KL Rahul’s fifth IPL hundred took Delhi Capitals (DC) to 199 for 3 against Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Opening the innings, Rahul scored 112 not out off 65 balls, studded with 14 fours and four sixes, and became the first batter to score hundreds for three different IPL teams. Previously, he has scored hundreds for Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants.DC had a slow start, though, after being sent in. Mohammed Siraj and Arshad Khan stuck to good length and gave little room with the new ball. In the first four overs, there were 15 dot balls. Faf du Plessis, who tried to break the shackles and charged at Arshad, was caught at mid-on by Siraj. He made 5 off ten balls.After five overs, DC were 28 for 1. Rahul then injected momentum into the innings by hitting Kagiso Rabada for two sixes and a four in the last over of the powerplay. During that over, Rahul also completed 8000 runs in T20 cricket. Reaching there in 224 innings, he was the third-fastest, behind only Chris Gayle (213) and Babar Azam (218).With a four off Rashid Khan, Rahul brought up his fifty, his fourth of the season and coming off 35 balls. As a result, DC reached 81 for 1 after ten overs.R Sai Kishore had Abishek Porel caught behind for 30 off 19, after being hit for a six previous ball. That brought an end to a 90-run stand in 8.4 overs. But luck was on DC’s side, especially Rahul’s. In the 14th over, he got three fours off R Sai Kishore’s first three balls, all through luck. The first one was drilled back and went through Sai Kishore’s hand. Rabada misfielded the next and then an outside edge sped past short third.Axar took apart Sai Kishore in the 16th over, a strange call on Shubman Gill’s behalf to give Sai Kishore that over given Axar’s excellent record against spin this season. That over went for 15. Prasidh Krishna returned in the next over and dismissed Axar with his second ball.But Rahul and Stubbs added 48 off 22 balls in an unbroken stand to set GT a target of 200. With no dew so far, GT has their task cut out for them.

Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers has won the Scottish Premiership twice, and the League Cup and the SFA Cup once, since his return to the club in the summer of 2023.

The Northern Irish manager has yet to replicate the domestic treble that Ange Postecoglou ended his Hoops tenure with, though, and failed to qualify for the Champions League this season.

This means that the former Liverpool and Leicester City head coach, despite winning four trophies in two seasons so far, is not unquestionable at Parkhead.

One criticism that could be levelled at Rodgers is that he did not hand enough opportunities to academy graduates in his first two seasons back at Parkhead.

Academy graduates used

2

3

Academy graduate appearances

5

4

Academy graduate starts

0

0

Academy graduate minutes

90

25

As you can see in the table above, no academy graduate aged 21 or younger started a league game for Celtic in the 2023/24 or 2024/25 campaign.

However, 19-year-old full-back Colby Donovan has bucked the trend in the current season, having started in the 2-1 win over Kilmarnock in the Premiership last month.

Why Rodgers needs to give Donovan more minutes for Celtic

Injuries to Alistair Johnston and Anthony Ralston provided the academy graduate with an opportunity to start that game against Killie after the first international break of the season.

With both senior right-backs unavailable, Donovan also started the 4-0 win over Partick Thistle in the League Cup and the 1-1 draw with Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League last week.

However, the academy graduate was left as an unused substitute in the 0-0 draw with Hibernian in the Premiership last time out on Saturday, as Ralston returned from injury and played the full 90 minutes.

The more experienced Ralston, per Sofascore, won 25% (1/4) of his duels in the clash with Hibs, which comes after Donovan had shown good strength in his appearances against Kilmarnock and Red Star Belgrade.

Minutes

90

90

Clearances

7

0

Tackles made

1

3

Dribbled past

1x

0x

Duels won

5/9

6/11

Dribbles completed

1/2

2/3

As you can see in the table above, the teenage defender won the majority of his duels in both of those matches, whilst only being dribbled past once in 180 minutes of action.

Hopefully, Rodgers dropping him from the side to play Ralston on Saturday was more about rotation than it being a sign of things to come for the young full-back, because his performances for the first-team so far suggest that he deserves more opportunities to impress.

The Celtic manager’s record of providing young players with chances in the Premiership since his return to the club, as aforementioned, does not look great on paper, which may be a concern for Donovan moving forward.

Tying both the head coach’s reluctance to offer significant minutes to U21 players and academy graduates, along with Donovan’s rise to the first-team this season, there is a Celtic academy graduate whom the club may end up regretting letting go this summer.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

The 21-year-old left-back was released by the Scottish Premiership champions at the start of the summer, and made the move to Belgian side KV Kortrijk on a free transfer.

Why Celtic may regret releasing Matthew Anderson

Celtic may end up regretting releasing the Scottish talent because he has had a strong start to life at his new club and looks to be an even bigger full-back talent than Donovan.

Anderson did not play a single minute for the Hoops at first-team level, despite an impressive loan stint with Admira Wacker in Austria, and explained that he felt there was a better pathway for him abroad.

The young left-back said: “There’s a pathway of going abroad. Lennon’s [Miller] done it now as well. Max [Johnston] has been abroad. I think the success rate is probably more than staying in Scotland, for some reason, it just seems to work.”

That is in spite of Postecoglou claiming at the start of 2023 that there was a pathway for Anderson, in particular, as he predicted that the full-back would make an “impact” in the first-team by the summer of 2024.

Of course, Rodgers replaced the Australian head coach later that year, in the summer of 2023, and the Scottish defender never got his chance to shine in the first-team.

Instead, Anderson spent two seasons on loan in Austria with Admira Wacker, earning a place in the Team of the Season in the 2023/24 campaign, and racked up eight assists in 44 matches, per Transfermarkt.

The 21-year-old starlet, who was described as a “complete” player by Scottish-focused The Young Team on X, has delivered five assists in eight league games for Kortrijk this season, per Transfermarkt.

Appearances

8

2

Key passes per game

1.0

0.5

Big chances created

3

0

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.6

1.0

Ground duel success rate

59%

40%

Duels won per game

4.9

3.0

As you can see in the table above, the former Celtic whiz has produced more impressive performances than Donovan at league level so far this term, carrying a far greater threat at the top end of the pitch whilst also winning more duels and tackles per game.

Anderson also showed more promise as an attacking force from a full-back position than Donovan did at B team level for Celtic, with four goals and four assists in 25 matches compared to the right-back’s haul of three goals and one assist in 36 games, per Transfermarkt.

This means that the left-back was a bigger attacking talent at youth level. Now, his performances in Belgium suggest that he has translated that form to first-team football, whilst adding a defensive edge to his displays.

Therefore, Celtic may rue releasing Anderson this summer because his performances since moving on from the Hoops, and his displays at youth level, suggest that he may be an even bigger full-back talent than Donovan.

Celtic line up move for "powerful" free agent who'd solve McGregor conundrum

Celtic are considering a move for a free agent midfielder who could solve their Callum McGregor conundrum.

ByDan Emery Sep 30, 2025

Back in their favourite competition, can the sound of the Europa League anthem in Govan spark Rangers’ season into life?

Fair to say, the start of the Russell Martin era has gone, frankly, disastrously, with the Light Blues yet to win a Premiership match in five attempts, their worst start since 1978, thereby sat second bottom of the table.

They did at least beat Hibernian 2-0 in the League Cup quarter-finals on Saturday, thereby setting up a semi-final showdown with Celtic at Hampden in November, a result that will keep the universally unpopular Martin in a job, for another few days at least.

Now, the Gers will commence their Europa League campaign with a visit from Genk on Thursday night; they’ll also host Roma, Braga and Ludogorets Razgrad in the league phase, with away trips to Sturm Graz, Brann, Ferencváros and Porto on their schedule too.

Last season, Rangers finished eighth in the inaugural league phase, reaching the quarter-finals of the Europa League, continuing their love affair with Thursday night European action, having got all the way to the final of course as recently as 2022.

If Martin’s team are going to make a winning start against Genk, he needs to make his best player a central pillar, but just imagine if Rangers still had one key man in their squad, sold under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Nicolas Raskin's importance to Rangers

Nicolas Raskin was Rangers’ undisputed best and most important player last season, underlined by the fact that he was named both Players’ Player of the Year as well as Supporters’ Player of the Year.

Thus, any new manager would want to build the team around the Belgian international, well, except for Martin it would seem.

The midfielder was left on the bench for Champions League qualifiers against Viktoria Plzeň and Club Brugge, not included in the matchday squad at all for games against Celtic and Hearts, the latter a 2-0 defeat, with presenter Darrell Currie perplexed why any manager would choose to leave their “best player in the stand”.

Thus, after seemingly settling their differences, Raskin returned to Martin’s lineup against Hibs at the weekend and, to the surprise of no one, made all the difference, heading home the opening goal and putting in an all-round excellent performance.

Thus, the 24-year-old has to be considered simply undroppable going forward, set to partner Mohamed Diomandé at the base of midfield on Thursday, but just imagine if Rangers still had the “left-footed Yaya Touré” to complete this trio.

What happened to the forgotten Rangers hero

Back in the summer of 2019, despite reported interest from plenty of Premier League clubs, free agent Joe Aribo decided to join Rangers, convinced to move north of the border by manager Steven Gerrard, following the expiration of his contract at Charlton Athletic.

Well, the midfielder marked his Ibrox debut with a goal against St Joseph’s in a Europa League qualifier, bagging 26 goals and 25 assists for the club in total, winning a Premiership title and the Scottish Cup.

Speaking in 2021, Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa, who played alongside Aribo at the Valley, labelled him a “left-footed Yaya Touré”, adding that his “languid style [is] fairly unique”, praising his “great feet​​​​​​​” and fantastic “ability”.

Then manager Gerrard agreed, asserting that Aribo had “the world at his feet”, adding that he was “outstanding from start to finish” following a League Cup victory over East Fife in August 2019, shortly after his arrival.

The Nigerian international’s historic moment in a Rangers jersey came in the 2022 Europa League Final, breaking the deadlock against Eintracht Frankfurt at Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, as the Gers were heartbreakingly beaten on penalties in Seville.

This would prove to be his last goal for the club, sold to Southampton for around £6m soon after, and his career has not quite turned out as many forecast it would.

The table below documents his season-by-season performances.

Aribo career stats
Rangers
Season	Appearances	Goals & assists
2019/20	49	9 & 8
2020/21	43	8 & 7
2021/22	57	9 & 10
Southampton
2022/23	27	2 & 0
2023/24	40	4 & 1
2024/25	37	3 & 0
2025/26	Zero	Zero
via Transfermarkt

First and foremost, worth acknowledging that Aribo has not played a single minute for Southampton this season, completely frozen out by manager Will Still, initially due to transfer uncertainty but, now that the window has shut, he is yet to be reintegrated.

When he has been on the field for the Saints, he has registered only nine goals and a solitary assist for the club, despite getting into double figures for combined goals and assists during each of his three seasons in Glasgow.

Thus, Aribo surely regrets moving to the South Coast back in 2022, given that Southampton have been a yo-yo club since his arrival, and just imagine if this current Rangers team had him in his prime; he would make such an enormous difference alongside the likes of Raskin.

​​​​​​​

Forget Raskin: "Glorious" star will be the best Rangers player this season

This Rangers player will be the club’s best star this season ahead of Nicolas Raskin.

By
Dan Emery

Sep 24, 2025

Former Newcastle, Liverpool, and Manchester City midfielder Dietmar Hamann has heaped high praise on the Magpies’ record signing Nick Woltemade, boldly claiming that the German striker is “better in the air than Peter Crouch.” The comparison has drawn attention across English football, with Woltemade’s early Premier League form backing up Hamann’s words.

Woltemade impressing

Woltemade’s arrival at Newcastle United has sparked excitement on Tyneside — and for good reason. The towering 6ft 6in German forward has made a blistering start to life in England, scoring four goals in his first five Premier League appearances. Across all competitions, he has found the net five times in nine matches, instantly establishing himself as a key attacking force under Eddie Howe.

Woltemade’s combination of technical flair and physicality has made him a nightmare for defenders, showing that he offers far more than just height in the box. The 22-year-old’s aerial presence has been evident too, winning seven duels in the air with an average of 1.59 aerial duels won per 90 minutes in the Premier League game so far. His early adaptation to the pace and intensity of the Premier League has quickly validated Newcastle’s decision to spend big on his signature.

AdvertisementGettyHamann makes Crouch-Woltemade comparison

Speaking to ESports News UK, Dietmar Hamann drew a striking comparison between Woltemade and one of English football’s most iconic target men.

“Nick Woltemade is probably a bit quicker than Crouchy and very hard to play against thanks to his height — he flicks balls on and is probably a better header of the ball than Crouch. He has the world at his feet. He was in the third tier just two or three years ago, got promoted, went back to Werder Bremen, found it hard there, then had six great months.”

“He wasn’t selected for the Champions League squad by Stuttgart last season, he really came up and went from strength to strength within a short space of time, from third-choice striker to number one within weeks. Now, he’s going to Newcastle for what, 80 million? It’s astonishing how level-headed he’s stayed because it’s not easy. A lot has happened to the lad. Playing for Germany, he’s the number one striker for Germany at the moment.”

“So a lot has happened to him in the last 18 months, but as I said, he takes it in his stride. He’s a very balanced character, which I think does help.”

Do stats back him up?

While the comparison to Crouch may seem ambitious, the numbers paint an intriguing picture of two very different strikers. The England international, who stood at 6ft 7in, was the Premier League’s ultimate aerial threat, scoring a joint-record 47 headed goals in his 468 appearances. He consistently dominated aerial duels, recording a success rate of nearly 68% at his peak and winning more than five duels per 90 minutes.

Woltemade, at 6ft 5in, uses his height differently — as a complement to his technical, creative game rather than as his primary weapon. His current Premier League stats show a modest aerial duel success rate of around 32%, indicating that while he is tall, he is more than just a target man. 

This makes Hamann’s claim less about direct statistical superiority and more about potential and style. While Crouch was built for crosses and flick-ons, Woltemade’s balance between size, speed, and skill may give him the tools to evolve into a more complete all-round striker.

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next?

For now, Woltemade’s focus will be on maintaining his fine form as Newcastle continue their domestic and European campaigns. His early-season performances have earned him not just Hamann’s praise but also growing recognition from fans who see him as a future Premier League star.

With four league goals already to his name and a Champions League run underway, expectations around St. James’ Park are only rising. The German will now be in action when the Magpies take on Fulham before they face off against high-flying Tottenham in the Carabao Cup Round Four.

There are only four members of the Australia squad in the West Indies who were part of their previous Test series here in 2015, and one of those, Steven Smith, is currently recuperating from a finger injury in New York. So it’s perhaps not surprising that there is an element of uncertainty over what conditions they will be confronted with for the opening match in Barbados.Their first training session of the tour at Kensington Oval, an optional one where all the batters attended but all the bowlers sat out bar Matt Kuhnemann, was interrupted by showers on a blustery day with the Test pitch uncovered only briefly. The batters made use of what time was available on the adjacent surfaces but the players have kept an open mind, with the Dukes ball used in the Caribbean – a variant on the English version – adding another layer of intrigue.”I think we’re prepared for anything, really, and prepared for maybe both [seam and spin] in the same game,” Travis Head said. “We could be starting the game and then it could shift into different modes and plans of attack. So, as a batter, you’re just sort of planning for anything at the moment. And then once you get a look at the lay of the land, come up with a plan, and try to cover all bases.”Related

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Since the 2015-16 tour, Australia’s only visits to the West Indies have been for the Covid-time white-ball tour in 2021 – where Barbados staged the three ODIs – and then last year’s T20 World Cup of which Head was a part. “They [the pitches] spun a little bit here,” he recalled. “They were pretty slow, but I’ve heard different things, especially with the Dukes and what that brings.”Australia will have a deficit of 14,570 Test runs in their top order compared to the previous outing at Lord’s against South Africa owing to Smith’s injury and Marnus Labuschagne’s axing, with Sam Konstas and Josh Inglis replacing them. While Smith may return for the second Test in Grenada (and Labuschagne is only one injury away from getting back as the lone spare batter currently in the squad) it is certainly a chance to have an early look at the “reset” that Pat Cummins spoke about after the World Test Championship final.It will be the first time since 2018, when they played India at the MCG, that an Australia Test XI will not feature Smith and/or Labuschagne. The latter was recalled for the final match of that series and Smith returned from his ban for the start of the 2019 Ashes with the pair becoming fixtures together by the Old Trafford Test.”When we get into the game, it’ll be a little bit new look,” Head said. “But guys have already played, so [they have] experience already in a short amount of Test cricket. There’s some guys there that have been a part of the group for a long time now, so it shouldn’t feel too much different.”The batting order has yet to be confirmed, but while coach Andrew McDonald had previously left the door ajar for Head to open should conditions resemble those of the subcontinent, Head considered that an unlikely option with Konstas expected to get three games at the top to settle in alongside Usman Khawaja with an eye on some stability for the Ashes.Sam Konstas is set to open in Barbados•ICC via Getty Images

There is a school of thought that as a senior player, Head could move up to No. 4 in Smith’s absence, but it may be that Inglis, who scored a century on debut against Sri Lanka, gets that role in what could be a one-off outing if Smith recovers for the second Test. However, should Inglis take his opportunity as he did in Sri Lanka, then it would certainly put pressure on the selectors to find him a regular home in the batting order.”He can cover so many bases,” Head said of Inglis. “[He’s had] limited opportunity in a long time being in the squad. It feels like he’s played a lot more than he has for Australia. Once he gets his extended stay in the team, I think he’ll excel. He’s already showed great application in Sri Lanka. He’s [been] in some tough roles as well… I think he’s well-adapted and ready to go. He’s been waiting for a long time.”Whereas two years ago Australia went straight into an Ashes series on the back of beating India in the World Test Championship final, this time they have had to reflect on the loss to South Africa, which came after they had the game for the taking on the second day.”It’s unfortunate we put two years of hard work into one week and [it] didn’t quite go to plan,” Head said. “Fair play, the opposition played really, really well.”We’ve got two more years to build, and this is a first look at it. I think if you dwell on it for too long, or if you look back, you forget about what’s moving forward. Of course, we care and, of course, it’s not ideal. But at the end of the day you can’t change it. You have to move on. You have to get back on the horse.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O mascote faz parte da identidade de um clube de futebol. Ter um personagem carismático representando a equipe aproxima torcedores mais jovens e ajuda a valorizar a marca no Brasil e no mundo. Porém, no caso doBotafogo, existe uma certa dúvida em relação ao mascote oficial. Atualmente, a maioria dos torcedores associa o posto ao cachorro Biriba, mas será?

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MANEQUINHO

O mascote mais tradicional do Botafogo ainda é o Manequinho. Em 1927, a réplica da estátua do personagem, um menino urinando, foi transferida para a Praia de Botafogo, sendo retirada do centro da cidade por ser um “desrespeito” aos bons costumes. Na comemoração de um título carioca da equipe, em 1957, um torcedor vestiu a escultura com uma camisa do Glorioso, o que iniciou a ligação histórica entre ambos. Logo, se tornou hábito vestir a estátua com uma camisa do Botafogo ao longo dos anos. Em 2008, após um ato de vandalismo, o clube assumiu a posse do monumento, que está presente em frente à sede de General Severiano.

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PATO DONALD

Na década de 40, um chargista argentino resolveu vestir o Pato Donald, figura marcante da Disney, com uma camisa do Botafogo. O fato caiu nas graças da torcida, que resolveu adotá-lo como um mascote na época. Lorenzo Mollas, responsável pela caracterização, explicou que viu semelhanças entre o personagens e os dirigentes alvinegros, em relação a luta pelos direitos sem perder a elegância. Apesar da história, o Pato Donald nunca foi oficializado como mascote, por conta dos direitos autorais. Contudo, até hoje, existem produtos relacionando o personagem ao Botafogo.

+Confira a tabela e simule os resultados do Brasileirão

CACHORRO BIRIBA

O cachorro é o mascote mais conhecido do Botafogo graças a história de Biriba, que se tornou um símbolo de sorte para os alvinegros. No Carioca de 1948, o presidente Carlito Rocha levou o animal para 19 jogos da competição, com 17 vitórias do Glorioso e dois empates, na campanha que culminou no título. A superstição era tanta, que dirigentes do Vasco tentaram barrar a entrada do cão em uma partida, sem sucesso. Biriba foi adotado como mascote não oficial, mas acabou sendo o mais utilizado pelo clube na mídia. A partir de 2008, o mascote se tornou presença constante nos jogos do Botafogo, animando e interagindo com os torcedores.

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BIRA E BIRIBA

Em 2021, junto com o lançamento de um novo programa de sócio-torcedor, o Botafogo anunciou seus dois novos mascotes oficiais: Biriba, que foi repaginado para atender ao público mais jovem, e Bira, com um visual mais feroz para animar a torcida nos jogos e em outras campanhas. O personagem Bira acabou se tornando mais popular, graças ao carisma e as performances empolgadas nas partidas em casa, além do visual bastante elogiado.

Hasaranga won three awards while Dilhari denied an Athapaththu clean sweep

Madushka Balasuriya10-Jun-2025Kamindu Mendis and Chamari Athapaththu took home the night’s biggest awards, being named the men’s and women’s cricketers of the year, respectively, as Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) held its awards night on Monday.The SLC awards, nominally an annual event, was being held for the first time since 2017, and feted those who had contributed to Sri Lankan cricket for the 2024 calendar year.Kamindu’s record-breaking year, unsurprisingly, made him the best Test batter after he struck 1049 runs at 74.92 over the 12-month period in consideration, comfortably beating Dinesh Chandimal’s 724. Internationally, only four batters – Joe Root, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ben Duckett and Harry Brook – struck more than Kamindu during this period but none played as few as his nine Tests, the next lowest being 12.The two best batter awards in the men’s white-ball category were split between Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka, with the former’s 628 runs at a strike rate of 127.64 pipping Nissanka’s 622 at 138.53 for the T20I award, while Nissanka returned the favour in the ODI category as his 694 runs at an average of 63.09 outgunned Kusal’s 742 at 53.00. Nissanka also became the first Sri Lankan to score a white-ball double-hundred in this period, when he took apart Afghanistan during an unbeaten 210 off 139 in February 2024.The night’s biggest winner, however, was Athapaththu, who bagged six awards in total, including women’s cricketer of the year. She swept the batting, bowling and allrounder awards for T20Is in a year where she scored 720 runs – second only to Smriti Mandhana – and picked up 21 wickets in the format. In ODIs, her 458 runs at 65.42 along with nine wickets in as many games, meant she was named the best batter and allrounder in the format too. Only Kavisha Dilhari’s 17 wickets across eight ODIs – earning her the best ODI bowler award – prevented an Athapaththu clean sweep.Chamari Athapaththu almost swept the awards for women•SLCThere was more variety in the men’s awards. In Tests, Prabath Jayasuriya was named best bowler for his 48 wickets across nine Tests, making him the joint-fourth highest wicket-taker in Tests for the calendar year. He beat out Asitha Fernando, who had 37 wickets in the same period.Dhananjaya de Silva was awarded best Test allrounder for his 710 runs and six wickets across ten Tests, though he faced minimal threat on that front with Milan Rathnayake, with just four Tests under his belt, his only competition.In the white-ball category, Wanindu Hasaranga came away with three honours, securing the best bowler award in both T20Is and ODIs after taking 38 and 26 wickets in each of the formats, while his 179 runs in T20Is meant he was also named best T20I allrounder.In ODIs, men’s national team skipper Charith Asalanka picked up the best allrounder award; his 605 runs at 50.41 were only bettered by Kusal and Nissanka, while his economical contributions with the ball where he picked up ten wickets at an economy rate of 4.78 – only behind Maheesh Theekshana – saw him play a pivotal role in a year that saw Sri Lanka rack up a 12-3 win-loss record in the format.Janith Liyanage, who made his ODI debut in January 2024, was named emerging player of the year following an impressive 12 months in which he struck 462 runs at 46.20 and helped shore up Sri Lanka’s middle order.Kamindu Mendis was named the Men’s Cricketer of the Year at the Sri Lanka Cricket Awards 2024•SLCOn the domestic front, women’s domestic cricket was honoured for the first time at the SLC awards with performances in the Major Clubs Women’s Invitational Tournament up for recognition. Allrounder Rashmi Silva was named best bowler, while Harshitha Samarawickrama picked up the best batter award. Nilakshika Silva was named best allrounder.In the men’s domestic category, Chamika Karunaratne was named Player of the Tournament in the Major Clubs Men’s T20 Tournament, while Akila Dananjaya took home the best bowler award and Pawantha Weerasinghe was named best batter.In the Major Clubs Men’s 50 Over Tournament, Dilshan Munaweera, Krishan Sanjula and Thanuka Dabare, were named best bowler, best batter and best allrounder respectively, while in the Major Clubs 3-day Tournament Dilum Sudeera and Sahan Kosala were named best bowler and best batter with Ravindu Fernando named Player of the Tournament.A total of 46 awards were presented during the ceremony, including match referee of the year and umpire of the year, which went to Pradeep Jeyapragash and Chamara de Zoysa respectively, as well as several lifetime achievement awards.Many present and former cricketers were in attendance, with Sri Lanka’s sports minister Sunil Kumara Gamage the guest of honour.

Manchester United’s victory over Chelsea on Saturday evening will no doubt paper over the cracks at Old Trafford, with pressure still firmly on manager Ruben Amorim.

The 40-year-old is nearing a year at the helm after taking the reins back in November 2024, but his spell in charge has certainly been one of disappointment to date.

He’s only registered a 40% win rate to date, losing 20 of his 48 outings, a tally which resulted in the Red Devils registering their worst ever Premier League finish in 2024/25.

However, his philosophy has also come into question as of late, with Amorim reluctant to move away from his current 3-4-2-1 system, which has yet to take off.

It’s not the only questionable thing conducted by the former Sporting CP boss in recent times, with his treatment of one first-team player also coming into question.

Kobbie Mainoo’s current situation at Man Utd

Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo looked as though he would be a key member of the United first-team squad a couple of years ago – but it’s safe to say Amorim has halted his progression.

In the 2023/24 campaign, the Englishman made 32 appearances across all competitions, subsequently finding the back of the net five times – including in the FA Cup final against Manchester City.

However, last season the 20-year-old was restricted to just 20 league starts, often having to resort to minutes off the substitutes bench to make an impact at Old Trafford.

This time around, the academy graduate has only racked up 76 minutes of English top-flight action, with the player himself also requesting a move away from his boyhood club.

The Englishman wanted regular game time away from the Red Devils to continue his development, but such a move was rejected, with Mainoo needing to once again establish himself as a first-team regular.

His lack of minutes is a surprise to many, given his previous success in the first-team squad, with one former player now ahead of him as a result of his decline in action.

The former United star who’s now outperforming Mainoo

The United academy has been a conveyor belt for talent over the years, subsequently aiding numerous managers in their quest for success at Old Trafford.

The Class of ’92 will undoubtedly remain as one of the most iconic, with the quintet of talents amassing over 3000 appearances between them during their respective careers.

Since the talents emerged in the early 90s, very few have gone on to achieve such heights, but some have still managed to make a successful career at the top level of the European game.

Mainoo is just one player who has shown glimpses of his quality, but Angel Gomes is another; however, he was one who managed to slip through the club’s net in recent years.

The Englishman joined the club at the age of six, spending a decade within the youth system, before making his Premier League debut at the tender age of just 16 back in 2017.

He would only make nine further senior appearances between his debut and the summer of 2020 – before departing on a free transfer at the end of his contract in pursuit of added minutes elsewhere.

The youngster would join Lille on a free transfer after his departure from Old Trafford, spending four years in France and racking up over 100 appearances – leading to his maiden England call-up last year.

Whilst he’s since moved to Marseille this summer, his figures from last season highlight his development in recent years – even outperforming Mainoo in the 2024/25 campaign.

Games played

14

25

Goals & assists

2

0

Key passes

1.7

0.7

Passes into final third

3.9

2.7

Passes into 18-yard box

1.7

0.6

Take-on success

50%

46%

Carries into final third

2.1

0.9

Progressive carries

1.8

1.2

Aerials won

46%

38%

Gomes, who’s been labelled “sensational” by one analyst, completed more key passes per 90, whilst registering more passes into the final third – showcasing his incredible ability when in possession.

He also completed more of the take-ons he attempted, whilst making more carries into the final third per 90, subsequently allowing him to provide those ahead of him with endless chances.

However, despite the 25-year-old’s dominance with the ball, he also managed to thrive without it, winning more of the aerials he entered – potentially being the perfect box-to-box option at the heart of Amorim’s side.

Given his remarkable rise away from the Red Devils in the last couple of years, it’s no surprise that the club will regret their inability to tie him down to a new contract when they had the chance.

However, Gomes will now remain a case of what could’ve been, potentially being a crucial member of the side ahead of Mainoo had they kept hold of him five years ago.

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ByAngus Sinclair Sep 22, 2025

Nani has urged Manchester United to sign a current Tottenham star in their bid to strengthen. United overhauled their frontline over the summer as they brought in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko. Senne Lammens also arrived to as an upgrade between the sticks, but they failed to bring in a central midfielder. Nani now believes they should look to Spurs to bolster in a key area.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  United keen on a new midfielder

  United had hoped to strengthen in the middle of the park over the summer with Brighton's Carlos Baleba a top target for the Premier League side. While Baleba was keen on the move, United failed to strike a deal with the Seagulls for the Cameroon international, who remained at the AMEX Stadium.

  As such, Ruben Amorim has stuck with a midfield partnership of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, with Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo both overlooked by the Portuguese boss. Amorim's side had been expected to return for Baleba in the January window, though he isn't the only midfield target for United at the turn of the year.

  Adam Wharton, Jobe Bellingham, Morten Hjulmand and Andrey Santos are among those reportedly joining Baleba on the club's midfield wishlist. However, Nani believes United should target an experienced head as they look to add a new face in the middle of the park, and has identified the perfect target.

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• 'He became one of the best players in his position'

  Speaking exclusively with Covers.com, Nani has earmarked compatriot Joao Palhinha as the perfect midfield target, saying: "Joao Palhinha is a great player. I played with him at Sporting, where he was growing and learning a lot. After a few years, he became one of the best players in his position. 

  "He's very strong and talented at winning and recovering the ball, and tackling. He's also improved his forward play, scoring goals, connecting with the team, and moving forward with the ball. He's become a complete player in his position. 

  "I think he's a great player and can do really well for Tottenham. He had an opportunity with Bayern and we’re not sure what will happen next season, but he's a player who can play for any team in the world. He just needs to be consistent and fit, as injuries sometimes cause problems. I trust he will have a fantastic career."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  'Fits into Man Utd’s DNA'

  Palhinha moved to Spurs on loan from Bayern Munich over the summer and has quickly become a mainstay for the north London side. Spurs have an option to make the move permanent, which they are reportedly exploring, but Nani believes the towering midfielder 'fits into Man Utd's DNA'.

  "He is a player with energy, with power to recover balls and to fight. That is something that fits into Man Utd’s DNA," Nani added.

  "Having players who are able first to fight on the field, like to recover the ball and challenge opponents to help the team win games. You can’t give your opponents any time in the Premier League and he has the energy and physical abilities to be such an asset for anyone."

  Indeed, Palhinha has made more tackles than any other player in the Premier League this season, with 39.

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• What comes next?

  United return to domestic duties on Saturday afternoon when they face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. They make the trip to the Midlands on a three-game winning run following victories over Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton as they claw their way up the table following a disappointing start to the season.

  Amorim over saw a run of one win in the opening five games of the campaign, including a shock EFL Cup second round exit at the hands of Grimsby on penalties. The sub-par start to the season heightened calls for United to sack the 40-year-old, who looks to have steadied the ship after a rocky first year at the Old Trafford helm.

  The former Sporting CP boss is coming up to a year in charge of United having succeeded Erik ten Hag last November after the Dutchman was relieved of his duties.

Tottenham have made contact with a “complete” young player over a move to the club, with plenty of other clubs providing stiff competition including Scottish giants Rangers.

Tottenham given £100m cash injection

It has been a positive start to life in north London for Thomas Frank, with Spurs performing well overall in the Premier League and sitting third in the table.

Tottenham have now been given a fresh boost, with their owners, Enic, who are run by the Lewis Family Trust, injecting £100m into the club to “further strengthen the club’s financial position and equip the club’s leadership team with additional resources to continue the focus on driving long-term sporting success”.

A source close to Spurs also added: “This is initial additional funding. As the club’s management decides what’s needed to deliver success, more money will be available. The Lewis family is committed to backing the club to be successful.”

This will be music to the ears of the fanbase, who will feel that life after Daniel Levy is going well, and it’s now a case of using the money wisely, potentially on new signings moving forward. One player has now been mentioned as a potential option for the north Londoners.

Tottenham make contact with "complete" winger

Writing on X, journalist Rudy Galetti claimed that Tottenham have made contact with AS Trencin winger Sani Suleiman, looking to beat the likes of Rangers and Bayer Leverkusen to his signature.

Not a lot is known about Suleiman, given his age and where he is currently playing, but he could be an exciting long-term acquisition for Spurs, being capable of shining on both wings. The report does say that he has impressed with his speed, creativity, and ability to impact games.

At just 19, he has already scored 15 goals at senior level, as well as winning three caps for Nigeria’s Under-20s, and Galetti himself has described him as “complete” recently.

It is always important for Spurs to plan for the future, rather than simply focusing on the present, and signing players of Suleiman’s calibre and potential is vital.

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Granted, it is hard to predict the trajectory of a young player, with so many hurdles to clear in their career, from injuries to consistency, but if Frank and the recruitment team at the club see him as a good option, they need to be trusted.