growth as cricket as a sport for women and girls.”There’s still a really big gap compared to their male counterparts but certainly we want to ensure to keep striving to make it an incredible full-time career. This week’s announcement is about pritoritising closing the gap and further demonstrating that we are the leading sport in terms of pay domestically across Australia women team sports and we’ll continue to invest in that way.”The WBBL has moved to its own standalone window in the October-November period and this year will be fully broadcast on TV for the first time. Last year the Women’s T20 World Cup, the last major global event that took place before the pandemic, saw the final played in front of more than 86,000 people at the MCG.Related
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On Sunday, Australia secured the multi-format series against India to continue their run of international success which included setting a new world record of 26 ODIs win in a row.”The success and prominence of women’s cricket in Australia has not happened by accident,” Australia captain Meg Lanning said. “Cricket has shown that when you properly invest in female sport, the results follow and everyone benefits – the game, the fans and the players.”The pay increase is part of A$4million of investment agreed between CA and the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) for the season. It includes $320,000 for additional wellbeing support amid the ongoing pandemic and $250,000 to allow players to bring partners and dependents with them to help during extended periods away from home. There has also been funding allocated to education, player hardship funs and the retirement payment pool which players can access when their on-field career finishes.”Cricket continues to lead other sports in Australia, and indeed internationally – and this is largely because of the continued investment in the game that drives professionalism,” ACA chief executive Todd Greenberg said. “The ACA has worked closely with Cricket Australia to continue to invest in the women’s game – with a focus on the domestic level – at a time when many other sports are having to curtail player payments.”However, aside from continuing to close the gender pay gap, there remain other areas of the female game that do not replicate the men’s. There was no DRS for the recent series against India, largely attributed to logistical difficulties caused by Covid, while there has been further debate about women’s Tests being four days.The volume of cricket for domestic players, certainly outside of the WBBL, remains an issue – state teams play just eight WNCL games in a season plus a possible final – and there are calls from within the sport to at least make it a full home-and-away tournament, but there is also a push to introduced multi-day cricket at domestic level.”We will continue to advocate for equality in the men’s and women’s game in everything we do and in all facets of the game,” Hockley said. “We won’t rest until there is genuine parity across all elements of the game.”The WBBL begins on October 14 with the first 20 games played in Tasmania due to border restrictions. The WNCL was due to start in September, but that has been pushed back until at least decent
The Blaugrana punished Blancos' defending in an embarrassing defeat for Carlo Ancelotti's side
Real Madrid were thrashed in a second straight Clasico, continuous woeful defending letting them down in a 5-2 battering at the hands of Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final. Los Blancos were consistently beaten on the counter attack, and conceded five goals within 50 minutes to make a truly horrible Clasico loss.
This was not a calm game. Nor was it cagey. Instead, from minute one, chaos unfolded. Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring, leading a well-orchestrated counter-attack before shifting the ball out of his feet and smashing it home. And that was as good as it got.
Lamine Yamal offered the Barca response, strolling into the right channel, cutting onto his stronger foot and finding the bottom corner. They added a second after 36 minutes, when Robert Lewandowski converted from the penalty spot. The Blaugrana's third came on the back of some tepid Madrid defending, Raphinha floating into acres of space and converting a free header. Balde made it four after another sloppy piece of play, an underhit pass from a corner giving Barca a clean break down the pitch, which ended with a calm side-footed finish into the bottom corner. Raphinha turned it into a drubbing early in the second half, twisting Aurelien Tchouameni inside out and wrong-footing Thibaut Courtois.
Things seemed poised to turn after an hour. Wojciech Szczesny was shown a straight red for scything Mbappe down outside the box. Rodrygo curled the ensuing free-kick into the top corner. But that was about it. Madrid couldn't create against a dogged 10-man Barca, and suffered a second straight forgettable derby defeat – while watching their arch-rivals lift a trophy at the end of it all.
GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from King Abdullah Sports City…
Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence
Thiabut Courtois (4/10):
Made a nice save early. Could do nothing about any of the goals, really.
Lucas Vazquez (3/10):
Targeted from the first minute. Didn't track his man half of the time, and was torn apart by Raphinha for his 50 minutes on the pitch.
Aurelien Tchouameni (4/10):
Absolutely nowhere on the Barca third. Subbed after an hour.
Antonio Rudiger (5/10):
Uncharacteristically out of position as Yamal strolled in to equalise. Improved slightly but not particularly good.
Ferland Mendy (5/10):
Failed to contain Yamal – not that it's particularly easy. Didn't do much, if anything, going forward.
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Federico Valverde (5/10):
Poor for stretches. Overhit a few passes. A blunder led to the Barca fourth. Moved to right back, where he did mostly ok.
Eduardo Camavinga (4/10):
Should have been booked twice within the first 45 minutes, but got away with it. Hooked at the break – and smartly so.
Jude Bellingham (4/10):
Marked out of the game in the first half. Not much better in the second. Disappeared on the biggest stage, for once.
AFPAttack
Rodrygo (5/10):
Dangerous on the ball, buried a lovely free kick, lacking in impact otherwise.
Kylian Mbappe (6/10):
Scored an outrageous goal, picked up a knock, got Szczesny sent off. The best of the attacking trio.
Vinicius Jr (4/10):
Barely involved before being subbed after 75 minutes. Could have easily been shown a second yellow.
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AFPSubs & Manager
Dani Ceballos (6/10):
Rarely misplaced a pass, but didn't offer much in the way of attacking inspiration.
Raul Asencio (5/10):
Replaced Vazquez, and couldn't do much worse.
Luka Modric (5/10):
Floated around, created some cute angles. Couldn't do it single-handedly though.
Fran Garcia (6/10):
Scampered up and down the left in a lively 15 minutes.
Brahim Diaz (N/A):
Barely touched the ball.
Carlo Ancelotti (4/10):
What a miserable evening. His Madrid side was taken apart for 50 minutes, and then looked void of ideas against 10 men. At least it came in a competition that doesn't matter much.
The current international break comes at a bad time for Unai Emery’s side, as his Aston Villa look to build on the victory achieved at Leicester City last weekend.
Goals from Amadou Onana and Jhon Duran secured the win for the Villans, as they sit seventh in the Premier League after the first three outings of the new campaign.
The Spaniard has overseen two wins and a loss during the opening three matches, as his side attempt to replicate last season's feat, in qualifying for the Champions League.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery
Villa have strengthened in key areas to give themselves the best possible chance of making this season another one to remember, but one player who was previously at the club could give them the edge in their hunt for another successful campaign.
Emiliano Martínez’s stats and market value
After joining the club for £20m from Arsenal back in September 2020, goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez has gone on to achieve unthinkable things for club and country – making him worth every penny that the club spent to win the race for his services.
The Argentinian won the World Cup back in 2022, while playing a key role in Emery’s side last season, keeping eight clean sheets in the Premier League and making 95 saves in 34 league appearances.
Emiliano Martinez
However, this season, he’s struggled to replicate his form, failing to keep a single clean sheet in any of the first three outings – whilst coming under fire for his inability to prevent the two goals in the defeat against Arsenal at Villa Park last month.
Despite his recent failings, he still possesses the quality and experience that could prove vital in the latter stages of the campaign, a huge quality if the club are to enjoy a successful stint in Europe during the 2024/25 season.
As a result of his previous impressive displays in claret and blue, the 32-year-old has seen his market value soar, with Martinez now valued at £23.5m as per Transfermarkt.
However, he’s still valued lower than one fellow first-team member who’s seen his value rise massively over the last couple of years.
Jacob Ramsey’s market value in 2024
After coming through the club’s academy and costing them absolutely nothing, midfielder Jacob Ramsey has become a key part of Villa’s first team in recent years – making over 100 appearances after his breakthrough a couple of years ago.
Aston Villa's Jacob Ramsey
He may have endured an injury-hit 2023/24 campaign, but his best season to date came in the season prior, where the 23-year-old registered 13 goal contributions in the league during his 35 appearances.
Ramsey has enjoyed a decent start to the new season, registering one assist in the 2-1 victory over West Ham, teeing up fellow substitute Duran for the winner.
Jacob Ramsey's Premier League stats for Aston Villa
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2020/21
22
0
0
2021/22
34
6
1
2022/23
35
6
7
2023/24
16
1
1
2024/25
3
0
1
Stats via FotMob
As a result, the “terrific” talent, as described by former boss Steven Gerrard, has seen his own market value skyrocket, with the former England U21 international now worth a staggering £29.4m – an example of how successful the club’s academy can be.
His value is higher than teammate Martinez, showcasing how impressive he’s been in recent seasons, with Ramsey a huge part in the club’s recent success under Emery.
Jacob Ramsey for Aston Villa
This season is a huge one for the youngster, as he looks to put his injury issues behind him and return to the levels that he produced just a couple of years ago.
First and foremost he will be aiming to avoid any setbacks, but he will also be wanting to secure a regular starting role under the Spaniard, helping the club have a successful campaign in the greatest club competition in world football.
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