Thomas Tuchel brings an “aura” which can give England a major advantage in their quest to win the World Cup next summer, according to Harry Kane. The Three Lions captain has opened up about what it is like to play under the German head coach, whom he previously worked with during their period together at Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich.
Southampton are taking significant steps in their search for a new manager after sacking Will Still last week.
The Saints, after an underwhelming start to the campaign, sit 19th in the Championship, just six points above the relegation zone, having won just three of their 14 league games so far.
Southampton’s turbulent season took another dramatic turn when the club parted ways with Still after just five months in charge. The 33-year-old’s brief tenure at St Mary’s came to an abrupt end following a 2-0 home defeat to Preston North End, their third consecutive loss and fifth straight game without a win at the time.
Still recorded a dismal average of just 0.92 points per game in the Championship, leaving Southampton chiefs with no choice but to pull the plug.
Will Still’s tenure at Southampton
Competition
Matches
Wins
Draws
Losses
Points
Points per match
Championship
13
2
6
5
12
0.92
EFL Cup
3
2
0
1
6
2.00
Total
16
4
6
6
18
1.13
via Transfermarkt
It marked yet another chapter in Sport Republic’s chaotic ownership, with Still becoming the latest in a long line of coaches sacked during their regime.
Still arrived with growing pedigree after a few successful years in France and was once regularly linked with a Premier League move, but struggled to translate that success to English football.
The Belgian native was tasked with securing an immediate return to the Premier League following last season’s relegation, but instead left Southampton perilously close to a second consecutive drop that would represent an unthinkable disaster.
Now, the process to hire his successor has begun, and there are a few noteworthy candidates who are being mentioned by the media.
Under-21s boss Tonda Eckert has been appointed interim manager and immediately guided the team to a 2-1 victory at QPR, temporarily halting the rot. However, Southampton’s hierarchy are actively searching for a permanent replacement.
Reports suggest high-flying Coventry City boss Frank Lampard is an ambitious option for Southampton, with the Saints also weighing up a reunion for Russell Martin.
A number of other candidates are being assessed too, including Stoke City manager Mark Robins (talkSPORT), England Under-21 boss Lee Carsley, and Gary O’Neil.
In terms of the latter, Telegraph reporter Mike McGrath shared news earlier this week that O’Neil is a strong contender for the Southampton job, and there’s now been another update on the Englishman’s potential appointment.
Southampton 'looking to finalise' Gary O'Neil deal after making approach
As per TEAMtalk, O’Neil is emerging as the clear frontrunner to take charge.
The south coast club have now made an approach to O’Neil over their vacant position, with talks expected to intensify in the coming days as both parties “look to finalise an agreement”.
O’Neil is said to be in pole position to become Southampton’s new manager, with the club having admirers of his previous Premier League work.
Southampton’s search has apparently narrowed to three main candidates. Former Manchester United star Michael Carrick, who was most recently manager of Middlesbrough, remains in contention due to his strong reputation, while Martin is also still a candidate and would be open to discussions about returning to St Mary’s after his Rangers dismissal.
O’Neil is said to be “highly respected” in Premier League circles after his work at Bournemouth and Wolves (Miguel Delaney), even if his tenures did end in sour fashion, and he was briefly considered for the West Ham job recently.
The 42-year-old steered a hapless Bournemouth side clear of relegation in his first season with limited resources, and took charge of Wolves in very difficult circumstances after Julen Lopetegui’s sudden exit — briefly steadying the ship at Molineux.
His track record suggests that O’Neil could be an astute appointment by Sport Republic, and given his free agent status, Southampton won’t have to fork out a compensation fee.
O’Neil has also been called an “underrated” tactician.
Pep Guardiola says his Manchester City side "have to score more goals" after a frustrating 2-1 loss to Newcastle United on Saturday. Although City are the Premier League's top scorers, Guardiola's players were wasteful in front of goal at St James' Park. Now, the former Barcelona boss wants his players to be more clinical in the final third of the pitch.
Man City rue missed opportunities
City had 68 per cent possession and 17 shots to Newcastle's nine but only had four efforts on target. They created an Expected Goals (xG) tally of 1.88 but other than Ruben Dias' deflected effort, they couldn't get on the scoresheet again. At the other end, a double from Harvey Barnes ensured the Magpies claimed all three points. In the contest, top scorer Erling Haaland and Phil Foden missed gilt-edged chances but as a team, Guardiola wanted more from his players.
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Tight game. Entertaining game. They had chances. We had chances. In the end they scored one more goal.
"Two or three chances that he [Haaland] always have because he is the best. And yeah, go to the next. Two or three chances that he always have because he is the best. And yeah, go to the next.
"The second half we started rally well and had the momentum, we were arriving and finding players in the positions. But after we scored a goal, they scored a goal. After it was more difficult because [Sven] Botman was in the pitch, the defence was deep, so yes more difficult."
AdvertisementAFPGuardiola wants Man City to share around the goals
Haaland has scored a whopping 14 goals in the Premier League this season, with City netting 24 in total. But none of his team-mates have notched more than a goal each, leading many to conclude that City rely too much on the Norwegian international. Now, Guardiola has urged his team to take their chances more often.
"Yes [the chances] were clear, but we have to score more goals. Our players have the ability and quality to do it," he said.
City still have the sixth-best away record in the division but this is the third time they have lost on the road in the English top-flight this term.
When asked about another away loss, Guardiola said: "I'm pretty sure all of the teams prefer to play at home than away, we are not the exception for that. Always Newcastle have been difficult, even where they are low in the table and after two defeats in a row. After they clean the head and the mind and have ten days off, we can hit the good moments. We fought, the players were there, but we could not find the result. The season is so long."
Man City can't always rely on Haaland
Former City defender Micah Richards believes that Haaland's team-mates need to pull their finger out and contribute more goals going forward. He name-checked Foden and Jeremy Doku but every player needs to pull their weight in a Premier League title bid.
He said on Sky Sports: "It's going to chop and change all season. I think Man City though, if you look at the goal scorers, Haaland's scoring all the goals. There's not a player scoring more than one in a game, and that would be a concern because they're too reliant on Haaland. And defensively, I think organisation, if you look, go through the games. Wolves, everyone thought Man City was back. Back to their best. Then they lose against Spurs and Brighton. Good win against United. Arsenal could have gone either way. Burnley, Brentford, Everton. Games you're supposed to win. You go away to Aston Villa and you lose the game. Bournemouth. And then Liverpool was like, okay, Man City are back. When you asked me before the show started, are Man City back? They are in spells, not for the full 90 minutes. They're playing different football. They've not got the energy. They're not pressing the same, but they're still getting over the line. And that big game against Liverpool, you think, okay, that's the turning call. And then today, they had chances. Haaland misses chances. Who else is going to step up? Foden's been in good form. Doku's been playing really well as well. But when you need them to step up in a big moment, today was a big moment to put pressure on Arsenal. They just couldn't do it. Now, it gives Arsenal all the confidence going into the north London derby tomorrow. "
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Getty Images SportPressure now on Arsenal?
Former Liverpool player Jamie Redknapp believes that if Arsenal don't win the league this season, this group of players under Mikel Arteta will never end their long wait for that piece of silverware. Moreover, the Gunners could go seven points clear of third-placed City and six ahead of second-placed Chelsea if they beat Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday.
He said: "Arsenal are by far the best team. They've got the best squad, [are the] best organised. And they've been the best over the last four or five years. What Manchester City have done previously, where they go on 12, 13, 14 game winning runs, is this team capable of doing it? I don't think so. They're probably ahead of where I thought they would be this year because of the changes they've had. Obviously, people like Kevin De Bruyne have left the club. So they're in a really strong position. But I think this year, if Arsenal don't win it from here, that team won't win it. They won't. It's as simple as that. They're in such a strong position."
Former Australia opener and Victoria coach Chris Rogers believes both are capable of playing for Australia in the future after promising Sheffield Shield showings
Alex Malcolm11-Mar-2025Former Australia Test opener and current Victoria coach Chris Rogers cut a frustrated figure at the Junction Oval on Sunday evening following his side’s fourth straight Sheffield Shield loss. But his exasperated tone quickly changed when talking about the performances of two of his young batters in Harry Dixon and Campbell Kellaway in the four-wicket loss to South Australia.Kellaway, 22, top-scored in both innings on a tricky surface with scores of 79 and 77 in a game where the three other openers in the match combined for scores of 0, 0, 1, 19, 1 and 66.Dixon, 20, produced a stunning counter-attacking 76 in the second innings, his highest first-class score in just his third game, after watching a collapse of 5 for 20 from the non-striker’s end to ensure Victoria had a 300-run target to defend. He had been unlucky to be dismissed lbw for 0 in the first innings to a delivery that looked to have both pitched and struck his pad outside the line of leg stump.Related
Peake picked for Australia A after one first-class game
Lehmann and Scott lead South Australia to home Shield final
Dixon, Kellaway fifties, Scott four-for sets up thrilling final day chase
Harry Dixon lands BBL deal, hopes to emulate David Warner
Victoria do not currently have a batting representative in Australia’s Test top seven and did not have a single batter selected on the recent tour of Sri Lanka. They have produced fewer Test batters in the last 30 years than any state in Australian domestic cricket.Rogers, who played 24 of his 25 Tests for Australia while representing Victoria having started his career in Western Australia, hopes both Kellaway and Dixon are prospects capable of turning that drought around.”Kellaway has been a work in progress for a number of years,” Rogers told ESPNcricinfo. “I think he’s played 29 first-class games now, and those two innings, I think, were probably his two best innings. They’re not his highest innings, but the way he went about it, the areas he scored, the tempo he went at, that looked like a player who could go on and open the batting for Australia.”And Harry Dixon, I think it’s a talent that everyone in Victorian cricket has been pretty excited about. And when you see a guy farming the strike and smacking the ball up onto the hill with all the fielders on the boundary, you get pretty excited about that.”
“He plays a style of cricket that’s not dissimilar to a lot of players that are coming through and it’s a bit more like Travis Head and Davey Warner. He can kind of hit that ball off the top of the stumps, the waist-high delivery, in front of square on both the off side and the leg side. I remember standing down the other end from Davey Warner when he would do that thinking how the hell have you managed to hit that ball there, when there’s no way I could. And Harry has that skill.”Victoria coach Chris Rogers on Harry Dixon
Dixon’s 76 off 86 balls featured six fours and five sixes and he scored 74 of them with the tail after Victoria slumped from 161 for 2 to 181 for 7. He smashed Australia Test squad member Brendan Doggett for consecutive sixes including one out of the ground with three men back on the fence on the leg side. The left-hander has been one of the least talked about talents to come from Australia’s 2024 Under-19 World Cup winning team.Chris Rogers played 25 Tests for Australia between 2008 and 2015•Getty ImagesWhile all of the recent attention has been focused on Sam Konstas after his extraordinary rise to Test cricket, it has been forgotten that Dixon comfortably outperformed Konstas at Under-19 level as his opening partner. Dixon was Australia’s leading runscorer in the World Cup posting three half-centuries and a vital 42 in the final. He dominated the 2023 Under-19 Ashes tour scoring two Youth Test centuries. He scored another Youth ODI century in early 2023 against England smashing 148 off 125 balls in Brisbane.Despite a desire to be an opener in all formats like his idol David Warner, Rogers sees him more in the Travis Head mould in red-ball cricket at least.”As a junior he’s been a top-order batter but that’s because I would have said he’s almost solely played one-day cricket, because that’s what you do playing junior cricket,” Rogers said.”Red-ball cricket is a bit different. He probably looks at the moment a bit more of someone the opposition doesn’t really want coming in that middle-order when the ball is a bit older and a bit softer and doing less because he can change the game in an hour or so. He plays a style of cricket that’s not dissimilar to a lot of players that are coming through and it’s a bit more like Travis Head and Davey Warner.”He can kind of hit that ball off the top of the stumps, the waist-high delivery, in front of square on both the off side and the leg side. I remember standing down the other end from Davey Warner when he would do that thinking how the hell have you managed to hit that ball there, when there’s no way I could. And Harry has that skill.”What I like too is he can score through the leg side when he needs to but he’s also really good through the off side. And technically I don’t think you touch him. I think he’s pretty much what he’s going to be. He’ll obviously learn the game, but the game will teach him. He’s someone to be very excited about, I think, for Victoria and for Australia.”Campbell Kellaway is having a break out season in 2024-25•Getty ImagesWhile Dixon looks ready made as a first-class middle-order player, Kellaway has been a slower burn at the top of the order. He began his first-class career in November 2022 and bounced around Victoria’s middle-order without ever nailing down a position despite being selected to play three matches for Australia A in 2023 after playing just five first-class matches and scoring only two half-centuries.He started the 2024-25 Shield season at No. 3 and made 55 on a difficult MCG pitch against a New South Wales attack that featured Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon in October and made 80 against ladder leaders South Australia at Adelaide Oval. He was moved up to open in the game against Queensland and made his maiden first-class century, scoring 122 in the second innings at the Gabba to help Victoria win after conceding a 111-run first innings deficit. He also posted his maiden List A century against NSW last month scoring 117* off 101 balls to help Victoria chase 311 inside 38 overs to qualify for the Dean Jones Trophy Final.Rogers has seen a development in his batting this season that goes beyond just technical improvement.”He hits more balls than anybody I’ve ever seen, and that’s quite something because I’ve seen the likes of [Steve] Smith and co,” Rogers said. “But he probably has worked, I think, predominantly on technical stuff, which has always been a bit of work in progress. But of late, it’s been more around how he’s been needing to play, especially opening the batting.”I know he’s batted No. 3, but open the batting it can be really tricky. And we’ve been sitting down and talking a lot more around that. I think last year he got a fifty here against Western Australia in the second innings, and he scored two twos in that 50, and one of them was an accidental inside edge and that’s probably not how you’re going to go as an opener.”You’re probably scoring quite a high percentage of ones and twos and playing within yourself to absorb the new ball, and then in this game I think there was over 10 twos in his first 50. So there’s just a bit more growth. It’s not bang four or block it. It’s more kind of in that mid range, working the ball, understanding risk management and all those kind of things. Even the positions I thought he was in when he was looking to drive were the best I’ve seen him.”Victoria are still a mathematical chance to make the Shield final despite currently sitting fifth on the table with one game remaining against Western Australia in Perth. They need to beat WA and need South Australia and Tasmania to beat Queensland and NSW respectively as two draws in those games won’t be enough.Despite still being a chance to play in the final, Victoria will consider debuting another youngster in Dixon’s Under-19 World Cup winning team-mate Oliver Peake. The 18-year-old left-hander was named in the squad against South Australia but ran the drinks. He made 99 in Victoria’s last second XI match against WA and recently went on Australia’s Test tour of Sri Lanka as a long-term development player.
The Automatic Ball and Strike System (ABS) will be in use for the MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday, and could potentially serve as a preview for the new technology to make its way to MLB as soon as next season.
ABS has been in use in the minor leagues for several seasons and was recently brought to spring training. It will now be used in the All-Star Game as MLB continues to test the technology before bringing it to the majors. Ahead of Tuesday's game, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred even indicated that the All-Star Game will serve as a major test for whether the ABS system is officially implemented next season.
There are varying opinions across MLB on the ABS technology getting implemented to the majors. Star New York Yankees outfielder and two-time American League MVP Aaron Judge is one player that appreciates the human element an umpire brings.
"I think it's just new," Judge said on . "Anything that's new, people are gonna have their opinions, gonna hate on a little bit. I still love the human element of the game. That's kind of been my thing growing up. I don't know if it's old school or not, but I just love having the umpire back there, the human feel. I know it's coming in the next couple years, so we just gotta get used to it."
Though Judge seems to prefer umpires, he is cognizant that he and other players will simply have to get used to the new system.
Manfred did say that even with the ABS, the role of umpires will be "preserved" in the game. Regardless, their roles won't be the same with the new technology in use, and the shift will be a major change for the league's players over the coming seasons.
Pete Crow-Armstrong started off the Chicago Cubs' Fourth of July game against the St. Louis Cardinals with fireworks, quickly demonstrating why it was an easy decision for him to be named a National League All-Star starter.
First, Crow-Armstrong got the second out of the top of the first inning by laying out full extension on a dive to secure a line drive to center field off the bat of Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn.
Here's a look at the sensational catch.
Then, in the bottom of the first inning, Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki and Crow-Armstrong went back-to-back, swatting a pair of solo home runs to put Chicago on the board.
For good measure, he added another solo homer in the bottom of the third inning, this one a 414-foot blast.
Cubs fans certainly don't need to be reminded, but these plays perfectly illustrated the brilliance of Crow-Armstrong.
You want defense? Crow-Armstrong ranks third among all centerfielders with 12 Outs Above Average. Offense? He has 23 home runs and 26 stolen bases.
He's a big reason why the Cubs are both in first place in the NL Central and leading the Cardinals 7-1 on the Fourth of July.
MatériaMais Notícias
Após a vitória por 1 a 0 do Santos sobre o Palmeiras, pela partida de ida da final do Paulistão, Guilherme e Otero tiveram uma interação curiosa na Vila Belmiro.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCampeonato PaulistaCom Neymar na Vila, Santos vence Palmeiras e abre vantagem na final do PaulistãoCampeonato Paulista31/03/2024Fora de CampoEx-Palmeiras critica decisão de Abel Ferreira em derrota para o Santos na finalFora de Campo31/03/2024SantosNeymar é ovacionado e vai ao vestiário da Vila antes da final entre Santos e PalmeirasSantos31/03/2024
➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte
O gol da vitória do Santos saiu em cruzamento pela esquerda de Guilherme. Otero apareceu nos segundo pau e testou no contrapé de Weverton, que não conseguiu fazer a defesa.
➡️ Com R$50 no Lance! Betting, você fatura R$255 se apostar no 1 a 1 entre Santos x Palmeiras
Guilherme ‘invadiu’ a entrevista de Otero e perguntou se o venezuelano pagaria um jantar pela assistência na final do Paulistão. O meia agradeceu pelo passe e valorizou a entrega do camisa 11.
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– Agradecer o Guilherme pela assistência. Ele se dedicou e correu muito em campo, nos orgulhamos disso – disse Otero em entrevista após o clássico.
➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários do Paulistão
A grande decisão entre Santos e Palmeiras será no domingo (7), às 18h, no Allianz Parque. O Peixe pode empatar no próximo final de semana que ainda leva o título do Paulistão. Em caso de vitória da equipe de Abel Ferreira por um gol de diferença, o duelo será decidido nos pênaltis.
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تمكن فريق اتحاد العاصمة الجزائري، من تحقيق الفوز على أولمبيك أسفي المغربي، في دور المجموعات من بطولة الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.
وواجه فريق اتحاد العاصمة الجزائري نظيره أولمبيك أسفي، في التاسعة من مساء اليوم، على ملعب المسيرة بأسفي بالمغرب، في الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات من بطولة الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.
طالع.. الزمالك يواجه كايزر تشيفز في مهمة صعبة خارج الديار بـ الكونفدرالية
ويقع فريق اتحاد العاصمة في المجموعة الأولى في مجموعات الكونفدرالية رفقة اندية أومبيك أسفي وسان بيدرو ودجوليبا المالي.
وتمكن فريق اتحاد العاصمة من تحقيق الفوز بهدف دون رد، على فريق أولمبيك أسفي، أحرزه اللاعب زكريا دراوي في الدقيقة 84 من الشوط الثاني والمباراة.
ويهذه رفع فريق اتحاد العاصمة رصيده إلى 6 نقاط في صدارة المجموعة، بينما تجمد رصيد فريق أولمبيك آسفي عند 3 نقاط في المركز الثالث.
وفاز فريق سان بيدرو الإيفواري على نظيره دجوليبا المالي، 2-0 ليحتل المركز الثاني في ترتيب المجموعة برصيد 3 نقاط. ترتيب مجموعة اتحاد العاصمة الجزائري في الكونفدرالية
1- اتحاد العاصمة – 6 نقاط
2- سان بيدرو – 3 نقاط.
3- أومبيك آسفي – 3 نقاط
4- دجوليبا – بدون نقاط
Whether this is his final season at Manchester United or not, there will come a time sooner rather than later when the Red Devils will line up without Bruno Fernandes in tow, with the Portuguese’s future likely to again be a talking point next summer.
As the 31-year-old revealed in a tell-all interview ahead of making his 300th United appearance last month, he had held talks with Saudi side Al Hilal over the summer regarding a potential move, only to eventually opt to stay put in Manchester with his business still seemingly unfinished.
Also the subject of interest from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024, the club’s long-serving talisman has rightly courted admiring glances amid his stunning form over the past five years or so, racking up 100 goals and 89 assists in his 302 outings to date.
While five of those goal involvements have come in this season’s Premier League already, it does appear that the baton is finally being passed, however, with Ruben Amorim’s influential skipper no longer the sole star attraction.
Indeed, all eyes are on INEOS’ £71m signing Bryan Mbeumo following his return of six goals in his first 12 games for the club, with Fernandes quietly pulling the strings in a deeper role.
With Amorim also outlining the prospect of his captain needing to adjust to potential “rotation” next season, should United return to European competition, the gradual phasing out of the playmaker might well have started…
The candidates to replace Fernandes as captain
Fernandes himself was awarded the honour back in the summer of 2023, with then-boss Erik ten Hag taking the decision to strip Harry Maguire of the captaincy, with reports subsequently stating that the Englishman was heading to West Ham United.
To his credit, the latter man stayed to fight for his place, since securing cult hero status with a string of vital goals, be it his last-gasp clincher against Lyon, or the late winner against Liverpool this season.
With the 32-year-old facing his own Old Trafford uncertainty amid his expiring contract, however, it would be unlikely to see him outlast Fernandes at the club, with other candidates in the running to take the armband.
Indeed, at present, Matthijs de Ligt – the hero against Tottenham Hotspur last time out – is showcasing captaincy material, albeit while not actually having been included in Amorim’s self-appointed leadership group in pre-season.
Instead, that experienced bunch includes Fernandes, Maguire, Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot, with the ex-Sporting CP boss singling them out as the leaders in his first-team ranks.
Like Maguire, however, Casemiro’s current deal expires in 2026, while Martinez may be more concerned with getting back fit and firing again, having been absent since sustaining an ACL injury back in February.
Mazraoui, too, has also endured an injury-hit start to 2025/26, with the Moroccan defender also no longer a guaranteed starter, following Amad’s emergence in that right wing-back berth.
The form of the Ivorian – which includes his stunning equaliser against Nottingham Forest – has also plunged Dalot’s long-term future into doubt, with the Portuguese full-back potentially in line for the axe before too long.
Why Man Utd's 'future captain' needs to be sold
The merits of Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system have long been debated, although amid United’s five-game unbeaten run, it looks like a corner may have been turned, with the squad beginning to find its feet at both ends of the pitch.
Bruno Fernandes
52
Noussair Mazraoui
45
Diogo Dalot
45
Manuel Ugarte
44
Leny Yoro
44
Rasmus Hojlund
40
Alejandro Garnacho
40
Harry Maguire
40
Matthijs de Ligt
39
One area which remains something of a headache is at wing-back, however, with the 40-year-old coach having flitted between Patrick Dorgu and Dalot on that left-hand side in recent weeks.
While the latter man did assist Mbeumo from that role against Burnley, he has largely looked rather uncomfortable in an unorthodox role, having notably failed to prevent Nicolo Savona from converting at the City Ground two weeks ago.
In a system that demands an attacking intent from those on the flanks, even on his favoured flank, the one-time Porto man has hardly flourished in that sense in recent times, racking up just nine goals and 18 assists in 220 games for the club to date.
While once something of a “standout” under Ten Hag – having claimed the Players’ Player of the Year award at United in 2024 – Dalot no longer appears to have a defined role under the new regime, putting his future into doubt heading into 2026.
With a contract that expires in 2028, it could prove the perfect time to try and cash in on the £24m-rated defender – as valued by Transfermarkt – with the INEOS regime no doubt needing to do what they can to reshape the squad in Amorim’s image.
Of course, Dalot appears to be an influential figure under his compatriot, as his place in the leadership group showcases, having reportedly produced something of a rallying cry in the dressing room following the 3-3 draw with Porto last season.
It is for acts like that that the £90k-per-week star had emerged as one of the club’s “future captains” – as relayed by Samuel Luckhurst – although with his own form now under scrutiny, his Old Trafford stay should be coming to an end.
Forget Sesko: Man Utd's "anxious" dud is now becoming INEOS' worst signing
Manchester United have one player who has massively struggled to meet expectations at Old Trafford.
ByEthan Lamb Nov 11, 2025
He was always an excellent new-ball bowler, but Matt Henry has evolved into a fine death-overs bowler now, and being the leader of the attack has freed him up
Deivarayan Muthu07-Mar-2025Between the otherworldly swing of Trent Boult and Tim Southee, Matt Henry’s own swing and seam had often gone underappreciated. In New Zealand’s first ICC competition without Boult or Southee since 2010, Henry has finally emerged from the shadows of those two greats, topping the Champions Trophy wickets chart with ten strikes in four innings at an average of 16.70 and economy rate of 5.32.Much like Boult and Southee, Henry is known to the wider world as a new-ball phenom. When he was a late addition to New Zealand’s squad for the 2015 ODI World Cup, he reminded Martin Crowe of a young Richard Hadlee. Ten years on, Henry isn’t just about swing or seam anymore. He has evolved into a complete fast bowler, who can be just as potent with the old ball.Matt Henry with the old ball? Stop kidding me!Related
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Stead: Hectic travel schedule 'takes it out of you a little bit'
Henry's availability for Champions Trophy final 'a little bit unknown'
No, really. Since 2023, Henry is the joint-highest wicket-taker, alongside Shaheen Shah Afridi, in the last ten overs in ODI cricket, with 25 strikes in 20 innings (Shaheen has the benefit of bowling in 22 innings) at an economy rate of 6.79. And nobody has a better bowling average than Henry’s 12.36 for a minimum of 200 balls between overs 40 and 50 since 2023.His corresponding numbers in the death between his ODI debut at the start of 2014 and end of 2022 were poor: 23 wickets in 41 innings at an average of 26.86 and economy rate of 8.56.Henry’s outrageous improvement with the old ball has transformed him into an all-purpose, all-format bowler. Since 2023, he is also the highest wicket-taker in international cricket across formats with 136 strikes in 66 innings. Ravindra Jadeja (125), Jasprit Bumrah (124), Afridi (124) and Mitchell Starc (117) all slot in behind Henry on this list.The IPL, the Hundred and the MLC all wanted Henry. You can’t just sit idle with your skills these days. Unless you keep upgrading them, cricket will leave you behind.Henry refused to be left behind. A career-threatening back injury had already left him far behind during his early years. He then spent a number of years watching Boult and Southee, and then Kyle Jamieson, surge ahead of him.ESPNcricinfo LtdIt was the 2023 T20 Blast that unlocked the old-ball skills of Henry. While he continued to attack and hunt for wickets with the new ball, he developed defensive skills with the older, softer one, hiding it away from the hitting arcs of batters with slower balls and cross-seamers. He came away with 31 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 13.25 and economy rate of 7.85 on surfaces that were largely flat and favoured hitting through the line.Henry’s title-winning run at Somerset in the T20 Blast gave him the belief that he could succeed with the old ball as well. Henry doesn’t have a magic slower one, like the knuckle ball or the back-of-the-hand variation, yet, but he can get his offcutter to react differently on different pitches.Look at this dismissal from the 2023 ODI World Cup. Mushfiqur Rahim collapses to the floor like a house of cards. The slower ball hits the Chennai pitch and skids under his bat – as opposed to bouncing higher – and knocks out his off stump.Henry can also get his offcutter to rise at the rib cage or even higher. He drew a mis-hit from Hardik Pandya with that slower bouncer in Dubai last Sunday on his way to a five-wicket haul. His change-ups, bowled without any discernible change in his action, were particularly vital to New Zealand limiting India to 249 for 9.
“He’s always had the reputation of being an outstanding new-ball bowler, but you see the development in his game is using that slower bouncer and different fields, etc at the back end. He’s a much more rounded bowler and that’s why he’s having success across formats”Shane Bond on Matt Henry
Shane Bond is so impressed with Henry’s versatility that he rates him as one of New Zealand’s best ODI bowlers. “When you look at New Zealand’s great one-day bowlers, you think of Trent Boult… but Matt Henry has been his partner-in-crime for a long time. If you line up their records, it will be pretty similar,” Bond said on ESPNcricinfo’s Match Day show. “He’s got an exceptional one-day record, and he just continues to be a world-class bowler now. He does it on the big occasions.”He showed that he’s really developed his skills at the back-end of the innings. He’s always had the reputation of being an outstanding new-ball bowler, but you see the development in his game is using that slower bouncer and different fields, etc at the back end. He’s a much more rounded bowler and that’s why he’s having success across formats.”Two of New Zealand’s frontline quicks, who usually operate with the old ball, Lockie Ferguson and Ben Sears, were sidelined from the Champions Trophy even before the start of the tournament. All of Will O’Rourke, Nathan Smith and Jacob Duffy had never played in an ICC tournament before this Champions Trophy, but despite various setbacks, Henry has made Black Caps’ seam attack work across four venues in two countries.ESPNcricinfo LtdHe won’t agree that he’s the leader of this attack, but he certainly has all the attributes of one: he fronts up to bowl across phases, produces significant breakthroughs and is often spotted at mid-on or mid-off, passing inputs to the rookie bowlers and putting his arm around them, like a protective older brother embracing his younger one, when they get hit.All of New Zealand perhaps went down with Henry when he landed awkwardly on his shoulder to grab the catch of Heinrich Klaasen at long-on in the semi-final against South Africa. Henry then picked himself and New Zealand up, returning to bowl two boundary-less overs at the death to go with the wicket of Kagiso Rabada with a grippy offcutter from over the wicket. New Zealand are hoping that he will be fit for the final.India, of course, will be more familiar with new-ball Henry. He blitzed through their line-ups in the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final in Manchester and more recently in the Bengaluru Test last year with his mastery of the upright as well as the wobble seam. He even tricked Shubman Gill into playing across the line with an inducker when New Zealand met India in Dubai.Henry makes things happen with the new ball. Now, he can make things happen with the old ball too. Bet against Henry 2.0 at your own peril.