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Manchester United academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo has found himself in a difficult position under head coach Ruben Amorim this season.

The England international has not started any of his seven appearances in the Premier League in the 2025/26 campaign, as Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, and Manuel Ugarte have all been preferred ahead of him in the XI.

Mainoo started 19 Premier League games last season and 24 in the 2023/24 campaign, per Sofascore, which shows that he has been far more integral to the side in previous terms.

On top of his current struggles for game time, the Red Devils and the INEOS regime are reportedly interested in signing another midfielder who would also be ahead of him in the pecking order.

Man Utd eyeing move for Premier League midfielder

The January transfer window is eight weeks or so away from opening for business, and the Premier League giants are looking at possible targets to bolster their squad.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Football Insider, Manchester United are one of the clubs eyeing up a move for Nottingham Forest central midfielder Elliot Anderson ahead of the January window.

The report claims that the England international, who has emerged as a key player for Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions, is United’s number one midfield target.

It adds that Liverpool are also interested in the £120m-rated midfielder, which shows that there will be competition for his signature at the turn of the year.

However, it now remains to be seen whether or not United or Liverpool are willing to pay the money that it would take to sign him from Forest in January.

Why Man Utd should sign Elliot Anderson

The Red Devils should push the boat out to sign the England international because he could arrive at Old Trafford as a big upgrade on Mainoo in the middle of the park.

The chart above shows that Anderson has outperformed Mainoo in a host of metrics over the past 365 days, particularly as a defensive force and as a progressive passer.

Whilst the counterargument to that would be that Mainoo has not had enough minutes on the pitch to showcase his quality this season, England boss Tuchel has also decided to go with Anderson over the United man in his midfield at international level.

On top of that, the Nottingham Forest star, who was hailed as “incredible” by journalist Miles Starforth, also outperformed the Red Devils academy graduate in the Premier League last season, when the midfielder started 19 of his 25 appearances.

Appearances

25

37

Goals

0

2

Assists

0

6

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.6

3.3

Duels won per game

4.4

6.5

Ground duel success rate

47%

49%

Aerial duel success rate

38%

66%

As you can see in the table above, Anderson provided more quality to his team in the middle of the park with both his play in and out of possession for the Tricky Trees, offering more protection to his defence and making a bigger impact in the final third.

These statistics, on top of the aforementioned statistics over the past 365 days, suggest that he would be a better option for Amorim than Mainoo in the middle of the park in the second half of the season.

This means that a move for Anderson in the January transfer window could leave the English midfielder in a precarious position at Old Trafford, because he could be behind Bruno, Casemiro, Ugarte, and Anderson for two midfield positions.

That could then force the academy graduate to consider his long-term future at the club under Amorim and INEOS, as he may not want to sit on the bench at United when he could be playing regular games elsewhere.

Carragher said Man Utd star was "terrible", now he's Amorim's key player

Manchester United now have a talent who has managed to transform his career at Old Trafford.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 30, 2025

Diego Simeone has lavished praise on "incredible" Raphinha and expressed his surprise at the Barcelona star missing out on the 2025 Ballon d'Or. The Brazilian winger was once again decisive on Tuesday night as the Blaugrana overturned an early deficit to defeat Atletico Madrid 3-1 at the Camp Nou and tighten their grip at the top of La Liga.

Atletico struck first but then lost control

Atletico began the contest with confidence and clarity. Within 20 minutes, they were in front thanks to Alex Baena, who timed his run to perfection, beating Barcelona’s defensive line before sending a low shot beyond Joan Garcia. But the goal did not break Barcelona’s resolve. Hansi Flick’s team settled, began to dominate possession and soon found the spaces that Atletico had initially denied them. Six minutes after falling behind, it was Raphinha who dragged Barcelona level with a goal. He collected a perfectly weighted through ball from Pedri, rounded Jan Oblak with the poise of a centre-forward and stroked the ball home to cancel out Baena's opener.

Barcelona could have gone into the break ahead after Dani Olmo won a penalty following a clumsy challenge in the box. But the opportunity went begging as Robert Lewandowski, usually so assured from the spot, blazed his attempt over the crossbar. In the second half, Barcelona’s patience paid off. Olmo curled a sublime effort into the bottom corner to hand them the lead, but as he struck the ball, he lost his balance and crashed onto his shoulder and was forced off. With Atletico pushing forward in search of an equaliser, Barcelona struck again. Deep into added time, Alejandro Balde surged down the left and fired a low cross into the area, and Ferran Torres met it with a sharp finish from close range to seal the victory.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBallon d’Or snub leaves Simeone stunned

Despite the disappointment of the result, Simeone was in no mood to hide his admiration for one of the players who undid his team. In his post-match comments, the Atletico manager offered a glowing assessment of Raphinha’s performance. 

"Raphinha is an incredible player," he said. "He can play everywhere. As a winger, as a midfielder, as a striker, or even as a wing back. He can score, can create, he presses and runs. I don’t know how he didn’t win the Ballon d’Or. For me, I would choose him always."

Raphinha finished fifth in this year’s Ballon d’Or rankings, despite registering over 60 goal contributions and helping Barcelona lift three trophies. The prize went to PSG’s Ousmane Dembele, who won a treble with the French outfit, with 17-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal taking second place. Vitinha was third, and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah came in fourth.

Simeone reflects on missed opportunities & Cardoso injury

Simeone gave a detailed breakdown of the match, praising his team’s determination despite the defeat.

He said: "We started well, but they managed to hurt us inside, with the ball filtered inside. In the second half, it was the opposite: they started a little better, but after 20 minutes, we were the ones who looked for the game. We couldn’t complete it, but I liked the team. We know that they have very good feet and that they play with a lot of people inside so that disorder appears in the rival centre-backs, and today it worked very well for them. But I feel very calm and happy with what the team did. This will help us to improve. Now, a tough match also in Bilbao."

Simeone also acknowledged that an injury to Johnny Cardoso forced an early tactical reshuffle. The USMNT midfielder lasted just 14 minutes before being forced off following a clash with Olmo.

He told reporters: "Cardoso’s injury forced us to adjust. We had high hopes for Johnny, but he got injured and had to leave the game."

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Getty ImagesWhat comes next for Barcelona & Atletico Madrid?

The defeat brought an end to Atletico’s seven-match winning streak across all competitions, pausing the momentum they had built over recent weeks. Their focus now shifts to a demanding run of fixtures to close out 2025, starting with a trip to Athletic Club on Saturday, followed by league meetings with Valencia and Girona, then a crucial Champions League encounter with PSV. Barcelona, meanwhile, continue their climb, buoyed by confidence and a growing belief that they can sustain their latest title push under Flick. The win marked the Catalan side's fifth consecutive league win and carried them four points ahead of Real Madrid, who play on Wednesday.

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.

Chalkboard

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

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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

West Indies had their own struggles on a tough day in Barbados, but Australia’s next-gen batting remains a long-term gamble

Andrew McGlashan26-Jun-20253:33

Shamar Joseph: ‘One of the best deliveries I’ve bowled in my life’

Things may yet turn out alright on the night for Australia in Barbados in terms of the result – although that remains far from certain – but the opening day of the series shone a further light on the task of reshaping the top order with an eye to the future.Firstly, a qualifier: these were not comfortable batting conditions. Travis Head, who produced the most dominant innings, said that Australia had been taken by surprise with how tough they were, but Jayden Seales suggested West Indies had an inkling of what to expect after the pre-series training camp here.Still, Australia’s 22 for 3 – and a later collapse of 7 for 69 – followed on from the difficulties they had in the World Test Championship final against South Africa when they couldn’t find a way through tricky periods. West Indies had struggles of their own, but it was a reminder that the next generation of Australia batting could be a longer-term project riddled with uncertainties.Related

'Enough chances being created' – quicks could call the shots on third day in Barbados too

Seales, Shamar scythe through Australia before quicks return fire

Cummins backs Green as 'long-term' No. 3 amid Australia's batting reset

You only need to show Shamar Joseph an Australia batting line-up for him to put on a display. He had not quite hit the heights of the Gabba since that heady day (although, after his struggles in England last year, the numbers had been far from dire) but this brought back memories of Brisbane.His opening spell, and specifically the dismissal of Sam Konstas, set the tone for a well-planned West Indies bowling performance which held its nerve as Head and Usman Khawaja forged the best stand of the day, 89 runs, although it could have been better with safer catching.Konstas was beautifully set-up by Joseph, falling in a manner that has been seen before at Australia Under-19 level and in his early domestic days with the ball shaping back at him.”I think I set it up perfect towards him; a few outswingers, and then get the ball to nip back, because he’s just looking to get beaten outside off and then to nip back through the gate,” Joseph told ESPN’s , while speaking of the importance of the work he had put since the white-ball tour of the UK.Cameron Green lasted just 21 balls•Associated PressJoseph followed by giving Cameron Green a working over at No. 3, having him dropped second ball in the gully before he edged low to second slip. Ahead of the match, Pat Cummins said he saw Green as a long-term option at No. 3 but, while he’s had some tough conditions to face – firstly Kagiso Rabada at Lord’s and now another good pace attack – he will need a more convincing second innings to quieten the debate.The best of the lot, though, was saved for Beau Webster who was completely turned around by a magnificent delivery that took the top of the stumps. “That’s probably one of the best deliveries I’ve ever bowled,” Joseph said.Without Steven Smith (albeit temporarily) and Marnus Labuschagne, this batting order is without nearly 15,000 Test runs and it was something West Indies had taken note of.”We spoke about it,” Seales said. “We knew that coming into the Caribbean, pitches are a lot slower than what they were accustomed to in Australia. And especially this pitch, with the grass being how it is and the colour of the pitch, we knew that there was vulnerability within the batting line-up and more so with the pitch, so we just tried our best to exploit it.”

‘I don’t think there’s one solid way of going about things on those sort of wickets. You’ve just got to double down on your plan and your blueprint and what you play best’Travis Head

It took Australia 16 overs – and three wickets – to find the boundary, but Head defended the approach of the top order, backing each player to work out their own method.”I thought Usman applied himself really well in the partnership and batted completely different to what I did, and both were as effective as each other,” he said. “Guys will want to learn, you always want to try to adapt to the conditions the best way we can. We battled hard against a really quality attack, so on another day, you hope you get through it.””I don’t think there’s one solid way of going about things on those sort of wickets. You’ve just got to double down on your plan and your blueprint and what you play best. Naturally, I like to try and put as much pressure back on and there’s going to be times where it works and not.”Seales, who had claimed his first wicket when he removed the recalled Josh Inglis to a pull shot, was able to beat his team-mate to a five-wicket haul. He termed it the “most special” of the three he has bagged because he never quite felt at his best, but ensured Joseph took the acclaim as he left the field.”I think that’s what opened the game right up for us,” he said of Joseph’s early spell. “Blowing away the top order is the most important thing in Test cricket and then that made it a lot easier for us in the middle and in the back end of the innings.”Between them, their nine wickets left Australia needing the bowlers to keep them in the contest which, for the final 20 overs of the day, they did commendably as they so often have. But all eyes will be on that top order again come the second innings.

The New York Mets on Wednesday continued to upgrade their bullpen, as the club acquired submarine-throwing reliever Tyler Rogers from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for outfield prospect Drew Gilbert, pitching prospect Blade Tidwell and reliever José Butto, according to multiple reports.

Fans immediately took to X to react to what they perceived as quite the prospect haul for the acquisition of a 34-year-old pending free agent relief pitcher, albeit one sporting a sparkling 1.80 ERA this season.

And it wasn't just fans.

Mets play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen reacted live to the hefty trade haul during the SNY broadcast of the club's game against the San Diego Padres.

"So we're getting reports on the return that the Mets are sending the Giants for Tyler Rogers," Cohen said. "And it seems like a hefty package for a rental reliever… Rogers will help, but that's a lot to give up."

Rogers, 34, uses a quirky delivery and one of the game's best sinkers to induce weak contact and a bevy of balls in the dirt by opposing hitters. He ranks in the 100th percentile in opponent barrel rate, the 94th percentile in hard-hit rate and the 99th percentile in walk rate. He also ranks third among all relievers with a 64.4 percent groundball rate.

In other words, Rogers is a strike-thrower, incredibly hard to square up and when hitters make contact, they rarely do damage with his offerings. And he's remarkably effective. Since 2021, Rogers's 2.74 ERA ranks eighth among all relievers.

He'll undoubtedly help provide reinforcements for a Mets bullpen that has been taxed with a heavy innings load at times this season.

Whether or not Rogers, who could very well pitch a half-season in New York and then leave via free agency this winter, is worth the haul the Mets coughed up remains to be seen.

But it's clear that the Mets, in a tight race with the Philadelphia Phillies for the National League East crown, are being aggressive.

Since her arrival, there are few Sri Lanka ODI victories to which their inspirational captain is not central

Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Sep-2025″From the beginning, I knew she was special.”There’s never quite been a player like Chamari Athapaththu for Sri Lanka. Shashikala Siriwardene, who captained Sri Lanka, and played international cricket for 16 years, would know.Siriwardene was already a senior in the Sri Lanka team when Athapaththu broke through. The team had been away at an Asia Cup when Athapaththu first came to their attention. Sri Lanka had played the final of that Asia Cup in Kurunegala, which as it happens is the closest city to Athapaththu’s hometown of Gokarella. But it was in Colombo, at a domestic tournament, that Athapaththu had impressed the selectors.”What I remember about Chamari at the time was how determined she was,” Siriwardene says. “She’d come very early to train. Although she lost her father during that period, she somehow found a way to make sure she could keep playing cricket, and just kept coming. Though she was young [Athapaththu was in her late teens at the time] she had that desire.Related

• India and Sri Lanka kick off a Women's World Cup with a difference

• Women's T20 World Cup: India and Australia in Group 1, England and NZ in Group 2

• Athapaththu's goal? A maiden semi-final for SL

• Age is just a number – the women's World Cup XI of seniors

The early 2010s were not an especially rich era for Sri Lankan women’s cricket. Resources were scant, with the board forever in some kind of political turmoil, which in turn led to enormous debt and even greater financial strain. There had been little consistent coaching support; for some coaches, the women’s team was a stepping stone to more high-profile roles in the men’s game.And yet it took Athapaththu little time to gain a reputation as a batter of rare power. For a Sri Lanka cricketer, her rise was astonishing. No batter from the island had hit an ODI hundred in their first 85 ODIs. Athapaththu managed it in her seventh ODI innings, crashing 111 off 110 balls against Ireland, at the P Sara Oval in Colombo. By the time she turned 22, she had two further fifties to her name, and had drawn admiration for playing shots that no one else could play.”Even back then you couldn’t really compare her to anyone else,” Siriwardene says. “She was totally unique. At her young age, the strength with which she hit the ball, and the style that she had – you can’t coach that.”For all of us in the team, that cover drive she hits for six was the special shot. We’d had six-hitters before, but that was mostly using the slog. We loved watching her go over extra cover and over the bowler’s head.”Chamari Athapaththu launches one down the ground•ACCThrough the course of those earliest years, Siriwardene remembers the seniors wrapping their arms around Athapaththu. “Her father had been the main supporter of her cricket journey, and so she really felt that loss. We all grew quite close to her during that time”There was also the fact of her precocious batting. Siriwardene was among the leaders in the team by this time, and would soon formally take over the captaincy. The decision was made about Athapaththu that a player as talented as this deserved a free hand.”She was the kind of player who even if she hadn’t played for a month, would turn up to a match and do well. But when I was captain alongside coach Harsha de Silva, we gave her a lot of freedom, so she had the space to mature. We didn’t give her any targets. We didn’t tell her what to do. We wanted her to play in her own unique way. We knew the more she grew into herself, she would lift up the team.”So watered by teammates, Athapaththu would soon bloom. In her first World Cup game, she announced herself emphatically, top scoring with 62 against England, in a famous Sri Lanka chase. Eshani Lokusuriyage would go on to play perhaps the more important innings, as Sri Lanka claimed victory off the final ball. But almost everyone agrees that win was maybe the most vital staging post in the team’s history. And Athapaththu had laid the foundation.Shashikala Siriwardene on Chamari Athapaththu: “From the beginning, I knew she was special.”•SLCSince her arrival, there are few Sri Lanka ODI victories to which Athapaththu is not central, few Sri Lankan batting records pages she does not dominate, little argument over whom the greatest cricketer the island has ever produced could be.She is the most prolific ODI batter by such a distance that if she makes a total of 181 runs in this World Cup, she will have twice as many runs as the next-best batter – Siriwardene.Sri Lanka have 11 ODI hundreds in total – Athapaththu has hit nine of those, including each of the top-seven highest individual scores. In T20Is, no other Sri Lanka batter has made triple figures, but Athapaththu alone has three, which places her equal-second in the world. In terms of just 50-plus scores, Athapaththu has 28 in ODIs. Siriwardene, the next-best again, has seven.She is such a singular weapon that she is almost certainly one of the most-studied batters in world cricket, a data-backed view having formed among oppositions that dismissing Athapaththu cheaply usually means beating Sri Lanka.Sometimes even the greatest Athapaththu innings haven’t been enough. Her 178 not out off 143 against Australia in the 2017 World Cup was arguably the greatest Sri Lanka innings played until that point (the only competitors would be other Athapaththu innings). And yet the team’s next-best score was 24, and Athapaththu’s runs comprised 69% of the team’s total. Australia sped to the target with ease.Beyond the frustrations of frequently being on the losing team despite personal heroics, there have been other obstacles. Often the late 20s and early 30s are some of the richest years of a batter’s career – a time when growing experience tends to mesh with still-sharp reflexes. Athapaththu had just turned 30 when she played her last international before the Covid lockdowns.She was almost 32 when she played her next match, Sri Lanka Cricket having refused to schedule women’s bilateral cricket for almost two years, although the men had been playing for much of that time. That hiatus, plus Sri Lanka’s low rankings had meant that Sri Lanka did not even qualify for the last ODI World Cup. There were also snubs from the major franchise leagues, particularly the Women’s Premier League, for which she was not selected in 2023 and 2024.And yet since her post-Covid return, Athapaththu’s batting has been even more exemplary. In ODIs she averages 46.37 and strikes at 98 since 2022 – a substantial improvement on her pre-Covid numbers.Sri Lanka take a victory lap around the Asia Cup win•ACCJust beyond the boundary of the ground in Dambulla, Athapaththu was pacing like a nervous parent on exam day. In the middle, two young batters were attempting to do something Sri Lanka had never done before: win an Asia Cup. Athapaththu had provided the platform for this T20I chase of 166, as usual, hitting 61 off 43 balls from the top of the order, in addition to having claimed a wicket in India’s innings.But Sri Lanka still needed 75 off 48 balls when Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari were joined at the crease. There have been years when this would have seemed too much for the remainder of the batting order. Athapaththu would have been needed to stay until the end to see a victory through.”I never actually saw Atha (younger sister), and take it.'”Dilhari had never before in her T20 career struck a six, but with 51 required to win off 34 balls, she sent a Radha Yadav delivery sailing over the deep midwicket boundary. Several overs later, Dilhari clobbered the second six of her career – down the ground this time. This one won Sri Lanka the match, and their most-prized trophy to date. In the victorious team photo after the tournament, Athapaththu crouched at the edge of the group, letting her younger team-mates have their space near the centre.Athapaththu is still 35, and shows no real signs of waning. In fact, her bowling is arguably getting better. She had picked up offspin only after making it into the national team, Siriwardene says, but had with her usual tireless work ethic, improved her bowling so substantially that she is essentially regarded as an allrounder on the league circuit. Still, Athapaththu has hinted that she’s thinking about international retirement over the past 18 months. Sri Lanka’s younger batters have been lapping up as much of her wisdom as possible.”Atha is not someone who would ever hold anything back from you,” Dilhari says. “Whatever she has learned over the years, playing all around the world, and in the leagues, she doesn’t keep to herself – she’ll tell anyone. With me, she’s talked a lot about how to adjust to different situations in the game. But also I’ve learned a lot about life from her – how to manage our cricket with other things in life.”Chamari Athapaththu brings the Women’s World Cup in to the R Premadasa Stadium•Sri Lanka CricketAthapaththu’s words aren’t all sprinkled with sweetness, Dilhari laughs. “I’m one of the players who gets scolded the most. One time, I’d dropped a catch and when I was asking her a question about where I should field, something about being dangled from a lamp-post was said. But I do really think those things also made me a better player.”Although there is a fledgling group of batters, Sri Lanka would clearly benefit from having Athapaththu around for years to come. It is in the back of many minds that this could be her last ODI World Cup, however. It is in this format that she has carved the greatest arc.”I know she’s got hopes of winning a World Cup, so we’re determined to get ourselves there, and I’m wishing Atha a lot of runs in the tournament,” Dilhari says.Athapaththu herself appears relaxed before the tournament. She doesn’t have to do it all herself anymore, she feels.”More than in the other tournaments, I’m pretty relaxed in this one,” Athapaththu said just ahead of the tournament, in Colombo. “The youngsters have been performing – Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, and Kavisha Dilhari, are all batting well. So more than other times, I’m able to relax a bit.””I’m going to be playing the game I play in the powerplay. Then, after that, the challenge is to figure out how I can change gears and do more damage. My one aim is to get Sri Lanka into the semi finals before I retire. If we can get there, we can figure out the next steps. But even getting there is big.”Sri Lanka play five of their seven round robin games in Colombo, and internally, believe themselves capable of making a deep run in this tournament. While the younger players mature, Sri Lanka will likely need their greatest player to impose herself again, to make a mark on the tournament.

Keep up to date with all the movements around the counties as preparations are made for the 2026 men’s county seasonDerbyshireIN: Matt Montgomery (Nottinghamshire)
OUT: David Lloyd (retired), Alex Thomson (released)
OVERSEAS: Caleb JewellDurhamIN: Kasey Aldridge (Somerset), Archie Bailey (Gloucestershire)
OUT: Mitchell Killeen (Essex), Paul Coughlin (Lancashire)
OVERSEAS:EssexIN: Mitchell Killeen (Durham), Zaman Akhter (Gloucestershire)
OUT: Nick Browne (retired), Adam Rossington, Jamal Richards (both released)
OVERSEAS: Simon HarmerGlamorganIN: Sean Dickson (Somerset)
OUT: Sam Northeast (Kent), Tom Bevan (released)
OVERSEAS: Colin IngramGloucestershireIN: Craig Miles (Warwickshire), Will Williams (Lancashire), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire)
OUT: Archie Bailey (Durham), Ajeet Singh Dale (Lancashire), Zaman Akhter (Essex), Dom Goodman (Sussex), Tom Price (Sussex), Josh Shaw (Somerset)
OVERSEAS: Cameron Bancroft, Gabe Bell (April-May), D’Arcy Short (T20)HampshireIN:
OUT: Keith Barker (Warwickshire), Benny Howell (Nottinghamshire), Joseph Eckland (released)
OVERSEAS: Kyle AbbottKentIN: Sam Northeast (Glamorgan), Matt Milnes (Yorkshire)
OUT: Jack Leaning (Sussex), Nathan Gilchrist (Warwickshire), George Garrett (retired), Marcus O’Riordan, Mohammed Rizvi (both released)
OVERSEAS: Keith DudgeonLancashireIN: Paul Coughlin (Durham), Ajeet Singh Dale (Gloucestershire)
OUT: Will Williams (Gloucestershire), Josh Boyden (released)
OVERSEAS: Marcus Harris, Chris Green (T20)LeicestershireIN: Stephen Eskinazi (Middlesex), Jonny Tattersall (Yorkshire), Josh Davey (Somerset), Ben Green (Somerset)
OUT: Louis Kimber (Northamptonshire), Chris Wright, Harry Swindells (both retired), Matt Salisbury, Roman Walker (both released)
OVERSEAS: Peter Handscomb, Keshav Maharaj (April-July)MiddlesexIN: Caleb Falconer (academy)
OUT: Stephen Eskinazi (Leicestershire)
OVERSEAS:NorthamptonshireIN: Louis Kimber (Leicestershire), Calvin Harrison (Nottinghamshire)
OUT: Freddie Heldreich (released)
OVERSEAS: Matthew Breetzke, Nathan McSweeney, Harry Conway (April-May), Yuzvendra Chahal (July-Sept)NottinghamshireIN: Benny Howell
OUT: Calvin Harrison (Northamptonshire), Matthew Montgomery (Derbyshire), Sammy King, Dane Schadendorf (both released)
OVERSEAS: Kyle Verreynne, Fergus O’Neil (April-June)SomersetIN: Josh Shaw (Gloucestershire)
OUT: Kasey Aldridge (Durham), Sean Dickson (Glamorgan), Josh Davey (Leicestershire), Ben Green (Leicestershire), Andrew Umeed (released)
OVERSEAS: Riley Meredith (T20), Migael PretoriusSurreyIN: Ralphie Albert (academy)
OUT:
OVERSEAS:SussexIN: Danny Briggs (Warwickshire), Jack Leaning (Kent), Dom Goodman (Gloucestershire), Tom Price (Gloucestershire)
OUT: Ari Karvelas, Bertie Foreman, Archie Lenham, Zach Lion-Cachet, Henry Rogers (all released)
OVERSEAS: Jaydev Unadkat (June-Sept)WarwickshireIN: Keith Barker (Hampshire), Nathan Gilchrist (Kent), Jordan Thompson (Yorkshire)
OUT: Danny Briggs (Sussex), Craig Miles (Gloucestershire), Moeen Ali (retired)
OVERSEAS: Beau Webster (April-July)WorcestershireIN:
OUT: Tom Hinley, Yadvinder Singh (both released)
OVERSEAS: Usama Mir (T20), Ben Dwarshuis (T20)YorkshireIN:
OUT: Matt Milnes (Kent), Jordan Thompson (Warwickshire), Jonny Tattersall (Leicestershire), Dawid Malan (Gloucestershire)
OVERSEAS:

MatériaMais Notícias

John Textor, dono da SAF do Botafogo, prestou depoimento na “‘CPI da Manipulação de Jogos” na tarde desta segunda-feira (22). O empresário norte-americana também disse que o Alvinegro foi afetado. Confira algumas respostas abaixo.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasBotafogoAssista ao vivo o depoimento de John Textor, dono do Botafogo, na ‘CPI da Manipulação de Jogos’Botafogo22/04/2024Fora de CampoJohn Textor sofre fratura em queda de skate e passa por procedimento cirúrgicoFora de Campo22/04/2024BotafogoJohn Textor, do Botafogo, será ouvido na CPI da Manipulação de Jogos e Apostas EsportivasBotafogo22/04/2024

➡️ Tudo sobre o Fogão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Botafogo

PRETENDE VENDER O BOTAFOGO?
– Com todo o respeito, essa é a pergunta mais estúpida que poderia existir. Se eu quisesse vender a minha participação (no Botafogo), eu não estaria dizendo essas coisas ruins que estão fazendo aqui (no Brasil), não estaria falando de corrupção. Eu nunca venderia um negocio dessa forma. Tenho sido o mais transparente possível. Tenho divulgado a nossa renda aqui… Nossa renda saiu de 50 milhões de dólares em 2022 e estamos com 75 milhões de dólares um ano e meio depois. Tem sido muito bom comercialmente para a gente também. Convido a todos que venham para o brasil para o programa SAF, mas em vez disso eu passo a ser processado, perseguido e denunciado. Isso não tem sido convidativo. No rádio, em 2022, as pessoas estavam me atacando, eu amo a família Botafogo, mas eu recebo um suporte imenso pelo Botafogo e pessoas de outras equipes. Acho incrível. uma lição que aprendi no Brasil, mas dizer que estou usando isso para vender a minha participação no Botafogo, isso acaba sendo incoerente e imaginativo.

MANIPULAÇÃO DE RESULTADOS
– O que nós descobrimos não é nada diferente do restante do mundo, Bélgica, França, toda a Europa. A manipulação de resultados (no futebol) é uma realidade.

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– Sou dono de um clube, quero ganhar campeonatos e se eu puder provar, além de uma margem de dúvida, que 2022 foi manipulado, que 2023 foi manipulado, juntos de outras evidências de anormalidades, poderia fazer com que o Tribunal Desportivo, a polícia e esse corpo legislativo possam tomar ações.

ERROS INTENCIONAIS
– Não são erros na aplicação das regras, percebi que não era uma falha de interpretação. As regras para marcar impedimento, faltas, os jogos que assisti, que afetou o Botafogo indiretamente, tratei de enxergar por uma nova perspectiva.

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PALMEIRAS 1 X 0 VASCO
– Descobri que algo errado estava acontecendo em 27/8/2023 (data de Palmeiras 1×0 Vasco), o Botafogo estava com uma grande liderança de pontos, e alguma coisa ocorre naquele jogo que pretendo discutir aqui numa sessão secreta que pensei que não seria possível ocorrer numa divisão de elite do esporte. Os jogos que eu assisti, que afetaram o Botafogo indiretamente, tratei de enxergar de forma diferente, a partir daquele 27 de agosto.

TRANSPARÊNCIA NA ESCOLHA DOS ÁRBITROS
– Vimos a mesma combinação de árbitro de campo e de vídeo, há uma caixa-preta da seleção de árbitros e acredito que a CBF deveria ser mais transparente sobre a forma como os árbitros são escolhidos, como certas duplas de árbitros foram escaladas juntas em mais de 20 jogos.

RELATÓRIOS DA GOOD GAME!
– Só conheci as pessoas da “Good Game!” em 2023 e me confortei em conhecê-los e descobrir que eles eram capazes de detectar que a corrupção estava ocorrendo em tempo real e espero tratar disso numa seção secreta. Esse relatório (segura um documento) de 188 páginas é de apenas um jogo, acredito que poderia ser aceito pela Justiça, é muito detalhado. Estou colocando minha credibilidade à prova, vejo como estou sendo tratado, o mundo está prestando atenção às SAFs no Brasil. Estou sendo processado na Justiça, o presidente da CBF não aceitou meu pedido para me reunir com ele por mais de um ano, eu nunca acusei o Palmeiras de nenhum tipo de irregularidade. Acredito que o Palmeiras poderia ser parte e participar, já que é inocente. Meu foco não é o Palmeiras, não é ninguém. Acredito que a integridade deveria ser respeitada.

Tudo sobre

BotafogoFutebol NacionalJohn Textor

Manchester United decided to splash the cash on their attack during the summer transfer window after they failed to win any trophies in the 2024/25 campaign.

The Red Devils opted to spend £66.4m on the signing of Slovenia international Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig to lead the line for Ruben Amorim this season.

Sesko provided an assist in the 4-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League last weekend, and has had a strong start to life at Old Trafford since his move to England.

The 6 foot 5 centre-forward has scored two goals from 1.81 xG and provided one assist across five starts in the top-flight for the Red Devils so far this season, per Sofascore.

Sesko scored 21 goals in 45 appearances in all competitions for Leipzig in the 2024/25 campaign, after a return of 18 goals in 42 outings in all competitions in his first season in Germany, per Sofascore.

The 22-year-old marksman, having already scored two league goals for United, will be hoping that he can continue to impress and be the first striker since Robin van Persie to score 20 or more Premier League goals in a season.

Why Man United have been looking for their next Robin van Persie

Manchester United have been searching for their next van Persie for around 12 years, as his haul of 26 goals in the Premier League in the 2012/13 campaign is the last time a player hit 20 league goals for the club.

The former Netherlands international, who was signed from rivals Arsenal, netted a staggering 26 goals in the top-flight that season for Sir Alex Ferguson to win the title for the Red Devils, their most recent title to date.

The highlights in the video above show just how lethal the Dutchman was in front of goal for United that season, with his incredible movement in behind and his lethal left foot that consistently buried chances past goalkeepers.

Manchester United’s top Premier League goalscorers

Season

Top scorer

24/25

Bruno Fernandes & Amad Diallo – 8

23/24

Bruno Fernandes & Rasmus Hojlund – 10

22/23

Marcus Rashford – 17

21/22

Cristiano Ronaldo – 18

20/21

Bruno Fernandes – 18

19/20

Marcus Rashford & Antony Martial – 17

18/19

Paul Pogba – 13

17/18

Romelu Lukaku – 16

16/17

Zlatan Ibrahimovic – 17

15/16

Anthony Martial – 11

14/15

Wayne Rooney – 12

13/14

Wayne Rooney – 17

12/13

Robin van Persie – 26

Stats via WhoScored

As you can see in the table above, no Manchester United player has come close to what he achieved in the 2012/13 campaign since then, with no player scoring more than 18 Premier League goals.

Sesko will be hoping that he can end that drought for the Red Devils and kick on to be the 20+ goal centre-forward that the club have not had since van Persie’s incredible season, given his aforementioned record for Leipzig and the two goals he has already scored this term.

However, there is another player currently shining at Old Trafford who may be the club’s new version of van Persie, despite not being an out-and-out centre-forward.

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

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The Premier League giants paid £71m to sign winger Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch, and it is safe to say that he has hit the ground running in Manchester.

Why Bryan Mbeumo is Man Utd's new Robin van Persie

The Cameroon international arrived at Old Trafford as a player who had already proven himself in the Premier League during his time with the Bees, just as Van Persie had done with Arsenal prior to his move to the club in 2012.

Mbeumo scored a staggering 20 goals in 38 matches in the top-flight for Brentford in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, which means that he scored more league goals than any Manchester United player has managed since Van Persie.

As they did with the Dutchman, Manchester United are now profiting from bringing in a player who has already proven himself as a goalscorer in England, as he has provided a huge threat in front of goal for Amorim.

Mbeumo has scored five goals in ten appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils, per Sofascore, and four of those five have come in his nine outings in the Premier League.

The left-footed star scored twice against Brighton in the top-flight on Saturday and his second goal was incredibly van Persie-esque, with a brilliant run across the defenders and a terrific left-footed finish into the roof of the net with power and accuracy.

It was a goal that the former Premier League title winner would have been proud of, and it led to Alice Talks Football to describe him as “one of the best players in the league this season” on X.

25/26 Premier League

Bryan Mbeumo

Man Utd rank

xG

2.89

2nd

Shots per game

2.6

1st

Shots on target per game

1.3

1st

Goals

4

1st

Minutes per goal

194

1st

xA

2.04

1st

Assists

1

Joint-1st

Goals + assists

5

1st

Stats via Sofascore

It is hard to argue with that assessment when, as you can see in the table above, he has been the most impactful attacking player for the team that currently sit sixth in the Premier League table.

He has been the standout attacking star for United, with the most combined goals and assists and the most xA, and deserves to be in the conversation when fans and pundits speak about the best players in the league this season.

Putting all of this together, it appears as though INEOS and Amorim may have unearthed Manchester United’s new van Persie, as Mbeumo has the lethal left foot, the movement, and the experience to follow in the Dutchman’s footsteps.

Hopefully, supporters will be celebrating next May if the Cameroon international can rake in a 20-plus-goal-haul to earn the club a trophy or two at the end of the season.

Related Euro club's target: £105k-p/w Man Utd star is "set to move" in January

The Red Devils could be able to cut ties in January.

Posts BySean Markus Clifford Oct 27, 2025

Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies has made an emotional return to competitive action after a torturous nine-month injury nightmare. After coming off the bench during the Champions League victory over Sporting CP to rapturous applause from the Allianz Arena faithful, his team-mates lined up to praise the Canadian's mental resilience during his 261-day rehabilitation.

• Fonzie is back!

  The 3-1 victory over the Portuguese champions will be remembered for Lennart Karl's record-breaking goal, but for the squad and the supporters, one of the night's biggest cheers was reserved for the 88th minute. Standing on the touchline, ready to replace Serge Gnabry, was Alphonso Davies – a sight many feared might not happen until 2026 given the severity of his knee injury.

  The 25-year-old had not featured for the Bavarians since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament while on international duty with Canada in March 2025, and his senior team-mates were quick to highlight the extraordinary attitude the full-back maintained during his darkest days.

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• Kimmich: 'I wouldn't have managed it'

  Speaking to reporters in the catacombs of the Allianz Arena after the final whistle, captain Joshua Kimmich offered a candid insight into the mental toll such an injury takes on a player. The midfielder admitted that he was unsure if he would have possessed the same fortitude as his team-mate to remain positive throughout the ordeal.

  "The way I experienced him, how he went through rehab, that is exemplary. I wouldn't have managed it like that with this energy," Kimmich enthused, clearly moved by the return.

  The German international went on to reveal details of how the Canadian kept himself integrated with the squad despite being unable to train, highlighting a specific role he played alongside fellow injury-hit star Jamal Musiala.

  "He also always tried to be close to the team," Kimmich continued. "He has been with us in the dressing room for months, comes to the games, comes into the dressing room together with Jamal, turns on the music, tries to create a good mood. That is not something to be taken for granted."

• It was 'a hard time for everyone' – Neuer

  Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who knows all too well the pain of long-term injuries having battled back from a serious leg break himself in the past, was equally effusive in his praise. The veteran shot-stopper emphasised that the defender's absence was felt not just tactically, but emotionally within the dressing room, and offered some sage advice for the next steps of his recovery.

  "It is naturally a hard time," Neuer reflected. "I know that because I have also had severe injuries and I believe for him it is now very important that he stays cool and appreciates this joy of playing football and that he is with us in the team."

  Neuer added: "We obviously also hope that he will remain healthy, but he did it superbly, even during that time."

  Defender Jonathan Tah, who marshalled the backline effectively against Sporting, pointed to the unseen hours of work that made the comeback possible. Speaking in the mixed zone, he summarised the collective relief felt by the squad.

  "I am very happy for him that he is back," Tah stated. "I believe it was a hard path of suffering that he had to walk and we are all happy that he is there again."

• AFP
  

  'Good to be back', says Davies

  For the man of the moment, the reaction was simple and heartfelt. Taking to social media after the game, Davies posted a message on Instagram, capturing the relief of finally doing his job again.

  "Good to be back! Doing what I love the most," he wrote.

  With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon – a tournament his nation is co-hosting – his return to fitness is a massive boost not just for Bayern, but for Canadian football as a whole. For now, however, he will simply enjoy the feeling of grass under his boots and the applause of the Allianz Arena. The "injury hell" is over; the comeback has begun.