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All the eggs had been placed in the Bilbao basket, with May’s Europa League final providing Ruben Amorim and Manchester United with the chance to save their season, amid the backdrop of a worst-ever Premier League campaign.

Up against an equally as turbulent Tottenham Hotspur side, the top-flight rivals unsurprisingly – considering their domestic fortunes – played out a dour and drab showpiece in the end, with United limply falling to defeat courtesy of a scrappy Brennan Johnson strike.

That 1-0 loss looked set to be a defining moment for Amorim and the INEOS regime, wth intrigue rife over the potential repercussions of a lack of European football, particularly in a financial sense.

While those fears were somewhat eased following an almost £250m outlay on four new faces over the summer, a grim(sby) start to 2025/26 had looked to seal Amorim’s fate even further, with speculation over his future rife heading into recent international breaks.

Thankfully, the Portuguese has managed to stop the rot with a run of three wins and a draw from his side’s last four outings, teeing up a mouthwatering clash with Thomas Frank’s new-look Spurs outfit on Saturday afternoon.

On a day which could expose or highlight the progress made by the Red Devils since that crushing defeat almost six months ago, questions remain over just how to get the best out of this group of players – not least on the flanks.

Man Utd's wing-back conundrum

Last weekend’s entertaining 2-2 draw away at Nottingham Forest showcased the benefits and flaws of Amorim’s current set-up, with there a sense of risk and reward surrounding the use of Amad at right wing-back.

The diminutive Ivorian was beaten at the backpost by Morgan Gibbs-White as Forest levelled things up after the break, albeit before then lashing home in stunning fashion late on to rescue a point, prior to even going close to snatching a winner at the death.

There is an argument that the 23-year-old’s talents would be better served in a more advanced attacking berth, although the chance to work in tandem with Bryan Mbeumo ahead of him is a fine compromise, with the positives of deploying the left-footer on that flank far exceeding any potential negatives.

The use of Amad in that role has perhaps been a factor in Amorim seeking more balance on the opposite side, hence utilising more of a defensive presence in the form of Diogo Dalot, ahead of January addition, Patrick Dorgu.

While Dalot has had his moments this season, not least when teeing up Mbeumo against Sunderland, he has emerged as something of a justified scapegoat of late, looking distinctly uncomfortable in that left-sided berth.

That was evident at the City Ground, having been caught napping as Nicolo Savona pounced behind him to poke home his first goal for Forest, to complete a quick-fire comeback for the hosts.

That unorthodox position may not be helping matters, although it isn’t as if the Portuguese full-back has exactly flourished in the past, even on his favoured side, having racked up just nine goals and 18 assists in 219 games for the club to date, as per Transfermarkt.

For context, the much-maligned Aaron Wan-Bissaka is only just behind with 13 assists – and two goals – from his 190 outings when playing for United, with the Red Devils sorely lacking a creative, attacking threat from the flanks in recent times.

Of course, Amorim could deploy Dorgu in his place once again, although the Dane’s quality is also up for debate, with the 21-year-old also registering just two assists in 30 games following his switch from Lecce.

With teenage talent Diego Leon still on the periphery, the solution on the left flank may need to be found with an alternative option.

How Man Utd can replace Dalot against Spurs

There is an argument for a resurgent Luke Shaw to be relocated from his left-sided centre-back berth and into a wing-back role, not least with Lisandro Martinez in line to make his return to action in the near future.

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Whether the Englishman has the physical capacity to flourish in that position is another matter, however, while it would appear foolish to unsettle the backline right now – at least not until Martinez is fit and firing again.

With that in mind, Saturday’s trip to north London could then be the perfect time for Amorim to find room for Noussair Mazraoui in his side once again, with the Moroccan having endured a frustrating, injury-hit start to 2025/26 thus far.

The 27-year-old did feature in a right-sided centre-back berth off the bench last time out, as United chased a winner, although he does appear to boast the technical quality to be able to thrive further forward, having even been utilised in a number ten role under Erik ten Hag.

A natural right-back by trade, this 3-4-3 system doesn’t appear to suit Mazraoui in truth, although Amorim must surely find room for a player whom he described as “the future” of Manchester United last term.

Indeed, it had proved to be a surprisingly impressive first year in English football following his bargain £13m arrival from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2024, with content creator Ronaldo Brown even going as far as to describe him as the club’s “best player” last season.

Versatile, almost ever-present in 2024/25 and with the silk to match the steel, the elegant defender truly is a class act, possessing that knack for being to able to weave his way past opponents with ease, while retaining possession no matter where he receives it.

Most used players under Amorim

Player

Games

Bruno Fernandes

51

Noussair Mazraoui

44

Diogo Dalot

44

Manuel Ugarte

43

Leny Yoro

43

Rasmus Hojlund

40

Alejandro Garnacho

40

Harry Maguire

39

Matthijs de Ligt

38

Stats via Transfermarkt

As per FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles made per 90, as well as in the top 6% for pass completion, again highlighting just what an all-rounder he is in the backline.

Of course, the best bet for getting the one-time Ajax man thriving again would be to deploy him on the right flank, yet with there no need to unsettle the Amad and Mbeumo combination, a new role on the left side might be where Mazraoui can slot in.

Something of a Scott McTominay in the sense that he doesn’t necessarily have a clear route into the starting XI in a positional sense, while also being a player who appears too good to leave out, Amorim needs to find a home for United’s number three somehow or another.

He’s too good not to play.

Related Not Bruno or Mbeumo: Man Utd star is becoming one of the "best in the world"

Manchester United have already unearthed a new world-class under Ruben Amorim.

Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 7, 2025

And is 87 really Australia’s unlucky number?

Steven Lynch25-Mar-2025Pakistan overhauled New Zealand’s total in just 16 overs the other day. Was this the fastest chase of a target of 200-plus in a T20 international? asked Raza Shah from Pakistan
Pakistan scooted to 207 for 1 in just 16 overs to beat New Zealand (204) in Auckland last week. That’s a rate of 12.93 per over: only two targets in excess of 200 have been chased down faster in T20Is.In Centurion in 2023 , South Africa (259 for 4) went at 13.75 an over in beating West Indies. And in Auckland in 2018, Australia scored at 13 an over in overhauling New Zealand’s total of 243.I was joking with my dad about Australia’s “devil’s number” being 87, and he said actually it’s 111 as they have often been bowled out for that in Tests! Is he right? asked Jamie Campbell from Australia
Your dad has a point: Australia have been bowled out for 111 on seven occasions in Tests, and (not surprisingly perhaps) have lost each time. That includes one of the most famous of all Tests, at Headingley in July 1981 when England won after following on, and successive matches in the 1954-55 Ashes, when England prevailed in the third Test in Melbourne and the fourth in Adelaide.The most recent occasion was in Sydney in 1994, when – chasing 118 to defeat South Africa – Australia were bowled out for 111 to lose by runs, with Fanie de Villiers taking 6 for 43.It works individually too (just): Australian batters have been dismissed for 87 on 15 occasions in men’s Tests (it happened twice to Clem Hill), while there have been 16 instances of Aussies being out for 111.What first-class record was set by Agni Chopra in 2023? asked Vivek Mohandas from India
I have to admit that I missed this at the time, but late in 2023 Agni Chopra of Mizoram became the first man to score centuries in each of his first four first-class matches. Chopra, who was born in the United States in 1998, hit 166 (and 92) on his debut against Sikkim in Nadiad, and then added 164 against Nagaland, 114 vs Arunachal Pradesh, and 105 and 101 against Meghalaya in Anand, all in the Plate section of the Ranji Trophy. Chopra has continued his good form in 2024-25: successive innings of 110 and 238 not out against Arunachal Pradesh in Ahmedabad and 218 vs Manipur in Nadiad mean he currently has a first-class batting average of 94.94, scored at an impressive strike rate of 95.Three men had previously made centuries in their first three first-class matches: Owen Rock of New South Wales in the mid-1920s, the future West Indies Test batter Joe Solomon in the 1950s, and Afghanistan’s Darwish Rasooli in 2017-18.Molly Hide, who captained England women in 11 Tests, was born in Shanghai in 1911•Bert Hardy/Getty ImagesWho’s the only Test player who was born in China? asked Marion Johnson from England
My first thought was that it was Nat Sciver-Brunt, but actually she was born in Japan, while her mother was working in an embassy there. But the answer is another woman player, of an earlier vintage: Molly Hide, was born in Shanghai in China in 1911. She played 15 times for England in all, including the inaugural women’s Test against Australia in Brisbane in December 1934. The higher of her two centuries was an undefeated 124 – after 63 in the first innings – against Australia in Sydney in February 1949, by which time Hide was England’s captain. No male Test cricketers have been born in China (or Japan).I live in Queensland, and Australia are going to play South Africa near me in Mackay in August. Will these be the first proper internationals played there? asked Klynton Marshall from Australia
I’m not sure the venues have been officially announced yet, but it seems likely that South Africa’s white-ball games in Australia in August will be shared between Darwin in the Northern Territory and Cairns – and Mackay, a little further down the Queensland coast, which will host two one-day internationals. The Great Barrier Reef Arena in the town (formerly known as Harrup Park, and Ray Mitchell Oval), has had a very brief taste of men’s international cricket before: it staged one match during the 1992 World Cup, between India and Sri Lanka, which was rained off after just two balls (Kris Srikkanth scored the only run).The Mackay ground has also hosted three women’s ODIs, against India in September 2021 (Beth Mooney hit 125 not out in the second match>) and two T20Is, against New Zealand’s women in September 2024.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Shades of Gilchrist’s indomitability, as England’s No.7 fulfils role that Buttler was once picked to produce

Matt Roller04-Jul-2025

Jamie Smith brought up a century inside a session•Getty Images

Jamie Smith is the Test wicketkeeper that England always hoped Jos Buttler would become but never did. As Smith muscled a slog-sweep away for four to reach an 80-ball century on Friday at Edgbaston, he equalled Buttler’s tally of two Test hundreds in 81 fewer innings; when Smith knocked Washington Sundar down to long-off, he went past Buttler’s highest score of 152.Smith has successfully harnessed the “f*** it” mindset that Buttler could never quite coax himself into during his 57-Test career, despite the prompt scrawled on his bat handle. Where Buttler seemed paralysed by indecision when faced with Test cricket’s blank canvas, Smith appears only to see the upside: he walked in on Friday to face a fired-up Mohammed Siraj, and crunched a hat-trick ball through mid-off for four.Buttler is England’s greatest-ever hitter of a white ball but his Test average of 31.94 – and, more pertinently, his strike rate of 54.18 – reflects an unfulfilled talent against the red one. But a week before his 25th birthday, Smith is the future of England’s batting across formats: a destructive white-ball opener and counter-attacking Test No. 7, while keeping wicket to boot.Related

The session when the cult of Bazball came alive

Smith hails belief to 'do what you feel is right in the moment'

His innings at Edgbaston was devastating, and seemed to scramble Shubman Gill’s mind in spite of India’s huge run cushion. England often talk about identifying moments to absorb pressure, or to put it back on to their opponents. Smith seized his chance to do the latter, ransacking cheap runs against India’s change bowlers.At Headingley last week, Smith’s first-innings dismissal seemed like anathema to traditional cricketing logic, pulling Prasidh Krishna to deep square-leg three balls before a new ball was due. But he insisted that it was a “calculated” play with designs on “taking all the momentum into the new ball”, and a failure of execution rather than planning.Jos Buttler had his moments as a Test batter but never looked at home in the format•PA Images via Getty ImagesHe responded by doubling down on his attacking instincts, crunching Ravindra Jadeja for 18 runs in an over to get them across the line in their fifth-day run case, including the winning hit over mid-on for six. At Edgbaston, he assessed a hopeless situation – England 503 behind with five wickets in hand – and determined that there was little point in hanging around.Gill laid the bait for Smith with another short-ball ploy, setting a six-three leg-side field with three men out on the hook. Smith responded by showing off his repertoire of pull shots: a hard, flat slap behind square; a full-blooded hoist into the stands; a wrist-roll through midwicket; and a flat-bat through mid-on as he jumped leg side. Prasidh’s over cost him 23 runs.Smith was empowered to keep on attacking, threading the gap between short cover and mid-off to hit Washington Sundar’s first two balls for four. When Gill fell into the familiar trap of spreading his field – with five boundary-riders for Washington – Smith reverted to simply milking singles, rotating strike at will in his mammoth stand with Harry Brook.Jamie Smith and Harry Brook put on a huge stand to lift England•ECB via Getty ImagesBy the time he reached his hundred – England’s equal third-fastest in Tests, after a slight slowdown left Gilbert Jessop’s record safe – Smith had only faced 26 balls from India’s two most threatening bowlers: 12 from Siraj and 14 from Akash Deep. Gill ought to have brought them back sooner, but Smith showed his game awareness by targeting the weaker links in a struggling attack.His partnership with Brook, worth 303, was a glimpse at the future of England’s batting line-up – not only in Tests, but across formats. Perhaps the most impressive aspect was their ability to change gears: after racing along in sixth before lunch, they slipped down into fourth in the middle session when India’s plans changed, as though cruising along in the middle lane.Since bulking up significantly 18 months ago, Smith has become an imposing presence at the crease. When he reached 174, he surpassed his Surrey mentor Alec Stewart to register the highest score by an England Test wicketkeeper: it could be some time before anyone else has the opportunity to beat Smith’s record.1:42

Aaron: Smith a serious batter across formats

A lower-order collapse – England’s Nos. 8-11 contributed five runs between them – denied Smith the chance to accelerate towards a double-hundred. He reached 184, his final score, with two straight blows off Akash Deep: the first, a crunched straight six, suggested a lucrative IPL contract is waiting for him; the second, a rasping four through mid-off, nearly took the bowler’s head off.Smith’s missed stumping off Rishabh Pant last week was a reminder that his keeping is not yet perfect, and in time England may well be tempted to pick him as a specialist batter. But there should be no immediate urge to change his role: Smith was fit enough to bat for five hours after 151 overs behind the stumps at Edgbaston, and showed the value of having a genuine game-changer down at No. 7.England spent the decade after Matt Prior’s retirement shuffling between wicketkeepers: Buttler, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes all had their advocates, but none ever quite managed to make the role their own. The same charge cannot be levelled at Smith, who has made himself an automatic selection within a dozen Tests.Smith’s favourite player was Kevin Pietersen growing up, and there were shades of his idol in Birmingham: dominance against the short ball, disdain against spinners, and the innate self-assurance required to bat with such fearlessness. Whisper it, but England believe that Smith can be even better than his predecessors: this was an innings from the Adam Gilchrist playbook.

Riyan Parag is set to lead Rajasthan Royals at 23, but there have been three younger captains in the IPL

Harigovind S22-Mar-2025Virat KohliIPL captaincy debut: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals, Jaipur, 2011
Age: 22 years 187 daysKohli was appointed full-time RCB skipper only in 2013, but he got his first taste of leadership two years earlier when Daniel Vettori sat out of RCB’s game against Rajasthan Royals with a knee problem. Kohli, already a regular in the Indian team, was the natural successor. He kickstarted his captaincy career with back-to-back wins but then endured a 111-run trouncing at the hands of Kings XI Punjab. In all, he captained RCB in 143 games in the IPL.Steven SmithIPL captaincy debut: Pune Warriors vs RCB, Pune, 2012
Age: 22 years 344 daysLong before he established himself as a great batter, Smith served as Pune Warriors captain for one match towards the end of IPL 2012. Smith had gone unsold in the auction that year, but Warriors, who boycotted the auction over disagreements with the BCCI, signed him before the season began. At the fag end of a poor season for Warriors, in which they finished bottom of the league, the misfiring Sourav Ganguly stepped down, and Smith, who had captained Sydney Sixers in the previous Big Bash League season, took over. A few years later, Smith went on to captain Royals and Rising Pune Supergiant.Suresh RainaIPL captaincy debut: Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Daredevils, Delhi, 2010
Age: 23 years 112 daysMS Dhoni was hit on the arm by a rising Shane Bond delivery and sidelined for a few days during the 2010 season, and Raina, Chennai’s leading batter in the previous two editions, stepped in for three games. In his first game as the CSK captain, he scored a vital 49 not out in a tall chase against DD, but CSK lost their next two games under him. Raina’s services were needed just twice more for CSK, in 2019, but he did captain Gujarat Lions for their two seasons, in 2016 and 2017.Riyan Parag will become the fifth-youngest captain in the IPL•BCCIRiyan ParagIPL captaincy debut: Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2025
Age: 23 years 133 daysParag has been in the IPL for six years, but he is still only 23 and is set to captain Rajasthan Royals in their first three games of IPL 2025 as Sanju Samson, recovering from finger surgery, will play purely as a batter. Parag, who has captained his domestic side Assam in 23 matches across formats, had a breakthrough 2024 – he scored 573 runs in the IPL and made his India debut. Leading Royals in Samson’s absence seems like a just reward.Shreyas IyerIPL captaincy debut: DD vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi, 2018
Age: 23 years 142 daysDelhi Daredevils, as the Delhi franchise was known then, had lost five of their first six games in IPL 2018 when their out-of-form captain Gautam Gambhir stepped down. Iyer, who had captained India A and Mumbai by then, was one of the few bright spots for Daredevils and replaced Gambhir. While Daredevils could not avoid the wooden spoon, they went out on a high with back-to-back wins against Mumbai Indians and CSK. Iyer went on to captain the Delhi franchise till 2021 before becoming captain of KKR. His new gig as Punjab Kings captain makes him the second Indian, after Ajinkya Rahane, to captain three different IPL franchises.

A 61-run third-wicket stand held the Hong Kong innings together

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Sep-2025

Hong Kong clambered to a respectable 149 for 4, as Nizakat Khan drove them through the middle and back end of the innings, after Anshy Rath had held down the fort in the early overs. The two combined in the middle for a partnership worth 61 off 43 balls – Nizakat contributing 33 off 22, while Rath went at a slower pace.Nizakat was not out at the crease on 52 off 38 balls at the end. It was his 12th T20I half-century, and his first against a Full Member (ICC or ACC), plus Hong Kong’s second ever fifty at this event. He’d been reprieved twice in the 17th over, bowled by Nuwan Thushara, but with so many wicket left, he was perhaps right to try low-percentage shots. Rath had fallen two runs short of 50, and struck at 104.34. He scored almost exclusively in front of square.Sri Lanka may have hoped to blow Hong Kong away when they asked them to bat first, but they didn’t have a lot of luck in the early overs. Zeeshan Ali scored boundaries off the outside and inside edge, and Dushmantha Chameera dropped off Thushara’s bowling.Chameera would go on to put in another strong performance, however, eventually dismissing Zeeshan, and later, Rath. He took the innings’ best figures of 2 for 29, but the spinners also delivered some economical overs. Maheesh Theekshana conceded only 22 off his four overs, while Wanindu Hasaranga took 1 for 27.

Lionesses star Chloe Kelly limped off with an injury in England's clash with Ghana on Tuesday night, casting doubt over her availability moving forward as Arsenal prepare to enter a very important part of their season. The Gunners have two huge Champions League games coming up this month, as the holders bid to qualify for the knockout stages, but they could well have to take on those challenges without Kelly.

• Kelly injury concern: Lionesses star limps off in Ghana friendly

  There were less than 20 minutes on the clock when Kelly reached down to grab her right knee, after an attempted cross off that wing was blocked. The 27-year-old tried to carry on but after playing a short pass a few seconds later, she went to ground and, once seen to by the Lionesses' medical staff, would gingerly walk off the pitch and be replaced by Arsenal team-mate Beth Mead, ending her night very prematurely.

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• Getty Images
  

  Bad luck continues: Knee issue continues as Wiegman reacts to 'sad' Kelly injury

  That it appeared to be Kelly's right knee troubling her will be of concern to many, and of frustration for the player herself. That's because after missing Arsenal's game against West Ham, their second Women's Super League fixture of the season, Kelly had visible strapping on that knee for around six weeks, until early November.

  The disappearance of that support seemed to signal Kelly had come through the issue, as did her first Arsenal start for six weeks, handed to her by Gunners boss Renee Slegers just before this international break began in the win over Real Madrid. "She missed the West Ham game and a couple of training sessions but since then she's been building back, and some things take a little bit longer than others, but she's fully fit," her manager said the day before that game.

  While the specifics of the issue Kelly was clearly nursing remain unclear, it will not have been encouraging for anyone to see her limp off on Tuesday because of what appeared to be a problem with that same knee she has sported noticeable support on for a large portion of this season, even if the injury itself on the night didn't come across as a bad one.

  "She felt something with her knee that didn’t feel right," England boss Sarina Wiegman said, asked about Kelly after the 2-0 win over Ghana. "She could walk but it just didn’t feel right. For her it’s sad because she had a start and she was playing and then she had to go off. Of course you want to be available at all times and you don’t want to have those niggles but that’s just the way it is now and what she has to sort out is: What is it? And just assess that and try to get back as soon as possible and get consistency. That’s what she wants too, but you have to take it as it is."

• Searching for rhythm: Kelly's start to the season disrupted again

  To have to be subbed off will have been even more frustrating for Kelly because this felt like a potentially big night for her and her season. After an outstanding 2024-25 season saw her star in Arsenal's Champions League triumph before stealing the show as the Lionesses won the 2025 European Championships, that niggling injury has prevented Kelly from really getting going in the 2025-26 campaign, as she's only been able to make three starts so far.

  To get the nod against Ghana in England's final game of 2025, then, felt like a good platform for the winger to be able to build on that start for the Gunners just before this camp and start to generate some form and rhythm. Unfortunately, she wasn't allowed to do so.

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• Getty Images
  

  Arsenal's next fixtures: Kelly now a doubt for big WSL and Champions League games

  The good news is that Kelly's injury didn't appear to be particularly bad in the moment and Arsenal will hope that is a sign of it not being a knock that will keep her out for long, because the Gunners have some big games before the winter break. The reigning European champions are currently 10th in the Champions League table, six places and three points off the automatic qualification spots for the knockout stages with two games to go. Those two games come later this month, at home to Twente and away at Leuven.

  There's also two WSL fixtures on the calendar before Christmas, with Arsenal needing to rack up wins to get back into the title race after a sloppy start, and a League Cup quarter-final clash with Crystal Palace. Given all that is on the line, the Gunners will desperately hope they have Kelly, and her knack for turning up in the big moments, available to them.

Real Madrid forward Rodrygo has been at the centre of reports that he could leave the Bernabeu mid-season following a lack of game time under Xabi Alonso, and Tottenham are believed to be among the contenders for his signature.

Rodrygo finds himself at a career crossroads as his situation at Madrid continues to deteriorate.

The Brazilian, once considered a crucial part of Los Blancos’ attacking plans, has seen his role dramatically diminish since Alonso’s appointment, sparking widespread speculation about a potential January departure.

Rodrygo has played just 359 minutes this season, having started just two out of a possible 10 La Liga games, and is firmly behind Vinícius Júnior in the pecking order for his preferred left-wing position.

The 24-year-old, who was regularly linked with a summer exit, including to Spurs, has struggled for opportunities despite his previous contributions to the club’s success.

Rodrygo’s career at Real Madrid since joining from Santos

Appearances

283

Goals

68

Assists

53

Bookings

12

Red cards

0

Minutes played

16,512

ESPN Brasil have backed up the possibility that Rodrygo could leave in January, stating that the ex-Santos sensation is “dissatisfied with his situation” and “maintains the option” of leaving as early as the next transfer window.

This has put a host of Premier League sides on alert, including Tottenham once again, and there are suggestions that the north Londoners could go all out for his signature.

Now backed by the Lewis family as they attempt to usher in a post-Daniel Levy era, the club, led by co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange are apparently prepared to pay a club-record £70 million for Rodrygo, according to reports from Spain.

The £283,000-per-week star would be a statement signing for the Lilywhites, and reports suggest that Real are prepared to slash his asking price from their original £88 million summer valuation down to around £53 million, amid rival interest from Arsenal and Chelsea (TEAMtalk).

This means that Spurs’ mooted £70m stance would be more than enough, but none of this means anything without the player’s approval.

Indeed, Rodrygo has now moved to speak out about his Madrid future, attempting to quell the noise surrounding his unrest in the Spanish capital.

Rodrygo breaks silence on Real Madrid future amid Tottenham interest

Speaking to the media, Rodrygo has hinted at his unhappiness surrounding game time right now, but also suggests he has no fears when it comes to inclusion in Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad.

While the attacker appears to be presenting the front of ‘I’ll work hard for the manager’, behind-the-scenes whispers tell a different story, and we wouldn’t at all be surprised if a Premier League club manages to tempt him across the channel.

Meanwhile, football finance expert Stefan Borson is convinced that Tottenham could sign Rodrygo on loan.

Tottenham take on Arsenal in a mouth-watering North London derby clash this weekend, with all eyes on that and the looming January window as Frank looks to put his stamp on the squad.

A new claim has emerged regarding who Norwich City’s next manager could be, with Kim Hellberg reportedly the subject of talks with the club recently.

The Canaries are still looking to bring in the right replacement for Liam Manning, who was relieved of his duties earlier this month, with the 40-year-old sending a classy message to the fanbase.

“I look back on being appointed head coach of my hometown club with great pride. Unfortunately, we were unable to achieve the results or fulfil the plans we set out when we took over in June.​ Although my time with the fans was brief, I want to acknowledge their outstanding support during a challenging period. They continued to show up in great numbers – unsurprising given their passion and loyalty – and displayed incredible spirit despite understandable frustrations.”

“I would like to thank the players for their efforts throughout my time at the club and wish them all the best, both personally and professionally. The club welcomed me warmly, and the dedication of everyone across all departments never went unnoticed. I am truly grateful for that and I wish everyone associated with Norwich City the very best for the future.”

A host of individuals have been linked with being Manning’s successor at Norwich, including former Sweden boss Jon Dahl Tomasson, and now a new update has thrown another name into the hat.

The latest on Jon Dahl Tomasson becoming Norwich City's next manager

Is he the right man for the job?

By
Henry Jackson

Nov 16, 2025

Norwich have held talks with Kim Hellberg

According to Sky Sports, Norwich briefly spoke to Hammarby manager boss Hellebrg about taking charge at Carrow Road, but that ship appears to have sailed.

That’s because Middlesbrough are believed to have a verbal agreement in place with the 37-year-old, bringing him in to replace Rob Edwards, who has departed for Wolves.

Hellberg would have been a left-field choice by Norwich, given his lack of experience, but it is easy to see why they have looked at him as a potential strong choice.

The Swede has been lauded as the “brightest football mind” by assistant coach David Selini, highlighting his tactical acumen, and by IFK Varnamo sporting director Enes Ahmetovic for the detail he goes into, and he is at an age where he is likely to bring fresh ideas.

It looks as though Norwich will have to look elsewhere, though, whether it be Tomasson, Gary O’Neil or someone else, and the Canaries will hope that Hellberg doesn’t thrive too much at Boro, assuming he does move there.

Norwich City also had talks with manager who has 100% win record vs Manning

Middlesbrough’s search for their new manager looks set to be over, with a significant update emerging regarding the club’s process to replace Rob Edwards.

The exit of Edwards to Wolves has hurt Boro at a key point in the season where they are sitting second in the Championship table and pushing for promotion. He sent a message to the supporters upon leaving for Molineux, wishing the club well.

“This has been one of the toughest decisions of my career. In truth, I wouldn’t have considered leaving Middlesbrough for any other club. Wolves is a special club for me. It’s where I grew as both a player and a coach, it’s still where my family calls home. It has always been my dream to come back and these opportunities do not come around too often.

“Middlesbrough is an incredible club, with a fantastic owner, staff and passionate supporters. I want to thank everyone at the club for the opportunity to lead this squad, it is a great group of players that I genuinely hope and believe will deliver success this season. I could not be prouder of the environment we built together and how it all gelled together so quickly – the players, the staff, and the fans, who drive it all. I sincerely wish everyone at Middlesbrough all the very best for the rest of the season and beyond. Rob.”

It’s now a case of Boro nailing Edwards’ successor at the Riverside Stadium, and it looks as though their new boss may have been found, following a big new claim.

Middlesbrough reach verbal agreement with Kim Hellberg

According to Fotboll Skanalen, Middlesbrough have now reached a verbal agreement with Kim Hellberg over a move to the club, seeing him as the right man to come in for Edwards.

Boro look set to swoop in from under the noses of Championship rivals Swansea City, with the club having a meeting with Hellberg’s representatives in London.

Hellberg may be something of an unknown to some Boro supporters, considering he is only 37 and hasn’t managed in Europe’s top leagues yet, but he looks like an exciting young choice.

IFK Varnamo sporting director Enes Ahmetovic, who worked with the Swede in the past, has said of him: “An incredibly skilled football coach. He spends a huge amount of time on every detail. I’m completely convinced that Hellberg will coach much bigger clubs than IFK Varnamo.”

"Impressive" manager now interested in taking Middlesbrough job after talks

Would he be the right man to replace Rob Edwards?

ByHenry Jackson Nov 16, 2025

The 4-2-3-1-playing Hellberg is something of a gamble, at a time when promotion has to be the aim for Boro, but assuming he is the choice to come in, it will be fascinating to see how he fares.

How Middlesbrough feel about Raphael Wicky as Swiss manager holds Riverside talks

Chelsea’s “poor” defeat against Leeds United will end up costing them in the Premier League title race, according to club legend John Terry. The Blues icon has bemoaned his former side’s lack of experience as they slipped to a damaging 3-1 loss which leaves them nine points behind leaders Arsenal, who they held to a 1-1 draw in their previous match.

Chelsea had been in fine form before surprise Leeds defeat

After picking up a point following an admirable 10-man performance against Arsenal last Sunday, Chelsea travelled to struggling Leeds just six points behind Mikel Arteta’s Gunners on Wednesday.

However, while Arsenal got back to winning ways against Brentford on the same night, Chelsea suffered a surprise defeat at Elland Road. Enzo Maresca’s men found themselves 2-0 down at the interval following efforts from defender Jaka Bijol and midfielder Ao Tanaka, before Blues winger Pedro Neto pulled a goal back early in the second half.

But Chelsea were unable to find an equaliser in an abject performance which was capped off by centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo’s costly mistake in the build up to Leeds’ third goal through striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The result was Chelsea’s first loss in their last eight games in all competitions, but the manner in which the defeat was registered has caused frustration amongst a fanbase who are hoping to see their side improve upon last season’s fourth-place finish.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBlues legend Terry could not hide anger after final whistle

Deflated after the final whistle, Chelsea icon Terry could not hide his anger at a display which – in his opinion – will come back to haunt the west Londoners towards the business end of the title race.

Speaking on TikTok, Terry – who won 15 major trophies including five Premier League titles and one Champions League crown after 19 seasons at Chelsea – said: “What a poor performance that was.

“Everything I said about Leeds, they were going to be aggressive, fans were going to be up for it, it was going to be a hostile place to go. You either go there and match them or you take the sting out of it completely, and by looks of it we certainly didn’t do that in the first half.

“We cannot follow up two unbelievable performances with a performance like that, it’s certainly not going to make you title contenders. Unfortunately that’s what’s going to cost us, we are inexperienced and if you can’t go Leeds away and know what to expect then…”

@johnterry26

We can’t follow two great performances with that performance tonight. Some tough away games coming up and we need to be better than that tonight. 💙 #chelsea #chelseafc #premierleague #cfc

♬ original sound – John Terry

Former England captain urges Maresca to end rotation policy

Still irritated by both the result and the performance, Terry also criticised what he perceived to be a lack of “fight” from Chelsea, urging manager Maresca to end his rotation policy and stick with players who he believes will dig in every week.

“You need to go there and show the fight, match Leeds in every single way and then earn your right to play,” former England captain Terry added. “After 15, 20 minutes you play your football once you’ve earned that right.

“Set piece, individual mistakes defensively, clearly not good enough, maybe that’s an opportunity for the manager to look at the squad and go ‘okay rotations not for me moving forward, I know my best 11-14 players and I’ll stick with that and the other players are just going to have to deal with it.”

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Getty Images SportChelsea head coach expected better performance against Leeds

Chelsea will look to bounce back when they travel to out-of-form Bournemouth in the league on Saturday afternoon. Maresca’s men then head to Serie A side Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday, 9 December.

Looking ahead to the Bournemouth match, Maresca said after the Leeds game: “I think they [Leeds] were better than us in all the aspects. They deserved to win the game.

“There’s nothing we can take from the game. The only thing we can do is try to understand the mistakes we’ve made and try to reset. In 48 hours we’ve another game [against Bournemouth].

“When you play the way we have in the last two games against Barcelona and Arsenal, you expect a better performance. But for many reasons it’s not going to be possible. We changed players and when you change players the level drops because the reality is they’re important players for us.”