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The start of this season couldn’t have gone much better for Tottenham Hotspur, with convincing wins over Burnley and Manchester City.

However, in the months since, things have really gone off the rails for Thomas Frank and his side.

They currently sit 16th in the Champions League and, following their dismal defeat at the hands of Fulham on Saturday night, 11th in the Premier League.

Frank looked bereft of ideas against the West Londoners, and his team appeared all at sea, including one player who could be in danger of becoming their new Serge Aurier.

Spurs' worst players against Fulham

Aside from maybe Micky Van de Ven for his goalsaving tackle and Randal Kolo Muani for his general play, there were dismal displays across the entire Spurs starting lineup.

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The player who has received the most stick during and after the game is undoubtedly Guglielmo Vicario.

The Italian goalkeeper was the main culprit for the visitors’ second goal, with him rushing out to intercept a long ball, kicking it into danger and then being way out of the penalty area when Harry Wilson curled the ball into the net.

Such a costly blunder, and the fact that the team were 2-0 down in just the sixth minute, led to sections of the home support booing the former Emploi man at every touch.

While not responsible for conceding a goal, Richarlison was another Lilywhites ace who was practically useless on the night.

In his 60 minutes of action, he offered no threat at all, producing an expected goals figure of 0.00 and completing just six of his nine passes.

Moreover, while he took 21 touches, he ended up losing possession nine times, which helps to justify the 3/10 match rating he received from the Standard’s Matt Verri.

It was also a poor showing for Kevin Danso, who was second best to Raul Jimenez throughout the game, and it was his headed clearance that led to the opening goal.

Unfortunately for Frank and the fans, another starter put in a horror display against the Cottagers and could end up becoming the Spurs’ next Aurier if he’s not careful.

Spurs' new Serge Aurier

It was clear that Aurier was a talented player during his stint with Spurs, but what was also clear was that he was error-prone and became something of a scapegoat.

After all, he got sent off on his Premier League debut, and it was his foul that led to Manchester City’s winning free-kick in the 2021 League Cup final.

After that mistake, Jamie Carragher described him as “one of the biggest liabilities in Premier League football.”

The Ivorian left the club that summer, and unfortunately, it feels like Pedro Porro could be becoming the new version of him.

Now, to be clear, the Spanish full-back, originally signed on loan by Antonio Conte, is a hugely talented footballer and someone who is capable of delivering a brilliant cross at times.

However, he has become a growing concern for North Londoners over the last season or so, both offensively and defensively, with the game against Fulham a perfect example.

In his 94 minutes on the pitch, he lost 100% of his aerial duels, lost five of eight ground duels, was dribbled past three times, was accurate in just three of 16 crosses, failed in 100% of his dribbles and completed only 62% of his long balls.

Porro’s game vs Fulham

Minutes

94′

Ground Duels (Won)

8 (3)

Aerial Duels (Won)

3 (0)

Dribbled Past

3

Crosses (Accurate)

16 (3)

Dribbles (Successful)

2 (0)

Long Balls

8/13

All Stats via Sofascore

In short, it was a poor attacking display and a truly horrendous defensive one, which more than justifies Verri’s match rating of 4/10 and description of him looking a ‘nervous wreck at the back.’

As if that wasn’t enough, he then proceeded to throw his shirt to the floor and storm off the pitch when the full-time whistle went, in what journalist Mitch Fretton described as “absolute embarrassment.”

It’s this combination of yet another poor performance and the petulance afterward that makes it hard not to think of the former Ivorian international.

Ultimately, Porro is still a talented player and could turn things around, but it’s been some time since fans have seen him at his best, and that display against Fulham was more than worrying.

Related New Soldado: Frank must bin Spurs flop who had fewer touches than Vicario

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank must drop this flop who is becoming the new Roberto Soldado.

Posts ByDan Emery Nov 30, 2025

Dasun Shanaka will be leading Sri Lanka in the tri-series after Charith Asalanka had to be withdrawn due to illness

Andrew Fidel Fernando17-Nov-2025

Big picture: Teams tuning up ahead of World CupTwo-and-a-half months out from the Men’s T20 World Cup, it’s time to get serious. There are squads that need finalising, strategies that need trialing, and players that need tuning into the rhythm and tempo of T20 cricket.For Pakistan, this tri-series series is a chance to build on some T20 advances this year. They have won 17 T20Is to the 12 they’ve lost in 2025. That run includes making it to the final of the Asia Cup, and beating South Africa 2-1 in their most-recent T20I series. Under the leadership of Salman Agha, the batting has had a little more purpose, even if it is the bowling that has tended to win Pakistan games.In that series against South Africa, for example, the bowlers had restricted the visitors to feeble scores twice. Still, the chases were largely smooth, and Pakistan’s two victories were comfortable. The generally-preferred strategy seems to be to put the opposition in, and try to blow them away cheaply.Related

SL call up Vijayakanth Viyaskanth as cover for injured Hasaranga

Injured Muzarabani out of tri-series, Nyamhuri named replacement

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have not been having an especially good time in this format either. Longstanding firepower issues in the batting order persist, although this is less apparent when Pathum Nissanka fires at the top of the order. They are also trying to figure out their combinations – frequently seeming either a bowler or batter short against top opposition.Ahead of a home World Cup, Sri Lanka are desperate to find a working formula. Dasun Shanaka being named acting captain of the side after Charith Asalanka was withdrawn due to illness suggests the selectors want him locked in, in the lower order, at least until the end of the World Cup. And Wanindu Hasaranga’s decent batting form will also help add some depth, provided Hasaranga recovers for the tri-series. Sri Lanka have drafted in legspinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth as cover on the eve of the tournament, but hope Hasaranga recovers to feature in the competition.Zimbabwe haven’t had quite so hot a year. But at least, unlike for the 2024 World Cup, they have bossed the Africa qualifier, and earned themselves a spot in the big show. And it was in that qualifier – played entirely in Harare – that they made their most impressive run of 2025, picking up five successive victories, including in the final against Namibia, who have also qualified for the World Cup.Zimbabwe recently beat Sri Lanka in a T20I•Zimbabwe Cricket

Pakistan and Sri Lanka will likely pose a much sterner challenge than the lower-ranked teams Zimbabwe played in Harare, though, and they are just coming off a 3-0 loss to Afghanistan. They have, however, also beaten Sri Lanka in a T20I recently; Sri Lanka lost the second T20I in a three-match series in Zimbabwe in September.Although the tri-series between Pakistan, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka was originally scheduled to move to Lahore after two matches in Rawalpindi, security concerns following last week’s bombing in Islamabad has prompted a change. The tournament will be played entirely in Rawalpindi now.Form guidePakistan: WWLLW
Sri Lanka: LLLWW
Zimbabwe: LLLWWIn the spotlight: Babar, Nissanka, and BennettIs Babar Azam back? There have been recent signs he is returning to a fuller version of himself, particularly when, on Friday, he struck his first international ton since 2023 even if that was in ODIs. Having been dropped from the T20I side for most of this year, Babar also struck a match-winning 68 off 47 balls against South Africa in Lahore less than three weeks ago. If he can have a successful tri-series, Pakistan will feel a much more menacing unit.Pathum Nissanka got a T20I hundred against India in September•AFP/Getty Images

Sri Lanka may already be over-reliant on Pathum Nissanka, their most improved white-ball batter of the past three years, and owner of a T20I hundred (against India no less), in September. His first week in Pakistan could have gone better. Nissanka got three starts in the ODIs, but could not even breach 30. On what are expected to be flatter tracks in Rawalpindi, he will likely come good at some point. Sri Lanka’s batting feels like a transformed unit on the days in which Nissanka scores heavily.Zimabwe’s run through the T20 World Cup qualifier had partly been fuelled by the form of their opening batters, and Brian Bennett in particular. Bennett crashed 314 runs at a strike rate of 181.50, making three fifties and a hundred in the space of five innings. At age 22, he has never played in Pakistan, but perhaps the greater challenge will be to counter attacks which will now, given his recent success, have spent much more time analysing his game, and devising plans against him.Pitch and conditionsAs we’re heading into winter, expect cold nights in Rawalpindi, where evening temperatures are forecast to drop into the low teens at times. This generally means fielding errors. The surface is expected to be batting friendly, though there is frequently something for the seamers there.SquadsPakistan made a late change to their squad, releasing Hasan Nawaz and bringing Fakhar Zaman, who was in excellent ODI form, in.Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (capt), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk), Usman TariqFakhar Zaman replaced Hasan Nawaz in Pakistan’s squad•AFP/Getty Images

With Hasaranga’s hamstring tightness a concern, after he sustained a minor hamstring strain in the second ODI against Pakistan, Viyaskanth could get a look-in. Captain Charith Asalanka and Asitha Fernando are returning home due to illness. Top-order batter Pavan Rathnayake has now been brought into the T20I squad. Rathnayake made his international debut in the third ODI of the Pakistan tour.Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (capt.), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Kamil Mishara, Dasun Shanaka (vice-capt), Kamindu Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranaga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan MalingaZimbabwe’s one change to the squad that played Afghanistan at home is to add a seamer. The is helpfully named Newman Nyamhuri, who’s a 19-year-old left-arm quick. He’s yet to play an international, and is in the squad because one of their senior bowlers, Blessing Muzarabani, is ruled out with a back injury.Zimbabwe: Sikandar Raza (capt), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Graeme Cremer, Bradley Evans, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa, Wellington Masakadza, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Brendan TaylorSince October 2022, Zimbabwe and Pakistan have won two games apiece against each other•ICC via Getty Images

Stats and trivia Zimbabwe have played five T20Is in Pakistan – most recently in 2020 – and have lost all five. Zimbabwe have a decent recent record against Pakistan, however. Since October 2022, these teams have faced each other four times and won two apiece. Although he has been playing T20Is only since 2021, Nissanka is Sri Lanka’s second-highest run-scorer in the format, with 2211 runs from 73 innings. Kusal Perera, who sits at the top, and is part of Sri Lanka’s squad for this tri-series, is only 65 runs ahead of Nissanka.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Coritiba confirmou a contratação do atacante Pedro Rocha, 31 anos, no início da tarde desta quinta-feira (11). O jogador foi o artilheiro da Série B de 2025 e não renovou com o Remo para a próxima temporada.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

O Coxa tinha um acordo verbal com o atleta desde semana passada e enviou um pré-contrato para garantir o reforço. Ele tem vínculo com o Azulino até o fim deste ano e ficará à disposição a partir de 5 de janeiro, quando abre a janela de transferência.

O contrato de Pedro Rocha com o Coritiba vai até o final de 2027.

– Chego pronto para contribuir ao máximo e ajudar o clube a conquistar grandes objetivos. Gostei muito do projeto que me foi apresentado e isso me deixou ainda mais empolgado para vestir essa camisa. A torcida pode ter certeza de que dedicação, raça e entrega dentro de campo não vão faltar – declarou, ao site oficial.

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Pedro Rocha marcou 15 gols em 32 jogos na Série B e foi determinante para o acesso do Remo, que não joga a Série A desde 1994. Pelo time paraense, Pedro Rocha fez 19 gols e deu nove assistências em 44 partidas nesta temporada, e também foi campeão estadual.

O ótimo desempenho, o melhor da carreira do atacante, chamou a atenção no mercado. Além do Coritiba, outros clubes do Brasileirão, como Corinthians e São Paulo, e alguns do exterior sondaram o futuro dele.

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➡️ Veja mais notícias do Coritiba

Pedro Rocha é a primeira contratação confirmada do Coxa para 2026. Além dele, a diretoria alviverde avançou pelo volante Willian Oliveira, do Vitória, e tem interesse em dois jogadores que caíram na Série A: o lateral-direito Tinga, do Fortaleza, e o zagueiro Willian Machado, do Ceará.

O elenco coxa-branca se reapresenta em 27 de dezembro, no CT da Graciosa, para iniciar a pré-temporada. O Coritiba estreia no Campeonato Paranaense em 7 de janeiro com um time sub-23, enquanto o grupo principal jogará a partir da terceira rodada.

Carreira de Pedro Rocha, reforço do Coritiba

Formado nas bases de Atlético Diadema-SP e Juventus-SP, Pedro Rocha se profissionalizou no Moleque Travesso em 2013 e, dois anos depois, acertou com o Grêmio. No Tricolor gaúcho, ele ganhou projeção nacional ao marcar dois gols na final do título da Copa do Brasil de 2016, contra o Atlético-MG, e ser expulso na sequência.

Em agosto do ano seguinte, antes da conquista da Libertadores e com 32 gols e 10 assistências em 126 jogos pelo time gaúcho, o atacante foi vendido ao Spartak Moscow, da Rússia, por 12 milhões de euros (R$ 45,2 milhões, na cotação da época). Na Europa, não conseguiu se firmar, com um gol e uma assistência em 19 jogos.

Sem espaço, ele foi emprestado ao Cruzeiro, Flamengo e Athletico, entre 2019 e 2022. No período, ele foi campeão do Brasileirão pelo Fla em 2020 e da Sul-Americana pelo Furacão em 2021, mas teve pouco protagonismo e veio do banco de reservas na maioria dos confrontos.

Depois, Pedro Rocha ficou no Fortaleza por duas temporadas e meia e sofreu com lesões. No Tricolor do Pici, marcou quatro gols e deu 10 assistências em 35 partidas, além dos títulos do estadual de 2023 e da Copa do Nordeste de 2024. Antes do Remo, ele atuou pelo Criciúma no ano passado e fez apenas sete jogos.

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoCoritibaFutebol NacionalMercado da BolaPedro RochaRemoSérie B

Big-money transfers certainly haven’t been alien to Manchester United in recent seasons, with the hierarchy forking out a pretty penny on players in the transfer market.

The Red Devils’ transfer record currently sits at £89m, with such a fee being forked out for the signature of Paul Pogba back in the summer of 2016.

However, the club have previously come close to breaking such a record, especially after forking out a deal with £86m for Antony’s signature just a couple of years ago.

The hierarchy have seen first hand that spending big on such players doesn’t equal Premier League success, especially with the Brazilian leaving for just £19m last summer.

That hasn’t stopped the board from wanting to replicate such deals in the upcoming window, with numerous big-money deals touted ahead of the January market.

Man Utd’s hunt for new additions in January

Over the last couple of weeks, United have ramped up their efforts to land Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, with the Red Devils even entering talks to land the Englishman.

However, a deal would likely be another expensive one, with Sean Dyche’s currently demanding a fee in the region of £100m for his signature in the coming months.

Ruben Amorim’s men aren’t alone in the pursuit for Anderson’s services, as rivals Manchester City have stormed into the race to land the 23-year-old in the near future.

He’s not the only big-money player currently in the Red Devils’ sights, as the hierarchy have identified Real Madrid superstar Vinícius Júnior as a potential transfer target.

According to one Spanish outlet, Amorim’s men are currently preparing a club-record €150m (£131m) bid for the Brazilian, with the forward having just over 18 months left on his deal at the Bernabeu.

They also state that the player himself could be tempted by a move to the Premier League, especially given his recent fall-out with manager Xabi Alonso.

Why United’s £131m target would be Amorim’s next Garnacho

Not all of United’s stars have joined in massive transfers, as seen with winger Alejandro Garnacho, who joined for a minimal fee from Atlético Madrid as a teenager.

The Argentine managed to force himself into the first-team reckoning a couple of years ago, with the youngster registering nine combined goals and assists in his first season as a professional.

His next two seasons with the Red Devils would follow in a similar vein, as the 21-year-old scored 21 times and registered 15 assists – one of the best returns in the first-team squad.

However, it wouldn’t be enough to maintain his future at Old Trafford, as Amorim constantly made an example of him for his attitude issues which resulted in him being frozen out of the squad.

Garnacho would depart the club during the summer, joining Premier League rivals Chelsea in a deal worth a reported £40m – a decent fee given his failures in Manchester.

Despite the sale, Amorim could get his next version of the Argentine in January, especially if the hierarchy sanction a club-record move to land Vinicius.

As previously mentioned, he’s constantly had his own disciplinary issues, with it all coming to a head in the meeting with Barcelona, as the Brazilian reacted furiously to being substituted.

Such issues could lead to his exit from the Bernabeu, potentially leading to a switch to England and finally getting a taste of the greatest division in the world.

However, despite his struggles, he’s managed to impress on the pitch in recent times, with his numbers leading to Thierry Henry labelling him the “best in the world”.

Vinicius Junior – stats in 2025/26

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

13

Goals & assists

9

Progressive carries

8.9

Progressive passes

4.8

Pass accuracy

80%

Key passes

2.9

Passes into final third

1.9

Take-on success

38%

Carries into final third

2.9

Stats via FBref

Vinicius has already registered nine combined goals and assists in LaLiga this campaign, a tally that would make him the most effective player in Amorim’s current side.

Tallies such as 8.9 progressive carries and his 38% take-one success further highlight the talent he possesses with the ball, potentially having the creative nature to provide those around him with opportunities.

His passing stats also make for excellent reading, with the Brazilian making 2.9 key passes per 90, 1.9 of which going into the final third – arguably making him the perfect all-round attacker.

£131m would be a massive statement of intent from the board, but it’s a deal that would no doubt hand the first-team yet another world-class attacking option.

However, his attitude will certainly need to be watched, especially given the recent decline of Garnacho, with Amorim needing to keep the attackers’ feet firmly on the ground.

Related Haaland 2.0: Man Utd can sign "one of the best STs in Europe" for £44m

Manchester United could be about to sign a new talisman like Erling Haaland in January.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Nov 29, 2025