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Wolverhampton Wanderers are now targeting Brendan Rodgers as a replacement for Vitor Pereira, amid boardroom doubts about the Portuguese manager, who has made a very poor start to the campaign.

Indeed, Pereira is arguably fortunate to still be in a job, given that West Ham United and Nottingham Forest have already made changes, with the Old Gold sitting bottom of the Premier League, having failed to win any of their opening nine games.

Wolves have amassed just two points, which means they are currently six points adrift of safety, and the most recent result is likely to be particularly concerning, suffering a 3-2 defeat at home against newly-promoted Burnley.

Pereiera had to be dragged away from an altercation with the fans after the full-time whistle, before going on to urge the supporters to stick with the team in his post-match interview, saying: “We understand the frustration of the people and supporters but what I must say, if we fight united with them, we can win games and compete and achieve our targets – without them, it is impossible,”

“If we win two or three games in a row, things will change.”

The 57-year-old appears to be safe for the meantime, with the board not taking any drastic action after the Burnley defeat, but the club’s hierarchy are starting to have doubts about their manager…

Wolves targeting Rodgers to replace Pereira

According to a report from The Boot Room, Rodgers has now emerged as a target for Wolves, with the 52-year-old now available after resigning from his position as Celtic manager earlier this week.

Transfer expert Graeme Bailey adds: “Wolves, as it stands, are sticking with Vitor Pereira, but I understand the club’s hierarchy is split. Some wanted Pereira out after their weekend defeat to Burnley, so they are one to watch.”

As such, the former FC Porto manager may get a few more games to save his job, but if results don’t improve, the Northern Irishman could be brought in to replace him, having decided moving back to England is his “number one priority”.

After such a poor start to the season, the Old Gold may need a special manager to guide them to safety, and the ex-Celtic boss, who has managed 34 Champions League games, could fit the bill.

Gabriel Agbonlahor once lauded the former Leicester City boss for the work he did at the King Power Stadium, describing him as a “world-class” manager.

During his time with the Foxes, Rodgers, who often utilises a 4-3-3 formation, secured two fifth-place finishes and won the FA Cup, showcasing that he is capable of punching above his weight with a smaller club.

Despite signing a new three-year contract last month, there is only so long Wolves can stick with Pereira if results don’t improve dramatically, and the former Leicester manager could be the ideal replacement.

Could Jorgen Strand Larsen save Vitor Pereira's job? Wolves' "phenomenal" star looks like another Cunha-type player for Pereira

The talented international could be another Cunha-type star for Wolves this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 18, 2025

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A suspensão de Agustín Canobbio tirou do Fluminense uma das peças mais estáveis do time desde a chegada de Luis Zubeldía. O uruguaio, titular em praticamente todas as partidas do treinador, não enfrenta o Vasco nesta quinta-feira (11), no Maracanã, e obrigou a comissão a lidar com a decisão mais sensível da semifinal: quem vai ocupar o lado direito do ataque.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasLance! BizBrasileirão 2025 termina com público histórico no ‘novo normal’ dos estádiosLance! Biz10/12/2025FluminenseRoger Flores relembra Vasco x Fluminense histórico pela Copa do Brasil: ‘Foi uma loucura’Fluminense10/12/2025Futebol NacionalPartida entre Vasco e Fluminense terá operação especial do metrôFutebol Nacional10/12/2025

➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Fluminense

Nos últimos jogos, Soteldo transformou essa lacuna em oportunidade. O venezuelano encerrou um jejum de mais de 400 dias com dois gols contra o Grêmio e, diante do Bahia, voltou a aparecer bem, entrando no segundo tempo e construindo a jogada da assistência para Thiago Silva fechar o placar. A comissão técnica entende que o camisa 7 vive seu melhor momento desde que chegou ao clube, não só pela influência ofensiva, mas também pelo comportamento defensivo.

— Acho que o Soteldo fez um trabalho bastante completo. Fez os gols, cuidou da bola e se sacrificou defensivamente, às vezes armando uma linha de cinco e roubando bolas. É uma boa notícia, porque não só ajudou o time, como isso permitiu que ele também pudesse fazer gols — disse o Zubeldía após a vitória em Porto Alegre.

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Na saída do Maracanã no domingo, após garantir vaga direta na fase de grupos da Libertadores, o técnico foi questionado sobre a lacuna deixada por Canobbio e admitiu que estuda variações táticas. Uma possível “outra estrutura” é conhecida pelo elenco. Após o Mundial de Clubes, o Fluminense chegou a atuar com três volantes. A opção daria ao time mais pressão central e controle de posse, além de proteger a zona onde o Vasco costuma acelerar com transições rápidas.

O cenário da decisão do Fluminense

Soteldo chega com vantagem do momento e a confiança renovada, mas a alternativa com três volantes não surpreenderia o elenco, que já executou essa estrutura em jogos decisivos da temporada.

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Assim, a provável formação tem duas versões:

Com Soteldo:
Fábio; Samuel Xavier, Thiago Silva, Freytes e Renê; Martinelli, Hércules (Nonato) e Lucho Acosta; Soteldo, Serna e Everaldo.

Com três volantes:
Fábio; Samuel Xavier, Thiago Silva, Freytes e Renê; Martinelli, Hércules, Nonato e Lucho Acosta; Serna e Everaldo.

O clássico abre a disputa pela vaga na final da Copa do Brasil, com a volta marcada para domingo, também no Maracanã. Zubeldía segue com a “escolha difícil” — entre premiar a retomada de Soteldo ou reforçar o setor que controla o jogo — para preencher o espaço do jogador que mais simboliza sua identidade competitiva: Canobbio.

Tudo sobre

Copa do BrasilFluminenseLuis Zubeldía

Peter Crouch has hit out at Liverpool' defensive frailty after they lost another game in midweek. The Reds fell to a disappointing 4-1 home loss to PSV in the Champions League to extend their losing streak by three-goal margins to three matches. In that time, Liverpool have conceded 10 goals, and Crouch took aim at the defending champions as they look to rescue their season this weekend.

Liverpool have lost nine of their last 12

Liverpool fell behind to an Ivan Perisic penalty in the sixth minute at Anfield on Wednesday night but were level 10 minutes later through Dominik Szoboszlai. However, Arne Slot's side failed to push on in front of their fans and fell behind again 11 minutes after the break as Guus Til restored the Dutch side's lead.

And a late brace from Couhaib Driouech compounded a miserable evening for Liverpool. The 4-1 defeat means Liverpool have now lost nine of their last 12 matches in all competitions, a woeful run of form that means Slot is under pressure to turn the club's fortunes around.

The Reds come into the weekend's game at West Ham 11 points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, and their title defence lies in tatters. And former Liverpool and England striker Crouch has heavily criticised the club, describing the loss to PSV on Wednesday as "defensively woeful".

AdvertisementGetty Images SportReds legend slams performance vs PSV

Peter Crouch was speaking exclusively to Paddy Power when asked what he made of the performance against PSV, to which he replied: "Defensively, woeful. It just didn't look like them at all. They weren't getting up to people, there was no tracking back. Salah is guilty of that, but I don't think there's anyone in a Liverpool shirt right now who can hold their hands up and say they've been playing well. A real frustration for all Liverpool fans.

"I saw Curtis Jones' interview saying it’s the hardest time of his career at the club. You can lose a couple of games, that's bad enough. But to lose to them in that manner, I remember playing PSV and they're a decent team, but Liverpool should be putting them away. These things can happen but it's happened too regularly and it's clear there is a deep-rooted problem there."

The defeat to the Dutch outfit means Liverpool now sit 13th in the league phase of the Champions League, albeit just a point off the top eight that was guarantee a place in the knockout stages of the competition. 

Liverpool and City losing their fear factor

Liverpool are not the only Premier League powerhouse that looks vulnerable this season. Manchester City, who would previously steamroll opponents, have looked less untouchable over the past 12 months, as the Cityzens now look to reclaim the Premier League title.

Crouch, though, believes that visitors at Anfield and the Etihad Stadium are quietly confident they will get something, whereas in the past that would have been unthinkable. "Teams are going to the Etihad and Anfield now and believe they'll get a result," Crouch added.

"In years gone previous, certainly under Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, it was a complete write-off. Even if you did get a result, you'd be expecting your goalkeeper to be keeping you in it, saving 25/30 odd shots, so there's definitely a loss of the fear factor and you can put some pressure on them."

City, like Liverpool, also lost in midweek as a much-changed side crashed to a 2-0 home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen. A 2-1 loss at Newcastle last weekend, meanwhile, means they head into Saturday's game against Leeds seven points behind league leaders Arsenal.

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AFPCrouch insists there is 'no limit' to Arsenal

Crouch also praised Arsenal as the Gunners maintain their title push. The north London side sit top of the Premier League and Champions League following respective wins over Tottenham and Bayern Munich following the international break as they seek to secure their first league title in over 20 years, and the first major piece of European silverware in their history.

And when asked whether there is a limit to Arsenal's season, Crouch said: "There's no limit for Arsenal this season. I look at the other teams around them and I think they’re superior to them. The only thing that’s holding them back is the fact that they haven't done it.

"Under Arteta, they've won a cup, but they’ve not won a league and they've not won a Champions League, that's the only stumbling block. When it gets towards that crunch point in the season, the crowd get nervy, and so might the players. Until you overcome that, the question marks will always be there. But I believe they've got winners in their dressing room and they'll overcome it."

Arsenal face second-placed Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon, and could end the weekend nine points clear at the top of the table should they beat the Blues and results elsewhere go their way.

Birmingham City would like England's Lionesses to share their proposed new 'Powerhouse' stadium as the Blues continue their ambitious plans for the £1.2 billion ($1.57bn) new ground, which was officially announced in Thursday. The venue is hoped to be open by the 2030-31 season and could also host the Lionesses, who do not have a permanent home at present.

Lionesses could join Birmingham in £1.2bn new stadium

Reported by , Birmingham’s owners, Knighthead Capital, would like the Lionesses to become one of the long-term tenants of their state-of-the-art new arena. They aim for the stadium to be fully in use all year round, including not only hosting Blues’ home games, but a range of international sports, conferences and boxing fights.

Offering to become the new home of the Lionesses takes these ambitions to a new level, as to make Birmingham synonymous with the two-time European champions would go a long way to raising the profile of the new stadium and attracting a new fanbase to the city’s new 62,000-capacity ground.

Amidst aims to have the stadium opened in less than five years’ time – in time for the 2030-31 season – plans are coming together to see the club’s dream home become a reality in the not-too-distant future.

Birmingham would like to speak to the FA regarding the potential ground-share with the Lionesses, who are not currently tied down to use of Wembley Stadium as are their male counterparts. Sarina Wiegman’s side currently play at Wembley two to three times per year and spend the remainder of their domestic fixtures travelling around other stadiums up and down the country. 

Their proposed use of Birmingham’s ‘Powerhouse’ stadium would put an end to this and see the Euro 2025 winners have a new permanent home.

AdvertisementBirmingham City'Fantastic opportunity' – Blues chief speaks on proposed Lionesses share

A senior figure at Birmingham City said of the proposition: "The Lionesses do not have a permanent, or even semi-permanent, home to call their own.

"We believe we are ideally situated to host them.

"It’s less than an hour’s drive from St George’s Park and, once HS2 is operational, we estimate that around 80 per cent of the country will be able to access Birmingham within two hours.

"The Powerhouse presents a fantastic opportunity to showcase the Lionesses in a home they can call theirs which will be accessible to a huge number of people."

Birmingham aim to convince FA ahead of submitting final plans

Birmingham have reportedly told the FA that they will alter their plans for the build to incorporate the Lionesses if they agree to their idea to share the stadium. The current document outlining the plans for the development is currently more than 500 pages long, which reflects the extensive planning which the ambitious Championship club have put into their future home, which they hope will be hosting Premier League football by the time the stadium is fully functional.

The stadium will also offer ‘top-of-the-range corporate packages’ as part of the deal, with the final plans set to be tabled in front of Birmingham City council once a decision has been reached.

With the stadium set to be ‘comfortably the biggest’ within an 80-mile radius of the city, the use of HS2 could also prove influential in the FA’s decision thanks to its ability to attract fans from across the nation with a much-reduced travel time.

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Getty/GOALWagner speaks of 'huge milestone'

Chairman and co-owner Tom Wagner told the club’s website of his excitement for the ambitious plans: "This is a huge milestone for Birmingham City Football Club, creating a home for the club that reflects our ambition to compete at the highest level. More than that, the iconic design is a statement of intent for the City of Birmingham and the West Midlands, testament to a region that is on the rise. The stadium draws upon the proud heritage of the West Midlands – a heritage of industry, ingenuity and growth. I believe those same qualities can create a new era of success on and off the field and prosperity for local communities that have been starved of opportunities for too long."

Lauren Bell, Mady Villiers restrict Originals to 95 for 8 before Laura Wolvaardt sees visitors home

ECB Reporters Network06-Aug-2025Southern Brave started life after Charlotte Edwards with a convincing win over Manchester Originals at Emirates Old Trafford.The damage was all done with the ball, as Lauren Bell took 3 for 28 and Mady Villiers 2 for 19 to limit the hosts to just 95 for 8 from their 100 balls.Seren Smale fought a lone hand for Originals on a wicket that none of her team-mates ever looked at home on, making 40 from 34 balls to give her side the faintest hope at the halfway mark but no side has ever defended fewer than 109 in the Hundred women’s competition and their total never looked like enough.And while Brave were rarely fluent, they were always comfortable – easing to a six-wicket win with 11 balls to spare. Former Originals batter Laura Wolvaardt, a direct signing for Southern Brave this season, showed her old team what they were missing with an assured and unbeaten 42.She was supported by Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who made 32, as Brave’s batting line-up eased over the line in first gear. Having endured a surprising eighth-placed finish last summer, with just one win, Brave – and their new head coach Luke Williams in particular – will have been pleased to start the campaign with a victory.For Originals it was a disappointing start to the season and, Smale’s innings aside, a day of few positives – they’ll hope to demonstrate it was mere blip next time out at the Kia Oval on Saturday.Meerkat Match Hero Bell said: “It’s great to get our first win on the board. In tournament cricket it’s really important to get a good start, and it was a good team performance.”The girls stuck in. The wicket was a bit tricky but we’ve got a great line-up and the batters did the job. We’ve had a lot of really good chats about being really confident, backing our strengths, and having fun out there.”

LOS ANGELES — In the end, it was star first baseman Freddie Freeman who ended it at 18 innings, when his third consecutive deep drive to center field was finally enough, but when he crossed the plate, the person he was looking for was an anonymous reliever who barely made the roster: Will Klein. 

“MVP of this game,” said Freeman of the pitcher who a week ago was in Arizona, throwing live at-bats in case someone needed him. 

On Monday, they needed him. It took 18 innings, six hours and 39 minutes, 45 players, 153 plate appearances and a heroic effort from a pair of maligned bullpens, but finally the Dodgers prevailed 6–5 in Game 3 of the World Series to take a series lead of two games to one. 

When it was over, as the fans chanted FRE-DDIE, the players hugged and thanked the reliever who extended the game long enough to give Freeman a ninth plate appearance. “I don’t know how many times a guy hits a walk-off home run and the whole team is jumping around the pitcher,” said third baseman Max Muncy.

Seven years after the Dodgers played an 18-inning World Series Game 3 here, this one matched it for longest in Fall Classic history. (Though thanks to the pitch clock, it took 41 minutes less than the 7:20 slog between the Red Sox and the Dodgers.) The Blue Jays used all eight of their relievers; the Dodgers used all nine of theirs. The Blue Jays used every position player. 

So many moments in the game were just a win away from being World Series classics. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. scored from first on a single. Shohei Ohtani tied a 119-year-old record for extra base hits in a Fall Classic game. And then there were the wild ones: A late strike call led to a pickoff at first base. Three good defensive plays in the infield nabbed a runner at third base on a single. Ohtani was caught stealing when he fell off second base. A pinch runner was thrown out trying to score on a double. Ohtani was intentionally walked four times, a postseason record, and the choice was so obvious that fans in the stands began holding up four fingers when the first chords of his walk-up song, “Feeling Good” by Michael Bublé, played. In the end he reached base nine times, shattering the previous World Series record of six. The Dodgers intentionally walked the No. 9 hitter. Seven runners were thrown out on the bases, including two at home. For the first time in his career, Clayton Kershaw pitched in the 12th inning. The bullpens—the weakest area of both clubs—combined for 26 2/3 innings of four-run ball. 

Klein, the last reliever on the roster, a 25-year-old fifth-round draft pick on his fourth organization in two years, threw 72 pitches in four innings and allowed one hit. It was his longest outing since, he guessed, his junior year at Eastern Illinois.

“I was just going to go until I couldn’t,” he said. “There were times when you’re starting to feel down and you feel your legs aren’t there or your arm’s not there, and you just got to be like, So I had to dig deep, do it myself.”

If he had faltered, manager Dave Roberts would have had to turn to Game 2 starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who spent several innings lobbying for a chance to pitch on one day of rest after his second straight complete game. 

“Guys will do anything to win a championship, and they’re laying it out there,” said Roberts.

Missed chances aplenty

By the end of the night, it was hard to remember the missed opportunities, but both teams had them.

In the second inning, Daulton Varsho took what just about everyone in the ballpark thought was Ball 4 with Bo Bichette on first. Home plate umpire Mark Wegner made a late strike call, by which time Bichette had wandered off the bag and was picked off. Varsho eventually walked, and Alejandro Kirk singled him to third, but Glasnow struck out Addison Barger and induced Ernie Clement to line to center to end the threat.

In the sixth, Kiké Hernández bounced a ball to the shortstop with Teoscar Hernández on first. Shortstop Andrés Giménez ranged to his right to get the ball and fired to first, where Guerrero saw that he had no play—but Clement might. Guerrero made an awkward throw, which Clement saved to tag Teoscar Hernández for the third out. And the teams combined to leave 37 runners on base. No one scored between the seventh inning and the 18th. 

And worse, each team has reason to worry about one of its stars: In the seventh, leadoff hitter George Springer, who is tied for third in postseason home run history and in many ways is the heart of the team, appeared to tweak his right oblique on a foul ball. He left the game and hobbled down the dugout steps. In the 11th, Ohtani appeared to slow as he dashed to second base. Roberts offered to remove him and let him rest. Ohtani declined. He took a practice run into center field and remained in the game.

A lifetime ago, this seemed like a normal game. The Dodgers struck first, when Teoscar Hernández, true to form, redeemed his four-strikeout Game 2 with a solo homer in the second. With one out in the next inning, Blue Jays starter Max Scherzer challenged Ohtani—if you can call it that—with a 94-mph fastball up and in. Ohtani missed it. Three pitches later, Scherzer threw nearly the same pitch. Ohtani did not miss it. 

The lead lasted 18 minutes. The Blue Jays pride themselves on their ability to score a lot of different ways—no team struck out fewer times this season—and the fourth inning featured nearly all of them: Guerrero walked, Bichette broke his bat on a sinker that second baseman Tommy Edman could not glove and finally Kirk drilled a curveball just over the center field wall. For good measure, Barger and Clement each added singles and Giménez launched a sacrifice fly to center to make it 4–2. 

Scherzer, who memorably barked at Schneider when the skipper tried to remove him in Game 4 of the ALCS, could only nod in the bottom of the fourth when his manager appeared with a runner on first, one out and Ohtani striding to the plate. Fair enough. It may not have mattered who the pitcher was. Facing Toronto’s best lefty, Mason Fluharty, Ohtani doubled to drive in a run. Two batters later, Freeman brought him in to tie the game. 

For a while, it seemed like the pair of sons of big leaguers who had been anointed the future of the Blue Jays would save them. With two outs in the seventh, Guerrero waved at a pitch his father would have appreciated, some six inches outside the zone, and knocked it into center. Up came Bichette, still hobbling around on the left knee he sprained two months ago. Guerrero was not running on the 1–2 pitch, but somehow when Bichette lined it into right, where it ricocheted around, the 6’ 0”, 245-pound first baseman barreled around third base and slid into home, where he slammed his hand on the plate just ahead of the tag. 

But the Blue Jays still had to face Ohtani in the bottom of the frame. Seranthony Domínguez left a fastball in the middle of the plate and Ohtani launched it into the opposite-field stands. That gave Ohtani—in an October in which he has struggled enough that his manager has several times expressed concern that his performance might help cost his team the title—eight home runs this postseason, tied for first in a single season in franchise history, and four extra-base hits in a game. The only other person who has ever done that is Frank Isbell of the 1906 White Sox. 

So hot was Ohtani on Monday that he barely made it to the plate in the bottom of the ninth before Schneider gave the sign to walk him intentionally. With Mookie Betts at bat and one out, Ohtani—who chartered the 50-50 club last year—took off for second. He beat the throw, but he fell off the bag long enough for second baseman Isaiah Kiner-Falefa to apply the tag. Betts flied out to right for the final out. 

The top of the 10th offered even more drama. Ty France, a light-hitting, slow-footed first baseman who was replacing Springer, singled to left with two outs. Schneider immediately pinch ran Davis Schneider (no relation), the last non-catcher on his bench. The Dodgers played the lefthanded Nathan Lukes to go the other way; he lined a ball into the ocean of space in right field, and third base coach Carlos Febles sent Davis Schneider. But Teoscar Hernández got to the ball quickly and Edman made a perfect relay throw to catcher Will Smith to send the game to the 10th. 

The Blue Jays loaded the bases with two outs in the 12th, and Roberts summoned Kershaw, who has weathered so many devastating moments in situations like this one. But the best lefty of his generation, among the best of all time, kept Lukes off-balance with sliders that broke just outside the zone, and Lukes eventually grounded to second. Kershaw punched his glove and roared as he strode off the mound. In the dugout, Roberts gave the lefty a high-five, then went back for a bear-hug. In the stands, Kershaw’s wife, Ellen, sobbed. 

Again and again, the Dodgers nearly allowed fans to leave the park by leaving the park. Edman doubled to lead off the bottom of the 13th, and two outs later, the Blue Jays intentionally walked Ohtani and Betts. Freeman flied 379 feet to center. In the 14th, Smith launched a ball 383 feet to center and flipped his bat in celebration, but Varsho caught it against the wall. In the 15th, with Ohtani on first yet again, Freeman flied lined a ball 358 feet to center. In the 16th, a change of pace, with no one on, it was Teoscar Hernández’s turn: 383 feet to center. 

In the 17th, with a runner on first and lefty Brendon Little on the mound, the Blue Jays let Ohtani hold his bat, but Little walked him on four pitches anyway. It was Ohtani’s ninth time on base. They did not get a chance to face him for a 10th time. Freeman—and Klein—took care of that. 

Everton are in the race to sign James Ward-Prowse from West Ham in January, with the midfielder “almost certain” to leave the London Stadium in the new year.

Ward-Prowse has enjoyed an impressive career, spending many years at Southampton and being renowned for being one of the best set-piece specialists in Premier League history.

Ward-Prowse has struggled to be a regular for West Ham this season however, and with his current deal expiring in the summer of 2027, the Hammers are set to listen to offers for him in January.

“There’s no way he’s getting back into the plans at West Ham. Nuno just doesn’t want him in the team; he is not open to the idea of this turning around,” reported Dean Jones earlier this month, claiming a move is “almost certain”.

“I don’t see any possibility that West Ham try to stop him from leaving. I think they will treat him with respect and allow him the chance to move.”

Everton are the team most strongly linked with the 11-cap England international, and now a new update has emerged regarding a possible move for the 31-year-old.

Everton ready to offer Ward-Prowse exit route

Speaking to Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown talked up Everton’s interest in Ward-Prowse due to his connection with David Moyes, confirming the Blues are “willing” to offer him a fresh start.

At 31, Ward-Prowse is now in the autumn of his career, so Everton wouldn’t be signing him as a long-term prospect with lots of sell-on value.

That said, he could be a shrewd signing in terms of his experience and enduring quality, not necessarily being a key starter but adding depth to the Blues’ squad at a relatively low cost given his contract situation.

Friedkin now plotting 2026 move to sign "sensational" boyhood Everton fan

He recently scored a hat-trick.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 21, 2025

The fact that Moyes knows him well can only be a positive – he wouldn’t want him if he didn’t value him as a player and a character – so the positives outweigh the negatives.

Only three players earn more than James Ward-Prowse at West Ham

Newcastle United’s PIF bosses are backing Eddie Howe to find solutions to the current hole they have slipped into. It is important that this point is emphasised, with noise levels rising regarding the manager’s future.

Yes, Newcastle are 14th in the Premier League, and their away form has gone beyond merely concerning. But the Magpies are also into the last eight of the Carabao Cup, and have made a confident start to their Champions League campaign too.

However, there is an expectation that Howe will make the necessary adjustments to bring United back into contention at the top of the table.

Newcastle’s Form in 25/26 (all comps)

Home

Stat

Away

10

Games

7

7

Wins

1

0

Draws

3

3

Losses

3

20

Goals scored

7

9

Goals conceded

8

2.1

PPG

1.16

There is also an acceptance that a difficult summer transfer window and the bitter sale of Alexander Isak to Liverpool have knocked things out of kilter. Luckily, Nick Woltemade has been a shining light, and he proved his skill once again this week for Germany.

Nick Woltemade's start to the season

Since joining Newcastle from Stuttgart for a club-record £69m fee at the end of August, Woltemade has posted six goals for the Toon, quickly bedding in on English soil and proving he has what it takes to succeed Isak in the long run.

Moreover, he has scored three times in his past two outings for Germany, scoring a brace as his side sank Luxembourg in their World Cup qualifier on Friday evening.

Newcastle have their issues this season, but it’s curious that the 23-year-old has made it so his integration in Isak’s still-warm seat has not been one of them.

The 6 foot 6 striker’s unique skillset has seen him dovetail right into a system that has yet to click together, and when wide players like Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga find form, Howe could pull the strings of a frontline capable of throwing down with any defence across Europe.

Of course, football is about more than just the forwards, and there’s another Tyneside star whose performances this season have established him as one of the best in the business.

He’s even worth more than Woltemade.

The Newcastle star worth even more than Woltemade

Newcastle have many fine players contracted to St. James’ Park, but Sandro Tonali is fast emerging as the cream of the crop.

After joining from AC Milan for around £55m in 2023, the 25-year-old faced difficulties, but he rebounded last year and redefined Howe’s midfield, instrumental in a long and brilliant purple patch that led to glory.

Now, he is “the best player by a distance”, according to correspondent Craig Hope, and while Newcastle have some issues in the build-up, Tonali is becoming the defining force alongside Bruno Guimaraes.

Largely, this is because the Italian has become far more progressive on the ball, ranking this season among the top 5% of Premier League midfielders for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

And he is beginning to revel in a new level of recognition, with pundits and observers from afar coming to understand that Tonali is one of the best in the business.

His market value is a reflection of that. Woltemade might be the talk of the town, and in many ways, rightly so, but Tonali cut from a different cloth. He’s a maestro, endowed with impressive athleticism and unteachable technical skill.

There is talk of him falling into the same financial bracket as someone like Guimaraes, over the £100m mark, and this is indeed an accurate emphasis on the calibre of superstar at Howe’s disposal.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher said that Newcastle had “made a mistake” when signing the midfielder, given his suspension throughout his first year in England, but Tonali is now showing he’s one of the best Premier League signings of recent years, more so, even, than Woltemade.

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Ezri Konsa has been linked with a move away from Aston Villa, with Liverpool keen on him, and now a fresh update has emerged regarding his future.

The 28-year-old has matured into such an important player for the Villans, becoming a key starter and coming right into the prime years of his career.

In fact, Konsa will even be hoping of starting for England at the 2026 World Cup, with he and John Stones likely to battle to play alongside Marc Guehi in the right-sided centre-back spot for the Three Lions.

Worryingly, the Englishman has been linked with various clubs in recent weeks and months, with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City mentioned as potential options for him.

Konsa isn’t out of contract at Villa until the summer of 2028, and now a new update has dropped regarding his future at the Premier League club.

Key latest on Konsa's Aston Villa future

Speaking to Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown claimed that Aston Villa won’t even entertain the idea of allowing Konsa to leave in the near future, with the player himself happy at the club.

“Aston Villa have been an example in recent years of how to build a team. It’s a testament to Villa’s recruitment that so many of their best players are attracting interest. The players they’ve brought in, like Konsa and Rogers for example, have reached new levels since they arrived and proved to be very important players for them.

“So Konsa, for example, has impressed at Villa and got himself into the England team. That only invites more interest, because he’s playing on a bigger stage, attracting more eyes on his performances, and that leads to more speculation. So Villa then have a hell of a job behind the scenes trying to keep him at the club.

“From what I’m told, they’re not massively concerned about his future, because by all accounts he’s happy at Villa and he’s been a crucial part of their success. Emery has no plans to let him go because of how important he is to Villa, and I think Villa will be confident that they can keep him. Even with teams like Liverpool or Chelsea looking at him, that won’t chance Villa’s position.”

Appearances

8

Starts

8

Minutes played

696

Clearances per game

3.4

Aerial duel wins per game

1.1

Pass completion rate

95.7%

Goals

0

Assists

0

This will come as a relief to Villa supporters, with Konsa arguably now one of the first names on Unai Emery’s team sheet, recently being hailed as “excellent” by Troy Deeney.

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As mentioned, he now feels like he is at his peak, which should remain the same for another three or four years or so, and if Villa are to continue heading in the right direction, they cannot afford to sell their best players to teams who are higher than they are in the table.

Liverpool learn true price for Ezri Konsa as PSR forces Aston Villa's hand

Vipers were the only team to bid for Pakistan players a day after the PCB suspended all no-objection certificates for overseas leagues

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-2025

R Ashwin found no takers in the ILT20 auction•TNPL/TNCA

R Ashwin, the only player with a base price in six figures, went unsold in the inaugural ILT20 player auction in Dubai. The former India spinner didn’t reappear in the accelerated auction, but there’s a possibility that he can still feature in the upcoming season as a wildcard. Two franchises, MI Emirates and Desert Vipers, are yet to complete their wildcard signings.Vipers were the only team to bid for Pakistan players a day after the PCB suspended all no-objection certificates for players who want to participate in T20 leagues outside Pakistan. No reason has been given as to why this action was taken.Vipers snapped up Fakhar Zaman (USD 80,000), Naseem Shah (USD 80,000) and Hasan Nawaz (USD 40,000) all at their base prices.Vipers also picked the Afghanistan pair of Qais Ahmad and Faridoon Dawoodzai.West Indies wicketkeeper-batter Andre Fletcher fetched the highest bid of USD 260,000. MI Emirates outbid rivals to retain him for a fourth successive season.Related

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UAE wicketkeeper-batter Vriitya Aravind, who was with MI Emirates and Dubai Capitals in the past, was the first player to attract a bid in the auction, also going to Vipers for USD 10,000.Pakistan-born UAE fast bowler Junaid Siddique triggered a bidding war, with Gulf Giants bidding up to USD 170,000 for him, but Sharjah Warriorz used their RTM to match that bid and bring him back to their franchise. Siddique’s recent form is particularly encouraging: he was the third-highest wicket-taker in the Asia Cup with nine strikes in three games at an average of 6.33 and an identical economy rate.Akshay Wakhare, a former Ranji Trophy winner with Vidarbha, earned a gig with Dubai Capitals while former India Under-19 captain Unmukt Chand, who has now moved to the USA, went to Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.A day before the player auction, Warriorz unveiled former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik as a replacement for Kusal Mendis.The ILT20’s fourth season, to be held in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, begins on December 2 this year, and will run until January 4, 2026, featuring six teams across 34 matches.JP Duminy raises the paddle for Sharjah Warriorz•ILT20

SquadsAbu Dhabi Knight Riders (Total Spent: USD 1,457,000)
Auction Signings: Michael Pepper (USD 40,000), George Garton (USD 10,000), Brandon McMullen (USD 110,000), Ibrar Ahmed (USD 22,000), Ajay Kumar (USD 10,000), Adnan Idrees Muhammad (USD 10,000), Abdul Manan Ali (USD 10,000), Mayank Chowdary (USD 10,000), Khary Pierre (USD 10,000), Shadley Van Schalkwyk (USD 10,000), Unmukt Chand (USD 40,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Liam Livingstone, Alishan Sharafu, Alex Hales, Sherfane Rutherford, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Phil Salt, Olly StoneDesert Vipers (Total Spent: USD 1,617,500)
Auction Signings: Vriitya Aravind (USD 10,000), Fakhar Zaman (USD 80,000), Naseem Shah (USD 80,000), Qais Ahmad (USD 40,000), Sanjay Pahal (USD 10,000), Bilal Tahir (USD 10,000), Faisal Khan (USD 10,000), Hasan Nawaz (USD 40,000), Tom Bruce (USD 80,000), Matiullah Khan (USD 10,000), Tawanda Muyeye (USD 40,000), Faridoon Dawoodzai (USD 10,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Dan Lawrence, Max Holden, David Payne, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Lockie Ferguson, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sam Curran, Andries GousDubai Capitals (Total Spent: USD 1,475,000)
Auction Signings: Muhammad Farooq (USD 10,000), Tymal Mills (USD 80,000), Scott Currie (USD 250,000), Mohammad Nabi (USD 80,000), Farhan Khan (USD 10,000), Anudeep Chenthamara (USD 10,000), Usman Najeeb (USD 10,000), Ritesh Mallikarjuna Grandhi (USD 10,000), Shayan Jahangir (USD 10,000), Rushil Ugarkar (USD 10,000), Naveen Bidiasee (USD 10,000), Toby Albert (USD 10,000), Akshay Wakhare (USD 10,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Jordan Matthew Cox, Rovman Powell, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Waqar Salamkheil, Haider Ali, Muhammad Jawadullah, Jimmy NeeshamGulf Giants (Total Spent: USD 1,471,000)
Auction Signings: Asif Khan (USD 26,000), Zuhaib Zubair (USD 10,000), Sean Dickson (USD 10,000), Tabraiz Shamsi (USD 40,000), Liam Dawson (USD 170,000), Fred Klaassen (USD 40,000), Haider Razzaq (USD 50,000), Meet Bhavsar (USD 14,000), Ishtiaq Ahmad (USD 16,000), Lorcan Tucker (USD 10,000), Chris Wood (USD 40,000), Tom Moores (USD 40,000), Ramon Simmonds (USD 40,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Aayan Afzal Khan, Mark Adair, Gerhard Erasmus, Blessing Muzarabani, Moeen Ali, James Vince, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rahmanullah GurbazMI Emirates (Total Spent: USD 1,868,000)
Auction Signings: Muhammad Rohid (USD 140,000), Jordan Thompson (USD 48,000), Naveen-ul-Haq (USD 100,000), Andre Fletcher (USD 260,000), Nosthush Kenjige (USD 10,000), Mohamed Shafeeq (USD 10,000), Zain Ul Abidin (USD 10,000), Usman Khan (USD 10,000), Ackeem Auguste (USD 10,000), Arab Gul (USD 10,000), Tajinder Dhillon (USD 10,000), Zahoor Khan (USD 10,000), Shakib Al Hasan (USD 40,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Fazalhaq Farooqi, Tom Banton, Romario Shepherd, Chris Woakes, Jonny Bairstow, AM Ghazanfar, Muhammad Waseem, Kamindu MendisSharjah Warriorz (Total Spent: USD 1,664,000)
Auction Signings: Junaid Siddique (USD 170,000), James Rew (USD 10,000), Nathan Sowter (USD 100,000), Dwaine Pretorius (USD 120,000), Jayden Seales (USD 80,000), Harmeet Singh (USD 10,000), Wasim Akram (USD 55,000), Mohamed Nawfer Mohamed Aslam (USD 14,000), Raees Ahmad (USD 10,000), Richard Ngarava (USD 10,000), Shubham Ranjane (USD 10,000), Ethan D’Souza (USD 10,000), Taskin Ahmed (USD 80,000), Abdul Salman Khan (USD 10,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Dinesh Karthik, Sikandar Raza, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tim David, Johnson Charles, Tim Southee, Saurabh Netravalkar