Forget Garnacho: Man Utd must drop 4/10 star who lost the ball every 5 mins

Manchester United’s wait for back-to-back Premier League wins continues, with the Red Devils having slipped to a 13th top-flight defeat of the season away to high-flying Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night.

Frustratingly for Ruben Amorim, his side had largely put in an encouraging performance at the City Ground, albeit while being undone on the counter in the early knockings of the game, as former United man Anthony Elanga – perhaps inevitably – converted following a stunning surging run from his own half.

Onana

The visitors were largely untroubled otherwise, although – as has been the norm in 2024/25 so far – they simply failed to offer the cutting edge at the other end of the pitch, with the decision not to start Rasmus Hojlund having certainly backfired.

The Danish number nine did provide a much needed focal point when he was introduced as Joshua Zirkzee dropped into a deeper role, although it wasn’t until the last-gasp introduction of makeshift striker, Harry Maguire, that United actually came close to drawing level, with the towering centre-back having notably been denied on the line by opposite number Murillo.

As it is, Amorim will be left to reflect on another night of what might have been for his stuttering side, with the Portuguese simply needing to find a way to get his attacking unit, including Alejandro Garnacho, firing once again.

Alejandro Garnacho's game in numbers vs Forest

The Argentine starlet – who was awarded a remarkably harsh 2/10 match rating by Express journalist, Alex Turk – may not have been at his sparkling best, yet once again, he offered the only real threat in the final third for the away side.

Yes, the end product is lacking, having now scored just twice in 28 games since the change in the dugout, yet the 20-year-old was a real livewire in the second half, in particular, having notably racked up four key passes as he looked to make things happen for his side.

On another day, the United academy graduate could have got himself on the scoresheet more than once after lashing over the bar on a few occasions, having also seen one volleyed effort squirm agonisingly past the post late on.

Minutes played

86

90+

Touches

48

82

Goals/Assists

1

0

Pass accuracy

79%

94%

Key passes

0

4

Successful dribbles

6/9

2/5

Successful crosses

0/3

0/7

Duels won

9/15

4/13

Possession lost

18x

18x

Shots off target

0

3

Shots blocked

0

3

There remains a feeling that Garnacho “should be on the bench” once Amad Diallo returns from injury, in the words of writer Zach Lowy, yet at present, the ex-Atletico Madrid man remains the only spark in a lifeless United forward line.

Indeed, time and again the youngster was an outlet down the left flank, having notably taken the ball in his stride beautifully following a lofted pass over the top from Bruno Fernandes, only to see his eventual effort denied by the sliding Ryan Yates.

Alejandro Garnacho

Nothing came off in the end for Garnacho, but he certainly wasn’t the major villain, having hardly been afforded much support by the sluggish Patrick Dorgu behind him.

The Man Utd star who had a night to forget

Considering that the promising Dane previously saw red and set up a goal for the opposition in the same half against Ipswich Town, it says a lot that this latest outing was perhaps his worst in a United shirt to date.

Indeed, that 45-minute showing against the Tractor Boys had shown signs of promise as he charged up and down the left flank, before being dismissed, although on his return from that suspension, the 20-year-old was far more muted.

Like Garnacho, the January arrival failed to keep pace with the electric Elanga for what proved to be the game’s only goal, having also been rather subdued going forward.

What was particularly frustrating on the night was Dorgu’s at-times casual and wayward passing, having given the ball away on 16 occasions – or every five minutes – including in the build-up to Leny Yoro’s perfectly timed challenge on that man Elanga.

As The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell noted, that breakaway for the hosts had come after Dorgu “gave [the] ball away sloppily”, a moment that only epitomised what was a disappointing 90 minutes for the £30m man.

Patrick Dorgu

The aforementioned Turk also agreed, after handing the wing-back a measly 4/10 match rating, albeit while suggesting that he was ‘snubbed far too often’ by Garnacho ahead of him.

Whether that is the case or not, Dorgu’s own performance certainly deserves scrutiny, with it perhaps surprising that Amorim did not introduce a potential replacement in Harry Amass off the bench, particularly considering the 18-year-old had been kept out of Monday’s FA Youth Cup semi-final defeat to Aston Villa.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

With the Manchester Derby next on the agenda, it may not be too much of a surprise to see Dorgu find himself back on the bench, with either a change in role for Mazraoui required, or a bold first start for the teenage Amass.

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Australia's World Cup mojo on full display in bid for triple crown

Afghanistan could pose the toughest challenge yet in spin-friendly St Vincent, although there will be memories of Mumbai for both sides

Andrew McGlashan22-Jun-20242:40

Moody: Warner showed why Australia picked him in World Cup

Pat Cummins took a hat trick, Mitchell Starc set a new record, Adam Zampa was again outstanding and David Warner’s farewell lap continued with more runs. At nearly every turn against Bangladesh, Australia’s World Cup credentials oozed from their performance.The fact the opposition sat back and barely landed a blow in return aided a comfortable outing for Australia, but on the flip side their well-oiled game barely gave Bangladesh the opportunity to do so. The one blip so far has been an indifferent fielding display against Scotland – in a game that had no consequence for Australia – and that was alleviated when Travis Head and Marcus Stoinis put on a show.The problems, or concerns, also do not seem insurmountable. Captain Mitchell Marsh remains low on runs – although he was a little unfortunate with a stump-grazing lbw against Bangladesh – but is leading the side impressively in his first major assignment. Glenn Maxwell’s form remains in the spotlight, stemming back to the IPL where he averaged 5.77, but even in a very small sample size of six balls in Antigua, there was a glimpse that perhaps he is finding his groove.Related

  • Maxwell in focus as Afghanistan await Australia in spin-friendly Kingstown

  • Another World Cup, another bagful of wickets for 'Pretty Good' Zampa

  • Warner leads Australia's charge after the Zampa-Cummins show

“I think tonight I just went in with a really clear mindset to sort of be a little bit more proactive and a bit more trusting I suppose in my foundations and what I do really well,” Maxwell said of his brief innings against Bangladesh. “I know I reverse well; I know I play spin well when I’m busy on my feet and moving forward and back and when I’m just looking at gaps in the field and adapting to what comes in front of me, I can get into my innings relatively comfortably.Pat Cummins became the seventh man and second Australian to take a hat-trick in men’s T20 World Cup•ICC/Getty Images”Even just thinking back, I feel like I might have even got sucked into a little bit of the pace of play during the IPL where you’re sort of set up as a power-hitter. And that’s [where] all your sort of focus goes towards and you’re thinking more about hitting boundaries every ball instead of still playing your strengths and tonight sort of went back to I suppose what I do really well is start my innings with good cricketing shots, back my ability to manipulate fields and try and stick to that.”Australia’s next outing, however, has the potential to be the trickiest yet. Even though Afghanistan were turned over by India, conditions in St Vincent should suit them if the pitch turns anything like it has done so far. Not that Australia are without options in that area – Exhibit One: Zampa – but in Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmed and Mohammad Nabi, Afghanistan have a spin attack to cause problems. If there is uneven bounce, don’t ignore the quicks either, with Fazalhaq Farooqi leading the tournament wicket-taking.”It feels like every ground has its different little idiosyncrasies,” Maxwell said. “This [Antigua] is a slow outfield with a howling breeze to a short boundary. Barbados can be fifty-fifty on the wicket, can be slow. As we’ve seen, St. Vincent is going to be spinny and might be a slightly quicker outfield. So, there’s so many different changes.”It feels like you’re going to a completely different part of the world every ground that you go to, and you’ve got to adapt and change. I think that’s just the way our team’s gone. It feels like we’ve been the quickest ones to adapt to the conditions throughout the tournament. I’m sure that’s going to probably hold true for the last few games. The team that adapts the quickest will come out victorious.”Will the events of Mumbai have an effect on either side?•AFP/Getty Images”We’ve kind of ticked off everything we have we could possibly do so far,” Cummins succinctly put it after the Bangladesh outing, adding it felt like Warner is “always up there” in the run charts at World Cups and that Starc, who is now the leading wicket-taker across both the 50- and 20-over events, has “stood up when we needed [him] to in big moments.”Speaking before the Bangladesh game, Ricky Ponting touched on Australia’s tournament mentality. “I think other teams feel that Australia are going to lift for the bigger games, so they try harder and do things differently,” he said. “I think India in the [ODI] World Cup final is a great example of that – they got away from what they’d done right the way through, tried too hard and it cost them. Australia know what they need to do – they stay in control of things and turn up ready to play every game.”Australia know how to win World Cups. Afghanistan pose a significant threat, but memories of what happened in Mumbai last year won’t be far away for either side. Even in the high-jeopardy world of T20, it will take a very good performance to stop them doing it again.

How Heinrich Klaasen tamed a tricky Cuttack pitch

He did struggle at the start but went on to navigate his path smartly, scoring a match-winning 81

Hemant Brar13-Jun-20220:52

Klaasen: ‘I knew we needed to target spinners’

Shreyas Iyer faced 35 balls and still couldn’t figure out a way to score runs on this particular Cuttack pitch. The new ball was moving around. Some of the deliveries kept low as well. Iyer tried to attack but wasn’t successful. Then he tried to time the ball but that too proved futile.His struggle ended only when he edged a legcutter behind the stumps. His 40 was the highest score in India’s 148 for 6.Related

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  • Ugly is beautiful for Pretorius the batter as he gets going

On the same pitch, Heinrich Klaasen, the man who caught Iyer, smashed 81 off just 46 balls. The next best for South Africa was Temba Bavuma’s 35, which took 30 balls.To many, including Dale Steyn, it looked like Klaasen was batting on a different pitch. But even Klaasen said after the game it wasn’t that easy. So how did he cruise on a pitch where everyone else seemed to be scraping?To say Klaasen didn’t struggle at all would be a lie. He was on 4 off 12 balls at one stage, but he navigated his path smartly. Apart from that, he also had a couple of other things going for him.When he came out to bat, South Africa were in a spot of bother at 29 for 3 in the sixth over. But the silver lining was that Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the only Indian bowler who looked threatening on the night and picked up those three wickets, was already into his third over.At the end of eight overs, South Africa were 36 for 3 and needed another 113 from 12 overs at a rate of 9.41. But Klaasen’s onslaught brought the equation down to 60 required from eight overs at a comfortable 7.50 runs per over.His best shot, arguably, still came against a seamer. In the 14th over, Hardik Pandya bowled one full on the off stump. It wasn’t easy to get under it and find the elevation but with a whip of the bottom hand, Klaasen sent it sailing over long-on. Two overs later, he killed the contest by hitting Chahal for two more sixes.What Klaasen’s innings also did was it allowed Bavuma to play the anchor’s role. The two added 64 off 41 balls for the fourth wicket. Klaasen’s contribution in that was 49.Then Klaasen and David Miller forged 51 off 28 balls for the fifth wicket. There too Klaasen was the dominant partner, scoring 32 off 17 balls. Given the small target, those two stands were all South Africa needed.This knock comes at a crucial juncture in Klaasen’s career. Before Sunday, Klaasen last played international cricket at the 2021 T20 World Cup. Since then, he has been dropped from the ODI side, and earlier this year, he also lost his central contract. He wouldn’t have played here either had Quinton de Kock not injured his wrist.”It’s a blessing from above that this innings came at this time for me in my career,” Klaasen said after the game. “That puts me on the map ahead of international cricket. So hopefully this will just prolong my career a little bit longer.”

Cal Raleigh Got Emotional and NSFW While Celebrating Mariners' Divisional Crown

Cal Raleigh put an exclamation point on what has been arguably the greatest offensive season by a catcher in Major League Baseball by blasting his 60th home run on Wednesday night as his Seattle Mariners clinched the American League West with a victory over the Colorado Rockies. The feat is downright astounding when one considers the physical toll it takes to play baseball's most grinding position, how hard it is to be productive from both sides of the plate as a switch hitter and that he plays 81 games in a very pitcher-friendly ballpark.

As the team was in its opening minutes of celebration, Raleigh got on the loudspeaker via an interview with Root Sports and reflected on the moment. The man affectionately know as "Big Dumper" showcased the duality of man by being open with his emotions and also working blue.

"I love the city, I love my parents," Raleigh said. "Thank you for being here. I'm so happy for our guys. We're gonna celebrate tonight and we're not done yet."

Asked about the idea that the Mariners have more work to do, Raleigh directed people to his previous comments.

"I think most people heard what I said last night: might as well win the whole f—ing thing."

Nothing says October baseball like a player trying to get a catchphrase off the ground. It'll likely have plenty of time to catch on as Seattle will be awarded a by into the divisional round barring a sudden losing streak that would allow either the Cleveland Guardians or Detroit Tigers to catch them.

Juan Soto Was Completely Shocked By a Bad Strike Call From Home Plate Ump John Bacon

John Bacon was behind home plate for Sunday's game between the New York Mets and New York Yankees. Long before Bacon ejected Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, which kicked off an epic meltdown, the home plate umpire left Mets star Juan Soto absolutely perplexed by a late strike call.

Facing Max Fried and an 0-1 count, Soto took a pitch that looked both low and outside. As Soto turned, proud of himself for not chasing, Bacon called a strike and the immediate change on Soto's face was priceless.

Complete shock.

Juan Soto’s strike zone during the 4th inning against the Yankees. / MLB.co

Soto took one more pitch before he struck out swinging on a 1-2 count. He finished 0-for-4 with two strikeouts as the Mets lost, 6-4. It was the only game the Mets lost during the three-game series.

Soto has turned in a surprisingly solid season considering he was inspiring sports radio rants before April was over. He is currently 10th in OPS, has 21 home runs and leads baseball with 72 walks. With an eye like that, you know he could tell that pitch wasn't a strike. Or if a teammate didn't go around on a check swing.

Brasileirão terá novo limite de estrangeiros para esta temporada

MatériaMais Notícias

Nesta terça-feira (05), os clubes 20 do Brasileirão aprovaram, durante evento do Conselho Técnico da CBF, o regulamento de competições para a temporada 2024. Em votação unânime por 20 votos a 0, ficou decidido que o limite de estrangeiros, por partida, será aumentado de sete para nove.

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Em 2023, os clubes já haviam votado uma expansão na utilização de estrangeiros, que havia passado de cinco para sete. Apesar da unanimidade na votação, a proposta de expansão não é vista com positividade de maneira absoluta. A Federação Nacional dos Atletas Profissionais de Futebol (Fenapaf), se manifestou de forma contrária à decisão.

O Presidente do Internacional, Alessandro Barcellos, comemorou a decisão tomada no evento da CBF: “É importante o aumento de estrangeiros, nós trabalhamos fortemente nisso. E a questão do gramado sintético, ficou definido que o Conselho Nacional de Clubes fará estudos para definir melhor a padronização dos gramados”.

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Além disso, outro assunto fortemente debatido foi o uso de gramados sintéticos. A expectativa é que durante a temporada, o Conselho Nacional de Clubes aumente os estudos sobre o uso dos sintéticos e estabeleça um padrão de qualidade para os gramados. O objetivo é minimizar as reclamações de outros clubes que entendem que esse tipo de gramado proporciona desnível técnico à competição.

Apesar disso, foi autorizado que os clubes que atuam em gramados sintéticos poderão passar a utilizar esse tipo de gramado em seus Centros de Treinamento. O evento contou com a participação de alguns atletas de clubes do Brasileirão, dentre eles, o lateral Tinga (Fortaleza),

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Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoCBFEstrangeiros

'No reason given' – Everton learn fate of Idrissa Gueye red card appeal after midfielder sent off for slappinng team-mate Michael Keane

Everton have been left frustrated and short-handed after the Football Association rejected the club’s appeal against Idrissa Gueye’s red card, leaving the Senegal international sidelined for three crucial Premier League fixtures. The midfielder was dismissed in extraordinary circumstances during the Toffees’ gritty 1-0 win at Old Trafford, after he slapped teammate Michael Keane following a heated exchange on the pitch.

  • Appeal dismissed as Gueye faces a lengthy lay-off

    Keane reacted angrily after Gueye surrendered possession dangerously close to the Everton penalty area, leading to a United attempt on goal. A war of words ensued, before Gueye appeared to strike a hand across Keane’s face. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford intervened to separate the pair, but referee Craig Pawson deemed the contact violent conduct and showed Gueye a straight red card. It was a moment that could easily have derailed Everton’s evening, yet the 10 men somehow held firm to earn a rare and morale-boosting victory at Old Trafford. Gueye was visibly remorseful at full-time and addressed his teammates in the dressing room before later issuing a public apology.

    "I want to apologise first to my team-mate Michael Keane," the player began, in a statement published as an Instagram story. "I take full responsibility for my reaction. I also apologise to my team-mates, the staff, the fans and the club. What happened does not reflect who I am or the values I stand for. Emotions can run high, but nothing justifies such behaviour. I'll make sure it never happens again."

    The club lodged an immediate appeal, hopeful that mitigating circumstances might reduce the punishment. Instead, the FA turned it down without offering any detailed explanation, a decision manager David Moyes admitted has left the club perplexed.

    "We have appealed [against the red card] and our appeal was turned down," Moyes said. "We haven't been given any reason why it was turned down, but we did appeal it – immediately."

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  • Getty Images Sport

    Immediate forgiveness in the dressing room

    Teammates were quick to draw a line under the matter. Speaking after scoring the decisive goal, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall praised the group’s unity in adversity.

    "Idrissa has apologised to us at full-time, said his piece and that's all he can do," Dewsbury-Hall told afterwards. "We move on from it. The reaction from us, was unbelievable. Top tier. We could have crumbled, but if anything, it made us grow."

    Moyes echoed the sentiment, insisting the episode was dealt with swiftly and internally.

    "There's another side to it," Moyes said. "I like my players fighting each other, if someone didn't do the right action. If you want that toughness and resilience to get a result, you want someone to act on it."

    On the decision to send Gueye off in the first place, Moyes added: "If nothing happened, I don't think anyone in the stadium would have been surprised. I thought the referee could have taken a bit longer to think about it. I got told that the rules of the game are that if you slap your own player, you could be in trouble. I'm disappointed we got the sending off. But we've all been footballers, we get angry with our team-mates. He's apologised for the sending off, he's praised the players and thanked them for it and apologised for what happened."

  • Everton now critically short in midfield

    The timing of Gueye’s suspension could scarcely be worse for Everton. Having started every league match this season and acting as the side’s midfield anchor, he will now miss games against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest. He is also set to depart for Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign in December, which will remove him from club duties for an even longer stretch. Moyes is already stretched in midfield. German youngster Merlin Rohl is out until January after undergoing hernia surgery, and captain Seamus Coleman is nursing another hamstring complaint following a disrupted start to the season.

    Moyes said: "Yes, we are (short in midfield). Merlin [Rohl] having an operation has made us light, so we are quite short but we have other people who can play in there – Charly Alcaraz, Dwight McNeil if we need to as well. I think those players can do the job in there, if required.

    "Merlin probably isn't going to be back until the start of January and Idrissa's suspension [and forthcoming Afcon participation] leaves us pretty short in that area."

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    Everton look ahead to a pivotal run

    Everton’s Premier League programme continues on Saturday at Hill Dickinson Stadium, where they host an in-form Newcastle United side. Momentum is finally building after the Old Trafford upset, but Gueye’s absence complicates matters during a defining stretch of fixtures. As it stands, the midfielder will next be eligible for selection when Everton travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea on December 13. 

Harvey Barnes dampens Scotland's World Cup hopes as Newcastle forward claims making international switch from England 'obviously isn't on my mind'

Harvey Barnes has poured cold water on the chance of switching international allegiance from England to Scotland. The Newcastle winger is able to make the change as he has Scottish grandparents, even after making an appearance for the Three Lions. Barnes' sole Three Lions cap came in a friendly, meaning he is still able to turn out for the Tartan Army.

  • Getty Images Sport

    Barnes shines as Newcastle down Man City

    Barnes was instrumental as Newcastle returned to winning ways with a fine 2-1 victory over Premier League title contenders Manchester City on Saturday evening. He opened the scoring midway through the second half with a well-taken strike past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

    Newcastle's lead only lasted five minutes, however, as centre-back Ruben Dias fired City level after Eddie Howe's side failed to clear a corner. The Magpies were ahead again in the 70th minute as Barnes scrambled what proved to be the winning goal over the line after Bruno Guimaraes had hit the crossbar.

    Saturday's victory over City lifted Newcastle four points clear of the relegation zone in what has been an indifferent start to the season for Howe's team. Indeed, while they have shone at St James' Park, the away form has been poor, with Newcastle one of three sides yet to win a league match on the road in 2025-26.

    And talk of a potential change of international allegiance for Barnes came to the fore once more on Saturday night, with the former Leicester man keen to play down reports that he could eventually turn out for Scotland.

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  • Scotland change isn't on Barnes' mind at present

    Having been praised by Micah Richards on following the 2-1 win over City, the former defender asked Barnes about a potential switch at international level. The winger laughed and made out their was an issue with his headphones in order to avoid the question. Host David Jones pressed on the topic, however, to which the the 27-year-old said: "No, listen, that obviously isn't on my mind at the minute. There's a long way to go until the summer.

    "The club form for us hasn't been there so, as you can imagine, the team are my only focus… It was about the game tonight, and the next period of games that we've got coming up. So yeah, I can't say that there was any thought in that, it was just getting the job done tonight, which we did.

    "I think someone said it, it was the gaffer's first win against Man City, I think it was."

    Richards jokingly decided to prod further, asking: "So, it's not a no, then?" while Jones added that a potential name in Scottish colours, 'Harvey McBarnes', has "a ring to it".

  • Getty Images Sport

    Barnes has previously stoked flames over potential switch

    Barnes has previously discussed the possibility of switching international allegiance from England to Scotland, which would be permitted under FIFA's rules. The winger's only appearance for the Three Lions came back in 2020 as a second-half substitute in a friendly meeting with Wales and football's governing body allows players to make the change as Barnes' only outing came in a non-competitive international fixture.

    When asked about a potential switch earlier this month, Barnes said: "It’s not something I’ve really spoken about or put thought into recently. There’s always been talk about it and a while ago there was bits and bobs about it. But recently it’s not cropped up.

    "It was great to see them win and get through last night, it was a crazy game, and I’m sure everyone in Scotland enjoyed themselves. Is it closed off? No, of course it’s not. I’ve obviously played for England and I know the eligibility side of it is still there so it’s hard to say either way but there’s been no real chats or progression in that sense."

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  • Scotland booked 2026 World Cup spot in style

    Scotland booked their 2026 World Cup spot with a fine 4-2 win over Denmark, a result that means they'll play in football's showpiece for the first time since 1998. Scott McTominay acrobatically fired the Tartan Army ahead before a second-half Rasmus Hojlund penalty drew the Danes level.

    Lawrence Shankland restored Scotland's advantage with 12 minutes to play, only for Patrick Dorgu to net Denmark's second three minutes later. However, Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean both scored in second half injury time to confirm a historic victory for Steve Clarke's men.

INEOS now willing to spend £100m+ to sign Raphinha if Man Utd do one thing in 2026

INEOS are now reportedly prepared to spend more than £100m to sign Raphinha from Barcelona under one circumstance at Manchester United in 2026.

The Red Devils owners have not been afraid to spend big on transfer fees in the last six months, despite their cost-saving measures off the pitch. Sir Jim Ratcliffe continues to back Ruben Amorim, who has shown signs that he could yet turn things around at Old Trafford, and that could yet result in further much-needed reinforcements.

INEOS have already seen the majority of their summer signings settle into life at Old Trafford, with Bryan Mbeumo even picking up the Premier League’s Player of the Month award for October to match Amorim’s Manager of the Month achievement. The former Brentford forward scored three goals and assisted one other to earn the award.

After watching Mbeumo pick up the award and claiming the Manager of the Month prize himself, Amorim told reporters: “The credit is not mine, the credit is for my players. They did really well, and our goal is to win the next one because it means we win football matches.”

The former Sporting CP boss, more than anyone, will be well aware that there’s still a long way to go, however, and INEOS must still back the Red Devils in the transfer market.

Forget Mbeumo: "Phenomenal" Man Utd star was the real player of the month

Bryan Mbeumo has won the Premier League Player of the Month, but one other Manchester United star may feel hard done by.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 7, 2025

On that front, those at Old Trafford have already been linked with 2026 moves for the likes of Elliot Anderson and Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic. Anderson would be a particularly impressive signing, given how he’s starred in a struggling Nottingham Forest side as of late, whilst Vlahovic would undoubtedly add depth to Amorim’s frontline.

Neither of those players would be as impressive as Raphinha though, who has scored twice against Man United throughout his career.

Man Utd prepared to spend over £100m on Raphinha

According to reports in Spain, INEOS are now prepared to spend €120m (£105m) to sign Raphinha if Man United qualify for the Champions League this season. Qualification for the competition would hand the Red Devils further financial freedom and the ability to attract stars such as the Barcelona winger.

The Brazilian would instantly become Man United’s record signing at £105m, finally dethroning the £89m fee that they paid to sign eventual flop Paul Pogba in 2016.

Unlike the Frenchman, Raphinha may well prove to be worth every penny after becoming one of the best wingers in the world at Barcelona and finishing fifth in the 2025 Ballon d’Or.

Whether a club-record bid would be enough to lure Barcelona into a sale is the big question. Manager Hansi Flick should be desperate to keep hold of his winger, having told reporters last season: “He has good dynamics with the ball and he has had an extraordinary match. His offensive and defensive dynamics, and his good technique, are something special. I have never had a player like him and he helps us a lot.”

Forget Cunha & Mbeumo: "Explosive" Man Utd star is coded for the Fergie era

أحمد الكاس يعلق على الخسارة أمام إنجلترا.. ويؤكد: هدفنا الوصول لأبعد نقطة في كأس العالم للناشئين

قدم أحمد الكاس، المدير الفني لـ منتخب مصر تحت 17 عامًا، اعتذارًا للجماهير المصرية، عقب خسارة الفراعنة أمام إنجلترا، مساء الإثنين في ختام دور المجموعات ببطولة كأس العالم للناشئين.

وكان منتخب مصر، خسر أمام إنجلترا بنتيجة 3-0، في مباراة الجولة الثالثة والأخيرة من مواجهات المجموعة الخامسة لمنافسات كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا المقامة في قطر.

واستطاع منتخب مصر، حسم التأهل إلى دور الـ 32 من كأس العالم للناشئين، بعد احتلاله المركز الثالث في مجموعته الخامسة، ليتأهل ضمن أفضل 8 منتخبات احتلت المركز الثالث للمجموعات الـ 12.

طالع | منتخب مصر يتلقى صدمة كبرى بعد التأهل لدور الـ 32 بـ كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا

وكان منتخب مصر حقق الفوز على هايتي في الجولة الأولى 4-1، ثم تعادل مع فنزويلا 1-1 في لقاء الجولة الثانية.

وقال الكاس خلال تصريحات للموقع الرسمي لاتحاد الكرة المصري: “أكيد الجميع حزين من الخسارة أمام إنجلترا، لكن المباراة كانت صعبة، بذلنا جهدًا كبيرًا جدًا للخروج بنتيجة جيدة، لكن هذه هي كرة القدم”.

وأضاف: “أنا أعتذر عن عدم تحقيق نتيجة جيدة، وأنا أتحمل المسؤولية أمام إنجلترا، أشكر الجميع على الدعم والمساندة، ودعمكم للمنتخب، ودعمكم للاعبين، شيء جيد جدًا، لأنهم مستقبل مصر”.

وأتم: “إن شاء الله خلال الفترة القادمة، سنرى منتخبا بيبذل أقصى جهد ممكن من أجل الوصول لأبعد نقطة ويسعد شعب مصر، هذا هدفنا من بداية البطولة”.

ومن المقرر، أن يلعب منتخب مصر ضد أحد متصدري المجموعات الـ 12 من بطولة كأس العالم، يوم الجمعة المقبل، في دور الـ 32، والذي سوف يتحدد بعد نهاية دور المجموعات غدًا الثلاثاء.

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