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Everton manager David Moyes has aimed a cheeky dig at Chelsea’s spending power, saying there was a billion pounds worth of difference between the two sides in Saturday’s clash at Stamford Bridge. The Scot made the remark after watching his spirited side fail to make the most of their chances en route to suffering a 2-0 defeat in the Premier League.

Chelsea duo Palmer & Gusto score as Everton's winning run ends

After putting together a fantastic run of results which brought about four wins in six league games, Everton travelled to Chelsea in high spirits at the weekend. Before stepping onto the field in west London, Moyes’ side had recorded impressive victories over Fulham, Manchester United, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, while drawing with Sunderland and suffering a solitary reverse against Newcastle United.

However, in a match which saw in-form midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall forced off with a first-half injury on his return to Stamford Bridge, Everton were then put to the sword by goals from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto. Moyes’ men created several chances in both halves, with Iliman Ndiaye hitting the post towards the end of the game, but Everton were made to a rue their missed opportunities as they travelled back to Merseyside empty-handed.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMoyes was unable to snap Stamford Bridge hoodoo on Saturday

While Everton’s recent win at Manchester United saw Moyes secure his first league victory as an opposing manager at Old Trafford, he was unable to snap a similar hoodoo at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. 

The 62-year-old was in charge when Everton defeated Chelsea on their patch in the 2011 FA Cup, though he has never won at the same venue in the league, across spells in charge of the Toffees, Sunderland, and West Ham.

And perhaps in a sign of frustration at the end of the match, Moyes fired a cheeky jibe towards Chelsea’s luxury of being able to spend vast sums of money on new players. Since co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital – led by Behdad Eghbali – completed their takeover of the club in May 2022, the six-time champions have spent £2 billion on transfer fees, according to the .

When asked if Everton's defeat simply came down to fine margins, Moyes said in his post-match press conference: "Maybe a billion-pound difference? Possibly, you know what I mean?"

Scot 'disappointed' with Everton's result but not performance

Speaking to before his dig at Chelsea, Moyes said: "Losing Kiernan [Dewsbury-Hall] was a blow to us but I thought we adapted quite well. I know we've come away with a disappointing result but it wasn't a disappointing performance. We did a lot of really good things today.

"Maybe we played one of our best games away from home, we've had some very good results away from home. But we couldn't finish it off, we just dropped a couple of runners at times when they showed quality. We pushed them close and that's what we have to try and do. Jack [Grealish] had a great chance to make it one each, then we crossed one right into the goalie's arms, he distributes it quickly and they get the goal from it right on half-time.

"It felt a bit unfair on us because I thought for long periods we did well. I wouldn't say dominated because Chelsea had a lot of the ball as well. We played well, I've no complaints from the players except the final third stuff – if you don't take the chances you don't win the game. We stuck at it, we were never out of the game and were always a threat. We'll go away, look at it and hopefully do better next time."

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Getty Images SportChelsea manager Maresca bemoans 'worst 48 hours' in charge of club

Meanwhile, Chelsea counterpart Enzo Maresca also raised eyebrows with his post-match comments. The Italian head coach described the build up to his side’s win over Everton as his "worst 48 hours" in charge of the club, citing a lack of support in that time. It is not clear if the former Leicester City boss was talking about owners Boehly and Eghbali, having also said he "loves" Chelsea supporters in the same tirade.

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Maresca said: "This is the reason why I praise the players because with so many problems they are doing very well after a complicated week. Since I joined the club the last 48 hours has been the worst 48 hours since I joined the club because many people didn’t support us. So very happy for Malo (Gusto) in that moment that the effort from Malo and the rest showed that they are all there and want to help this club."

Chelsea are back in action when they travel to League One leaders Cardiff City in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday. Everton, on the other hand, play host to Arsenal in the league next Saturday.

Kalvin Phillips left Leeds United for Manchester City to chase his dreams, but since penning an emotional, two-page letter to his boyhood club to mark his departure from Elland Road, his career has been a living nightmare. There have been multiple runs of bad luck, injuries and humiliation, and when his former club visit the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, the England international is highly unlikely to even be on the bench.

A Leeds native, Phillips knew he wanted to play for his local team from the first time he visited Elland Road as a boy. He had a tough upbringing, raised by his mother after his father was imprisoned for much of his childhood and adult life. Phillips was born a triplet but lost one of his sisters when she was a couple of months old, leading to his mother being left to grieve on her own while fending for herself, sometimes going without food so her children could eat.

Phillips would pass the prison his father was interned in every day on the way to Leeds' Thorp Arch training ground, and when he helped the team win promotion back to the Premier League in 2020 for the first time in 16 years, his dad called him so that Phillips could hear the in-mates chanting the club's anthem, 'Marching on Together'.

Phillips was one of the stars as Leeds finished ninth in their first season back in the big time, earning a call-up to the England team in 2020. He subsequently started all seven games for the Three Lions at the European Championship the following summer. One year later, having helped Leeds avoid relegation on the final day of the season, he moved to City in a deal worth up to £42 million, making him Leeds' record sale (albeit only for two weeks before Raphinha joined Barcelona for £55m).

"I hope you guys understand my decision and will accept that I only want to chase my dreams and test myself against and with the best teams and best players on the planet," Phillips wrote when he left for City. Unfortunately, his result in that test was a resounding failure, and Phillips' career has been on a downward slide since, one so steep that he now faces an almighty fight just to get it going again.

Getty Images SportDoomed from the start

It might have seemed like a small detail at the time, but with hindsight one could say that Phillips' time with City was doomed from the start. He was too ill to attend his presentation in front of fans along with the other new arrivals, including Erling Haaland, in the summer of 2022, and he did not have the best introduction to the coaching staff either. 

According to , Guardiola and his assistants noted that Phillips struggled to understand the role of being City's holding midfielder and they quickly concluded that the recently departed youth academy player Romeo Lavia, then 18, would have been a better fit.

Phillips made his first appearance for City in a pre-season friendly against Club America in the unfamiliar position of centre-back, replacing Nathan Ake at half-time. He got 21 minutes in the next game against Bayern Munich, this time in midfield, and when the season began, he played a grand total of one minute across City's three opening Premier League matches. 

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'Overweight'

Phillips made his first City start in an August friendly against Barcelona, but that was when his problems truly began as he injured his shoulder, aggravating a long-running issue. The only solution was to undergo surgery, meaning he missed the next 10 matches, only returning to the matchday squad for the final game before the season paused for the World Cup.

Phillips was still selected by England for the tournament in a call that emphasised how highly he was still regarded by Sir Gareth Southgate, and he made two appearances in Qatar. However, when he returned to Manchester, he was given a shock.

Guardiola didn't pick him for the Carabao Cup tie against Liverpool that kicked-off domestic action following the World Cup, and when asked why in the press conference, the coach gave a surprisingly strong response: "He's not injured, he arrived overweight."

Those comments plagued Phillips for years. "That narrative on social media just grew and grew," he told former Leeds team-mate Patrick Bamford. "Every club that I’d go to, I spoke to, like the manager and the nutritionist and stuff like that, they’d always speak about weight before they’d say anything else. And it got to the point where it peed me off a little bit. I was getting quite frustrated with it."

Getty Images SportNot part of Pep's vision

Phillips was a bystander during City's run to the treble in his first season at the club as he started just two Premier League games, both after they had already wrapped up the title. His second season was even more miserable as he played just 89 minutes of Premier League football across four substitute appearances. 

Again, the writing was on the wall from the start as City signed not one holding midfielder but two, first bringing in Mateo Kovacic and then Matheus Nunes in the summer of 2023. Phillips, who was already struggling to get any game time while competing with the un-droppable Rodri, was now very clearly fourth choice in his position. 

His first start of the campaign in the Carabao Cup against Newcastle ended in a 1-0 defeat, while his only other starts were in meaningless Champions League group games after City had qualified for the knockout stage. He did manage to score his only goal for the club, however, netting from the penalty spot against Red Star Belgrade.

When Guardiola was asked why he used Phillips so sparingly, he gave a damning explanation: "It’s just because I visualise some things and visualise the team and I struggle to see him. I feel so sorry for my decision for him. I’ve said that many times. He doesn’t deserve what has happened to him and I’m so sorry." 

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Getty Images SportNo respite

Having turned down the chance to leave City on loan in the summer of 2023, Phillips took the opportunity to get more game time in January 2024, moving to West Ham. But instead of turning his career around in east London, he plunged to new depths.

On his debut against Bournemouth, he gifted a goal to Dominic Solanke with his second touch of the ball, while in his next home game he was brought on at half-time as West Ham were destroyed 6-0 by Arsenal. At Nottingham Forest he was sent off, he was hauled off at half-time against Burnley, and when he boarded the team bus after a 4-3 defeat at Newcastle, one fan shouted "useless" at him. Phillips raised his middle finger in response.

He played just one more game for West Ham after that incident on Tyneside. His loan spell ended with him making just 10 appearances for the Irons, three of which were starts, while he failed to complete 90 minutes even once. 

Phillips returned to Manchester and went on City's pre-season tour of the United States in 2024, but with it being clear he had no hope of getting regular game time, another loan move beckoned. Newly-promoted Ipswich Town took him on and upon signing Phillips talked of "wanting to enjoy playing football again".

"The main reason I came to Ipswich was to get back playing football," he said. "[To] kind of play football, not stress free, but with less stress and less eyes on me, maybe. When I went to West Ham, I felt like there was quite a lot of eyes on me."

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta suggests the Gunners could be without a key player until 2026 after a pre-Chelsea injury update.

Arsenal set for Premier League six-pointer against Chelsea

The Gunners face a brief period of assessment ahead of Sunday’s Premier League blockbuster at Stamford Bridge, with Arteta sweating over the fitness of a few key players following Wednesday’s triumphant Champions League win over Bayern Munich.

Their commanding 3-1 victory over the German champions came at a cost, with Leandro Trossard forced off in the first half through injury.

The Belgian’s withdrawal was a fairly worrying sight given his excellent form this season, though substitute Noni Madueke stepped up brilliantly in Trossard’s stead to score his first goal for the club.

Arteta played down fears surrounding Trossard’s injury in his post-match press conference, suggesting the decision to withdraw him was precautionary rather than enforced by serious damage.

Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-1 Man City
Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Burnley 0-2 Arsenal
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham
Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

However, the manager’s cautious approach means Trossard’s participation against Chelsea remains uncertain, with Arsenal’s medical staff set to analyse his condition ahead of Sunday.

Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres are also doubts for this weekend, with Arteta refusing to confirm their involvement against Chelsea following their spells out through injury.

Havertz has been nursing a knee problem which required surgery, keeping him out since the very start of 2025/2026, while Mikel Merino has deputised well in place of Gyokeres, who hasn’t featured since their 2-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor.

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Gabriel Jesus continues to work his way back to full fitness after 11 months out with an ACL injury, with the Brazilian participating in a behind-closed-doors friendly this week.

Jesus is actually set for an ‘earlier than expected’ return from injury, but uncertainty continues to surround his compatriot Gabriel Magalhaes.

The star defender injured his thigh on international duty with Brazil and is set to miss the trip to Chelsea, with Arteta also asked if he’ll return before the end of 2025.

Mikel Arteta suggests Arsenal star Gabriel could be out until 2026

When asked by reporters if Gabriel would make a return to the field this year, Arteta’s answer cast doubt.

This suggests that the £100 million defender may not be back until 2026, thrusting summer signings Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera right into the spotlight.

Hincapie was given the nod for Arsenal’s 4-1 win over Spurs last weekend, and the Ecuadorian performed very well alongside William Saliba at the heart of Arteta’s backline.

Mosquera was then chosen to partner Saliba against Bayern, and again earned plaudits for his display, so Arsenal’s boss has a key selection decision to make against Enzo Maresca’s side.

Brian Bennett and JJ Smit were the heroes for Zimbabwe and Namibia, respectively, in Harare

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-2025Zimbabwe joined Namibia in the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup after they eased past Kenya in the second semi-final of the ICC’s Africa qualifiers in Harare. South Africa are the third African team in the World Cup, having qualified directly. Earlier in the day, Namibia had qualified after beating Tanzania in their semi-final contest without much fuss at the same venue.After the bowlers restricted Kenya to 122 for 6, Zimbabwe aced the chase in 15 overs with seven wickets to spare. Openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani smashed 70 together in the first six overs – only three times have Zimbabwe hit more runs in the powerplay in T20Is where ESPNcricinfo has data. Vraj Patel ended the partnership in the next over when he removed Bennett for 51 off 25 balls. Bennett’s innings featured eight fours and a six, including a sequence of 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 in the fourth over, bowled by Lucas Oluoch. He is currently the highest scorer in the tournament, with 299 runs in four innings at an average of 74.75 and a strike rate of 184.56.Vraj also got rid of Marumani for 39 off 27 balls in the 11th over, but by then Zimbabwe had reached 100. Captain Sikandar Raza fell for 10 off 18 balls, but Ryan Burl and Tony Munyonga got the job done for Zimbabwe without any further setbacks. Brendan Taylor, who had cracked 123 off 54 balls against Botswana in Zimbabwe’s 170-run win last week, was not needed with the bat.Zimbabwe’s bowlers had set up the win, with Blessing Muzarabani leading the line with figures of 4-0-19-2. Rakep Patel was the only Kenya batter to cross 20. He scored 65 off 47 balls before falling to Richard Ngarava, who finished with 1 for 31.File photo – JJ Smit was the best batter and best bowler on show for Namibia•AFP/Getty Images
As for Namibia, this will be their fourth appearance at the men’s T20 World Cup. They had also taken part in the editions in 2021 (Super 12s), 2022 (group stage) and 2024 (group stage).On Thursday, Namibia were asked to bat by Tanzania captain Kassim Nassoro, and put up a strong 174 for 6, familiar hands Gerhard Erasmus, the captain, and JJ Smit hitting fifties to help their cause.It hadn’t started so well for Namibia, with four wickets – Jan Frylinck, Malan Kruger, Louren Steenkamp and Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton – falling within the powerplay. But Erasmus and Smit got together at that point and scored quickly to snatch the momentum away from Tanzania. Erasmus scored 55 in 41 balls with six fours, while Smit hit 61 not out in 43 balls with one four and four sixes.That gave Namibia the runs they needed, and Smit was back in action, this time with the ball, to hurt the Tanzania top order. He picked up the first two wickets to fall, those of Arun Yadav and Dhrumit Mehta, off consecutive balls in the sixth over, and later removed Mukesh Suthar to finish with 3 for 16. Ben Shikongo was the other main wicket-taker for Namibia, returning 3 for 21.There were pockets of resistance from Tanzania, but nothing effective enough to change the course of the match as they finished 63 runs short despite batting out their overs.

Manchester City are closely monitoring Ezri Konsa, with it being revealed Aston Villa may now be forced to cash-in on the defender.

Despite the 1-0 loss against Villa last time out, Bernardo Silva was impressed by City’s performance in possession of the ball, but the attacking midfielder made it clear he thought they struggled at the opposite end of the pitch.

Silve said: “I would say we played quite well with the ball. Our offensive concepts were quite good. Even if we didn’t score, we had chances. We made them defend deep, and they struggled in some moments. On the other side of the game, we were really bad defensively.”

That performance may have been a one-off, considering the Blues have conceded just two goals in their last five matches in all competitions, while also keeping a total of seven clean sheets already this season, which suggests they are relatively strong at the back.

However, John Stones is well-known to be injury-prone and Abdukodir Khusanov struggled against Swansea City in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night, making one error leading to a shot and receiving a 6.1 SofaScore match rating, the lowest of any Man City player.

Man City now closely monitoring Ezri Konsa

Consequently, it could make sense to bring in a new centre-back, and City are now closely monitoring Konsa, according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Aston Villa may be forced to cash-in on the centre-back due to financial issues.

Villa are reluctant to sanction the departure of one of their key players, but PSR regulations may force them into a sale, at which point they would be looking to receive a fee of around £40m – £45m.

A whole host of Premier League clubs are in the race for the England international, however, including Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, so there may be fierce competition for his signature.

The centre-back recently put himself in the shop window with a solid performance against City, keeping a clean sheet and bringing Erling Haaland’s remarkable 12-game scoring streak to an end in his side’s 1-0 win at Villa Park.

The 28-year-old made 12 defensive contributions, the joint-highest number of any player, which kept Haaland at bay, while also recording a pass-completion rate of 95%, indicating he could be an ideal fit in a Pep Guardiola system.

Konsa vs City

Number completed

Clearances

6

Blocked shots

2

Interceptions

3

Tackles won

1

The Villa star, who is also capable of playing at right-back, received high praise from Jamie Redknapp last year too, with the Sky Sports pundit saying: “I think he’s shown he’s a versatile player. He’s got a great appetite for the game. He’s also got a lot of desire, tremendous work ethic.”

Konsa, who is represented by the same agent as Omar Marmoush, could be a solid addition to Man City’s backline, but there are doubts over whether he would be a necessary signing, given that Guardiola already has the likes of Stones, Khusanov, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol to choose from.

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His two-month stint includes six first-class matches and potentially ten List A games

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jun-2025Khaleel Ahmed has signed a deal with Essex for the remainder of the County Championship and the entirety of the One-Day Cup. It will be Khaleel’s first foray in County cricket. The two-month stint goes on till late September and includes six first-class games along with eight List A games, which could stretch to ten if Essex progress to the final.Khaleel will join the squad in York and will be available for selection for the County Championship match against Yorkshire starting Sunday.”I have heard a lot about the rich history of the Club, and I’m excited to be part of it and will look to make an immediate impact,” he said. “I’m looking forward to playing at Chelmsford, meeting the loyal Essex Members and fans, and delivering performances they can be proud of.”Related

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Essex’s director of cricket Chris Silverwood looked forward to the “new dynamic” Khaleel’s left-arm pace adds to the attack.”We were impressed with his performances for India A and firmly believe he can strengthen our already very strong seam attack,” Silverwood said. “As a left-arm seamer, he offers something different and will add a new dynamic to the squad in both the One Day Cup and the County Championship.”Khaleel has taken 15 wickets in 11 ODIs for India at an average of 31.00. He has played 20 first-class games and picked up 56 wickets at an average of 27.67. He was also part of the India A side that took on England Lions in June.Apart from Khaleel, Ishan Kishan (Nottinghamshire), Tilak Varma (Hampshire), Ruturaj Gaikwad (Yorkshire) and Yuzvendra Chahal (Northamptonshire) are the other Indians who have signed County deals.Essex currently sit at No. 8 in division one of the County Championship with one win in eight games.

Emma Hayes' side had a bumpy start to the October camp, but finished off in style by overpowering New Zealand 6-0

Various members of the U.S. women's national team said it this week: it seemed like forever since they last saw one another. Nearly four months, to be exact. A lot had changed since that last friendly against Canada on July 2, and, in truth, the USWNT's October camp reflected the fact this team hadn't been together.

It began in frustrating fashion with a 2-1 loss to Portugal, one that served as a wake-up call for this team. Portugal played hard and pressed well, earning their first victory over the USWNT in 11 all-time matches – and handing Emma Hayes' side their third loss of 2025.

The response? A big win a few days later, albeit an imperfect one with a 2-1 scoreline. There was nothing imperfect about their final game of the camp, though, as the U.S. blew past an overmatched New Zealand side, 6-0.

Something of a mixed bag, then, by USWNT standards. There were players who clearly stepped up and made their cases. There will be others who will be looking back at the first Portugal game with some second thoughts. With World Cup qualifying closing in, Hayes continues to sort out her player pool, and the results during this camp will certainly play a part in that pursuit.

Who stood out? Whose stock rose, and whose fell? GOAL takes a look.

• Getty Images
  

  Stock up: Rose Lavelle

  She's a World Cup and Olympic champion. Everyone knew who Rose Lavelle was before this camp, of course, but with her performances, Lavelle made sure they'd remember who she was after it, too.

  This was peak Lavelle. She scored in twice, netting 33 seconds into the opener before dazzling with a first-time finish from outside the box finish in the closer. In between, she impacted games in the way she has for her entire USWNT career, creatively running the show in a variety of ways.

  It was throwback, in a way, from the 30-year-old midfielder, but also a reminder that there's still plenty left to give, too.

  “Lavelle is one of the best players I’ve ever coached,” Hayes said on Wednesday. “I mean, that goal – not many players score that.”

  Even among these younger, rising stars who fighting to replicate what she did at the 2019 World Cup, Lavelle remains a standout. Creatively, there are with her talent, and this camp was a visceral reminder of that – even as the world focuses on the next generation of USWNT stars.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Stock up: Lily Yohannes

  Speaking of that next generation, it's getting harder to label Lily Yohannes as "next" instead of "right now." Even at 18, Yohannes doesn't just look like a USWNT player; she looks like a USWNT starter, and it might be time to acknowledge that fact.

  The midfielder has seemingly taken another leap since making the move to join OL Lyonnes, and she's running games in ways that 18-years-olds shouldn't be able to. There are times, even on this international level, in which Yohannes looks like an adult among children, which is remarkable when you consider that she's still a teenager. 

  She just makes everything look so easy, from long passes to receiving the ball in tight spaces. That level of technicality isn't supposed to be easy. To the contrary, it should take years to develop and refine. And just as amazing, Yohannes is still learning. 

  "She plays beyond her years," Hayes said. "She has no fear to get on the ball with pressure, solve pressure, she can switch balls out, she can thread balls in behind."

  There will, inevitably, be dips in form. That's natural at her age and should be expected. The thing is that, even in those valleys, she might just be better than just about everyone else. It's why, by the time World Cup qualifying rolls around, it'll likely be impossible to keep her out of the starting XI.

• Getty Images
  

  Stock down: Lindsey Heaps

  This isn't a reflection on Lindsey Heaps' game. She had a fantastic assist against New Zealand and, in general, continues to be a valuable leader in midfield, one that does a little bit of everything for a team that certainly needs that, given their inexperience.

  But with Yohannes' ascension, the midfield has become crowded. With Lavelle balling out and Sam Coffey providing much-needed energy in a deeper role, could it be the captain that, at some point, makes way?

  Fortunately, no one has to make that decision any time soon, and Hayes will be fine with putting it off. The U.S., in truth, doesn't need a set lineup until the World Cup kicks off in two years. And having multiple world-class midfielders available is a blessing.

  Heaps is still in that category, and it cannot be understated just how important she has been in Yohannes' rise as her club and international teammate. It has to be said, though, that Heaps might just be building up her replacement, even if that is a few years down the line. Of course, that's what she'll hope for, anyway, as she looks to continue setting the tone as this team's midfield leader.

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• Getty Images
  

  Stock up: Olivia Moultrie

  Expectations were always a bit heavy on Olivia Moultrie. When you're the game's youngest professional, that happens. Everyone knew Moultrie would get to a certain level, but the question was always centered around how long it would take.

  Maybe it's now? Six years after turning professional, Moultrie is now a still just 20 years old. She's still, very much, an evolving player. She has developed into a goalscorer, though, one who could play her way into the mix over the next year.

  “I think she's having an outstanding season,” Hayes said. “I think she's a goal threat. I played her off of the right but coming inside. I knew there would be second spaces inside the box. I think she exploited them well.”

  Her goals will help. She's been scoring in bunches, both for the Portland Thorns and the USWNT, with her two goals in the win over Portugal really showcasing her game. Both finishes were wildly composed, placed shots, ones that showed maturity and poise beyond her years.

  It's the type of thing you expect from a player with multiple NWSL seasons under her belt, but it's not the thing you expect from a 20-year-old. Midfield spots are going to be difficult to seize. But Moultrie, who has been in and out of the team, made her case to be involved going forward.

A manager who Oliver Glasner described as “amazing” is now being targeted by Manchester United as a replacement for Ruben Amorim.

Amorim under fire after Brentford defeat

After the 3-1 defeat against Brentford over the weekend, Amorim is under fire once again, with Jamie Carragher describing the 40-year-old’s time at the club as a “disaster”, and suggesting it is “inevitable” he will be sacked.

It is also revealed that just one of the 17 ever-present Premier League clubs have collected fewer points than Amorim since his arrival at Old Trafford, underlining just how poor Man United have been under the helm of the former Sporting CP boss.

Alan Shearer has suggested that the only reason INEOS haven’t dismissed the manager already is because they don’t want to admit they got another decision wrong, saying: “I genuinely believe that the owners or the people that are running the club at the minute have made that many errors in the last two years or 18 months since they’ve been there. It would look terrible to admit another error and sack (Amorim).”

That said, the United hierarchy are clearly now planning for life after Amorim, with a report from The Sun revealing that Brighton & Hove Albion boss Fabian Hurzeler is now under consideration as a replacement for the Portuguese manager.

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INEOS are said to have drawn up a three-man shortlist, which also includes Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner and AFC Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, with the board evidently keen on bringing in a proven Premier League manager.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is still backing Amorim for the time being, but contingency plans are now being put in place, with Hurzeler one of the managers being targeted, having performed well at Brighton, leading the Seagulls to an eighth-placed finish last season.

"Amazing" Hurzeler impressing in first Premier League job

At 32-years-old, the Brighton boss is the youngest manager in the Premier League, but he has shown maturity beyond his years, with Glasner being left particularly impressed by the work his opposite number has done in England and Germany.

The Palace manager said: “He did an amazing job in Germany with St. Pauli. Also, what I always like with every manager is when you can see a clear style of playing and this is what he implemented in Germany, in St. Pauli, and what he implemented here with Brighton.

“He does a fantastic job there.”

The German has averaged 1.70 points per match during his time with the Seagulls, having taken charge of 53 matches, suggesting he would be a big upgrade on Amorim, with the United boss averaging 1.35 over 49 games with the Red Devils.

With the former St Pauli boss preferring to implement a 4-2-3-1 system, appointing the up-and-coming manager could mean a welcome return to four-at-the-back for Man United, amid widespread calls for Amorim to tinker with his system.

That said, it would be a risk to appoint Hurzeler, given his age, with United perhaps in need of a more experienced manager, who has a proven track record at some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Tottenham opened their Champions League account for the campaign with a 1-0 win over La Liga side Villarreal in north London on Tuesday night, with a calamitous own goal from goalkeeper Luiz Junior gifting Thomas Frank’s side a precious three points.

It was a tight, cagey affair, and Villarreal had chances of their own to level, including a late free-kick in a dangerous area, but former Arsenal flop Nicolas Pepe blazed it over the bar.

Micky van de Ven

7.4

Djed Spence

7.3

Rodrigo Bentancur

7.3

Mohammed Kudus

7.2

Santiago Mourino

7.1

via WhoScored

Pape Sarr also forced a low, outstretched save from Luiz on 30 minutes to keep the score at 1-0, and that’s how it stayed, with there being precious few highlights from the fairly uneventful victory — not that Frank is complaining too much as Spurs make it four wins from five in all competitions.

Midfielder Lucas Bergvall also continued his fine start to the season with a Man of the Match display against Villarreal, outshining the likes of Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus in what was another excellent performance.

It’s been an excellent start to life under the Dane, but Tottenham’s restructured boardroom – headed by CEO Vinai Vinkatesham and minus ex-chair Daniel Levy – will bear in mind that Ange Postecoglou made the best start by any other manager in Premier League history when he first joined the club in 2023.

However, with the form on display by some of his key men, especially defensively, the early signs are extremely promising.

Frank’s side have conceded just three goals in six games this season, including the UEFA Super Cup final, with Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero proving imperious at the back for Tottenham.

Jamie O'Hara says Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero "walk" into Real Madrid

Speaking on talkSPORT, pundit Jamie O’Hara has claimed that Romero and van de Ven are the best centre-back partnership in the world right now, going on to claim that both of them stroll into Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid side.

The duo have been vital for Frank since he took over from Postecoglou, and the numbers speak for themselves.

Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero shining for Tottenham

Van de Ven complements Romero by offering strong aerial ability, searing pace and consistency in clearances and interceptions.

The Dutchman’s clean-sheet rate when fit and his ability to handle one-on-one duels have become key for Spurs. Romero, meanwhile, brings aggression, leadership, and experience, especially in big games.

In Postecoglou’s final season, they featured in 18 matches together, during which Tottenham conceded just 20 goals.

Together, what van de Ven lacks in experience, Romero makes up for with leadership and composure; and while the latter’s aggressive defending sometimes invites risk, the former helps cover for him. Their strengths balance each other out, and it is clear that the pair remaining fit will be crucial to Tottenham’s prospects this season.

Heading into West Ham United’s away trip to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, it’s fair to say the mood engulfing the Hammers was a toxic one.

Three defeats in both the League and Cup to start the season had Graham Potter nervously hanging onto his job post, while the rampant talk surrounding Lucas Paqueta’s future heading into the twists and turns of deadline day did little to raise the positivity levels at the London Stadium.

However, it’s funny how quickly things can change in football, as the depressed mood around proceedings was thankfully lifted by Potter’s men securing a much-deserved 3-0 win at the City Ground.

Paqueta would even start the contest, and by kissing the badge when scoring his late penalty to make it 2-0, he has surely shown where his long-term future lies.

Paqueta's performance in numbers vs Forest

Murmurs before the game had indicated that the Brazilian star was going to start for the Hammers, despite rumours linking him with a late switch to Aston Villa.

Once more, after also scoring versus Chelsea, the South American was a bright spark throughout for the visitors, with his skill and commitment to the cause proving to be crucial as a much-needed three points were secured.

Indeed, nobody would have known – from the outside looking in – that the Hammers’ number ten was allegedly looking for a switch away, with Paqueta finishing the contest by winning a remarkably high 11 duels.

Moreover, he was also constantly on the front foot as a sharp number ten option behind the main striker, as seen in him finishing the 3-0 win with two key passes and three successful dribbles next to his name, away from just stroking his spot-kick home with ease.

The much-talked-about 28-year-old wasn’t the only standout performer in Nottinghamshire, however, as another midfield presence showed off how he can be West Ham’s next Paqueta, and even Declan Rice, with an assured and classy performance on the road.

£40m star showed he can be the next Paqueta & Rice

In truth, there were hardly any underperformers from an Irons’ perspective, with a usually shaky Max Kilman even grabbing himself a clean sheet at the final whistle, winning 100% of his duels on the day.

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Brand new Hammers recruit Mateus Fernandes, however, was phenomenal. Since Declan Rice left for Arsenal, the Irons have missed a robust figure capable of winning duels but it looks like they’ve found one.

He regularly threw himself into duels – with the summer signing going on to win six of his 11 attempted ground duels against Nuno Espirito Santo’s energetic Forest. In doing so, the £42m ace instantly endeared himself to his new set of supporters by being both skilful on the ball, but attritional when necessary. Very Rice-esque.

Fernandes vs Forest

Minutes played

82

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

34

Accurate passes

20/23 (87%)

Key passes

2

Tackles

3

Total duels won

6/11

Stats by Sofascore

It’s certainly the correct route to go down, considering Paqueta also has a similar varied reputation, with Fernandes ending the 3-0 contest with only three misplaced passes next to his name.

Yet, he also regularly attempted to win the ball back away from merely stylishly spraying it about the pitch, with three tackles in total registered.

The similarities between Paqueta and Fernandes don’t end here, with both key performers for Potter’s men at the City Ground flexible presences who can line up through the middle as a number ten, or down the flank, meaning they could well swap roles as the campaign drags on.

If the under-fire Hammers boss can also get both players to deliver top-quality performances like the ones on show at the Tricky Trees all season long, he should be far safer in his precarious job role.

It was quite the showing from the £42m youngster on his Hammers debut, with Fernandes perhaps even going down as a mega Rice-style sale down the line, having previously attracted interest from Manchester United and Villa, before putting pen to paper on a London Stadium move.

Hailed as “superb” during the victory by West Ham content creator Dan Woffenden, it does seem as if Potter and Co. have struck gold already on landing the coveted signature of Fernandes.

Hopefully, he remains in claret and blue for some time, before perhaps exploding even more into life away from East London, like the £100m Rice.

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Posts ByBen Gray Aug 31, 2025