Well, that’s going to be a hard one to take for Manchester United fans.

Ruben Amorim’s side got their Premier League campaign underway at home to Arsenal this afternoon, and despite dominating the game for most of the encounter, came away as losers.

Unsurprisingly, the Gunners opened the scoring with a Riccardo Calafiori goal from a corner, and try as they might, the Red Devils just couldn’t find a response.

Man United vs Arsenal
Man Utd	Statistics	Arsenal
0	Goals	1
61%	Possession	39%
1.59	Expected Goals	1.05
0	Big Chances	1
22	Total Shots	9
2	Saves	7
3	Corners	4
10	Fouls	19
476	Passes	296
23	Tackles	18
All Stats via Sofascore

However, while it will go down as a defeat, it was unquestionably one of the best displays of the Amorim era, and one stand-out performer was just as impressive as Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.

Cunha & Mbeumo's performances vs Arsenal

While some players would be overawed at the prospect of making their competitive debut for United at home to Arsenal, Mbeumo and Cunha took it in stride.

The pair were transition monsters from practically the first minute, and for much of the first 45, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães had no answers.

In fact, if David Raya hadn’t put in one of the best performances he has had since joining the North Londoners, both attackers would’ve likely opened their accounts at the Theatre of Dreams.

While it might sound like we’re being hyperbolic, we really aren’t, as the Express’ Charlie Parker-Turner awarded both of them with 8/10 match ratings at full-time and described the Cameroonian as “frightening.”

Sky Sports’ pundit and former professional, Daniel Sturridge, went even further regarding the Brazilian, calling him “the best player for Man United” and hailing him for the way he “lit the place up.”

In all, while the result was far from ideal, it was a hugely promising showing from both new signings, and if they can play like that against Fulham next week, Amorim will have some points on the board in no time.

Yet, there was another starter who was arguably just as impressive this afternoon.

The Man United player who was as good as Cunha & Mbeumo

It really was a strange game today, as even though United came out on the losing side, there are a few other players who deserve credit for their performances.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

However, in this instance, we’re talking about someone who has had a rather torrid time of it since moving to Old Trafford: Mason Mount.

Yes, the former Chelsea star, who has been plagued with injury problems in recent years, started as one of the inside tens against the Gunners and, for the most part, looked excellent.

In the first half, Mikel Arteta’s side struggled to cope with him, as he continued to drop in and out of the midfield, playing a facilitative role for his two new attacking teammates.

He made quite an impression on Gary Neville as well, with the former Red Devils legend claiming on commentary that he was putting in his “best” display in a red shirt.

Parker-Turner was also quite complimentary, awarding the Englishman a 7/10 match rating and praising him for ‘interchanging fluidly with his teammates across the front and leading by example with his pressing.

Ultimately, United might have come out on the losing side today, but there were plenty of positives to take from the performance, from how well Cunha and Mbeumo have settled in to the resilient display of Mount.

It’s going to be a long season for the Red Devils, but if today is anything to go by, it could be a memorable one.

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Jun 29, 2025

They might be missing their first-choice pace attack, but even that might not stop Australia, as England learnt. Both Bavuma and Carey duly exuded confidence going into Tuesday’s game

Firdose Moonda24-Feb-20254:00

Agar: Australia’s bowlers need to control middle overs better

South Africa know better than to underestimate an Australia side at a major tournament, even one that is shorn of its entire World Cup-winning pace attack. They are, after all, a team that has won eight ICC white-ball trophies since South Africa’s last, and only, one in 1998, and who seem to have mastered the formula for tournament success no matter the personnel they have at their disposal.”Any Australian outfit that comes together for an ICC event is one that you don’t take lightly,” Temba Bavuma, South Africa’s ODI captain, said. “Yes, they don’t have their mainstay bowling attack, but I think they still have enough to be successful as a team.”On the evidence of their opening win, against England, you would have to agree with Bavuma. Even though Australia conceded a massive 351, they paced their chase perfectly and won with 15 deliveries to spare.Related

Australia and South Africa in battle to top the group

Lahore can't look away as Australia do Australia things

Rickelton is rocking it in all three formats, one by one

The way Australia see it is that what they lack in terms of the prestige of a pace attack, they’ll make up for with their spinners and the explosive batting line-up. “It’s an inexperienced bowling attack, there’s no hiding away from that, but around that we’ve got some experience with our legspinner Adam Zampa, Glenn Maxwell who’s really smart when he bowls, and Steve Smith who’s a fantastic captain,” Alex Carey said. “The way that Steve Smith uses the bowlers is a strength of ours. He is a great captain tactically, and he reads the play really well. So I’m still really confident with 50 overs of bowling, however that looks for us.”And though their pace attack of Nathan Ellis, Ben Dwarshuis and Spencer Johnson only have 17 caps between them, Carey also threw his weight behind them to get the job done if they have to defend a score. “If we are to bat first throughout the tournament, I’ll back our boys to defend, hopefully a good score of 300-plus, but if not, Nathan Ellis has got a lot of tricks, he’s got a lot of good slower bowls; Spencer Johnson’s really damaging up the top; so is Ben Dwarshuis. And you’ve got Sean Abbott ready to go as well,” he said. “We’ve come into this tournament really confident that our bowling attack will still do a fantastic job without the big three [Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood], and hopefully as a batting group we can score as many runs and make it easy for our bowlers.”All that said, Australia know better than to crow about their achievements to an ambitious South Africa side. South Africa seem to be getting closer and closer to getting their hands on a trophy. It was just nine months ago that South Africa reached their first World Cup final and, having also reached the World Test Championship final, they are starting to believe a cup is around the corner, especially when they have all their best players available.”South Africa are playing really good one-day cricket at the moment and they look like they’ve got a great balance across their 11 players,” Carey said. “We know they’re a great team and they’ll be strong throughout the tournament.”Though both South Africa and Australia’s squads were hit by absentees, South Africa lost fewer than Australia (only Anrich Nortje was included and then had to withdraw, though Gerald Coetzee was being considered before he suffered a niggle and Heinrich Klaasen missed the last match with an elbow concern) and have retained an experienced core. That may be why they are no longer tip-toeing around questions over whether they think they can win. Bavuma, asked directly how he rated his team chances, answered just as frankly. “We’re quite bullish about our chances,” he said. “Our confidence is good, so we’re quite optimistic about our chances and how far we can go in this competition.”3:05

Australia’s batters vs SA’s bowlers – who has the upper hand?

Whether it’s advisable to be so candid playing the two former champions you have been grouped with is debatable, but at least Bavuma isn’t shying away from expectation. Instead, he is leaning into it in a way South Africans seldom do. And you could argue that South Africa’s performances in the last two years across all cricket – they have been to the knockouts of every tournament across men’s, women’s and Under-19 cricket since the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2023 – has earned them some license to dream, something Australia have always had.You won’t be surprised to hear that even without their regular captain Cummins, Mitch Marsh, Hazlewood, Marcus Stoinis and Starc, they still rate the confidence level as “really high”, as Carey put it, and barely flinch by the magnitude of any task. On what is expected to be a run-fest in Rawalpindi, Carey casually threw in that since defending could be difficult, he hoped Australia would be able to score “400 if we bat first” because it’s “always good to play one-day cricket when the scores are high”.And if you need reminding of how both Australia and South Africa thrive in batter-friendly conditions, rewind 19 years to this game, which only had a bilateral series trophy riding on it but brought out the best in sides that love to compete against each other. It’s not the Ashes, or India vs Pakistan, but Australia vs South Africa is a rivalry built on two evenly matched sides that promise to provide something special.

Southampton have entered talks over a deal for a “physically strong striker”, with negotiations now underway, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

Saints keen on new forward amid Dibling uncertainty

The emergence of Tyler Dibling was one of the only positives for the Saints last season, in what was a very disappointing Premier League campaign, but there is a great deal of uncertainty over the academy graduate’s future.

Will Still has now dropped a new update on the youngster’s future, with the manager admitting he doesn’t know whether the teenager will remain at St. Mary’s beyond the September 1st deadline.

Still said: “I want good players and if Ty is here (Tyler Dibling) and Matty is here by the end of it then great, if they’re not, we will work out a way of winning games without them and wish them the best but I have no idea where that’s going right now.”

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Should Dibling depart, Still may be keen to bring in at least one new attacker, and a preliminary contract has been offered to Krasnodar’s Eduard Spertsyan, while talks have also been opened over a deal for West Bromwich Albion star Tom Fellows.

Another forward has now entered the frame as a target for the Saints, and he’s a player Still knows very well, with Romano taking to X to reveal that Southampton have now opened talks over a deal for Lens’ Morgan Guilavogui.

The Saints’ negotiations to sign the forward are now “underway”, but they are yet to strike an agreement with Lens regarding a transfer fee.

The French club reportedly shelled out €4.5m (£4m) to re-sign their former player earlier this summer, however, which indicates a deal may not break the bank.

Guilavogui would be versatile attacking option for Still

Still should have a good knowledge of the Lens forward’s abilities, with the Saints boss spending time working with him during his stint at the French club, and he would be a versatile addition to the forward line.

The 27-year-old is capable of playing on both wings, suggesting he could be brought in as a direct replacement for Dibling, while the France born attacker has also been praised for his ability through the middle.

St Pauli manager Alexander Blessin said: “Morgan is a physically strong striker who is very active and direct and constantly making runs in deep. He can make chances for himself by taking defenders on and also creates good opportunities for his teammates.”

“Equally important for our game, however, is the fact that Morgan transitions quickly and works very hard defensively.”

Having scored 54 career goals at club level, including six in the Bundesliga last season, Guilavogui clearly has a keen eye for goal, and the former St Pauli man has the talent to play a major role in the Saints’ promotion push.

Club

Appearances

Goals

Paris FC

87

32

SC Toulon

56

13

Lens

29

2

St Pauli

27

7

كشفت تقارير صحفية إسبانية عن مفاجأة بشأن مستقبل المهاجم الأرجنتيني الدولي جوليان ألفاريز والذي ارتبط بالانضمام لصفوف برشلونة خلال سوق الانتقالات الشتوية المقبلة.

ووفقاً لصحيفة “الماركا” الإسبانية فإن جوليان ألفاريز يحرص على الانضمام لصفوف باريس سان جيرمان الفرنسي خلال سوق الانتقالات الشتوية في صفقة قد تكون مذهلة.

ويرغب ألفاريز في مغادرة صفوف أتلتيكو مدريد في يناير، ويبحث عن تحدي جديد للعب مع باريس سان جيرمان الفرنسي تحت قيادة لويس إنريكي.

أقرأ أيضاً.. موقف رافينها من مباراة برشلونة وريال مدريد في الدوري الإسباني

ويراقب باريس سان جيرمان موقف جوليان ألفاريز عن قرب، حيث يسعى لتعزيز هجومه بلاعب رقم 9 جديد وقد تكلف هذه الصفقة مبلغاً كبيراً لانضمامه للفريق الفرنسي.

ويقدم ألفاريز صاحب ال25 عاماً أداءاً رائعاً هذا الموسم لكنه لا يشعر بالراحة في مدريد، وقد يتحرك فريق لويس إنريكي للتعاقد معه حيث يخطط لتعزيز هجومه على المدى الطويل.

ويبدو أن باريس سان جيرمان مهتم بالتعاقد مع جوليان ألفاريز بشكل جدي ولكن المحادثات لا تزال في مراحلها المبدئية، ويبدو أن الفرصة سانحة أمام النادي الفرنسي للتفوق بكثير على منافسين محتملين آخرين مثل برشلونة.

Ben Duckett provided the ruthlessness England so desperately craved for with a record knock of 165. But his heroics went in vain as Josh Inglis countered by pummelling a lacklustre England pace attack and powering Australia to the highest successful chase in men’s ICC tournament history.The first match at an ICC event in Lahore since March 1996 saw batting completely dominate this Champions Trophy blockbuster with little margin for error for the bowlers on such a benign surface.With a mixture of inventive strokes and meaty backfoot blows, England-born Inglis hit his maiden ODI century to finish unbeaten on 120 from 86 balls as Australia reached the target of 352 with relative ease in the 48th over. England’s bowlers struggled to handle the dew under lights, with Australia achieving their second-highest successful ODI chase after their 359 for 6 against India in Mohali in 2019.It was a bitter disappointment for England, who now face must-win games against Afghanistan and South Africa. They ultimately will rue falling a little bit short with the bat, but Duckett’s magnificent 165 off 143 was the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history. He received strong support from Joe Root, who made a crisp 68 in a third-wicket partnership of 158.Even though no other batter scored more than 25 runs, England still compiled the highest-ever total in the tournament and took full toll on the least experienced Australian attack at an ICC ODI event since 1983. They were without frontline quicks Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, while seam-bowling allrounders Cameron Green, Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis are also missing.However, the result was not a fait accompli on this flat surface, with Australia boasting a deep batting line-up. Australia’s innings mirrored England’s with two early wickets after Travis Head and stand-in captain Steven Smith fell in the powerplay.Having blazed an unforgettable century the last time he was sighted at a 50-over ICC event, Head loomed as the key but on 6 his swipe hit the toe-end of the bat and Jofra Archer held a sharp return catch.Liam Livingstone dismissed Matthew Short for 63•Getty Images

Smith could only edge to slip a hard-length delivery from speedster Mark Wood, who was in great rhythm and consistently hitting speeds of 150 kph. But Matthew Short and Marnus Labuschagne rallied with a 95-run stand as they took a particular liking to wayward quick Brydon Carse.Short overcame a lean run of form by superbly using the pace of England’s quicks but legspinner Adil Rashid bowled a brilliant spell in combination with Liam Livingstone that squeezed the batters.A frustrated Labuschagne hit a slow 70 kph legbreak from Rashid straight to cover before Short on 63 offered a return catch to Livingstone as Australia slumped to 136 for 4.But Rashid was taken out of the attack after his six-over spell, allowing Inglis and Alex Carey to settle. The pair showcased their strong form having each scored counterattacking Test centuries against Sri Lanka as they got on top of a struggling England pace attack.Carey sheepishly celebrated his half-century after hitting Rashid straight to deep midwicket only for Archer to drop a sitter. Inglis then whacked Archer for consecutive boundaries as the wheels started to come off for England.Just as Australia started to gain control, Carey hit Carse straight to mid-off with 70 still needed off 50 balls. But Inglis was unperturbed and mowed a six off Archer to reach his century in style.Glenn Maxwell was unstoppable before Inglis fittingly sealed victory with a six in a terrific victory for World Cup champions Australia, whose title hopes ahead of the tournament had largely been written off.Josh Inglis and Alex Carey put up a solid stand•Associated Press

Smith elected to bowl after being swayed that dew would play a factor under lights as Australia stepped onto the field at an ICC event without their big three quicks for the first time in nine years.Australia’s considerably weakened attack was under immediate pressure on a road of a pitch. There was no Starc, but Australia were not short on aggressive left-arm quicks with Spencer Johnson, whose trademark golden locks had been shorn off, and Ben Dwarshuis handed the new ball.Dwarshuis was selected ahead of Sean Abbott, who had played in both of Australia’s ODI games in Sri Lanka, for match-up reasons although his two early wickets were mostly due to rash strokes.England’s reshuffled batting line-up didn’t go to plan initially. In a common bane for them, they went a bit hard early with Phil Salt falling in the second over after falling to clear the on-side as a high-flying Carey plucked a one-handed blinder of a catch to his right.It was a spectacular first-ever ODI catch for Carey as an outfielder and helped justify the decision for Inglis, the incumbent white-ball wicketkeeper, to retain the gloves.All eyes were on Jamie Smith, who batted at No. 3 for the first time in international cricket – and only the second time in his List A career – in a decision that forced Root, Harry Brook and Jos Buttler to shift down from their usual positions.Smith stroked a couple of gorgeous cover drives, before falling tamely to the on-side where Carey took a far easier catch on this occasion.England did not envision being 43 for 2, but they recovered quickly as Duckett and Root cashed in on errant bowling from Johnson and Dwarshuis. Duckett had started relatively slowly, but blasted a boundary off the last delivery of the powerplay as England moved to 73 for 2.Smith reverted to spin after the restrictions were eased but there was little turn on offer as Duckett and Root easily rotated the strike. Smith was fairly conservative with his tactics and deployed four sweepers.1:26

Knight: The way Duckett rotated strike put Australia under pressure

Duckett showcased his improved prowess of hitting down the ground by targeting Maxwell straight and he reached his half-century in style with a horizontal bat shot off Johnson.Root was making it look easy, not fussed about hitting boundaries but smartly working the gaps to reach his half-century off 56 balls. He had a perfect opportunity to end a long ODI century drought stretching to the 2019 World Cup as England eyed a total in the high 300s.But Root got tied down by legspinner Adam Zampa, was was in the midst of a good spell, and missed a rare attempted sweep to fall in a tight lbw after an unsuccessful review. Australia fought back through Zampa, whose subtle variations proved effective and accounted for Brook with Carey taking another terrific catch after a diving effort running backward at point.Seamer Nathan Ellis also utilised his noted defensive skills and conceded just 51 runs off his 10 overs – the only bowler with an economy of under six.England feared letting slip a great platform just like they did against Australia at Trent Bridge last September. But Duckett held things together and blasted consecutive boundaries off Johnson to reach his third ODI century.He punched the air in celebration, but did not waver in his concentration despite being clearly fatigued. Duckett’s brilliant innings finally ended in the 48th over when he was trapped lbw by the legspin of Labuschagne, who was preferred over Johnson at the death and finished with 2 for 41 off five overs.Archer hit a flurry at the death, but his mood soured later in the night.

Ruben Amorim is reportedly "working with Kobbie Mainoo on his defensive plays" at Manchester United, with the Red Devils refusing to rule the homegrown midfielder out of their long-term future plans. The talented 20-year-old has struggled for regular game time under Amorim this season, but Casemiro's impending suspension could present him with an opportunity to reclaim a starting berth.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Chance for Mainoo with Casemiro serving ban

  Brazil international Casemiro must sit out United’s Premier League trip to Brentford after collecting two yellow cards and a red during a dramatic 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Old Trafford. Somebody will be required to fill the No.6 spot next to club captain Bruno Fernandes when a visit to west London is paid.

  Mainoo could be the man for the job, with the England international having waited patiently for his big break this season. Despite having 76 appearances for United and 10 senior England caps to his name, the youngster has started just one game in the 2025-26 campaign – which delivered a humbling Carabao Cup defeat to League Two side Grimsby.

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• What is Amorim doing to help Mainoo?

  Mainoo is, however, still part of Amorim’s thinking, with the Portuguese said to be putting on intense training sessions that are intended to help a hot prospect improve certain areas of his game.

  A source has told : "Ruben has been working with Kobbie on his defensive plays and skills, talking with him a lot about defensive commitment in order to try him alongside Bruno at some point. Kobbie also has the ability to play as a number six, which is important since Casemiro has had some ups and downs, will be suspended, and [Manuel] Ugarte hasn’t fully convinced Amorim yet. Kobbie’s athleticism and hunger to succeed are seen as very important by Ruben, and he is clearly showing him that he wants him committed and ready to help in any central midfield position, even now as a number six, since the team lacks impact in that role."

  The insider went on to say: "Kobbie is a player Ruben likes a lot, but he also wants him to keep working hard, be ready to make sacrifices, and understand that opportunities and playing time will come over the course of a long season. Ruben trusts Kobbie’s talent and sees that he has been working very hard and giving everything in training lately. He likes seeing Kobbie in “warrior mode” lately and enjoys that he has developed this kind of mentality.

  "Ruben loves Kobbie’s athleticism, football IQ, and skillset. He is challenging him to make him better and sees him as a strong option to play as a defensive midfielder in certain games and situations. Ruben feels that using Kobbie as a six in some matches will help him become a better, more complete player and keep improving to reach his full potential."

• Getty
  

  Mainoo transfer talk addressed

  Amorim has spoken of wanting to see more from Mainoo, saying of the 3-4-3 system that he favours: "The way I play is completely different from the last manager. I watched a lot of Premier League games when I was in Portugal. You can feel the Manchester United team was really transitional. Sometimes I looked at Kobbie Mainoo and felt he was the only guy who calmed the game down. Now we have other players who can do that and we play a different game.

  "Kobbie is really good at controlling the game, but if he plays as an eight he has to reach the box and return. Sometimes he has to cover a lot of space with just two [players]. He could play as a six (defensive midfielder) but sometimes he passes the ball and goes away, which is not a reference as a six. We have to balance everything. He has the technical ability but he needs to understand the position better. He needs to play in different speeds – sometimes lower, sometimes faster. He can improve on that."

  There was talk of Mainoo wanting out of Old Trafford over the summer, having seen his minutes dwindle, but Amorim insists a sale was never on the cards. He has said: "I didn't have a conversation with him before the window closed because I didn't want Kobbie Mainoo thinking that I was having a conversation with him just to hold on to him. I believe in him a lot. He is a top player. But some of you think that Kobbie Mainoo is already done [a complete player]. I think he can do so much better. For some guys [talent] is enough, but for him it is not. Maybe it's not fair, but I think I'm helping Kobbie and that's it."

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• Mainoo contract: End date & future targets

  Mainoo is under contract until the summer of 2027, with little progress being made in efforts to put an extension in place. He needs to find regular game time this season if a place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the 2026 World Cup is to be earned.

Everton have been blessed with some standout attacking talents over the years.

Stars such as Tim Cahill, Romelu Lukaku, and Richarlison remain as beloved hall-of-famers to this day, with the current crop at David Moyes’ disposal in the form of Jack Grealish and many others giving these past heroes a run for their money.

Indeed, Grealish has already tallied up an outrageous four assists donning his new Everton blue, finally released from the shackles that held him back at Manchester City.

However, there is a different star in the exciting attacking ranks that could well be Moyes’ modern-day take on Steven Pienaar, with the South African winger yet another revered figure on Merseyside from the Scotsman’s first distinguished reign in charge.

Down memory lane: Pienaar's heroics at Everton

While Pienaar did line up for some gigantic clubs during his career, such as Ajax and Borussia Dortmund, the Johannesburg-born attacker is more well-known for his stints on Merseyside.

The nimble and slick forward would go on to amass a mammoth 229 games for the Toffees across two permanent spells, with a sublime 26 goals and 45 assists also coming his way to cement himself as one of the club’s most recent greats.

Moyes would become so enamoured by the skilful former Ajax man that he would bring him to Sunderland during his doomed stint on Wearside, with the well-travelled boss even dubbing him a “terrific” asset to have back in 2012.

Pienaar’s reputation for routinely bamboozling Premier League defences for fun down the flanks does draw some obvious similarities to Grealish, but there’s another Toffees ace strutting his stuff under Moyes and he’s a similarly vibrant source of entertainment.

The £22m "match-winner" who is Everton's new Pienaar

Of course, Pienaar is remembered with extreme fondness when delving into nostalgia based on Everton being a force to be reckoned with during large parts of his stay.

Indeed, during his breakout 2008/09 offering of ten goal contributions, the Merseyside outfit would finish in a sensational fifth spot in the final Premier League rankings.

Chalkboard

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

On top of that, the Pienaar-led side would also fall at the final hurdle in the FA Cup against Chelsea, losing 2-1 to the Blues at Wembley to finish as runners-up.

History could well repeat itself now, with the good days looking like they’re returning to the blue half of Liverpool, courtesy of Iliman Ndiaye wrongfooting defenders galore – much like Pienaar – with the goals also there to back up his tricky displays.

While Grealish is, of course, stealing most of the headlines, Ndiaye has also proven himself to be a bright spark for Moyes’ men during the early stages of the campaign.

Indeed, his two goals in league action to date have steered the Toffees to an early fifth position, the same spot Pienaar and Co. managed to reach way back in 2009.

Sheffield United

88

22 + 14

Marseille

46

4 + 5

Everton

41

13 + 0

Everton has really relied on the Senegalese forward’s magic since he sealed a switch from Marseille to Merseyside last summer, with a weighty 13 strikes next to his name from 41 total contests also helping his lowly team beat the drop last season, before embarking on a far more positive adventure under Moyes.

However, much like Pienaar needed the warmth of Goodison Park to come his way after a zero-goal stint in Germany, it’s clear that Ndiaye also needed the confidence boost of a return to England to regain his mojo after a forgettable stay in France, with the £22m-rated star now even being heralded as a “match-winner” for his consistent quality to create something from nothing by ex-Everton attacker Aaron Lennon.

Pienaar was also often lauded, too, for his split-second moments of genius, having been noted as being an “influential character” to have around by former teammate Phil Neville.

The dream will now be that Ndiaye can keep up this sparkling individual form to secure a top-half finish or even more for the Toffees, as an exciting new dawn at the Hill Dickinson Stadium continues to breed more optimism.

Everton sold "world-class" talent who's now playing like Grealish & Gordon

Everton could have used a player of Grealish and Gordon quality in their new-look team…

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 4, 2025

Glasgow Rangers were not willing to sit on their hands and go again with the same squad or management team at Ibrox after ending the 2024/25 campaign without a single trophy.

The Light Blues appointed Russell Martin to be their new head coach and brought in 12 new recruits to bolster the Rangers playing squad for the current season.

It has not been an ideal start to the campaign, though, as they have failed to win any of their first four matches in the Scottish Premiership under their new manager.

Joe Rothwell is one of the new signings who has failed to hit the ground running, as he was subbed off at half-time in the 6-0 loss to Club Brugge and dropped down to the bench for the clash with Celtic on Sunday.

Joe Rothwell's early struggles at Rangers

The central midfielder was signed from Bournemouth on a permanent deal this summer with a view to him playing in the number six position in Martin’s 4-3-3 system.

At the age of 30, Rothwell is an experienced player who was signed to make an instant impact at Ibrox. He is not a young and promising player who needs time to develop and grow.

That is why his early struggles, compounded by being dropped for the Celtic game after starting the first three league matches, are a concern for the Scottish giants.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

Rothwell needs to turn things around and show the supporters that he can impact and influence games in the number six role week-in-week-out, because, at the moment, he looks like a downgrade on John Lundstram, who left the club last year.

Rangers had a howler with John Lundstram

In a similar move to the one that brought Rothwell to Ibrox this year, Lundstram signed for the Gers on a free transfer from Sheffield United in the summer of 2021, and went on to enjoy a successful spell in Scotland.

Former Rangers defender Maurice Ross described the English midfielder as the “cornerstone” of the team and claimed that he “was strolling about the pitch like Graeme Souness” in 2022.

The former Blades ace went on to score 11 goals, including the one against Borussia Dortmund above, in 153 matches for the club in all competitions, per Transfemarkt.

Appearances

34

4

Long passes per game

5.6

1.3

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.5

2.0

Clearances per game

1.0

0.0

Duels won per game

3.8

2.5

Aerial duel success rate

55%

33%

As you can see in the table above, Lundstram produced more impressive performances in his last season at Rangers in the Premiership than Rothwell has managed in the current campaign.

Despite that, Philippe Clement allowed the English central midfielder to leave the club at the end of his contract in the summer of 2024, and signed Connor Barron on a free transfer from Aberdeen.

Ultimately, that decision has turned out to be a howler for Rangers and Clement because Martin has swooped to sign Rothwell 12 months later to replace Barron as a number six.

On top of that, Rothwell still appears to be a downgrade on Lundstram, which means that the Light Blues have yet to successfully replace the star who was once compared to Souness, despite them allowing him to leave for nothing last year.

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South Africa, who had also shifted to Dubai ahead of the knockouts, will now fly back to Lahore for the second semi-final

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Mar-20252:32

Do India have an unfair advantage at the Champions Trophy?

India will face Australia in the first semi-final of the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Tuesday after they beat New Zealand by 44 runs in the final group-stage fixture at the same venue on Sunday. New Zealand, meanwhile, will travel to Lahore to meet South Africa in the second semi-final on Wednesday.Due to tangled scheduling, both Australia and South Africa had already flown to Dubai, with an ICC official saying the decision had been taken to allow the side that plays the semi-final in Dubai (Australia in this case) on March 4 the maximum time to prepare for that contest. However, it means South Africa find themselves in the sub-optimal position of having flown from Pakistan to Dubai recently, only to return to Pakistan soon after.The tangled scheduling was a result of India not playing any of their games in Pakistan for the tournament, and they were supposed to play the semi-finals in Dubai, regardless of their standings in Group A. Such a scenario became all but inevitable after India refused to travel to Pakistan for the tournament, despite the country officially being the sole host of the tournament. The PCB had spent several months trying to get India to visit Pakistan, at one stage proposing hosting all their games in Lahore. However, the BCCI said the Indian government did not grant the team permission to play cricket in Lahore.Related

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New Zealand are set to take an early-morning flight to Lahore from Dubai on Monday while South Africa will fly back to Pakistan later in the day after having spent around 36 hours in Dubai.”Yeah…we will leave [Dubai] at 12.30 or 1 o’clock,” New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said at the post-match presentation. “We get there and we can rest up and train and be ready to go.”While Rohit Sharma was pleased with India’s showing – they are the only team with three wins in as many games in the Champions Trophy – he turned his focus to the semi-final against Australia.”I think it [momentum] is very, very critical when you’re playing such a short tournament,” Rohit said after the win against New Zealand. “You try and possibly win every game that is in front of you and try and do everything right and while doing that, there are bound to be mistakes but as long as you correct them quickly, that is what matters. I thought the mistakes that we’ve been making from game one now, we tend to correct those mistakes and that is what is required.”It [semi-final] is going to be a good game and obviously we know Australia has a rich history of playing ICC tournaments well. We do understand that; it’s about what we want to do against the opposition and try and do that right. We’re all looking forward to that contest and hopefully we can stitch one [more win] towards us.”

Few transfer windows have tested Newcastle United’s resolve quite like this one.

The Magpies’ pursuit of a reliable centre-forward has stretched across the summer, with numerous targets identified but deals proving elusive.

Liam Delap and João Pedro went to Chelsea, Hugo Ekitike chose a different project, and Benjamin Šeško slipped away despite strong interest.

Each missed opportunity has increased the pressure on Newcastle’s recruitment team and added urgency to their search.

The situation has been further complicated by Alexander Isak’s public desire to leave St James’ Park.

After being linked with Liverpool all summer, the Swedish striker released a statement on Instagram citing broken promises and his wish for a fresh start.

He has refused to reintegrate into Eddie Howe’s squad, missed the opening Premier League fixtures against Aston Villa and Liverpool, and reportedly will not return to training.

That has left Newcastle without a senior striker, particularly damaging with Anthony Gordon suspended following his red card against Liverpool.

On Thursday night, a breakthrough came with a club-record £69m agreement for Stuttgart’s Nick Woltemade, a towering 23-year-old who scored 12 Bundesliga goals last term.

Bayern Munich had been circling, but persuasive talks with Howe convinced him of the Tyneside project.

Woltemade’s arrival is significant, but Newcastle may not stop there.

Latest on Newcastle's next striker target

The other name at the heart of Newcastle’s transfer plans is Jørgen Strand Larsen.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, the Magpies are preparing to return with a third bid for Wolves’ 25-year-old striker after two earlier offers were turned down, the latest worth £55m.

Wolves remain determined to hold onto their “proper No.9”, as hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson, who only joined permanently from Celta Vigo this summer after a loan deal was made permanent for £23m.

Strand Larsen has quickly become central to Vítor Pereira’s attack at Molineux. The forward is understood to be open to a move, particularly with the lure of Champions League football at St James’ Park.

Reports suggest he has politely asked Wolves’ hierarchy to consider Newcastle’s approach, but the Midlands club – who have already sold Matheus Cunha and Rayan Aït-Nouri – insist he is not for sale.

Their stance mirrors Brentford’s firm rejection of Newcastle’s advances for Yoane Wissa earlier in the window. Nevertheless, Newcastle remain undeterred.

With Isak unavailable and Wilson gone, Howe sees the Norwegian as the ideal fit for his high-pressing, direct system.

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With Woltemade’s arrival all but secured, the coaching staff view Strand Larsen not as a replacement, but as an upgrade on the German – potentially giving Newcastle two very different attacking options heading into a demanding season.

How Strand Larsen compares to Woltemade

The potential of signing both Strand Larsen and Woltemade has sparked debate among supporters and analysts alike.

Both are young, tall centre-forwards with room to develop, yet their statistical profiles highlight different strengths.

Stats – 2024/25

Stat

Jørgen Strand-Larsen

Nick Woltemade

Matches Played

35

28

Goals

14

12

Assists

4

2

Progressive Passes

29

52

Progressive Carries

17

32

Source: FBref

Strand Larsen was consistent for Wolves in the Premier League last season, scoring 14 times and registering 18 goal involvements across 35 appearances.

His efficiency in front of goal is reflected in a 61.1% shot-on-target rate – impressively high for a striker taking regular attempts.

Per 90 minutes, he averaged 1.15 shots on target, underlining his ability to work goalkeepers with relatively few wasted efforts.

While not prolific in ball progression, his 0.59 progressive carries and 1.01 progressive passes per 90 demonstrate a willingness to link up play.

By contrast, Woltemade’s numbers at Stuttgart last term illustrate a more versatile and mobile profile.

Despite featuring in only 28 Bundesliga matches, he recorded 14 goal involvements and averaged a higher volume of progressive actions – 1.72 carries and 2.89 progressive passes per 90.

His overall involvement in attacking moves was greater, reflected by 4.38 shot-creating actions per 90 compared to Strand Larsen’s 1.46.

Physically taller at 1.98m, the German also excels at dropping deeper to knit midfield and attack, though his shot accuracy (50% on target) lags behind his Norwegian counterpart.

Defensively, Woltemade again offers more.

He averages 0.56 tackles and 1.28 blocks per 90, showing greater defensive contribution in Newcastle’s high-pressing style.

Strand Larsen, meanwhile, contributes less off the ball (0.35 tackles, 0.66 blocks per 90), though his aerial strength (1.93m frame) provides a different outlet.

Taken together, these statistics explain Newcastle’s thinking. In Woltemade, they gain a forward comfortable carrying and distributing the ball, useful against teams who defend deep.

In Strand Larsen, they would secure a more clinical, penalty-box striker, adept at punishing defensive lapses and capitalising on crosses.

Having both options would give Howe tactical flexibility, allowing for different styles depending on the opposition.

The reality is that Newcastle’s hopes of re-establishing themselves as Champions League regulars rest on finding a reliable source of goals.

Isak’s impending exit has created a void, and while Woltemade’s signing has eased immediate concerns, the addition of Strand Larsen would truly transform their attacking department.

Whether Wolves can be persuaded before the deadline remains to be seen, but Newcastle’s persistence suggests they are ready to push hard.

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