Sunderland have often been viewed as a yo-yo club, seesawing between the Championship and the Premier League.

The numbers don’t lie in this regard, either, considering the Black Cats – since the Premier League’s rebrand in 1992 – have been relegated down to the EFL’s elite division from the big time a mammoth four times.

Regis Le Bris will be aiming to go against the grain here, and he has certainly made a positive start to life in a top-flight dug-out with the Wearside outfit after clinching promotion.

Indeed, the Mackems have only suffered one defeat from their opening six league encounters, meaning Sunderland are sitting in a pretty fifth spot currently.

Wilson Isidor has already planted himself deeper into Sunderland hearts with his whirlwind start to the campaign, as the Frenchman aims to become another revered striker the Black Cats look at fondly when recollecting about the very best they had at their disposal in the tough division.

Isidor's electric start to the season

Isidor does have some catching up to do if he is to hit the heights of the likes of Darren Bent before him, with the well-travelled Englishman putting away 106 top-flight goals in total, as 32 of those fell at the Stadium of Light.

The electric Frenchman is already up to 16 strikes for Le Bris and Co in all fairness, with three of those efforts coming about just this season to ensure Sunderland has made the tricky transition back to top-flight life look rather seamless.

Already, this blistering purple patch of form has reportedly alerted Aston Villa to his services, but the former Zenit St. Petersburg attacker will no doubt be eager to keep the goals flowing on Wearside, instead of following Bent’s career path.

Sunderland have been regularly cursed by their cream of the crop in attack deserting the club for more luxurious pastures, unfortunately, with Kevin Phillips leaving Wearside behind all the way back in 2003 for Southampton when Mick McCarthy’s Black Cats slipped down to the EFL.

It’s also far too premature to suggest losing Isidor would impact Sunderland as much as Phillips’ exit did 22 years ago, with the well-travelled journeyman going down as a Premier League icon for his goal-laden spell at the Black Cats and beyond, away from the 25-year-old just beginning his own top-flight journey.

What cemented Phillips' legendary status at Sunderland

When lined up next to some of his fellow goalscoring compatriots such as Michael Owen and Alan Shearer, it might be forgotten how red-hot Phillips truly was in front of goal during his peak years.

Indeed, across an extensive career that saw him largely jump between the second tier and the Premier League, the now-retired 52-year-old would first make a name for himself as a “brilliant” top-flight goalscorer with Sunderland, as he was once labelled by the aforementioned Shearer, who would go on to lead the line with Phillips for England.

A breakout first season in the notoriously difficult division would catapult Phillips to instant stardom, with his 1999/2000 offering seeing him fire home a ridiculous 30 strikes from just 39 games.

The Golden Boot would fall into the eight-time England international’s lap subsequently, with a further 31 goals also coming his way in the challenging division for Sunderland, before moving on to Southampton, Villa, Birmingham, and Crystal Palace to further expand his Premier League horizons.

Phillips’ PL numbers after Sunderland

Stat

Phillips

Games played

124

Clubs played for

4

Goals scored

30

Assists

7

Sourced by Transfermarkt

He would go on to amass another 30 goals in the bright lights of the top division for those clubs listed, but it’s safe to say that when he looks back now on his distinguished playing days at the very summit of the English game, Sunderland is the team he has the fondest memories attached to.

Le Bris will hope he has another Black Cats icon in the making in one of their new signings who has already fallen deeply in love with the Wearside environment, much like Phillips before him.

Le Bris' very own Phillips

Away from scoring goals for fun, Phillips’ crucial strikes would also routinely get Sunderland out of relegation bother.

Amazingly, both the 99/00 season and the 2000/01 season saw Sunderland punch well above their weight and finish in a high seventh final spot, partly because of Phillips putting away a sizeable 44 goals.

In the here and now, Granit Xhaka is also helping Sunderland dream of similarly high finishes.

At this point, partly due to Isidor’s own goalscoring exploits as well, Le Bris’ men find themselves daring to dream of a top-half finish, sitting all the way up in fifth in the early league standings.

But, Xhaka has also more than played his part as one of the very few individuals in Le Bris’ camp who know what it takes to be a success story in the Premier League.

Unlike Phillips, who transformed himself into a Premier League icon on Wearside, the Switzerland international is only further boosting his reputation as a top-flight worthy warrior with Sunderland, having been previously dubbed a “monster” at this level by Arsenal writer Connor Humm when still lining up for the Gunners.

Xhaka’s PL numbers for Sunderland

Stat (* = per game)

Xhaka

Games played

6

Goals scored

0

Assists

3

Touches*

70.3

Accurate passes*

45.0 (83%)

Key passes*

1.3

Ball recoveries*

4.7

Clearances*

4.3

Total duels won*

6.8

Stats by Sofascore

Therefore, it shouldn’t be the greatest shock to the system to see how instant the 33-year-old has picked up from where he once left off at the Emirates, considering the Swiss had 17 goals and 24 assists for Arsenal – who are usually challenging near the top of the league away from any relegation worries – before his impressive return to English soil with Le Bris’ underdogs.

From his six league contests to date, Xhaka has demonstrated that he is one of the finest players in recent memory to grace the Stadium of Light.

He already has three assists next to his name as a game-changing presence similar to Phillips, with an added bite in his game, also ensuring his new employers have only leaked four strikes so far this season.

Sky Sports’ Keith Downie has even gone as far as to state that the Le Bris’ team is “built around” the glue of Xhaka, with Sunderland teams of the past also breaking down as a unit if Phillips wasn’t leading the line, gobbling up chances.

Already a well-loved Premier League servant at Arsenal, it’s clear that yet another English club has fallen in love with the full-blooded nature of the 33-year-old, with his status as a modern icon in the unforgiving division only being strengthened by his ongoing Wearside tale.

Related Sunderland's 8/10 star is fast becoming as important as Xhaka & Roefs

Sunderland kept up their incredible start to the Premier League season away at Nottingham Forest as this first-team star shone again.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Sep 28, 2025

Arsenal kept up the pressure on their Premier League title rivals with a hard fought 1-0 win at Fulham courtesy of Leandro Trossard's second-half goal. The Gunners never looked like dropping points and relied on their prowess from set-pieces to get the job done, with Bukayo Saka, who caused the hosts all sorts of problems during the 90 minutes, creating the winning goal with a delicious corner.

Mikel Arteta's side had picked up just one point from their last two visits to Craven Cottage and they struggled again in a scrappy first half, with Viktor Gyokeres' effort which was well saved by Bernd Leno the only shot on target either side could muster.

The visitors improved after the interval, however, and got the crucial breakthrough just before the hour mark – with a set-piece again making the distance. Saka's corner was flicked on by Gabriel, with Trossard turning the ball in from close range.

Saka thought he had a penalty soon after when he was tripped by Kevin, but after awarding the spot-kick referee Anthony Taylor overturned his decision after a VAR review deemed that the Fulham substitute had got the ball first. The Gunners would hold on for the win that now makes it five on the bounce in all competitions, with the three points ensuring they'd take back their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Craven Cottage…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  David Raya (6/10):

  Didn't have a save to make all evening. Looked after his box well when called upon.

  Jurrien Timber (6/10):

  Looked to get forward and support Saka when he could, but lacked that quality in the final third when he got into some good positions. Solid defensively as always.

  William Saliba (7/10):

  Solid enough and dealt quite well with Raul Jimenez whenever it was his turn to pick him up. 

  Gabriel Magalhaes (6/10):

  Looked unusually nervy early on. Played a couple of loose balls out from the back and played Arsenal into trouble. Tough physical battle against Jimenez. Got the crucial flick-on for Trossard's goal.

  Riccardo Calafiori (7/10):

  Just a crazy player to watch. A left-back who looks more like a No.10. Would have scored one of the goals of the season had it not been for the offside flag. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Midfield

  Martin Zubimendi (7/10):

  Kept things ticking over nicely. Tidy in possession as always and protected the back four well.

  Declan Rice (7/10):

  Typical Rice performance. Never stopped working and looking to drive the team on. Whipped one shot just wide of the post late on in the first half.

  Eberechi Eze (6/10):

  Not at his best. A bit sloppy at times, although it was very hard for him to find any space in what was a very congested central area.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Attack

  Bukayo Saka (8/10):

  Ryan Sessegnon played him quite well, but Saka still looked a threat. End product was just a bit off in the first half. Much better after the interval, caused Fulham so many problems when he got on the ball.

  Viktor Gyokeres (6/10):

  Had one shot saved by Leno in the first-half after a nice run into the box. Another hard-working display, with little to show for it. Blazed one good chance over in the second half after using his strength well to work a shooting position and had another effort saved late on.

  Leandro Trossard (7/10):

  Was the one player who found any space in the first half over on that left-hand side but was unable to make it count. Was in the right place at the right time to turn home Gabriel's flick-on and break the deadlock.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Subs & Manager

  Mikel Merino (6/10):

  Helped Arsenal see the game out.

  Gabriel Martinelli (6/10):

  Saw a good a good chance saved by Leno late on.

  Christian Norgaard (N/A):

  Replaced Gyokeres in injury time.

  Mikel Arteta (7/10):

  Not his side's best performance by any means but it's three valuable points after the international break. 

Four key Man Utd stars sat out training just days ahead of the crunch derby clash with Liverpool as boss Ruben Amorim continues the struggle to turn his side’s season around. Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha, Amad Diallo and Casemiro were all absent following their involvement in international fixtures in the past fortnight.

Is it time for United fans to panic?

The decision to rest the four stars is considered a precaution rather than a response to new injuries. United are already expected to be without Noussair Mazraoui due to an injury that has kept him out of the last two games and prevented him from playing in Morocco's recent World Cup qualifier. Lisandro Martinez also missed training as he continues his rehabilitation from major knee surgery and is unlikely to return to the squad before the November international break. To compensate for the reduced numbers, several academy players, including Shea Lacey, Jim Thwaites, and Jack Fletcher, joined the first-team training session. However, Ayden Heaven, who had been involved with England's Under 20s, was absent from training after being withdrawn at half-time against Switzerland last Friday.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBragging rights at stake in Anfield clash

Liverpool, currently second in the league, will look to bounce back from a three-game losing streak that saw them drop from the top of the table, and were replaced by Arsenal. Man Utd sit 10th after winning their last game against Sunderland, but are struggling for consistency under Amorim. While history and rivalry always play a role, Liverpool's home advantage at Anfield is significant. United have not won at Anfield in their last nine Premier League visits. This match also marks the 100th meeting between the two clubs at Anfield. Liverpool will be without Alisson, due to a hamstring injury, but Ibrahima Konate and Ryan Gravenberch are expected to be fit. Manchester United will be without Lisandro Martinez who is still recovering from a long-term injury. Liverpool boss Slot provided an update on Alisson, confirming he’s still injured. Slot said: “"He's not training with us, so he's out. Like I always say, it's so difficult to say (how long he will be out), because the end phase of rehab can always give you positives and negatives. But he will not play this weekend, and also not next week."

Turning point for under-fire Amorim?

It’s been another woeful season so far for Manchester United, but the win over Sunderland, before the international break, backed up by beating Liverpool would give fans real cause for positivity. And it would massively ease the fierce pressure on the Portuguese boss. Since his appointment in November last year, United have won only nine of his 33 Premier League matches, losing 17 and drawing seven. This gives him a Premier League win rate of 27.3 per cent, the lowest of any permanent United manager in the Premier League era. His side finished 15th last season and are currently 10th. They were also dumped out of the Carabao Cup in the second round by Grimsby Town. Despite these struggles, Amorim has received public backing from co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next?

Amorim will speak ahead of the clash with Liverpool, where he is expected to give an update on the quartet. United will have to be at their absolute best to overcome Liverpool, who have lost their last two games, as their form on the road is poor. Amorim’s side are winless in their last eight Premier League away games since beating Leicester City 3-0 in March. The last time they went longer without a league win on the road is way back in September 1989 under legendary former manager Sir Alex Ferguson where it was a staggering 11 matches.

MatériaMais Notícias

Três clubes do Brasil buscam suas respectivas vagas nas semifinais da Copa Libertadores da América: Palmeiras, Internacional e Fluminense. Após os três clubes vencerem o jogo de ida, as equipes sonham em aumentar a estatística do número de vezes que conseguiram estar entre os quatro melhores times da principal competição continental.

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Dentre os representantes brasileiros vivos na copa, o Verdão possui larga vantagem para atingir a sua 11ª semifinal do certame e, dessa forma, se isolar como o recordista na categoria.

+ Assista aos jogos do seu clube do coração com aquela gelada! Copo Stanley a partir de R$120,00

Como conheceremos os times presentes nas semis do torneio nesta semana, o Lance! preparou um levantamento com os times que mais vezes alcançaram o último degrau antes da grande final da Liberta. Confira abaixo!

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VEJA LISTA DOS BRASILEIROS COM MAIS SEMIFINAIS DE LIBERTADORES NA HISTÓRIA:

São Paulo – 10 semifinais

1972 (caiu na semi), 1974 (vice), 1992 (campeão), 1993 (campeão), 1994 (vice), 2004 (caiu na semi), 2005 (campeão), 2006 (vice), 2010 (caiu na semi) e 2016 (caiu na semi).

Palmeiras – 10 semifinais

1961 (vice), 1968 (vice), 1971 (caiu na semi), 1999 (campeão), 2000 (vice), 2001 (caiu na semi), 2018 (caiu na semi), 2020 (campeão), 2021 (campeão) e 2022 (caiu na semi).

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Grêmio – 10 semifinais

1983 (campeão), 1984 (vice), 1995 (campeão), 1996 (caiu na semi), 2002 (caiu na semi), 2007 (vice), 2009 (caiu na semi), 2017 (campeão), 2018 (caiu na semi) e 2019 (caiu na semi).

Santos – 9 semifinais

1962 (campeão), 1963 (campeão), 1964 (caiu na semi), 1965 (caiu na semi), 2003 (vice), 2007 (caiu na semi), 2011 (campeão), 2012 (caiu na semi) e 2020 (vice).

Flamengo – 6 semifinais

1981 (campeão), 1982 (caiu na semi), 1984 (caiu na semi), 2019 (campeão), 2021 (vice) e 2022 (campeão).

Cruzeiro – 6 semifinais

1967 (caiu na semi), 1975 (caiu na semi), 1976 (campeão), 1977 (vice), 1997 (campeão) e 2009 (vice).

Internacional – 6 semifinais

1977 (caiu na semi), 1980 (vice), 1989 (caiu na semi), 2006 (campeão), 2010 (campeão) e 2015 (caiu na semi).

Atlético-MG – 3 semifinais

1978 (caiu na semi), 2013 (campeão) e 2021 (caiu na semi)

Corinthians – 2 semifinais

2000 (caiu na semi) e 2012 (campeão)

Athletico-PR – 2 semifinais

2005 (vice) e 2022 (vice)

Botafogo – 2 semifinais

1963 (caiu na semi) e 1973 (caiu na semi)

Guarani – 1 semifinal

1979 (caiu na semi)

Vasco – 1 semifinal

1998 (campeão)

São Caetano – semifinal

2022 (vice)

Fluminense – 1 semifinal

2008 (vice)

* Gabriel Teles colaborou sob supervisão de Vinicius Perazzini

Tudo sobre

LancepediaLibertadores

Matty Hirst makes 51 as rock-bottom hosts recover from another ropey start

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay16-May-2025Luke Wells’ first century of the season soothed Lancashire’s current pain and helped them just about shade the opening day of their Rothesay County Championship match against Derbyshire at Emirates Old Trafford.The home side’s players began the day at the bottom of Division Two and with their director of cricket Mark Chilton’s warning that he would make the changes necessary to get their season “back on track” fresh in their minds.But new skipper Marcus Harris’s batsmen took advantage of the invitation to have first use of a what looks a good cricket wicket to finish on 250 for five with Wells making 141 and Matty Hurst, 51.The pair but on 121 but a run-rate of 2.6 suggests Lancashire will do well to collect three batting bonus points. Derbyshire, who began the day in second place, might therefore be happy with their efforts to contain Lancashire’s batsmen. The impressive Ben Aitchison finished the day with three for 51 and the New Zealander, Blair Tickner, took two for 59.In the morning session, Lancashire recovered from the loss of Keaton Jennings and Josh Bohannon with just 11 runs on the board to reach 67 for two at lunch.Jennings, who stepped down as four-day captain earlier this week, was caught at second slip by Wayne Madsen off Tickner for two and Bohannon was pouched by wicketkeeper Brooke Guest for three when he tickled a Aitchison delivery down the leg side.Resuming in the afternoon on 40, Wells took only seven deliveries to reach a 92-ball half-century, his progress assisted by successive boundaries off Aitchison. Indeed, the temper of the day changed in the first half-hour or so of the session as the third-wicket pair rattled up 47 runs in ten overs.That progress was immediately halted when Harris fished at the next ball from Tickner and Madsen clung on to a high two-handed catch above his head. The dismissal of Lancashire’s new skipper for 45 ended his 103-run stand with Wells and it greatly slowed the home side’s momentum without seriously disrupting it.Wells and Hurst had put on 51 for the fourth wicket at tea, by which time the Lancashire opener was 14 short of his century and the Derbyshire attack had done well to restrict the home side to a modest scoring rate.Three balls after the resumption, Harry Came’s wayward throw presented Wells with the four overthrows that took him into the nineties and he reached his 27th first-class century and his ninth for Lancashire with a cover-driven four off the former Lancashire slow left-armer, Jack Morley. He had faced 212 balls and hit 13 fours.Hurst reached his fifty off 129 deliveries but was beaten off the pitch and bowled by Aitchison two balls later. That ended his 121-run stand with Wells and four overs later the same bowler produced a vicious lifter to have the former Sussex batsman caught in the gully by Caleb Jewell.

تلقى فريق ريال مدريد بضربة موجعة بعدما تم الإعلان عن إصابة القائد داني كارفاخال وحاجته إلى تدخل جراحي، حسبما جاء في بيان رسمي مساء يوم الإثنين.

وشارك داني كارفاخال كبديل في مباراة الكلاسيكو أمس ضد برشلونة، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” حيث فاز الملكي بهدفين لهدف.

وأصدر ريال مدريد، مساء اليوم، بيانًا رسميًا للإعلان عن إصابة كارفاخال بخلع في مفصل ركبته اليمنى، وسيخضع الإسباني لجراحة تنظير المفصل (لمطالعة التفاصيل كاملة من هنا).

ولم يكشف ريال مدريد عن مدة الغياب المتوقعة لـ كارفاخال، ولكن صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية ذكرت أن الأمر قد يستغرق ما بين 6 إلى 10 أسابيع.

أما صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية فقد ذكرت أن الغياب المتوقع يتراوح بين شهرين إلى 3 أشهر، مما يمثل ضربة قوية لـ ريال مدريد. المباريات التي سيغيبها كارفاخال عن ريال مدريد للإصابة

ريال مدريد وفالنسيا، الجولة الحادية عشر من الدوري الإسباني، 1 نوفمبر.

ليفربول وريال مدريد، الجولة الرابعة من دوري أبطال أوروبا، 4 نوفمبر.

رايو فاليكانو وريال مدريد، الجولة الثانية عشر من الدوري الإسباني، 9 نوفمبر.

إلتشي وريال مدريد، الجولة الثالثة عشر من الدوري الإسباني، 23 نوفمبر.

أولمبياكوس وريال مدريد، الجولة الخامسة من دوري أبطال أوروبا، 26 نوفمبر.

جيرونا وريال مدريد، الجولة الرابعة عشر من الدوري الإسباني، يُحدد الموعد لاحقًا.

ريال مدريد وسيلتا فيجو، الجولة الخامسة عشر من الدوري الإسباني، يُحدد الموعد لاحقًا.

ريال مدريد ومانشستر سيتي، الجولة السادسة من دوري أبطال أوروبا، 10 ديسمبر.

ألافيس وريال مدريد، الجولة السادسة عشر من الدوري الإسباني، يُحدد الموعد لاحقًا.

ريال مدريد وإشبيلية، الجولة السابعة عشر من الدوري الإسباني، يُحدد الموعد لاحقًا.

ريال مدريد وريال بيتيس، الجولة الثامنة عشر من الدوري الإسباني، يُحدد الموعد لاحقًا.

أتلتيكو مدريد وريال مدريد، نصف نهائي كأس السوبر الإسباني، 8 يناير.

ريال مدريد والمتأهل من برشلونة وأتلتيك بلباو (حال تأهل الملكي)، نهائي كأس السوبر الإسباني، 11 يناير.

أتلتيك بلباو وريال مدريد، الجولة التاسعة عشر من الدوري الإسباني، يُحدد الموعد لاحقًا.

ريال مدريد وليفانتي، الجولة العشرين من الدوري الإسباني، يُحدد الموعد لاحقًا.

ريال مدريد وموناكو، الجولة السابعة من دوري أبطال أوروبا، 20 يناير.

فياريال وريال مدريد، الجولة الحادية والعشرين من الدوري الإسباني، يُحدد الموعد لاحقًا.

بنفيكا وريال مدريد، الجولة الثامنة من دوري أبطال أوروبا، 28 يناير.

ومن المحتمل عودة كارفاخال قبل آخر مباراة مذكورة، حال تعافيه في وقت أسرع مما هو متوقع، مع العلم أنه سيغيب عن بداية مشوار ريال مدريد في كأس ملك إسبانيا، بخلاف مباراتي منتخب إسبانيا في توقف شهر نوفمبر الدولي.

Rafinha Alcantara called out Lamine Yamal's "lack of maturity" following Barcelona's 2-1 loss to Real Madrid. Yamal was involved in a war of words with Madrid pair Vinicius Junior and Dani Carvajal in the heated El Clasico encounter at the Bernabeu. Ex-Barca star Rafinha pointed the finger of blame at Yamal for the defeat, claiming he gave Los Blancos "extra motivation" with his comments in the build-up to the game.

AFPReal torment Yamal at the Bernabeu

Goals from Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham saw Real Madrid secure a huge 2-1 win over Barcelona on Sunday afternoon. Mbappe even saw a second half penalty saved by Wojciech Szczesny as Los Blancos went five points clear of the defending La Liga champions at the top of the table.

Tempers flared after Pedri received his marching orders for a foul on Aurelien Tchouameni deep into second-half injury time, having been booked in the first half. There were a number of confrontations between Real Madrid and Barcelona players after the match, with Vinicius Junior, Dani Carvajal and Thibaut Courtois all seen remonstrating with Yamal.

The Barcelona wonderkid riled the Madrid squad with his ill-advised pre-match comments. "Yes, of course, they steal, they complain…" Yamal said when talking about Real Madrid on Twitch. The comments also didn't sit well with former Barcelona star Rafinha, who called out the teenager after full-time.

Advertisement'His words gave extra motivation to Madrid'

Speaking with DAZN, Rafinha blamed Yamal for giving Real Madrid added fuel to go out and secure all the spoils in front of their fans. "He sinned through youth and a lack of maturity in saying what he said. His words gave extra motivation to Madrid," Rafinha said.

Former Real Madrid midfielder Guti echoed the Brazilian's sentiments, adding: "Lamine Yamal is too young to know the history of Real Madrid and Barça. I too would have called him out on his words."

Yamal struggled in the game at the Bernabeu as he failed to directly contribute to a Barcelona goal, with Fermin Lopez on hand to score the Blaugrana's first-half equaliser. The Spain attacker has only scored twice in La Liga this season, but injuries have played a major role in his reduced output in the final third.

Getty Images SportDe Jong and Araujo defend Yamal

Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong defended the teenager after the 2-1 loss. Yamal was roundly booed whenever he touched the ball as the home support voiced their disdain for the Spanish winger for his pre-match comments.

"When the referee blew for full time, several Madrid players went straight for Lamine. It was over the top," the Dutch midfielder said in the mixed zone after the match.

De Jong also called out Carvajal for his heated exchange with the 18-year-old, adding: "If Carvajal wanted to talk to him, he could’ve done it privately. Making gestures on the pitch just fuels the fire. Lamine never said Madrid cheats, I never heard that."

Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo also threw his backing behind his team-mate, adding: "He’s a great professional; he knows what he’s doing."

On the result itself, the Uruguayan, who scored a late winner against Girona last week, said: "We’re sad, but we move on. There’s a long season ahead, and we trust the work we’re doing."

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'It gave us a little boost'

Real Madrid midfielder Tchouameni has backed up Rafinha's theory that Yamal's pre-match comments did give Xabi Alonso's side an extra boost. The Frenchman was on the receiving end of a nasty Pedri tackle in the dying embers of a heated Clasico affair, with the former Monaco man admitting that Yamal's words gave Los Blancos an extra spark.

"It gave us a little boost. There’s no bad blood, but those things light you up," Tchouameni said after Real Madrid's 2-1 win.

Real Madrid will be confident about extending their unbeaten home start to the season to six games when they host a Valencia side winless in five next weekend.

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

Amorim under fire after Brentford defeat

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Amazing" Hurzeler impressing in first Premier League job

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

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

“He does a fantastic job there.”

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

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

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

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke will surely be pleased with how his side has adapted to Premier League football after their promotion from the Championship.

The last six teams to have come up from the second tier have all been relegated at the first time of asking, and the Whites, Sunderland, and Burnley are hoping to avoid making it nine from nine.

Leeds have racked up eight points in seven matches in the Premier League so far this season, lifting them above the relegation zone, in what has been an impressive start to the campaign.

They lost 2-1 to Tottenham Hotspur last time out in the top-flight at Elland Road, but they had a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth and a 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, which included a stunning goal from Anton Stach, prior to that.

The German central midfielder smashed his free-kick right into the top corner for his first goal for the club after his move from Hoffenheim in the summer window.

Another signing from the summer transfer window who has impressed since his arrival at Elland Road is exciting wide attacker Noah Okafor.

Where Noah Okafor ranks among Leeds United's attackers

It may not be unfair to suggest that the Switzerland international is the best and most effective attacker within Farke’s first-team squad in the Premier League this season.

Okafor, who was signed from AC Milan, has hit the ground running in English football with two goals in four starts in the Premier League, per Sofascore, which is twice as many goals as any other player in the team has managed.

He is the only Leeds player who has scored more than one goal this season in the top-flight, with his strikes against Wolves and Spurs, and that suggests that the forward is, at the very least, the most effective goalscorer in the attacking ranks.

Sofascore rating

7.06

1st

xG

1.16

2nd

Goals

2

1st

Minutes per goal

153

2nd

Big chances created

1

2nd

Dribbles completed per game

2.2

1st

Key passes per game

0.8

2nd

As you can see in the table above, Okafor ranks either first or second in a host of key attacking metrics for the Whites in the Premier League, which speaks to how influential he has been at the top end of the pitch in the early stages of the campaign.

The Swiss speedster, who scored in the 2-1 defeat to Spurs last time out, is an electric dribbler who can score goals and create chances for his teammates, which makes him an invaluable part of Farke’s attack.

Despite that, Transfermarkt have Okafor as the 13th-most valuable member of the squad, at £11m, and the seventh-most valuable winger or striker, even below Jack Harrison at £12m.

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Another player who is worth even more than the Switzerland international, despite his impressive form in the Premier League, is central defender Pascal Struijk, whom the Whites have hit the jackpot with since his move to the club from Ajax.

Leeds have hit the jackpot with Pascal Struijk

The Dutch central defender joined the club at U21 level on a free transfer at the start of 2018, as his contract with Ajax was due to expire, and he was able to rise through the ranks at Thorp Arch.

Struijk made seven appearances for the U21 team before he emerged as a regular first-team squad member in the 2020/21 Premier League season under Marcelo Bielsa, playing 27 times, per Transfermarkt.

The left-footed star has since racked up 166 appearances for the first-team in all competitions for the West Yorkshire outfit, and has started all seven of the club’s league matches this season.

Struijk was particularly important to the club’s promotion to the Premier League last season, scoring five goals in 35 appearances, as he formed a reliable partnership with Joe Rodon.

The 26-year-old titan, who scored two late goals in a dramatic comeback against Sunderland, kept 14 clean sheets in 31 starts in the second tier last term, per Sofascore, which speaks to how defensively solid the team were with him in it.

Farke has kept his faith in both Rodon and Struijk, despite the signings of Jaka Bijol and Sebastiaan Bornauw, in the Premier League so far this season.

The German boss described him as a “crucial” player back in 2023, and he still relies on the Dutchman, even if his performances this term have not quite been up to scratch.

Tackles

6

Bottom 34%

Duels won

19

Bottom 40%

Duel success rate

43.2%

Bottom 3%

Aerial duel success rate

46.4%

Bottom 13%

Interceptions

2

Bottom 9%

Blocked shots

2

Bottom 34%

As you can see in the table above, Struijk currently ranks among the worst centre-backs in the division in a host of defensive statistics, which suggests that he needs to improve his performances if he wants to remain in the side.

Despite his slightly concerning form at this moment in time, the Dutch star is valued at a whopping £15.6m by Transfermarkt, which means that he is worth more than Okafor (£11m). He is also the joint-fourth most valuable player at the club, per Transfermarkt.

Considering that the Whites picked him up from Ajax’s academy and he started his career in England at U21 level, it is fair to say that Leeds hit the jackpot when they signed Struijk back in 2018.

He has developed into, at the very least, a Championship promotion-winning central defender, and one of the most valuable players in the squad at £15.6m.

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At the age of 26, Struijk also has plenty of time left ahead of him to increase in value, but he must first turn his Premier League form around and show that he is good enough to start week-in-week-out in a top-flight side that can avoid relegation.

Tottenham Hotspur were the subject of serious takeover interest from a 12-man US consortium led by tech entrepreneur, Brooklyn Earick, earlier this week — who made a record-breaking £4.5 billion offer to buy the club.

ENIC responds to Earick's £4.5 billion Tottenham takeover bid

The news was first reported by chief sports correspondent Martin Lipton, with former DJ Earick registering his firm interest in acquiring Tottenham’s majority shares currently held by ENIC.

This development comes as the latest Spurs ownership twist following the major news that ex-chair Daniel Levy stepped down from his post after nearly 25 years, with the Lewis family ushering in a new era beyond the Lilywhites’ divisive former chief.

CEO Vinai Vinkatesham and members of the Lewis family have taken a more prominent role in the running of Tottenham since Levy’s exit, but outside investors have seen this board reshuffle as an opportunity to upset the applecart.

ENIC, following two previous takeover approaches from Amanda Staveley’s PCP International Finance Limited and Firehawk Holdings Limited, made clear that they had no interest in selling Tottenham on September 8 (BBC).

Real Madrid

£1.2 billion

Man City

£727 million

PSG

£700 million

Man United

£668 million

Bayern Munich

£664 million

FC Barcelona

£659.5 million

Arsenal

£621.5 million

Liverpool

£620 million

Tottenham Hotspur

£533 million

Chelsea

£474 million

via Deloitte Money League

Now, following the approach from Earick, ENIC have moved to “reconfirm” that the club is indeed not for sale.

Despite the alleged money on offer from Earick, reliable reports suggest that ENIC have big plans for Tottenham, and could pump more money into the club.

This cash may well be reinvested in transfers or bringing Spurs in line with the Premier League’s best wage-payers (Kaveh Solhekol), with a report from TEAMtalk now revealing their recruitment strategy for the winter amid Thomas Frank’s exceptional start to 2025/2026.

Tottenham expected to seal two January signings for Thomas Frank

According to the outlet and journalist Dean Jones, Tottenham are expected to seal two signings in January.

The defensive area will likely be reinforced, specifically centre-back, with Radu Dragusin still recovering from a lengthy injury lay-off. Injuries to Micky van de Ven or Cristian Romero, who have both been a key part of Frank’s brilliant tenure so far, would be disastrous.

Kevin Danso was brought in as a back-up option, but there is a case to be made they need another body in that area. This was made all the more prevalent by Joao Palhinha playing at centre-back against Doncaster Rovers in midweek, with Tottenham making a summer approach for Manuel Akanji that ultimately didn’t go anywhere.

Spurs also had two bids rejected for Savinho, who is closing in on a new deal with Man City, so a move for the Brazilian now appears off for the foreseeable future.

In any case, Frank’s side are tipped to go back into the winger market mid-season, and supporters are waiting for ENIC’s first transfer window post-Levy with serious anticipation.

While Spurs are viewed by outside investors as a club that is “purchasable” (BBC), the Lewis family appear to be serious about their long-term stay in N17.