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Arne Slot can enjoy the "greatest managerial debut season ever" if he manages to guide Liverpool to the Premier League and Champions League double.

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Slot expected to lead Liverpool to league titleReds have had strong Champions League campaignMurphy amazed by Dutchman's debut seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Liverpool are sitting 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League table and look certain to go on and claim the crown in their first season since Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp at the helm. The Reds are also into the final of the Carabao Cup and will take on Newcastle at Wembley.

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The Reds were the strongest team in the first round of the Champions League, too, finishing top of the 36-team table. Should the Anfield side go on to claim both trophies, ex-midfielder Danny Murphy is sure it will see Slot overshadow Jose Mourinho's domestic double-winning debut campaign with Chelsea in 2004-05.

WHAT MURPHY SAID

"If Slot can win the domestic title and enjoy success in Europe, it will have to go down as the greatest managerial debut season we’ve ever witnessed, surpassing Jose Mourinho when he burst through Chelsea’s doors as the ‘Special One’ back in 2004," he wrote in .

"But the statistics don’t lie. Liverpool have lost only four matches all seasons. Two of them — against PSV and Tottenham — didn’t matter because they are still in the Champions League and reached the Carabao Cup Final anyway. It was a virtual reserve team that lost at Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup which makes the home Premier League defeat against Nottingham Forest, back on September 14, the only consequential loss with a full line-up.

"What is even more worrying for Liverpool’s rivals is they’re not running out of steam. They had as much energy against Newcastle on Wednesday night as in any other game this season. It is a testament to the way Slot’s sides control matches. This Liverpool don’t waste resources — the balance between attack and defence has been perfect."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

Liverpool had the weekend off due to their early elimination from the FA Cup and are next in action against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Manchester United have been handed a massive boost as it has emerged that one of Europe’s elite is ready to turn down Barcelona in order to join Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford in the upcoming transfer windows.

Amorim takes charge at Manchester United

Amorim’s first game in charge of Manchester United took just 81 seconds to ignite as Marcus Rashford put his side ahead against Premier League new-boys Ipswich Town.

However, it was all downhill from there as Omari Hutchinson grabbed a deserved equaliser for the hosts on the stroke of half time before a low-key second half saw Ipswich edge the better chances and left Manchester United forced to settle for a point in East Anglia.

Their own Palmer: Man Utd want to sign sensational £43m Premier League star

Ruben Amorim will undoubtedly be wanting to strengthen his Manchester United attacking options.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 26, 2024

There were immediately clear issues for Amorim to solve, with Rashford chosen to start as a striker but offering little except the goal, while Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee were both introduced from the bench in the second half to little effect.

Elsewhere, Diogo Dalot looked uncomfortable in his new wing-back role, while Bruno Fernandes was also sidelined for much of the game on the right hand side of attack.

“I know it is frustrating for the fans but we are changing so much in this moment with a lot of games,” Amorim explained after the game. “We are going to suffer for a long period. We will try to win games but this will take time.”

While tactics are likely to improve the Red Devils, part of the changes at the club will come in the transfer market, and United have been handed a boost in that regard.

Man Utd favourite destination for in-demand star

That comes as it has been claimed that Viktor Gyokeres is ready to turn down interest from Barcelona to reunite with Amorim at Old Trafford next summer, should the Red Devils opt to move for him.

The Swedish striker is among the hottest properties in world football, having scored 33 goals already this season across all competitions and caught the eye of several clubs including Arsenal and Barcelona.

It was under Amorim that he really found his feet among Europe’s elite marksmen, and he is now keen to repay that faith by reuniting with his former boss at Old Trafford.

Appearances

68

Goals

66

Assists

23

Minutes per goal/assist

64.1

That is according to The Sun, who claim that “Gyokeres has his heart set on a move to the Premier League and a reunion with ex-boss Ruben Amorim at Manchester United”, meaning that he will turn down any Barcelona approaches.

Gyokeres could certainly arrive as the undisputed no.1 striker at Old Trafford, despite Amorim’s experiment with Rashford against Ipswich, and his ability to both hold the ball up and find the back of the net with astonishing regularity could help turn the Red Devils into genuine top four contenders and more.

He is thought to be available for just £63m next summer, despite having a €100m (£84m) release clause written into his Sporting contract, thanks to a gentleman’s agreement between the club and player.

A proven goalscorer who has thrived under Amorim and wants to move to Old Trafford, is this the most obvious transfer for the Red Devils?

New Zealand rebound from their opening-day loss to notch up two successive wins

Annesha Ghosh10-Mar-2022New Zealand 260 for 9 (Satterthwaite 75, A Kerr 50, Vastrakar 4-34) beat India 198 (Kaur 71, Tahuhu 3-17, A Kerr 3-56) by 62 runs
After their opening-day loss to West Indies, New Zealand have now bounced back to win two in a row. Their latest, by 62 runs over India in Hamilton, came on the back of impressive half-centuries from Amy Satterthwaite and Amelia Kerr.Amelia also took a three-for with the ball, as did Lea Tahuhu, with India folding in 46.4 overs without even threatening to make a fist of their chase. Only Harmanpreet Kaur stood tall amid a collapse. She made 63-ball 71 before being the eighth Indian wicket to fall. For New Zealand, this was a continuation of their domination over India, who were beaten 4-1 in a bilateral ODI series last month.Just like in the previous game at the venue, between Australia and England that yielded 608 runs, Thursday’s fresh surface encouraged stroke-making. Satterthwaite led the charge with the bat, adding two vital fifty stands – with Amelia and Maddy Green – and a 49-run fifth-wicket partnership with Katey Martin.India’s decision to bowl – seemingly mindful of dew, which didn’t eventually play much part in the proceedings – didn’t pay off. New Zealand posted 51 for 1 in the powerplay, with just the loss of Suzie Bates. The former captain, who made 78 in the previous game, enjoyed the rub of the green early as a thick edge off Meghana Singh flew over the slips.Three balls later, though, a drop-and-run call from Devine had non-striker Bates run out for the second time in three innings, thanks to a superb direct hit at the wicketkeeper’s end by Vastrakar from cover.Captain Sophie Devine then launched a minimal-risk offensive, punishing the slightest width on offer and erroneous lengths without breaking a sweat. She clubbed two back-to-back fours in Meghna’s second over. Two more, off consecutive deliveries, came in the next over, this time off Jhulan Goswami.First-change, left-arm spinner Gayakwad then came agonisingly close to providing further inroads when she drew Kerr into the sweep when she was on 7, but Yastika Bhatia, who replaced Shafali Verma in the XI, shelled what was a tough chance at deep square leg.New Zealand had just lost the set Sophie Devine, in the 11th over, when Satterthwaite walked in. A run-a-ball 67-run third-wicket stand between her and Amelia then helped the hosts dictate terms. Amelia then brought up her maiden World Cup fifty, and her fifth on the bounce against India.Kerr, however, was trapped lbw soon after by Gayakwad. The onus then fell on Satterthwaite to take the hosts to a formidable total. And she delivered, with a fluent 75, at a ground she averages at over 104. Her nine fours, 31 singles, and four twos helped keep the run rate above four through the major part of her stay in the middle as India struggled to tighten the scoring areas against the left-hander.Martin’s innovations helped keep New Zealand’s scoring rate up in the initial part of the final 10 overs. With Satterthwaite she added 49 for the fifth wicket as the home team set themselves up for a 250-plus score.Vastrakar oscillated between extraordinary and sloppy in the field, conceding a four through her legs and then dropping Martin on 27 after handing India an early advantage with Bates’ run out. She rounded out her outing with a flurry of wicket-taking yorkers, and Goswami India’s with a five-run over where she bowled Martin to become the joint-highest wicket-taker in women’s ODI World Cups.Harmanpreet Kaur thrilled fans briefly with a counter-attack after her half-century•AFP via Getty ImagesIndia never quite looked the part to mount New Zealand a challenge in the chase. Dot-ball pressure induced opener Smriti Mandhana’s early dismissal to Jess Kerr, and the fall of No. 3 Deepti Sharma then saw them post their lowest ODI powerplay total since the start of 2017 (rain-interrupted matches excluded): 26 for 2. Bhatia’s promotion to the opening spot on World Cup debut, too, didn’t bring the desired results as she could manage only a 59-ball 28.Inside 20 overs, India’s top three – all left-handers – were back in the hut; Tahuhu, sensational with her mix of cutters, short balls and stock deliveries under lights, took out two of them: Deepti and Bhatia. Under a pile of pressure, India required 211 runs from 30 overs. Mithali Raj, dropped on 6 by Mackay off Tahuhu, and Harmanpreet Kaur reduced the deficit with a fourth-wicket 47 stand.India had only just begun staging a fightback when Amelia Kerr dented them further with a double-wicket third over. Raj was stumped off an orthodox legbreak and Ghosh lost the top of her offstump with a ripping wrong-un.On a hat-trick, Kerr brought five close-in fielders in but a loose delivery to the under-siege Sneh Rana meant the eventful over ended with an anticlimactic four. Not long after, off the final ball of her outing, did Tahuhu take out Rana, rounding out her exemplary returns with 10-2-17-3.Kaur’s late burst had an element of futility about it from the get-go given the required run rate had ballooned to over 10 by the 37th over. She strung a seventh-wicket 35 stand with Goswami but the prospect of a come-from-behind win for India was quashed when Amelia had Kaur caught at long-off.

Liam Roberts slammed online trolls after receiving "abusive messages" as the Millwall goalkeeper in the wake of his challenge on Jean-Philippe Mateta.

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Goalkeeper sent off for a horror challenge on MatetaHas been banned for six games for his rash actionHit out at abuse he has received onlineFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 30-year-old shot-stopper was given his marching orders just eight minutes into the FA Cup match at Selhurst Park after a high challenge resulted in a serious injury to Mateta. While attempting to clear the ball, Roberts struck the French forward in the head, leading to a deep laceration on Mateta’s left ear that required 25 stitches.

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Initially, referee Michael Oliver did not take action on the challenge, allowing play to continue. However, following a review by VAR, the decision was overturned, and Roberts was shown a straight red card. The automatic consequence of his dismissal was a three-game suspension, but the Football Association (FA) determined that the punishment was not sufficient and appealed to a regulatory commission, which extended the ban to six matches. As a result, Roberts will be unavailable until April 8, when Millwall faces Sheffield United in the Championship.

WHAT ROBERTS SAID

Following the match, Roberts became the target of intense criticism on social media, with Millwall describing the messages as “disgusting”. The goalkeeper has now spoken out about the backlash, emphasising that he deeply regrets what happened but refuted any suggestion that his actions were deliberate.

“As the dust settles, I want to address what has been a really difficult week for all concerned, including my family and I," he wrote.

“Firstly, to Jean-Philippe, who I continue to send my best wishes to in his recovery. As soon as I could, I reached out to Jean-Philippe personally to apologise, and I was thankful to hear back from him that evening that he was OK and reassured me not to worry.

“I am devastated by what happened. I unequivocally accept the red card as awarded and accept my punishment. Furthermore, it has been extremely unpleasant to observe suggestions that I intended to harm a fellow professional. I have categorically never stepped onto a football pitch with the intention of hurting anyone.

“Misleading articles and comments have resulted in an unthinkable amount of abusive messages and threats towards my family and I. To the footballing community who know me and reached out with support through this tough time, thank you, I appreciate every single message. Finally, I want to say a huge thank you to everybody connected to Millwall Football Club for their continued support. The togetherness throughout this club is unique, and I can’t wait to be back out on the pitch in front of our fans."

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AFPWHAT NEXT?

Mateta is expected to return to action after the international break. Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner confirmed that the 27-year-old striker, who is currently the club’s top scorer with 12 Premier League goals in 27 appearances, will travel to Spain for a training camp next week as part of his recovery. The Eagles will be without Mateta when they face Ipswich Town on Saturday in the Premier League.

Former Aberdeen chief Keith Wyness has discussed potential “great news” regarding the future of Rangers manager Philippe Clement.

Clement battling to save Rangers job

The Belgian has only been in the job at Ibrox for a little over a year, taking over from Michael Beale back in October 2023, but he is already battling hard to remain in charge.

Rangers have made a largely disappointing start to the season, beginning with being dumped out of the Champions League in the qualifying rounds, before allowing themselves to fall 11 points adrift of Celtic in the Scottish Premiership title race. Even Aberdeen are nine points clear of them, albeit having played one game more.

On Thursday evening, the Gers won 4-1 away to Nice in the Europa League, in what was a much-needed result for Clement, potentially giving him some leeway for the time being.

On Sunday, he faces another must-win game, however, with Rangers making the trip to St Johnstone in the league. Their opponents are sitting ninth in the table currently, so failure to beat them would be a significant blow, especially to the manager.

Former chief makes big Clement claim at Rangers

Speaking to Football Insider, Wyness claimed that Rangers could allow Clement to take the Belgium job without compensation, saying it could be “great news” for the Scottish giants if they managed to bring in £3m.

“It’s a funny story. The rumours are that there’s a £3million compensation clause in his contract. I think Rangers fans would say: forget the compensation, just take him. I’ve been arguing that he has to remain in place, and I still think he’s a good manager – with a squad like Belgium’s, he could do well.

“I don’t think there’ll be any compensation if Belgium do come in. This may be a situation where both parties decide to move on. If there is to be a change, it will likely come around Christmas. If Rangers get £3million from Belgium, it would be one of the more shocking things I’ve seen in football. It would be great news for the club.”

Rangers supporters are sure to be split when it comes to Clement’s future, with a section of the fanbase showing patience and still seeing him as the right man for the job. There may well be plenty who feel that a change in boss is needed sooner than later, in order to salvage the Gers’ season and keep up their faint chances of catching Celtic in the title race. That may be wishful thinking at this point, but a change in the dugout may freshen things up.

Should Belgium want Clement, though, Rangers should consider not standing in their way, especially in terms of potentially bringing in £3m to aid their financial situation.

Rangers preparing new offer to sign "phenomenal" Dessers upgrade

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Premier League attacker.

ByDan Emery Nov 28, 2024

More may become clearer at the end of this weekend, with the St Johnstone game feeling big for the manager, but huge improvements are needed if he is to remain in charge in the long-term.

Cole Palmer’s stunning return to action at Stamford Bridge against Everton has drawn extraordinary praise from inside the Chelsea dressing room. The attacking star opened the scoring for the Blues against the Toffees, and Wesley Fofana later compared his team-mate to his highly successful compatriots, Kylian Mbappe and Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele.

Palmer shines on return to Stamford Bridge

Chelsea secured a crucial Premier League victory over Everton at Stamford Bridge, with Palmer marking his return to the club’s home ground in emphatic fashion. The 23-year-old opened the scoring with a composed finish past Jordan Pickford, setting the tone for a performance that underlined his importance to Enzo Maresca’s side.

The match represented a significant moment for Palmer, who had not featured at Stamford Bridge since the opening day of the season, as injury problems, including groin issues, had restricted his involvement and limited him to just a handful of Premier League starts. Despite those setbacks, Palmer looked sharp and influential from the outset against the Toffees through the first half.

Although he was withdrawn after 58 minutes as Maresca managed his workload, Palmer’s impact on the Blues' performance was clear. His movement, decision-making and composure in possession consistently unsettled an Everton side that could have posed trouble to Chelsea if they were handed enough opportunities.

AdvertisementAFPFofana compares Palmer with Mbappe and Dembele

Speaking after the match, Fofana offered glowing praise of Palmer, placing the Englishman among the very elite attackers he has played alongside. He said: “He’s from a different planet. He’s close to the likes of Mbappe and Dembele, very, very close. I play with them for France, and they’re very good players, but he’s right at the top.”

Fofana also stressed Palmer’s influence, even in a managed appearance. “Everyone can see it, even though he only played 58 minutes; the fans can see his importance,” the defender explained. “He’s the best player in our team when he’s on the pitch. He’s different. He’s a star.”

The Frenchman went on to reflect on Chelsea’s wider situation during a demanding run of fixtures. “It has been a hard month, and it’s not finished because we have games coming every two or three days,” Fofana added. “We are trying to give everything. The manager and the staff have managed the team well… The most important thing is to keep the guys fit and to try to win games.”

Palmer's rapid rise at Stamford Bridge after leaving Man City

Palmer’s rise has been one of the standout stories in English football over the past two seasons. After coming through Manchester City’s academy and contributing in big moments, he moved to Chelsea in search of regular football, and that decision quickly paid off, as he became the Blues’ primary attacking reference point almost immediately.

During his first full season at Stamford Bridge, Palmer delivered elite-level output, combining goals, assists and match-winning performances. His calmness from the penalty spot and ability to decide games in key moments earned him individual recognition and cemented his status as Chelsea’s most reliable attacking threat.

This season, however, has tested Palmer in different ways, as injuries have disrupted his rhythm and forced Chelsea to manage his minutes carefully. Even so, performances like the Everton display and his showing at the Club World Cup make it difficult for his name to be ignored in conversations about the best young players in the world.

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Getty Images SportPalmer not yet fully fit as Chelsea prepare for second part of December

Chelsea face a relentless run of fixtures, beginning with a Carabao Cup quarter-final away at Cardiff before a packed December schedule continues. Maresca has already indicated that Palmer cannot yet be relied upon for consistent starts, meaning rotation will remain a key part of his management plan.

For Palmer, the focus will be on building fitness and maintaining availability rather than rushing minutes. Chelsea are acutely aware of how central he is to their attacking identity, and are set to be mindful of the long-term picture. As for Fofana’s comparison, Palmer’s standing in the dressing room and being likened to Mbappe and Dembele sets an significant benchmark, and Chelsea believe he has the talent to justify such lofty company.

Stafanie Taylor’s 91-ball 50 and Hayley Matthews’ three catches were the only contributions of note from West Indies

Annesha Ghosh14-Mar-2022Rachael Haynes made a fist of Australia’s 132 chase with an unbeaten 83 after Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner’s three-fors helped bowl West Indies out cheaply in 45.5 overs at the Basin Reserve. Stafanie Taylor’s 91-ball 50 and Hayley Matthews’ three splendid catches were the only contributions of note against an undefeated Australia, who romped to a seven-wicket victory with nearly 20 overs to spare.After a 30-minute rain-induced toss delay, it was the new-ball tandem of Perry and Megan Schutt that set the tone for Australia’s fourth successive win in this World Cup. Perry kicked off the domination under overcast conditions with a double-wicket second over.Rachel Haynes’ unbeaten knock saw Australia cruise to victory•ICC via Getty ImagesFirst up, she had the seaming ball ram into the top of Matthews’ off stump and then drew the left-hand batter Kycia Knight into edging the next ball to wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy. Taylor moved herself up to face the hat-trick delivery, an attempted yorker that ended up as a full toss easy enough for Taylor to flick for three runs.A seemingly innocuous full toss nearly caused the undoing of the other opener, Deandra Dottin, on 8. Given lbw off a Schutt delivery in the fifth over, Dottin, whose availability for this fixture had been under the cloud due to back issues in the last game, reviewed the decision. Replays showed an underedge as the ball floated past the bat on the way to plonking Dottin’s back pad.West Indies had a second lbw decision overturned soon after – Taylor’s off Perry – though the allrounder wouldn’t be too far from a third wicket. An agile two-handed catch by Meg Lanning at first slip proved too good for Dottin’s flying outside edge and handed Perry her three-wicket haul. As a result, West Indies slumped to 34 for 3 in the powerplay, their lowest tally in the passage so far in the tournament.Taylor had another close shave in the sixth over of Perry’s probing eight-over spell when an incoming seaming delivery jagged back, clipped the top of her pad and missed the stumps by a whisker. Second-change Alana King, the only legspinner in Australia’s XI, delivered an incisive run-less second over during which Shemaine Campbelle survived a review by Australia for lbw. Replays vindicated the umpire’s decision of the ball hitting the bat before thudding onto the front pad, though Lanning appeared displeased why neither UltraEdge nor ball-tracking was used for the review, even remonstrating with on-field umpire Alex Wharf.Ashleigh Gardner’s three-for hurt West Indies’ middle order•ICC via Getty ImagesTied up by the accuracy of King and third-change Gardner’s offspin, Campbelle’s inability to rotate the strike sent her back not long after. She eventually fell to Gardner, flicking one to Beth Mooney at midwicket for a 51-ball 20. Gardner took her second wicket with a ripper of an offbreak that fizzed past Chedean Nation’s outside edge to round out the double-wicket 23rd over that saw West Indies plummet to 70 for 5.West Indies’ rapid unravelling extended into the loss of their sixth wicket when a bid for a third run led to Healy running out Chinelle Henry at the wicketkeeper’s end. Taylor tried to mend the innings, but parched of strike for extended periods, she could do as best as taking West Indies past the three-digit mark. In the 41st over, Gardner trapped her lbw before left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen, who replaced wristspinner Amanda-Jade Wellington in the XI, struck twice to clean up the tail.West Indies held their own in their defense against the vaunted Australian line-up. Matthews had a forgettable day with the bat, but she thrust herself in the thick of things from the get-go of the chase. First, she gobbled up a superb reflex catch off her own bowling as Healy smacked a full ball straight down at rocket speed. In the next over, she plucked Lanning’s edge at first slip off Shamilia Connell to consign the Australian No. 3 to her eighth duck in ODIs.DRS handed Haynes a lifeline when she was adjudged lbw on 16. Ball-tracking showed Connell’s delivery was going over middle and off. Early in her thirties, Haynes treaded danger territory when her edge off Ramharack, who replaced fellow offspinner Anisa Mohammed in the XI, fell marginally short of first slip Matthews.Then, a throw from Henry almost found Haynes short of her ground during an ill-attempted single in the eventful 16th over. Haynes’ fifty stand off 78 balls with Perry promised to draw the inevitable closer but Henry combined with first slip Matthews to dismiss Perry for a 31-ball 10.Mooney and Haynes then stepped on the gas. They took 10 off the 21st before Haynes brought up her 17th ODI fifty to add to her 2022 World Cup tally of 134, 34, and 30. Mooney stitched a fifty partnership for the fourth wicket with Haynes, who also hit the winning run.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe came to Glazers family's defence amid growing discontentment among fans over INEOS' takeover.

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Ratcliffe defended the Glazers familyCalled the American owners 'nicest people'Man Utd take on Leicester City on SundayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The British billionaire and his company, the INEOS group, bought minority stakes at Manchester United last summer and have been in charge of running the club. While the fans were initially hopeful about Ratcliffe's takeover, they have now started to lose patience. United have had a nightmare outing in the 2024/25 campaign, as they are currently 14th in the Premier League and have crashed out of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

AdvertisementWHAT SIR JIM RATCLIFFE SAID

Despite the fans' anger over the Glazers family's handling of the club and INEOS' takeover, Ratcliffe passionately defended the American businessmen as he told : "To be fair to the Glazers, they're really good on the commercial side. The people who advise me say the fans don't want to hear it. So I've got to be cautious. I get a lot of criticism if I support the Glazers, but the fact is they're really decent people. They're East Coast, you know – that old East Coast America, they're very polite, they're very civilized, they're the nicest people on the planet.

"I mean, there isn't a bad bone in Joel Glazer's body. I mean, part of the problem is there isn't a bad bone in his body, which is why he didn't bloody… I mean, I wouldn't have tolerated Ed Woodward or Richard Arnold. Richard was a rugby man, he didn't even understand football. Ed didn't have the credentials to manage the club. He was a merchant banker, an accountant. He wasn't the chief executive."

Getty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

In a recent interview, Ratcliffe had claimed that the Red Devils could go "bust by Christmas" as he attempted to rationalise swinging cuts, which have seen a multitude of the Red Devils' staff members lose their jobs. The club also announced their formal plan to build a 100,000 capacity stadium where INEOS will invest £ 2 billion.

Getty/GOALWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

Ruben Amorim's side will be back in action in the Premier League on Sunday as they take on Leicester City away from home.

Mumbai Indians head coach, who sits on ICC Cricket Committee, highlights controversial incident between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals

Nagraj Gollapudi27-Apr-20222:02

Jaffer: Calling players back was way out of line from Pant

Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene believes there should be a discussion on whether the third umpire should alert the on-field umpires for over-the-waist no-balls, but he didn’t condone the role of Delhi Capitals’ players and support staff in the controversy that took place during the final over of their game against Rajasthan Royals last week. Jayawardene is also a member of the ICC’s Cricket Committee, the panel that oversees the playing conditions in international cricket.”Probably, the umpires did get it wrong, but the rules say that you can’t go to the third umpire or check on those things,” Jayawardene said on The ICC Review. “It is something, I think, going forward we need to look at: whether [there should be] the option for the third umpire to come on the field, on to the main umpires and inform them that it’s a delivery you should check. But… the spirit of the game, and to see things moving forward, it’s never an option for any coach or any player to come on to the field.”We are given an opportunity during the strategic time-out to come out in IPL, and that should be the only time the coaches or anyone else should be allowed.”Under the current playing conditions, all foot-fault no-balls are anyway checked by the third umpire. The on-field umpires can check the height of a delivery if it has resulted in a dismissal, but the ball in question went for a six.Three members of the Capitals’ contingent – captain Rishabh Pant, assistant coach Pravin Amre and bowling allrounder Shardul Thakur – were penalised by the IPL for breaching the code of conduct. Pant was fined his entire match fee, as was Amre, who was also handed a one-match ban; Thakur received a 50% fine.Those penalties resulted after Pant asked Amre to walk on to the field to speak to the on-field umpires after the third delivery of the final over of Capitals’ chase. Chasing 222, Capitals needed 36 runs from the final over. Rovman Powell hit three consecutive sixes off the first three balls.The third ball, however, was a high full toss. Capitals would have got a free-hit had it been deemed a no-ball, with the equation in that case reading 17 to get from four deliveries.While Powell and his batting partner Kuldeep Yadav argued with the umpires, Pant gestured them to come off the ground. Eventually, Amre was sent in. Pant admitted he had got carried way in the “heat of the moment”, but believed it was a no-ball, and that the third umpire could have “interfered”.Pravin Amre was fined and handed a one-match ban for walking on to the field to speak to the umpires•BCCIJayawardene didn’t like what he saw. “It is disappointing to see that. You are stopping the game, and people are coming on to the field,” he said. “But I honestly believe it was just the emotions carrying away. It was just the last over, a couple of sixes were hit and there was probably an opportunity [for Capitals to chase down the target].”Former Australia allrounder Shane Watson, who is also an assistant coach at Capitals, differed with Pant and said the umpires’ word was final and binding. Capitals’ head coach Ricky Ponting was not present that day because he was in isolation following a positive Covid-19 test in his family.Jayawardene said he had told the Mumbai dressing room the same when the incident was discussed. “We saw it on TV,” he said. “Most of the guys were watching it together, and afterwards as well, we had a chat. We will probably react in the dugout, but [for us] it’s never an option to go onto the field. That’s not the way things should be, but I’m pretty sure Rishabh and Pravin would regret what happened.”And Rishabh in his interview rightly said that it was because of the emotions how it happened. We need to give the benefit of the doubt [to Pant] and move on.”It remains to be seen whether the ICC Cricket Committee will bring up the waist-high no-ball topic for discussion at its next meeting. The committee, which usually meets a few times a year, has BCCI’s top administrators sitting on it: Sourav Ganguly, who replaced Anil Kumble as the chairman, and Jay Shah, who was added last month as representative of Full Member boards.However, the IPL need not wait for the ICC to ratify such a change should it want to implement it. In 2021, the IPL playing conditions did away with the soft signal for disputed catches and took away the responsibility of checking short runs from the on-field umpires. International cricket has not made any such change.

Todd Boehly and BlueCo are planning to loan out a “phenomenon” from Chelsea, with both the player and club worried about one thing in regard to his place in Enzo Maresca’s first team.

Players who could leave Chelsea soon

As we fast approach the January transfer window, reports suggest the writing is on the wall for a few surplus Chelsea players.

Chelsea board prepared to green-light £83m bid for potential "world star"

Todd Boehly and BlueCo are willing to spend marquee figures.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 7, 2024

Midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka is working hard to find a new club next month according to reports this week, with West Ham and Crystal Palace named as potential landing spots in the Premier League.

The former Aston Villa gem has struggled to work his way into Maresca’s plans, failing to make a single top-flight appearance this term, and the same can be said for £200,000-per-week defender Ben Chilwell.

Tottenham (home)

December 8

Brentford (home)

December 15

Everton (away)

December 22

Fulham (home)

December 26

Ipswich Town (away)

December 30

Once a captain under previous Chelsea bosses, the England international has been deemed surplus to requirements by Maresca, and it is widely believed Chilwell looks set to leave Stamford Bridge in January.

Cesare Casadei, who worked with Maresca at Leicester City during their push for promotion, is now unfancied by his manager at Chelsea – leading to reports that he could follow Chilwell and Chukwuemeka out of the door.

Juventus and Milan reportedly hold an interest in Casadei as we approach the winter window, so perhaps a move back to his homeland is on the cards for the ex-Inter youngster.

There have even been suggestions this week that Chelsea could offload Axel Disasi in January to free up funds for a move for Benfica starlet Tomas Araujo, so January could be active in terms of player exits.

Chelsea could loan out Estevao Willian in 2025

One certain arrival in 2025 is that of Brazilian starlet Estevao Willian, who Chelsea signed in a deal which could be worth £52 million from Palmeiras in the summer.

The 17-year-old, who’s bagged a sensational 13 goals and nine assists in the Brazilian Serie A across 2024, will link up with the Blues in July next year – and is very highly rated by big names like Ronaldo Nazario.

However, while he’s set to arrive in west London off the back of excellent form and a glowing reputation, there is a worry behind the scenes that the competition for places will stunt Estevao’s minutes.

This is a concern the player and club share, with one Spanish media source claiming that Chelsea are planning to loan Estevao out again once he lands in London from Palmeiras next summer.

The teenage sensation, who his agent, Andre Crury, compared to Lionel Messi, was also been labelled a “phenomenon” and tipped to win the Ballon d’Or one day – so it is imperative that Chelsea don’t stunt his growth.

“He’s a real phenomenon,” said Crury to AS (via Sport Witness).

“He’s the next Ballon d’Or [winner]. His name is Estevão. He’s very similar to Leo. He has power from set pieces, he is also left-footed. Not physically, because he’s taller, he’s black, but there are things that remind Messi.”