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Newcastle United haven’t gotten going this season, not in the Premier League.

The form on the road is becoming a real concern for Eddie Howe’s side, whose victories this season have been limited to St. James’ Park, and who have lost four on the bounce when detached from that vociferous home support.

Change is needed, and while the turbulence of the summer transfer window has made a transitional period inevitable, it’s clear there are some on Tyneside who must be shipped out for the sake of tactical continuity.

The endangered Newcastle stars

Newcastle are struggling this season, and no mistake. However, Howe has transformed this club in the years since his arrival, and he must be afforded ample time to sort things out.

However, this might mean that several stars need to be shipped out next year, with a stagnancy crawling across the squad’s fabric this season.

Sven Botman was all over the place as United slumped to defeat at Brentford last weekend, but there is surely hope that the 25-year-old, who has endured a series of injury-riddled years, will recover his once imperious Premier League form.

He’s not been helped by the widemen; Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn are limited as a full-back pairing. The veterans do combine, after all, for an age of 68, and the lack of dynamism and width and energy has impeded the Magpies.

Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga, for example, have neither scored nor assisted in the Premier League this term, and likely cannot wait for the return of Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento as a duo.

How Howe approaches 2026, the January transfer window and the summer market after that, is anyone’s guess, but it’s clear changes are needed. And one of these changes will sting the Tyneside crowds, but sadly, this Newcastle mainstay is no longer at his best and is a clear weak link in the middle of the park, showing certain shades of Moussa Sissoko long before him.

Newcastle's new Moussa Sissoko

Sissoko is something of a cult hero on Tyneside. The versatile French midfielder played 133 matches between 2013 and 2016, so tenacious and powerful from the centre of the park or out at right midfield.

Now 36 and playing for Watford in the Championship, Sissoko has not played in black and white for a long time, leaving for Tottenham in a £30m deal in 2016, but the case of Joelinton is throwing certain similarities toward the spotlight.

Joelinton, 29, arrived in England but lacked the composure and finishing skills to succeed. He looked to be drifting toward anonymity before being refashioned into a robust midfielder.

It’s delightful to see the Brazil international hailed as a “club legend” by content creator Adam Pearson, having featured 236 times across all competitions and played a defining role in lifting the Carabao Cup last year.

But his performances this season have left much to be desired, and United blogger Thomas Hammond has even suggested that this is “the start of the end” for the stalwart, who isn’t as sharp in his defensive duties as before; neither has he looked that effective in attack.

Sissoko was younger when leaving United for Spurs, but he too was inconsistent during that final, relegation-condemned campaign.

Joelinton has run himself into the ground over recent years, and now it might be time for Newcastle to cash in while they can and replace him with a fresher midfield cog to complement Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.

For Joelinton to have been one of Howe’s mainstays at this golden age at Newcastle bears testament to his unwavering belief and drive.

But he can only drive forward for so long and it might be nearing the time to part ways with this all-action star and turn the page toward the new chapter.

They lost the ball 37 times: Newcastle duo must never start together again

Eddie Howe must never play this Newcastle United duo together again when Premier League action resumes.

1

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 11, 2025

Newcastle United fans have felt equal levels of excitement and bewilderment at how their up-and-down team has fared so far this season.

In the Champions League, the Toon have looked energetic and vibrant, with eight goals coming their way across two wins in the illustrious competition.

Yet, back in the big time of the Premier League, Newcastle have looked lost and lethargic, instead of potential world-beaters, with a 3-1 defeat at the hands of a relegation-threatened West Ham last time out, seeing the Magpies sink to new lows.

Unfortunately, many of the old guard Eddie Howe has favoured since taking on the Newcastle job post are beginning to show very visible signs of decay, with Dan Burn a declining presence who is hard to defend at this point, heading into the Toon’s latest European clash with Athletic Club.

Burn's decline at Newcastle

Before delving further into the number 33’s out-of-sorts form in the here and now, it should be said that Burn is definitely viewed as a modern-day hero at St James’ Park.

After all, the 6-foot-7 colossus was the man who headed home the all-important opener earlier this year to help Newcastle triumphantly lift the EFL Cup, as Howe continues to regularly wax lyrical about how “incredible” a servant the Blyth-born defender has been over the years on Tyneside.

But, Burn could now be overstaying his welcome, with the likes of Malick Thiaw – who joined in the summer from AC Milan – a shinier new model who will stay in the heart of Newcastle defence, you imagine, for the foreseeable future.

With Sven Botman rock-solid, too, as his consistent centre-back partner, Burn has had to make do with minutes as a makeshift left-back as of late, with the position not playing to his commanding strengths whatsoever.

Away at West Ham, Burn failed to register a single successful dribble, which then limited Newcastle’s attacking options down the left flank, with the 33-year-old also giving possession away a high 14 times.

With Lewis Hall edging back to full fitness, he could be in for a starting space against Ernesto Valverde’s challengers in midweek as Burn is perhaps given a rest after a shaky couple of games in a row.

Howe will also have to push his sentiment to one side, again, with another possible alteration on Wednesday.

Newcastle star who's "nowhere near his best" faces the chop

Thankfully, some of the 47-year-old’s long-standing servants continue to excel, so deep into their stays in the North.

Bruno Guimaraes – who has lined up for 168 games under Howe to date – finds himself three goals down this season in the Premier League already, which has led to pundit Michael Carrick hailing him as the club’s ever-dependable “talisman.”

But, his fellow compatriot and midfield partner Joelinton isn’t receiving similar praise right now, despite boasting a colossal 143 games under Howe’s management.

Indeed, Joelinton – much like Burn – will be viewed as a modern-great amongst the hardened St James’ Park masses long after he departs the building, with teammate Kieran Trippier branding him as a “machine” when he’s at his high-octane peak.

With 31 goals and 21 assists up his sleeve too for Newcastle, Joelinton is clearly fondly respected and admired.

But, in the words of journalist Mark Douglas in mid-October, he has been “nowhere near his best” in recent times, as Newcastle continue to struggle to spark into life in the Premier League this season.

Only a sorry two strikes have come Joelinton’s way this season, with both of those efforts coming against lowly Bradford City in EFL Cup action.

Moreover, the number 7 was one of Newcastle’s worst culprits for looking lethargic against the Hammers, with just three of his seven duels being successfully won, as Lucas Paqueta and Freddie Potts controlled the game from the middle of the park for the hosts instead.

Last time out in Europe’s top competition, both Lewis Miley and Jacob Ramsey were given run-outs in the middle, as Joelinton then came on against Benfica in the latter stages.

A similar refreshed look could be on display against the visitors from Bilbao, with Hall possibly given some crucial minutes back in the first team fold, too, in place of Burn.

Newcastle's £100m star in the making is "all over the place" without Isak

This Newcastle United star is seriously struggling at the moment, having once been touted to be worth £100m.

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 4, 2025

Cristiano Ronaldo is, as a "big icon who loves hair", being tipped to become the A-list barber that eventually gets to give The United Strand a fresh trim. Red Devils fan Frank Ilett has gone viral after vowing not to cut his locks until Ruben Amorim's side have won five games in a row. They recently ticked three of those boxes, but the wait goes on as various names are offered up as potential cutters of what has become rather wild hair.

• When did The United Strand make his pledge?

  Ilett made his pledge back in October 2024, with United preparing to pass managerial reins around that time from Dutch coach Erik ten Hag to Portuguese tactician Ten Hag. They rarely looked like stringing together back-to-back victories, never mind five-in-a-row, when stumbling to a 15th-place finish in the 2024-25 campaign.

  A slow start was made to the current season, leading to more uncomfortable questions being asked of Amorim and his favoured 3-4-3 system, but United did show signs of life when overcoming Sunderland, Liverpool – at Anfield no less – and Brighton. With Ilett starting to get excited, Nottingham Forest held the Red Devils to a 2-2 draw at the City Ground.

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• Ronaldo the barber: Saha floats interesting idea

  The United Strand is back to square one, as his bouffant grows ever larger, with there no end in sight when it comes to a rather questionable challenge. He has, however, become infamous in his own right, with suggestions being made as to who should eventually shear his overgrown locks.

  Ex-United striker Louis Saha has joined that debate, with the Frenchman telling : "There is hope (for The United Strand). That's a funny one to be honest. If you have more pressure with fans who are doing stuff like this, I think it's good.

  "I can see that there is a need for results and to be serious on that point. The consistency is extremely important so the fans have a point here. I think when you look at over the years, the big icons who love doing the hair, there is no bigger name than Cristiano Ronaldo. He should come and shave his new haircut."

• Getty/via @theunitedstrand on Instagram
  

  What about Beckham? Another option for The United Strand

  Ronaldo’s hair has been big business down the years, while the same could once be said about his fellow iconic former United No.7, Sir David Beckham. The ex-England captain, who is now working with Lionel Messi at MLS side Inter Miami, is another to have seen his name added to the pop-up barber pot.

  Former Red Devils winger Nani has told : "If that means that Man Utd is winning, I want him to cut his hair. I believe it's going to happen because of the way we've been playing. I think it’s deserved. Man Utd just need to be very, very disciplined during the next games, staying humble and working hard. It doesn’t need to be 3-0 or 4-0, 1-0 is enough. I think after he cuts his hair then everything will change and we will look forward. I think he’d like a legend to cut his hair and I think David Beckham should do it, he’s had plenty of practice. He'd be perfect!"

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• Man Utd fixtures: Cam Red Devils win five on the bounce?

  One-time United defender Wes Brown has said of Ilett’s long-running escapade: "I like the banter. It’s funny because the other day my daughter showed me. When you’re thinking of five games on the bounce to win it sounds fairly straightforward. That can be done. That’s what I love about the game. Regardless of the results some fun can come from it. But is he going to get it cut? How long does this go on for? How many teams have done five in a row in the league? Even from last season. It’s probably harder than you think. He might have to get it braided."

  United have one more game to take in prior to the November international break, with that contest set to take place at Tottenham on Saturday. Ronaldo has admitted to still keeping an eye on how the Red Devils are faring, claiming that the Premier League giants need a change in “structure” if they are to get themselves back on track and recapture former glories.

Shaheen Shah Afridi is the only specialist fast bowler in the Pakistan XI

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Sep-20252:31

What is Oman’s best chance of challenging Pakistan?

Toss Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first on an exceptionally hot day in Dubai. Every game in the tri-series Pakistan won last week was won by the side setting a target. Salman Agha opted to keep following the pattern that worked for his side in Sharjah.In acknowledgement of the pitch’s partiality to turn, Afridi is the only specialist fast bowler in the Pakistan XI, while both wristspinners Sufiyan Muqeem and Abrar Ahmed play.Oman captain Jatinder Singh said they would have batted first too, and also confirmed they opted to go with a “spin-heavy side”. This is Oman’s first game since February, and the first one since a pay dispute caused turmoil within the group. A large number of mainstays of the Oman side are no longer with the team.This is the first game of the tournament for both sides.Oman 1 Aamir Kaleem, 2 Jatinder Singh (capt), 3 Hammad Mirza, 4 Vinayak Shukla (wk), 5 Hassnain Shah, 6 Shah Faisal, 7 Mohammad Nadeem, 8 Zikria Islam, 9 Sufyan Mehmood, 10 Shakeel Ahmed, 11 Samay ShrivastavaPakistan 1 Sahibzada Farhan, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Fakhar Zaman, 4 Salman Agha (capt), 5 Hasan Nawaz, 6 Mohammad Haris (wk), 7 Mohammad Nawaz, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10 Sufiyan Muqeem, 11 Abrar Ahmed

Callum Wilson insisted that he can force his way into Thomas Tuchel's England squad despite not playing for the Three Lions since 2023. At 33, many would assume his international career has ended. But Wilson has never been one to accept the limitations and has that same self-confidence that took him to the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, despite widespread scepticism at the time.

• A journal full of targets

  Wilson keeps a daily notebook filled with ambitions. One of them is 100 Premier League goals. It is that stubborn self-belief that saw him turn down eye-watering offers from Saudi Arabia last summer. Instead of chasing the last big contract, he joined West Ham, determined to reach the century mark in English football and extend his Premier League legacy. And his more pressing target is to catch the attention of Tuchel. 

  Wilson said: "I have 100 goals, that’s written down. Personal targets that I want to achieve in terms of what’s happened over the last few years, not playing as much as I like, games I want to be involved in and how many that is and being available. There’s a World Cup coming up. I still, in my head, will believe until the final squad that if I have a run of games, I can put my best foot forward.

  "The last time we went to the World Cup, I’d written there about that. Everyone said, ‘Oh, what are you doing in the winter break when the World Cup’s coming?' My journal says I’m going to the World Cup. Because some people think I’m deluded. That’s the problem. When you actually believe in yourself so much, people think you’re borderline delusional. But there’s people that have been with me throughout my career that have seen me say something and I’ve then done it. I achieve these things. And every time I get written off, I’ve come back from it."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  A return to Bournemouth: The club that shaped him

  Wilson now sits on 90 Premier League goals. His first 41 came during his years at Bournemouth, and he is set to visit the Vitality Stadium this weekend for the first time since 2020. 

  He said: "I’m looking forward to that on a personal level in terms of just being in a place where that was the next step for me where I managed to build my name and help the team get great success over the years. I’ve scored many goals in both nets for Bournemouth, so obviously I’ll be able to do it against them. It’s the same arena."

  Wilson needs 10 more Premier League goals to enter the hundred club and he insists he stayed in England last summer for that exact reason.

  Wilson added: "I had a tricky few years previously with injuries and then Alex Isak getting in great form and then basically finding myself playing second fiddle to him. It wasn’t really how I seen my last few years in the Premier League going. I’m a fighter. I didn’t want to just give up and say, OK, it’s easy for me to just go and do a different country, collect a little bit of money and things like that. But that’s not my motivation.”

• Tuchel’s to-call List: A manager with a mission

  If Wilson is to revive his England career, the man he must impress is the meticulous Tuchel. Fresh from guiding England to a perfect World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign, eight wins, zero goals conceded, Tuchel has now set himself a new task of speaking personally to every England hopeful. The number hovers between 55 and 60 players. Tuchel laughed at the length of the list, but insisted the calls are essential.

  "Players that are on our long list, 55, 60 players, to reach out to them, be in touch with them, explain to them why they were not here," he said. "Explain to them what they have to do, where they can improve. Can they even do something, or is it just a choice, so this is my job in the next weeks and months.

  "Yeah, and I hate phone calls. Better on FaceTime. Then I see the expression, at least, and get a feeling for the person. Or I need to visit them, visit training grounds. We can do group visits. We can do Jude (Bellingham) and Trent (Alexander-Arnold). And visit the clubs. And some of them we will call. Let's see. Listen, we've just finished this camp and I think it's important that I reach out to everyone, even to the guys we didn't pick so regularly, to tell them where they are and give them honest feedback."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Will Wilson’s phone ring?

  That is the question Wilson smiles at. He knows his age will be used against him and his injury history will be raised. But he refuses to surrender his belief that a late surge of form, coupled with his relentless self-discipline, could force Tuchel’s hand. 

A 35-year-old who bowls in the mid 120s, and a 19-year-old hometown hero tipped for greatness. Together, they bundled out Pakistan in a day

Firdose Moonda26-Dec-2024Dane Paterson is 35, bowls in the mid-120s and has accepted that he “probably won’t be a fan favourite,” because of his age and (lack of) pace.Corbin Bosch was 19 when he was tipped for greatness. He is now 30 and bowls consistently above 145kph. He has stolen hearts as a hometown hero who is now playing at the place his late father made his name.Between them, they took nine out of ten Pakistan wickets in an attack that included the household names of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen. How did it happen? A lot of it was because of the pressure created by two fantastic spells from Rabada, where he beat the bat almost once an over, had the Pakistan batters playing shots that were not in control every three balls and still did not get a wicket. “I don’t think I have seen two better spells from an international bowler,” Bosch said. “Now I finally get to see it first-hand.”Paterson has seen it before. “Even in the Sri Lanka Test series, he had a lot of plays and misses,” he remembered, specifically at St George’s Park, where Rabada took one first innings and two second-innings wickets. “For him to still keep on coming, it’s actually good to see. He’s not getting down on himself and still keeping his head up. It can be frustrating, especially for a quality bowler like him.”Related

• Pakistan waste opportunity to score with so much more available

• KG vs KG showdown grips SuperSport Park

• Paterson, Bosch lead South Africa's Boxing Day domination

• The Bosch family live their dream as Corbin's big day arrives

But that would also do a disservice to the two in question. Paterson is a proven performer, albeit one that does not shoot the lights out. It was just a match ago, at St George’s Park, he took his first Test five-for in a display of excellent control and slight seam movement. Unlike the stereotypical big, bad quicks of the south, Paterson relies on subtle skills. Today, there was a small change in length.”They were standing outside the crease, so I just had to pull my length back,” he said. “After lunch I had a chat with (bowling coach) Piet Botha and (Test coach) Shukri Conrad and they just said I just need to hit the deck hard. All of a sudden I got that variable bounce.”His shorter lengths in the afternoon resulted in the Pakistan batters advancing on him, and both Kamran Ghulam and Salman Agha were out to aggressive shots, which is exactly what Paterson wanted to see. “It shows you that you’re a threat once they start walking at you,” he said. “Even in county cricket, guys walk at me, but I’ve been very successful with nicking them off so I really don’t mind it. As soon as I see guys coming, I think I’m in the game because it’s not good cricket shots that they’re playing.”It’s worth remembering that Paterson has taken 180 wickets in 45 matches for Nottinghamshire between 2021 and 2024 and was only considered for national selection when Conrad had to take a B team to New Zealand earlier this year. “When we had the chance in January, we knew what’s happening with going to New Zealand and I thought I could probably do two Tests and then that’s me done,” he said. “And then Shukri told me this is my plan with you, and we just had an honest and open conversation. I knew what I had to do with my part, obviously, getting in shape, training and trying to put in performances.”Corbin Bosch’s first-ball strike sparks off celebrations in the South African camp•Gallo Images/Getty ImagesNow, with South Africa one win away from the World Test Championship final, Paterson may fancy his chances of the ultimate send-off, but he’s not quite there yet. “Lord’s is a very long way. I’ll be 36 years old,” he said. “We don’t want to be sitting in a press conference and mentioning my age. But yes, that’s the goal. Everybody’s speaking about it. The team is focused.”Bosch’s ambitions were a little more specific. “One of my goals for the year was to play two formats for the country,” he said. “But someone needs to pinch me at this moment. A couple of months ago I never thought I would be sitting here.”In the space of four days, Bosch has made both his ODI and Test debut and though they’ve both come because of necessity with other players injured, they don’t mean any less to him. “I am super grateful,” he said.More so, because he got to make his Test debut at his home ground, with his mother in attendance. He paid tribute to her, and not his late father Tertius, with his shirt number. Instead of the usual 14, he opted for 37. “My dad’s birthday is the 14th of March, so that is why I have played a lot of my cricket representing him,” he explained. “My mom goes unseen and unnoticed. This is actually more a tribute to her. Her year of birth is 1973. Unfortunately, there was someone (Khaya Zondo) who was 73, so I decided to do it backwards.”Corbin Bosch exults after bagging Shan Masood with his first ball in Tests•AFP/Getty ImagesAnd if the fairy-tale needed anything else, it came when Bosch was given the ball, in the 15th over, and became the fifth South African to strike with his first delivery in Test cricket. “I was just happy it bounced. The nerves were not as bad as (my ODI debut) on Sunday, but they were still there, especially, I waited half a session,” Bosch said. “I did not bowl before drinks, so I thought, am I even going to bowl in this game at some point? Temba [Bavuma] gave me the ball and next thing you know, I had taken my first international wicket. I could not have even dreamt something. Even when I was telling myself last night, what would be one of the greatest things to achieve today? That was definitely not what I would have thought.”Bosch admitted that the delivery was one that Shan Masood, wide outside off, “maybe should not have played at,” but getting the Pakistan captain was still a big deal. Bigger than his dad’s first Test wicket, Brian Lara? “I think when I go to heaven one day, he is going to tell me Brian is a little bit better than your first ball wicket,” Bosch joked.For the rest of his time with ball in hand, Bosch was the least disciplined of the South African bowlers, but the one who Pakistan decided to take on. And he got himself into a position where he could go searching for a five-for, which he didn’t get and only leaves him wanting more. “I still feel like I can bowl better. It was not too bad,” he said. “All in all, I am very happy with the performance I put out today.”In the end, both Paterson and Bosch could feel that way. They’re not the big names, but put in the biggest performances today, and some days, that’s all that matters.

On Tuesday, Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber joined a special club by hitting his 50th home run of the 2025 season. In a 9–3 win over the Mets, Schwarber became just the second Phillies player ever to record 50 homers in a season, and the 34th MLB player all-time to do so.

Schwarber joins Ryan Howard as the only Phillies players to hit 50 home runs in a season. Howard hit 58 in 2006, meaning that Schwarber is nine away from breaking the franchise record. Schwarber currently leads the National League in home runs, and only trails Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who leads MLB with 53 home runs on the season.

"It's cool," Schwarber told reporters after the win. "Get the nice, round even number. It's cool the stat of how many people have done it before in the game. It's something that you don't take lightly. I've alwasy said all the personal accolades and everything like that will probably mean more whenever it's all said and done. I feel like we've got so much more baseball here and we've got a group of guys we feel like can make a deep run. That's what we want to do. It's a cool moment, obviously I want to enjoy it, there's a lot more baseball to be played."

While Schwarber is currently more focused on his team than individual accomplishments, his success has helped the Phillies garner a 9-game lead over the Mets in the National League East. Thanks in part to 50 "Schwar-bombs" this year, Philadelphia is 85-60 on the season so far, and they only trail the Brewers for the best record in MLB.

It seems like Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has settled on his first-choice midfield pivot. His infamous 3-4-2-1 system has sparked plenty of debate, but with United now five games unbeaten, perhaps it is a sign of things improving.

Indeed, one of those reasons could be continuity in team selection. The midfield is one of those areas, with Amorim choosing captain Bruno Fernandes and the experienced Casemiro as the two pivot players. It has meant the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte cannot get a look in, with the United boss sticking to that pair.

However, the Red Devils might well dip into the transfer market in January to add to the depth in the centre of the park.

Man United's new midfield target

There are reportedly a few names on United’s list for a new midfielder. One of those is Wolverhampton Wanderers star Joao Gomes, who could cost upwards of £44m, with a deal said to be in advanced stages.

However, the Brazilian is not the only midfielder United are looking at this winter with the likes of Elliot Anderson and Carlos Baleba high-profile targets from within the Premier League.

Alongside those players, Atletico Madrid and England midfielder Conor Gallagher has once again emerged as a target for Amorim’s side, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Indeed, talking to The United Stand, via TEAMtalk, he claims the former Chelsea man is a “definitive” target ahead of the transfer window opening in just over a month. The player is thought to be keen on returning to England in 2026.

This isn’t a deal that would come cheap, though. Atleti could demand a fee of up to £52.4m, as reported back in September, with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace also interested.

How Gallagher compares to Gomes

It has certainly not been the easiest season for Gallagher in La Liga. He has struggled to break into Atleti’s starting lineup, playing 17 times in all competitions, but featuring for just 566 minutes in total. That is an average of just 6.2 full 90-minute games.

The 22-cap England star was more important under legendary Atleti boss Diego Simeone last season. He made 50 appearances across all competitions, chipping in with four goals and six assists and earning himself the nickname “Pitbull” for his energetic performances.

Of course, the Chelsea academy graduate has plenty of Premier League experience. He’s played 136 times in the top flight, becoming an established player for the Blues after a couple of loan spells. Gallagher certainly knows where the back of the net is and has 18 Premier League goals and 13 assists to his name.

If United were to bring Gallagher to the club, he might prove to be a better option than Gomes, the other top target in midfield. Of course, the Brazilian is currently plying his trade in the Midlands for rock-bottom Wolves, for whom he has played 15 times this season.

The Rio de Janeiro-born midfielder has played 104 times for the Old Gold, in a similar system to the one United play under Amorim. He’s even been known to chip in with a goal, bagging seven times in a Wolves shirt.

Yet, despite the familiarity the 24-year-old has with United’s system, Gallagher may well prove to be the better option. His on-the-ball quality exceeds that of Gomes, whilst he still offers plenty without the ball, to succeed in Amorim’s pivot.

Described as an “intensity monster” and as “one of the best midfielders in the sport when it comes to running long distances” by one notable analyst on social media, a look at the stats paints a more vivid picture of what to expect from Gallagher.

Analysing the data from the Englishman’s last season in the Premier League, compared to Gomes’ from last term, highlights the differences. For example, Gallagher created 1.5 chances on average and won 50.68% of his ground duels. In comparison, the Wolves man created 0.7 chances and had a ground duel win rate of 48.01%.

Described as a “relentless” midfielder by Statman Dave, 25-year-old Gallagher would provide tenacity off the ball and progression and final third quality with it.

That is certainly something he has over Gomes, and, thinking ahead, could be important for United as they hopefully start dominating games and have the ball more.

A fee of £52.4m is sizeable given it is the January window, but the Cobham graduate could help add quality to the United midfield, as they look to push up the Premier League table.

Man Utd now "leading the chase" to sign "special" Casemiro replacement

He has a massive future ahead of him.

By
Henry Jackson

Nov 22, 2025

Sai Sudharsan picked up the injury when he “caught” John Campbell’s slog-sweep at forward short-leg, the slog-sweep hitting him in the helmet grille before the ball lodged itself in his arms

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Oct-2025There will be no B Sai Sudharsan on the field for India on the third day of the ongoing second Test against West Indies in Delhi after he suffered “an impact injury” on the second day of the Test. The good news for India is that “the injury is not serious, and he is doing fine,” as a BCCI media statement on Sunday morning said.Sai Sudharsan, fielding at forward short-leg on the second day, picked up the injury when he “caught” John Campbell off Ravindra Jadeja – the big slog-sweep from the West Indies opener hit Sai Sudharsan in the helmet grille before the ball lodged itself in the crook of the fielder’s arms.That was in the eighth over of West Indies’ first innings after India had declared on 518 for 5, and Sai Sudharsan stayed off the field for the remaining 35 overs that were bowled on the day. “He continues to be monitored by the BCCI medical team,” the BCCI said. There was no update on whether Sai Sudharsan would bat – at his No. 3 spot or at all – on Sunday’s third day if the West Indies first innings were to end.Sai Sudharsan had earlier made an important contribution when India batted, scoring 87 in 165 balls with 12 fours. He put on an 193-run stand with Yashasvi Jaiswal for the second wicket and was dismissed when trying to flick Jomel Warrican across the line in the 69th over. Jaiswal’s 175 and Shubman Gill’s 129 not out put India in the driver’s seat to make it 2-0 in the series.

Nationals center fielder Jacob Young is finding a routine of making incredible catches in the outfield.

He continued that trend Monday evening when he came up with a wild grab against the Braves where he bobbled a liner off the bat of Atlanta shortstop Ha-Seong Kim. Young dove for the ball and got in front of it, but the ball popped out of his glove and he miraculously made the catch with his bare hand.

He made an eerily similar catch just a day ago against the Mets in New York where he tracked down a ball on the warning track that fell out of his glove, but he kicked it back up off his foot and brought it in for a wild out.

In an MLB talent show, Young may take the cake with his impressive juggling and hacky sack skills. The catch off his foot Sunday is one you rarely ever see, and then he follows it up with a similar play the next day. Incredible.

The Nationals' season will come to a close Sunday against the White Sox as they sit at the bottom of the NL East. Maybe we'll see some more new skills from Young with just five games to go.