Are Everton… fun now?

Last time out, the Toffees beat Wolves 3-2 at Molineux, thanks to goals from Beto, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and then Iliman Ndiaye, albeit Jack Grealish was the star of the show, registering two assists.

That’s now three successive victories in league and cup for David Moyes’ men, who will be looking to make that four in a row, achieving this for the first time since December 2023, when Aston Villa visit Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday; the Villans haven’t even scored a goal yet this season.

With Grealish the poster boy, the Blues are playing a brand of free-flowing, attacking football not often associated with Moyes, but just imagine how good this team would be had they not sold an academy prospect for £400k.

Jack Grealish's Everton renaissance

During his final two seasons at Manchester City, Grealish saw just 1,716 minutes of action in the Premier League, during which time he accumulated a miserly four goals and two assists.

Thus, it was hard to forecast if the England international would be able to rediscover his mojo upon moving to Merseyside, but the early evidence suggests he certainly has.

Having registered two assists against both Brighton and Wolves, Grealish leads the way in the Premier League with four assists; no one else has more than two.

This is, as already mentioned, twice as many assists as he mustered across two league seasons with Man City, so, should he continue this form, he’ll surely force his way into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for games against Wales and Latvia in October.

Grealish is of course only on loan at the Toffees, but they do have a £50m option to buy, which would smash the club’s transfer record which currently stands at £45m.

So, could Everton have saved themselves a potentially enormous outlay by holding onto an academy graduate, rather than selling him for just £400k?

Everton's homegrown talent starring on the international stage

Unless they keep a keen eye on the youth teams, it is possible that Evertonians have never even heard the name Isaac Price before.

He joined the club’s academy at the age of seven, making 64 appearances for the U21s, but featuring just three times for the first team, totalling 45 minutes, debuting against Boreham Wood in the FA Cup, before late substitute cameos against Arsenal and Brighton in the Premier League.

Thus, no one particularly noticed or cared when, still a teenager at the time, he was sold to Standard Liège, the Blues receiving around £400,000 in compensation.

During 18 months in Belgium, Price established himself as a first-team regular, making 64 appearances for les Rouches, his solitary goal for the club coming during a 2-1 victory over Club Brugge at Stade Maurice Dufrasne.

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These performances must’ve caught the eye back home because, back in January, West Bromwich Albion paid £2.5m to bring him to The Hawthorns.

Having been in and out of the side last season, Price began this campaign on fire, bagging the only goal against Blackburn Rovers on the opening weekend, before scoring a brace during a 3-2 victory over Wrexham at the Racecourse the following weekend.

However, it is his displays for Northern Ireland that have propelled the 21-year-old into the limelight.

He opened his international account against Slovenia in Ljubljana soon after leaving Everton before, back in October 2024, netting a hat-trick during a 5-0 Nations League demolition of Bulgaria at Windsor Park.

This makes him only the sixth man to score a treble for the Green and White Army, after Billy McAdams (1960), Johnny Crossan (1965), George Best (1971), Colin Clarke (1991) and David Healy (2006 & 2007).

His international scoring spree has hit new heights this calendar year, on target during friendlies against Switzerland, Sweden and Iceland, before bagging his tenth for his country with a sweetly struck volley during a World Cup qualifier against Germany at RheinEnergieStadion on Sunday night, making it 1-1.

This goal in Köln makes Price the youngest player to reach ten goals for Northern Ireland, joining illustrious company at that milestone. Like Grealish as a youngster, he’s burst onto the scene in quite some style.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout is certainly a fan, labelling Price a “magnificent…box-to-box midfielder”, while his international manager Michael O’Neill, described him as a “brilliant young player”, highlighting his work-rate and pressing. Positionally, he may well be different to Grealish but the same raw, exciting talent is certainly there.

As a result, according to the CIES Football Observatory, he is now West Brom’s most valuable player, with an estimated transfer value of around £16m.

Thus, even with Grealish, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye and the recently signed Tyler Dibling fighting for starting positions in Moyes’ team, Price would surely have improved this Everton squad, had they been able to keep hold of him two years ago.

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Will Miller

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It’s not been the perfect start to the season for Arsenal, but it’s been pretty close.

With seven games played, Mikel Arteta’s side sit atop the Premier League table, one point ahead of Liverpool.

In the Champions League, the Gunners have won both of their opening games without conceding a goal, and eased through the Third Round of the League Cup with a heavily rotated side.

What makes this start all the more impressive is the fact that neither Bukayo Saka nor Viktor Gyokeres are firing on all cylinders just yet, and are actually being outperformed by a player sold by the club for next to nothing.

Saka & Gyokeres' starts to the season

Starting with Saka, it has already been an eventful season for the Englishman. As early as his second start of the season, at home to Leeds United, he was forced off with another hamstring injury.

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Fortunately, it wasn’t anywhere near as severe as the injury that had seen him miss large parts of last season, and after missing the games against Athletic Club, Liverpool, and Nottingham Forest, he returned in the second half of the match against Manchester City.

Since then, the Hale Ender has clearly been trying to get back up to speed, and while they may well take a little longer, he’s still been an effective threat on the right-hand side.

For example, while he scored the penalty, he probably should have racked up a few assists against West Ham United, as he amassed an expected assists figure of 1.11, created one big chance and played two key passes.

Given his performances and output over the last few years, it’s surely just a matter of time before Saka is racking up goal involvements for fun this season.

However, when it comes to Gyokeres, rightly or wrongly, there are a few more doubts over how impactful he could be this year.

Now, to his credit, the former Sporting CP star has already found the back of the net three times in seven league appearances, but the last one of his goals came against Forest, which was six appearances ago.

Yet, while this isn’t ideal, the Swede has been slowly improving game by game, by making better runs, holding the ball better, and, crucially, pulling opposition defenders away from his teammates.

In all, while neither attacker is at their very best at the moment, they’re getting there, although they are being outperformed by a winger sold almost a decade ago.

The ex-Arsenal ace outperforming Saka & Gyokeres

Unfortunately, there are more than a few ex-Arsenal players who have gone on to thrive after leaving the club over the last decade or so, just like Serge Gnabry.

The German international joined the Gunners from Stuttgart in July 2011, but was sold to Werder Bremen for just £5m five years later, with just 18 first-team appearances and a failed loan to West Bromwich Albion to show for his time in England.

It took no time at all for the youngster to prove the North Londoners wrong, as he ended his first season back in Germany with 13 goal involvements in 27 appearances, which was enough to earn a move to Bayern Munich.

The German giants sent the dynamic winger on loan to Hoffenheim the following season, where he racked up 17 goal involvements in 26 appearances, which was enough to see him given a chance in Bavaria in 18/19.

The 30-year-old seized that chance with both hands, scoring 13 goals and providing eight assists in 42 appearances, totalling 2544 minutes, which translates to a goal involvement every other game, or every 121.14 minutes.

Since then, the Stuttgart-born game-changer has produced 162 goal involvements in 295 games for FC Hollywood and earned 53 senior caps for Germany, in which he’s scored 23 goals and provided nine assists.

With numbers like this, and a trophy cabinet few in the game can match, it’s hard to disagree with talent scout Jacek Kulig’s assertion that he’s “one of the best wingers in World football.”

Games

10

7

10

Minutes

598

428′

752′

Goals

3

3

3

Assists

4

0

0

There is also no sign of him slowing down, as in ten appearances this season, he has scored three goals and provided four assists.

Ultimately, while hindsight is always 20-20, Arsenal must surely regret selling Gnabry, as he could still be a significant part of Arteta’s team today if they hadn’t.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 6, 2025

It was very much smooth sailing for Liverpool when Arne Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp in the dugout. Overlooked by critics, the Reds dominantly won the Premier League despite minimal transfer investment.

Now, the defending champions have spent liberally across the summer but have lost their finely-woven fluency, lacking control and coherence across the opening weeks of the season.

The winning, never-quit mentality is still intact, but that alone will not carry the Anfield side through the campaign and to glory. Back-to-back defeats within the past week make a firm comment on that.

Tactically imbalanced and struggling through a bedding-in period, Liverpool have it all to do, with Slot dealing with a number of underperforming stars right now.

Liverpool's biggest strugglers this season

Where to start if not with Florian Wirtz? The German playmaker joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m this summer, billed as a world-class talent with unrivalled game-changing quality.

But, since playing a neat assist for Hugo Ekitike (who is certainly not an underperformer), Wirtz has blanked across nine fixtures in all competitions, with his performances leaving so much to be desired.

There is hope and expectation that the 22-year-old will hit his stride soon, but there may be more consternation over the form and future of Ibrahima Konate, who is out of contract at the end of the year, and with Real Madrid lurking, that’s not a good sign.

So far, the French centre-back’s campaign has been littered with mistakes. With Giovanni Leoni sidelined for the long term, this is ominous, with the durability of Liverpool’s starting defensive partnership essential to the success of the team.

Mohamed Salah has also endured a quiet start to the season, and he has received criticism for his toils. However, there’s another Redman who has struggled to get going so far, and he is quietly one of the most important cogs in the Slot machine.

Liverpool's quiet underperformer

Alexis Mac Allister has been a revelation since joining Liverpool from Brighton & Hove Albion for £35m in 2023. The Argentine World Cup winner has played influential and contrasting midfield roles across his two years on Merseyside, and has been hailed as a “superstar” by pundit Joe Cole for his efforts.

Mac Allister in the PL under Slot

Stats (* per game)

24/25

25/26

Matches (starts)

35 (30)

5 (5)

Goals

5

0

Assists

5

0

Touches*

55.8

48.4

Pass completion

87%

87%

Key passes*

1.3

0.8

Dribbles*

0.5

0.0

Ball recoveries*

4.2

3.6

Tackles + interceptions*

3.3

1.8

Ground duels (won)*

4.3 (50%)

1.8 (43%)

Data via Sofascore

But there’s no denying that he hasn’t been right since the off-season. The 26-year-old star has lacked his energy and incisiveness, his hunger to win the ball back and progress play into the final third.

Given the importance of his form in the middle of the park, making everything tick for the Reds, it’s not outrageous to suggest that Mac Allister has been one of Liverpool’s worst performers this season, rarely offering any significant positivity.

Even Wirtz and Konate have enjoyed flashes of promise this term, but Mac Allister has yet to get going at all; he’s not protecting the defence, and neither is he carving out chances with slick passing.

Wirtz, after all, has created 21 chances across all competitions for Liverpool, and no Premier League player has created more since the summer. Clearly, there is a world-class player in there, and he will bloom before long.

It might even be that Slot needs to take his trusted lieutenant out of the firing line, with Curtis Jones producing an impressive, industrious performance in Istanbul.

In any case, there is plenty for Slot to sort out at Liverpool right now, and the changes need to happen sooner rather than later.

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David Lloyd, Harry Came both add fifties as Kent bowlers made to toil

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay23-May-2025

Caleb Jewell celebrated his maiden century for Derbyshire who dominated the opening day of the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match against Kent at Derby.The Tasmanian left-hander made an unbeaten 152 and shared a second wicket stand of 196 from 333 balls with Harry Came who was run out for 89.Jewell and David Lloyd, who scored 50, put on 99 for the first wicket to set the tone for a day of toil for the Kent bowlers with only Nathan Gilchrist taking a wicket.The home side closed on 352 for 2 and Kent, who have lost their last three games, already have a lot to do to get back into this match.Derbyshire certainly made the most of winning the toss on another sunny morning aided by some indifferent bowling. Kent’s seamers struggled to maintain a consistent line or length and only exerted a measure of control towards the end of the first session when legspinner Matt Parkinson came into the attack.By then, Jewell and Lloyd were well set with both profiting from Kent’s inability to put the ball in the right place often enough.Lloyd’s flick over midwicket for six off Gilchrist was one of a number of boundaries in a first hour containing only one maiden which summed up how poorly Kent had bowled.Derbyshire’s former captain reached his 50 from 86 balls and looked on course for a big score until Gilchrist swung one in to beat his drive with the opening stand one short of a century.That was Kent’s only success before lunch although they thought they had another after the interval when Jewell on 59 swept Parkinson to short leg where Ben Compton took the catch at the second attempt.But their celebrations were cut short when umpire Neil Pratt, presumably thinking the ball had been played into the ground, ruled not out after consulting with his colleague at square leg. Kent were clearly unhappy with the decision and at the end of the over Pratt spoke to both Parkinson and captain Daniel Bell-Drummond.It was a big moment as Jewell was batting with authority, particularly through the off side, and with Came growing in confidence after a watchful start, the hosts eased past 200 without further alarm.After Jewell pulled and drove Jake Ball for two more fours, Came swept Parkinson to long leg for three to bring up his 50 from 111 balls and at tea, Derbyshire were well on top at 231 for 1.At the break, Jewell was seven short of a century and he completed it five overs into the evening session by sweeping Parkinson for a single. It had been a disciplined and measured innings from the Australian who curbed some of his natural attacking instincts to put his team on course for a commanding total.Kent bowled spin at both ends to get to the second new ball which was taken with Derbyshire 294 for 1 and the breakthrough came immediately, aided by a slice of good fortune.Jewell straight drove Ball who got a touch to deflect it into the stumps at the bowler’s end and run out Came but that was the last success of a chastening day for the visitors.

It’s been a busy international break at Nottingham Forest, but could their weekend opponents Arsenal be the biggest short-term beneficiaries?

Last week, after a public falling out with owner Evangelos Marinakis, Nuno Espírito Santo was sacked as Forest manager, with Ange Postecoglou unveiled as his replacement the following morning.

One could not really find a bigger stylistic shift in world football than going from Nuno to Ange, so it’ll be fascinating to see how Forest set up at the Emirates, given the success they enjoyed last season in big games by sitting deep and counter attacking.

We’re assuming a rather different approach will be on show henceforth.

During his time across North London with Tottenham, Postecoglou’s team were renowned for their high line, most memorably during Spurs’ infamous 4-1 defeat at the hands of Chelsea, in which they went down to nine men but continued playing their way.

Well, as Arsenal look to expose such a tactic come Saturday lunchtime, which member of Mikel Arteta’s squad will help get the best out of their new superstar centre-forward?

Viktor Gyökeres' start to life as Arsenal's number nine

After three Premier League games, Viktor Gyökeres has made a mixed start to life at Arsenal.

In the big away games at Old Trafford and Anfield, the Swedish centre-forward has been nothing more than a peripheral figure, touching the ball a mere 15 times on Merseyside, after enjoying only 19 touches against Manchester United.

However, in between, as Arteta’s side demolished Leeds United 5-0 at home, Gyökeres bagged a brace, the second a penalty but the first a trademark goal, bursting in behind, cutting inside from the left and deceiving Lucas Perri by lashing into the near bottom corner.

As Arsenal supporters who spent the entire summer watching goal completions will know, during his two seasons at Sporting CP, scoring a whopping 97 goals for the Lisbon-based giants, a lot of his goals in the Primeira Liga were just like that.

The problem is, in the vast majority of home matches, opposition teams sit deep and frustrate Arsenal, a challenge they often fail to overcome, resulting in the Gunners dropping points when Everton, West Ham, Brentford and others visited last season.

Well, now that Forest are led by Postecoglou, one would imagine they will not set up in that way, potentially making this the perfect game for Gyökeres, but which teammate will unleash his full potential?

The Arsenal star looking to rediscover his magic

Among many of the issues that inhibited Arsenal last season was the downturn in form endured by Martin Ødegaard.

The £30m midfielder suffered an ankle injury during Norway’s 2-1 victory over Austria on 9 September last year, making his return against Inter Milan in the Champions League on 6 November, but it was clear that he wasn’t 100% fit that night at San Siro, nor for the rest of the season thereafter if we’re honest.

Thus, with most hoping a summer rest would help Ødegaard get back to his best, it was far from ideal that he suffered a shoulder injury against Leeds but, after starting both internationals last week, he’ll be available to take on Forest this weekend.

Last season, the captain contributed just six goals and 12 assists, having registered 11 goals and 12 assists the season before, his most productive campaign in front of goal coming back in 2022/23, when he netted 15 times in the Premier League.

So, could the arrival of Gyökeres help Ødegaard get back to his best?

Well, Norway’s World Cup qualifier this week gave us a sense of what he can still produce, scoring once and bagging two assists for Erling Braut Håland as they annihilated Moldova 11-1 in Oslo on Tuesday.

Ødegaard played some stupendous through balls for Håland at the Ullevål, and his statistics in UEFA World Cup qualifying more broadly underline how productive he can still be.

As the table documents, Ødegaard has been one of the most outstanding players in European World Cup qualifying, central to Norway’s success, Ståle Solbakken’s side having won five out of five so far, scoring 24 goals, thereby on the cusp of a first major tournament since Euro 2000.

His tally of 27 key passes is eight more than Sorba Thomas of Wales and Czechia’s Václav Černý, who are joint-second on the list.

So now, can Arsenal’s club captain replicate this form at club level?

Well, in many ways, Gyökeres and Håland are very similar centre-forwards, with the Swede currently going through a comparable adaptation period that the Norwegian endured during his early months at Manchester City.

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So, while there is obviously plenty of clamour for Eberechi Eze to make his full-Arsenal debut, Arteta must get his captain back in the lineup this weekend, possibly alongside Eze, as he will get the best out of Gyökeres, thereby taking advantage of Postecoglou’s kamikaze high line.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 11, 2025

Manchester United’s midfield department has fallen way below the standards expected from the fanbase during recent seasons – undoubtedly contributing to their lowly Premier League standing in 2024/25.

Ruben Amorim, who’s been in the role since November last year, still has yet to find the perfect combination between the two midfielders in his 3-4-2-1 system.

Club captain Bruno Fernandes is almost certain to operate in one of the aforementioned roles after Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha were brought into Old Trafford during the summer.

Casemiro has been the player to feature alongside him so far this campaign, but questions are undoubtedly being asked about his long-term future given the Brazilian turns 34 in February.

Manuel Ugarte is another option currently at the manager’s disposal, but he evidently wanted further reinforcements given their activity in the summer transfer window.

Why Man Utd wanted to sign Baleba this summer

During the summer transfer window, United made their move to land Carlos Baleba from Brighton & Hove Albion in an attempt to bolster the midfield department.

The Red Devils even entered talks with the player and his representatives over a move to join the club, but the £100m asking price proved to be a huge stumbling block.

A lot was made about the move for the 21-year-old, but why did Amorim desperately want the youngster?

He made 34 appearances in the Premier League last season, scoring three times, including a phenomenal long-range strike against West Ham United back in April.

However, his underlying stats highlight how impressive he was out of possession, subsequently winning 1.6 tackles per 90 – undoubtedly providing the ball-winning presence the side have lacked.

Baleba also came out on top in 6.7 duels per 90, also making 6.6 recoveries per 90, showcasing his phenomenal ability without the ball at his feet on the South Coast.

Missing out on such a talent will have been a bitter blow for the Red Devils’ ambitions in 2025/26, but Amorim may be forced to rely upon one player already plying his trade in Manchester.

The United star who’s a bigger talent than Baleba

The last few months under Amorim have been unsuccessful to say the least, with the 40-year-old only achieving a 40% win percentage over the last 10 months at the helm.

His 3-4-2-1 system requires a very specific type of player – especially in the midfield department – with a deeper option needed alongside the attacking Fernandes at the heart of the side.

Ugarte would appear the best fit, but his lack of form has led to cause for concern – especially after the hierarchy forked out £50m for his signature last summer.

Kobbie Mainoo has struggled to cement his place under the former Sporting CP boss, only starting 19 league games to date and often having to resort to minutes off the substitutes’ bench.

A future “£100m-plus footballer” in the words of United writer Alex Turk, the youngster is adored by many at Old Trafford after his rapid rise to stardom, becoming a key member of the side under Erik ten Hag in the 2023/24 campaign.

However, his lack of action has led to the player himself voicing his displeasure at his lack of action, even requesting a loan move away from his boyhood club in the recent window.

No move materialised away from Old Trafford, with the Englishman deserving of the opportunity to start on a regular basis – hopefully replicating the numbers he produced last season and helping the Red Devils rise up the table.

When comparing his figures to those of Baleba from 2024/25, Mainoo managed to outperform him in key areas – showcasing the quality he possesses despite his tender age.

Mainoo, who’s been labelled “exceptional” by journalist Phil Brown, won more tackles per 90 (1.6) whilst also achieving a better tackle success rate (61%).

Games played

25

34

Minutes played

1651

2661

Pass accuracy

87%

86%

Key passes made

0.8

0.7

Tackles won

1.6

1.5

% of tackles won

61%

60%

Take-ons completed

1.3

1.1

Carries into opposition box

0.6

0.1

Such figures showcase that the youngster is actually a better ball-winner than Baleba, with the decision to keep hold of him this summer a blessing in disguise if he can replicate such numbers.

He also dominated in possession, completing more of the passes he attempted (87%) and completing more take-ons per 90 (1.3) – which could allow him to progress the play and provide the new additions ahead of him with key chances in the final third.

There’s no denying Baleba would’ve offered another excellent option at the heart of Amorim’s side, but ultimately, his £100m asking price was way out of range given the previous business conducted.

As for Mainoo, he’s more than deserving of a run in the first-team to regain his starting position, with Amorim desperately needing to utilise the youngster in their hunt for success.

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Former Manchester United star Wes Brown picked a shock name as his hardest team-mate, and did not mention Roy Keane. Instead of the fiery former captain, Brown, who also played for the likes of Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers, instead chose Keane's midfield partner, who was more known for his tidy passing than his temper.

• Brown snubs Keane

  For many, Keane was United’s ultimate hardman. A snarling, relentless leader, Keane embodied everything manager Sir Alex Ferguson wanted in a captain. When he took over the armband from Eric Cantona in 1997, United became an unstoppable force, none more so than during the club’s historic 1998–99 treble-winning season. Keane was the heartbeat of that side, the midfield general who drove standards, won tackles like they were personal battles, and never tolerated passengers. His confrontations, both on and off the pitch, became legendary. But even Keane’s iron rule came to an explosive end in 2005 when a fiery clash with Ferguson saw him booted out of Old Trafford. His career ended a year later at Celtic, but his hard-as-nails reputation and his willingness to rip into players as a pundit have lived on.

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  Brown’s surprising confession about Butt

  In a squad that boasted heavyweights like Jaap Stam, Nemanja Vidic, and of course, Keane himself, it’s a shock pick, but Brown insists there was something about Butt’s quiet menace that made him a force to be reckoned with. In an interview with speaking about the toughest characters he ever shared a dressing room with, Brown said: "Yeah, Nicky Butt was tough. You have Nemanja Vidic, he didn’t suffer fools. Jaap Stam was a tough bloke to deal with as well, and obviously you have Roy Keane who would be able to handle himself if there was a problem. There were a few characters in the squad who could be pretty strong in how they carried themselves, but they were top lads too. But the one I’d pick out is Nicky. He’s from Gorton, near me, and he was a lovely bloke. But if there was one bloke I’d not want to get on the wrong side of, especially if he was in the right, it was Nicky. He could definitely defend himself."

• Keane vs Butt tussle in training

  But behind the famous scowl, there’s another side to Keane, one that’s rarely seen, but unforgettable to those who’ve experienced it. Former United academy player Kevin Grogan shared a moment from his early days that showed Keane’s protective instincts when he picked up a fight with Butt to defend the underdog. 

  "The first day, I trained with the youths, the second with the reserves, the third day I was with the first team,” Grogan reminisced to the

  “At the start of training, you'd do a bit of keep ball. We were doing one touch, piggy in the middle. I just remember Nicky Butt absolutely pinging the ball at me. It was impossible for me to control it with one touch. It bounced off me. I went to go into the middle to grab the bib. Roy Keane stepped in and said to Nicky Butt, 'Don't ever do that to him again'."

  Keane then turned to the nervous youngster and said: “Do not take that bib.” It was a small act, but to Grogan, it meant everything. “It was nice to have someone like that having your back,” he said.

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  The glory days feel a long way off now

  Fast forward to 2025, and Manchester United’s current predicament couldn’t feel further removed from those glory years. The club sits 10th in the Premier League, a world away from the title-chasing force that Butt, Keane, and Brown once helped build. After a dire September that saw United drop as low as 14th, manager Ruben Amorim has faced relentless pressure. Calls for change grew louder by the week, until a thumping win over Sunderland before the international break offered a brief reprieve. Now, the test gets even tougher. Next up is Liverpool, a clash that could define Amorim’s fate at Old Trafford. Lose that, and the pressure could reach breaking point.

Another international break looms, with Manchester United perhaps coming to a crucial juncture in the Ruben Amorim regime, as the Old Trafford hierarchy plot whether to stick or twist with their under-fire manager.

The boom or bust cycle of recent times would suggest that a win at home to Sunderland on Saturday would instantly lift the mood and quash the doubters, although Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co may need to look at the bigger picture.

Indeed, the manager with the worst win percentage of any permanent United boss since the Second World War is hanging on by the skin of his teeth, having won just nine Premier League games from his 35 outings in charge.

A victory over a newly-promoted side – much like with the 3-2 triumph over Burnley before the September break – should not be seen as a deciding factor in INEOS’ decision. They must either back Amorim to the hilt, or make the change before the damage is done.

The Portuguese coach, for what it’s worth, hasn’t exactly been aided by the woes of his struggling side, with discussion over his much-maligned 3-4-3 system perhaps masking the repeated individual errors that he is being forced to witness.

From Altay Bayindir in the sticks, to his previously reliable skipper, Bruno Fernandes, Amorim is not getting the help he needs. Something has to change…

Bruno Fernandes' start to the season in numbers

There is a very familiar feel to the start of the new campaign, with Erik ten Hag having been shown the door in late October 2024, with United left languishing in 14th in the table.

That dismal start to the season came amid the struggles of Fernandes to get firing, with the former Sporting CP playmaker – who had signed a new contract that summer after turning down an offer from abroad – looking distinctly off the pace in those early weeks.

Indeed, the midfielder was dismissed against both Tottenham Hotspur and Porto, while his first goal of the season didn’t arrive until Ten Hag had already been replaced, with four coming in just four games under interim boss, Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Even under Amorim, it appeared to take the start of a new year, and a red card away at Wolves, for Fernandes to truly be revived, with his January display against Liverpool helping to kickstart a season that would end with 38 goals and assists in all competitions.

Amorim had barely acknowledged his compatriot as he trudged off following that needless dismissal at Molinuex, with perhaps that moment helping to fuel Fernandes from then on. He may well need to do something similar now.

The time might have come for the under-pressure United boss to take his captain out of the firing line, with Fernandes already missing two penalties this season, while failing to thrive as part of the midfield duo.

Yes goals have come against both Burnley and ten-man Chelsea, although the 31-year-old was notably culpable for failing to track Phil Foden at the Etihad, having also failed to register an assist while creating just one ‘big chance’ in the league to date, as per Sofascore.

Games

6

Goals

2

Assists

0

Big chances created

1

Key passes*

2.7

Pass accuracy*

82%

Total duels won*

55%

Balls recovered*

6.5

Possession lost*

17.3

While United and Fernandes rightly shunned Saudi interest in him this summer, there remains an intrigue over what this side could look like without him. Why not test it against the Black Cats?

How Man Utd can replace Fernandes

Dropping his key man to the bench may seem like a drastic take, although if Amorim is to remain wedded to his current set-up, then trialling different personnel within it could be a worthwhile venture.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

With Saturday marking the first time that Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko have started alongside each other, that trio needs time to gel and flourish. Plunging Fernandes back into a number ten role would only disrupt things.

The obvious replacement for Fernandes in a deeper midfield berth would undoubtedly be young Kobbie Mainoo, albeit with question marks still surrounding whether he has the physical capabilities to flourish in that role.

It was also Mainoo’s errant pass late on which sparked Brentford’s counter to clinch a 3-1 victory, with the 20-year-old seemingly yet to truly win over his new boss, despite bursting onto the scene under his predecessor.

With Casemiro likely to return in place of the hapless Manuel Ugarte, Fernandes’ role could be taken up by Mason Mount, with the injury-hit Englishman having featured off the bench across the last two league games.

While his repeated setbacks have made him somewhat unreliable, the ex-Chelsea man looked lively in the first three top-flight games of the campaign, having started as part of the front three alongside Cunha and Mbeumo.

The lack of an end product – with just four goals and two assists to his name for United to date – perhaps ensures Mount can’t justify occupying one of those number ten berths, with a move to a midfield role worth experimenting with.

Described as a “pressing monster” by Statman Dave, the 26-year-old has the ability and work rate to cover ground, notably ranking in the top 5% of attacking midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles made per 90, as per FBref.

It hasn’t been seen enough in a United shirt, although the Champions League winner is a quality asset at his best, having even been described as being “like Paul Scholes” by Roy Keane during his Chelsea pomp.

Amorim has repeatedly dished out praise for a player he described as a “proper footballer”, and with the engine room currently struggling, Mount could well be just the solution.

At such a desperate time, there really is nothing to lose from trialling the 36-cap England international in a fresh role – as long as it’s not at left wing-back, that is…

Amorim upgrade: "Best coach in the PL" would now "love" to manage Man Utd

Manchester United may look to one manager to replace Ruben Amorim in the near future.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 2, 2025

Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Shubman Gill won the toss and opted to chase against Delhi Capitals (DC) in IPL 2025 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.Kagiso Rabada returned for GT, replacing Gerald Coetzee. This is Rabada’s first game after he went back home to serve a one-month ban for the use of a recreational drug.DC made two changes. Mustafizur Rahman, who was in Sharjah last night and picked up 2 for 17 from four overs against UAE, replaced Mitchell Starc for DC. Vipraj Nigam came in for Madhav Tiwari.”Definitely not easy to start all over again but good rest for our fast bowlers,” Gill said.DC captain Axar Patel also wanted to bowl first given the dew. “We are thinking about only this game and not about the qualification,” he said.The match is being played on a black-soil pitch. When bowling from the south end, one square boundary is 66 metres, the other 58 metres. The straight boundary is 71 metres.Delhi Capitals: 1 Faf du Plessis, 2 Abhishek Porel, 3 KL Rahul (wk), 4 Sameer Rizvi, 5 Axar Patel (capt), 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Ashutosh Sharma, 8 Vipraj Nigam, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 T NatarajanImpact Player options: Karun Nair, Dushmantha Chameera, Sediqullah Atal, T Vijay, Madhav TiwariGujarat Titans: 1 Shubman Gill (capt), 2 Jos Buttler (wk), 3 Sherfane Rutherford, 4 Shahrukh Khan, 5 Rahul Tewatia, 6 Rashid Khan, 7 Kagiso Rabada, 8 Arshad Khan, 9 R Sai Kishore, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Mohammed SirajImpact Player options: B Sai Sudharsan, Washington Sundar, Mahipal Lomror, Anuj Rawat, Dasun Shanaka

MatériaMais Notícias

Abel Ferreira recebeu uma terrível notícia nesta segunda-feira (28), com a confirmação da grave lesão de Dudu no joelho direito, que deve tirar o camisa sete dos gramados em 2023.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasCinco motivos que explicam a permanência de Gómez no PalmeirasPalmeiras29/08/2023PalmeirasTorcida do Palmeiras prepara mosaico para jogo diante do Deportivo PereiraPalmeiras29/08/2023Palmeiras100% Veiganismo; Sem Dudu, Raphael Veiga se torna ainda mais importante para o PalmeirasPalmeiras29/08/2023

+ Veja tabela da Libertadores-2023 clicando aqui

Infelizmente esta não foi a primeira lesão grave que Abel Ferreira teve que administrar em seus quase três anos de Palmeiras. Pela terceira vez, o técnico português vê um jogador seu lesionar o joelho no gramado sintético do Allianz Parque.

Logo no seu jogo de estreia no Palmeiras, Abel Ferreira perdeu o atacante Wesley, hoje no Cruzeiro, que sofreu uma grave lesão de menisco no joelho, diante do Red Bull Bragantino, pela Copa do Brasil.

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Já no início desse ano, em uma atividade no Allianz Parque pós jogo diante da Ferroviária, pelo Paulistão, o colombiano Eduard Atuesta também teve uma ruptura do ligamento cruzado anterior do joelho direito.

Para o Dr. Arnaldo Hernandez, especialista em Ortopedia e Traumatologia e Coordenador Geral do Núcleo de Medicina do Exercício e do Esporte do Hospital Sírio-Libanês, ainda não é possível cravar que o gramado sintético aumenta a probabilidade de lesões no joelho, porém existem alguns estudos que mostram que há uma relação entre lesões de LCA com esse tipo específico de piso.

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– Existem alguns trabalhos especificamente no futebol americano, que mostram essa associação tanto do piso, quanto os de alguns tipos de calçados esportivos. Infelizmente no futebol tradicional, embora essa associação pareça até existir, a gente não tem uma comprovação no sentido de uma publicação científica, mas o fato é que quando você tem um coeficiente de atrito maior entre o pé e o solo, os mecanismos torcionais do joelho, em principio, tem chance maior de acontecer uma lesão de ligamento cruzado. É bem provável que exista essa associação desse tipo de lesão com o gramado artificial, embora ainda não tenhamos prova em um ponto de vista de publicação científica. – disse Hernandez.

No mesmo Paulistão desse ano, o São Paulo perdeu dois jogadores lesionados por rompimento de ligamento cruzado anterior do joelho atuando no Allianz Parque. O zagueiro Ferraresi se lesionou diante do Palmeiras e o meia Galoppo se machucou contra o Água Santa.

+ Copo Stanley a partir de R$120,00. Bebida gelada nos 90′ de jogo do Verdão!

Na temporada passada, o volante Jaílson também rompeu o ligamento cruzado do joelho, só que daquela vez a lesão aconteceu em um treinamento na Academia de Futebol.