Ruben Amorim has stuck by his infamous 3-4-2-1 system at Manchester United and it appears as though it is finally yielding results.

The Portuguese manager has been in charge at Old Trafford for a year now, and although things have not gone exactly to plan, his side have now gone unbeaten in their last four Premier League games.

Amorim has finally begun to settle on his best lineup. That has seen summer signings Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha lock down the two number 10 positions in his system, with Mason Mount providing excellent competition.

However, those two signings have ensured Bruno Fernandes will remain in his deeper pivot role, rather than closer to goal.

Where Fernandes is best suited under Amorim

It has certainly been a topic of hot debate in Amoirm’s year-long tenure in the hot seat at Old Trafford. Fernandes is a number 10 by trade, and played his best football as close to goal as possible, in and around the penalty box.

That season came in 2020/21, when he scored and assisted 29 Premier League goals in 37 games. He was one of the deadliest attackers in world football at that stage. So, you might think it is logical for Amorim to play him as a number 10.

Well, that is not how the United manager sees it. In fact, he explained that his skipper operates in the pivot because he “is the right man to start with the tempo of the play.”

United legend Paul Scholes sees it differently, and says “there is no doubt” Fernandes should be playing as a 10 because he “is the most creative player on the team.”

In 51 games under the tutelage of Amorim, the Red Devils’ number 8 has played 30 games in the pivot, and 21 as a number 10. That certainly shows just how much their manager favours him in a deeper role.

Interestingly, United have another player coming through in a similar mould to Fernandes, and it will be interesting to see where Amorim chooses to play him.

Man United's in-house Fernandes successor

It is clear that Fernandes is viewed as a pivot player by Amorim, despite Scholes’ view and the success he has achieved in previous seasons. With the two number 10 positions nailed down by Cunha and Mbeumo, players may have to adapt.

That could certainly be the case for United academy star Jack Moorhouse. The 19-year-old is currently on loan at Leyton Orient, but has previously impressed for the Red Devils’ youth sides.

It has been an impressive start to life in professional football for Moorhouse. Described as a “deadly” player by United academy page on X, Academy Scoop, the Republic of Ireland U21 international has played 14 games for Orient, scoring and assisting one goal apiece.

As it happens, Moorhouse has already been described as someone who is “ideal for Amorim’s left 10 role” at United by football analyst Ben Mattinson. He has operated behind the striker more often than not for the U23s at the club, too, making five appearances in that role, scoring twice and assisting one.

Interestingly, he’s played a bit deeper for Orient this season, showing excellent versatility. He shone in a box-to-box role against Peterborough United, creating two chances and completing three out of three dribbles.

Moorhouse vs. Peterborough

Stat

Number

Touches

33

Pass accuracy

86%

Ball recoveries

6

Duels won

4/6

Dribbles completed

3/3

Key passes

2

Goals

1

Stats from Sofascore

There are certainly similarities between Moorhouse and Fernandes. Both creative midfielders, they can operate in advanced roles and a bit deeper. It would be intriguing to see where Amorim would utilise him in the first team.

One thing is for sure, the 19-year-old possesses great talent. If the Red Devils are looking for an in-house successor to their “Portuguese Magnifico,” they might be able to find him in their famous Carrington academy.

Related Carrington's "best talent" is a big Sesko upgrade in the making at Man Utd

Manchester United could yet improve further in attack under Amorim’s wing.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Nov 3, 2025

Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank has claimed he was happy to have only given up five shots to Manchester United during their 2-2 draw in the Premier League on Saturday due to the visitors' attacking strength. The Red Devils led for much of the game before Spurs scored twice in quick succession late on, only for Matthijs de Ligt to head in a 96th-minute equaliser to ensure the spoils were shared.

• De Ligt comes up with last-gasp equaliser

  United took the lead midway through the first half through £71 million ($93m) summer signing Bryan Mbeumo, who rose highest to meet an Amad Diallo cross. Mathys Tel came off the bench to bring Tottenham level on 84 minutes, and then Richarlison thought he had won it with a deft header to redirect Wilson Odobert's shot from distance. However, one last United corner saw Bruno Fernandes plant the ball atop the head of De Ligt, whose effort crept over the line to salvage a point for the visitors.

  De Ligt's header was only United's fifth attempt of the game, with both of their shots on target going in. They accumulated 0.63 expected goals, compared to the 0.96 tally of Tottenham, who had 10 shots with four on target.

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  Frank pleased with stifling United

  Much of the buildup to this fixture centred on United's run of four straight defeats to Tottenham across all competitions, including in the Europa League final in May. But Frank denied that match or this record had any bearing on his plans, claiming Ruben Amorim has done well to make the Red Devils a more threatening outfit.

  Frank told GOAL: "I think I saw this game as one game ahead of us, to try to do everything we could to try to win it. That was the aim of the game. I spoke before the game about it's clear they have improved this season. They look, how can you say, more in sync together. But I think especially going forward they look like a big threat. That's why I actually think, I know we conceded two goals, but if you said to me before the game concede five shots in the game, I would take that. So we're all happy."

• Mbeumo comes back to haunt Frank

  The Spurs boss also came up against a familiar face in Mbeumo, who was signed by the Dane at Brentford in 2019. Mbeumo scored 70 goals in 242 matches under Frank before completing a mega-money move to United this summer, despite interest from Tottenham and his former manager.

  Though the Cameroonian has been a revelation from his favoured right-wing position this season, Amorim shifted him to the left to face Spurs, pushing Amad into the front three and dropping striker Benjamin Sesko to the bench. Nevertheless, Frank said this was a wrinkle he wasn't totally stunned by.

  "I think it's not the first time Ruben has, how can you say, played around with the front three," he added. "I think no matter where Bryan plays he's a threat, which he showed again today."

  Regarding the game in general, Frank said: "Of course, the emotions inside me are high but I take the positives out of this game. That’s what I believe and how I believe in building a good team and keep adding layers to it.

  "Overall, a fine/good performance against a good Man United team which is definitely in flow. We are talking a bit about our, how can you say, level of defensive/attacking threats and to play against a Man Utd side that play with confidence with [Matheus] Cunha, Mbeumo, Amad and Sesko coming on and we kept them to five shots. It's just another example on the other way around that it's not that easy to create in the Premier League even though they had all their big boys out there.

  "Second half, I was extremely happy with our response. We are playing at home and of course we all want to win and don't talk too much about (Tottenham's bad) home form and all that. I know we need to win before we don't talk about it. The way we turned it around to stay in the game, kept doing the right thing throughout the second half very happy with that. So close to winning it. On any other day, we win it."

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  Man Utd & Tottenham continue rebuilding

  Ahead of the rest of the weekend's fixtures, Tottenham sit third in the Premier League table, while a resurgent United, who are unbeaten in their last five games, are seventh, but only behind Tottenham on goal difference.

Over the years, there has often been trade talk or speculation surrounding Angels designated hitter Mike Trout, and particularly with the Phillies.

Trout has spent the entirety of his career so far with the Angels, carving out a Hall of Fame resumé featuring three MVP awards and 11 All-Star appearances. His career would be the envy of nearly any player if it didn't come with one major blemish—a lack of postseason success.

This is no fault of Trout though, who has year after year been the bright spot on flailing Angels teams. Only once have the Angels made the postseason since Trout was promoted to the majors in 2011, and they did not advance beyond the American League Division Series.

Due to his lack of playoff experience, there have been regular murmurs of whether Trout could be traded so he could play for a contender before he retires. One team regularly suggested for Trout is the Phillies, the team Trout rooted for growing up.

Trout addressed the regular talk of him potentially ever ending up in Philadelphia ahead of the Angels' series at the Phillies this weekend, saying he sees it "all the time."

“I see it all the time," Trout old reporters. "Especially going to Eagles games, just being a South Jersey kid, I’m always going to get it. Love Philly, these were my sports teams growing up."

Trout has previously shut down the idea of being traded by the Angels, including in 2024 when he called a trade the "easy way out" and reaffirmed his desire to win a championship with the Angels. Though he didn't rule out the possibility of being open to a trade in the future, he is planning to stick with the Angels for now.

Stunning first-half goals from Casemiro and Estevao capped a rampant display from Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil side in a 2-0 win over Senegal at the Emirates Stadium. The Chelsea youngster opened the scoring with a curled effort, before the veteran midfielder doubled the lead with a delectable touch and finish. However, there was bad news for the Gunners fans in attendance, as Gabriel limped off on the hour with what looked like a serious injury.

The Selecao set a fierce pace to the proceedings, with Edouard Mendy's goal under almost constant assault. Matheus Cunha clipped the outside of the post and saw a headed effort cannon off the bar before Chelsea winger Estevao latched onto a Rodrygo through ball and curled a left-footed finish past Edouard Mendy and into the net after 28 minutes.

Brazil doubled their lead just eight minutes later as a training ground routine saw Casemiro peel off to the back post, calmly control the ball and then bend a delicious shot into the far corner. Senegal did threaten a response, with Ederson drawn into a save by Ismaila Sarr, while the former Manchester City goalkeeper had a fright at the start of the second period, lingering on the ball to allow substitute Nicolas Jackson to charge down his pass – Iliman Ndiaye really should've scored.

Unable to maintain their punishing pace of the opening 15 minutes, Brazil were increasingly content to sit back, allowing their opponents more than their fair share of the ball. Indeed, the Selecao comfortably saw out the game to end the African nation's 10-game unbeaten run, but not before Arsenal's metronomic centre-back Gabriel hobbled off with what looked to be a groin problem, an injury that will no doubt infuriate Mikel Arteta.

GOAL rates Brazil's players from Emirates Stadium…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Ederson (6/10):

  His first start under Ancelotti. Made a few smart saves but his dithering on the ball almost gave up a goal. Will likely be Alisson's understudy for the World Cup.

  Eder Militao (8/10):

  Made a crucial block to deny Sadio Mane at the end of the first half. Out of position at right-back, but slotted in alongside Marquinhos after Gabriel's injury. 

  Marquinhos (7/10):

  Unflappable as always. While other defenders produced more memorable interventions, he was rarely caught out of position. 

  Gabriel (7/10):

  A typically physical and assured performance until the injury blow ended his evening in the 64th minute. Arsenal fans will be nervous.

  Alex Sandro (7/10):

  Defended well and provided an outlet in possession. A fine performance from the 34-year-old.

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  Midfield

  Bruno Guimaraes (8/10):

  Twice set up Cunha in the opening moments just for the United man to hit the frame of the goal. Broke forward without eschewing his defensive duties. A complete performance by a complete player.

  Casemiro (8/10):

  Screened his defenders well, calm in possession and took his goal beautifully.

  Estevao (8/10):

  Drifted about the pitch to devastating effect, doubling up with Rodrygo and Vini to create overloads. Raced onto the ball and curled a beautiful finish past Mendy. A real superstar in the making.

• AFP
  

  Attack

  Vinicius Jr (7/10):

  Denied a certain goal by a last-ditch Koulibaly tackle. As Brazil's tempo dropped, he became less influential but he still ran his socks off. 

  Matheus Cunha (6/10):

  Will wonder how he came away without a goal. Got himself in good positions but narrowly missed two massive chances in the opening 15 minutes.

  Rodrygo (7/10):

  Looked like a man that wanted to prove a point to his club manager. Perhaps his lack of starts at Real Madrid was the reason he faded somewhat in the second half. 

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  Subs & Manager

  Joao Pedro (5/10):

  Came into the game as Brazil lost their urgency. 

  Wesley (6/10):

  Made one crucial interception from a dangerous cross. 

  Lucas Paqueta (N/A):

  Entered the game in the 83rd minute. No time to make any real impact.

  Luiz Henrique (N/A):

  A late introduction, next to no time for him to shine. 

  Fabricio Bruno (N/A):

  Last-minute sub.

  Caio Henrique (N/A):

  On for the final knockings.

  Carlo Ancelotti (8/10):

  Without a doubt the best performance under his management. His side played on the front foot for the first 45 minutes and essentially got the job done, with minimal threat to their goal. 

Achraf Hakimi was crowned African Player of the Year in Rabat after a stunning season with Paris Saint-Germain, edging Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen to the honour. The award sparked an emotional tribute from his close friend Kylian Mbappe, who hailed him as “The King of Africa” in a heartfelt message. Their bond, built at PSG and sustained despite career moves, shone through once again.

Hakimi crowed African player of the year triumph

The Moroccan international Hakimi sealed one of the biggest individual honours of his career as he was named African Player of the Year at the CAF Awards 2025 in Rabat. Hakimi, who enjoyed a remarkable 2024-25 campaign with PSG, finished ahead of Liverpool icon Salah and Osimhen to claim the trophy for the first time. It also marked a symbolic moment of recognition for a player who has spent years climbing among the sport’s elite.

Hosted at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, the ceremony saw Hakimi become only the fifth Moroccan player to lift the award, bringing pride to his home supporters in the nation's capital. The defender had already been one of the star performers of the season, winning the Champions League, another Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France and the UEFA Super Cup with PSG.

Hakimi, who recently recovered from a severe ankle sprain suffered after a brutal Champions League tackle, arrived at the ceremony on a scoote, a moment that grabbed the attention of supporters and underlined his determination to be present despite his injury. He said on stage: "It's really an honour for me to be here today and I'm proud to win such a prestigious trophy. This trophy, it's not just for me, it's for all the strong men and women that have dreams in Africa and those that dream of becoming footballers."

AdvertisementAFP'The king of Africa' – Mbappe's message for Hakimi

Moments after Hakimi lifted the trophy, Mbappe posted one of the most viral messages of the night on Instagram. The Real Madrid star forward shared a photo of Hakimi holding the golden ball and wrote: “I love you, my brother. King of Africa. Well done, my brother, it is a more than deserved award.”

The Frenchman doubled down on the emotional tone by adding Moroccan flag emojis, reinforcing the close bond they have maintained since their time together at PSG between 2021 and 2024. Their friendship was forged during three seasons at the Parc des Princes, where they were frequently seen celebrating goals together, travelling on holidays, or supporting each other publicly.

Mbappe’s tribute was also telling because Hakimi had finished ahead of him in the recent Ballon d’Or rankings, yet he showed nothing but admiration, a sign of the deep respect between the two. Despite now playing for different clubs, their connection remains one of the strongest personal relationships in elite football.

PSG years and Morocco legacy

Hakimi's success is the culmination of years of consistent excellence for both club and country. At PSG, he became one of Europe’s most complete full-backs, combining blistering pace with elite defensive instincts and a growing maturity as a leader. His Champions League triumph last season capped an extraordinary run where he delivered big performances in high-pressure moments.

Internationally, Hakimi remains the beating heart of the Moroccan national team, and he was a central figure in their historic march to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals, where the Atlas Lions became the first African team to ever reach that stage. His leadership has only grown since then, with head coach Walid Regragui relying heavily on him both on and off the pitch.

The defender is currently recovering from a severely sprained ankle but remains hopeful of returning in time for the Africa Cup of Nations, which Morocco will host. For Hakimi, lifting the AFCON trophy on home soil would be one of the ultimate milestones of his career.

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AFPWhat's next for Hakimi

Hakimi’s immediate priority is his recovery, with Morocco preparing to host AFCON from December 21. The full-back is expected to resume light training soon, but his final fitness will be monitored closely. Morocco have not won the competition since 1976, and Hakimi’s presence could be decisive in determining whether the hosts can finally break their decades-long wait.

For Mbappe, who continues his impressive start of the 2025 season at Real Madrid, the moment highlighted his leadership and the strong personal relationships he maintains across the footballing world. Madrid face a packed schedule across La Liga, the Champions League and the Club World Cup, but the French star continues to be a central figure for both club and country.

From “the next Dhoni” to a 13-year-old wonderkid, here are eight exciting players set to make their IPL debuts

Shashank Kishore and Deivarayan Muthu20-Mar-2025

Robin Minz (Mumbai Indians)

A motorcycle accident denied him an opportunity to break into the IPL last year, but he’s back again, this time with Mumbai Indians who signed him for INR 65 lakh, staving off competition from Chennai Super Kings. Minz has played fewer than ten representative T20s so far, but MI are excited about his raw power, having tracked him during their development camps in the UK and the DY Patil tournament in Mumbai. Dubbed as Jharkhand’s Chris Gayle and “the next Dhoni”, Minz can generate incredible bat speed and even play the helicopter shot. Could this hard-hitting, left-handed, wicketkeeper-batter be the next gem from MI’s scouting network?Vaibhav Suryavanshi is 13 years old but is already turning heads•Associated Press

Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Rajasthan Royals)

At just 13, Vaibhav Suryavanshi has made waves by becoming the youngest Indian to earn an IPL contract (INR 1.1 crore with Rajasthan Royals). A left-handed top-order batter, he impressed with a record-breaking 58-ball century, the fastest by an Indian in youth Tests, against Australia U-19s. Suryavanshi also scored two half-centuries in the U-19 Asia Cup and boasts an unbeaten triple-century in an U-19 tournament in Bihar.Suryansh Shedge had a breakout Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy season•Punjab Kings

Suryansh Shedge (Punjab Kings)

A key contributor to Mumbai’s Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 title, Shedge was bought by Punjab Kings for his base price of INR 30 lakh. He scored 131 runs at a strike rate of 252, the highest for anyone facing 20 or more balls.Related

• 'We have to let go of the past' – Samson keen to work out strengths of new-look Royals

• IPL 2025 FAQs: What's new this season? Any changes in format?

• Kohli's U-19 World Cup team-mate Srivastava returns to IPL as umpire

• Saliva ban revoked for IPL 2025, decision taken after captains' meet in Mumbai

His crucial knocks included an unbeaten 12-ball 36 in the quarter-final against Vidarbha and another unbeaten 15-ball 36 in the final against Madhya Pradesh. Additionally, he took eight wickets in nine innings with his seam-ups. Although he is yet to play an IPL game, this will be Shedge’s second stint in the tournament, after having previously been a late replacement for Jaydev Unadkat at Lucknow Super Giants in 2023.Ryan Rickelton prepares for his first IPL season•Mumbai Indians

Ryan Rickelton (Mumbai Indians)

A South African wicketkeeper-batter will likely open along with Rohit Sharma for MI in the IPL. Sounds familiar? During their title-winning campaigns in 2019 and 2020, Quinton de Kock was a powerful presence at the top of the order. MI tried to get de Kock back for this IPL too, but Kolkata Knight Riders outbid them, so they picked Ryan Rickelton, a younger, taller version of de Kock.MI’s investment in Rickelton’s big hitting paid off earlier this year when he had helped deliver a maiden SA20 title for MI Cape Town. He had a chart-topping strike rate of 177.41 in the powerplay and showed that he could explosive outside of that phase of play as well. Rickelton had also clattered a 63-ball century for Seattle Orcas in the Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA last year. Can he crack the IPL too?Priyansh Arya at Punjab Kings’ pre-season camp ahead of IPL 2025•Punjab Kings

Priyansh Arya (Punjab Kings)

A left-handed opener, Arya gained widespread recognition for hitting six sixes in an over during a Delhi Premier League match, finishing with 120 off 50 balls. He also put on a partnership of 286 with Ayush Badoni. Arya topped the DPL run charts with 608 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 199. His impressive form continued in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he scored 325 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 177, including a century against Uttar Pradesh just before being bought by Punjab Kings for INR 3.4 crore at the IPL mega auction.Corbin Bosch won the SA20 title with MI Cape Town•SA20

Corbin Bosch (Mumbai Indians)

Corbin Bosch’s name didn’t even come up for bidding at the mega auction in November last year, but he could well be a wildcard player for MI after being picked as a replacement for the injured Lizaad Williams. With Hardik Pandya certain to miss MI’s opening game on Sunday, against Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk because of an over-rate offence from last season, Bosch could be thrown into the mix right away to provide the balance that Hardik usually does.Bosch, a South African bowling allrounder, is a bit of a late bloomer. At 30, he made his international debut and had a good SA20 season with MI Cape Town. He usually operates in the middle and death overs and hits hard lengths. While he was slotted down the order at MICT, he can also float up and hit boundaries like he demonstrated during his CPL stint with Barbados Royals in 2022.Eshan Malinga is known for bowling some pretty good yorkers•SA20

Eshan Malinga (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Eshan Malinga’s action isn’t as slingy as Lasith Malinga’s, but he operates in the death too. At the time of the auction, Eshan was one of the two uncapped overseas players to be picked along with New Zealand’s Bevon Jacobs. Soon after SRH acquired him for INR 1.2 crore, Eshan made his ODI debut for Sri Lanka and SA20 debut for Paarl Royals.Eshan had first emerged on Sri Lanka’s radar in 2019 after winning a nationwide fast-bowling contest where he clocked 141kph. While Eshan doesn’t hit 140kph as consistently these days, he swings the new ball and bowls accurate yorkers at the death. He floored Mohammad Haris with an inch-perfect yorker in the Emerging Asia Cup semi-final in Al Amerat in October last year. Eshan then attended an IPL trial with Rajasthan Royals, but SRH eventually outbid them. He could be a fourth overseas option for SRH, perhaps in place of Adam Zampa, when conditions favour pace.Vipraj Nigam has played with IPL winner Rinku Singh in the UPT20 league•PTI

Vipraj Nigam (Delhi Capitals)

At 20, Vipraj Nigam has had a rapid rise in senior cricket and was picked up by Delhi Capitals in the auction. A legspinner inspired by Rashid Khan, Nigam is known for his airspeed and the bite he gets on helpful surfaces. He gained attention in the UPT20 League with Lucknow Falcons, taking 20 wickets in 11 innings at a strike rate of 11.15 and an economy of 7.45. His strong performances led to a senior debut for Uttar Pradesh in the 2024-25 season, and he also showcased his lower-order hitting, scoring an unbeaten 27 off 8 balls to help UP reach the Syed Mushtaq Ali quarter-finals.

England’s focus may be elsewhere at end of long season, but for hosts, this is the be-all-and-end-all

Andrew Miller16-Sep-2025

Jacob Bethell and Paul Stirling pose with the series trophy at Malahide Cricket Club•Getty Images

Big picture: Big-ticket visit, but small beer for visitorsIt’s a state of affairs that sums up the imbalances of international cricket. England and Ireland are about to play their first-ever bilateral game of T20 cricket – even though the format has consumed the sport in the course of the past two decades – at a moment in the respective itineraries of the two nations that could scarcely be more polarized.On the one hand, there’s the visitors England, girding their loins for one final push after an exhausting home season comprising a five-Test series against India, while already casting their eyes forward to the single biggest date on their 2025 calendar: November 21, and the start of their legacy-defining Ashes campaign.Despite the notable pick of Jacob Bethell as captain, they’ve arrived in Dublin with something close to their first-choice XI, or at least the version that took the field with such stunning success in their most recently completed match, against South Africa at Old Trafford last week.Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett were scarcely missed while Phil Salt and Jos Buttler were blazing England towards that record 304 for 2, but they remain in mothballs alongside the regular captain Harry Brook and Jofra Archer – each of whom, with as much respect as can be mustered in such circumstances, has bigger fish to fry in the coming months. As indeed has the head coach, Brendon McCullum, who has already flown home to New Zealand.And then, there’s the hosts Ireland – for the most part exiles in their own land, given how rarely they are able to attract the quality of opposition that justifies the outlay required to accommodate them. This three-match series is their biggest ticket since India popped over for three T20Is in August 2023 (one of which was abandoned).Sure enough, Malahide has rolled out its temporary stands (at considerable expense) to take the ground’s capacity to around 4,000 for these three games. Happily, Friday and Sunday are already sold out, while Wednesday’s series opener should be at least 80% full, with tickets still available. Given that last year’s visit by Australia was canned on the grounds that even those broadcast rights couldn’t have covered Cricket Ireland’s costs, their financial tightrope is real and terrifying.For both teams, however, this series remains a key staging post for a significant and looming peak. England’s thoughts will have to turn to the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka almost before they’ve completed their Ashes comedown, and such are the reasons why experimentation for this leg has been relatively limited, even if the conditions in Malahide will be as far removed from those in the subcontinent in February as can be imagined.For Ireland, however, that focus will be nothing less than full-bore. So much of their raison d’etre revolves around ICC events, from the long and anxious qualification bids that precede them, to the crucial exposure and funding that their moments on the big stage provide. But here, in a slender weather-threatened five-day window, that stage has at long last come back to their own shores.Form guideIreland LLWLL (last five T20Is, most recent first)
England WLWWWIn the spotlight: Jordan Cox and Ross AdairAll he ever seems to get are scraps from the table, but to Jordan Cox’s immense credit, he has not yet been consumed by frustration at an international career that simply cannot stick a landing. The false starts have been numerous – most gallingly the broken thumb that robbed him of three guaranteed Tests in New Zealand last winter – while his two previous T20I appearances, against Australia last year, were – just like this potential recall – tacked onto the end of a long international summer. But his belated call-up to the squad is entirely on merit, after his MVP displays for Oval Invincibles in the Hundred. Given half a chance, he is still hungry to make the most of it.At the age of 31, and having parked his previous career in rugby union, Ross Adair is a significant bolter for this winter’s T20 World Cup. His last-but-one international innings was a storming knock of 100 from 58 balls as Ireland beat South Africa in Abu Dhabi this time last year, and as he told ESPNcricinfo this week, the explosive nature of T20 cricket means there are plenty of transferrable skills from his previous incarnation as a winger.Team news: Calitz, Baker in line for debutsIreland could hand a maiden cap to Ben Calitz, the 23-year-old Canada-born batter, with Paul Stirling, their captain, saying they were “crying out” for a left-hander in their middle order. Their bowling stocks have taken a hit with Josh Little and Mark Adair both absent for this series – Little has played just once for Middlesex in two months as he nurses a side injury. Matthew Humphreys is set to lead the attack once more, after impressing in his only outing against West Indies in June.Ireland: (possible) 1 Paul Stirling (capt), 2 Ross Adair, 3 Harry Tector, 4 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 5 Ben Calitz, 6 George Dockrell, 7 Curtis Campher, 8 Barry McCarthy, 9 Graham Hume, 10 Matthew Humphreys, 11 Craig Young.Sonny Baker seems in line for a maiden T20I outing, and ideally a less brutal return to England colours, after being launched for 76 runs on his wicketless ODI debut against South Africa earlier this month. Cox is the obvious replacement for Brook in the middle-order, with England likely to persevere with their spin-heavy attack in preparation for the T20 World Cup.England: (possible) 1 Phil Salt, 2 Jos Buttler (wk), 3 Jacob Bethell (capt), 4 Jordan Cox, 5 Sam Curran, 6 Tom Banton, 7 Will Jacks, 8 Liam Dawson, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Luke Wood, 11 Sonny Baker.Pitch and conditionsDublin in early autumn is unlikely to be the sort of batting paradise that England encountered in that Old Trafford contest. Stirling predicted conditions would be as “alien” to those at next year’s World Cup as you could imagine: “September in Ireland is going to be green, it’s going to nip a little bit, and it’s going to be slightly slow.” The weather for Wednesday is mostly set to be clear, though torrential overnight rain is anticipated, which may well influence the decisions at the toss.Stats and trivia England and Ireland have played only twice before in the T20I format – at the T20 World Cups in 2010 (then the World T20) and 2022. Ireland memorably won the second of those at the MCG and might well have won the first but for a washout. England, remarkably, recovered from those set-backs to claim the title on each occasion. At 21 years and 329 days, Jacob Bethell is set to become the youngest captain in England’s history, beating the mark currently held by Monty Bowden, who was 23 and 144 days when he led England against South Africa at Cape Town on the Test tour of 1888-89.Quotes”It was fantastic viewing… Hopefully it’ll be a bit different than Old Trafford, where the pitch didn’t seem to be doing much. Coming here, it might be a bit slower, it might do a bit more, and hopefully we can catch a team off-guard that way if things go our way – maybe win the toss and go from there.”
“I’ve played with Paul Stirling myself, and I’ve seen how destructive he is at the other end. He’ll be someone we’ll be looking to target early and try to get him walking back into the sheds.”

Celtic have now reportedly been “made aware” of an opportunity to sign Raheem Sterling from Chelsea in the January transfer window, with the winger still frozen out at Stamford Bridge.

It’s a busy time for the Hoops, who were thrown into chaos when Brendan Rodgers made an unexpected decision to resign earlier this season – sparking the return of Martin O’Neill on an interim basis.

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Since then, the 73-year-old has turned back the clock to get Celtic back on track and send the rumour mill into overdrive that he could yet extend his second stint in charge of the club.

O’Neill, however, has often distanced himself from the permanent job and candidates such as Wilfried Nancy and Kjetil Nkutsen are beginning to emerge as potential options to take the reins.

The next two weeks should be crucial for Celtic in their managerial search, but it remains to be seen whether they’ll have a new name in charge by the time that the international break comes to an end.

If their search is ongoing, then O’Neill has reiterated that he’ll be happy to stick around until the club no longer need his services – telling reporters: “I will be here as long as the football board wants me, it’s as simple as that.”

Of course, whoever is in charge will have plenty of work to do in the January transfer window, with Celtic in need of reinforcements and a number of potential options already coming to the fore.

Celtic "made aware" of Raheem Sterling option

As Graeme Bailey told 67 Hail Hail, Celtic have now been “made aware” of the chance to sign Sterling in January, as Chelsea continue to give the four-time Premier League winner the cold shoulder in West London.

Without an appearance all season, the former Manchester City winger desperately needs a move this winter, but must face up to the reality of a significant pay-cut if he is to move onto a club like Celtic. As things stand, Sterling earns an eye-watering £16.9m-a-year at Chelsea.

To put that figure into context, Celtic’s record signing, Adam Idah cost them £11m so, in one swoop, Sterling’s wages alone would beat the Bhoys’ record transfer fee and that’s simply not doable in Glasgow. The Chelsea man will need to make a major sacrifice.

There would also be question marks over Sterling’s ability to make an instant impact. Although former Chelsea boss Graham Potter dubbed the winger “excellent” during his time at the club, those days are long gone and he hasn’t played a senior game since a loan spell at Arsenal last season. Even if he were to halve his salary, it would be an expensive gamble for Celtic.

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The step up from the Championship to the Premier League is a difficult one to make, as Leeds United have found out so far this season with 11 points from 11 games.

Joel Piroe is a player who perfectly illustrates the gap between the two divisions. He was the top goalscorer in the second tier with 19 goals last season, yet he has no goals in five Premier League games and has been an unused substitute five times, per Sofascore.

As Daniel Farke learns more and more about his players in the top-flight, other stars from the 2024/25 campaign may end up losing their place in the starting line-up, as Piroe did.

Club captain and starting defensive midfielder Ethan Ampadu has started all nine of his appearances in the Premier League this season, but he is not undroppable.

Why Ethan Ampadu is not undroppable for Leeds

The Wales international has been a fantastic player for the club since his move from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, leading the Whites to the title as captain last term.

Ampadu is not undroppable, though, as some of his performances in the number six position for Leeds in the Premier League have left a little bit to be desired from, most recently against Nottingham Forest.

Minutes

90

Pass accuracy

76%

Possession lost

15x

Tackles won

1

Ground duels won

3/7

Aerial duels won

1/2

Fouls committed

3

Dribbled past

1x

As you can see in the table above, the Welsh midfielder lost the majority of his ground duels and was dribbled past as many times as he completed a tackle, which shows that it was a bit too easy for the Forest midfielders to get the better of him.

Per FotMob, Ampadu ranks within the bottom 40% of midfielders in the division for being dribbled past (four times) and the bottom 39% for aerial duel success rate (50%). This shows that his issues against Forest were not isolated incidents.

With this in mind, Farke could improve the robustness of his midfield by ruthlessly dropping the skipper to unleash Anton Stach in a new role as the number six.

Why Leeds should play Anton Stach over Ethan Ampadu

Per Transfermarkt, all of the German midfielder’s starts in the Premier League this season have been as a central midfielder or as an attacking midfielder. That is despite the fact that he has more starts in his career (138) as a defensive midfielder than in any other role.

Chalkboard

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

AllLeedsTV presenter Oscar Marrio, who claimed Stach “was cooking” earlier in the season, recently noted that the 6 foot 4 star “excelled” for Hoffenheim as a number six, earning him a comparison to Arsenal star Declan Rice.

Stach’s defensive output as a central midfielder in the Premier League so far this term suggests that he does have the potential to offer more security in front of the defence than Ampadu has.

Tackles won

23

15

Duels won

39

49

Duel success rate

57%

60%

Aerial duels won

8

17

Aerial duel success rate

50%

85%

Dribbled past

4x

1x

Fouls committed

16

14

As you can see in the table above, the £17.4m signing from Hoffenheim has outperformed the Welshman in duels, particularly in the air, and has been harder to get past for opposition midfielders.

These statistics suggest that Stach, who has scored one goal in the Premier League this season, could be well-suited to sitting in as the number six in Farke’s 4-3-3 system to provide a physical presence in front of the back four.

Ampadu’s struggles aerially and in allowing players to dribble past him as the number six have been evident, which is why dropping him from the line-up to unleash Stach in a new role, albeit one he has played a lot elsewhere in his career, could be a good move.

That also does not mean that the captain has to completely lose his place in the team. Farke could play the former Chelsea man as one of the two midfielders ahead of Stach, to see if that is a more successful dynamic.

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Trio of fifties set the agenda for bottom club in must-win contest

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay16-Sep-2025Worcestershire 320 for 5 (Roderick 95*, D’Oliveira 84, Edavalath 61) vs DurhamHalf-centuries from Rehaan Edavalath, Brett D’Oliveira and Gareth Roderick helped Division Two bound Worcestershire frustrate relegation candidates Durham on day two of their Rothesay County Championship clash.Durham struck twice in the morning session to leave the visitors 49 for two, but 21-year-old Edavalath and 19-year-old Dan Lategan combined for a partnership worth 84 to steer their side out of a spot of trouble.Durham bounced back with a double-wicket burst, removing the pair in the afternoon, but Roderick and D’Oliveira frustrated Durham, picking up their own half-centuries in a partnership worth 170, the highest fifth wicket partnership for their side in the fixture, to take the Pears to 320 for five at close.After a washout on day one, Durham won the toss and elected to bowl first in their crucial clash with the Pears.
Jake Libby got off the mark early on with a tidy shot through the covers from the bowling of Ben Raine. The Worcestershire opening pair of Libby and Edavalath managed to negate some probing bowling from Raine and Matthew Potts without taking many risks during the first half hour.Raine was rewarded for the pressure he built up as Libby was caught behind for 14, after he chased one down the legside. A second soon followed as Kashif Ali edged a Potts delivery straight into the hands of David Bedingham at third slip for 10.Lategan then came to the crease and showed the first signs of aggression from the Pears batting line-up as he picked up three boundaries from a Potts over.
Edavalath remained solid after seeing off the new ball and Lategan continued to attack as the youthful pair took their side to 100 before lunch.Edavalath calmly accumulated his way to his maiden First Class fifty just after lunch, reaching it from 96 deliveries.
The opener played a glorious straight drive off the bowling of Durham’s Afghan debutant Shafiquallah Ghafari for four to keep the scoreboard ticking over.Lategan followed that up as he cut a Raine ball to the boundary, but Raine struck back as he got him LBW for a well-made 44.Pears skipper D’Oliveira was almost following the youngster back to the pavilion as he edged a Raine delivery to Emilio Gay at second slip but he couldn’t cling on.Just a couple of balls later, chaos ensued in the middle as when going for a quick single, Edavalath was sent back by his skipper and he was run out by Graham Clark for 61. However, D’Oliveira played a beautiful shot through the offside off the bowling of Potts to break the shackles.Roderick and D’Oliveira soaked up the pressure and they continued to accumulate runs, with the Pears captain finding the boundary after Sam Conners offered a bit of width. Roderick then joined in to whip a Ghafari ball off his legs to the boundary.The pair resumed after tea, with Roderick playing a delicate shot through the onside for four to kick things off after the tea break and he passed fifty off 88 balls soon after. D’Oliveira then reached his milestone from 114 balls as he got his side to a first batting point.Durham took the new ball on the 80-over mark and there was a little bit on offer for Raine, but Roderick and D’Oliveira continued to look unflustered.D’Oliveira played a beautiful shot through the offside for four, while Roderick continued to attack as he whipped a Will Rhodes ball through the legside for four.There was a late twist as Conners sent D’Oliveira’s off-stump flying for an excellent 84, but it was Worcestershire’s day as they got to 320 for five at close.