Manchester United have endured a superb upturn in form over the last couple of weeks, with the squad now finally reaping the rewards of the faith shown in the manager.

Ruben Amorim was a man under pressure a couple of months ago, especially after the Red Devils endured yet another dismal start to a Premier League campaign.

The 40-year-old has since led the first-team squad to five games unbeaten in England’s top-flight – a run which is undoubtedly the best during his 12-month spell at Old Trafford.

Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur showcased their ability to bounce back from losing positions – something which may have been difficult in 2024/25.

There’s little disputing that the club are certainly on the up under Amorim’s guidance, but his side could be further improved during the upcoming January transfer window.

Man Utd’s hunt for new additions in January

Over the last couple of weeks, United have been one of the sides touted with a move to land Palmeiras centre forward Vitor Roque after his impressive form in 2025.

The Brazilian youngster has scored 16 times in his 30 league appearances this calendar year, currently sitting as the division’s second top scorer at present.

His form has led to links to the Red Devils, but it would be yet another expensive addition, with the Serie A outfit currently demanding a fee in the region of £42m for his signature.

In terms of big-money additions, the Red Devils have also been touted with another move for Elliot Anderson after his incredible rise at Nottingham Forest this campaign.

According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, United have already made contact with the Reds over a deal for the central midfielder, who’s also become an England international regular in recent months.

However, the journalist has also confirmed that any deal would set the hierarchy back upwards of £100m-£120m this January – a deal that would break the club record fee paid for Paul Pogba back in 2016.

Why Anderson would finally get Sesko firing

During their £200m spending spree in the summer, the United hierarchy forked out a fee in the region of £74m for the signature of Benjamin Sesko from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.

Given the magnitude of such a fee, real expectations were placed on the Slovenian to provide the goods and lead the line for Amorim’s men in 2025/26.

However, his time at Old Trafford to date has been a huge disappointment, with the 22-year-old only finding the net twice in his first 11 Premier League outings for the Red Devils.

Sesko is currently four games without a goal in England’s top-flight, even being dropped to the substitutes bench and limited to just half an hour in the draw against Spurs.

He will no doubt need time to settle into life in England’s top-flight, but he could be aided in his attempts for success at Old Trafford should the board secure the services of Anderson this winter.

It would no doubt be a mammoth investment if they were to land the 23-year-old, but such a move would provide Sesko with the ammunition he needs to thrive in front of goal.

Anderson, who’s been dubbed “sensational” by Matt Forde, has completed 1.3 take-ons per 90 – ranking him in the top 3% of all midfielders in the division at present.

Elliot Anderson – PL stats (25/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

11

Goals & assists

2

Pass accuracy

83%

Progressive passes

8.8

Passes into final third

8.6

Take-ons completed

1.3

Ball recoveries

8.5

Tackles made

2.6

Duels won

7.7

Stats via FBref

The aforementioned tally showcases his ability to get the ball into attacking areas, which could provide the forwards ahead of him with the chances they need to impress.

He’s also 8.6 passes into the final third per 90 – with such a tally the highest of any player in the Premier League this season, highlighting his talents with the ball at his feet.

Other figures, such as 8.8 progressive passes and 1.4 key passes per 90, further demonstrate his talents at finding a teammate – with such numbers perfectly falling into the hands of Sesko.

The prospect of Anderson linking up with Bruno Fernandes is truly an exciting one, with the United fans potentially blessed with one of the best duos in the league.

If the youngster can replicate such numbers, there’s no reason why he can’t help Sesko finally kickstart his career in England – even if a deal would cost the hierarchy a club-record fee.

Related Man Utd "monster" is fast becoming their new Vidic and it's not De Ligt

Ruben Amorim may have uncovered Manchester United’s new Nemanja Vidic.

Posts 1 ByJoe Nuttall Nov 11, 2025

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted after his team's north London derby win over Tottenham that he prevented Leandro Trossard from leaving the club in the summer transfer window. Trossard was linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium as the Gunners invested heavily in their squad, but Arteta did not want him to depart. The Belgium international has been in good form so far in the 2025-26 season and shone again in the win over Spurs.

• Eze and Trossard down Spurs

  Trossard opened the scoring for Arsenal against Tottenham in the 36th minute on Sunday at the Emirates before Eberechi Eze bagged a hat-trick to complete a 4-1 win. The victory moves Arsenal six points clear of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table as Arteta's men aim to end their long wait for the title. Eze was one of a host of big-name signings at Arsenal this summer, with the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke also arriving, leading to speculation Trossard could move on. Bayern Munich, Fenerbahce and Besiktas were just some of the clubs believed to be interested in Trossard, however, the 30-year-old ended up staying and has even been rewarded with a pay increase and a new contract that runs until 2027.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Arteta refused to let Trossard go

  The Arsenal manager spoke about the situation after the game at the Emirates and admitted there was "no chance" he would have sanctioned an exit for Trossard. He told reporters: "For me it was forbidden for him to leave. No chance. I know the player that he is, and surrounded with the players that we have, he's a player that is going to make a difference for us. I fully agree. It was one of the best games, so aggressive with and without the ball, so effective, he could have scored another one or two goals, and he was involved in so many positive actions. So that's what we need. As I said, I think individually the players were excellent today."

• Trossard enjoys 'perfect night' against Spurs

  Trossard could not hide his delight after victory over Spurs and admitted it was a perfect day for the Gunners. He told the club's media: "I enjoyed that a lot! I think it was important to get that goal. After that it gave us the edge to go on and score more goals, to create chances. I think we were dominant before, but obviously that gives you that extra bit of confidence to go and win the game. It was a perfect night for us. It was a really good game overall in every aspect, from defence to attack. We're really happy with all the goals we scored as well.

  "It was just joy. Everyone was cheering, there's not much to say about it. That's what we really wanted and it's nice that we could give this back to the fans. The atmosphere was amazing, it was so good, they pushed us forward as well. So yeah, it's a really good night today.”

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• Arsenal unbeaten when Trossard scores

  Trossard's goal continued an incredible record for the Belgian for Arsenal. The 30-year-old has now scored 32 goals for Arsenal and has never been on the losing side when he has found the back of the net for the Gunners. Arsenal have won 24 and drawn eight of the games in which Trossard has struck since his arrival at the club from Brighton in 2023.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após a vitória sobre o Guarani, o presidente do Corinthians, Augusto Melo, esclareceu a situação envolvendo a saída de Lucas Veríssimo, que estava cedido pelo Benfica, e vai atuar no Al-Duhail, do Qatar.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

O dirigente do Timão deixou no ar uma possível falta de ética de Lucas Veríssimo e seu empresário, Paulo Pitombeira, durante as negociações. O zagueiro tinha em mãos o contrato do clube paulista para permanecer em definitivo, mas acabou não assinando o vínculo.

– Pode ser que erramos ao não esperar ter assinado o contrato, mas a nossa relação com o Benfica é tão boa, temos um crédito lá, estava certo. Eles propuseram o valor e nós aceitamos. Deu um problema em uma cláusula, voltou, arrumamos e faltava o atleta assinar, só que enrolaram dez dias – disse Augusto na zona mista.

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Augusto Melo foi firme e negou que a falta de um executivo de futebol atrapalhou o Corinthians para fechar o negócio com Veríssimo. O presidente também afirmou que não irá cobrir a oferta do Al-Duhail, na casa de 9 milhões de euros.

– Tentamos consertar um contrato da gestão passada. Se quiser, o atleta vem com passe estipulado. Corinthians não vem mais como trampolim. Ele ficou enrolando para assinar. Independente de executivo, não foi uma falha nossa. Não teve ingenuidade Posso cobrir, o atleta tem contrato até junho, está na lista do Paulistão. Olha o problema que nos causaram, perdemos uma vaga. 9 milhões e o dobro do salário, não vou cobrir – declarou o mandatário.

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➡️ Veja os grupos e datas dos confrontos no Paulistão

O Corinthians volta a campo na quarta-feira (24), contra o Ituano, pela segunda rodada do Paulistão.

Abject. It is, painfully, an accurate way of summing up Liverpool’s form this season. The Premier League champions will not retain their belt, not like this, not with such deep tactical cracks and incoherent players and non-existent belief in Arne Slot’s plan.

The most concerning part of the recent 3-0 defeat in Manchester against Pep Guardiola’s resurgent outfit is that Liverpool were outplayed across the park. Be it physical, mental or tactical metrics, Manchester City shone, and the Reds were blinded by their opponent’s superiority.

Jeremy Doku stood out, darting this way and that, scoring a stunning goal in the second half after breaking away from Ibrahima Konate. The Belgian winger completed seven of eight dribble attempts and created three chances, as per Sofascore.

Liverpool have got so many problems, and the recent wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid provided only the veneer of a revival as City hit the Merseside club with a sobering reality check.

Among Slot’s biggest concerns is the enduring slump of Mohamed Salah. For so many years, the Egyptian has been an unstoppable force for Liverpool, but, aged 33 and at the front of a sinking ship, he is struggling to recover more than a flicker of his former greatness.

Mohamed Salah is becoming a problem

Will we see the best of Salah in a Liverpool shirt again? There’s every chance that the right winger expended incredible amounts of mental and physical energy driving his club to the league title last season, and across all competitions, he scored 34 goals and supplied 23 assists.

Almost three months into the new campaign, Slot’s second in the dugout, Salah has recorded eight goal involvements, but his general play and the accuracy of his shooting have paled in comparison to the many years behind him. Salah is not himself.

This is a worry, to be sure. Not just because Liverpool are playing without their talisman in his groove, but because Slot has shown a hesitance toward unleashing Federico Chiesa right from the start of last season, and that doesn’t look like it’s going to change any time soon.

How much longer can it go on like this? Man City reduced Liverpool’s superstar to half-chances and a role within the defensive press. How many times has Salah picked Pep apart? How often has he been the leading light against this arch-rival of modern times?

Premier League

19

9 (6)

Champions League

2

2 (1)

Community Shield

2

1 (1)

FA Cup

2

0 (0)

Carabao Cup

1

1 (0)

There is, of course, the caveat to all this that Salah would be far better placed in a system of greater fluency. This has been anything but the case for the Anfield side this season.

But Father Time is not on the Premier League legend’s side, and, having penned a new two-year extension worth £400k per week in April, Salah has around 18 months to show that FSG have received more than bang for their buck one final time.

But there’s a very real possibility that Salah is past his prime, and that Liverpool need to find a successor.

An onerous task if ever there was one. However, Liverpool actually have a Kirkby prospect who has what it takes to swipe the icon’s shirt.

The Liverpool teen who can take Salah's #11

Slot needs to find a solution to Liverpool’s current woes, but let’s all take a breather, just for a moment. Liverpool have so much talent. Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz will come good. But, more excitingly, there’s a wealth of teenage talent soon to be at Slot’s disposal, with one prospect a cut above the rest.

Rio Ngumoha knew he was headed to the upper crust of the Premier League, and a youth system that has shown itself since Jurgen Klopp came along to be a hothouse for those immensely gifted young stars.

Chelsea’s loss was Liverpool’s gain. Ngumoha was poached from Cobham in 2024 and made his professional debut against Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup midway through his maiden year on Merseyside.

A left-sided winger with incredible speed and dribbling, the 17-year-old Ngumoha has the potential to become a superstar at Liverpool, with his physical, athletic and fierce playing style offering shades of that man Doku, Anfield villain last weekend.

You could say Ngumoha is preternaturally talented. After all, journalist Kieran Gill is among those to have singled him out as a “generational talent”, and he certainly illustrated his potential with an incredible strike on his Premier League debut, netting the winner against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park in August.

Since then, he has featured sporadically for the Redmen, playing seven games in all competitions but only starting in the Carabao Cup, among that youthful group who were brushed aside by Crystal Palace last month.

Ngumoha’s time will come. He is so fast, so sure of himself when on the ball. He is among the youngest goalscorers in Premier League history, and that goal is sure to be the first of many.

1

James Vaughan

16 yrs, 8 months, 27 days

2

James Milner

16 yrs, 11 months, 22 days

3

Wayne Rooney

16 yrs, 11 months, 25 days

4

Rio Ngumoha

16 yrs, 11 months, 26 days

5

Cesc Fabregas

17 yrs, 3 months, 21 days

Time must be afforded to one so young. Take Doku. Criticised often at Man City for being endowed with such ferocity and fleet-footedness, but lacking end product and elite decision-making.

Doku is only 23, and his performance against Slot’s beleaguered lot last weekend was the display of a winger reaching new levels of maturity and technical understanding.

Ngumoha will only get better and better as the years go on, and while he can contribute this season, these foundational years could see him bloom at the end of next term, when Salah supposedly leaves, and he could take his shirt, stepping up as Liverpool’s new wide talisman.

Can Nghumoha reach those heights, take that #11 from Salah himself? You’ll have to stay tuned. But Ngumoha will make it easy to do that. Watching him play football is a treat, and he has the capacity to not just emulate a stylistic peer like Doku but become one of the very best in world football.

More than Wirtz: £36m Liverpool star is becoming a "serious issue" for Slot

Liverpool were condemned to a fifth defeat in six Premier League matches at the Etihad.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 10, 2025

Trinity Rodman has received a contract offer from DC Power of the Gainbridge Super League that reportedly exceeds what the Washington Spirit or the NWSL can match. The U.S. forward’s contract with the Spirit expires next month, and negotiations over an extension have stalled. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman has stressed her league will fight to keep the American star.

ImagnSubstantial contract offer

Multiple outlets report that Rodman’s representatives have spoken directly with Berman while also holding discussions with European clubs. According to , they are evaluating an offer from DC Power that exceeds what the Spirit can provide under the league’s salary cap. Negotiations have reached an impasse because NWSL teams are unable to match offers from clubs operating outside the cap structure.

Berman stressed in her NWSL Final presser on Thursday that the league hopes to retain the star forward. 

"We want Trinity in the NWSL, and we will fight for her," she said. 

Rodman has more than delivered during her time in NWSL, scoring 23 goals. The 23-year-old is also reportedly drawing interest from European clubs. 

AdvertisementImagnSalary cap debate intensifies amid competition

The situation highlights a key structural difference between the two leagues. The Super League, sanctioned as a Division I competition and operated by the USL, does not use a salary cap or player draft, giving clubs full control over roster building and allowing all players to become free agents when their contracts expire.

That stands in contrast with the NWSL’s hard salary cap – set at $3.3 million per team for 2026 and not expected to reach $5 million until 2030 under the current CBA – which limits how much clubs can offer in contract negotiations. Berman defended the NWSL's use of a salary cap and pointed to the league's growth in its current number. 

"The NWSL has raised the salary cap tremendously in the last four seasons, almost quadrupled in the last four years," she said. 

ImagnRodman decision represents watershed moment

The outcome of Rodman’s contract negotiations is expected to influence future deals for top American players. In recent years, several high-profile U.S. players have moved abroad – including Alyssa Thompson to Chelsea, as well as Naomi Girma and Lindsey Horan – and Rodman now represents one of the most closely watched cases.

Unlike those players, Rodman has a domestic alternative capable of outbidding her current league. The Spirit and DC Power share facilities owned by D.C. United, and the Power also share ownership ties with the MLS club, creating an unusual scenario in which Rodman could remain in the same market while moving to a different league.

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Getty Images SportChampionship match outcome precedes decisive offseason

Rodman will first focus on leading the Washington Spirit in Saturday's NWSL Championship in San Jose before making any decisions about her future. 

Razzak collected his nomination papers to stand as a director candidate from the Khulna division on October 6

Mohammad Isam27-Sep-2025Former left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak has resigned as a Bangladesh national selector after deciding to contest in the upcoming BCB elections. Razzak, 43, collected his nomination papers to stand as a director candidate from the Khulna division on October 6.Razzak played 13 Tests, 153 ODIs and 34 T20Is for Bangladesh, and remains the third-highest wicket-taker for his country in ODIs. He is one of 61 nominations for the 23 directors’ position that will be contested in the upcoming BCB elections.The general members body, known as the councillors, will elect 23 of the 25 board directors, and the BCB president will be elected from that pool of 25 to serve a four-year term. The most prominent candidates are the incumbent BCB chief Aminul Islam and Tamim Iqbal, who have both announced that they will contest for the board president.”I had the honour of playing for the national team for 14 years and the privilege of serving as a national selector for over four years,” Razzak, who has been a selector for the Bangladesh men’s team since 2021, said in a statement. “I believe the time has come for me to step down from this position to explore the possibilities of contributing to the game that has given me so much, on a larger scale if the opportunity presents itself. I feel this is the right thing to do.”Following Hannan Sarkar’s resignation in February last year, Razzak was one of two members in the selection panel alongside chief Gazi Ashraf Hossain.Reflecting on Razzak’s tenure as a selector, Ashraf praised his colleague. “He was an invaluable member of the panel and brought his undoubted experience and vision to the selection process,” Ashraf said. “We thank him for his contribution and wish him the very best for the future, which we hope will remain closely connected with Bangladesh cricket.”

Bangladesh succumbed to the pressure of a high-stakes game, losing their way in a chase of only 136

Deivarayan Muthu25-Sep-20253:15

Why do Bangladesh struggle in pressure situations?

It has taken more than 40 years but we finally have it: an India-Pakistan Asia Cup final. Pakistan scrapped their way into the title clash after defending 135 against Bangladesh in Dubai.After Shaheen Shah Afridi struck twice in three powerplay overs, Pakistan’s spinners tightened the screws, finding sharp turn and grip. After bagging his fourth duck in six innings in the Asia Cup, Saim Ayub produced a double-strike and ensured Bangladesh’s batting spiralled out of control.It was one of those bizarre games where the team that hit more sixes ended up losing. Pakistan had managed just five sixes and Bangladesh had matched that tally by the tenth over of the chase. They eventually finished with seven sixes but as they searched for more on a pitch that perhaps wasn’t conducive to that style, they kept holing out.Pakistan’s batters had suffered a similar meltdown earlier in the day, but Mohammad Haris and Mohammad Nawaz did enough to drag them to 135 on a used surface, a total that at the end of the day was enough by 11 runs.Pakistan’s go-slowTaskin Ahmed, rested for Wednesday’s game against India, hit the ground running by dismissing the in-form Sahibzada Farhan for 4. He became the third Bangladesh player after Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman, to 100 T20I wickets.In the next over, offspinner Mahedi Hasan had Ayub flapping a catch to mid-on for a three-ball duck – his fourth duck in six innings in the Asia Cup and ninth in 45 T20I innings. Only Umar Akmal (ten in 79 T20I innings) has bagged more for Pakistan.Fakhar Zaman was also going nowhere, managing only 12 off 18 balls in a powerplay that saw Pakistan score only 27. Only Hong Kong had scored fewer runs in a powerplay in this Asia Cup.After taking the catches of Farhan and Ayub, wristspinner Rishad Hossain dismissed Fakhar (13 off 20 balls) and Hussain Talat (3 off 7) in successive overs. When Mustafizur had captain Salman Agha inside-edging behind with his trademark offcutter, Pakistan were 49 for 5 in the 11th over.2:24

Aaron: Pakistan found right ‘mixture of calm and emotion’

Haris, Nawaz bail Pakistan outThe first six of Pakistan’s innings came in the 13th over when Afridi launched Tanzim Hasan Sakib into the top tier over midwicket. In the next over, he hit Taskin for another six before miscuing a full-toss to the keeper. After being dropped on 1 and 3, Afridi got to 19 off 13 balls.Nawaz could have been dismissed on 0 had Parvez Hossain not dropped a regulation catch. He went on to make 25 off 15 balls. Haris also played his part, taking on both Rishad and Mustafizur during his 31 off 23 balls. Pakistan crashed 80 runs in their last eight overs.Bangladesh fade away in chaseWhile Afridi was on the money with the new ball at one end – his powerplay figures read 3-0-11-2, including a customary first-over strike – Bangladesh went after the bowlers at the other end. When Faheem Ashraf erred too full, Saif Hassan pounded him over mid-on for six. In the next over, he picked Haris Rauf away for a six and a four. In his next over, however, Rauf bounced back to draw a leading edge from Saif, which was grasped by Ayub at point.Nurul Hasan then started with a first-ball six, though off a top edge, but Bangladesh couldn’t sustain their hitting and kept finding the boundary riders. Shamim Hossain, who top-scored for Bangladesh with 30 off 25 balls, was their only batter to pass 20.Bangladesh’s slim hopes faded away when Afridi returned with the old ball and had Shamim caught by Talat, who was not needed with the ball on the day. Bangladesh were missing their regular captain and key batter Litton Das who was on the sidelines for a second successive game with a side strain. Jaker Ali, the stand-in captain, was among a long list of batters who holed out while attempting to clear the boundary.Pakistan had an injury scare when Rauf collapsed in his follow-through in the 18th over, but he continued to bowl, finishing off his spell, and locked in an India-Pakistan final on Sunday.

Harold “Dickie” Bird, one of the most beloved umpires in cricket’s history, has died at the age of 92.Bird, who officiated in 66 Tests and 69 ODIs, including three World Cup finals, was synonymous with his home county Yorkshire, for who he began his career as a top-order batter in 1956, and later went on to serve as Yorkshire president in 2014.He averaged 20.71 in 93 first-class matches, making two centuries including a best of 181 not out against Glamorgan in 1959. But when, after moving to Leicestershire in 1960, his career was cut short by injury four years later, his switch to umpiring would set him on the path to becoming a household name.Bird’s idiosyncrasies would become part of his appeal, including his famously anxious attitude to timekeeping. Having made his umpiring debut in May 1970, he travelled to London for his second match – Surrey versus Yorkshire at The Oval – arrived at 6am for an 11am start, and was caught by a policeman attempting to scale the wall of the still-locked ground.As an umpire, he was famously reluctant to raise his finger for lbw appeals – several of his decisions would have been quickly over-turned in the age of DRS. In mitigation, he was at least consistent in offering the benefit of the doubt to batters … with one possible exception. On the morning of his final Test, England versus India at Lord’s, he arrived in the middle with tears in his eyes after a guard of honour from the players. And duly gave Mike Atherton out lbw in the first over of the match.Other memorable moments included his decision, during the West Indies Test at Old Trafford in 1995, to call a halt to play for an excess of sunlight, which had been reflecting off a greenhouse behind the bowler’s arm. In that same fixture, as related by Atherton in his autobiography, Bird dropped the pocket-ful of marbles that he used to count the deliveries in an over.”Play was halted momentarily while Dickie scrambled around on his hands and knees looking for his counters,” Atherton wrote. “‘I’ve lost me marbles! I’ve lost me marbles! He cried. Most of us thought he had lost his marbles a long time ago.”He was frequently the victim of practical jokes – particularly at the hands of Ian Botham and Allan Lamb. On one occasion, Lamb arrived at the middle with his 1980s brick-style mobile phone still in his pocket. Bird duly stashed it in his coat, whereupon Botham rang the device from the dressing-room, telling a startled Bird to pass on a message for his team-mate to get a move on.Bird himself had believed his likeliest route to sporting success was football, although as he related in his autobiography, a cartilage operation on his knee at the age of 15 put paid to that ambition. Instead, he became a fixture in Barnsley’s 1st XI cricket team, where his team-mates included Michael Parkinson – who would later become a world-renowned chat-show host – and later, Geoffrey Boycott.”I have known Dickie nearly 70 years as a friend,” Boycott wrote in his tribute to Bird. “When I was 15 I was taken to Barnsley Cricket Club by my Uncle Algy. I was in awe of him because every week Dickie was the star batsman.”Boycott added that Bird was a “very good technical batsman” but added that “nerves got the better of him” during his Yorkshire career. As an umpire, however, he described him as “absolutely brilliant”.”Players all over the world respected and admired him for his firmness, fairness, and he did it with a sense of humour. He was loved by so many and became a legend.”In 2009, Bird was honoured with a bronze statue on Barnsley’s Church Lane, set in his familiar umpiring pose with one finger raised. The council was soon obliged to place it on a higher plinth than had been intended, due to the public’s temptation to hang objects on said finger.He was appointed an MBE in 1986 and an OBE in 2012 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to cricket, having stood in his last first-class match in 1998, Yorkshire versus Warwickshire at Headingley.In a statement, Yorkshire confirmed that he had died peacefully at home”He leaves behind a legacy of sportsmanship, humility, and joy — and a legion of admirers across generations,” Yorkshire added.”The thoughts of everyone at the Yorkshire County Cricket Club are with Dickie’s family and friends during this time. He will be truly missed by all at the Club having spent an incredible amount of time in support of everyone here and will be remembered as one the greatest characters in Yorkshire’s history.”

Aston Villa have now registered their interest in signing Everton’s James Garner, amid a new update on the midfielder’s future on Merseyside.

Villa are very much back on track in the Premier League, signing off before the international break with a 4-0 battering of AFC Bournemouth, courtesy of goals from Emi Buendia, Amadou Onana, Ross Barkley and Donyell Malen.

However, one of Unai Emery’s more recent signings was once again absent from the match-day squad entirely, namely Harvey Elliott, who has been frozen out after seemingly failing to impress his manager since arriving on an initial loan from Liverpool in the summer.

There have been widespread reports suggesting Emery didn’t actually want to sign Elliott in the first place, and would’ve preferred to have brought in Lucas Paqueta or Marco Asensio, casting the Englishman’s future into further doubt.

Villa will only be required to sign the attacking midfielder on a permanent basis if he makes ten appearances this season, but having fallen out of favour, it is currently difficult to see a way back.

Aston Villa register interest in signing James Garner

Emery clearly has serious reservations about Elliott, but it has now been revealed that Aston Villa want to bring in another new English midfielder, having made contact by registering their interest in signing Everton’s Garner, according to a report from Football Insider.

The Villans have joined Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest in the race for the central midfielder’s signature, with the latter club making an approach of their own, meaning there could be stiff competition.

The 24-year-old’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, so his future at Everton is now ‘up in the air’, although the Merseyside club do retain an option to trigger a one-year contract extension.

The Englishman, who scored his first Everton goal at Villa Park in the EFL Cup back in 2023, has been a key player for David Moyes’ side this season, starting all 11 Premier League matches and putting in a particularly impressive performance against Crystal Palace.

Hailed as “phenomenal” by Trevor Sinclair, the 18-time England U21 international has also displayed his versatility by slotting in at right-back and left-back this season, putting in a solid display against Villa in the 0-0 draw back in September, which earned a 7.9 SofaScore match rating, the highest of any player.

James Garner’s statistics against Aston Villa

Number completed

Tackles

4

Duels won

6 (6)

Big chances created

2

As such, Garner could be a shrewd signing for Aston Villa, who should look to capitalise on the midfielder’s contract situation and get a deal done this winter.

Aston Villa chasing another midfielder to partner Boubacar Kamara Aston Villa chiefs convinced £31m sensation would be Kamara's perfect midfield partner

The Villans are fighting with some of Europe’s heavyweights to secure his signature.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 15, 2025

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank privately doesn’t rate two of his Spurs players and a January exit could be on the cards for at least one of them, according to a new report.

Spurs played out a dramatic 2-2 draw at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at lunchtime on Saturday, and the match brought with it a reoccurring theme of their season.

The Lilywhites seriously lacked creativity for large portions of the 90 minutes and were even booed off at half-time after United star Bryan Mbeumo handed the visitors a pretty deserved lead. Djed Spence’s “lackadaisical” defending in the build up to their opener, and Pape Sarr’s questionable decision not to clear, were key in handing Ruben Amorim’s side the early advantage.

Frank’s side had chances, testing Senne Lammens after the restart, particularly Cristian Romero from close range, but it looked more than likely the Red Devils would see out a fairly comfortable 1-0 win in the capital at one stage.

However, Frank’s substitutions were on hand to very nearly clinch a last-gasp three points and turn the game on its head.

Mathys Tel fed off Destiny Udogie’s sharp pass into the box to swivel and blast a deflected effort past Lammens, levelling the score and sparking real hope they could actually win the game.

Just minutes later, fellow sub Wilson Odobert set up Richarlison, who guided a deft header into the bottom corner to make it 2-1, with the Brazilian taking his shirt off and celebrating in raptures as the stadium went wild.

Spurs were suddenly on the verge of what looked like a very unlikely win and their first at home since the opening Premier League weekend, but their hearts were broken deep into added time when United defender Matthijs de Ligt equalised from a set piece.

For Frank, their home woes continue, having won just four of their last 20 league games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It doesn’t get any easier for them either, with a North London derby scheduled immediately after the international break and European champions PSG awaiting them in the Champions League just days later.

Off the field, Frank is now getting a good idea of which players he wants to stick with going forward as he continues his slow Tottenham rebuild.

While Richarlison put Spurs 2-1 ahead, you can make a serious case that he was largely ineffective against United, while Dominic Solanke is continuing his slow return to fitness.

Thomas Frank sees Solanke and Richarlison as "expendable" Tottenham players

In the build up to January, Tottenham have reportedly been exploring the possibility of signing a more impactful striker, and Al-Ahli star Ivan Toney is Frank’s “preferred” option.

That is according to Football Insider and journalist Wayne Veysey, who also reports that Frank views both Solanke and Richarlison as “expendable” Tottenham players.

Veysey adds that one of the duo could be sold to raise funds and make room for Toney, and it’ll likely be the latter.

Richarlison, whose contract expires in 2027, has been repeatedly linked with a Spurs exit in recent months and his form has been criticised — meaning that the 28-year-old may well be sacrificed as Frank eyes a reunion with Toney at N17.

Toney has been free scoring in Saudi Arabia since joining Al-Ahli last year, bagging 41 strikes in 59 total appearances, but his place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad is far from certain.

The former Brentford star, bar one call-up last summer, has been excluded from the Three Lions set up and a loan move back to the Premier League could be the answer ahead of next summer’s World Cup.

Frank, meanwhile, has made no secret of his admiration for the number nine, once joking that he’s worth ‘£100 million-plus’.