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As Manchester United get set to take on Chelsea in the penultimate game of their miserable Premier League season on Friday night, one man who won’t be involved in proceedings is Old Trafford exile, Jadon Sancho.

The 25-year-old loanee – who is ineligible to feature for the Blues against his parent club – is set to head into a summer of uncertainty at Stamford Bridge, with it yet to be seen whether the west London side will secure his services on a permanent basis.

With talk in recent months indicating that Enzo Maresca’s side could actually pay a £5m fee in order to send him back to Manchester, despite agreeing to a £20m-£25m obligation to buy last summer, the Red Devils face the very real prospect of being lumped with the £195k-per-week winger once again.

In truth, even with a change in the dugout following Ruben Amorim’s arrival, the England international should have no future back at the Theatre of Dreams, having proven a simply wasted venture following his £73m arrival in 2021.

Perhaps hampered by a long, drawn-out saga that began in 2020, the former Borussia Dortmund man has been unable to replicate his Bundesliga heroics, having chalked up just 18 goals and assists in 83 games for United to date.

Man Utd record for selected wingers (past and present)

Player

Games

Goals

Assists

Total G/A

Antony

96

12

5

17

Anthony Elanga

55

4

4

8

Amad

61

13

11

24

Jadon Sancho

83

12

6

18

Alejandro Garnacho

146

26

22

48

Dan James

74

9

9

18

Angel Di Maria

34

4

12

16

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

63

13

11

24

Memphis Depay

53

7

6

13

Stats via Transfermarkt

Alongside the likes of Marcus Rashford and Antony, Sancho is a player who INEOS need to cash in on this summer. What they must not do, however, is sign a talent of a similar ilk…

Man Utd's search for a forward

Whether it pays off or not remains to be seen, although it is encouraging to see that United are looking to target current Premier League stars this summer, ensuring there should be less of a need for adaptation next season.

Transfer Focus

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

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Indeed, both Matheus Cunha and Liam Delap appear to be at the top of the shopping list, while recent reports have also indicated that Amorim and co are interested in Bournemouth’s £60m-rated sensation, Antoine Semenyo.

With the Red Devils intent on strengthening the 40-year-old’s attacking options, Sky Sports have since revealed that United are also keeping tabs on Nottingham Forest’s Callum Hudson-Odoi.

As per reporter Dharmesh Sheth, the Englishman currently has just a year left on his contract at the City Ground, with talks currently “ongoing” with the Champions League hopefuls regarding an extension.

Reading between the lines, INEOS appear ready to pounce should those negotiations hit a stumbling block, with Forest perhaps willing to cash in, considering that they signed the ex-Chelsea man for a fee of just £3m back in 2023.

Alongside former United academy graduate, Anthony Elanga, Hudson-Odoi has no doubt flourished for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side – but is he what Amorim really needs?

Why Man Utd could be targeting another Sancho

The journey of a young footballer is rarely a smooth one, as Sancho, in particular, has come to learn.

Plucked from Manchester City by Dortmund on a £10m deal in 2017, the wing wizard went on to sparkle in German football over the next four years, with his total record for the Bundesliga side – when factoring last season’s loan spell back at the club – standing at 120 goals and assists in 158 games.

For all that talent and potential, it just hasn’t worked out since then, with Sancho now a forgotten man in Manchester, having also provided only eight goal involvements in the league this season for the Blues. His last Three Lions outing came as far back as October 2021.

It has been a similar story for Hudson-Odoi too, with the one-time wonderkid touted for big things after making his senior international debut at the age of just 18, having also been the subject of a £70m offer from Bayern Munich in 2020.

Injuries and limited game followed back at Chelsea, however, while he was also shipped off to Bayer Leverkusen for an unsuccessful loan in 2022/23, which yielded just one goal and one assist.

After recording 16 goals and 22 assists in 126 games for the west Londoners, the decision was made to cash in on the fleet-footed winger two years ago, while on the international scene, he has been unable to build on his three caps – all of which came in 2019.

To his credit, the man once described as a “monster of a talent” by journalist Nizaar Kinsella has found his feet at Forest, with 13 goals and six assists in 68 games in all competitions, including the winner against Manchester City earlier this year.

Hudson-Odoi vs Sancho – 24/25 PL stats

Stat (per 90)

Hudson-Odoi

Sancho

Non-penalty goals

0.21

0.16

Assists

0.08

0.21

Shot-creating actions

3.93

3.59

Pass completion

82.2%

82.5%

Progressive passes

2.76

4.65

Progressive carries

5.31

5.28

Successful take-ons

1.51

2.38

Touches in penalty box

3.01

6.39

Progressive passes received

7.78

11.68

Stats via FBref

That said, like Sancho, he hasn’t exactly pulled up any trees – if you’ll pardon the pun – in Nottingham, having matched his compatriot’s record of only eight goal contributions in the top-flight this term.

Interestingly too, the two widemen – both of whom can play on either flank – are noted as statistically similar players among those in their position in the division, as per FBref, with United at risk of landing another mercurial and inconsistent talent.

Perhaps, for a bargain fee, Hudson-Odoi could prove worth the gamble, although having witnessed Sancho struggle so greatly in recent years, targeting a player of similar quality and ability may well need to be avoided.

Related Forget Obi: Amorim can finally axe Hojlund for Man Utd's homegrown Gyokeres

Man Utd could have another academy sensation up their sleeve…

Posts 1 ByRobbie Walls May 14, 2025

He is still the greatest cricketer Bangladesh has ever produced, but he might never play for the country again, whether he wants to or not

Mohammad Isam06-Nov-2024Brendon McCullum miscues one and it’s caught at mid-on. The young bowler punches the air in celebration. On that crisp afternoon of October 18, 2008 in Chittagong (now Chattogram), McCullum becomes Shakib Al Hasan’s fourth wicket of the innings. He ends with 7 for 36, Bangladesh’s best bowling figures in Tests till Taijul Islam topped it with 8 for 39 in October 2014.That feat, Shakib’s, came four weeks after Bangladesh cricket’s biggest tryst with controversy till that point. It was the 21-year-old left-armer’s seventh Test. He was just breaking in, just a cricketer. No stardom. Simpler times.Exactly 16 years later, on October 18, 2024, everything is different. Shakib is Bangladesh’s greatest cricketer ever, but he is coming to the end of a stellar career. He is the country’s best-known face, the darling of brands. That’s the good part. There is also infamy.Related

• Shakib suspended from bowling in all top-level cricket, domestic and international

• The champion is back – whither the Bangladesh hero?

• Pro-Shakib and anti-Shakib groups clash outside stadium

• BCB chief: Shakib unlikely to play ODIs against Afghanistan

• Bangladesh look to begin post-Shakib era on winning note

Shakib is now, by dint of an aborted political career, an accomplice to tyranny. An enemy of the people.

****

When he was in Dubai in the third week of October, getting ready to travel to Dhaka, Bangladesh’s government officials told him not to board the flight as planned. He was expected to be part of the squad against South Africa, and to retire after playing his farewell Test, the first of two in that series. But protests against his participation made it unsafe for him to go back home.The protesters, from the student group Mirpur Chhatro Janata, camped outside the Shere Bangla National Stadium, chanting slogans, holding up posters, spray-painting the stadium walls with strong words against Shakib. It was a small bunch of students but they represented widespread outrage against Shakib, who is a member of the Awami League political party, which was overthrown following a students’/people’s protest in August. Shakib hasn’t returned to Bangladesh since.The world outside Bangladesh might find all this quite unfathomable. He is a cricketing hero, after all. Just keeping this to Test cricket, Shakib has had a glittering career.He was instrumental in their first overseas Test series win, in 2009. His century was vital in Bangladesh’s win in their 100th Test match. His ten-wicket haul got them their maiden Test victory against Australia. Remember the salute to Ben Stokes after dismissing him in Bangladesh’s epochal Test win over
England in 2016? Two months ago, Shakib’s spell on the final day in Rawalpindi proved crucial in their maiden Test win over Pakistan.

The cricket-loving Bangladeshi public took a dim view of his participation in the controversial general elections. He was greeted with boos in the BPL this year – a first for Shakib, for the public had always been on his side

However, the events of July and August are still fresh in the minds of those who lived through them. Shakib has always divided opinion, but usually over cricketing matters. His joining politics changed things. He is still their best cricketer. He isn’t their hero anymore.

****

Shakib’s entry into politics surprised many, given how busy his cricket calendar has been, and the fact that he didn’t live in Bangladesh anymore, having moved to New York with his family since the pandemic. He only flies back to Bangladesh to play cricket and to shoot commercials for his many endorsements.But if you are a star in Bangladesh – and they don’t come much bigger than Shakib – it’s difficult to not get into politics, and particularly to not join the Awami League. A recent study showed that 67% of lawmakers in the country are businessmen, and 90% are millionaires. In the last two general elections, the Awami League brought luminaries from various fields under their umbrella, including actors, singers and sports personalities. Former Bangladesh captains Naimur Rahman and Mashrafe Mortaza were already part of Team Awami League.Cricket is important to politicians in Bangladesh, as it is in the neighbourhood in general. The government of the day handpicked the BCB’s bosses before Nazmul Hassan became the first elected board chief in 2013. That the BCB’s directors would unanimously vote for Nazmul was never in doubt, given his political background: his father, Zillur Rahman, was the country’s president when Nazmul was the interim board president before he was elected to the position officially. Nazmul’s mother, Ivy Rahman, herself a political heavyweight in Bangladesh in the late 1990s and early 2000s, died of injuries suffered in a grenade attack at a political rally in 2004, where the intended target was Sheikh Hasina, the Awami League chief, who was the country’s prime minister till August this year.Shakib Al Hasan at an election rally in Magura earlier this year•AFP via Getty ImagesNazmul ramped up the political influence in the BCB during his 11-year reign. There were ministers, a mayor, and Sheikh Hasina’s cousins among the board directors. Second-level appointees, in the sub-committees, also had political connections and clout. During home international matches, BCB hired Awami League cadres as “security volunteers”.

****

Sheikh Hasina was more than involved. Nazmul told stories of how, once, the then prime minister abandoned her work files to spend time on the prayer mat when Tamim Iqbal was batting in the 90s. A young cricketer once spoke of how a mild scolding from Sheikh Hasina for bowling a couple of full tosses gave him sleepless nights. When Tamim retired in 2023, Hasina’s intervention forced him to reverse the decision within 24 hours. She was at matches in Mirpur often.Shakib was one of her favourite cricketers.He reportedly showed an interest in joining the party in 2018. Mashrafe got the Narail ticket that year but Shakib was in contention for it. Apparently Sheikh Hasina told Shakib to concentrate on his cricket at the time, with the promise that he would get a ticket to contest the 2024 general elections. She kept her promise. And Shakib won. From Magura. In an election widely reported to have been rigged in favour of the Awami League.When things turned bad for the party in July-August, Shakib automatically came in the line of the people’s fire.

Only ODIs remain on Shakib’s horizon, but now that he has opted out of the Afghanistan series, the likelihood of him finishing his international career at the 2025 Champions Trophy, as he wanted, looks faint too

The cricket-loving Bangladeshi public took a dim view of his participation in the controversial general elections. He was greeted with boos in the BPL this year. That was a first for Shakib. He has, in the past, shouted at umpires and even chased one with a bat once, but the public had always been on his side. Not anymore. Especially with Shakib not returning to Bangladesh and not issuing a statement at any stage during or immediately after the revolution in the country.On July 30, while playing a Global T20 Canada match in Brampton, Shakib was heckled by Bangladeshis in the crowd. He argued with a fan who had asked him about his silence on the unrest back home. Two weeks after the fall of the Awami League government, Shakib was among 147 people against whom charges had been filed in connection with an alleged murder in Dhaka. This happened when he was playing the first Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.

****

In an interview to aired in June this year, Shakib said that when the BCB banned him for six months for “serious misbehaviour” with the head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe in 2014, he got a fair understanding of the Bangladeshi psyche. He said that being kept away from cricket tore him apart and the first few days of his suspension were the toughest. But he learnt later how to behave with certain individuals and convinced them to reduce the ban, he said.So what has he learnt this time?Shakib Al Hasan’s fans show their support for the cricketer outside the Shere Bangla Stadium•ESPNcricinfo LtdShakib hasn’t visited Bangladesh since May this year. He was with the national team until the T20 World Cup, before linking up with teams in MLC and the Global T20 Canada. He played Tests in Pakistan and India, and in between played a county game in Taunton. He announced his retirement from Test and T20I cricket during the Kanpur Test, where he said he wished to play his last Test in Dhaka, starting October 21.Not long after, in a Facebook post, Shakib apologised for his silence during the political protests. His fans felt that that he had done what was expected of him after the tragic deaths of students and others in the country, but his detractors thought it was mere lip service.Soon after, the protesting students were back on the streets, asking the BCB to remove Shakib from the Test team. On October 18, Hasan Murad took Shakib’s place in the squad. There is still no final word about Shakib, but it is looking increasingly likely that Kanpur was his last Test match. Only ODIs remain on his horizon but now that he has opted out of the Afghanistan series, the likelihood of him finishing his international career at the 2025 Champions Trophy, as he wanted, looks faint too.Why did a giant like Shakib have such a fall? Did he deserve what has come to him? Did he invite it?Shakib willingly added the roles of politician and businessman to his primary job of celebrated sportsperson. He has given Bangladeshis several reasons to be proud of when it comes to the game, but he might have failed in other areas – as a role model, a hero, to millions in their moment of crisis. The opinion of the people might change one day, but this will remain a big part of his legacy, which he can’t shed whether he likes it or not.

The Punjab batter had not played a single T20 game before this season, but has quickly become a mainstay for his IPL franchise

Daya Sagar10-May-20233:28

Moody: Wadhera ensuring the chase wasn’t entirely on Suryakumar was critical

Nehal Wadhera had not played a single T20 game before IPL 2023. A largely unknown entity coming into the tournament, Mumbai Indians made sure to back him, giving him a consistent run in the side, and he repaid the franchise’s faith with a 21-ball 40 against Gujarat Titans, followed by a 51-ball 64 against Chennai Super Kings.On Tuesday, with Mumbai chasing 200, Wadhera went a step further, scoring an unbeaten 34-ball 52 as he forged a 140-run stand off 66 balls with Suryakumar Yadav to take his side home. Coming in at the end of the fifth over, with Mumbai having lost both openers in the space of three balls, at no point did Wadhera seem out of his depth. Even with Suryakumar going berserk at one end, the 22-year-old kept his cool to stay till the end. But, who is Wadhera and how did he end up with Mumbai despite not having any prior T20 experience?Wadhera was called up for trials last year by Rajasthan Royals, but he could not make the cut. He went back to his home state of Punjab, where he took part in an U-23 tournament. Playing for Ludhiana, in one of the innings, he smashed 578 off just 414 balls, which included 42 fours and 37 sixes. The innings elevated him into the limelight and he was spotted by the Mumbai scouts who called him for trials.Related

• Mumbai discover uncut gems to make it farther than expected

• No Bumrah or Archer? The spirit of Mumbai shines through

• Mumbai show off their batting might, one 200-plus total at a time

• Stats – Mumbai Indians, masters of the 200-plus chase

• Mumbai mow down 200 to jump from eighth to third

“When Nehal came to me, he was a very small and chubby kid,” says his childhood coach Charanjit Bhangu. “He was a very quick learner and used to apply whatever I used to say to his game. Whenever a player does that, he immediately draws attention. After finishing practice, he used to come to my room and ask me for inputs on how to improve his game. He used to carry his bat everywhere so that he could shadow practice.”Wadhera slowly moved up the ranks in Punjab age-group cricket. In 2018, he was selected in the India U-19 team and was also named captain of an India A U-19 side that played a Quadrangular series in 2019 which had India B, South Africa and Afghanistan taking part. He then found a place in the squad for the U-19 Asia Cup in September 2019 but was overlooked for the U-19 World Cup that took place in early 2020. That came as a blow to Wadhera.Nehal Wadhera scored back-to-back fifties, the second coming in a winning cause for Mumbai•BCCI”It was a very challenging time for Nehal, but he never doubted himself,” Wadhera’s father Kamal Wadhera says. “He is a very positive boy. Whenever there are any problems, he always tries to search for ways to get out of them and not overthink about it.”To be honest, we are a middle-class family and we don’t have any stories of struggles. Whatever he (Nehal) asked for, we provided him with that. But the good thing is that he never misused his time or money.”During Covid-19, he worked on his fitness, both mental and physical. He started to read a lot as well. He now has even more self-belief than before.”Despite putting in consistent performances in age-group cricket, Wadhera had to bide his time before the senior call-up came, and he made sure to capitalise as soon as he got one. He scored a century on his first-class debut against Gujarat in January this year, and soon after compiled a match-winning 214 against defending Ranji Trophy champions Madhya Pradesh to further his credentials.Wadhera is yet to play a T20 game outside of the IPL, but the way his 2023 is going, he could soon become an all-format middle-order asset for Punjab.

The inconsistency of England’s top three batsmen may tip the scales slightly in India’s favour

Ian Chappell31-Jan-2021No sooner is one serious challenge accepted and robustly brushed aside than another is on the doorstep.The upcoming India versus England Test series has the potential to be an enticing contest similar in intensity to the one recently completed in Australia.India will start as favourites after an exhilarating victory over Australia, overcoming all obstacles. When you add the name Virat Kohli to the batting order, the team suddenly assumes a bulletproof cloak. In also adding the names R Ashwin, Hardik Pandya and Ishant Sharma to the list of available players, India take on an unbeatable appearance.Likewise, England can point to improvements they can make to the side that won convincingly in Sri Lanka. The availability of a premium player in Ben Stokes who, like Pandya, provides all-round ability and selection flexibility, albeit at a higher level than the Indian, is a big plus. And Jofra Archer adds substantially to the quality of an already strong pace attack.However it’s the top of the England order, where another returning player, Rory Burns, will reside, that the scales tip in India’s favour.India’s top three feature an impressive Shubman Gill, a talented but flawed Rohit Sharma and the indomitable Cheteshwar Pujara, which places them well ahead of England’s top order.Dom Sibley possesses the grit and determination required for success at the highest level but there are questions about his technique against the best international bowlers. In India and Australia he will face two of the best in fairly quick succession so that question will be answered in the next 12 months.Burns is another in the same category as Sibley, and if both players fail the challenges England will be in trouble unless Joe Root continues to score at his current freakish level.Related

• What will it be like to take on Kohli and Co on their own patch?

• Jack Leach wants to 'cherish' every moment on first tour of India

• England's XI for Chennai Test: Can James Anderson and Stuart Broad both slot in?

• India's XI for Chennai Test: Four bowlers or five? Who will replace Ravindra Jadeja?

• Bess and Leach have their work cut out for them in India

Zak Crawley, like his Indian counterpart Gill, is talented and has great potential. Nevertheless his failure to contribute in Sri Lanka raises concerns that need to be put to rest quickly and there’s no better place or time to do that than in India.Unfortunately, any advantage England might gain from Root’s incredible form at No. 4 is immediately negated by India’s best batsman also holding down a similar position. Rarely does a series feature two such well-credentialed No. 4 batsmen.The middle order of both teams are a mixture of explosive stroke play with a touch of steadiness for good measure. Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant and the possible addition of Pandya have India well placed to take full advantage of any good start. The ability to swiftly accelerate the scoring is nearly as important to winning Test matches as the capability of taking 20 wickets.England are similarly placed with Stokes and Jos Buttler as their lethal weapons. The possible return of Ollie Pope would add some dependability to the threatening nature of that section of the batting order. However Buttler’s departure after just one Test and the possible return of Ravindra Jadeja to the Indian line-up would swing the scales further in favour of the home team.The presence of Archer, along with the skill and experience of stalwarts Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad, would normally provide England with an advantage in the pace department. However India’s improvement in that category is amply illustrated by their performance in matching Australia’s much-vaunted pace attack in two successive away series.Not only does India now have quality pace bowling but they also have it in comforting quantities following the depth displayed in Australia.For years now the rest of the cricketing world has rested uneasily in the fear that India would finally utilise its population advantage by nurturing and selecting its best talent. That day has finally arrived.These mouth-watering Test series are to be savoured. With all the challenges Test cricket faces – Covid-19 just being the latest – the future of the format is not guaranteed to be as generously giving as it has been in the last few months.

Premier League title winner Jamie Vardy has made history in Italy by becoming the first English player to win the Serie A Player of the Month award. The evergreen striker, who is now 38 years of age, is currently on the books of Cremonese. He linked up with them over the summer and has enjoyed a productive start to life outside of his comfort zone.

• Italian job: Vardy to star in documentary alongside wife Rebekah

  Vardy became a free agent when seeing his contract at Leicester expire. He helped them to a stunning title triumph in 2016 and took in 500 total appearances for the Foxes, scoring 200 goals and earning 26 England caps.

  With no plans to hang up his boots any time soon, Vardy has embraced a new challenge alongside wife Rebekah and their children. They are set to star in their own documentary series, which will lift the lid on a surprising Italian job.

  Vardy will have plenty to smile about on camera as he has landed a top prize in Serie A. He starred across the month of November, with a memorable goal being recorded against Turin-based giants Juventus. He was nominated for a monthly gong alongside AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, Inter captain Lautaro Martinez, Napoli winger David Neres, Genoa's Leo Ostigard and Nicolo Zaniolo of Udinese.

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• History made: Vardy lands top Serie A prize

  Vardy topped the poll, with Serie A chief executive Luigi de Siervo saying: "Vardy is truly a player from another era. One of those talents who, with their history, their achievements and the indomitable spirit with which they live every match, best express the romance of football.

  "His arrival at Cremonese was greeted with great enthusiasm by all Serie A fans, and Vardy is repaying them with top-level performances, innate leadership and important goals, the result of the competitive spirit and shooting skills that have always distinguished him."

  Vardy has become the first Englishman to win a prize that was first handed out in 2019. Since then, countrymen such as Fikayo Tomori, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ashley Young and Tammy Abraham have graced the Italian top-flight.

• Just like Ronaldo: Vardy tipped to play into his 40s

  He has four goals in total for Serie A new boys Cremonese through 10 appearances. Vardy is just the second player, after Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola, to net more than three goals for a promoted team at the age of 38 or over – with Zola achieving that feat for Cagliari prior to ending the 2004-05 campaign with nine efforts to his name.

  Vardy may go on to better that total, allowing another entry in the record books to be secured. He has been showing no sign of slowing down, with his game all about high energy and clever movement.

  It is being suggested that Vardy could have several seasons left in him yet, with there every reason to believe that he can emulate the efforts of Portuguese GOAT Cristiano Ronaldo – who is still playing at the age of 40 with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.

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• Getty
  

  Vardy contract: When deal at Cremonese expires

  European football expert Andy Brassell has told : "There's still plenty in there, I feel. To have that sort of pressure off, I suppose in a way it must make him feel like going back and achieving stuff with Leicester.

  "Leicester, who were never fancied to stay up. Then they were never fancied to be in the European mix. Then they were never fancied to win the league, win the FA Cup. And I guess, obviously, Cremonese is very different.

  "Culturally, he's at a different point in his career. But I do think there's a little bit of him that feels, yeah, this is the perfect fit for me. With Serie A as well, it's got an incredible history of strikers in their mid to late 30s scoring a lot of goals.

  "I mean, straight away, if you're Vardy, and you know anything about Italian football history, you're thinking I'm modern-day Antonio Di Natale or Fabio Quagliarella or any of those guys. Why can't I keep going until I'm 40, 41?"

  Vardy only signed a one-year contract when heading to Italy, which is due to expire in the summer of 2026, but Cremonese have a performance-related extension option that can be triggered at any stage.

Florian Wirtz was denied a first strike for Liverpool after the Premier League's goal accreditation panel judged his effort against Sunderland to be an own goal from Nordi Mukiele. The German midfielder showed great close control to weave his way through the penalty box before shooting, with his effort taking a significant deflection off the Black Cats defender on its way into the back of the net.

Wirtz's deflected strike earns Liverpool point

Liverpool were staring down the barrel of another disappointing result on Wednesday night after falling behind to Sunderland courtesy of Chemsdine Talbi's effort. The defending for that goal was poor, with captain Virgil van Dijk giving the ball away and then backing off before the shot deflected off his side and past goalkeeper Alisson. The Reds once again looked short of confidence and failed to create too many opportunities against the resolute visitors, but a driving run from Curtis Jones and Wirtz's fine dribbling ability resulted in a desperately needed equaliser. 

AdvertisementWhy the strike was deemed a Mukiele own goal

It looked to be clean off Wirtz's boot on first viewing, but replays soon showed the former Bayer Leverkusen star had completely mis-kicked his effort, which was heading well wide of the goal. However, his side got the slice of luck they so urgently needed as the shot deflected off Mukiele and over Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs. Wirtz has been the subject of much criticism and mockery since arriving at Anfield in the summer, having failed to contribute much in the way of goals and assists since his £116 million ($155m) transfer to the English champions. This latest decision means the derision may continue until he finally gets a goal which cannot be debated, but there was no doubting he was still one of Liverpool's better performers on a night where few of them played with much freedom or creativity. That line of thought was echoed by former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher, who said on : "It feels like a real step back tonight to what you saw at West Ham at the weekend. They didn't look like scoring a goal at any moment of the game tonight. Missing the energy, zip, pace power. Really worrying."

AFPWhen will Wirtz finally get off the mark?

After his extraordinary exploits with Leverkusen, few would have predicted Wirtz would still be waiting for his first Liverpool goal by December. He got an assist in his first competitive outing for the club in the Community Shield and has another couple in the Champions League, but there is clearly so much more to come from the silky 22-year-old. Even with the lucrative price tag, he has been thrown into a malfunctioning Liverpool side, with Mohamed Salah, so often their reliable figure in attack, looking well short of match sharpness after an incredible 2024-25 campaign. There have also been issues in the central striker position, with Alexander Isak being short of fitness after he forced through his record-breaking transfer to Merseyside from Newcastle, while Hugo Ekitike has had to battle back from injury worries after a hugely promising start to his Reds career.

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What comes next for Wirtz and Liverpool?

It's only December but Liverpool already look out of the Premier League title race, with this latest result seeing them fall 11 points behind current leaders and favourites Arsenal. There is little time for Slot's squad to lick their wounds, however, with the famously hectic Christmastime schedule creeping up on teams throughout England. They next have a tough-looking trip to Leeds United, who will buoyed after earning a much-needed victory over Chelsea, and then there is a daunting journey to San Siro when they resume their Champions League campaign against Inter. The Merseysiders need more points if they are to progress to the round of 16 and avoid a European play-off, having suffered a damaging 4-1 home defeat to PSV Eindhoven the last time they played in the competition.

Tottenham are looking to get back to winning ways against Fulham tonight with Thomas Frank handed a key selection decision ahead of the Premier League clash.

Tottenham face Fulham after back-to-back defeats

Spurs face a crucial test when Fulham visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Frank desperate for a response following Wednesday’s devastating 5-3 Champions League defeat to PSG.

The Parc des Princes encounter saw Spurs’ unbeaten European run spectacularly ended despite twice taking the lead, with Vitinha’s sensational hat-trick ultimately proving the difference.

The result leaves Tottenham fifteenth in the Champions League standings, significantly increasing pressure on Frank to arrest their recent slide.

The Lilywhites have won just one of their last five games in all competitions, a 4-0 rout of Danish minnows FC Copenhagen, with London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal recently putting them to the sword.

xG

11.0

17th

Non-penalty xG

11.0

16th

Progressive passes

413

12th

Shots

110

19th

Shots on target

40

15th

Average shot distance

15.6 yards

17th

Dominic Solanke’s continued absence through injury compounds Tottenham’s attacking concerns. The striker has been out since undergoing ankle surgery earlier in the season, managing just 47 minutes of football all campaign.

His unavailability places enormous responsibility on Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison to provide a consistent goalscoring threat, though Frank has suggested that the former will be given the nod against Fulham after his breathtaking PSG performance.

The Frenchman donned a mask for his fractured jaw, scoring a brace and providing an assist against his parent club, with Frank confirming that Kolo Muani is fit enough to start this evening.

However, one man who won’t be taking part is star defender Cristian Romero.

Tottenham "liability" left Thomas Frank "raging"

The Argentine endured an evening to forget away to PSG, with talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook branding him a “liability” that would have left Frank “raging”.

Romero is set to miss tonight’s clash with Fulham through suspension, meaning that Kevin Danso is more than likely set to partner Micky van de Ven at the heart of Frank’s defence.

This could be enough to get the job done against a Fulham side who are firm candidates for relegation after a lacklustre start to 2025/2026, but Frank will be wary that Marco Silva’s men have won two of their last three Premier League games.

Even after Romero’s disasterclass at PSG, the 27-year-old remains a key figurehead for Spurs and partners van de Ven to devastating effect at times.

Ange Postecoglou always had a much better time as Spurs boss when both men were available to play his high line, but Danso has proved that he can do a solid job when called upon.

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke is coming under increasing pressure after his side moved closer to the relegation zone, and Brendan Rodgers is now a contender to take over at Elland Road.

Despite a decent start to the Premier League campaign, the Whites have begun to feel the reality of how difficult it is to claim a regular stream of results in the top-flight as other clubs begin to get their act together after indifferent performances.

Nottingham Forest fit that bracket and took Leeds apart last weekend at the City Ground, leaving the Yorkshire outfit one point above West Ham United and two above the Tricky Trees, who are beginning to show signs of life under Sean Dyche.

With pressure mounting on Farke to deliver results, he responded post-match by indicating that his side have to be better when it comes to fine margins, something that can so often determine whether newly-promoted sides are able to stay in the top division.

He told BBC Sport: “Football games on this level are decided with small details. We have to make sure we are more switched on. We concentrate on the things we can influence and should have defended the cross situation. It was crucial.

“We didn’t follow their full-back and that can happen, but not after we’ve just celebrated. We lost two 50/50 duels, and then the cross comes in. We could have defended the situation more competitively.”

Journalist Graham Smyth labelled the Whites’ performance “desperately poor” and some supporters are now at the point of demanding change at Elland Road.

In that case, who could come in to replace Farke at Leeds? Ian Ladyman has let slip one potential contender that could come to the forefront if that scenario were to take place.

Leeds could replace Daniel Farke with Brendan Rodgers

According to Daily Mail football editor Ladyman, Leeds could replace Farke with former Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers after he left the Scottish champions following a public fallout with Dermot Desmond last month.

Suggesting that the Irishman may well be a candidate to take over at Elland Road, he explained: “Now we are eleven games in and Leeds are on a bit of a sticky run with only win in six and games against Aston Villa, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool to come the other side of the international break.

How has Brendan Rodgers fared in the Premier League?

Matches

302

Wins

139

Draws

71

Losses

102

Points claimed

488

“Farke doesn’t deserve the sack, far from it. But that doesn’t mean he won’t get it. And the moment Brendan Rodgers left Celtic a couple of weeks ago, every manager in the lower half of the Premier League became a little more vulnerable.”

Intriguingly, he averaged over two points per game in his second spell at Celtic, adding another two Scottish Premiership titles, a Scottish Cup and a Premier Sports Cup to his haul of 11 trophies while in Glasgow.

Leeds could sign a talented Championship star in January

Of course, his time at Liverpool and Leicester City is still fresh in the memory, and the Carnlough native may be the sensible choice to replace Farke at Leeds due to his ability to turn the tide via his man-management skills.

كشفت تقارير صحفية صدمة قوية لنجم منتخب البرتغال، كريستيانو رونالدو، بعدما طُرد في مباراة مساء أمس ضد أيرلندا، في التصفيات المؤهلة إلى بطولة كأس العالم، نسخة 2026.

وحل منتخب البرتغال ضيفًا على أيرلندا، في الجولة قبل الأخيرة، من تصفيات قارة أوروبا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم الصيف المقبل، حيث تعرض الضيوف للهزيمة بهدفين دون رد.

طالع | ترتيب مجموعة البرتغال في تصفيات كأس العالم (محدث باستمرار)

وتحصل كريستيانو رونالدو على بطاقة حمراء مباشرة، في الدقيقة 61، بعدما اعتدى على أحد لاعبي منتخب أيرلندا بـ”الكوع” دون كرة، حيث تدخلت تقنية الفيديو في الموقف قبل اتخاذ القرار النهائي من جانب الحكم.

وبطبيعة الحال، سيغيب كريستيانو رونالدو عن آخر مباراة لـ البرتغال في تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم، ضد أرمينيا يوم الأحد المقبل.

وظهرت تقارير صحفية بعد ذلك تفيد أن رونالدو قد يتلقى عقوبة إيقاف لمباراة أخرى، بسبب سلوكه العنيف، مما يعني غيابه عن أول لقاء لـ البرتغال في كأس العالم، حال تأهله وحال حصوله على بطاقة مباشرة.

ولكن يبدو أن الأمر لا يتوقف عند هذا الحد، حيث ذكرت صحيفة “ذا صن” الإنجليزية أن عقوبة إيقاف رونالدو قد تكون أطول من ذلك، بسبب قانون الانضباط الخاص بالاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم، فيفا.

وأوضحت أن ذلك القانون ينص على فرض الإيقاف لمباراتين على الأقل، في حالة اللعب غير النظيف الخطير، كما تضيف اللوائح أنه يجب تطبيق عقوبة الإيقاف لثلاث مباريات على الأقل في حالة الاعتداء، بما في ذلك الكوع، اللكم، الركل، العض والبصق على أو ضرب الخصم”.

وإذا تأهلت البرتغال مباشرة يوم الأحد، فهذا يعني أن رونالدو من المرجح أن يغيب عن المباراتين الأوليين في الصيف المقبل، وربما يعود مع اقتراب منتخب بلده من التأهل إلى الدور المقبل أو توديع البطولة.

أما في حال فشل البرتغال في الحصول على بطاقة تأهل مباشرة، سيضطر إلى دخول الملحق، وستسري عقوبة رونالدو خلاله حال إقرارها.

After Ange Postecoglou’s dismal season in the Premier League throughout 2024/25, changes simply had to be made if Tottenham Hotspur were to progress in the right direction.

His Europa League triumph certainly papered over the cracks, but former chairman Daniel Levy saw the bigger picture and decided a switch in manager was needed.

Such responsibility fell into the hands of Thomas Frank, with the former Brentford boss tasked with the responsibility of transforming the Lilywhites’ fortunes in England’s top-flight.

The backline was a real issue for the club last time around, but the 51-year-old has already made an immediate impact – as seen by their tally of six clean sheets across all competitions.

However, the upcoming January transfer window is rapidly approaching, which could see added quality being injected into the opposite end of the pitch.

Spurs’ hunt for new attacking talent in January

Over the last couple of days, Spurs have once again been linked with a deal to land Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo after previously wanting him during the summer.

The Ghanaian international has enjoyed a phenomenal start to 2025/26, scoring on six occasions and registering three assists within his first eight outings.

However, he’s not the only Premier League forward currently on their radar, with Sporting Director Fabio Paratici targeting a move for Everton star Iliman Ndiaye.

The latest report from TEAMtalk states that the Lilywhites see the 25-year-old as a top target for the winter window, but face competition from a fellow top-flight rival.

Newcastle United are also in the race to land the versatile forward in the coming months, which has seen a £60m price tag mooted to prise him away from the Toffees.

Why Spurs’ latest target is even better than Kudus

Landing an attacker from another Premier League side certainly isn’t alien to Spurs, as seen by their deal to land winger Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United.

The hierarchy forked out a fee in the region of £55m for the 25-year-old’s signature, with the Ghanaian seen as the player to take the frontline to the next level.

It’s safe to say he’s already had an immediate impact at the Lilywhites, scoring once and notching four assists within his first eight Premier League appearances.

Kudus has certainly nailed down the role on the right-hand side of the frontline, but he could be joined by another phenomenal talent in the form of Ndiaye.

The Toffees forward has rapidly progressed under David Moyes over the last couple of months, with the Senegalese international now one of the most potent attackers in the division.

When comparing his stats to those of the new Lilywhites addition, Ndiaye has managed to outperform him in numerous key areas throughout the early stages of 2025/26.

The Toffees star has achieved a better shot on target rate and a higher goal per shot on target average – which showcases the added goalscoring threat he possesses.

Games played

8

8

Goals & assists

4

5

Shot on target accuracy

83%

38%

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.2

Pass accuracy

77%

73%

Key passes

1.8

1.7

Take-on success

47%

46%

Carries into final third

2.1

1.6

Fouls won

1.5

0.8

He’s also completed more passes and registered a higher tally of key passes per 90 – leading to one analyst labelling him as “one of the best” talents in the Premier League.

Ndiaye’s dominance over Kudus is further reflected in his higher take-on success and better tally of carries into the final third per 90 – highlighting his ability to progress the ball into dangerous areas whenever possible.

£60m would be another huge statement from the hierarchy, but it’s a deal that could add further quality into Frank’s frontline in his quest for success in North London.

The prospect of Ndiaye thriving with Kudus at the Lilywhites is truly one to behold, which could see the club be the home to two of the division’s best attacking talents.

However, the board will have to act quickly in January to complete a deal for his signature, especially given the interest from rivals Newcastle United.

Forget Spence: Frank can bin Porro by unleashing "future £100m" Spurs star

Tottenham Hotspur already have another phenomenal talent within their ranks in North London.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 24, 2025