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Arsenal’s battle with injuries has taken a further turn for the worse after Declan Rice was ruled out of Wednesday night’s Champions League meeting with Club Brugge. The midfielder is a central figure in Mikel Arteta’s plans but was deemed too ill to travel to Belgium, which has deepened the sense of strain within a squad already stretched thin.

Injuries a major concern for Arteta

Rice had fallen unwell shortly after the weekend defeat at Aston Villa, and despite attempts to aid his recovery, the 26-year-old was unable to join the travelling party. He is not the only major absentee. William Saliba, who has been managing an ongoing issue for several weeks, remains unavailable and will miss yet another marquee European assignment. Leandro Trossard, who had only just returned from injury to score against Villa, has suffered a fresh knock and had to be withdrawn before the final whistle at Villa Park. Arteta admitted he does not expect the Belgian’s recovery to be long-term but said there was no chance of him featuring in Bruges. The Gunners are also without Kai Havertz, defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and Cristhian Mosquera, and have only just welcomed back striker Viktor Gyokeres after his own spell on the sidelines.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportArteta shares injury updates

Speaking to reporters, Arteta said: "Declan was ill. He was quite sick after the game, and he hasn’t travelled with us. William is still not available, and Leo again picked another knock in an area where he had the issue, and I don't expect that it's going to be long, but unfortunately, he cannot be here."

In an illustration of the mounting physical toll, Arsenal have altered their Champions League squad to accommodate the returning Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian forward had been sidelined since January following surgery on his cruciate ligament, but has forced his way back ahead of schedule. His reintroduction comes at the expense of 15-year-old midfielder Max Dowman, who suffered an injury while playing for Arsenal’s Under-21 side against Manchester United over the weekend.

Arteta added: "Yes, so first of all, unfortunately, Max [Dowman] picked up an injury last weekend and had to come off. So he did some scans and he is going to be out for weeks and then we have the situation of Gabi [Jesus], who we were expecting to be training with us by the end of December. Gabi has been pushing every single day and he kept telling everybody 'I am going to be earlier, earlier, earlier' and he has done it. 

"So thanks to his work and all the work that the medical staff have done in all these months, and we had the possibility to make a swap there and we have done it. Yes, on one side, you see Max and the situation and on the other, you see the joy and how happy Gabi is to be back in the Champions League."

Overtraining claims addressed

With so many key figures unavailable, Arteta was asked whether the club’s escalating injury list is a symptom of excessive training demands. The manager dismissed the notion outright, arguing that the relentless match calendar leaves little room to train meaningfully.

"Not training, no, because we don't have time to train," he said. "So, training is not there. But obviously, the fact that you are missing players, you are loading other players more. That's a consequence of that and it's a really dangerous. The fact that we have some others who have long-term contracts that haven't been with us since the beginning of the season. But, yeah, it's a test for the team, and so far, we have reacted very, very well to that."

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Getty Images SportFixture congestion continues to spark debate

Arsenal, alongside Crystal Palace, have seen their league matches later this month brought forward by 24 hours to ease the load during a packed festive period. Arsenal’s trip to Everton and Palace’s visit to Leeds, initially set for Sunday, 21 December, will now take place on the evening of 20 December. The shift was introduced because the teams face each other in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on 23 December, creating an unusually tight turnaround. Arsenal have already contested 22 matches across the Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup, with the FA Cup campaign due to begin in early January against Portsmouth. As the squad travels to Belgium without several of their key performers, Arsenal face not only Club Brugge but also the growing challenge of keeping a threadbare group intact through one of the most gruelling phases of the campaign.

India will eye a series win and may not want to tinker much with their XI after a close match

Sidharth Monga02-Dec-2025Big picture – Raipur’s second ODI everThere is a reason why ODIs are a format after India’s heart. Why, at a time when ODIs fight for relevance outside the World Cup, do Indians still sell out stadiums to watch their team in action? It doesn’t demand as much devotion as Tests do, but still provides enough time and certainty for their heroes to showcase their skill and fitness. And when two of the greatest of all time, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, find the form they did during the first ODI between against South Africa, it’s all the more reason for a three-match series to be frenzied.While ODIs are less reliant on luck than T20Is, the first ODI was also an example of how much heavy lifting the side losing the toss has to do. Despite all the pedigree they have, India came within a couple of connected full tosses of possibly losing to a side that has been chopping and changing, and has played 37 players in this year alone.Ranchi was India’s experience and skill coming up against the conditions and the incredible hitting depth in the South Africa line-up. You’d expect the same for the rest of the series if India keep losing tosses – they have now lost 19 in a row – but the only ODI Raipur has ever hosted was a bit of a dream for seam bowlers, who bowled New Zealand out for 108 in early 2023.Related

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It happened to be the match immediately after one that mirrored this series’ Ranchi ODI. Asked to bat first back then, India rode on Shubman Gill’s double-century to post 349 for 8 – exactly what India got against South Africa in Ranchi – and had New Zealand reeling at 131 for 6, but the lower order gave India a scare once the dew came in, getting to within 12 runs of the score.This time, you’d hope Raipur gives us a closer contest than the Ranchi thriller. Not least because if India are on the dealing end of a one-sided game, the series will then have to feature a dead-rubber in Visakhapatnam.Form guideIndia: WWLLW
South Africa: LLWLLIn the spotlight: Harshit Rana and Nandre BurgerIndia had only a brief window of movement in Ranchi before the dew turned bowling into a nightmare. But Harshit Rana took two wickets in that small window to put India ahead. He has now shown that not only can he be effective in hitting the pitch hard with the old ball, but also with the new ball. Rana’s next challenge might be taking the new ball in the afternoon, when it tends to do little.Unlucky to not be a regular part of the Test set-up just yet, Nandre Burger took on that challenge in the afternoon in Ranchi, and came out with credit. He bowled at consistent high pace, and found a way to challenge the batters. If Burger can find a way to do even better, he will be a theme in the rest of the series.Team news: Bavuma, Maharaj should be backIndia will not want to be fickle with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Washington Sundar at Nos. 4 and 5, respectively. Now that they have started the series with them there, one match against a soft ball shouldn’t be enough to push the two players out.India (probable): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Ruturaj Gaikwad/Rishabh Pant, 5 KL Rahul (capt, wk), 6 Washington Sundar, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Harshit Rana, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Prasidh KrishnaTemba Bavuma should be back after resting in the first ODI•ICC/Getty ImagesSouth Africa rested regular captain Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj for the first ODI, but they were both quite active. Bavuma spoke to the players during drinks breaks, and Maharaj served as a substitute fielder for a while. So they should come right back in. Maharaj is an easier swap for Prenelan Subrayen, while Bavuma should replace one out of Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton, both of whom scored ducks in Ranchi.South Africa (probable): 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Quinton de Kock/Ryan Rickelton (wk), 3 Temba Bavuma (capt), 4 Matthew Breetzke, 5 Tony de Zorzi, 6 Dewald Brevis, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Corbin Bosch, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Nandre Burger, 11 Ottneil BaartmanPitch and conditionsThe India vs New Zealand match from 2023 remains Raipur’s only day-night List A game, so there isn’t much history to go by. But the endeavour generally is to not produce a pitch too loaded in favour of the bowlers. So that 108 all out of nearly three years ago will likely be an aberration more than the trend. The weather promises to be pleasant for cricket, with temperatures not likely to go higher than 27 degrees celcius or lower than 14.Stats and trivia Rohit Sharma now holds the record for most ODI sixes: 352. The 681 runs scored in Ranchi was the highest aggregate for an India-South Africa contest.

Afghanistan were dismissed for 127 within one and a half sessions on a tricky pitch

Abhimanyu Bose20-Oct-2025

Choosing to bowl first in a Test match is always a tricky call, but it’s justified if you end the first day in the lead, with eight wickets in hand. That’s what Zimbabwe achieved, as Test cricket returned to the Harare Sports Club for the first time after 2021.Brad Evans’ five-wicket haul and Ben Curran’s half-century put Zimbabwe on top on the opening day of the one-off Test against Afghanistan.With plenty of movement on offer for the fast bowlers, Zimbabwe knocked Afghanistan over for 127 inside a session and a half, before taking the lead at the stroke of stumps. On the way there, they survived some testing bowling from the Afghanistan quicks.Earlier in the day, the returning Richard Ngarava struggled to find his rhythm and Ibrahim Zadran took him for three fours in an over. But the Afghanistan openers found it tougher to tackle Blessing Muzarabani, who extracted extra bounce from a good length. This led to Ibrahim edging one to third slip in the sixth over.But after that, the first hour belonged to Afghanistan, as they ticked along at close to six runs an over thanks largely to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who came in at one-down. Tanaka Chivanga troubled him with extra bounce. One ball flew over the cordon off the shoulder of Gurbaz’s bat, and he later top-edged a pull, but it landed in a vacant deep square leg region.Ben Curran played an attritional knock•AFP/Getty Images

Gurbaz picked up a couple more boundaries, with an off-drive off a full-toss and a ramp off Chivanga. However, Zimbabwe regrouped in the drinks break, started bowling tighter lines and lengths, and reaped the rewards. First, Gurbaz sliced a full ball from Chivanga to point. Then a mix-up with Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi led to opener Abdul Malik being run-out for his Test best score of 30.Malik had started watchfully before dispatching a couple of short balls for boundaries, but after he squeezed out a yorker from Chivanga in front of cover and took off for a single, Shahidi responded to the call before turning back and leaving Malik stranded.Evans, playing his first Test since February 2023, gave Zimbabwe a boost in the penultimate over before the lunch break. First, a full delivery from around the wicket drew Shahidi into a drive. The length wasn’t quite right for the drive, and the ball nibbled away and found the edge, which Nick Welch pouched at gully, diving to his left. Three balls later, Evans had Afsar Zazai nicking off with a length ball that straightened off the pitch. From 77 for 1, Afghanistan had slipped to 102 for 5.The capitulation continued after the interval, with Muzarabani striking in each of his first two overs after lunch. Bahir Shah got a thick edge to gully’s left and Brian Bennett held on to a diving effort before Muzarabani had Ismat Alam strangled down leg. Sharafuddin Ashraf tried to take on Evans and skied one to mid-off’s left and Zimbabwe’s good fielding display continued as Chivanga completed another diving catch.Muzarabani drew Yamin Ahmadzai’s edge twice in an over, but one went over the cordon and the other fine of backward point for fortunate boundaries. Soon, Evans had Khalil Gurbaz edging behind off a short ball, and cleaned up Ziaur Rahman first ball with a yorker to complete a maiden Test five-for.In all, Afghanistan lost 9 for 50 to vindicate Zimbabwe’s decision to bowl.When Zimbabwe began their innings, Bennett looked tentative early on, beaten on the outside edge twice as he tried to drive outswingers from Ahmadzai. But it was Ziaur who bowled him with a lovely full delivery on off, which angled in and straightened to beat the bat and uproot off stump.Ben Curran and Nick Welch then played watchfully till tea, even as Ziaur thought he had Welch caught behind off the inside edge, only to be denied by the umpire.Ziaur Rahman castled Brian Bennett for his maiden Test wicket•Zimbabwe Cricket

Curran waited until his 21st delivery for his first boundary, slashing Ahmadzai behind point. At the other end, Welch crunched a boundary through the covers off Ahmadzai with tea looming. When Afghanistan brought on spin for the first time in the 13th over, Curran drove Ashraf through the covers off his second delivery.The batters faced a testing period as the seamers returned after tea. Welch, especially, struggled to settle, with the quicks finding movement through the day. In the second over after the interval, Welch got a leading edge that went back over the bowler’s head. One ball later, Alam thought he had his man as Welch edged while looking to drive and Zazai caught him behind the stumps, but his celebrations were short-lived as replays confirmed he had overstepped.Even after that, Welch had several play-and-misses and lucky edges that didn’t cost him. Curran struggled for fluency too. He was not helped when he was struck on the helmet but denied a concussion test by the umpire Nitin Menon, who was looking to speed up a sedate over rate. Menon adjudged that the ball had hit him on the glove when he tried to pull a short ball.Legspinner Khalil’s introduction eased some of the pressure on the batters, as Welch swept his second ball for four and then launched him for a six over midwicket in his second over. In Khalil’s third over, Welch launched him inside-out over cover for another boundary.The Afghan bowlers’ toil finally paid off when Ziaur went through Welch’s defence with an inswinger to send his off stump cartwheeling.Brendan Taylor was rapped on the pads first ball he faced, but the umpire adjudged him not out. Taylor got off the mark off his third ball, tucking one fine off his pads.When Ashraf returned, Taylor lofted him down the ground for his second boundary. He continued to pick up runs quickly, ramping a short ball from Ziaur over the keeper.Curran got to his half-century off 108 balls, with a single in the 38th over. Zimbabwe also took the lead in that over, which proved to be the final one of the day, with umpires calling stumps early due to bad light.

Wayne Rooney has compared Harry Kane’s “incredible evolution” into England’s GOAT with the development that Cristiano Ronaldo once enjoyed at Manchester United. Kane is already his country’s all-time leading goalscorer and appears set to smash records on the appearance front as well. If he could win an international trophy, then it would be difficult to argue against him being the greatest.

England's GOAT: Will Kane pass Moore, Charlton & Beckham?

At 32 years of age, the former Tottenham striker is showing no sign of slowing down. Remarkable numbers are being posted at Bayern Munich, with the target being found there on 108 occasions through 113 appearances. He has also broken his trophy duck by becoming a Bundesliga title winner.

On the international stage, Kane remains the talismanic captain of England. He is rarely rested, with few alternative No.9 options breathing down his neck, and has helped the Three Lions secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

He has reached 78 goals for his nation and boasts 112 caps. Kane needs to reach 126 in order to pass legendary former goalkeeper Peter Shilton. Another shot at major glory will be taken in next summer – having suffered defeat in back-to-back European Championship finals – with the plan being to emulate Bobby Moore when it comes to claiming the most prestigious of prizes.

AdvertisementGettyRooney explains why Kane is England's greatest

Explaining why Kane will pass Moore, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan, Bryan Robson, Paul Gascoigne, David Beckham, Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer on the GOAT front, ex-England captain Rooney told : “Just the goals he has scored and his performances. He will go on and get the caps record as well, you would imagine – the caps he is on.

“I just think how he has evolved as a player is incredible. He reminds me of Cristiano when we were at United and he was younger. Sometimes he’s at a mad angle and he’s shooting and you’re like ‘what are you doing shooting?’ You might say ‘pass it’ but it doesn’t bother him, he’ll try it again and keep going – right and left foot. I think he’s, for me, the best England player. The numbers he is getting are incredible.”

Kane or Shearer? Carragher sees only one winner

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher agreed with that assessment, suggesting that Kane still does not get the recognition that his stunning exploits deserve. The former England defender said: “I absolutely love him. I think he is a little bit underrated. There was always that thing about trophies.

“Shearer was always the centre-forward of the Premier League when it started – for six or seven years, Shearer was the guy and he was England’s guy, most goals in the Premier League. I think if you asked most people up and down the country: Shearer of Kane? I think the majority would go with Shearer.

“I’ve always been Kane. Shearer was amazing but I don’t know what you can say against Kane. He has gone to Bayern Munich and he is like Ronaldo and Messi level. He’s going to get more goals and caps than Lineker, Shearer, Jimmy Greaves, Rooney. What hasn’t the lad done? What can you throw at him?”

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GettyWorld Cup win: Kane looking to lead England to glory

One-time England striker Jermain Defoe, who also graced the books at Spurs, has previously told GOAL when asked if Kane will go down as England’s greatest: “I think if he wins something, you have to put him in the conversation. Of course there have been others that are iconic figures and legends in terms of caps – Beckham, Ashley Cole, all the great players. But to be England’s leading goalscorer, that’s a special achievement. If you go on to win a major tournament and have the most caps, of course you have to put him in the conversation.”

Kane has spoken of his admiration for Rooney, with inspiration being taken from the Manchester United great and fellow frontman that he took England’s all-time goal record from. Rooney was unable to win anything during the Three Lions’ so-called ‘Golden Generation’, but Kane has an opportunity to grab himself a gold medal before hanging up his boots.

Any Premier League outfit with well-lined pockets can spend money on attractive players. Newcastle United’s financial fortunes changed when PIF swooped in nearly four years ago, but there’s far more substance to the Toon’s revival.

Appointing Eddie Howe was a shrewd and calculated move. Less than one month before the former Bournemouth boss’s arrival at St. James’ Park in November 2021, The Times reported Unai Emery, Steven Gerrard and Roberto Martinez were at the top of the shortlist to replace Steve Bruce.

Newcastle looked elsewhere, and they haven’t looked back. Howe is the real deal, leading the Magpies to Europe across two of the past three campaigns and winning the Carabao Cup last season; victory over Liverpool at Wembley ended 70 years of searching for domestic silverware.

Newcastle have unloaded their financial strength across recent transfer windows, sure, but they are almost unerring in their strategy.

Many players are a testament to that, and Sandro Tonali is a shining example.

Sandro Tonali's Newcastle journey

In July 2023, Newcastle paid £55m to sign Tonali from AC Milan. It was Howe’s first signing of the summer. All knew United had recruited a top midfield talent, elegant and intelligent in the middle of the park, and he is now producing the goods with consistency.

He didn’t at first. The Italy international managed only eight Premier League appearances in 2023/24 before being suspended due to betting breaches. He would not return until after the start of the following campaign.

Tonali was worth the wait, though, having been hailed by pundit Paul Scholes this month as being the best midfielder in England.

Howe has reworked his central system over the past 12 months, rewiring the nucleus of his team by moving Tonali into the deepest area of the midfield, thus freeing Bruno Guimaraes to be more dynamic ahead of him.

Games

15

36

Wins

7

23

Draws

4

2

Losses

4

11

PPG

1.66

1.97

The 25-year-old is a product of Howe’s vision and tactics. He has shaped him into a star. The English manager has something of a knack for crafting high-class midfielders, and he could do it again with Lewis Miley.

Newcastle's new version of Tonali

Miley is the boyhood star in Newcastle’s first team. Howe might dream of a reunion with Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson down the line, but if Miley realises his potential over the coming years, that need will be lessened.

Already rather seasoned within Howe’s squad, the 19-year-old is a composed and cool customer in the engine room, not afraid to commit in the challenge, crisp on the ball and with an unteachable eye for goal.

Miley has faced adversity across the opening weeks of the campaign, with Howe condemning “unjustified” criticism and vowing to “protect” the homegrown talent last month.

An adaptable player, Miley could follow in Tonali’s footsteps under Howe’s wing, weathering adversity and working hard toward achieving respect and awe at St. James’ Park. He has the completeness to match the Italian, if not the experience or refinement.

Injuries have affected the young star’s rise to the Newcastle first team, but he has still made his mark over the past couple of years, already with 53 appearances for the seniors and seven direct goal involvements.

Pundit Pat Nevin has kept a close eye on Miley’s development and has even proclaimed him to be “the next young English superstar”, carrying a strength on the ball that belies his 19 years and showing technical qualities that will only harden as the months and years pass by.

That’s quite the claim from the one-time Scotland international, but it’s clear Miley has the natural talent and the determination to win over the doubters and make headway at Newcastle this season and thereafter.

With the Toon fanbase rallying behind him, Howe truly might unearth the club’s next version of Tonali.

PIF sold Newcastle's next Gazza on the cheap, now he's better than Bruno

Did Newcastle United sell an even better midfielder than Bruno Guimarães?

1 Oct 13, 2025

David Moyes’ blistering start back to life in the Everton dug-out feels like a very long time ago now.

Indeed, the Scotsman was just the antidote the Toffees needed after the wheels came off Sean Dyche’s miserable reign, with just two defeats picked up from his opening ten games back in charge of the Premier League titans last season, steering them comfortably away from relegation.

The Merseyside outfit is still six points clear of that dreaded relegation zone in the here and now, but there are concerns in the air at the Toffees all the same, with Everton only coming out on top with a win in the league once across their last five matches.

A 3-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday would have only added to those worries, as former Everton hero Richarlison stood out for Thomas Frank’s away side.

Richarlison's potential Everton return

Richarlison has often found his time at Tottenham Hotspur to be fraught with bumps, but he would put the game beyond all doubt on Sunday evening when heading into the path of Pape Matar Sarr to make it 3-0.

The passionate Brazilian only has 23 goals next to his name for Spurs from 104 total appearances, but recent reports – as perTEAMTalk – suggest that the North Londoners are willing to cash in on their one-time £60m buy in January, and that Everton are circling.

It would well be a masterstroke of a return as the Toffees attempt to feel comfortable about their striker options again.

CF

77

23 + 6

LW

51

24 + 8

RW

22

6 + 1

While Richarlison might be remembered most fondly by those on Merseyside for his gung-ho performances down either wing, it feels unlikely that the South American – despite his previous heroics at the club – would be able to displace the likes of Jack Grealish on his favoured left channel at the moment.

Consequently, he stands his best chance at making waves on his return as an out-and-out centre-forward, when assessing Richarlison’s previous goal tally as a striker at Everton, with 23 goals picked up from 77 outings, leading to one of his ex-managers at Goodison Park in Carlo Ancelotti, hailing him as a “fantastic” finisher of chances.

Despite murmurs that Spurs want to offload their hot-and-cold number nine in the coming months, he is also able to boast a healthy haul of three goals and two assists next to his name from nine clashes this season.

Bringing back such a former beloved figure could signal the end for Beto in Everton blue, with the Lisbon-born striker struggling once again to get going yesterday evening, to the dismay of his impatient fanbase.

Why Beto is on borrowed time at Everton

You would think a striker in Moyes’ current set-up would be licking their lips at the prospect of how many goals they could put away, with the likes of Iliman Ndiaye and the aforementioned Grealish tricky customers intent on putting chances on a plate for the chosen marksman leading the line.

Unfortunately for Moyes and Co. though, Beto often fluffs his lines when a golden opportunity comes his way, with the former Udinese striker desperately unlucky not to find the back of the net on Sunday evening, when an acrobatic effort in the second half – with the scoreline still standing at 2-0 – was somehow clawed away by an alert Guglielmo Vicario.

That’s about as good as it gets for the under-fire 27-year-old, however, with his minimal 14 touches of the ball meaning he often cut an isolated figure at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, so much so that Jordan Pickford even managed to accumulate more touches himself, having tallied up 36 in total.

With just one goal next to his name in the Premier League this season, it isn’t a great shock to read all the widespread backlash he is receiving for his recent dismal displays, with Everton-based podcaster Paul Brown stating at full-time that the goal-shy number nine is “hopeless”.

Moreover, another Toffees podcaster in the form of Steven Kelly also stated that the ongoing striker situation is “killing” Moyes’ side at the moment.

It really does look like Beto is on borrowed time on Merseyside, therefore, with his precarious position in the starting XI becoming ever more shaky if the passionate South American potentially returns to the blue half of Liverpool shortly.

Alongside Beto: Moyes must drop 4/10 Everton star who lost possession 19x

Everton were humbled on their own patch as Tottenham Hotspur ran out convincing 3-0 winners.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 27, 2025

Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system at Manchester United has certainly divided fans, and the jury is still out as to whether it works or not. One of the major changes to the system compared to previous great United teams over the years is the midfield.

Amorim operates with two number sixes in a double pivot, with two number 10s ahead of those, either side of the striker. He has adapted Bruno Fernandes’ game, with the talismanic United midfielder now playing in that pivot, rather than close to goal, where he has had lots of previous success for the club.

Another player who has been affected by the different system is Kobbie Mainoo.

Why Kobbie Mainoo is in an awkward situation

It has certainly not been the easiest season for one of the most exciting young midfielders in the world, Mainoo. The 20-year-old ranked 36th in the recent Golden Boy awards, highlighting just how big a talent he is.

However, the 2025/26 season has not been plain sailing for Mainoo, through no fault of his own. The boyhood United star has only played 166 minutes across five games this term, and has registered an assist in that time. He’s yet to start a Premier League game.

Well, many United fans are confused as to why the England international cannot break into their starting lineup. Former Red Devils midfielder Owen Hargreaves said after the Manchester derby that he’ll “never know” why Amoirm isn’t picking Mainoo.

Indeed, it is strange, given the young midfielder’s exploits during his short career so far. The 20-year-old has started a final at a major tournament for England and scored an FA Cup final-winning goal.

Mainoo’s lack of involvement at United this season has certainly been disappointing, given his obvious talent, and left him in an awkward situation. Interestingly, there was a former United midfielder who was ahead of him at one stage.

The ex-midfielder ahead of Mainoo

Although Mainoo has not been given any opportunities this season, the 20-year-old is without doubt a huge talent. He could certainly be viewed as the heir in line to the throne when it comes to legendary United midfielders.

Well, before Mainoo made his first-team debut, there was someone else who could have staked a claim to that title. Fellow academy graduate Zidane Iqbal made his first-team debut just under a year before the England international, but did not quite follow the same career path.

Iqbal’s only game for United came in the Champions League against BSC Young Boys. He only played one minute of normal time, and never failed to get onto the pitch again, despite being on the bench several times.

The Iraqi international left the club for Dutch side FC Utrecht in 2023 and was sold for just £857k. He has since gone on to make a real impression for the Eredivisie side, making 41 appearances and scoring once.

The midfielder’s best skill is his passing, which has really shone during his time in the Netherlands. Last season, he averaged 6.58 progressive passes and 5.4 passes into the final third per 90 minutes, ranking him in the top 11% and 16% respectively, of midfielders in the Dutch top flight.

Pass completed

46.21

83rd

Pass accuracy

88.3%

98th

Progressive passes

6.58

89th

Passes into final third

5.4

84th

Passes into penalty box

1.18

74th

If Iqbal had stayed at Old Trafford and been given a chance to show off his talent, he could have been the natural successor to the famous number 18 shirt. That has previously been worn by midfield maestros Fernandes and, earlier, Paul Scholes.

Interestingly, the Iraqi international looked up to Scholes as a youngster. He once explained, “I’d kind of just base my game off him and put myself in his shoes”, which is not a bad way to learn the art of control in midfield.

Well, to wear the number 18 shirt as a creative midfielder at United, you really do need to be a player capable of pulling the strings. Fernandes has 86 assists in Red so far, and the legendary Scholes amassed 82, per Transfermarkt.

The stats show just how well Iqbal can dictate the game in midfield. He has proven himself to be a true controller of the midfield in a top league, and surely could have been considered worthy enough of donning that famous number 18 shirt.

United fans can only look back on this as what could have been. Iqbal was ahead of Mainoo in his development and perhaps could have formed the perfect partnership alongside the 20-year-old, with the number 18 on his back.

Bigger mistake than McTominay: Man Utd sold their own Trent for just £5m

Man Utd’s recruitment record has been called into question, with Scott McTominay not the only former star now shining…

ByRobbie Walls Sep 23, 2025

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Todo apaixonado por futebol vibra ao ver a bola cruzar as linhas das traves, resultando no aclamado gol. Esse momento mágico transcende o esporte, tornando-se símbolo de conquista, emoção e história. Mas, por trás dessa cena tão familiar, escondem-se detalhes que, talvez, você nunca tenha parado para pensar. Como, por exemplo, o real tamanho do gol no futebol. Vamos descobrir?

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A Origem das Medidas

A primeira coisa que nos vem à mente é: qual é o tamanho exato de um gol? Pela regulamentação da FIFA, essa estrutura deve medir 2,44 metros de altura e 7,32 metros de largura. As dimensões, que podem parecer aleatórias, na verdade têm raízes nas primeiras formas de futebol jogadas nas escolas britânicas do século XIX. Desde então, pouco mudou em termos de tamanho, mostrando que a tradição tem seu lugar até nas medidas.

+ Confira os jogos e classificação resultados do Brasileirão-23 na tabela do LANCE!

Traves: Quadradas ou Redondas?

As traves, parte vital da composição de um gol, possuem sua parcela de curiosidades. Uma das mais notáveis é que, até a Copa do Mundo de 1974, as traves eram de formato quadrado. A mudança para o formato cilíndrico foi introduzida, principalmente, pensando na segurança dos jogadores. Imagine a dor de se chocar contra uma trave quadrada!

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As Redes e Sua Evolução

O som da bola balançando a rede é música para os ouvidos de quem torce. As redes, além de sua função essencial de delimitar o gol, também possuem uma rica história. Em grandes campeonatos, é comum que as redes sejam personalizadas para refletir a identidade visual do evento. Elas já foram feitas de diversos materiais, mas hoje, o poliéster e o nylon dominam, garantindo resistência e flexibilidade.

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O Gol como Protagonista

Ao longo dos anos, muitos jogadores e treinadores debateram sobre a possibilidade de aumentar ou diminuir o tamanho do gol, visando tornar o jogo mais dinâmico ou equilibrado. Embora a FIFA mantenha as dimensões tradicionais, esse é um exemplo de como o gol está no coração do futebol, sendo central em discussões estratégicas e técnicas.

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Além do Futebol

Interessante notar que, enquanto no futebol as dimensões permanecem inalteradas, outros esportes, como o futsal e o futebol de sete, apresentam metas de diferentes tamanhos. Isso reflete a adaptabilidade do esporte e sua capacidade de reinvenção, sempre respeitando a essência e paixão que giram em torno do ato de marcar um gol.

Compreender as nuances e curiosidades do gol enriquece nossa experiência como torcedores. A próxima vez que você presenciar um gol, lembre-se de toda a história e detalhes que fazem dessa estrutura algo tão icônico e central para o esporte mais amado do mundo. No Lance!, continuaremos explorando todos os ângulos do futebol, sempre com o objetivo de te informar e entreter. Afinal, o futebol é feito de detalhes, e cada um deles conta uma história.

Tudo sobre

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While it’s always tricky to determine who has ‘won’ the transfer window, Arsenal certainly have a strong shout this year.

New Sporting Director Andrea Berta has been transformational since his arrival, overseeing eight additions to Mikel Arteta’s squad over the last few months.

Moreover, while a number of those players have been signed to bolster the squad, others could be real game-changers for the starting lineup, like Eberechi Eze.

The Englishman is an unbelievably exciting signing for the Premier League hopefuls, although they did sell their own version of him not too long ago.

Eze's return to Arsenal

Signing a player of Eze’s quality is hugely exciting and would have been enough to delight the Arsenal fanbase regardless of the nature of the deal.

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.

However, the fact that it looked like the club had cooled their interest in him weeks prior, only to suddenly reenter the conversation in the 11th hour and steal (rescue) him from Tottenham Hotspur, was enough of a story to send the fans into delirium.

It’s easy to see why Arteta was reportedly so keen to bring the 27-year-old to the Emirates this summer as well, as not only is he a creative force, but he also knows exactly where the goal is.

Despite playing for a mid-table side last season, the Greenwich-born “magician,” as dubbed by Micah Richards, was an output machine, scoring 14 goals and providing 11 assists in 43 appearances, totalling 3303 minutes.

In other words, the versatile game-changer, who can play in the middle of the park or out wide, averaged a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes – just imagine what he’ll do with better players around him.

Moreover, it’s not just the hijacking of his move to Spurs or the quality he’ll add to the side that makes this transfer so special; there is the human side, which is the fact that the club released him as a 13-year-old and has finally made his way back.

In short, Eze’s move to Arsenal is one of the best of the summer, even though the club sold someone who could’ve been described as their version of the Englishman not too long ago.

Arsenal's former Eze

It would be fair to say that fans were left quite disappointed by Edu Gaspar’s final summer transfer window at Arsenal, as he only oversaw five signings, two of which were the loan deals for Raheem Sterling and Neto.

However, while he failed on the incoming front, he did do reasonably well regarding outgoings, as he saw Eddie Nketiah move to Crystal Palace for £30m, Aaron Ramsdale join Southampton for up to £25m, and Emile Smith Rowe move to Fulham for up to £34m.

The latter was undoubtedly the one most fans were sad to see go, as even though the money was good for someone who had fallen out of Arteta’s plans, there was a belief he could be something special.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the former fan favourite is the player who could have been described as the Gunners’ own Eze.

The first reason stems from the positions he’d play under Arteta.

Position

Games

Goals

Assists

Attacking Midfield

102

19

15

Left Midfield

45

15

3

Central Midfield

41

8

5

Right Midfield

12

4

1

Left Winger

3

0

0

Centre-Forward

2

0

0

Right Winger

1

0

0

While he now almost exclusively plays as an attacking midfielder for the Cottagers, he would spend plenty of time in other areas of the pitch at the Emirates.

For example, across his time with the Gunners, the “phenomenal” talent, as dubbed by one analyst, made 54 appearances in attacking midfield, 25 in left-midfield, ten in central midfield, three at left-wing, three in right-midfield, and he even played up top on two occasions.

It wasn’t just where he played that made him similar to the former Palace man, though, but how he played, and still does to an extent.

Even though he wore the number ten in North London – another similarity to the club’s new star – the Croydon-born gem was far more of a ball-carrier than someone who’d play pinpoint passes like traditional tens. In the words of his manager while on loan at Huddersfield, Danny Cowley, he was “like Dennis Bergkamp but with pace.”

For example, in the 20/21 season, his best at Arsenal, the 25-year-old ranked in the top 9% of Premier League midfielders for progressive carries and the top 14% for carries into the penalty area per 90, per FBref.

Finally, in addition to the similarities in their game, both players have featured for the national team and progressed through the Gunners’ legendary Hale End academy.

Ultimately, while they have finally signed the real thing, for some time, Smith Rowe was Arsenal’s own Eze.

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أعلن تشابي ألونسو، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد قائمة فريقه لمواجهة خيتافي ضمن منافسات الدوري الإسباني.

ومن المقرر أن يواجه النادي الإسباني نظيره خيتافي مساء غدٍ، الأحد، في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة ومكة المكرمة.

ويحل ريال مدريد ضيفًا ثقيلًا على خيتافي في إطار منافسات الجولة التاسعة من بطولة الدوري الإسباني “لا ليجا” للموسم الجديد 2025/2026.

ويتصدر رجال ألونسو جدول ترتيب الدوري الإسباني “لا ليجا” برصيد 21 نقطة بفارق نقطتين عن برشلونة الذي يحتل المركز الثاني برصيد 19 نقطة.

اقرأ أيضًا | مبابي يكشف كيفية تعلمه للغة الإسبانية.. ويوضح: الناس هنا رائعين

ويغيب المدافع الإسباني دين هويسن، عن قائمة ريال مدريد بسبب الإصابة التي تعرض لها رفقة المنتخب خلال فترة التوقف المنقضية.

وشهدت القائمة تواجد الفرنسي كيليان مبابي، مهاجم الفريق برغم الإصابة التي تعرض لها رفقة المنتخب الفرنسي في مباراة أذربيجان والتي جعلته يغادر اللقاء.

كما تضمنت ظهور الأرجنتيني ماستانتونو الذي جاءت شكوك كثيرة حول جاهزيته للمباراة، وتواجد أيضًا الثلاثي البرازيلي إيدير مليتاو، فينيسيوس جونيور ورودريجو. قائمة ريال مدريد لمباراة خيتافي في الدوري الإسباني

في حراسة المرمى: تيبو كورتوا – لونين – سيرجيو ميستري.

في خط الدفاع: إيدير ميلتاو – راؤول أسينسيو – ديفيد ألابا – ألفارو كاريراس – فران جارسيا.

في خط الوسط: جود بيلينجهام – إدوارد كامافينجا – فيديريكو فالفيردي – تشواميني – أردا جولر – تياجو.

في خط الهجوم: فينيسيوس جونيور – رودريجو – كيليان مبابي – إبراهيم دياز – إندريك – فرانكو ماستانتونو – جونزالو جارسيا.

📋✅ ¡Nuestros convocados!
🆚 @GetafeCF pic.twitter.com/0Dti4lAYxo — Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) October 18, 2025