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Emmanuel Adebayor has warned Mikel Arteta that a benched star at Arsenal could “spoil the whole training ground” if the Gunners boss does not take a leaf out of Arsene Wenger’s managerial playbook. Gabriel Martinelli is among those having to make peace with a spot among the substitutes in north London, and the Brazilian may not accept that role for long.

Starter to substitute: Martinelli benched

Martinelli started Arsenal’s opening two games of the 2025-26 campaign, but has failed to make an XI since. He has still been able to make important contributions in Champions League and Premier League competition.

AdvertisementGettyMartinelli netted crucial goals for the Gunners

The 24-year-old winger netted in a European clash with Athletic Club, before grabbing a stoppage-time equaliser in a heavyweight domestic showdown with Manchester City at Emirates Stadium.

Added competition for Martinelli after transfer talk

Martinelli was linked with a move elsewhere over the summer, only to end up staying put, and Adebayor believes the South American will want to play a more prominent role for Arsenal – despite seeing the likes of Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze drafted in to provide added creativity in the attacking department.

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Getty/GOALAdebayor fires warning to Arteta & Arsenal

Former Gunners striker Adebayor told of Martinelli potentially causing problems for Arteta: “I think that’s where man management becomes very important because you have to be talking to all these players to keep them happy all the time even knowing that they’re on the bench.

“When I was on the bench at Arsenal, I knew that I had Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Robin van Persie in front of me, but it was not easy because every weekend I’m in his [Wenger’s] office telling him ‘I’m here to play, I have to play’.

“This is when you need a manager that can calm the situation down. We have never seen Arteta go through those moments, and I think this is the right year for him to go through this.

“‘Manager, I want to play. Gaffer, listen I’m not here to sit on the bench. You didn’t buy me to be on the bench. I’m here to play because I want to win Ballon d’Or. I want to be the top goal scorer. I want to be the best player in the league’.

“We all have our individual things in our mind whether you like it or not. But at the end of the day, we put into the collective. We have to think of what I can do, what I’m going to bring into the team. If you’re on the bench, it’s hard.

“Martinelli, I think in a couple of weeks we will lose him because if he stays on the bench after this game the head will start going, then the body will follow, then he will spoil the whole training ground.”

Wagner’s heroics with the ball helped Northern Districts win the Plunket Shield for the first time since 2012

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Apr-2025It was a fairytale finish from New Zealand cricket for Neil Wagner, as he helped Northern Districts win the Plunket Shield for the first time since 2012 with eight wickets in their last gameNorthern Districts entered the final day of the game against Otago in Dunedin needing seven wickets for an outright win and the title, while Otago needed 287 runs. Wagner starred with a five wicket-haul to skittle Otago for 272 in their chase of 407 and seal the game.”Definitely up there,” an emotional Wagner said after the match. “Yeah, cherry on the top, like it’s just, couldn’t have asked for a better ending. Plunket Shield is one of the only things I’ve never been able to achieve as a team, and to do that in your last game here is definitely a tick off the bucket list and a pretty special day. It’s a nice way to end what has been a pretty special time in New Zealand.”Related

Neil Wagner returns to Durham for final four months of 2025 season

Life also came full circle for Wagner, who began his domestic career playing for Otago against Northern Districts at the same University Oval in Dunedin, in 2008. He moved to Northern Districts for the 2018-19 season but whatever the team, there was no Shield title for him in 17 years of domestic cricket.”Yeah, got second a lot, and close a lot, with Otago and with ND, and last year was one of them,” Wagner said. “So yeah, to know that you get that close and not really quite get over the line is quite gutting, and we as a team set out knowing that this is something we wanted to try and chase, and the cricket we’ve played out throughout the whole year, everyone’s played amazing contributions throughout the whole year and played their part, and just been bloody proud to be a part of this association, of this team, to finally get over the line. You always know at Uni Oval it’s pretty tough to get wickets here, and you have to graft and grind through it.”I think just the way we played and the smarts of it, you know – Jeet [Raval} has been an outstanding leader, and [BJ [Watling] and Flynney [Daniel Flynn], the way they’ve coached this team has been outstanding. So everybody knew their role, they know what they need to do, and I guess how to achieve it. Yeah, just hats off and credit to them, and I don’t think it’s ever felt like it’s in the bag until I thought we needed three wickets or so left. I started thinking, hey, this is it, the dream’s going to come true in quite a nice and fitting way.”Wagner felt it was “pretty special” to win on your last day. He also walked off to a guard of honour on the final day and was seen shedding a few tears.”It’s awkward, you don’t know what to say or what to do. Don’t expect these sort of things, and a very nice touch,” he said. “Yeah, hopefully it meant that you played a part, I guess, in some of these guys’ lives and careers, and the way you play the game, I guess. So, yeah, nice little touch, even a target on the first day, what they’ve done, pretty special. Yeah, I’ve got no words.

“It’s a pretty special way to end what has been an amazing, I guess, like I say, 17 years in this beautiful country.”Neil Wagner

“I’ve sort of just put my head down and tried to walk through it as quick as possible and sort of get out of there. But, yeah, pretty special. I’ve started losing my voice, I’ve just been screaming in that change room. It’s a pretty special way to end what has been an amazing, I guess, like I say, 17 years in this beautiful country, playing, I guess, with my heart and soul on my sleeve and trying to give everything to try and win trophies and to do it, winning one on the last day, it’s pretty special.”Wagner’s domestic retirement in New Zealand came just over a year after he had ended his international career.But it’s not quite over, and Wagner can add to his 849 first-class wickets. On Monday, he announced that he would be returning to Durham for the final four months of the season, with his first appearance set for the home County Championship clash with Sussex on June 22.

Victor Osimhen fired Galatasaray to a stunning 1-0 Champions League win over Liverpool and declared the Turkish giants “the best team in the world” after the final whistle. The Nigeria striker’s first-half penalty settled a raucous contest in Istanbul, piling pressure on Arne Slot after back-to-back defeats for the Premier League champions.

Osimhen penalty downs Liverpool

Gala shocked Liverpool on a deafening night at Rams Park, securing a 1-0 victory thanks to Osimhen’s calm finish from the spot in the 16 minute. The forward, back from a three-week layoff, seized the moment after Dominik Szoboszlai was penalised for catching Baris Alper Yilmaz. Liverpool pushed late but saw an 89th-minute penalty overturned by VAR, confirming defeat.

AdvertisementAFPGala the best team in the world, says Osimhen

The match-winner was full of pride when reflecting on the result. “I want to congratulate the team. It was a tough opponent for us. The odds seemed stacked against us. We managed to pull together,” Osimhen said. The Nigerian international added: “I was sidelined for three weeks, but for me, Galatasaray is the best team in the world. Thanks to the constant chanting of my name here and our fans, I’m playing better.”

Rams Park roars in big Champions League win

The win was only Galat’s second in their last 19 Champions League group games, but the atmosphere made it feel like a seismic moment. Rams Park shook from 45 minutes before kick-off as deafening whistles greeted Liverpool at every touch. The 51,000-plus fans embodied Galatasaray’s determination to bounce back after their opening 5-1 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt. 

Gala’s triumph coincides with their 120th anniversary year, a symbolic win that further boosts confidence as they chase a fourth consecutive Super Lig crown. 

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AFPLiverpool struggles put Slot under pressure

Liverpool, meanwhile, face scrutiny with consecutive defeats raising doubts about Slot’s tactical calls. Liverpool’s second straight defeat will trouble Arne Slot, who rested Mohamed Salah until the hour mark but saw little improvement when the Egyptian was introduced. The Premier League champions looked sloppy in possession, vulnerable defensively, and wasteful in the final third. The Reds return to domestic duty against West Ham this weekend before hosting Ajax in the Champions League.

Celtic left it late to bring in Kelechi Iheanacho on a free transfer and could be set to dip into the unattached market once again for another centre-forward.

Kelechi Iheanacho excited to work with Brendan Rodgers at Celtic

In a deal that has triggered plenty of discussion among Celtic supporters, Kelechi Iheanacho is now in the building at Parkhead and may well be in the frame to make his Scottish Premiership debut against Kilmarnock on Sunday.

Speaking to official club sources, the Nigeria forward signalled his excitement at being able to work with Brendan Rodgers again following their successful time together while at Leicester City.

He explained: “He’s been massively important in my career. He looked after me when I was in Leicester and gave me the opportunity to show my talent and help the team to win trophies.

“He’s a great manager and a great person. He’s got a good personality as well so I’m happy to play for him again. I’m happy to be a Celtic player and to play for this great club.”

Of course, Iheanacho’s unsuccessful loan spell at Middlesbrough has put the cat among the pigeons for some, given he netted once in 15 appearances while at the Sky Bet Championship outfit.

Nevertheless, his exploits in the Premier League at Manchester City and the Foxes illustrate what he is capable of, albeit Sevilla fans never got to see the best of him either before he was released to complete a move to Glasgow.

With Celtic short on options through the middle, recent developments suggest they could now enter the free agent market once again to bring in a renowned striker.

Celtic favourites to sign free agent Michail Antonio

According to a report from Claret & Hugh, Celtic are ‘favourites’ to sign former West Ham United striker Michail Antonio, who is a free agent after leaving the London Stadium under freedom of contract.

The Jamaica international, who shares the same agent as summer signing Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, has been using the Hammers’ facilities to keep himself fit over the last few months and his Premier League record speaks for itself; 68 goals and 38 assists in 268 matches.

Celtic may have their biggest talent since Doak in "lightning" 19-year-old

While Ben Doak continues to shine away from Celtic, the Hoops could have their own rising star to enjoy

ByRobbie Walls Sep 9, 2025

Failed moves for David Datro Fofana and Kasper Dolberg late in the window have left the door ajar for another striking arrival at Celtic, though anyone signed wouldn’t be able to take part in their Europa League campaign.

At 35 years of age, Antonio is someone that is definitely in the twilight of his career, even if he is still capable of performing at a high level if granted the platform.

Despite their interest in a deal, it would be harsh if Brendan Rodgers were to block opportunities for Johnny Kenny and Shin Yamada to claim more minutes, which may be a consideration that will need evaluation before the Bhoys make a decision on whether to move for the veteran forward.

The external noise around Liverpool’s decision to sign both Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak this summer is curious, to say the least.

Already the volume has been cranked up as rivals look to pounce on any slight sense of a puncture to the harmony of Arne Slot’s squad, with both strikers billed as being among the best in the Premier League and indeed across Europe.

Ekitike is the understudy, but the French forward has scored five goals and laid on an assist across his first eight matches in a Liverpool shirt, starting six times.

He arrived from Eintracht Frankfurt for a hefty £69m fee, but that figure is minnowed by the record-breaking signing of Isak from Newcastle United, who, pre-season-less, has only started twice so far, scoring his first in the Carabao Cup against Southampton on Tuesday evening.

They are both in contention to take the talismanic berth from Mohamed Salah in the coming years, but then the Egyptian King hasn’t hung up his Liverpool laces just yet, and still wears the crown.

Salah's Liverpool future

In April, Salah extended his Liverpool contract, which now runs until the end of the 2026/27 campaign. In the months leading up to the joyous renewal, many thought he would leave on a free, and Virgil van Dijk too.

But Salah stays, having scored 34 goals and supplied 23 assists across all competitions last season, winning the full gamut of individual accolades and lifting the Premier League title for the second time in a Liverpool shirt.

It’s been a somewhat slow start to the season for the right winger, with his ageing legs being considered by some as a reason behind the ostensible decline.

Decline? Salah has scored three goals and provided three assists across seven matches so far this season, and he now carries less responsibility on his shoulders, with Ekitike and Isak jostling for a place in the starting line-up and thus

Even as he embraces his veteran status, Salah remains a valuable commodity on the transfer front. Indeed, according to Transfermarkt, he is still worth £44m.

Isak and Ekitike, young and rising superstars, dwarf him, but there’s another forward in Liverpool’s squad whose market price has shot up in recent times, and he’s an underrated gem for Slot, no doubt about it.

Liverpool's underrated forward

Liverpool are a team of many parts, with Slot and Richard Hughes clearly focusing on establishing greater strength in depth, so as to not only defend the Premier League title claimed last year but also challenge for the various prizes dotted about other forks in the road.

There has been plenty of talk about Ekitike playing off the left, allowing both him and Isak to work together. The former is a central striker, but his athleticism and pace lend themselves to such a role, should he be required. According to FBref, Ekitike ranks among the top 7% of strikers across Europe for progressive carries and the top 15% for shot-creating actions per 90.

But Liverpool, of course, have another who is more than competent on the left wing. In January 2023, Liverpool signed Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven for an initial £35m fee.

Gakpo, 26, has chalked up 135 appearances since signing for Liverpool, scoring 42 goals and supplying 19 assists. His first term under Slot’s wing was indisputably his most productive, having posted 18 goals and seven assists across all competitions en route to the title.

And this while flitting in and out of the starting line-up. Gakpo ranked among the top 5% of positional peers in the Premier League last year for goals scored per 90.

He hasn’t started the campaign as prolifically as he might have liked, especially after notching a goal and two assists from his opening two games, blanking thereafter, but the Dutchman remains a real threat, so settled into his left-sided role for Slot.

25/26

5

1 (2)

24/25

35

10 (4)

23/24

35

8 (5)

22/23

21

7 (2)

But the underlying data from his showings thus far says much of his form, creating two chances and winning 7.2 duels per game.

He might not have Salah’s potency, nor the same degree of output as Isak or Ekitike, but Gakpo offers so much to this Liverpool side, with pundit Peter Crouch even remarking last season that he had “gone up a level” since Jurgen Klopp was replaced by Slot.

It’s hardly a surprise that the £35m fee paid now looks an absolute bargain, with Gakpo recorded to boast a market price of £61m.

Whether Liverpool would actually entertain the Netherlands star’s sale for a figure so comparatively low is up for debate, but it’s certain that he would not leave for a lesser figure.

It’s worth noting that Gakpo, praised by Klopp for his “special” qualities, is of an age akin to Salah’s when the experienced superstar first alighted on Merseyside. He still has so much room for growth, and that £61m price tag is hardly a fixed point as he enters his prime.

Liverpool fans are excited for the present, but Liverpool have built a team capable of challenging in the future too. Rio Ngumoha is a testament to that, the teenage winger billed as a prodigy.

However, ousting Gakpo from his berth will take some doing, and the Dutch talent will continue to thrive in a high-flying Liverpool side over the coming years, an unsung hero.

Now worth more than Guehi: Liverpool lost "superstar” for less than Quansah

Liverpool must regret parting ways with this iconic Jurgen Klopp talent.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 26, 2025

Marcus Rashford has been warned by England manager Thomas Tuchel that, despite all that he has achieved, his undoubted talent could still go to waste. Manchester United academy graduate Rashford is, at 27 years of age, in the process of rebuilding his career. Having been deemed surplus to requirements at Old Trafford and overlooked by the Three Lions on a regular basis, the jet-heeled forward is now enjoying a loan spell at Barcelona.

No regrets: Important challenge put to Rashford

That deal includes the option for a permanent transfer to be pushed through in 2026. That could prove to be a productive summer for Rashford, who is also hoping to make Tuchel’s squad for the next World Cup – with England on the verge of confirming qualification for that event.

Rashford, who made his senior international debut in 2016, is being asked to put his experience to good use. He has, however, found consistency hard to come by in recent seasons and needs to prove that he is no fading force. Tuchel is eager to ensure that Rashford is left with no regrets when it comes to maximising his talent.

AdvertisementGettyRedemption arc: Rashford rebuilding his career

Tuchel said when discussing a forward that burst onto the scene with United at 18 years of age: “That is the headline for him. To keep on pushing himself to the limit. The limit for him is very, very high. Maybe higher than for others. He has the potential, but potential is a dangerous word with high-level sports. You have to reach your personal best on a regular basis. It’s not a question of talent, it’s a question of whether he can prove the point at club and international level. Whether he starts for us or comes off the bench he has to constantly prove himself.

“He can be one of the best in the world. The quality I see in training, the finishing with both legs and with the head. He is explosive, he is fast, he is strong in the air so where are the limits? There are no limits, but the numbers don’t reach the potential. He needs to push himself into goal involvements. That means goals and assists. He knows that from me.”

Rashford has registered 18 goals for England through 64 appearances. He has failed to reach double figures at club level across the last two campaigns, leading to him spending 18 months in the international wilderness before making Tuchel’s first squad as Three Lions manager in March 2025.

Tuchel added on Rashford’s redemption arc: “He is still on that. He still has to make these decisions. He is in that moment, he is young enough to take the right decisions and not let go. Otherwise, he will be disappointed in 10 years at what could have been and what he made of it.”

Loan benefits: Aston Villa & Barcelona spells for Rashford

Rashford began to rediscover a lost spark during a loan spell at Aston Villa last season, with Tuchel pleased to see a proven performer step out of his comfort zone and challenge himself. The German tactician said: “That was quite a bold move because to go in a working team, and a team that was well settled and played a hard-working style, that was a very, very good move for him and he settled in very quickly.

“And for the work-rate against the ball I selected him. And still he had not as many goals and not as many goal involvements as he could have. He creates quite a lot of chances, but for the quality and finishing that we see with training, he just doesn’t score enough. That’s the next step.”

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GettyEngland fixtures: Next up for Rashford & the Three Lions

Rashford is now on the books of La Liga giants Barcelona. He has registered three goals and five assists for them through 10 appearances this season, with it being suggested that an extended stay in Catalunya can be earned.

His next outing could come in England’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against Latvia on Tuesday, with Tuchel looking for attacking inspiration in that contest after seeing all-time leading goalscorer Harry Kane pick up a knock and Ollie Watkins withdraw from the fold after suffering a freak injury in the Three Lions’ 3-0 friendly victory over Wales.

Pant showed signs of a return to form against Chennai Super Kings but also played out a lot of dot balls

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Apr-20254:32

Why did Pant not give Bishnoi another over?

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant showed signs of a return to form with his 49-ball 63 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), even though his side lost by five wickets. Coming into this game, he had scored just 40 runs off 50 balls across five innings in IPL 2025.It was a strange knock, though. Pant walked in at No. 4, after LSG had lost two early wickets, and moved to 27 off just 16 balls. But he slowed down considerably after that and was on 38 off 38 at one point. He struggled, in particular, against Noor Ahmad, scoring just six off 15 balls he faced from him. Ten of those were dots.In all, Pant’s innings included 21 dot balls. For comparison, Virat Kohli’s 62 not out off 45 balls against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Sunday had only nine dots. Among those who have faced at least 50 balls this season, Pant’s dot-ball percentage of 48.48 is the worst. With big shots not coming off as often as he would have liked, this has impacted his strike rate, which currently stands at 104.04.Related

RR sweat on Samson's fitness in a bid to revive their season

Dhoni effect on show as CSK find a way

The Bishnoi over that Pant left out 'a major point' in LSG's loss to CSK

Mayank Yadav likely to play against Royals on Saturday

“I don’t know whether he looks to do that [rotate strike],” former India opener Wasim Jaffer said on ESPNcricinfo TimeOut. “Kohli is a master at that. He gets off strike so nicely as he can play all around. But Pant sometimes does get stuck, and that’s the issue. Then he goes for that big shot. I just feel he needs to get better at rotating strike as well.”Jaffer also wants Pant to target the straight boundaries more, against both spinners and fast bowlers. Of his four fours and as many sixes on Monday, only one came down the ground.”I feel he never looks to hit straight,” Jaffer said. “He always looks to go towards the leg side, towards square leg, cow corner. He hit one straight six right towards the end [against CSK]. Otherwise, at the start of the innings, he was always looking to go towards the leg side, or that reverse scoop that he played, but that was the only thing.”A lot of the time, the teams stack up the fielders in that area as well. So I think he needs to access down the ground a lot more.”Abhinav Mukund, Jaffer’s co-panelist on the show, said, “I still feel Pant has so much to offer when he is moving around, contrary to what you hear a lot of commentators and players saying that he needs to stay still and hit. I like Pant when he is moving around. It feels like he is more proactive, accessing over cover, accessing straight. It felt like that cover area was closed today for business for him and that’s a bit concerning.”

Nuno Espirito Santo tore into his "poor" West Ham team as relegation fears grow after a damaging defeat to Brentford on Monday. The humiliating 2–0 loss at the London Stadium confirmed the Hammers' worst start to a campaign on home soil in the club’s history. After the game, a disappointed Nuno admitted that West Ham "have a problem" and said the performance was just "not good enough".

Hammers collapse as fans boycott

With supporters staging a planned boycott in protest against the board, vast swathes of empty seats painted a bleak picture of the atmosphere at the London Stadium. Those who did attend witnessed a team devoid of spirit, energy, and ideas. The club now finds itself in genuine crisis just eight games into the season. Brentford, by contrast, were electric. Igor Thiago and Mathias Jensen struck to secure the visitors’ first away win of the season, though in truth, the margin could have been far greater if they were a bit more clinical. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportNuno on the brink at West Ham

For Nuno, it was a brutal reality check in his first home match since replacing Graham Potter, who was sacked last month and has since been appointed as the new Sweden national team boss. The Portuguese coach, usually calm and measured, cut a dejected figure on the touchline as his team were completely outclassed. And his post-match verdict was as cold as it was honest.

"Not good enough. Poor," he said. "Fairly Brentford won the game, they were the better team. I think we are all concerned. You can see our own fans are concerned. Concern becomes anxiety, becomes silence. We have a problem. 

"It's understandable. It's up to us to change. The fans need to see something that pleases them and they can support us and give us energy. I understand it, I understand it totally, and I respect it. It's up to us, it's up to us to change it."

It wasn’t just the result, but it was the manner of the defeat that stung most. Brentford peppered the West Ham goal with 22 attempts, compared to just seven from the hosts. The first goal came via a long hopeful ball floated over the top, which should have been routine for Maximilian Kilman. Instead, his clumsy clearance fell straight to Kevin Schade, who darted in behind and squared for Thiago. The Brazilian’s shot slipped through Alphonse Areola’s hands and rolled agonisingly into the corner. And when Keane Lewis-Potter teed up Mathias Jensen in stoppage time to smash home the killer second, the home fans who remained finally had seen enough. A chorus of boos echoed across the ground as the players trudged off, their heads bowed.

In contrast, Brentford boss Keith Andrews was all smiles after overseeing what he called his team’s “most complete performance of the season”.

"Very pleased," said Andrews. "We approached the game really well. I had a good feeling the last few days, the vibe, the energy around the place. I thought we produced a really good performance. Ultimately, you want that second goal to be more comfortable but I felt we controlled it in the main. It was the most complete performance of the season, for sure."

His side climbed to 13th place, easing their own early-season worries while inflicting maximum pain on a West Ham side stuck in 19th, with just four points from eight matches.

Carragher slams “shocking” West Ham

Liverpool legend and pundit Jamie Carragher didn’t hold back in his post-match analysis, branding West Ham’s performance “shocking” and pointing the finger firmly at the club’s hierarchy.

"Shocking and it's been shocking for a while," said Carragher. "It feels an awful long time ago since they won that European trophy under David Moyes. Sometimes we question supporters when they go against the club or they go against an ownership. A lot of the time, it's almost a last resort and very rarely do supporters of their own football clubs get it wrong, they know exactly what is going on at this football club and it's not down to managers.

"The ownership at West Ham now is completely different to what we're seeing at the club that has just absolutely battered them on their own patch. It's almost like a throwback in terms of how they go about transfers. It just doesn't feel a modern way of doing things and I think that's where that frustration comes from. They look at other clubs who are not a patch on West Ham and that's not being disrespectful to Brentford and maybe a Brighton who we look at as forward-thinking, modern clubs. West Ham are far bigger club than those two clubs but the way they are run right now means that they can actually compete with them on the pitch."

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Getty Images SportUp next: Relegation six-pointer vs Leeds

Nuno now faces an uphill battle to turn things around at a club sliding dangerously toward crisis, with a potential relegation six-pointer up next. He will look to turn West Ham's fortunes around on October 25 against newly promoted Leeds United, who are down in 16th with just one win in their last five matches.

No way back for hosts after slump to 4 for 3, despite Hain’s 45

ESPNcricinfo staff31-May-2025Durham launched their Vitality Blast campaign with an impressive three-wicket victory over The Bears at Edgbaston.The Bears were 143 all out from exactly 20 overs after only Sam Hain (45 from 28 balls) came close to salvaging the innings from the wretched foundation of four for three. Durham bowled superbly as a unit with Jimmy Neesham taking three wickets and Callum Parkinson, Nathan Sowter and Ben Raine two apiece.Ollie Robinson (45, 36) and Graham Clark (40, 23) then lifted Durham to 147 for seven with 17 balls to spare to condemn The Bears to back-to-back defeats to start their campaign.Durham chose to bowl and started brilliantly as they reduced the Bears to four for three after 17 balls. Parkinson’s first over yielded just one run but two wickets as Alex Davies pulled to backward square leg and Tom Latham holed out to deep mid-wicket. Zak Foulkes added the wicket of Moeen Ali, caught at short fine leg.Hain and Ed Barnard (23, 18) cranked the innings into motion but Durham’s attack, skilfully juggled by skipper Alex Lees, prevented the big individual contribution that was required.Raine was brought on and yorked Barnard with his fourth ball. Sowter was brought back on and rattled Kai Smith’s off-stump through a defeated cut. Hain lifted Neesham to extra cover. Sowter removed George Garton, lbw reverse-sweeping.The lower order fiddled a few scrappy runs but the innings ended, when Danny Briggs lifted the final ball from Neesham to long on, in near silence. It was excellent work by Durham, not least New Zealand seamer Foulkes whose 4-0-18-1 gave him a happier memory of Edgbaston than his most recent experience there, a golden duck for the Bears in last season’s miserable Blast quarter-final defeat to Gloucestershire.The Bears badly needed early wickets and Barnard supplied two, forcing Lees to play on and having Colin Ackermann caught at cover. While Barnard’s first two overs cost just 12, however, the two from the other end, from Adam Sylvester and Moeen, leaked 32 to give Durham a rapid start. They reached 50 in the fifth over.Clark’s clean hitting concluded when he clipped Jake Lintott to mid-wicket. Raine and Neesham were bowled by Moeen going for big hits that were not needed but Robinson and former Warwickshire captain Will Rhodes sensibly took their side to the brink of victory with a stand of 24 in 17 balls.Robinson holed out to Briggs with six still needed but Rhodes saw his team to victory and hit the winning boundary, somewhat ironically against the club which consistently omitted him from their T20 side.

A former Manchester United employee who worked closely with Sir Alex Ferguson has heard the Red Devils are eying a “top” Ruben Amorim replacement.

Man Utd manager targets with Amorim under pressure

It feels as if Amorim’s sacking at Old Trafford could be a matter of when and not if following a poor start to the Premier League season.

Reports have even suggested that Man Utd will wait until November to part ways with the Portuguese coach, which will lower the compensation due to Amorim as that figure currently stands at £12m.

In regards to replacements, a number of managers have been heavily linked with taking over from the 40-year-old.

Their own Pep: "Incredible" manager favourite to replace Amorim at Man Utd

Manchester United look set to turn to one other manager in their hunt to replace Ruben Amorim.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 1, 2025

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is thought to be open to the idea of taking over from Amorim, Sir Gareth Southgate has been in direct contact with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Xavi Hernandez is another thought to be among the favourites.

However, another name is thought to be under consideration at Old Trafford by INEOS.

Ex-Man Utd employee says Man Utd are eyeing “top” Amorim replacement

Former Red Devils scout Mick Brown, who worked closely under Ferguson during Man Utd’s dominance for more than 10 years, has been talking to Football Insider regarding potential replacements for Amorim.

Brown remains very well-connected at United and has heard that Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler is a “top option” those at Old Trafford would consider.

Hurzeler, who is just 32 years of age, has already been quizzed on the rumours linking him with a move to Manchester, but was quick to respect Amorim.

Games

53

Wins

25

Draws

15

Losses

13

Points per game

1.70

“Of course it is always an honour to be part of the rumours but I really respect the coach, Ruben Amorim, there. I think it is not the right thing to talk about this.

“Overall, I can say it is a privilege to work with Brighton. I am very happy to be the coach here and we have a lot of work in front of us.”