Football is a fickle game, with October’s Premier League Manager of the Month, Ruben Amorim, now again facing scrutiny regarding his position at Manchester United.

Three draws, one defeat and a solitary win from the last five league outings has sparked concern that this United side is drifting back into old habits, fresh from a worst-ever Premier League campaign last time out.

Boos rang out at the full-time whistle following the 1-1 draw with relegation strugglers West Ham United in midweek, just ten days on from another abject Old Trafford display up against ten-man Everton.

A creditable comeback win against Crystal Palace may have been sandwiched in between those two frustrating results, although even at Selhurst Park, the performance was drab and dour, with club legend Roy Keane noting that the displays have been “desperate” across the last three or four games.

Still in the mix for European contention in eighth, it isn’t time to panic just yet – but could more drop points against bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday change the situation?

Why Ruben Amorim's future at Man Utd remains uncertain

Even amid the depths of the defeat to Grimsby Town, INEOS have appeared to back their man to the hilt, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe even suggesting earlier this season that Amorim would be given three years to make his mark in Manchester.

There has been gradual improvement this year – while the lack of attacking quality and depth must also be factored in to any criticism – although the Portuguese’s stubborn 3-4-2-1 system continues to grate on supporters.

Unwilling to take the handbrake off, even at home to both Everton and West Ham, the 40-year-old notably made four defensive-minded changes last time out, overlooking the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Shea Lacey on the home bench.

The treatment of Mainoo, in particular, has riled up the United faithful no end, a fact only enhanced by Amorim choosing to laugh off suggestions that the Englishman could have been an attacking change against the Hammers.

Yet to start a single league game in 2025/26, the 20-year-old is believed to be itching for a loan move in January, with his standing under the new boss having perhaps been evident right from the off, as Amorim selected Casemiro and Christian Eriksen ahead of him on that November night at Portman Road.

Quite what INEOS make of the handling of Mainoo remains to be seen, although there are whispers that the United hierarchy are plotting potential replacements, with reports this week indicating that the club are monitoring Palace boss, Oliver Glasner.

Also being eyed as a possible successor to under-fire title winner, Arne Slot at Liverpool, Glasner is a man in demand. Could the “incredible” coach – as hailed by Pep Guardiola – be the man to get United back on track, while reviving Mainoo in the process?

Why Glasner's appointment could be perfect for Mainoo

It would be somewhat ironic if United were to turn to one of the few managers Amorim has actually bettered this season, although the caveat to that result was the Eagles’ Conference League involvement just days earlier, having visibly tired as the game progressed.

Initially indeed, there looked like being only one winner in south London, with Jean-Philippe Mateta squandering a handful of chances, while Eddie Nketiah saw his one-on-one attempt denied by Luke Shaw.

Adam Wharton, too, could only fire his effort straight into the gloves of Senne Lammens, with the promising Englishman having run the show in that opening 45, amid suggestions that Casemiro looked “haunted” up against the elegant left-footer.

Wharton ranks highly among the biggest success stories of Glasner’s fruitful, FA Cup-winning tenure to date, having arrived as a player of potential from Blackburn Rovers in January 2024, prior to now solidifying himself as a £100m-rated asset and a leading target for those at United.

While a reunion might be in order if Glasner does take charge at Old Trafford, perhaps a cheaper outcome might be for the German to work his magic on United’s own England sensation, Mainoo, with the Red Devils still waiting to see their academy graduate thrive in that Wharton role in a midfield pairing.

In the case of both Three Lions starlets, when looking at their respective 2024/25 Premier League seasons, the statistics don’t jump off the page, with neither man an elite ball winner, nor necessarily a goal or assist machine.

What they are both adept at is providing that forward-thinking approach in midfield, albeit in slightly different ways.

Indeed, Wharton ranked in the top 7% of midfielders last term for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref, while Mainoo ranked in the top 16% for successful take-ons per 90.

Wharton looks to thread the pass, while Mainoo has the magic to drive himself up the pitch. Either way, both are “generational” rising stars – as Mainoo has been lauded by Rasmus Hojlund – who should be the centre of the Premier League and England across the next decade.

And so, having helped his own midfield sensation blossom at Selhurst Park, could Glasner repeat the trick again at Old Trafford?

Not Mainoo: Amorim's use of Man Utd's "best player" is a sackable offence

Ruben Amorim’s questionable decisions as Manchester United boss could land him in hot water with INEOS.

By
Ethan Lamb

6 days ago

Erling Haaland brought up a century of Premier League goals and Phil Foden continued his impressive scoring streak in a hugely entertaining 5-4 win for Manchester City over Fulham. But Pep Guardiola's side will be hugely concerned about his side's defending as they conceded three goals and almost threw away a victory for the second time in four days.

Haaland was on a short drought of no goals in three games and began the game by hitting the post with a glorious opportunity. But he quickly made amends in typically emphatic fashion, lashing in a cross from Jeremy Doku in the 17th minute to score his 100th Premier League goal, doing so in record time. Scorer turned provider when City doubled their lead later in the first half, the Norwegian holding the ball up to slip in Tijjani Reijnders for a simple finish. 

Foden, fresh from bagging a brace to rescue the win against Leeds, joined the goal frenzy by smashing in a loose ball from outside the box a minute before half-time after a careless punch by Bernd Leno a minute. But before half-time had arrived, Fulham got back in the game as Emile Smith-Rowe landed a diving header in first-half stoppage time.

City seemed to have put the game beyond the hosts' reach within nine minutes of the restart as Foden scored again and then Sander Berge deflected a shot from Doku into his own net. But Marco Silva's side rallied to set up an epic finish, with Alex Iwobi quickly responding by whipping the ball in from outside the box and making it 5-2. 

Samuel Chukwueze then scoring his first two goals in English football in quick succession to reduce the deficit to one goal with 12 minutes remaining. City clung on nervously until the end to move two points behind Arsenal, who have their game in hand on Wednesday against Brentford.

GOAL rates Man City's players from Craven Cottage…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

Gianluigi Donnarumma (5/10):

Needed to command his area better and made a real mess leading to Chukwueze's second goal as he again flapped at a corner.

Matheus Nunes (5/10):

Switched off for Fulham's first goal and for the second game running looked powerless to cope with waves of pressure from the opponent, underlining City's need to sign a natural right-back.

Ruben Dias (5/10):

Played Fulham's players onside for the third goal and should have patrolled the defence better.

Josko Gvardiol (5/10):

Didn't defend with the urgency he needed to until the end when he at last dug deep. Caught in two minds in the other box, spurning a chance to put the game to bed.

Nico O'Reilly (5/10):

Needs to be more careful about bombing forward as he left his fellow defenders short on a few ocasions.

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Bernardo Silva (5/10):

His early influence faded as the game dragged on and he should have been taken off to inject some energy into the team.

Nico Gonzalez (6/10):

Caught in possession a couple of times but it says a lot that Fulham came flying back into the game once he had been taken off. 

Tijjani Reijnders (6/10):

Scored for the first time since the opening day of the season with a cool finish and played his part in City's flurry of dangerous attacks.

Getty/GOALAttack

Phil Foden (8/10):

Stepped up again to make it clear he is City's most important player other than Haaland.

Erling Haaland (8/10):

It's difficult to argue with his 100th goal and two assists, even if the second was accidental. Should have scored earlier than he did but even so, this was yet another reminder of his importance to City.

Jeremy Doku (7/10):

Contributed to two goals after a difficult display against Leeds and was off the pitch when the real chaos happened.

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John Stones (5/10):

City lost control of the game after he replaced Gonzalez in midfield.

Savinho (5/10):

Like Stones, the game almost slipped away from City when he came on. Made an important tackle in added time before dribbling his way out of the box, only to lose possession.

Rayan Cherki (N/A):

Brought on in the 84th minute to keep Fulham on their toes but only managed to get a booking.

Pep Guardiola (6/10):

His blood pressure must have been soaring in the second half but he made a silly mistake in taking off Gonzalez and making Stones anchor the midfield instead.

Tottenham Hotspur are now pushing hard to sign a “powerful” midfielder who has been likened to Manchester City star Rodri, and his current employers could be willing to sanction a move for £30m…

Tottenham looking to strengthen in midfield after Fulham setback

Tottenham remain without a home win since the opening day of the season in the Premier League, having succumbed to a 2-1 defeat against Fulham on Saturday afternoon, and Danny Murphy has since criticised the lack of creativity in the middle of the park.

As such, Spurs may need to enter the market for some new signings in the January transfer window, and bringing in a new forward may be of key significance, given that Thomas Frank has decided he no longer wants Richarlison.

However, signing another midfielder could also be a savvy move, given the lack of creativity, and there has now been a new update on the north Londoners’ pursuit of Anderlecht maestro Nathan De Cat.

According to a report from Caught Offside, Tottenham sporting director Johan Lange is now pushing hard to sign De Cat, who has impressed scouts from across Europe, with Aston Villa, Brighton and Bayern Munich also keen.

The Belgian club had been hoping to keep hold of the 17-year-old until 2027, but they could now be willing to cash-in on the youngster, who has been compared to Manchester City star Rodri, for £30m.

"Powerful" De Cat could be future star

Likened to Rodri due to being a deep-lying playmaker, the teenager has been praised for his creativity by scout Ben Mattinson, who said he is able to unlock defences “from deep or as creator in the final third”, while also describing the starlet as “powerful.”

Fellow scout Jacek Kulig also clearly believes the Anderlecht ace could be destined for big things, having praised his performances at youth level back in July.

Since then, the Belgian has gone on to become a key player for the Anderlecht first team, making 20 appearances in all competitions this season, which is an impressive feat as such a young age.

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Spurs need more creativity.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 28, 2025

At just 17, De Cat is likely to need more time to develop before being able to slot into Tottenham’s starting XI, but he clearly has a lot of potential, and £30m could end up being a bargain in the long run.

West Ham United have now submitted an offer of around £20m for a “natural goalscorer”, with Nuno personally a big fan.

West Ham targeting new striker with Fullkrug heading for exit

It has recently been revealed that Niclas Fullkrug is heading for the exit door this winter, having struggled to find the back of the net consistently since arriving from Borussia Dortmund, scoring just three goals in 28 appearances for West Ham.

Callum Wilson has been the man leading the line as of late, and the Englishman has impressed, bagging a brace in the 2-2 draw against AFC Bournemouth, but there are also question marks over his long-term future at the London Stadium.

Given that Wilson is set to turn 34 in February, and his contract expires at the end of the season, it would be a shrewd move to bring in a younger striker, and the Hammers are desperate to sign at least one new centre-forward in the upcoming window.

That is according to a report from Hammers News, which states West Ham have failed with an opening bid of £20m for Al-Hilal striker Marcos Leonardo, with the Saudi Pro League side adamant they won’t sanction a departure.

However, the Irons may return to the negotiating table with another offer, such is their determination to get a deal done, with Nuno personally a big fan of the Brazilian, who was linked with a move to Nottingham Forest during the manager’s time in charge there.

Nuno has made bringing in a new striker the number one priority for the January transfer window, and if the Hammers were able to get a deal for the 22-year-old done, they would be signing a player in red-hot form.

West Ham and Tottenham get Ivan Toney response after holding discussions

The Al-Ahli striker is fielding enquiries ahead of January.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 29, 2025 "Natural goalscorer" Leonardo on fire in Saudi Arabia

Indeed, the Al-Hilal star has been fantastic since the Club World Cup in the summer, scoring four goals in five matches in the new-look competition, and he has since impressed considerably domestically too.

Marcos Leonardo’s goalscoring record

Appearances

Goals

Saudi Pro League

6

6

AFC Champions League

5

3

King’s Cup

3

2

The former Santos man also earned high praise from scout Jacek Kulig courtesy of very impressive attacking numbers during his time in Brazil.

With Fullkrug heading for the exit door, West Ham undoubtedly need to bring in a new striker this winter, and Leonardo could be capable of leading the line for Nuno’s side for years to come.

England captain is back in the city of his maiden hundred in 2013, after a wild ride through a series that defines him

Vithushan Ehantharajah20-Nov-2025It is a phrase many of those on England’s 2021-22 Ashes tour remember. Uttered at a time when the team were already down. Three-nil to be exact, after the one Test they did not lose, in Sydney.There were echoes of Leonardo DiCaprio’s interpretation of Jordan Belfort in Martin Scorsese’s “Wolf of Wall Street”. A dramatic declaration of defiance echoing through a crumbling institution. The protagonist in this instance – Ben Stokes – rallying in the face of the approaching bankruptcy of body and mind rather than pocket.Stokes had injured his side on day two of the fourth Test, and was unable to bowl the final delivery of his 14th over of Australia’s first innings, which eventually swelled to 416 for 8. He struck 66 the next day, then 60 two days later, of which the 123 deliveries taken were of far more importance as England clung on for a precious, whitewash-staving yet ultimately inconsequential draw.Scans revealed a grade two tear – a tour ender in anyone else’s side. And at the back end of a debilitating Covid-restricted tour, a route home, to the sanctity of normality. But Stokes did not want to go. He did not want to leave his team in the lurch.It didn’t matter of course; a non-bowling Stokes scored four and five as Australia won by 146 runs inside three days to secure their 4-0 win. His presence on the tour had come about through cutting short a much-needed mental health break. And yet, rather than break him further, it eventually brought him light. Cracks in the despair that allowed the light of future, better days to shine through. Not just for him, but English Test cricket. Both have become one and, on Friday, are embarking on another Ashes. His last in Australia.”I understand what this series means in my journey as England captain,” Stokes said in his final press conference at Perth’s Optus Stadium.Stokes rushed back to action for the 2021-22 Ashes but wasn’t mentally or physically ready•Getty ImagesSuccess would be a crowning glory to an already decorated career, let alone a major honor as a national leader. As a person, it would be another significant moment of a life indelibly linked with this country.It was here, in 2013-14, that Stokes announced himself as a cricketer. A rounder, redder-faced 22-year-old, he started the series with his head down, grafting, as the greatest England team you ever did see set about stabbing each other in the back and keeping notes for their own autobiographies. Each walk to and from the Optus from the team’s luxurious Crown Towers hotel has taken Stokes past the WACA, where he blitzed that maiden century. The time that has since elapsed was hammered home earlier this week by Stokes’ wife, Clare, who reminded him their son, Layton, was one at the time.Stokes left the country as England’s sole comfort, but returned a year later seemingly surplus to the team’s requirement. At a loose end after being omitted from England’s 2015 World Cup squad, he undertook a four-match Big Bash League stint as Melbourne Renegades overseas player, replacing Kiwi Jesse Ryder.Related

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He dipped into the nightlife – as any young twenty-something in Melbourne should do – finding a kindred spirit in James Pattinson. Though only managing a couple of contributions – a 77 against Hobart Hurricanes and 2 for 22 versus Melbourne Stars – they were enough to pelt at the selectors. How could they leave out such a talent? They never did again and, seven years later, he had guided England to ODI and T20I World Cup wins.There is an argument to be made that Stokes’ experience on the fringes of the Ashes tour in 2017-18 might have been the most formative. The incident in Bristol that led to his ECB suspension that winter was itself a major blot on his character. But his experience of watching on from afar, powerless, as Joe Root’s first Ashes as captain unravelled was arguably the sharpest tool to have moulded the Stokes we see today. In his absence, the rest of the team caught the stray bullets; labelled a boozy team, even thuggish. Jonny Bairstow’s greeting of Cameron Bancroft – exaggerated as a “headbutt” – triggered umpteen headlines and a midnight curfew that exists to this day.A few weeks later, Ben Duckett was reprimanded for pouring a drink on James Anderson, who had already poured one on himself. Enough time has since passed for Duckett that, for old time’s sake, he even had designs on going back to the venue – The Avenue – while in Perth, only to find it had closed down. By contrast, Stokes refused to engage at all when the subject of that tour was brought up in a UK-only briefing at the team hotel earlier this week.Stokes recorded his maiden Test century on his last Ashes visit to Perth in 2013-14•Getty ImagesWhat is certain is that that absence partially motivated his late availability four years later. The determination to not let down his teammates, to fight with and for his best mate Root, and not shirk the flagellation that comes with a bruising Ashes defeat.Call it penance, call it contrition – but it was not wasted. From those depths, Stokes took stock. And when he was eventually handed the keys to English cricket in April 2022, had a plan that has, so far, taken him to 22 wins in 36 Tests as full-time captain.”I think what we’ve done over the last couple of years in particular is, we’ve made a team and a squad that have been able to gel together,” Stokes said.

This is the best version of Stokes to have made it to Australia. By extension, the team created in his image has a shot

“One big thing me and Baz [McCullum] firmly believe in is, if you create a tight-knit group, not only on the field, but off the field, then you create an environment where people are enjoying themselves away from the field, as well as on the field, because that’s just going to help team morale.”Beyond the talent, including the fastest pace attack they have ever taken to Australia, is the camaraderie that shines through. A greater togetherness has been married with the need for a more empathetic environment. When Stokes took over, the Test shirt was a heavy burden. Now, it is encouraged to be donned as a cape. His inkling three years ago that he needed to surround himself with “10 selfless cricketers” was sound, though perhaps a bit of an under-estimation. Those not part of the 12-man squad announced on Wednesday have been doubling as coaches; Matthew Potts spent yesterday hitting catches to England’s deep fielders, while Jacob Bethell – a left-handed thrower – was dog-sticking to batters on Thursday afternoon as they prepared for the challenge of facing Mitchell Starc.Joe Root struggled in Stokes’ absence on the 2017-18 tour, his first as captain•AFP”They’ve all proven themselves on the biggest stage that they can win games of cricket for England,” Stokes said of those now by his side. “They can change a game in a blink of an eye. In terms of telling them what to do cricket-wise … nothing. Just keep going out and doing what you’ve been doing, because it’s been pretty good since you’ve been going.”Much has been made of whether this is the best chance England have had in Australia since 2010-11. Their expectations in 2013-14 were arguably even higher, given that that tour featured many of the protagonists from the previous visit, and came off the back of England’s 3-0 Ashes win on home soil earlier that year. But then they were blindsided by Mitchell Johnson, and the rest was history.What is certain is this is the best version of Stokes to have made it to Australia. By extension, the team created in his image has a shot.Are they good enough to beat this Australia side? We do not have to wait long to find out. From Friday onwards, over the next six weeks in five different cities, we will finally be granted an answer. What we do know for certain is whichever way it goes, the players will not let each other down.

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