Newcastle United have been sculpted into a force over the past four years. Eddie Howe has been the architect of this staggering rise, qualifying twice for the Champions League inside three seasons and, last year, beating Liverpool to lift the Carabao Cup.

The summer transfer window was a testing one for many reasons, but United have assembled a group of players ready to compete at the highest level once again.

But there’s no question that there’s work to be done. After all, the Toon sit 14th in the Premier League, and new signings are still bedding in.

But there’s so much world-class talent at Howe’s disposal, and the manager and his side’s success in tying down Sandro Tonali to a new contract is evidence of how mighty St. James’ Park is becoming.

Sandro Tonali's new contract at Newcastle

It has come to light that Tonali secretly signed a contract extension at Newcastle during his betting ban, meaning his new deal runs until 2029, with the club holding the power to activate a one-year extension.

The Italy international is now set to star at Newcastle for many years to come, and if interest does heat up, the Toon will hold all the cards concerning a player who has blended athleticism with intelligence and technical grace to become “one of the best footballers to ever play for Newcastle”, according to one prominent online supporter.

The bond he has forged with Bruno Guimaraes in the centre of St. James’ Park is a thing to behold. Together, they are supercharging Howe’s system, piecing together this next stage in Howe’s project, so the recent success will not be remembered as a flash in the pan.

Though the 25-year-old suffered through some adversity at the start of his career in England, he has since repaid the £55m investment and then some, good enough to become the next £100m+ sale.

The loss of Alexander Isak to Arne Slot’s Premier League champions? That one stung. But Newcastle banked a record-breaking £125m cheque for the departure of their former talisman.

And, whisper it quietly, but the Sweden striker’s sale has been cushioned and then some by the redirection of the funds.

Howe's latest Newcastle superstar

He’s the talk of the Toon. Despite raising eyebrows upon their club-record £69m acquisition of Nick Woltemade, the German striker is proving his worth and then some at the front of Howe’s system.

The 23-year-old is quickly climbing up to the high ground on which Tonali stands, and he could enter a similar £100m ballpark with a continuation of the resounding early performances in black and white.

Already, Woltemade has scored five goals for Newcastle, having only played eight times.

When fellow forward signing Yoane Wissa pulled up with a knee injury on international duty with DR Congo after completing his £55m transfer from Brentford to the north east, fears were heightened.

Isak had departed, had he not? And Wissa was the free-scoring, Premier League-tuned striker. But Woltemade has allayed concerns and then some with his displays over the past few months.

Howe and his analytical staff will have known all about Woltemade’s quality, but it’s hard to imagine they expected such a fast and seamless start to life in a new land.

BBC Sport analyst Raj Chohan has even said that “there’s no striker on the planet who moves the ball like Woltemade.”

He’s not Isak, but that’s the beauty of it. Newcastle have signed a player with the potential to emulate elements of the 26-year-old’s game while adding his own flair and personality to the front of Howe’s system.

Goals

0.68

0.61

Assists

0.08

0.20

Shots taken

2.29

3.00

Shot-creating actions

3.74

2.79

Touches (att pen)

7.12

6.06

Pass completion (%)

72.9

75.4

Progressive passes

2.53

3.17

Progressive carries

1.41

2.52

Successful take-ons

1.37

1.36

Ball recoveries

2.61

1.84

Aerial duels won

2.05

0.89

The forwards’ comparable strength in directly taking on their opponents with the ball at their feet demonstrates their technical level. It absolutely accentuates Woltemade’s individual talent. Isak is more of an unrelenting runner, and he’s faster besides, but Woltemade arguably has neater close control.

Moreover, the Germany international’s technical skill has been picked up in his recent weeks on Tyneside, with reporter Andy Sixsmith hailing him for flair, saying the phenom’s “link-up play is mesmerising”.

The transfer chatter, would you believe it, has already started up. German publication BILD have recently revealed that Bayern Munich, who had earmarked Woltemade as a summer transfer target, are still keeping a watchful eye on the lanky forward, with the report going on to suggest he dreams of returning to his homeland and signing for Die Roten one day.

That’s nice, but if the Isak saga tells us one thing, it’s that Newcastle will only let their prized pieces leave if they get bang for their buck.

And if Woltemade has started as he means to go on for the Tynesiders, he’s not going to be going anywhere for a figure beneath that which saw Isak book a one-way trip to Anfield.

It’s early days yet, and the rangy talent must now work on building consistency in the final third. But the early readings are oh-so promising, and Woltemade is already shaping up to be the real deal and perhaps the biggest star since Tonali blossomed.

Howe can forget Elanga by unleashing Newcastle's teen who's 'like Yamal'

Eddie Howe may turn to the academy to help build fluency down Newcastle’s right side.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 23, 2025

RCB awaits the report of the CID investigation that is in its final stages

Shashank Kishore17-Jul-2025The Karnataka government has held Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) accountable for the stampede that occurred outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, resulting in 11 deaths and injuries to more than 50 people.The findings were outlined in the government’s status report, which was made public on Thursday, two days after the Karnataka High Court rejected the government’s request to keep it confidential and ordered its release.In the status report, a copy of which has been accessed by ESPNcricinfo, the government said: “The RCB Management, in association with its event management partner, DNA Networks Private Limited, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), unilaterally decided to hold the victory celebration without prior consultation with the police and without obtaining the necessary permissions or license for such celebration.”As per the report, KSCA CEO Subhendu Ghosh submitted an intimation on behalf of DNA Entertainment to the Cubbon Park police on June 3 around 6.30pm about RCB’s intention to organise a victory parade should they win the IPL final that was scheduled the same evening in Ahmedabad.Related

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BCCI forms committee to prevent incidents like Bengaluru stampede

However, the police denied the request due to “insufficient information regarding the expected gathering size, arrangements made as well as the proposal being made on very short notice.”The report, which largely details the sequence of events right from when the request was first made, further underlines how RCB went ahead and posted an invitation on their social media channels at 7.01am on June 4, announcing a victory parade from Vidhana Soudha to the Chinnaswamy Stadium.The report further said that the posts on RCB’ s official social media handles, including one that had Virat Kohli announcing plans to celebrate with the fans in Bengaluru, garnered immense engagement online.While citing Licensing and Controlling of Assemblies and Processions (Bangalore City) Order, 2009, to underscore RCB’s procedural violations for crowd gathering, the report stated, “It is pertinent to note that a mere intimation was given by the organisers.”There was no requisition for permissions in the prescribed format, nor was any necessary information provided to the concerned departments to anticipate the gathering and make adequate preparation.”Meanwhile, lawyers arguing for the government, challenged the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order that revoked the suspension of IPS officer Vikash Kumar and four others, who were held responsible for the stampede and subsequently dismissed by chief minister Siddharamaiah. They argued that the tribunal had overstepped its jurisdiction.The government contended that managing such a large crowd at just 12 hours’ notice was an impossible task and questioned the officer’s [Vikash & team] handling of the situation. “What was the officer doing? Did he take any action? Instead of issuing prohibitory orders under the Police Act, they proceeded with arrangements for the celebration,” the government stated.RCB continues to await the report of the CID investigation that is in its final stages. Members of RCB’s top brass as well as those from DNA have all submitted their testimonies over the past month. A set date for the judgment is yet to be made public.

Happy Hump Day! It’s time to bet on some playoff baseball. 

We are on a 4-0 streak this week, let’s see if we can keep it rolling. 

There are two potential elimination games today, as the Mets and Padres look to close it out at home.   

Best MLB Bets Today

• Mets ML (-112)
• Dodgers/Padres over 7.4 (-120)

Phillies vs. Mets Prediction

Jose Quintana starts at home tonight for the Mets.   The Phillies are typically dominant vs. left-handed pitching, but in his last outing vs. the Phillies, Quintana spun a seven-inning gem, allowing just three hits and no earned runs.  Across three games pitched this season vs. Philadelphia, Quintana has a 2.81 ERA. 

Ranger Suarez starts for the Phillies. Suarez has an ERA of 5.65 since the All-Star Break, allowing 15 earned runs across 22 ⅓ innings pitched in September. He’s making his first MLB start since September 27.  Suarez pitched well in his last outing vs. the Mets in September, allowing two earned runs across five innings pitched.   The Phillies will be ready to go to their bullpen immediately if Suarez struggles in an elimination game.

Phillies relievers have allowed 12 earned runs across just nine innings pitched in the postseason. 

Mets hitters have averaged 5.67 runs per game in the postseason, second only to the Phillies, and they are coming off a 7-2 win vs. the Phillies yesterday.

It’s hard to bet against a 95-win team with a +113 run differential in the regular season, but the postseason is a new ballgame.  

The Mets are hungrier. 

Dodgers vs. Padres Prediction

The rivalry is heating up, and the Padres have a chance to close it out at home Wednesday night. 

The Dodgers will start a bullpen game and have yet to name an opener.  The Dodgers bullpen has allowed six earned runs across 12 ⅔ innings pitched to the Padres in the postseason.  The Padres are averaging a postseason-leading six runs per game. 

The Padres will start Dylan Cease tonight on short rest.  Cease allowed five runs over just 3 ⅓ innings in Game 1 of this series, including a three-run home run shot to Shohei Ohtani.

The Dodgers are averaging the third-most runs per game in the postseason (4.67).

Both managers will have a short leash tonight, but I’ll bet on the bats to be hotter tonight. 

Well, that was about as perfect a weekend as Mikel Arteta and Arsenal could have hoped for.

Granted, Manchester City picked up another win, but Liverpool lost their fourth game on the bounce, and their first at home to Manchester United in nine years.

On top of that, the Gunners did their job, beating Fulham 1-0 away from home to extend their lead over the Reds to four points and put themselves in the driving seat for the Premier League title.

1

Arsenal

12

19

2

Man City

11

16

3

Bournemouth

3

15

4

Liverpool

3

15

5

Chelsea

7

14

6

Spurs

7

14

7

Sunderland

3

14

Moreover, while it wasn’t a vintage performance from Arsenal, they were ultimately comfortable against the West Londoners, and it was another stellar showing from Bukayo Saka, and another starter who’s starting to become a Saka-type star.

Saka's performance vs Fulham

Even though Arsenal were not at their best against Fulham, they never looked in any real danger of losing the game.

In fact, what should terrify their title rivals is that, for the second time in as many games, Arteta’s side managed to prevent their opposition from taking a single shot on target.

The last time the Gunners were able to do that was back in the 03/04 season, when they went on to win the league undefeated and on 90 points.

With that said, while Viktor Gyokeres continued to struggle up top, and Leandro Trossard didn’t do an awful lot aside from scoring, it was another strong showing from Saka on the right.

The Hale End legend was lively from the first minute, and while he didn’t get on the scoresheet himself, he was far and away the Gunners’ most dangerous forward.

For example, in his 99 minutes of action, he amassed an expected assists figure of 0.55, took two shots, took 86 touches, completed six of seven dribbles, created one big chance, recovered the ball nine times and even won 13 of 20 ground duels.

It was an excellent showing from the stand-in captain, and one that once again showed that, when fit, he is the biggest and most important star in Arteta’s side.

Minutes

99′

Expected Assists

0.55

Total Shots

2

Key Passes

7

Dribbles (Successful)

7 (6)

Big Chances Created

1

Touches

86

Fouls Won

5

Ball Recoveries

9

Ground Duels (Won)

20 (13)

However, there were a few other starters who stood out, including one who is starting to become something of a Saka-type player.

Arsenal's new Saka-type star

It almost goes without saying at this point that William Saliba, David Raya, Declan Rice and Gabriel Magaehelse were once again excellent for Arsenal on the weekend.

Chalkboard

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

However, when it comes to someone starting to become something of a Saka-type player, they do not fall into that category.

Riccardo Calafiori, on the other hand, could.

Now, this comparison is obviously not based on their starting positions or output, as while the Italian has a goal and an assist in him, he is never going to match the numbers of the Englishman – few players can.

Instead, it’s primarily based on the fact that, as one analyst puts it, he ends up “everywhere” on the pitch and adds “pure chaos” to a system many labelled boring at points last season.

For example, the former Bologna star may well start games at left-back, but he spends much of his time roaming around the pitch, picking up space here and there, dragging opponents out of their positions and freeing up areas for his teammates to operate in.

This is the key reason he could be seen as a Saka-type player in the making, as opposition defenders and midfielders are starting to realise that he cannot be left alone to roam, as he will punish them.

This was on full display on Saturday, as not only was he marginally offside for his wonderful strike in the first half, but he was also consistently all over the place, popping up at right-wing, in the middle of the park, and up top.

As one analyst put it in the summer, “his positional IQ, carrying and overall technical quality are literally game-breaking.”

Finally, while this maverick approach to games helps create space for his teammates, it also makes matches more entertaining for fans, with journalist James Benge going as far as calling the Italian “the most electrifying man in sports entertainment” on Saturday night.

Ultimately, they have their clear differences, but Calafiori’s mercurial ability to roam, pull opponents out of position and entertain the fans makes it rather easy to describe him as a Saka-type star.

Hale End's "Saka regen" left for £0, now he's outscoring Arsenal's starboy

Arsenal had a Bukayo Saka regen in Hale End that Edu allowed to leave.

ByBen Gray Oct 20, 2025

Defending champions Dubai Capitals have signed Luke Wood, Waqar Salamkheil and Muhammad Jawadullah

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2025

MI Emirates have retained AM Ghazanfar for the next season of the ILT20•ACB

Defending champions Dubai Capitals have retained Rovman Powell, Shai Hope and Gulbadin Naib for the upcoming season of the ILT20 in the UAE. They have also signed Afghanistan wristspinner Waqar Salamkheil, England left-arm quick Luke Wood and UAE left-arm seamer Muhammad Jawadullah for the fourth season of the tournament.Apart from retaining Afghanistan mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar, Romario Shepherd and Muhammad Waseem, MI Emirates have picked Chris Woakes and Kamindu Mendis as their new faces.Waseem, 31, is a six-hitting machine from the UAE. He has hit 165 sixes in 72 T20I innings – only Rohit Sharma (205) and Martin Guptill (173) have struck more sixes than Waseem in the format.Related

ILT20: Dinesh Karthik joins Sharjah Warriorz

Ashwin enters ILT20 auction with the highest base price for any player

ILT20 cut team salary caps fter avoiding direct clash with SA20

ILT20 to move to December-January window for 2025-26

Desert Vipers, last season’s runners-up, added USA wicketkeeper-batter Andries Gous, who is currently in action for Washington Freedom in MLC 2025, to their roster. Lockie Ferguson, Sam Curran, Wanindu Hasaranga and Dan Lawrence were among the players retained by Vipers for the upcoming season.Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, who finished last in the six-team league last season, have added more power to their side in the form of Liam Livingstone, Sherfane Rutherford and Alex Hales.Hales, 36, brings in vast T20 experience: he has played over 500 T20s, scoring 13,756 runs at a strike rate of 145.28. He isn’t too far away from surpassing Chris Gayle (14562) as the leading run-getter in T20 cricket.The former England opener had earlier this year declined a contract with Nottinghamshire to play for the Knight Riders’ franchises in MLC 2025 and CPL 2025. Hales had retired from international cricket in 2023 but has continued to be active in franchise leagues around the world.Sunil Narine and Andre Russell have both been retained by Abu Dhabi Knight Riders•BCCI

The next edition of the ILT20 has been brought forward to a December-January window with an eye on avoiding the cluttered January-February window as well as finishing up well before the men’s T20 World Cup, which will run from February to March.The six franchises will complete their squads through a player auction, details of which will be announced soon, according to a statement from the ILT20.Retained playersAbu Dhabi Knight Riders: Alishan Sharafu, Andre Russell, Charith Asalanka, Phil Salt and Sunil Narine.Desert Vipers: Dan Lawrence, David Payne, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Lockie Ferguson, Max Holden, Sam Curran and Wanindu Hasaranga.Dubai Capitals: Dasun Shanaka, Dushmantha Chameera, Gulbadin Naib, Rovmann Powell and Shai Hope.Gulf Giants: Aayan Afzal Khan, Blessing Muzarabani, Gerhard Erasmus, James Vince and Mark Adair.MI Emirates: AM Ghazanfar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kusal Perera, Romario Shepherd, Tom Banton and Muhammad Waseem.Sharjah Warriorz: Johnson Charles, Kusal Mendis, Tim Southee and Tom Kohler-Cadmore.New signingsAbu Dhabi Knight Riders: Alex Hales, Liam Livingstone and Sherfane Rutherford.Desert Vipers: Andries Gous.Dubai Capitals: Luke Wood, Waqar Salamkheil and Muhammad Jawadullah.Gulf Giants: Azmatullah Omarzai, Moeen Ali, Rahmanullah Gurbaz.MI Emirates: Chris Woakes and Kamindu Mendis.Sharjah Warriorz: Maheesh Theekshana, Sikandar Raza, Saurabh Netravalkar and Tim David.

تحدث عبد العزيز عبد الشافي نجم الأهلي السابق، عن تتويج الأهلي ببطولة السوبر المصري على حساب الزمالك. 

وكان الأهلي قد حصد لقب السوبر المصري على حساب الزمالك، بهدفين مقابل هدف، في المباراة التي جمعت بين الفريقين مساء اليوم على ملعب آل نهيان. 

طالع.. مدرب الأهلي يوضح تطورات إصابة حسين الشحات وإمام عاشور وداري

وقال زيزو في تصريحات على قناة “أون سبورت”: “الأداء في تحسّن عن البدايات، كان هناك أسباب طبيعية تجعل الفرقة ليست موزونة، مثل الإرهاق بعد كأس العالم للأندية”.

 وأضاف: “مباريات الأهلي والزمالك بالتحديد تكون نقطة تحول، ومباراة اليوم بالنسبة للنادي الأهلي أعتقد أنها كذلك، من خلال عودة الثقة للفريق”.

وتابع: “الجماعية مرهونة بأصحاب الفروق الفردية، والفروق الفردية هي اللي ميّزت النادي الأهلي أمام الزمالك، وما حدث من جماعية في الهدف الأول للأهلي أمام الزمالك، دليل على تغير حالة الفريق”.

Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed the most expensive thing he has ever bought and compared becoming a billionaire to winning the Ballon d'Or. In October 2025, Ronaldo's net worth reportedly climbed to a staggering $1.4 billion (£1.04bn/€1.2bn) after he put pen to paper on the most lucrative contract extension in sporting history with Al-Nassr. Under the terms of the new deal, the forward now earns a whopping £178m-a-year in wages.

First footballer to become a billionaire

In the summer, Ronaldo signed the most lucrative contract extension in sporting history with Al-Nassr as he put pen to paper on a fresh two-year deal. The 40-year-old is now earning a whopping £178m-a-year in wages, which is £488,000-a-day. He is also believed to have received a signing-on fee worth £24.5m ($32.8m/€28.2m), which will increase to £38m ($51m/€43.8m) if he enters the second year of his contract.

In October, U.S. publication Bloomberg reported that following the new contract extension, the ex-Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star became the first footballer on the planet to become a billionaire as his net worth now stands at $1.4 billion (£1.04bn/€1.2bn). 

AdvertisementGOAL/GETTY/X:@Manchester AirportRonaldo's prized possession

Speaking on 'Piers Morgan Uncensored', Ronaldo revealed that the biggest purchase of his life so far was a customised private jet, which set him back approximately €50m. The Portugal star said: "The most expensive thing I've ever bought? An aeroplane, yes. I've had my aeroplane since I was 30, but I changed it a year ago, so it was a bit expensive. I have a [Bombardier] Global Express [model 6500]. I don’t spend money [just because]… For example, I can buy whatever I want, but I don’t need it. Three days ago I bought a car, but it’s for my collection. It’s like buying a painting. I’m not going to drive that car, it’s an investment. I don’t know how many cars I have, I don’t count. It’s normal, I’m not trying to be humble, it’s a fact. Honestly, if I had to bet, I’d say 41, 42. I don’t know, I swear I don’t know. I love Bugattis, they’re different beasts. I never drive. I spent a week in Madrid and didn’t even go to the garage to see if the cars were there. The day I left, the two Bugattis went for inspection and came back, I looked at them, they’re clean, they’re good, they’re going to the garage. I’m honest, cars are no longer a passion. I don’t drive much in Saudi Arabia and the traffic is terrible, but when we go back home there isn’t any. Yesterday I even drove home in my new BMW, given by Al Nassr to all the players, but I hadn’t driven for six months."

'Numbers don't lie'

Ronaldo added on becoming a billionaire: "I knew this was going to happen, I was prepared. It was a matter of time. Honestly, I was very happy. It was like winning a Ballon d'Or, because you have your goals of having a house, a car, and it was my goal to reach that number. Honestly. I'm not obsessed with money, because it can help you in many ways, but when you reach a certain level it doesn't matter anymore, but it's good to have more, because we are human, we are never happy with what we have. There are things more important than money, but I was very happy because it was one of my goals, besides football, trophies, Ballon d'Ors, Champions League. At 39, I reached that number and I was very proud.

"In football, I'm the only one. It doesn't surprise me much; the numbers don't lie. If you look at so many records in football, I'm at the top of the list, so it's just another one. Honestly, it doesn't surprise me because I knew my potential in football and outside of it. I knew I was going to reach that number for many reasons."

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GettyWhen will Ronaldo retire?

When asked about his retirement plans, the veteran striker replied: "I think I'll be prepared. It will be tough, yes, it will be difficult. I'll probably cry, that's normal. I cry easily, I don't like to hold back my feelings. It will be very difficult, but I've been preparing for my future since I was 25, so I think I'll be able to handle it. Nothing will compare to football, the adrenaline of scoring goals, that will end. 

"Everything has a beginning and an end, so I think I'll be prepared. I have other passions, I'll have more time for myself, for my family, my children. I want to follow in Cristiano Jr.'s footsteps, because it's the age when people do stupid things, because I did the same. I want to be more present and then I have my hobbies. Watching UFC, I like padel. I want to learn more about my business. I'll never be a YouTuber, but I'll also spend more time on that."

The Al-Nassr captain is expected to be back in action for his club on Wednesday as the Saudi Pro League giants take on India's FC Goal in an AFC Champions League Two clash in Riyadh.

England have been docked two World Test Championship (WTC) points for their slow over rate during the slim 22-run victory in the third Test against India at Lord’s. England’s tally has, as a result, fallen from 24 points to 22 on the WTC points table, and the percentage points have slipped from 66.67% to 61.11%, taking them down a spot from second to third, behind Australia and Sri Lanka.England were also fined 10% of their match fees for falling short of the allotted time for over rates.As per Article 16.11.2 of the WTC playing conditions, a side is penalised one point for each over short after time allowances are taken into consideration.England captain Ben Stokes pleaded guilty to the offence, which meant there was no need for a formal hearing.The third Test, which England won to edge ahead in the series with a 2-1 lead, was a high-octane and thrilling game full of heated battles in which players often came face to face, intensity that surged towards the end of the day, individual brilliance that saw one of the fastest spells from Jofra Archer in Tests, centuries from Joe Root and KL Rahul, and a five-wicket haul from Jasprit Bumrah.The intensity of the Test went up soon after the teams went toe to toe with identical first-innings scores of 387 that reduced the Test to a second-innings showdown. Once India were set 193 to win, they took the the game to the last session with vital lower-order partnerships that Ravindra Jadeja stitched with Nitish Kumar Reddy, Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj before Shoaib Bashir, with a broken finger on his left hand, dismissed Siraj in dramatic fashion to spark off England’s celebrations as Indian hearts were left broken.Bashir has now been ruled out of the series, and replaced by Liam Dawson for the fourth Test, which begins from July 23 at Old Trafford.

Manchester United secured just their second Premier League win of the campaign yesterday, beating newly-promoted Sunderland 2-0 at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils have struggled under Ruben Amorim once again in recent weeks, but the display on Saturday was a glimpse of the success they can achieve under his guidance.

His side achieved a higher tally of shots and shots on target against Regis Le Bris’ outfit, finally looking like a side that can cause problems within the final third.

Goalscoring has been a real issue within 2025/26 to date, scoring just seven times before the two-goal triumph over the Black Cats yesterday afternoon.

However, two players look to have kick-started their campaigns under the 40-year-old, producing numerous impressive figures alongside their goals, which secured three vital points.

Sesko & Mount’s displays against Sunderland for United

Benjamin Sesko netted his first United goal last week during the defeat against Brentford, with the Slovenian doubling his tally with his effort against Sunderland yesterday afternoon.

The youngster produced a centre-forward’s finish, getting in front of the Black Cats’ defender to poke home his effort and give the Red Devils a two-goal advantage.

He also created two chances for his teammates in the process, whilst winning four of the aerial duels he entered – subsequently offering the needed focal point the side have lacked in recent times.

Sesko wasn’t alone in impressing at the Theatre of Dreams, with midfielder Mason Mount taking advantage of his recall to the starting eleven after a two-game absence.

The Englishman featured for just over an hour of the contest, subsequently netting his first goal of the campaign and handing Amorim’s side the lead less than 10 minutes into the contest.

He also completed three passes into the final third, along with an 84% pass completion rate, with such numbers aiding Sesko within attacking areas during the triumph.

However, despite the performances of the aforementioned duo, one other first-team star managed to impress, now emulating the success of one other talent at Old Trafford.

The United star who’s becoming Amorim’s answer to Nani

Back in the summer of 2007, United completed the signing of 20-year-old winger Luis Nani from Sporting CP – with the youngster an unknown quantity to many at Old Trafford.

The Portuguese international made a total of 230 appearances over an eight-year period, subsequently finding the back of the net on 41 separate occasions.

He also became infamous for his iconic goal celebration, with his somersaults being a familiar sight given his goalscoring record during his time as a Red Devil.

The winger claimed a total of seven major trophies during his spell in England, including four Premier League titles and a Champions League triumph – showcasing his success under Sir Alex Ferguson.

However, fast forward to the present day, Amorim may have unearthed his own version of the attacker, in the form of Amad Diallo, with the Ivorian following a very similar route to stardom.

He joined United as a player unknown to many, after the hierarchy forked out a fee in the region of £37m for his signature from Atalanta back in the winter of 2021.

The 23-year-old was only 18 at the time of his switch to England, but had to bide his time before making an impact on the first team squad in the Premier League.

However, Amad is now a key member of Amorim’s side, featuring for the entirety of the clash against his former loan outfit during the win on Saturday afternoon.

Despite not registering a goal or an assist during the victory, he registered numerous impressive stats which highlight his positive impact on the meeting.

Amad completed 100% of the 38 passes he attempted, which allowed him to create three chances – the highest of any player on the pitch at Old Trafford.

He also completed the most dribbles in the match (3), whilst also drawing the most fouls (3), with the opposition unable to contain the attacker for the majority of the outing.

Amad Diallo – stats against Sunderland
Statistics	Tally
Minutes played	90
Touches	62
Passes completed	38/38 (100%)
Dribbles completed	3
Fouls won	3
Chances created	3
Duels won	8
Defensive contributions	10
Stats via FotMob

Despite his small frame, the youngster managed to win eight duels against the Black Cats, topping off what was a superb all-around showing against his former outfit.

After such a performance, there’s no denying that Amad is rapidly becoming one of the most important players on the teamsheet, emulating the levels produced by Nani at Old Trafford.

If he can continue on his current trajectory, there’s no reason why he can’t match the Portuguese star’s levels at the club – potentially leading the Red Devils to added trophies in the years ahead.

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By
Robbie Walls

Oct 5, 2025

Glasgow Rangers finally confirmed their new head coach on Monday afternoon after a search that lasted just over two weeks, following the sacking of Russell Martin.

The Light Blues decided to part ways with the former Scotland international after their 1-1 draw with Falkirk, but they were unable to have a manager in place for their next Scottish Premiership match against Dundee United two weeks later.

Danny Rohl has, now, come through the door at Ibrox, though, and will be in charge of the Scottish giants when they face Brann in the Europa League on Thursday.

The German head coach has signed a deal that will take him through to the summer of 2027, having left Sheffield Wednesday at the start of this season.

After five wins in 18 matches so far this season in all competitions, supporters are understandably lacking in patience and want to see an instant improvement in the team’s form.

So, with this in mind, what can the fans at Ibrox expect from Rohl once his team walks out onto the pitch to play their first game against Brann on Thursday?

What Rangers fans can expect from a Danny Rohl team

The word ‘pragmatism’ is often misused in football. It gets used as a substitute for saying a manager plays defensive or passive football that is awful to watch, instead of the actual meaning of the word, which is to play logical football that makes sense with what you have at your disposal and who you are up against.

Rohl, fans may be pleased to read, is a pragmatist in the literal sense of the word. The German tactician, who worked as an assistant at Bayern Munich and for the German national team, changes his tactics and style of play to give his team the best chance of winning.

An interesting example of this came in March when Sheffield Wednesday travelled to Norwich City. They went direct in the first half, attempting to use physicality to gain possession, and found themselves 2-0 down at the break.

At half-time, Rohl brought on Nathaniel Chalobah and Michael Smith and looked to take control of the game in possession, dominating in midfield, and it led to a brilliant comeback to secure a 3-2 win, capped off by a winning goal from Djeidi Gassama.

Sheffield Wednesday (Championship)

23/24

24/25

League finish

20th

12th

Points

53

58

xG

50.2

62.7

Goals scored

44

60

Goals conceded

68

69

xGD

-8.4

-0.2

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, the Owls significantly improved from the start of Rohl’s tenure to the end of it, as a result of his pragmatism and willingness to adapt and evolve his side.

Despite his willingness to change styles and formations, one thing that was almost a constant for the German boss was that he played with one striker. Per FBref, 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, 4-1-4-1, 5-4-1, and 3-4-3 were his most-used formations in the Championship last season.

This suggests that, irrespective of what style he chooses to go with for each match, he is likely to go with one central striker in his team for the Light Blues.

With this in mind, there is a centre-forward on the books at Ibrox who could find himself on the chopping block when the January transfer window opens for business.

Chalkboard

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

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The first player Rohl should look to brutally ditch from his Rangers squad after the turn of the year is Brazilian forward Danilo, as it seems unlikely that he will play a major role for the new head coach.

Why Rangers should sell Danilo in January

Rangers splashed a whopping £8m on Youssef Chermiti and another £4.2m on Bojan Miovski to bolster their options in the number nine position.

This means that the club have spent over £12m on two strikers to be ahead of Danilo in the pecking order, which makes him the third-choice striker for a manager who predominantly wants to play with one player in that role.

Danilo, therefore, is in a difficult position at Ibrox. That is further evidenced by the fact that he has not played a minute in the Scottish Premiership since August, and has been an unused substitute in four of his last five appearances in the matchday squad.

The Brazilian striker started against Motherwell on the opening day of the season, and pundit Kris Boyd immediately stated that it was not working with him in the team.

Danilo has scored one goal and provided one assist in 11 appearances in all competitions this season, per Transfermarkt, so it is hard to disagree with Boyd’s assessment.

The £26k-per-week centre-forward, who was once described as being “sloppy” on the ball by pundit Steven Thompson, is also a constant injury concern for the Light Blues, as he has missed far too many games through injury in the last couple of years.

Danilo’s Rangers injury history

#1

#2

#3

Type of injury

Broken cheekbone

Knee injury

Knee injury

Date of injury

September 2023

December 2023

September 2024

Return date

October 2023

May 2024

November 2024

Days out

43

171

65

Matches missed

9

32

12

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Danilo has missed 53 matches through injury since his move to Ibrox to join Michael Beale’s side from Feyenoord in the summer of 2023.

This means that there should be doubts over both his durability and his quality in a Rangers shirt, which is not a good combination for a player who reportedly earns £26-per-week.

Therefore, Rohl should immediately sell the Brazilian striker from the squad when the January transfer window opens for business, to save money on wages and bring in funds to bring in players in other positions.

As the manager typically likes to play with one centre-forward, it makes logical sense to go with Miovski and Chermiti, who were both signed in the summer, and sell Danilo instead of paying a third-choice striker £26k-per-week to sit on the bench, or miss out on the matchday squad.

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