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It didn’t go on for too long, but had at least one intriguing episode, in Kuala Lumpur back in 1997. Some of the key protagonists recall that game

Mohammad Isam27-Oct-2023Bangladesh and Netherlands haven’t contested an ODI since their game at the 2011 World Cup. It’s rare for established cricket boards to tour or host non-Full-Member teams in bilateral matches, so history is often forgotten, as is the case with Bangladesh vs Netherlands.All the same, a lot of people in Bangladesh feel that if the national team hadn’t beaten Netherlands in the ICC Trophy second-round game in 1997 in Kuala Kumpur, there might not have been much cricket left in the country.Bangladesh had been hoping to get into big-time cricket from 1979, when they first played in the ICC Trophy, but it was only in 1996 that the BCB started to think about Full-Member status. So, when the two teams met on April 4, 1997, there was a lot at stake. Bangladesh had three points from two games after a washout against Ireland; Netherlands were on more precarious ground with just one point. That made it a virtual knockout, since the winners got into the semi-finals, and closer to World Cup qualification – the 1999 World Cup had spots for three teams from the ICC Trophy.Netherlands had the wood over Bangladesh till that point: they had won their first-round game by five wickets, and had also beaten them in 1990 and 1994.”They were developing as a cricket nation when I first played against them in 1990. We were quite established at that time. We had a good team. They got better in 1994. They looked to be improving fast,” Roland Lefebvre, the Netherlands allrounder of the time, told ESPNcricinfo. “They were playing a lot of cricket back in Bangladesh. There was a lot at stake when we played them in 1994.Roland Lefebvre is now Netherlands’ director of cricket•Israel Cricket/The Israel Cricket Association”Qualification [for the World Cup] was on the line. There was a handful of reporters and radio commentators from Bangladesh. It was quite rare in those days, particularly at Associate level. It was a close game but they lost in 1994. They were out of the semis. Their fans back home were irate. They took cricket very seriously [after that].”Tim de Leede was the Netherlands captain in 1997. He also has vivid memories of the rivalry between the two teams back in the day, but not necessarily happy ones, because Bangladesh had tried to slow the game down since they believed they could go through with one point from the game – incorrectly – and there was rain around.”It was a bit unfair. We didn’t bat very well [bowled out for 171]. We had them 15 for 4. Roland Lefebvre bowled brilliantly [with three early wickets]. Like the whole tournament in Malaysia, the rain came at 3pm – you could set your clock to it,” de Leede told ESPNcricinfo. “Almost every over someone came to change gloves or tie Akram’s [Khan] shoelace. We couldn’t reach the 20 overs for the result [before the rain]. So we had to go in with the wet ball on the wet pitch after the rain.”Akram batted very well [to score 68 not out]. I think there were about 2000 Bangladeshi spectators. I am sure the match referee John Reid was scared of those people. They were angry. We have some mixed memories of the whole tournament and the Bangladesh team. Of course, there’s no hard feelings anymore.”

Mention “Netherlands”, and there’s nostalgia in Bangladesh’s cricket circles – that match was the tipping point for Bangladesh cricket. Netherlands remember that game bitterly, but as de Leede said, it’s water under the bridge now. There’s no rivalry these days

In a 2016 interview with ESPNcricinfo, Akram had admitted to wasting time in that game until they found out that they needed to win to go through to the semi-finals. “The game against Netherlands was played at a ground that was part of a huge park. We saw it was raining in the other ground, so we were trying to slow down the game,” he had said. “The English umpire [I Massey] was getting angry with me, but I had none of it. The rain came after 19.2 overs.”We knew that it would now be one point each. We then got the news that one point won’t do, we had to win. We were in despair that this could be the end of Bangladesh cricket.”Lefebvre was left disappointed as the rain delay, which made it a 33-overs-a-side game, meant that he could not bowl for more than seven overs. Lefebvre had always troubled Bangladesh in the ICC Trophy, but this time Bangladesh had the last laugh.”I strangled them up front, but because of the rain delay and the match getting cut short, I couldn’t bowl more than seven overs. After all the time-wasting, they squeezed home” Lefebvre said. “We missed out on qualification for the 1999 World Cup due to that loss.”I think it was a good rivalry. It was a very important moment for Dutch cricket. We had qualified for the 1996 World Cup. We had a good team. I thought it was strange to play the ICC Trophy in Malaysia at that time of the year. Every day at 3 o’clock, it was going to rain. A lot of results depended on the toss. I thought it was a poor choice to play the tournament in Malaysia. Bangladesh used time-wasting to their benefit.”Except that Bangladesh had to get back and complete the match once the rain relented. And they had to win.Tim de Leede, all these years on, will be keeping an eye on the Bangladesh vs Netherlands game, where his son Bas [in pic] will be in action•ICC via Getty Images”During the 1997 ICC Trophy, our bus to the ground was very cold, so we always took towels to wrap ourselves. The [Bangladeshi] journalists used those towels to dry the ground during that Netherlands game,” Akram recalled. “I just sat in the corner and thought to myself: ‘People are praying for us back home, many of the Bangladeshi expat workers have come from far to watch us in this game, the journalists are drying the ground…'””Aminul Islam Bulbul, who I had known since the 1988 Youth World Cup, told me that after they won in 1997, the government sent them a plane to Malaysia to get them home,” de Leede said. “There were 250,000 people at the airport. We were gutted that we didn’t make the World Cup in England but when I heard that it was such a big thing in Bangladesh, it gave me so much relief. It made the loss easier for me.”On Saturday at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Lefebvre will be groundside as the high-performance manager of Netherlands cricket, while de Leede is back home following his son Bas and the rest of the Dutch side.Bangladesh’s survivors from that game include Athar Ali Khan, now a TV commentator who is in Kolkata for the game, and Khaled Mahmud, the current team director.Mention “Netherlands”, and there’s nostalgia in Bangladesh’s cricket circles – that match was the tipping point for Bangladesh cricket. Netherlands remember that game bitterly, but as de Leede said, it’s water under the bridge now. There’s no rivalry these days. Indeed, there isn’t much cricket between them at all nowadays, with their paths having gone in different directions: Bangladesh have been a Full-Member nation for over two decades now, while Netherlands are still in the second tier, flying the flag for Associate cricket at the World Cup.

The left-arm quick last played for Pakistan almost a year ago but has eyes on the 2022 T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup

Aadam Patel28-Nov-20213:31

“What I get from playing for Pakistan, I don’t playing all these leagues”

Like so many of his compatriots, Wahab Riaz was left in tears when Australia beat Pakistan in the T20 World Cup semi-final.As Matthew Wade ripped the heart and soul out of Pakistan’s campaign, with three consecutive sixes off the bowling of one of Pakistan’s shining stars in Shaheen Shah Afridi, there must have been a part of Wahab wondering what he would have done differently. After all, this is the man whose ferocious spell against Australia in the 2015 World Cup still lives on in the memory.Related

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“I still want to play for Pakistan. It’s been a year [since he last played internationally] and what I’m trying to do is show what I am capable of wherever I’m playing, whether it’s T10, PSL, CPL, or domestic T20 competitions,” Wahab, currently captaining Deccan Gladiators at the Abu Dhabi T10, says in an interaction with ESPNcricinfo. “All I can do is show what I’m capable of and I will keep doing that because my heart still beats for Pakistan. So until I have that passion in me to play for Pakistan, I’ll keep doing my best.”Since 2010, no Pakistan bowler has taken more wickets in T20s. And he has shown that he still has that ability – he finished the recent PSL as the second-highest wicket-taker.Not part of the recent T20 World Cup squad, Wahab spent the month working as a pundit on Pakistani television, alongside the likes of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. His schedule this year alone has seen him trot the world, playing short-form cricket, including in Pakistan, at the CPL for St Lucia Zouks, at the Hundred for Trent Rockets and now in the UAE.Wahab stands second, behind only Wasim Akram, in the list of wicket-takers for Pakistan at the World Cup, and he admits to having an eye on next year’s T20 World Cup in Australia and also the 2023 World Cup.First comes the scowl, then come the variations. It’s Wahab Riaz!•Getty Images”I think there’s two-three years still in me to serve my country. And to be very honest, I’m playing all around the world, all these leagues… but my country comes first for me and I just love playing for them because my country has given me this name,” he says. “Nobody would have known Wahab Riaz if he wouldn’t have played for Pakistan and if Pakistan hadn’t given him a chance to prove himself.”I miss being with them, but my heart still beats for them and all I know is that I believe in my hard work and my skills. And I believe in Allah that if I keep working hard, I’ll get my reward.”At the Abu Dhabi T10, Wahab is leading a side that has the likes of Andre Russell and Wanindu Hasaranga, and is coached by Mushtaq Ahmed. The two had previously worked together when Mushtaq was Pakistan’s bowling consultant between 2014 and 2016, and Wahab is full of praise for him.”The best thing about Mushy is that he gives us that responsibility and he asks us to own what we have to do. It’s T10, so you can’t plan many things because the format is so quick, so you don’t really know how to go about it,” Wahab says. “To the bowlers, Mushy has talked about having plans A, B and C, so you should know when and where to execute. And to the batters, he’s given that freedom as it’s only 60 balls. He has given them the ownership and the boys are responding really well.”Wahab Riaz is captaining his T10 franchise but is clear he wants to play for Pakistan again•PA Photos/Getty ImagesThe responsibility of captaincy is another thing that Wahab is thriving on in the UAE. After leading Peshawar Zalmi to the PSL final, he has captained Deccan Gladiators to five wins in seven games so far: “I’m still learning, but I’m enjoying it a lot.”It is a challenge, he admits, to isolate the bowler from the captain. “When things aren’t going your way, it probably affects my performance at the same time, so it’s difficult to cope with that but it gives you further motivation on the field to do well and lead from the front,” he says. “You have to set an example as a bowler or as a captain out there.”Wahab has played most of his cricket – like many others – when Pakistan have not been able to play at the highest level in their own country. But, given that West Indies, Australia, England and New Zealand are all expected to travel to Pakistan over the coming year and the 2025 Champions Trophy will also be held in the country, Wahab feels “it would be a great opportunity for the fans” to finally see cricket of the highest quality on a regular basis in Pakistan.”A lot of players are coming for the PSL and it has given them a clearer picture that Pakistan is a safe country,” he points out. “You’ll enjoy the cricket, you’ll enjoy the hospitality and you’ll enjoy the crowd. Trust me, if the game starts at 7pm, the gates will close at 5pm and you’ll see a packed-out stadium by 4pm… All I can say to all those teams is that once you will come to Pakistan, you’ll enjoy one of the best times of your life there.”

The Mets ended their losing streak in fashion on Tuesday night, beating the Braves 13–5. New York came into the game having lost 11 of their last 12 and broke out with six home runs, including two from Pete Alonso as he became the franchise's all-time leader in the category.

The Mets hit so many home runs that the crew at Citi Field didn't have enough fireworks to celebrate them all properly. By the time Brett Baty hit the team's sixth homer of the game to tie the franchise record for home runs in a home game, the Home Run Apple appeared too tired to rise.

If only Baty had waited a couple pitches so the apple could catch its breath. Things got so bad that Citi Field had to put an announcement on the scoreboard apologizing for running out of fireworks.

In addition to Alonso and Baty, Francisco Alvarez added two of his own and Brandon Nimmo hit the other home run.

The Mets record for home runs in a game remains eight.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Fluminense anunciou a lista de jogadores relacionados para o duelo decisivo contra o Vasco, válido pelo jogo de volta da semifinal da Copa do Brasil. A equipe terá duas baixas importantes: Soteldo e Hércules, ambos vetados pelo departamento médico.

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➡️ CBF divulga arbitragem para jogo de volta entre Fluminense e Vasco

O venezuelano sofreu uma lesão no quadríceps esquerdo durante o jogo de ida e não conseguiu se recuperar a tempo. Já Hércules, que já vinha convivendo com dores no adutor e atuou por poucos minutos no confronto anterior, teve lesão confirmada no músculo adutor da coxa esquerda e também está fora.

Com os desfalques, a tendência é que Zubeldía mantenha Nonato no meio. Suspenso na ida, Canobbio retorna ao time titular e devolve ao técnico Luis Zubeldía uma peça-chave de intensidade e transição, exatamente os pontos que fizeram falta na derrota por 2 a 1.

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Na partida de ida, o Tricolor caiu de rendimento no segundo tempo e foi dominado após sofrer o gol de empate logo no início da etapa final. A ausência de Canobbio pesou sobretudo na pressão pós-perda e na proteção dos lados do campo.

Com a volta do uruguaio, Zubeldía tende a manter a estrutura base e recuperar o equilíbrio entre defesa e ataque, apostando novamente em um time mais agressivo sem a bola e capaz de acelerar as transições ofensivas.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionados do Fluminense

Goleiros
• Fábio
• Marcelo Pitaluga
• Vitor Eudes

Defensores
• Freytes
• Guga
• Ignácio
• Renê
• Samuel Xavier
• Thiago Santos
• Thiago Silva

Meio-campistas
• Facundo Bernal
• Lima
• Lucho Acosta
• Martinelli
• Nonato
• Otávio
• PH Ganso

Atacantes
• Agustín Canobbio
• Everaldo
• Germán Cano
• John Kennedy
• Keno
• Kevin Serna
• Riquelme

➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Fluminense

Fluminense e Vasco se enfrentam neste domingo (14), às 20h30, novamente no Maracanã, pelo jogo de volta da semifinal. Uma vitória do Fluminense por um gol leva a decisão para os pênaltis, enquanto o triunfo por dois ou mais gols garante vaga direta na final. Empate ou nova vitória do Vasco classificam o Cruz-Maltino.

Tudo sobre

Copa do BrasilFluminenseVasco

This weekend is arguably the biggest in Thomas Frank’s tenure as Tottenham Hotspur manager, when he leads his side out against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

The Dane has yet to get his first taste of the North London Derby, but he will be looking to get one over Mikel Arteta and secure bragging rights for the Lilywhites faithful.

Such a fixture is huge for supporters, with the meeting between the two clubs one of the first dates they look for upon fixture release day, before a ball is kicked.

However, it’s been a game that the white side of North London have often come out on the losing side away from home – subsequently winning just one of their last 32 encounters.

If Frank’s side are to write themselves into the history books, they will desperately need to keep one player quiet throughout the clash at the Emirates.

The threat Bukayo Saka poses to Spurs this weekend

Bukayo Saka may ply his trade for Arsenal, but he’s cemented himself as one of the Premier League’s most threatening attackers over the last couple of years.

The Englishman has managed to register over 20 combined goals and assists in all competitions in each of the last three years – often providing the difference in such a fixture.

He’s often popped up with the goods in attacking areas, as seen by his record against the Lilywhites since his senior debut back in the 2020/21 campaign.

Saka has featured on ten occasions against Spurs throughout his professional career, racking up a total of five goals – subsequently finding the net in 50% of his outings in such a clash.

He’s also popped up with various assists in the North London Derby, with his corner to Gabriel securing the Gunners all three points at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last campaign.

It’s evident that the winger possesses serious quality, often coming alive on Derby Day, with Frank and his squad desperately needing to silence him on Sunday afternoon.

However, he too could unleash his own version of the Englishman at the Emirates, with the Lilywhites star potentially able to inflict serious trouble on Arteta’s men.

The Spurs star who’s becoming their answer to Saka

Players such as Saka don’t come around very often, and when they do, they cost a pretty penny – many of which undoubtedly cost a small fortune in the modern-day.

Whilst Spurs are unlikely to pay over the odds for top-level talents, they have invested heavily into the frontline over recent years – as seen by their deal to land Brennan Johnson.

The hierarchy forked out a reported £47.5m for the Welshman’s signature back in the summer of 2023, with the attacker showcasing his talents in North London last campaign.

He registered a total of 18 goals across all competitions last season, the highest of any player in the squad, often starring off the right-hand side of the club’s attack.

However, he’s fallen down the pecking order in recent months, which has resulted in various options being considered within the forward line in the capital.

Mathys Tel joined the Lilywhites on a permanent basis during the summer window, with the Frenchman costing a total of £27m from German side Bayern Munich.

The 20-year-old is capable of operating off the left-hand side or even as a centre-forward, with Frank able to rely upon the youngster in a variety of different positions.

When operating on the left, he’s able to cut inside and onto his favoured foot – something which Saka has made a name for himself for in England’s top-flight.

His similarities to the Englishman are also reflected in his shot on target accuracy, with Tel matching the winger with his tally of placing 33% of his efforts between the posts.

The Frenchman has previously impressed in his professional career, but has transferred his skills over to the Premier League, as seen by his tally of two goals in the league this season.

Mathys Tel – PL stats (25/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

8

Goals scored

2

Shot on target accuracy

33%

Pass accuracy

73%

Dribble success

50%

Long ball success

83%

Aerials won

1.2

Mins per goal

124.5

Stats via FotMob

Tel’s efforts in attacking areas have led to huge praise from numerous outlets, with Bayern Chairman Herbert Hainer labelling him “one of the biggest talents in Europe”.

However, he will need consistent first-team minutes to reach the heights many have touted him to, with Frank needing to trust him in the near future to reap the rewards.

He’s shown that he’s capable of producing the goods in attacking areas, potentially able to provide the difference in the clash against the Gunners on Sunday.

Tel has proven he’s able to be the club’s answer to Saka, but it remains to be seen if the manager will show faith in him to allow the youngster to continue on his upward trajectory.

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Newcastle squandered a wonderful opportunity to all-but seal their route to the Champions League knockout stages after a quick-fire double from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sunk the Magpies 2-1 in Marseille. In-form Harvey Barnes opened the scoring in the sixth minute, but a dreadful error from Nick Pope just seconds into the second-half allowed Aubameyang to turn the game in the hosts' favour.

Eddie Howe's side came flying out the traps and almost opened the scoring after a couple of minutes, but Malick Thiaw had his header cleared off the line brilliantly by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. But the visitors only had a few moments to wait to break the deadlock after Sandro Tonali sprung the offside trap on the right of the box, and his cut-back found its way to the on-fire Barnes, who fired low into the corner.

While the opening stages were all about Howe’s side, the remainder of the first half were dominated by OM and goalkeeper Pope was called into action on a number of occasions as Roberto De Zerbi’s turned the screw. 

There was high drama right at the start of the second half as Aubameyang took control of the match. His first goal came courtesy of a rush of blood to the head from Pope, who raced miles out of his box, the former Arsenal forward won the foot race, poked it past the Magpies' goalkeeper and fired home from an acute angle. Two minutes later, the French side were in front and it was Aubameyang again, directing Timothy Weah’s cross high into the net in front of Pope to send the home crowd delirious. 

The victory was Marseille’s first against English opposition in 12 attempts, but for Howe’s side it was another disappointing away result, and they now face daunting matches against Bayer Leverkusen, PSV and Paris Saint-Germain before they can confirm their progress to the knockout phase.

GOAL rates Newcastle's players from the Orange Velodrome…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Nick Pope (4/10):

Evening started so well for Pope, making two very good saves early in the first half. But what was he thinking for the equaliser? Came miles outside his box and was made to look foolish by Aubameyang's incredible finish. 

Tino Livramento (6/10):

Had a busy evening marshalling Greenwood and the overlapping runs of Weah. Looked tired coming off as he was replaced by Hall. 

Malick Thiaw (7/10):

Came very close to opening the scoring with just a couple of minutes on the clock, but his effort was cleared off the line. Had a very busy evening at the other end of the evening, made a number of important clearances. 

Fabian Schar (6/10):

Had his work cut out all evening as he blocked wave after wave of Marseille attacks. Was an imposing figure until he was subbed off on the hour mark. 

Dan Burn (6/10):

Came back into the side after suspension and he was kept on his toes all evening, attempting to halt the runs of Greenwood and Weah. Did well and hardly put a foot wrong. 

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Bruno Guimaraes (7/10):

A typical evening for the Brazilian, full of running and played with never-say-die guts for his side. But spent the vast majority of the match defending in his own half. 

Sandro Tonali (6/10):

Very productive evening and was the brains behind the opener for Barnes. Will be disappointed to have squandered a brilliant chance to double the lead in the 23rd minute as he fired straight at the keeper. 

Joe Willock (5/10):

Picked up an early yellow card after raising his arm towards Bakola and cut a frustrated throughout the evening as little of his positive efforts paid off. Highlighted by a tame shot on the edge of the box when he attempted to side foot it, when power was required. Replaced by Ramsey in the 72nd minute. 

AFPAttack

Jacob Murphy (6/10):

Like many of the Newcastle players, Murphy looked very good in the first 10 minutes or so, but found the going tough as the hosts played their way back into the match. Hooked on the hour.

Anthony Gordon (6/10):

Brought back into the starting line-up after missing the last two games, but endured a relatively quiet evening and will be disappointed with his lack of decisive creative spark.

Harvey Barnes (7/10):

Bagged a couple against Man City last time out and was the initial hero here again. Stayed cool and calm to fire low past the 'keeper with a couple of minutes on the clock. 

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AFPSubs & Manager

Lewis Miley (6/10):

Played well and was called into action on a a number of occassions, making important blocks to help keep his side in the game. 

Anthony Elanga (6/10):

Full of running and had a couple of half-chances, but not enough time to influence the game. 

Lewis Hall (5/10):

Showed plenty of ambition to get forward into the Marseille box, but too few touches to make a major impact. 

Jacob Ramsey (6/10):

Brought on and immediately delivered driving runs through the heart of the Marseille midfield. Looked lively, but needed more time than he was given.

Nick Woltemade (5/10):

Was held back as Howe wanted to keep him fresh for the forthcoming Premier League challenges. Had very few touches when introduced to try and rescue the match for his side. 

Eddie Howe (5/10):

Rang the changes, but paid the price. Was in dreamland for the first 10 minutes and will rue sloppy mistakes which cost his side the chance to claim a crucial win. 

Oakland Athletics president Dave Kaval announced Friday that he's resigning from his position with the franchise to pursue other business opportunities in California.

Kaval, who played a big part of the franchise's planned relocation to Las Vegas, has served as the franchise's president for the last eight years. Sandy Dean will take the role of interim president, continuing her work with the A's since John Fisher bought the franchise in 2005.

"We are grateful for Dave's contributions and leadership over the past eight years," Fisher said in a statement. "He guided our organization through a period of significant transition, and we sincerely thank him for his unwavering commitment from the team.

"As we look ahead to the next chapter of our franchise, the team will continue to grow under new leadership, driving the organization toward success during our interim years in West Sacramento and at our new home in Las Vegas."

Fisher was the lead point of contact in 2021 when the A's first began looking at Las Vegas as a relocation market. The A's will play at least the next three seasons in Sacramento as they wait for construction of their proposed Las Vegas ballpark to begin.

Manchester United star Bryan Mbeumo has revealed the inspiration behind his new goal celebration that pays tribute to legendary cartoon character Homer Simpson. In the immediate aftermath of his goals against Brighton last month, the Cameroon international teamed up with team-mate Amad Diallo for a special celebration. Now, the winger has explained why they are channelling the character from The Simpsons.

• Mbeumo settling in nicely at Man Utd

  After a long, drawn-out transfer, United finally got Brentford to yield as they accepted a £71 million ($95.5m) deal for Mbeumo in July. Much was expected of the 26-year-old, due to the sizeable fee and the fact he scored 20 goals for the Bees last season. The signs were positive at the start of the campaign, even if the Red Devils' results were not commensurate with that. And in his last four Premier League games, Mbeumo has scored three goals and bagged an assist, which has helped Ruben Amorim's team climb up into the top half of the table. And it seems he has ingratiated himself well with his United team-mates, going by how they are embracing him on and off the pitch.

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• Mbeumo channels The Simpsons

  It turns out that Mbeumo and Amad did the 'Homer dance' celebration against Brighton. The dance features in the popular video game, Fortnite, which has increased its traction. 

  He told the club's website: "It's from a GIF from Homer Simpson. Yeah, so if you go on the GIF [section in your phone] and you put 'Homer Simpson dance', you will be able to find it. I think we've been talking about this [Amad and I], this morning with him, so let's see [about any future celebrations]."

  Incidentally, Mbeumo was voted United's Player of the Month for October, something he was delighted about but also tried to shy away from. 

  "Obviously, I'm very happy with this. But, as I always say, I think it's teamwork, and a lot of players would have deserved this as well this month, so I'm happy," he added.

• Amorim praises Mbeumo for fast start

  Mbeumo has played a big part in United's upturn in fortunes, with the Premier League giants currently on a four-match unbeaten run and just two points off second-placed Manchester City. And the Cameroonian's importance to the team, along with Amad's, is not lost on head coach Amorim. 

  Last month, he said, "He’s a working machine. He’s so good in transitions. He’s improving when we are organising the final third. The connection with Amad, it’s really hard to beat these two guys because they change position, they are really fast, they are good in one against one. My role was, as a manager, to explain what I want from him. But it was more the club. And you guys. We can struggle a lot, but it’s Manchester United. When Manchester United is there, and when we feel that this player wants to come here, no matter what, no matter what the position, no matter if it's Champions League or not, we also give everything to bring these kind of guys, and that was the case."

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  Big concern for Man Utd on the horizon

  While things are looking much rosier for United after picking up 10 points from a possible 12 in their last four outings, both Mbeumo and Amad will leave Amorim's squad next month for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. The tournament is scheduled to take place between December 21 to January 18, 2026, with Mbeumo set to play for Cameroon and Amad representing the Ivory Coast. That means the Red Devils will have the pair for a maximum of six games before heading off to represent their countries. Those fixtures include trips to Tottenham, Crystal Palace, and Wolves, and home encounters with Everton, West Ham, and Bournemouth. They could miss a good half a dozen games in December and January, which includes crunch ties with Newcastle United, Leeds United, Man City, and Arsenal. 

  On the duo leaving for AFCON, Amorim joked, "We will have time to suffer," before adding, "We are going to struggle a little bit, but we already knew it's going to be an opportunity. When I watch the training, there are players that should be playing. But it's hard with one game to take some players from the team, because they are also doing well during the training in games. So other players are going to have the opportunity to help us. They are understanding the way we want to play, so if we are improving on that, the change of characteristics is not going to change the idea or the momentum of the team. But let's use Amad and Bryan in these games and we will see in general."

Newcastle United officially confirmed the appointment of Ross Wilson as their new sporting director earlier this week after they triggered his release clause at Nottingham Forest.

The former Rangers transfer supremo will now get to work with the Magpies to shape the plans for the upcoming January transfer window and beyond.

As Keith Downie’s post above outlines, Wilson will be responsible for recruitment across all levels of the club, which means that some players may be under threat if they do not improve their performances.

One Newcastle player who may need to step up his performances to avoid being moved on by the new sporting director is winger Harvey Barnes.

Why Harvey Barnes needs to improve his Newcastle performances

The Magpies paid £38m to sign the English forward from Leicester City in the summer of 2023, and the 27-year-old winger has failed to deliver consistent performances to live up to that price tag.

Barnes has scored 15 goals and provided 19 assists in 75 appearances in all competitions for Newcastle, which has left his Transfermarkt value at £30m. That is £8m less than the club paid for him two years ago.

His form in the Premier League this season has been particularly disappointing. Per Sofascore, the Englishman has scored no goals, created two ‘big chances’, and assisted no goals in seven appearances in the top-flight.

This is why the former Leicester star needs to step up in the coming weeks, because Wilson may look at his declining value and underwhelming output in front of goal and look to move him on in January.

Another Newcastle player who already looks on borrowed time under the new sporting director is Joe Willock, who has been even worse than Barnes this season.

Why Joe Willock is on borrowed time at Newcastle

The English central midfielder’s time at St. James’ Park under Eddie Howe may be up in the January transfer window, as he does not appear to be a frontline option for the manager.

Willock has been an unused substitute on six occasions in all competitions this season, per Sofascore, and has been an unused substitute in the last four matches in a row.

This suggests that the former Arsenal starlet has not done enough to get regular minutes in the middle of the park, as Joelinton, Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, and Lewis Miley have all played ahead of him, with Jacob Ramsey also due to return from injury.

Appearances

7

2

Starts

3

1

Unused substitute

0x

4x

Goals

0

0

Big chances created

2

0

Key passes per game

0.6

0.0

Assists

0

0

As you can see in the table above, Willock has offered less than Barnes has to the team in the Premier League this season, with zero goals, key passes, ‘big chances’ created, or assists in his two outings in the division.

The experienced flop, who was described as “disappointing” by journalist Chris Waugh last year, also ended the 2024/25 campaign with a return of no goals and two assists in 31 appearances for the Magpies.

This shows that Willock has fallen short of offering much in the way of quality from a central midfield position for more than a year, now, which is why his time at the club might be coming to an end.

If the 26-year-old dud continues to find himself on the sidelines, being an unused substitute, Wilson may have a decision to take on his future when the January transfer window opens, as a move away from Tyneside could be the best option for all parties at that point.

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It keeps on getting worse for West Ham United this season.

The Hammers kick-started their Premier League campaign with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Sunderland last month, and instead of it being an aberration, it was, in fact, a sign of things to come.

The East Londoners have since lost the EFL Cup Second Round tie against Wolverhampton Wanderers and three of their four league games.

It’s undoubtedly time for Graham Potter to be replaced, and the good news is that West Ham are being linked with a host of candidates, including one manager who could be even better than Tottenham Hotspur’s Thomas Frank.

West Ham target a new manager

West Ham have been linked with plenty of potential Potter replacements since the start of the season, with Gary O’Neil being a recent name to pop up.

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The former Wolves boss would undoubtedly be an interesting appointment, and one that may help to stabilise things, but it’s hardly one that’ll get the fans excited.

Likewise, while there is certainly some romanticism surrounding the links to bring Slaven Bilic back to the club, there should be concerns over the fact that he has not managed in the top flight for five years.

Fortunately, there is another manager the Hammers are keen to hire, someone who could be better than Frank.

At least that is according to a recent report from journalist Alan Nixon, who has claimed West Ham are still keen on Nuno Espírito Santo.

In fact, Nixon goes further than that, revealing that the club are now “getting closer” to the former Nottingham Forest boss.

It could be a complicated deal to get over the line, but Nuno would be worth the hassle, especially as he could be an even better manager than Frank.

How Nuno compares to Frank

So the first thing to say is that Frank is clearly a great manager, as he wouldn’t have been at Brentford for so long or got the job at Spurs if he wasn’t.

However, there are some who argue that Nuno is the superior coach, with talkSPORT’s Rory Jennings boldly stating that the former Wolves manager is simply “better than Thomas Frank.”

Now, we know that the content creator isn’t exactly the bastion of good takes, but when you take a look at the stats and achievements, he may well be right.

For example, the Portuguese manager has now overseen 184 Premier League matches during his time with Wolves, Spurs and Forest.

Of those 184 games, 72 have been wins, 45 have been draws and 67 have been losses, which gives him an average of 1.42 points per game.

Games

184

157

Wins

72

57

Draws

45

39

Losses

67

61

Points per Game

1.42

1.34

During his time in the top flight, the Danish coach has managed 157 games, of which 57 have ended in wins, 39 have been draws, and 61 have been defeats, resulting in a worse points per game average of 1.34.

Moreover, unlike with other managers, this comparison feels quite fair, as both of them brought a team up from the Championship, so it’s not like the São Tomé-born tactician has had an easier time of things.

On top of that, while the former Bees boss turned the West Londoners into a mid-table side, Nuno did even better.

During his time with the Old Gold, he took them into Europe, and then, to prove he could do it again, he took the Tricky Trees from relegation candidates to European football within a season and a half.

Ultimately, Frank is a great coach, but from their raw numbers to what we have seen them do with Premier League teams, it looks like Nuno is simply better.

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