One of the biggest pieces of the puzzle for Manchester United under Ruben Amorim is who will play at wing-back. The right-hand side seems much clearer, with Amad seemingly securing that spot for himself.

The Ivorian – who netted at the City Ground a week ago – has impressed at right wing-back in recent outings.

However, the other flank is proving to be a bit more of a conundrum for Amorim. Patrick Dorgu is only 21 years of age and has great promise, but is not being rushed. Luke Shaw has played that role before for England, but is thriving on the left of United’s back three.

The first choice left wing-back this season has been Diogo Dalot.

Dalot’s struggles at left wing-back

26-year-old Dalot has certainly struggled at times as a left wing-back. It might not be a surprise, given that he is a right-back by trade.

At times, he is operating as the highest player on the pitch, on the opposite flank to where he is most comfortable.

Amorim has placed a lot of trust in the former FC Porto academy player as a left wing-back. This season in the Premier League, he has picked his countryman nine times, with six of those appearances coming from the left flank.

Dalot has struggled, too. In those six games from the left-hand side of United’s midfield, their number two has registered just a solitary assist. He does pose an attacking threat from that area, though, and got an assist for Bruno Fernandes in the FA Cup last season.

Generally speaking, though, it has not been easy for the 26-year-old. Blame can be given to Amorim for playing a right back as the furthest player in United’s attack on the wrong side.

United content creator Dev Bajwa says the Portugal star has “got to be dropped.”

In United’s most recent game, a 2-2 away to Tottenham Hotspur, Dalot was actually dropped from the side. Amorim chose to bring Dorgu into the starting lineup, with the United number two having to settle for a 10-minute substitute cameo.

If Amorim does decide to rotate Dalot out of the side again in the future, there could be a homegrown star waiting in the wings.

United’s in-house Dalot replacement

There are definitely options for Amorim if he thinks the time is right for a more permanent change at left wing-back. Danish international Dorgu could keep his place, or Shaw could move further up the pitch, coinciding with the return of Lisandro Martinez.

However, if the Red Devils boss decides to lean into the DNA of the club, then he could call upon Bendito Mantato. The 17-year-old has impressed for United’s academy over the past few years, and could be the attacking option Amorim needs at wing-back.

The England under-17 international, who is currently on national team duty at the Under-17 World Cup, is a winger by trade. However, he plays as a left-back for the Three Lions, and has done so for United, too.

One thing that you can guarantee from Mantato is that he will add a creative spark at left wing-back. His record for the under-18s side at Carrington is exceptional, with 15 goals and three assists in just 25 appearances.

Games

7

11

Minutes

602

833

Goals

6

7

Assists

2

0

Mins per G/A

75

119

Speaking of that inventiveness in the final third, the Manchester-born attacker has great instinct in attacking areas.

This goal he scored in the FA Youth Cup away to Arsenal last season, where he darted in between two defenders to fire home, really sums up his quality.

Mantato has already been involved with the first team under Amorim. Not only has he trained with the seniors, but he’s been on the bench twice in last season’s Europa League.

That certainly shows how highly he is rated by the Red Devils manager.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Academy Scoop, a page on X dedicated to United’s academy, was full of praise for the 17-year-old. He called Mantato “one of the biggest talents at the club,” highlighting his excellent ability.

It will be fascinating to see whether Amorim takes a risk and brings him into the first team fold at the expense of Dalot on the left flank.

Man Utd "monster" is fast becoming their own Gabriel & it's not De Ligt

This Man Utd star has been crucial for his side this season

1 ByJoe Nuttall Nov 5, 2025

The match referee at the centre of the handshake row has been entrusted with the Super Fours game on Sunday

Shashank Kishore20-Sep-2025

Andy Pycroft, who was at the centre of the handshake row when India and Pakistan met on September 14 at the Asia Cup, will be the match referee for the Super Fours fixture between the two teams in Dubai on Sunday as well.The PCB had sought Pycroft’s “immediate removal” after he had requested the captains Salman Agha and Suryakumar Yadav not to shake hands during the toss of the September 14 game. Pycroft stayed, and the row spilled over into Pakistan’s next game, against UAE. After they cancelled a pre-match press conference, Pakistan didn’t arrive on schedule for the match, which had to be pushed back by an hour, as they conducted backroom talks with the ICC.It wasn’t until a late meeting between Pycroft and the Pakistan team management just prior to toss – which snowballed into another controversy – that Pakistan agreed to take the field.Related

India, Pakistan will look to put off-field issues aside in Super Fours clash

Six wickets, no runs: The myth and math of Saim Ayub

Pakistan cancel pre-match press conference before India game

Suryakumar's mantra before Pakistan game: 'Close your room, switch off your phone and sleep'

Pycroft givenbarely any notice ahead of handshake-gate

It is in this backdrop that India and Pakistan square off again at the Dubai International Stadium, and Suryakumar made it clear that his team’s focus was on the game and nothing else.”I feel our preparations have been really good leading into the tournament. And we had three good games also,” Suryakumar said on Saturday. “So we are actually focusing on what we can do best. We want to follow all the good habits, which we’ve been doing in the last two-three games. And we’ll take it one game at a time.”But yeah, it doesn’t give us an edge because we played them once and we had a good game. Of course, it will be a good game. We’ll have to start well from scratch. And whoever plays well will win the game.”Having wrapped up their group fixture against Oman on Friday night and having travelled back to Dubai in the wee hours, India will have an optional training session on Saturday. Pakistan, meanwhile, are slated to have a full training session at the ICC Academy in the lead up to Sunday’s match.

Liam Livingstone dismissal derails Lancs chase as Somerset seal another final appearance

Alan Gardner13-Sep-2025Somerset fought their way past a severely depleted Lancashire and into a third consecutive T20 Blast final at Edgbaston. Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s 81 off 52 underpinned the batting after his side were put in, and although Lancashire got off to a good start in their chase, led by powerful cameos from Keaton Jennings and Liam Livingstone, Somerset’s greater experience helped claw things back.Lancashire were shorn of six first-choice players, and had two making their first appearances of the season, which included giving a full T20 debut to 21-year-old spinner Arav Shetty. They looked well placed at 102 for 3 in the 12th over, but the controversial dismissal of Livingstone, whose lbw was upheld by the third umpire despite the suggestion of an inside edge, triggered a collapse.Shetty, who in the event did not bowl, was snapped up by a diving Lewis Gregory in the covers – Somerset’s sharp fielding in contrast to a messy Lancashire effort – and although Michael Jones attempted to keep the chase alive with some defiant blows, Migael Pretorius and Ben Green combined for five wickets to close out the game. Somerset were not at full strength either, with Pretorius playing only his second game after Riley Meredith was recalled to Australia ahead of Finals Day, and Tom Banton absent with England.The game ended in slightly farcical scenes, as Lancashire retired out George Balderson, only for his replacement, Tom Hartley, to be dismissed first ball. Rain then began to fall during the final over, with the ground fully covered moments after the players left the field.Jennings fires up”Feels slightly tacky, nice to know what you’re chasing.” So said Jennings at the toss, and Lancashire’s captain was intent on getting his side ahead of the asking rate at the start of their innings. He swung his third ball, from Craig Overton, nonchalantly over fine leg for six, following up with back-to-back fours. Luke Wells was plucked out by a brilliant catch at short fine leg by Pretorius, before Jennings again deposited Overton over the ropes.Overton struck back by pinning Matty Hurst lbw, but there was more punishment to come as Livingstone joined Jennings in the middle. Livingstone pinged Somerset’s premier new-ball bowler over deep square leg, before Jennings flat-batted him down the ground for six more; Overton’s first three overs costing 39. Jack Ball was then welcomed into the attack by Jennings top-edging him all the way over the keeper, and another Livingstone hoick across the line made it six sixes in the powerplay, with Lancashire flying on 73 for 2.Liam Livingstone queries his dismissal•Getty ImagesLivingstone dismissal turns chaseLivingstone had powered Lancashire to Finals Day with an unbeaten 85 against Kent in the quarters, having found his form during the Hundred – during which he calls Edgbaston home with Birmingham Phoenix. He looked to have the measure of the ground once again, crunching Lewis Goldsworthy into the crowd for his third six, as Lancashire continued to make good progress despite the loss of Jennings for 44 off 28.When Gregory won an lbw decision with Livingstone trapped on the crease, the Lancashire man reviewed straight away. But with the aid of UltraEdge, third umpire Sue Redfern determined that there was no bat involved before the ball hit the back pad – although it seemed impossible to be conclusive. Livingstone, however, obviously felt otherwise and made his opinion clear after seeing the decision on the big screen. His long walk off marked the beginning of the end for Lancashire’s hopes of a second Blast title, 10 years on from their first.Depleted Lancashire strike firstLancashire absentees included four on international duty with England – Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Luke Wood and Saqib Mahmood – and both of their overseas being employed elsewhere (Chris Green at the CPL, Ashton Turner with Western Australia). That Salt and Buttler had helped England put on a record 302 against South Africa the previous night hardly helped the Red Rose mood. Somerset, meanwhile, were without New Zealand quick Matt Henry, as well as Banton and Meredith.Winning the toss felt like an advantage on a brisk, mid-September morning – and two tight overs, from James Anderson (who last played at Finals Day in 2014) and Tom Aspinwall, were followed by Balderson, playing his fourth T20 and first of the season, finding the perfect amount of nip back with his first ball to clatter Will Smeed’s off stump. But it didn’t take long for Somerset’s batters to start wresting back the initiative.Kohler-Cadmore had struggled to lay bat on ball and was on 1 off 9 when he collared Balderson for the first six of the day, a rustic heave that just had enough on it to land beyond the rope at deep midwicket. He repeated the shot, but added about 20 yards, in Balderson’s next over, and before Tom Abell audaciously ramped Anderson all the way over fine leg in a sequence of 6-4-dot-4. Anderson struck back to have Abell bowled off an inside edge, as Somerset finished the powerplay on 49 for 2.Kohler-Cadmore pumps the tiresLancashire continued to chip away, James Rew held at midwicket off Aspinwall, as Kohler-Cadmore dropped back down the gears. Somerset were 78 for 3 at halfway, and then 95 for 4 after losing Sean Dickson to a smart stumping in the 13th over. Kohler-Cadmore responded by pumping Livingstone’s legspin straight back down the ground for six, then raising a 38-ball fifty off the next delivery – aided by another misfield at midwicket that enabled them to come back for two.Hartley was boshed down the ground for Kohler-Cadmore’s fourth six, and he found a useful ally in captain, Gregory, who scooped Aspinwall for his first boundary. Jack Blatherwick was then taken for four consecutive fours by Kohler-Cadmore, as 18 runs came off the 17th. By the time the returning Anderson removed Gregory via a slap to deep cover, the partnership had realized 57 off 31 balls. Kohler-Cadmore might have had the first Finals Day century in his sights, but he only added one to his score before holing out off Balderson. Nevertheless, Overton and Pretorius hammered 21 off Aspinwall’s final over to take Somerset to an imposing total.

It was a series to remember for him, and not just with the ball: he had the best batting average on either side, and the fourth-highest runs tally

Danyal Rasool28-Jan-2025If you ask ChatGPT, or its newly ascendant competitor DeepSeek, what the perfect Test series looked like, the responses are lengthy, vague, and non-committal. Perhaps one day, when they learn how to limit them to four words or fewer, “Jomel Warrican in Pakistan” would suffice as the perfectly succinct response.Warrican’s dominance of this series has been uniquely legendary. He’s taken the most wickets, of course, more than every other West Indian bowler combined. The best bowling figures in an innings, and in a match, belong to him. No one with more than two wickets could boast a better bowling average this his single-digit 9, none managed an economy rate as miserly as his 2.38. For good measure, he also has the highest batting average on either side across the series, the highest strike rate for anyone over 25 runs, and the fourth-highest run tally.The smattering of Tests he has played in the subcontinent over the past decade have demonstrated his value on spin tracks. But nothing could quite prepare Warrican for what he found in Multan, where, ahead of the series, his captain Kraigg Brathwaite had said he had never seen cracks appear this early in his 96-match Test career anywhere else. It gave the spinners more opportunities, but also greater responsibility.Related

CWI introduces 'data-driven scouting system' to identify and develop local talent

Warrican bags five as West Indies win in Pakistan after 34 years

Warrican dominates a series made for spinners in Multan

Brathwaite: Had to be 'brave' on pitch where 'you're going to get out'

It was a responsibility that Warrican and his little band of spinners failed to live up to early on in the first Test. In the first 57 overs of the game, Pakistan had put up 187 runs, with spin managing just one wicket when Gudakesh Motie – who Pakistan believed was a greater threat than Warrican before the series – squeezed Shan Masood down the leg side.By the time the West Indies spinners made their presence felt, Pakistan already had enough runs, and then never fell behind in the game. Warrican kept trying to find extra rip doing the same thing over and over, but ended the innings with just three wickets, two of them of tailenders.The intelligence Warrican deployed over the remainder of the series, though, has been anything but artificial. “Speed’s very important,” he said at the post-match presentation after the second Test, where he was awarded both the Player of the Match and Series. “We worked out that the slower you bowled, the more effective you would be on these wickets. Once I got more information, I used it to my advantage.”From the second innings of the first Test onwards, Warrican was doing things slightly differently. The lines or lengths he was landing the balls at barely changed. But through the air, it was a different story. He fizzed some balls through, held others longer in his hand, and tossed some up. To the right-hander, there was always the danger of the ones that carried on with the arm, making the most instinctively safe shot – the front foot forward defensive – feel uncomfortably perilous. Mohammad Hurraira and Babar Azam were the first two to fall this way in Pakistan’s second innings, and Warrican never looked back.

“I just back my game plan. Once the ball is in my zone, I back myself to play it to the boundary. I also trust my defence, and try to rotate the strike.”Jomel Warrican on his batting

“The variation in pace is effective when you’re consistent,” he said. “You vary the pace, and hit the same length over and over. The consistency is the key thing to everything in life.”Those were the first two of seven wickets Warrican took that innings, and started a run where he bagged 16 of the 30 Pakistan wickets that fell in the series since. But it wasn’t just with the ball that he contributed significantly. Before this series, no side in Test history ever had Nos. 9-11 in their line-up contributing the three highest scores of an innings. In little over four days of cricket, West Indies managed it twice. Warrican was the top-scorer on one occasion, and the second-highest another time.It wasn’t exactly technically soundproof, but he ended up preying on any bowler who viewed him like a classic tailender. He smeared Sajid Khan and Noman Ali away when they pitched the ball up and full; no one hit more sixes than him all series. Warrican’s signature shot, though, was the reverse sweep with the back of the bat, one he used like a bludgeon rather than a surgical tool.Sajid ill-advisedly decided to taunt him on the penultimate day when he missed one of these heaves, getting up close and giving him the “you can’t see me” gesture. Warrican appeared unfazed.Jomel Warrican also had the highest batting average on either side across the series•Pakistan Cricket Board”I just back my game plan,” he said. “Once the ball is in my zone, I back myself to play it to the boundary. I also trust my defence, and try to rotate the strike. I had belief. I backed us to win the [second] game. The fightback we showed in the second innings, bowling out Pakistan for a cheap total. We knew once we batted well, we were in with a chance to win the game.”In a final twist of fate, it was Sajid who stood at the batter’s end when Warrican, and West Indies, needed one more wicket to seal victory. Sajid had tentatively tried to push the ball into the on side, but, just like Babar and Hurraira in the first Test, didn’t account for the arm ball. It pierced through the gap between bat and pad, and made a mess of his stumps.Warrican gave him the same gesture, before raising his right leg and thumping his hand to his thigh: Sajid’s own signature celebration. Right to the last moment of the series, it appeared, he had been gaining more information, picking up everything he saw in Multan, and ensuring he left with the last laugh.

Manchester United are now keen on signing Santos forward Neymar, following a recent update from Carlo Ancelotti on whether the “legendary” forward will go to the 2026 World Cup with Brazil.

The Brazilian has been playing outside Europe since leaving Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the 2022-23 campaign, spending an injury-ridden campaign with Al-Hilal before moving back to his native country and signing for Santos.

Consequently, the former Paris Saint-Germain man hasn’t featured for his country since appearing against Uruguay over two years ago, with the likes of Vinicius Jr, Estevao and Rodrygo emerging as the new star players.

However, Ancelotti recently revealed the Brazil record goalscorer’s international career may not be over just yet, suggesting he could still take the Santos star to the upcoming World Cup if he has a strong end to the campaign.

Man Utd keen on signing Neymar

According to a report from Spain, Man United are now keen on signing Neymar, with the superstar’s chances of going to the World Cup on the line if he doesn’t put together a good run ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which starts on June 11th.

Ruben Amorim’s side are looking for a fresh spark in attack, and there is a belief the 33-year-old would fit the bill, given that he is proven at the top level, and a deal may be there to be done, as United would be able to afford the ex-Barcelona man’s wages.

That said, there are doubts over whether the Santos legend would be able to adapt to the Premier League, given his age, and he hasn’t exactly set the world alight since returning to Brazil.

The 128-time Brazil international is undoubtedly a modern-day icon, having been lauded as “legendary” by journalist Luis Cristovao, but his best days are clearly behind him, having contributed just three goals in 16 appearances in the 2025 Brazilian Serie A.

In his prime, the Man United target was one of the best players in the world, enjoying four amazing seasons with Barcelona and amassing 43 Champions League goals across a hugely successful career, during which time he was described as a “great player” by Cristiano Ronaldo.

Neymar’s attacking output by season

La Liga appearances

Goal contributions

2013-14

26

19

2014-15

33

31

2015-16

34

40

2016-17

30

27

Having suffered with injuries, gone are the days when Neymar used to terrorise defences alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, and it is debatable whether United even need to sign a forward, having brought in Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha in the summer.

Neymar has been named as one of the greatest wingers in football history The Greatest 20 Wingers in Football History

The best wingers the game has ever seen.

ByCharlie Smith Oct 22, 2025

Dietmar Hamann says Germany's 6–0 rout of Slovakia on Monday – which secured their place at next year’s World Cup – should not mask the team’s shortcomings. The former Germany, Bayern Munich and Liverpool midfielder argued that Julian Nagelsmann’s side still fall short of their strongest European rivals and therefore should not be considered among the favourites for next year's tournament.

• Germany seal World Cup qualification after Slovakia humiliation

  Germany ended their World Cup qualifying campaign in absolutely devastating fashion as they hammered Slovakia 6-0 at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig on Monday, thus securing a direct spot to next year's World Cup in North America. It was a performance that "relieved" the team, in striker Nick Woltemade's words, especially after the Germans slumped to a shock 2-0 defeat at Slovakia's hands in the opening game of the qualifying campaign back in September.

  After the game, Germany centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck fired a warning to their biggest rivals. “If we play like we did today, we are a very good team. And if the players who can help us but are currently injured come back, I believe we can have a very strong World Cup," he told . "The first step has been taken – and at the World Cup, the next steps will follow. 

  “If we play the World Cup like we did at the Euros last year – with a bit more luck and slightly better performances – we can really make an impact. If we play like we did today, it doesn’t matter whether we're facing the 46th-ranked team or the top-ranked team. We can beat any opponent. We are still Germany. We want to achieve something. I want to go to the World Cup to win it.”

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Hamann undermines Germany's chances at 2026 World Cup

  Speaking to , Hamann claimed that the 6-0 win over Slovakia was "a conciliatory end to a very average World Cup qualifying campaign." Furthermore, he spoke about the criticism Nagelsmann has been subjected to in recent months.

  "Criticism is always levelled at a national coach when things aren't going well," he claimed. "And if you look at the performances in the first five qualifying matches, there wasn't a single good one. At most, maybe a good half hour. Therefore, this convincing victory certainly gives Julian Nagelsmann a boost. And it brings some calm, which is also important, of course."

  However, the former Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Bayern Munich defensive midfielder firmly believes that Germany are not at the same level as some of their European counterparts.

  "The important thing now was to come out of the group stage as winners and thus qualify directly. You could see that it's getting increasingly difficult against the supposedly weaker teams," he added. 

  "Nevertheless, they managed it, albeit with some trepidation. But you could see that there are two or three teams in Europe that are better than us. For example, the English, the French, or the Spanish. So we will be in the wider circle at the World Cup, but as things stand today, certainly not among the top favourites. And I don't think that will change much by next summer. But that doesn't necessarily mean anything for the tournament. We showed that at the 2002 World Cup when we reached the final."

• Mixed opinions about how good Germany actually are

  While Hamann was straightforward and honest in his assessment of Die Mannschaft, Lothar Matthaus, Germany's most-capped player of all-time, believes that Nagelsmann & Co. are "on par" with the likes of Spain, England, France and Portugal, despite a sub-par qualifying campaign.

  "With all due respect to these opponents, Germany wants to compete against the best, and those are the other group winners such as England, Portugal or France," he wrote in his column this week.

  "If we can replicate what we showed in Leipzig, we're on par with these teams. We saw that in the summer. In the Nations League defeats against Portugal and France, Germany wasn't any worse than their opponents. If the German team shows the same attitude and passion and plays together like they did against Slovakia, they have nothing to fear.

  "You shouldn't underestimate yourself. Germany isn't small. I've always said that our team belongs among the favourites for the World Cup, even if they've had a poor run of form. Our World Cup qualifying campaigns were also sometimes bumpy in the past.  

  "The German team might even be under less pressure at the World Cup. The team will be even more focused next year, especially because the whole world will be watching."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Germany await the return of superstars

  Germany were without the services of some of their most experienced and/or talented individuals. Kai Havertz, who has already bagged 20 goals for the national team, missed the entire qualifying campaign due to injury. So did the uber-talented Jamal Musiala, as well as veterans Antonio Rudiger and Marc-Andre ter Stegen. 

  Considering that Germany have been undergoing a transition following the retirements of Manuel Neuer, Toni Kroos and Thomas Muller, the presence of the aforementioned names could further boost their prospects at the World Cup next summer.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has done very well to navigate the club’s list of injury problems this campaign, particularly in attack.

Arsenal are currently sweating over the fitness of Noni Madueke, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres as they prepare for the North London derby against Tottenham right after the international break.

Arteta, depending on developments, faces another potential selection headache in the final third, but makeshift number nine Mikel Merino has once again done well to fill the void left by Gyokeres since his injury against Burnley.

Most of the aforementioned stars are racing to be fit for their clash with Tottenham on November 23, with Havertz and Madueke believed to have impressed Arsenal rehab staff in their recoveries from knee problems.

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 Atletico Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Unfortunately for Jesus, the derby comes too soon for him, despite returning to full training, and he’ll be the last Arsenal star to make his comeback after rupturing his ACL against Man United in January (Simon Collings).

Even without a large number of their attacking contingent, Arsenal have still marked themselves out as the team to beat — thanks largely to their imperious defence and set-piece dominance.

The Gunners have scored eight goals from corners in their opening 11 top flight games this season, the most ever recorded by any team at this stage of a Premier League campaign. Their 36 corner goals since the start of last season tops all of Europe too, with set-piece coach Nicolas Jover largely credited for Arsenal’s superb dead ball threat.

They also recorded eight consecutive clean sheets before the 2-2 draw with Sunderland last weekend, equalling a club record that had stood for 122 years since 1903, and they still boast the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues, having conceded just five in all competitions so far.

While Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba have taken a lot of the credit for being two of world football’s best centre-backs right now, you cannot underestimate the impact of Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori in the full-back areas.

Ray Parlour has described them as two of Arsenal’s players of the season so far, with Calafiori’s form even prompting reports that Myles Lewis-Skelly could leave in January due to a lack of game time.

The last thing Arteta needs is an injury concern for the Italian, but according to TUTTOmercatoWEB, that’s exactly what he’s got.

Riccardo Calafiori nursing hip injury as Arsenal learn recovery timeline

According to the Italian news outlet, Calafiori is managing a hip problem on international duty, raising concerns ahead of Tottenham.

The Italian national team are preparing for two critical World Cup 2026 qualifying matches against Moldova and Norway, but the versatile defender’s availability has been called into question.

During Italy’s training session under manager Gennaro Gattuso, Calafiori was spotted completing individual work away from the main group due to discomfort in his hip.

The 22-year-old is being carefully managed by the medical staff as they assess the severity of the issue and determine the best course of action, but there is optimism for Arsenal, as Arteta learns his expected recovery timeline.

Calafiori remains with the Italy squad rather than being sent home, suggesting the injury is not considered serious enough to warrant an immediate return to Arsenal. While the former Bologna star is expected to miss their clash with Moldova, Azzurri officials are targeting a return for Calafiori against Norway instead — allowing him time to recover.

Arsenal will be praying this doesn’t turn out to be more serious and he can in fact feature against Spurs, but all the signs appear good so far.

Arteta will be monitoring the situation closely, hoping Calafiori can avoid aggravating the injury during Italy’s fixtures. With the North London derby looming, Arsenal cannot afford to lose the key defender, particularly given the importance of maintaining their excellent defensive record that has underpinned their phenomenal start to the season.

Phil Foden has been forced to sell his £3.25 million mansion for a cut price, with the Manchester City star parting with said property having previously attracted complaints from neighbours. The England international has not been able to get the full asking price for his sprawling family home, but will not be left too far out of pocket after agreeing terms on a sale.

Foden forced to drop asking price

The four-bedroom property boasts a cinema, indoor swimming pool and five bathrooms. Foden has been looking to shift it for more than six months. He initially listed it at £3.25m, but struggled to attract a buyer.

Having put the house in Prestbury, Cheshire up for sale in April 2025, it has taken until mid-November for suitable interest to be found. It is being claimed, by the , that Foden is selling for around £2.9m – having dropped the price to that mark in a bid to move on.

AdvertisementFoden lived next door to ex-City team-mate Walker

The home was marketed by estate agents Jackson-Stops and is now "sold subject to contract". Barring any unfortunate mishaps, Foden will be cleared to offload a modern mansion that has its own gym, bar, hot tub and extensive gardens – which currently feature a swing and trampoline.

The luxury dwelling is set down a private road with an electric security date and also has a ground-floor leisure suite. It has served Foden well since he acquired it – as he set up camp next to ex-City team-mate Kyle Walker and antiques expert David Dickinson – but the 25-year-old has also generated unwelcome headlines.

He has already moved to a more secluded area of the countryside with girlfriend Rebecca Cooke and their three children. Foden remains within easy commuting distance of City’s training complex at the Etihad.

Good neighbour? Foden lives with girlfriend & their three children

Foden and childhood sweetheart Cooke are understood to be engaged, after she was seen sporting a huge diamond ring following a romantic New Year trip to Paris. They continue to build their life together away from surroundings in which their presence was largely embraced.

A neighbour has told the : "They are a lovely family and Phil and Rebecca seem devoted parents. It's a shame they moved out as it was nice to see a Premier League footballer walking around.

"I saw them take Ronnie out on a bike he'd been given for Christmas and they seemed just like a young family having fun. There have been a couple of loud parties but none of the disruption caused by Walker and his wife with their shouting rows."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyNoise complaint: Foden has already set up camp elsewhere

One such party took place in August 2024. The police were called at one stage after locals complained that the Foden residence was "louder than Glastonbury" and was "like being in a nightclub". Cheshire Police confirmed that they had received a noise complaint, but did not send officers to the house in question.

Foden and Cooke were said to be enjoying a kids party that started around 4pm and went on until nearly midnight. They had music blaring from a sound system as kids screamed and dogs barked. In March 2022, Foden sparked another noise complaint during a Mother’s Day "music festival" that he played host to.

Foden lived next door to England colleague Walker and his wife Annie Kilner for two years – during which they experienced much-publicised marital issues. Walker – who fathered two children with former Love Island contestant Lauryn Goodman – is now on the books at Burnley.

Foden has spread his wings a little further, having sold one house and acquired another. The home that he bought for his parents in the same village that he recently vacated is also now on the market.

Foden and Cooke are raising son Ronnie elsewhere, alongside daughter True and youngest child Phil Jr – who was welcomed into the world during Euro 2024. His father is hoping to grace another major international tournament with England next summer having forced his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions plans ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The home side’s pace bowlers quickly assessed conditions and made life tough, especially for Travis Head

S Sudarshanan17-Apr-20255:01

Bangar: ‘SRH need one or two batters who don’t attack all the time’

Deepak Chahar stood with his arms akimbo at the end of his follow-through. The exasperation was writ large on his face. Abhishek Sharma mistimed a slap off a length ball just wide of cover-point rushing to his left. It was the third half-chance Chahar had created in three overs. That was apart from the dropped catch off the first ball of the match.There are expectations of players in this sport. One of those is that the swing bowlers must bowl fuller lengths with the brand-new ball. That is perhaps why Mumbai Indians (MI) like to open the bowling with Chahar and Trent Boult in IPL 2025. It is for them to extract whatever little swing is available with the new ball. So, logic dictated that they would try and counter the threat of Travis Head and Abhishek by moving the new ball both ways. But MI had different ideas.In the first three overs of their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Mumbai, Chahar and Boult didn’t go in search of swing and bowled just three full deliveries. Chahar started the game with a length ball angled across Abhishek from over the wicket. Abhishek, as is his wont, dashed down the track and got a thick outside edge that burst through Will Jacks’ hand at first slip. Head then looked to whip a length ball through the leg side and almost popped a catch to midwicket. Abhishek, too, nearly did the same in Chahar’s next over.Related

• Maxed out? Glenn Maxwell needs to 'wake up' before it's too late

• MI's bowling tricks on slow pitch get them second straight win

• Jacks emerges as offspin's improbable saviour at the Wankhede

As per ESPNcricinfo logs, 14 of MI’s first 18 legal balls were either on a good length, short of good length or short. Result? SRH with 22 for 0 with one dropped chance and two near-chances. The pitch, described “tacky” by Michael Clarke, wasn’t conducive to stroke-play from get-go. Hitting shots down the ground was difficult. Travishek found success in each of the two fixtures against MI last year, and they specifically chose it to nullify the threat of SRH’s hard-hitting line-up that had arrived at the Wankhede on the back of a 246-run chase. What’s more, they also decided to resort to slower deliveries in the first six overs itself.Jasprit Bumrah, brought on in the fourth over, began with an offcutter outside off that Abhishek swung and missed at. That was one of the plenty of misses Travishek had inside the powerplay. While Bumrah did mix his lengths by slipping in a yorker in his first over itself, he predominantly bowled fast offspin, using the cutters generously to deny Travishek what they desired.Jasprit Bumrah was exceptional with just one boundary off his four overs•AFP/Getty ImagesWhen pace was on offer, Abhishek was at ease. He hit three fours in Chahar’s third over – all by sashaying down the track and hitting over covers – which ended with that half-chance off a 120.6kph length ball that frustrated the MI bowler. It seemed Abhishek had carried his luck from the previous outing to the Wankhede.They made room to go over off, got inside the line to play the pull, used their feet to try and put the bowlers off their lengths. None of it worked. At the end of the powerplay, SRH were 46 for 0. It was SRH’s lowest score in a wicketless powerplay since 2022, when they scored 42 for 0 against Gujarat Titans. Travishek had 15 not-in-control shots in that phase. Even though MI had not managed an early breakthrough, they successfully tied down arguably one of the most dangerous opening pairs in the last couple of seasons.”When Deepak bowled, a couple of balls stuck [on the pitch] and we realised change of pace will be useful,” captain Hardik Pandya said after MI’s four-wicket win. “As soon as we figured that out we were backing that and with the same intent, we mixed it up. Slower balls, even if it’s gripping, if you keep doing it again and again, batters can line you up. We smartly executed yorkers in the middle phase and they were not able to get the rhythm.”Travis Head was kept unusually quiet in what became a decisive part of the game•AFP/Getty ImagesThat pressure MI built in the powerplay came to their aid in the middle overs. Jacks reaped rewards of the squeeze to run away with two wickets, including that of Head, and emerged saviour to a shrinking breed. While SRH’s reliance on Travishek is an open secret, MI did not let that come their way despite a 59-run opening partnership. Nor did they let the skewed dimensions – the square boundaries were 60m and 67m – affect them. Bumrah played a vital part in ensuring SRH were always kept on a leash. He bowled two overs inside the powerplay and one at the death, where he slipped in a low full toss to bowl Heinrich Klaasen, and conceded just the one boundary in his spell.”The feedback from the batsmen was that the wicket was dead. So, the value for shots wasn’t quite there,” SRH head coach Daniel Vettori said. “Every time the slower one came, it was difficult to get your power on it. Therefore, there were a lot of singles. The way Boult bowled to that small boundary, he defended it with superb yorkers.”We got away with a lot in the powerplay, we were a little bit lucky. We understood how difficult it was. To come away from the powerplay with 46 for none was something we were happy with. Mumbai read the conditions exceptionally well. After the first few overs, they relied on the slower balls. Slower balls are effective, but it is mainly effective because of their execution.”In an interview with the host broadcaster during the match, MI batting coach Kieron Pollard termed Travishek a “one-dimensional, hard-hands sort of batsmen” for whom off-pace deliveries could work. MI’s focused planning and execution delivered them the desired result. Even if it had a few frustrating moments on the way.

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge has put up his usual mind-boggling numbers during the first half of the 2025 MLB season, leading the charge as the AL MVP favorite just ahead of the All-Star break.

Through 90 games this year, Judge is slashing .360/.468/.734 with 33 home runs, 74 RBIs and 65 walks. He ranks second in MLB in home runs and RBIs, and leads the league by a huge margin with a 1.202 OPS.

Judge also made MLB history during the first half of the campaign.

This is the third time in his career Judge has hit 33 or more home runs during the first half of a season. No other player has ever recorded more than two such seasons, according to OptaSTATS. Judge has accomplished the feat in three of the last four years––in 2022, '24 and '25––a testament to his dominance at the plate.

Since the start of the 2022 season, Judge has hit 190 home runs, 28 more than the next highest player, Shohei Ohtani, during that same span. He broke the American League record with 62 home runs in '22, and added another 58 last season. He could surpass both those tallies this year based on his ridiculous first half. At his current pace, Judge would hit just over 59 home runs across a 162-game season.