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Ruben Amorim is under mounting pressure to keep his job at Manchester United. The Portuguese coach has overseen the club's worst start to a Premier League season for 33 years, and has faced widespread criticism for his rigid tactics, with a £200m summer spending spree doing little to improve the Red Devils' fortunes.

It has been reported that Amorim only has three games left to save his job, and some are calling for club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to be drafted back in as his replacement. Solskjaer guided United to a second-place Premier League finish in 2020-21, while embracing the counter-attacking style that garnered so much success in the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

But does re-hiring a former coach actually work? GOAL ranks the top 10 managers who successfully, and not so successfully, returned to their old stomping grounds below…

Getty Images Sport10Frank Lampard – Chelsea

Frank Lampard may be Chelsea's greatest-ever player. The midfielder scored a remarkable 211 goals in 648 games for the Blues, but his time in management at Stamford Bridge was less fruitful. In his first stint between July 2019 and January 2021, the ex-England international had a respectable winning percentage of 52.38 in 84 matches. 

But in his caretaker spell between April and June 2023, it was an unmitigated disaster. Lampard won just one of his 11 matches in charge with a 9.09 win percentage. He is doing better at Championship side Coventry City now, though.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport9Guus Hiddink – Chelsea

Guus Hiddink has put together a glittering CV over more than 30 years in management. He has been in the dugout for PSV Eindhoven, Real Madrid, the Netherlands, Valencia, and more. So after Luiz Felipe Scolari was sacked by Chelsea in early 2009, there was a lot of excitement among fans when Hiddink was tasked with steadying the Blues' ship for the rest of the season. 

He guided them to an FA Cup triumph, and his side were arguably robbed in their Champions League semi-final aggregate loss to Barcelona, where some questionable refereeing calls went against them. Hiddink left with a win percentage of 72.73, but in another caretaker stint between December 2015 and May 2016, that dropped to 37.04. He inherited a Chelsea team sitting 16th in the table and could only guide them to a 10th-place finish, though he did break the record for the longest unbeaten streak as a new manager (12 games).

AFP8Tony Pulis – Stoke City

The famous quote of, 'Can they do it on a cold, rainy night in Stoke?' came during one of Tony Pulis' spells at the Potters. Rory Delap's long throws, pitches that were as compact as possible, and upsetting the Premier League big boys were part and parcel of his time at the Staffordshire outfit. 

Pulis took hold of the reins at Stoke in November 2002 and had a 35.88 win percentage before leaving in June 2005. But his second stint led to them earning promotion to the Premier League, staying in that role for nearly seven years (2006-13), and his win percentage rose to 36.64 despite being in a higher division. He even got them playing in Europe. Chapeau!

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Getty Images Sport7Fabio Capello – Real Madrid

One of the most illustrious names on this list, Italian disciplinarian Fabio Capello did not suffer fools gladly in his managerial career. He enjoyed a huge amount of success, but his second stint at Real Madrid didn't prove to be as fruitful. He guided Los Blancos to La Liga success in 1997 and had a 64.58 win percentage between May 1996 to June 1997. 

When he returned in July 2006 for a year, Capello won another league title, but that win percentage dipped to 56. Moreover, the former Roma boss also had a much more successful spell at AC Milan between 1991-96 rather than in 1997-98.

Adam Zampa could play his first red-ball cricket since the 2022-23 season after being named in New South Wales’ Sheffield Shield squad to face Tasmania while Australia white-ball quick Xavier Bartlett is set for a first-class return after injury.Zampa last played a first-class match in February 2023 but has a window in his schedule before the BBL to make a rare Sheffield Shield outing. He has previously spoken of still having ambitions to play Test cricket with an eye on the tour of Sri Lanka early next year. Zampa takes the place of young legspinner Tanveer Sangha for the game at the SCG.Related

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“Adam is a very experienced cricketer who is a great addition to our group,” Greg Mail, the Cricket NSW chief of cricket performance, said. “To have Zampa, Sean Abbott and Josh Philippe come back into the side after a fantastic win over South Australia in the last round is a bonus.”Zampa’s last Shield game was also against Tasmania at the SCG in where he claimed 3 for 41. Overall in first-class cricket he averages 46.98 but has only played six games since 2017.Bartlett, meanwhile, returned to action in the recent T20I series against Pakistan, where he took five wickets in three matches, after picking up a side strain on the UK tour in September. Queensland’s game against Victoria will be a day-night contest, alongside the South Australia-Western Australia fixture in the same round which begins on Saturday.Victoria have been able to include Matthew Short for his first Shield game of the season after he completed his white-ball duties for Australia.Spencer Johnson is in South Australia squad following his impressive performances against Pakistan.Western Australia named their squad on Thursday, which includes both Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson.

New South Wales squad

Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Ollie Davies, Jack Edwards (capt), Matt Gilkes, Chris Green, Ryan Hadley, Sam Konstas, Nic Maddinson, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe, Adam Zampa

Queensland squad

Mitchell Swepson (capt), Xavier Bartlett, Jack Clayton, Liam Guthrie, Lachlan Hearne, Angus Lovell, Ben McDermott, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Bryce Street, Tom Whitney, Jack Wildermuth

Victoria squad

Peter Handscomb (capt), Ash Chandrasinghe, Xavier Crone, Sam Elliott, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Campbell Kellaway, Cam McClure, Jon Merlo, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Tom Rogers, Matt Short, Peter Siddle

South Australia squad

Ben Manenti (capt), Harry Conway, Brendan Doggett, Daniel Drew, Henry Hunt, Spencer Johnson, Thomas Kelly, Jake Lehmann, Conor McInerney, Henry Nielsen, Lloyd Pope, Liam Scott

SA captain said his own country, where race-based segregation ended 30 years ago, can relate to those suffering from human-rights abuses

Firdose Moonda13-Sep-2024South Africa’s Test and ODI captain Temba Bavuma has added his voice to the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA)’s calls for an end to the gender-based discrimination, which excludes women in Afghanistan from playing sport and in others areas of public life.Speaking ahead of South Africa’s departure to the UAE, where they will play Afghanistan in three ODIs next week, Bavuma said that South Africans, whose own system of legalised race-based segregation ended 30 years ago, are in a unique position to relate to those who are suffering human-rights abuses. Thus, Bavuma reiterated the call for women’s rights to be respected.”I look at it in my personal capacity. It’s obviously something that is quite strong within my own values,” he said. “I support the idea of inclusivity and caring for women. We want everyone to have a fair chance within society, and we know that that is something that is relevant to us as a country in South Africa. I’m fully behind the sentiments that are expressed by SACA.”Related

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On Thursday, SACA issued a statement which both recognised Cricket South Africa (CSA)’s right to seek out fixtures – such as these against Afghanistan – and also asked CSA to “utilise the leverage available to it through this series to highlight that these rights for Afghanistan’s women’s players must be protected and respected”.CSA have not commented on whether there are plans to make any statements or gestures in support of Afghan women, but continue to discuss the issue of women’s cricket in Afghanistan through the ICC. Both white-ball coach Rob Walter, who on Monday said he had no part in deciding whether to play Afghanistan or not, and Bavuma have opted to leave the issue of whether to engage Afghanistan on the field with CSA.”I think I’ve got to respect the fact that there are people in positions who have that responsibility to speak more eloquently and articulate a little bit more of it,” Bavuma said. “In my own personal capacity, I definitely support the stance and the sentiments expressed by SACA. And I can understand where Rob as well is coming from in that we are selected to do a job in the cricketing field. And I think a lot of our energy will generally be dedicated to that at least.”The Afghanistan Cricket Board contracted 25 female players in 2020 but the Taliban takeover a year later left women in the lurch•Afghanistan Cricket BoardSo far, the only board that has actively pulled out of competition against Afghanistan is Australia, while the ECB has also indicated it will not schedule series against Afghanistan. Both Australia and England continue to play Afghanistan at ICC tournaments. South Africa have never played against Afghanistan outside of a World Cup – in either ODIs or T20Is.With this being their first bilateral series, it is also the first time the South Africa team and CSA have had to consider the ethics of playing against Afghanistan, who have not had a women’s team since becoming Full Members in 2017, although they contracted 25 women players in 2020. Since then, with the Taliban takeover in 2021, all hopes of a women’s team have deteriorated as women have been eroded from society with little to no access to healthcare and education, among other things.Apart from South Africa’s shared history of legalised discrimination with Afghanistan, the country also has an epidemic of gender-based violence (GBV). This year, the World Population Review rated South Africa and Brazil as the two most dangerous countries for women. In response, there have been various initiatives against GBV, including in cricket. The national women’s team has an annual black day, where they swap their usual green-and-gold kit for black outfits, to raise awareness about the plight of GBV.Two weeks ago, national rugby captain, Siya Kolisi, had this to say after the Springboks beat the All Blacks in Johannesburg: “It’s 30 years of freedom; I want to say congratulations to South Africans. But we still know there are many people who are still not free. Hopefully, the next celebration we celebrate is the women who are free of gender-based violence.”

افتتح محمود حسن تريزيجيه، لاعب النادي الأهلي، أهدافه مع القلعة الحمراء، منذ انضمامه في الانتقالات الصيفية الماضية، حيث سجل هدفًا في مباراة فريقه أمام إنبي، التي أقيمت مساء الأحد.

وتواجه النادي الأهلي مع إنبي، في ختام مواجهات الجولة السادسة من عمر منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وانتهت مباراة الأهلي وإنبي، بالتعادل الإيجابي 1-1، ليواصل المارد الأحمر نزيف النقاط، حيث يحتل المركز الخامس عشر برصيد 6 نقاط.

الجولة ذاتها كانت قد شهدت فوز الزمالك على المصري بنتيجة 3-0، سجلها عدي الدباع وعبد الله السعيد وعمر جابر، ليتصدر الفارس الأبيض ترتيب الدوري المصري.

طالع | فيديو | عمر جابر يسجل هدف الزمالك الثاني أمام المصري

ويتصدر ترتيب هدافي الدوري المصري حتى الآن، لاعب المصري الجزائري عبد الرحيم دغموم برصيد 4 أهداف، وبعده عمر الساعي بثلاثة أهداف، وأحمد سيد زيزو لاعب الأهلي هدفين. ترتيب هدافي الدوري المصري

– عبد الرحيم دغموم – المصري – 4 أهداف.

– عمر الساعي – المصري – 3 أهداف.

– أحمد فاروق – وادي دجلة – 3 أهداف.

– ناصر ماهر – الزمالك – هدفين.

– أحمد سيد زيزو – الأهلي – هدفين.

– وليد الكرتي – بيراميدز – هدفين.

– شيكو بانزا – الزمالك – هدفين.

– عمرو السولية – سيراميكا كليوباترا- هدفين.

– أحمد عاطف – زد إف سي – هدفين.

– بدر موسي – بتروجيت – هدفين.

– منذر طمين – المصري – هدفين.

– صامويل أمادي – سموحة- هدفين.

– محمود حسن تريزيجيه – الأهلي – هدف.

– أحمد رضا – الأهلي – هدف.

– محمد شريف – الأهلي – هدف.

– خوان ألفينا – الزمالك – هدف.

– إيفرتون داسيلفا – بيراميدز – هدف.

– كريم حافظ – بيراميدز – هدف.

– فيستون مايلي – بيراميدز – هدف.

– غنام محمد – مودرن سبورت – هدف.

– علي فوزي – مودرن سبورت – هدف.

– علي الفيل – مودرن سبورت – هدف.

– حسام حسن – مودرن سبورت – هدف.

– عدي الدباغ – الزمالك – هدف.

– عمر جابر – الزمالك – هدف.

– عبدالله السعيد – الزمالك – هدف.

Whilst many dared to question whether Lionel Messi would have been able to perform at the peak of his powers in the Premier League, the legendary Argentine continued to prove those doubters wrong in the only way he knows how – by dominating England’s best sides.

Whether it was Manchester United at Wembley in the 2009 Champions League final or, more recently, against Liverpool in the first-leg of Barcelona’s Champions League quarter-final tie – which they eventually lost in historic fashion – Messi has proven time and time again that a cold, rainy night in Stoke would be no problem for a man of his talents.

Manchester City

8

7

3

Arsenal

6

9

2

Manchester United

6

4

0

Liverpool

4

2

0

Chelsea

10

3

3

Tottenham Hotspur

2

2

0

In 36 games against England’s top six, Messi has scored 27 goals and created another eight. If there were any remaining doubts that he would have dominated the Premier League at a level arguably never seen before, then those numbers should bring those to an end once and for all.

Like most around European football, some of the Premier League’s best have often been in awe of Messi. Jamie Carragher, among those running out of superlatives for the magical playmaker, said: “There have been so many players we’ve thought that about in the past, but to go on and do what he’s done, it’s crazy.

“For me, he’s the best player we’ve ever seen play football. And you can’t predict that of any 19, 20-year-old when you’re looking at where they’re going to go.”

Whilst he has often terrorised English opposition, there has been occasions when Messi has been shocked by Premier League players taking their revenge, and he admitted that one player left Barcelona fearful.

Messi: Lampard was one of the best players in the world

Given that his record against Chelsea out of all of the Premier League’s top six is the worst, Messi’s praise for a Stamford Bridge hero should come as no surprise. He took the time to single out Frank Lampard ahead of Barcelona’s Champions League tie against the Blues in 2009, admitting that he admires the midfield great and that he was a “big threat”.

The tie itself lived up to the billing, but it was another midfield legend who stole the headlines as Andres Iniesta netted a last-gasp winner for Barcelona to take his side into the Champions League final.

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Messi’s praise still rings true, however. At the peak of his powers, Lampard was one of the most dangerous midfielders around and Messi had every right to be fearful of the threat that he often provided. All in all, Lampard scored 211 goals in 648 games for Chelsea.

Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed revelling in the triumph of lifting the Europa League and restoring their place among Europe’s elite next term, but Daniel Levy’s decision to fire Ange Postecoglou highlights the hunger to sustain an even loftier level of success over the coming years.

With Thomas Frank snatched from Brentford to lead from the dugout, Spurs are in a good position to challenge at the top end of the Premier League once more, though summer signings will be needed to inject fresh quality within a tired squad, whose success has papered over what was a most difficult year indeed.

Antoine Semenyo’s name has been bandied about, but there’s one man above all others who Tottenham’s new manager would like to welcome to the fold.

Spurs make contact for statement signing

Earlier this week, Sky Sports revealed that Tottenham have been growing in confidence that they could sign Bryan Mbeumo this summer after initial discussions, having made contact with Brentford, despite the player’s preference to join Man United.

This is because the Londoners have appointed Frank, who has led Mbeumo to such impressive individual heights over the past couple of years.

And now, as per transfer insider Graeme Bailey, the Lilywhites believe that Champions League football and the chance for the 25-year-old to stay in London could play into their favour.

Mbeumo won’t come cheap after his exceptional season, with the Bees looking to bank around £60m for the right-sided forward.

What Bryan Mbeumo would bring to Spurs

Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland. Perhaps the Premier League’s three finest goalscorers. They were the only players to outscore Mbeumo last season, with Ipswich Town writer Alex Osborn hailing him as “one of the best wingers in the league.”

Premier League 24/25 – Top Scorers

#

Player

Apps

Goals

1.

Mohamed Salah

38

29

2.

Alexander Isak

34

23

3.

Erling Haaland

31

22

4.

Chris Wood

36

20

5.

Bryan Mbeumo

38

20

Data via Premier League

Not only has Mbeumo dazzled in front of goal, but he’s performed well across underlying areas. As per Sofascore, the Cameroon international averaged 1.8 key passes, 1.4 dribbles, and 4.7 successful duels last term, underscoring a roundedness that most goalscorers don’t boast.

His prolific style surely makes him a better pick than Semenyo, who is a fantastic player but would cost Tottenham in excess of £50m and only scored 11 goals in the Premier League last year, also racking up six assists across his 37 appearances.

Make no mistake, Semenyo is a talented winger who would have a big effect on reorienting Tottenham’s domestic form and fluency, but can he compete with Mbeumo, who is objectively one of the classiest stars in front of goal?

The Bournemouth man ranked among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the English top flight last year for shots taken, as per FBref, but only among the top 27% for goals scored per 90, with his efforts leading the data-driven site to draw up Mbeumo as one of his most comparable players.

If that is the case (and there are similarities: both players are physical and dynamic and potent across different positions), then surely the best track to go down would be to sign the more reliable and menacing player in front of goal.

Therefore, Mbeumo is surely the better pick to go for, especially when considering the kind of money that Bournemouth are looking to part with Semenyo.

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Newcastle United are “keen on signing” a £70 million “tank” this summer as Eddie Howe looks to further strengthen his EFL Cup-winning squad, according to a new report.

Newcastle pushing for Champions League

Newcastle have had quite the season. Wow fans across the Premier League with their relentless, electrifying performances? Check. Turn Alexander Isak into one of the most feared strikers in Europe? Check. Win the EFL Cup – their first major silverware in 70 years? Double check.

Now, it’s time to add the icing on the cake by qualifying for next season’s Champions League. And by the looks of it, Howe and the Magpies are in a good position to do so.

Currently sitting third in the Premier League with just four games to go, the Magpies kept their Champions League destiny firmly in their own hands on Saturday with a resounding 3-0 win over Ipswich Town — a result that also confirmed the Tractor Boys’ immediate return to the Championship after a tough season back in the top flight.

Isak, Dan Burn, and 21-year-old William Osula all got on the scoresheet at St. James’ Park, with Howe particularly pleased for Osula. Speaking after the match, he said: “He is a player of rich potential and hopefully that is a real confidence lift for him.”

Howe also reflected on the race for the top four, adding: “It will go down to the wire. The important thing today was that we bounced back from last week. We have been very consistent and now we have four huge games.”

Newcastle remain keen on signing Marc Guehi

Whether Newcastle make the Champions League or not, Howe is still planning to strengthen his squad this summer — aiming to keep the momentum going rather than risk stagnation.

And among the club’s top transfer targets is, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi — a player they have been chasing for some time now.

The Magpies had four bids rejected for the England international last summer, the highest being £65 million. However, according to Romano, Newcastle remain “keen” and are ready to go back in for him again when the window opens.

Romano also reports that Tottenham Hotspur, who had a £70 million ($89 million) bid turned down last summer, are still very much interested, while Guehi’s boyhood club Chelsea are also in the race.

Guehi, who has the same agency as Anthony Gordon, has established himself as one of the Premier League’s outstanding defenders over the past three seasons and has shone on the international stage too, making the Team of the Tournament at Euro 2024 as England reached the final.

Josef Bursik, Guehi’s former youth teammate, once described him perfectly.

“He’s an absolute tank,” he said. “It’s like having a brick wall in front of you — he’s massive.”

Manchester United are now making moves to sign an “incredible” playmaker, who is set to be available for a bargain fee this summer, according to a report.

Man Utd keen to add new creative midfielder

Bruno Fernandes has taken on much of the burden of creating chances for Man United this season, racking up 18 assists in all competitions, and Ruben Amorim is eager to provide the captain with more support in midfield.

Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers is among the more audacious targets for United, having recently launched a £70m move for the Englishman, but it could be difficult to get a deal done, with Unai Emery eager to keep hold of the attacking midfielder.

A bid is also being prepared for Paris Saint-Germain’s Desire Doue, who has caught the eye of Old Trafford chiefs with his fantastic performances for the French side this season, but once again a deal would be expensive.

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Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made it clear the Red Devils are dealing with serious financial difficulties, which means it could make sense to pursue a move for a low-cost attacking midfielder this summer.

According to a report from Spain, Man United are now making moves to sign Lyon star Rayan Cherki, who scored the equalising goal for the French side in the 2-2 draw in the Europa League last week.

There is a belief that Cherki would suit Amorim’s’s system, but his impressive performances for Lyon this season mean he is attracting widespread interest from the Premier League, with Chelsea also believed to be keen.

The Frenchman could be allowed to leave for just £20m this summer, given the difficult financial situation Lyon find themselves in, with the Ligue 1 side willing to negotiate a sale if they receive a convincing offer.

Cherki could be "incredible" signing for Man Utd

It is little wonder some top Premier League clubs are queuing up for the 21-year-old, given just how impressive he has been for Lyon this season, collecting 18 assists in all competitions, while also chipping in with 11 goals.

The “incredible” playmaker, as dubbed by journalist Julien Laurens, is showing signs he is now ready to make a move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs, and it is exciting news that United are making moves to secure his signature.

While Fernandes has once again been impressive for the Red Devils this term, it is clear the Portugal international needs more help, given that the only other players to have registered more than one assist are Diogo Dalot and Amad.

Cherki’s performances this season, coupled with his availability for such a low fee, indicate he could be the perfect addition to a Man United squad clearly in need of more creativity.

A match-winning century sparked extraordinary scenes in March, capping a surge that propelled Jason Sangha back towards national reckoning

Deivarayan Muthu01-Sep-2025It has been five months since Jason Sangha guided South Australia to the Sheffield Shield title and sent the Karen Rolton Oval into euphoria. But his memories of the win and the celebrations, including the iconic ground invasion, are still so fresh that he was reliving it with Queensland’s Angus Lovell during dinner in Chennai, which is approximately 5000 miles away from Adelaide.Last month, Sangha was part of a group of 12 Australians who had spent in time Chennai and trained at the MRF academy, where they also played a three-day game against former Ranji Trophy champions Saurashtra.”We were talking about the win the other night and talking about how that [revelry] just wouldn’t happen at any other state,” Sangha recalls. “You know, there’s so much passion with the people from South Australia. They love their cricket, they love their AFL, but they love the cricket when the cricket season is on.Related

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“It’s the same in the AFL. Like, when the two AFL teams are playing really well, there’s a really good buzz around the city. And when South Australian cricket is doing well, or if Travis Head or Alex Carey are playing well, there’s a really big buzz around the city for cricket. If I go back home, there’s still people talking about the Shield final and we’re trying to focus on it for next season.”Sangha is gearing up for the season with his new-found ability to bat for long and score big. After chalking up six fifty-plus scores, including three centuries in 12 innings in the 2024-25 Shield, he made a career-best 202 not out off 379 balls in his most recent first-class fixture for Australia A against Sri Lanka A in Darwin in July. Sangha puts his stellar run down to taking emotions out of his game and thinking clearly.”I’m just a lot more level-headed than I probably would have been,” he says. “Whether I’m playing club cricket, if I’m playing state cricket, A-team cricket, even over here [in Chennai], I just want to keep having those good habits, keep being consistent with how I train, how I play, rather than sort of being checked in and checked out or being really intense and then dropping off and not batting for a while.”So it’s just having a more of a level-headed approach, being more consistent, and look, if that leads to higher honours, that’s great. But at the same time, if I’m scoring runs in every game that I’m playing and I’m putting my best foot forward, then I can live with the result.”Jason Sangha’s career has been revived by his move to South Australia•Getty ImagesSangha has certainly strengthened his Test credentials with his recent double-hundred against Sri Lanka A but doesn’t want to look too far ahead.”Yeah, I mean, every kid’s dream is to obviously play for Australia,” Sangha says. “That’s the pinnacle of how good you are as a cricketer – to play for Australia. And no doubt I’d love to do it as well. But I think I’m just really content with where my game is at right now. I’ve probably been trying to sort of figure out a method to have some sort of consistency.”Having batted on different surfaces in Chennai, including red and black soils, Sangha hopes to tap into that experience when he returns to the subcontinent. With some players set to come back to India for an A tour later this year and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to follow in 2027, this trip to Chennai was particularly significant for the Australia hopefuls such as Sangha himself.