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Trusting the process is all well and good but the ability to deliver when good batters are attacking is what separates fast-bowling greats from the herd

Ian Chappell31-Dec-2023As Australia captain Pat Cummins cleverly dissected the Pakistan batting line-up to bring his team a tough victory in the second Test, I thought: what does it take to amass Test victims – lots of them?I liken Cummins to the great former Australia fast bowler Dennis Lillee in both inspirational qualities and heart size. Lillee wanted to get batters out, to have their number. He says, “Fast bowling is a mental job as well as a physical one.”At the top of his mark, Lillee envisioned the ball flying through to keeper Rod Marsh, who’d take the delivery at head height standing back. That’s what Lillee means when he talks about the mental side of fast bowling.The spectacular delivery that Cummins produced to bowl Pakistan’s Babar Azam – dismissing the opposition’s best batter once again – reminded me of Lillee’s greatness.Related

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At the Oval in 1972 a firmly entrenched England wicketkeeper Alan Knott was displaying exceptional grit and determination. When England’s ninth second-innings wicket fell for 356, we gathered to congratulate bowler Ashley Mallett. Lillee was having none of it and bellowed, “We can’t let these ba*****s score any more runs.”At that stage England led by 241. Lillee then bowled the obstinate Knott for a well-compiled 63, leaving Australia to chase 242 for a famous victory. He didn’t bowl Knott with pure pace – the delivery was nowhere near his fastest. Nor did he beat the bat with movement – the pitch by then was devoid of any green tinge. Lillee bowled Knott with sheer will power. He wanted the batter out.Like Lillee, Cummins wanted Babar out.It’s terrific to bowl a top-class batter, but you also have to rely on the fielders taking catches. A good slip fielder’s job is to catch the standard ones and occasionally add a blinder to his resumé . An excellent slip fielder should pouch around 90% of the catches that come his way.Pakistan were never noted for their slip catching. I recall saying on commentary, “Inzamam-ul-Haq isn’t at first slip because he’s their best catcher.” That applies to current Pakistan first-slip fielder Abdullah Shafique too, who has grassed eminently catchable chances in both Tests.

With the great improvement in modern bats it’s not so much how you bowl – Test bowlers are skilful – but how you perform when a good batter is attacking. That’s when the best bowlers come to the fore.

Then there is slip placement. If you are fortunate to have an excellent keeper, like Marsh, who had the widest range, both left and right, of any gloveman I saw standing back, then the slips can cover a lot of territory. That isn’t the case in Australia with Pakistan or many other international teams.At one point in their career the excellent Pakistan pace duo of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis had claimed 60% of their Test and ODI wickets bowled or lbw. That’s an outrageously high figure and suggests the two fast bowlers knew not to trust their own fielders.With the great improvement in modern bats, it’s not so much how you bowl – Test bowlers are skilful – but how you perform when a good batter is attacking. That’s when the best bowlers come to the fore.It’s also when you need every bit of the mental fortitude that Lillee speaks about and Cummins exudes.Occasionally I hear: “Adhere to the process and don’t worry too much about the actual consequences.”Well, in Pakistan’s case they beat the edge of the bat regularly at the MCG but also seemingly with resignation. And catches kept going down – chances that should have been taken and could have been crucial to the end result, because Pakistan had Australia four down and were back in contention.Wickets are important. Just ask Cummins.One of Lillee’s great traits was that a batter had to overcome his enormous skill first, which was no easy feat. However, if he achieved that difficult task, he still had to outlast his iron will, which took a monumental effort.On those hot, demanding days, give me a Lillee- or a Cummins-style character who cares only about not giving in and taking wickets rather than how the process feels.That’s why great fast bowlers like Lillee and Cummins are a captain’s dream and a batter’s nightmare.

England have a fantastic chance to level the series after a perfect second day

George Dobell26-Aug-2021There wasn’t any sangria in the park or feeding animals in the zoo, but this was, pretty much, England’s perfect day. By the end you really could have been forgiven for thinking they were someone else, someone good.It goes without saying that this has given England a fantastic opportunity to level the series. Yes, the pitch looks full of runs at present. And yes, England’s bowlers will no doubt have to work far harder in India’s second innings.But this has given England an opportunity beyond that. Not only should England’s batters be able to take great confidence from this performance – the top four all reached 50 for the first time since the 2013 Dunedin Test – but in keeping India in the field for 129 overs, they’ve earned the chance to strike a blow that could be significant later in the series.Joe Root scored his 23rd Test hundred•Getty ImagesThe Tests come pretty thick and fast these days, after all. And long before the end of the day, Mohammad Shami – who bowled better than his figures suggest – had been on and off the pitch for treatment, Jasprit Bumrah had padding on his knee and Ravi Jadeja was limping. Ishant Sharma, meanwhile, has looked a shadow of the fast bowler who came into this match with 311 Test wickets. There were moments, such as when England took singles to him at mid-on and mid-off, when his lack of mobility was almost alarming. Really, if you saw him on a bus, you would offer him your seat.The point? England have an opportunity to break a bowling attack. Or at least put so many miles in their legs their viability is compromised for the days ahead. England have been on the wrong end of such tactics many times. Now is the time to be ruthless. Many will say England should declare overnight – and it’s true, there’s not much point sending out James Anderson to face them on the third day – but you can guarantee India’s bowlers will not relish the prospect of warming-up and pulling on the bowling boots once more.You suspect that most of those present at Headingley on Thursday went home purring in pleasure at the innings they witnessed from Joe Root. For the second day in succession, this old ground had seen an England great produce some of his greatest work. He made his sixth century of the year – already equal to the England record shared by Denis Compton (1947) and Michael Vaughan (2002) – and his third of the series look easy. There were many beautiful strokes – not least a fierce sweep, a gorgeous clip off his legs and a fine reverse-sweep – but one back-foot punch through cover was a thing of such perfection that you could almost imagine a sunset taking a photo of it.Most Tests 100s for England in a year•ESPNcricinfo LtdBut we know Anderson is an incredible bowler and that Root is enjoying a hot summer. What, perhaps, is more encouraging for England in the long-term is the performance of Dawid Malan and Haseeb Hameed.Malan’s second-highest Test score, in his first Test innings in more than three years, was a nicely judged effort which served to demonstrate both his tighter defensive technique – he left with expert judgement – and his range of strokes. A couple of his cover drives would have pleased David Gower. There isn’t higher praise. There’s no reason to think Malan cannot kick-on from this.The entire innings, though, was set up by the opening partnership. And it was telling that it was England’s highest opening stand (135) since Hameed had his first run in the side in November 2016. It lasted 50 overs, drew the sting from the attack and put England ahead in the game.Hameed, in truth, was not as fluent on the second day. He added only eight to his overnight score and went 28 balls without scoring immediately before his dismissal. He still made 68, though. He still looked the part. Don’t worry too much about him not scoring any runs in the V; Malan only made one in the off-side V; Root only made seven there. This hasn’t, to date, been a pitch for driving. Just ask the Indian top-order.Peter Moores knew the exact moment Hameed was ready for a return to international cricket. Moores, the Nottinghamshire coach who signed Hameed at the end of 2019, had spent the previous evening, midway through the strange summer of 2020, working with Root in the nets at Trent Bridge. England were about to reconvene for the lockdown Tests against West Indies and Root had come to work with Moores to find some form. The next morning, Hameed turned up for a bat.”We were in the exact same net,” Moores tells ESPNcricinfo now. “And when there are just two of you there and you’re throwing with the dog-stick, you know how much you’re putting on the ball. So, you get a really clear picture of the way someone is playing.”And he just batted beautifully. He had rediscovered his rhythm. I was using Joe – who is clearly one of the best players in the world as a benchmark – and I just thought, ‘Has is looking very, very good’.”The next few weeks didn’t produce a mountain of runs. But they did produce some. And perhaps as important as the three half-centuries in seven innings and an average of 38.85 was the return of a smile to his face. Freed from what had clearly been an increasingly unhappy relationship at Lancashire, he rediscovered the joy of the game.”There weren’t a million people trying to sign him when he came here,” Moores recalls. “And yes, he needed repairing. There was some technical work to do, but mostly he needed rebuilding as a person.Related

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“He was in a tough place. He had experienced an extreme version of what many young players go through: he had enjoyed early success and then started to struggle.”But I knew him from my time as coach at Lancashire. He was just coming through the system then and I knew he was a great kid. Almost as soon as he walked through the gates, it was a though we’d found a soul-mate. All he wanted to do was learn and talk and get better. As a coach, that really is the dream.”I think he felt released here. And first he started to trust his game again, and then he’s just blossomed.”A little while into the season, a committee man from Notts said to me ‘he fields with joy’ and that’s exactly right. Whether he’s at short-leg or cover, he does it with a smile on his face. He’s brought great energy to our team. It’s been lovely to watch.”So, what was the technical work?”Like a few young players, he had started to take an off-stump guard,” Moores explains. “You can understand the logic: they think they’re lining up the stumps. But actually it draws you into playing at balls you shouldn’t. You don’t really want to be defending balls outside off stump. You want to either be leaving them or attacking them. There’s no benefit in defending them.”Now he takes middle-stump. His trigger movements are smaller and he’s opening up more scoring opportunities.”Hameed’s defence can be a delight. At his best, he really does play the ball right under his nose with bat and pad so tight together you suspect it could keep out the rain. But it was the more aggressive strokes he played on the first day which really pleased Moores.”It was nice to see him play some shots,” he says. “That’s the way he’s moved his game. There was a period, a couple of years ago, when he looked as if he was just trying to survive. He wasn’t thinking about scoring runs. He was battling rather than batting.”He says he knows when he’s playing well as he has soft hands and can cushion the ball. It’s a lovely quality. It means you can edge the ball and still not be out. It’s a quality that Kane Williamson has. But Hameed can play pace and spin well. He sees the ball early. I think he’ll be fine in Australia. His game is designed to play pace.”Haseeb Hameed rocks back and cuts•PA Photos/Getty ImagesIt’s no coincidence that Moores has been involved in Hameed’s rehabilitation. He has played a similar role in many careers going back to Mushtaq Ahmed at Sussex. So it’s probably not surprising that it was Moores he turned to after his failure – a first-ball failure, at that – in his comeback innings at Lord’s.”I did speak to him, yes,” Moores says. “He was fine. Maybe if he hadn’t scored that century against India in a warm-up game a few weeks earlier he might have been a bit more worried, but he was ok. I just gave him verification, really. I reminded him he was a top player and that it was important to control yourself in those moments. I think he just didn’t watch the ball in that innings.”And were there any concerns about getting bogged down on day two?”Not really,” Moores says. “Batting is often tougher in the morning at Leeds and I thought he looked comfortable doing the job he did. He put a lot of overs in the legs of those bowlers. And all the bouncers they bowled to him will have taken something out of them for later in the match or later in the series.”There’s not much doubt that Root will take the plaudits for this innings. And quite right, too. But it felt like a significant innings from Hameed, too. After several years of hard work, he’s starting to reap what he sowed.

Steven Smith played a lone hand for New South Wales as the home side endured a forgettable day against Victoria at the SCG.Smith batted on a different level to his team-mates as NSW were bundled out for 128 with Sam Elliott, who represented Australia A during the winter, taking a career-best 5 for 26 in his first Sheffield Shield game of the season after Scott Boland had removed Sam Konstas for the sixth time.”It’s a bit surreal, to be honest,” Elliott said of bowling to Smith for the first time in first-class cricket. “The cricket nuffy in me sort of pinched myself a little bit…you watch him play for Australia growing up and see all those innings that he plays. I mean, today, his bat looked like it was five times wider than everyone else.”Related

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NSW’s collapse meant that Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood had only 50 overs of rest with Victoria opting to build on their 254-run lead rather than enforce the follow-on. After his opening-day century Peter Handscomb had noted there were signs of cracks that could open and there were occasional indications of some variable bounce during Tuesday’s play.Victoria had extended their first innings to 382, where Nathan Lyon finished with 4 for 82, and the NSW openers made it through to lunch unscathed but it all went badly wrong from there as all ten wickets fell for 102 and the last seven for 57.Offspinner Todd Murphy started the slide when he had Ryan Hicks, who was subbed into the game yesterday in place of the injured Will Salzmann, taken at slip from a leading edge.Konstas, meanwhile, had battled through 58 balls for 12 runs when Boland produced a beauty which nipped back between bat and pad. It was a familiar manner of dismissal for Konstas but an excellent ball that would have removed plenty of batters.Murphy claimed his second when he found the edge of Kurtis Patterson. The left-hander had advanced down the pitch but was beaten in the air. Ollie Davies looked far from pleased with his lbw decision when an inswinger from Fergus O’Neill took him on the back leg.Steven Smith drives through the off side•Getty Images

All the while Smith, who was warmly applauded to the crease, batted serenely having opened his account with a strong clip off the legs. He started his season with 118 against Queensland and again looked in excellent touch.”Smithy is Smithy, isn’t he?” Lyon said. “He trusted his defence and allowed himself time to get in the game. He would have faced close to 100 balls. In my eyes, if you allow yourself to get in and face as many balls as you can, that’s when you give yourself the opportunity to score runs. That’s what Pete [Handscomb] and Smithy have done.”Smith and Josh Philippe tried to stabilise the innings but shortly before tea Elliott started to have his impact when Philippe and then Jack Edwards were taken in the slips. The end came swiftly after the break. Sean Abbott spooned to point, giving the pitch a stare as he made his way off, and Starc was taken in the gully off Boland.Next ball, Smith decided it was time to cut loose but could only spoon to mid-on and Elliott completed his five-wicket haul when he bowled Hazlewood.Faced with a huge deficit, Starc removed Harry Dixon for the second time in the game, and appeared to offer a few words to the batter, then Campbell Kellaway was brilliantly caught by Josh Philippe, diving low to his left but Victoria were handsomely placed to make it four wins from four.

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A web não perdoou o Bahia pela eliminação na semifinal da Copa do Nordeste neste domingo (26), diante do CRB, na Arena Fonte Nova. O Esquadrão de Aço não conseguiu superar a defesa do Galo de Campina e, nos pênaltis, acabou derrotado por 8 a 7. O time alagoano irá encarar o Fortaleza na decisão.

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Torcedores de diversos times comentaram o resultado na partida via redes sociais. A queda do Tricolor para um adversário considerado inferior tecnicamente surpreendeu o mundo do futebol, que tinha a equipe como favorita par conquistar a competição. Internautas citaram a quantia milionária gasta pelo Bahia na temporada e relembraram o vice-campeonato no Baiano para o Vitória.

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Confira abaixo algumas postagens de torcedores na web sobre a eliminação do Tricolor na Copa do Nordeste:

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The last few months have been a whirlwind for Tottenham Hotspur supporters, especially considering the topsy-turvy nature of the 2024/25 campaign.

The Lilywhites won the Europa League under the guidance of Ange Postecoglou, with the Aussie delivering on his promise of always winning a trophy in his second season.

However, it was somewhat overshadowed by the 17th-place finish in the Premier League, which ultimately cost the 60-year-old his job in North London.

The responsibility of building on the triumph was handed the way of Thomas Frank, with the Dane joining the club from fellow top-flight club Brentford during the off-season.

Despite his arrival, some players have struggled to match the levels they produced last campaign, which will have no doubt been frustrating to the new manager.

The Spurs players who have struggled in 2025/26

After arguably his best-ever campaign in 2024/25, Brennan Johnson has endured a dismal current campaign and has often failed to deliver when called upon by Frank.

The Welsh international has only netted two league goals in 2025/26 to date, subsequently dropping down the pecking order and only making five starts since the Dane’s arrival.

He was even sent off in the latest Champions League clash against FC Copenhagen, which pretty much sums up the decline he’s endured over the last few months.

Johnson hasn’t been alone in struggling to match the levels he produced last season, with midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur another who’s been unable to produce on a consistent basis.

The Uruguayan international has only made eight starts to date, but his numbers from the current campaign showcase his dismal form in North London.

He’s ranked in the 43rd percentile for passes completed and has only been able to make 0.5 interceptions per 90 – often struggling to make an effect in and out of possession.

The Spurs star who needs to be offloaded

The decline of some players has led to the recent additions during the summer, with the hierarchy landing Mohammed Kudus in a £55m deal from West Ham United.

The Ghanaian international has since replaced Johnson on the right-hand side of the attack and has already made an immediate impact for the Lilywhites.

He’s scored once and registered four assists in the Premier League to date, with the latter of the two tallies the joint-highest of any player in England’s top-flight.

Kudus would have been joined in the final third by Dominic Solanke, but the Englishman has massively struggled with injuries and has been out of action since the end of August.

He’s been struggling with an ankle issue over the last couple of months, subsequently restricting him to a total of just 31 Premier League minutes in 2025/26.

As a result, the hierarchy decided to delve back into the transfer market to complete a loan deal for striker Randal Kolo Muani from French side PSG.

The 26-year-old’s move generated huge excitement within the fanbase, but after a couple of months, it’s safe to say that the deal so far has been a disaster for everyone involved.

He’s struggled to adapt to the demands of the Premier League, with the loanee subsequently failing to score in any of his eight outings across all competitions.

His underlying stats also showcase his lack of form since his transfer on Deadline Day, with the former Juventus star undoubtedly struggling to meet expectations in England.

Randal Kolo Muani – PL stats (25/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

4

Goals & assists

0

Shots taken

0.47

Touches in opposition box

1.4

Aerials won

0.4

Aerial success rate

37%

Fouls committed

1.6

Passes completed per 90

8.2

Stats via FotMob

He’s only registered a total of 0.47 shots per 90 in England’s top-flight – with such a tally ranking him in the lowest 1% of all other attackers in the division this season.

Kolo Muani, who earns a reported £150k-per-week, has also registered just 1.4 touches in the opposition box and 0.4 aerials won per 90, which place him in the first percentile – further highlighting his lack of positive impact to date.

Such form backs up one content creator’s previous claim about the forward, with the Frenchman previously being dubbed “one of the most overrated players in the world”.

It’s evident that the move to date has been a huge failure, with the club desperately needing to cut ties and allow other players to stake their claim for a starting role.

His loan deal shouldn’t be made permanent in either of the two windows before it expires, but it’s crucial the club do invest big and land a new talisman for Frank.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Nov 21, 2025

They might have dropped points last time out, but Arsenal are flying this season.

They sit four points clear atop the Premier League table and second in the Champions League, with four wins and four clean sheets in as many games.

One of the stars of the Gunners’ impressive campaign so far has been Declan Rice, who has been as crucial going forward as he has been in keeping those clean sheets.

Therefore, fans should be delighted about reports linking them with another top-quality international who’d be a Rice-type signing.

Arsenal target Rice-Type signing

The transfer window is still over a month away, but Arsenal are starting to be linked with some exciting players again.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For example, stories are once again touting Real Madrid’s Rodrygo for a move to the Emirates following a disappointing start to the season.

A cheaper, lesser-known, but nonetheless exciting wide option the Gunners have been linked with is Lyon’s Malick Fofana, who has been catching the attention of some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

However, while either attacker would be an exciting addition to the team, neither could be described as particularly Rice-esque, unlike Elliot Anderson.

Yes, according to reports from Spain, Arsenal are one of several clubs interested in the Nottingham Forest star.

In fact, the report has revealed that North Londoners are set to enter the bidding war for the England international, who has a price tag of between £100m and £120m.

It could therefore be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Anderson’s immense ability, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as it would be a Rice-type signing.

Why Elliot Anderson would be a Rice repeat for Arsenal

Now, there are obviously some differences between Rice and Anderson, from their playstyles to career paths, but were the latter to join Arsenal, there would be many parallels with the former’s move as well.

For example, it would be another example of the Gunners going out and spending north of £100m on a top-quality central midfielder from a non ‘big six’ Premier League team.

Moreover, like the former West Ham United captain was at the time of his move, the Forest ace is now an established and vitally important player for England.

In fact, ahead of his side’s win over Serbia, Thomas Tuchel described the 23-year-old as a “key player” for the Three Lions and “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.”

The fact that he is such an incredible central midfielder is another obvious trait he shares with the Gunners’ number 41, as is his versatility.

For example, since moving to the City Ground, the former Newcastle United gem has made 25 appearances in central midfield, 20 in defensive midfield, five in left midfield and three in attacking midfield.

In other words, like the former Hammers star, the “world-class” ace, as dubbed by one commentator, could play wherever Arteta wanted him to in the middle of the park, and as a result, form relationships with a host of Arsenal players.

Finally, on top of also taking corners, the Whitley Bay-born “powerhouse,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has some incredible underlying numbers to his name, proving that the comparisons to Rice are fully justified.

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for ball recoveries, the top 3% for tackles in the defensive third, the top 4% for carries into the penalty area, the top 7% for successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while it would cost a king’s ransom, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Anderson, as he’s an excellent player and could have a Rice-type impact on the team.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 14, 2025

أدلى دانيال مونيوث ظهير كريستال بالاس بتصريحات حول إمكانية رحيله عن فريقه، وانضمامه لأحد أندية ريال مدريد، برشلونة، مانشستر يونايتد، أو باريس سان جيرمان.

وانضم مونيوث إلى كريستال بالاس في شتاء 2024، وتطور أدائه مع الفريق، ويعد من أفضل اللاعبين في مركز الظهير الأيمن بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

أداء مونيوث مع فريقه جعل اسمه يرتبط باهتمام عدة أندية أوروبية، بما في ذلك باريس سان جيرمان وبرشلونة.

وقال مونيوث في مقابلة مع صحيفة “AS Colombia”: “أولًا وقبل كل شيء، أعتقد أن هناك الكثير من الحديث عن نادٍ أو آخر”.

وأضاف: “إذا سألتني، فسيكون بمثابة حلم يتحقق أن ألعب لأحد هذه الأندية، سواء كان برشلونة أو باريس سان جيرمان أو ريال مدريد أو مانشستر يونايتد”.

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وأردف: “أعتقد أنني أعمل على تحقيق ذلك؛ أسعى كل يوم لجذب انتباه أحد هذه الأندية، لأن الوصول إلى هناك هو حلم بالنسبة لي”.

وأكد: “أركز حاليًا على ناديي، على تقديم أداء جيد في كريستال بالاس، لا توجد لديّ أي معلومات مؤكدة عن اهتمام أي من هذه الأندية بي، تركيزي منصبّ على كريستال بالاس؛ سنرى مع اقتراب فترة الانتقالات الشتوية”.

October was certainly a month to remember for Manchester United, with Ruben Amorim enjoying the best month of his tenure after taking the reins 12 months ago.

His Red Devils side won all three of their Premier League outings, even beating defending champions Liverpool at Anfield for the first time in just under a decade.

As a result, Amorim has been handed the Premier League Manager of the Month award, with the 40-year-old claiming the trophy for the first time at Old Trafford.

Such a record has catapulted the club up England’s top-flight in 2025/26, with the first-team finally heading in the right direction after getting to grips with the 3-4-2-1 system.

The success of the team is certainly credit to the manager and his tactics, but there’s no denying that he has one player to thank for the recent upturn in league form.

Why Mbeumo won October’s Premier League Player of the Month

As part of the £200m summer spending spree, United landed the signature of Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford – forking out a staggering £71m for his services.

The Cameroonian arrived with huge expectations after scoring 20 league goals last season, with the attacker already starting to come good after his big-money transfer.

He scored his first top-flight goal in the win against Burnley back in August, but his career at Old Trafford has ignited after his form over the last month.

The 26-year-old played three times in October, scoring three times and registering one assist – subsequently achieving a goal contribution in every game he played – helping him win the division’s Player of the Month award.

He scored within the first two minutes of the victory over Arne Slot’s side on Merseyside, undoubtedly playing a vital role in the triumph and making himself a fan-favourite.

Mbeumo’s goalscoring tally for the month ended with a double against Brighton and Hove Albion, helping Amorim’s side make it three wins in a row for the first time in his tenure.

The United star who should have won Player of the Month

During the last few weeks, numerous United players have managed to catch the eye and are deserving of more credit for their impact in the Premier League.

Senne Lammens made his Red Devils debut in the first triumph over Sunderland at the start of October, with the Belgian since cementing his place as a regular starter between the sticks.

The 23-year-old has already kept a clean sheet in the Premier League, whilst also playing a vital role in the historic victory at Anfield – as he made a total of five saves.

He’s not been alone in impressing, with Amad Diallo also massively thriving despite operating in a somewhat unnatural right-wing-back during the recent run.

However, central midfielder Casemiro has gone somewhat under the radar, especially after his poor form at the start of the campaign, which led to fans questioning his future at the club.

The Brazilian international has since resurrected his career at Old Trafford, with Amorim starting the experienced star in all of the victories during October.

Such a period has allowed the 33-year-old to prove some incredible numbers, many of which should have seen him being named the Player of the Month over Mbeumo.

Casemiro, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by one analyst, has registered two goals and assists in as his three matches – with both of his efforts coming against Brighton.

However, other numbers such as 90 passes completed and 148 touches showcase his ability to dictate the play despite his deep-lying midfield position.

Games played

3

Goals & assists

2

Minutes played

213

Passes completed

90

Touches

148

Defensive contributions

31

Tackles won

9

Recoveries made

13

Duels won

16

Out of possession, he’s been just as impressive, as seen by his tally of 13 recoveries and 16 duels won, with such numbers allowing Bruno Fernandes to operate in a more advanced role.

The revival of Casemiro over recent weeks is nothing short of sensational, with huge credit needing to be directed his way after his recent performances.

Mbeumo has also done superbly well to win the award, but his teammate will no doubt feel aggrieved that he wasn’t able to get his hands on the trophy.

Not Bruno or Mbeumo: Man Utd star is becoming one of the "best in the world"

Manchester United have already unearthed a new world-class under Ruben Amorim.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 7, 2025

Marcus Rashford is looking forward to gracing his first Clasico, with the Barcelona loanee picking out his favourite memory from previous meetings between the Blaugrana and Real Madrid. Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi figures prominently as collective minds are cast back to iconic moments from the past – with the Argentine GOAT having often starred against the Blancos.

El Clasico: Messi has illuminated meetings with Madrid

Messi was just 19 years of age when making his first decisive contribution to a Clasico contest, with said outing taking place on March 10, 2007. He was almost unplayable that day, with a stunning hat-trick being recorded in an absorbing encounter at Camp Nou that finished 3-3.

He helped himself to another match ball in March 2014, as he outgunned eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo in a thrilling 4-3 victory for Barca at Santiago Bernabeu. Rashford is fully aware of what the fixture means to everybody in Catalunya, and millions of fans around the world.

AdvertisementGettyMessi magic: Rashford's favourite Clasico memory

He will get to experience that occasion himself on Sunday when Barca head to the Spanish capital. Rashford is raring to go, as he looks to try and emulate the brilliance of Messi and Co. The England international told Barcelona’s , having previously graced Manchester derbies during his time with boyhood club United: "It’s my first Clasico and I’m looking forward to it because it’s maybe the biggest game there is. I’m from Manchester, so it’s not the biggest game in Manchester. It’s the most watched game in the world."

Rashford added on his memories of watching Clasico clashes growing up: "It’s just that big of a game that is important, if you want to learn from the best players, especially how to be so good in the most pressured moments, you have to study these games.

"To remember one memory is difficult. You watch all the El Clasicos from history. You try to learn from the best players, especially in the most pressure moments. I remember, for example, Messi’s hat trick in his early days in El Clasico. These games are fantastic to watch because you don’t have to be a Barcelona or Real Madrid fan to enjoy this game.

"I expect the atmosphere to be really good. These games are fantastic to watch. And it’s great because you don’t have to be a Barcelona or Real Madrid fan to enjoy this game. It’s a special game."

Why Pedri has impressed Barcelona loanee Rashford

Rashford has registered five goals and as many assists across his loan spell with La Liga giants. Hansi Flick will be looking for more moments of inspiration from the 27-year-old against Real. He is, however, just one star in a dazzling galaxy at Barcelona.

Rashford told when asked to pick out the team-mates that have impressed him most since linking up with the Blaugrana: "There are many very talented players in the team, but the most prominent, without a doubt, is Lamine Yamal, and for me, Pedri is truly amazing. I knew he was a great player before I came here, but playing alongside him every day is a real pleasure.

"It’s hard to pick just one thing, because there are so many things I already knew about him. I think his understanding of the game is one of his greatest strengths, and that’s been clear since he started playing with the first team.

"His ability to handle the ball is amazing, and that’s not surprising – maybe if I had to choose one thing, I’d say his dribbling ability. He’s excellent at dribbling, but that’s also not strange, because he hardly ever loses the ball.

"It’s great to have him on the team, and if Pedri is on his game, there’s a high chance the team will score a lot of goals. I hope he continues to play at this level for himself and for all of us."

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GettyFight for first: Top spot in La Liga up for grabs

Reigning La Liga champions Barcelona will head to the Bernabeu sat second in the table, two points adrift of leaders Real – meaning that a positive result for Rashford and Co will take them back to the summit before matchday 10 in the 2025-26 campaign comes to a close.

Former Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund centre-back Mats Hummels waxed lyrical about Harry Kane following his record-breaking start to the 2025-26 season. The ex-Germany international believes that the English striker "will be good for a long time" as "he is so clever." The only flaw Hummels finds in Kane's game is his celebration, which "could be more awesome."

Kane on a record-breaking goal scoring spree for Bayern

Kane needed just 104 matches to set a new record for the least games taken to complete a century of goals for a single club in one of Europe's big five leagues, eclipsing Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland, who needed 105 games each with Real Madrid and Manchester City, respectively. The 32-year-old cannot be stopped at the moment, scoring 18 goals in the opening 10 games. Bayern have won 10 games out of 10, thanks in large part to Kane's exploits in the final third. As if his goal scoring feats weren't incredible enough, he has also shown immaculate application in the second striker/No.10 role behind Nicolas Jackson. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportHummels reveals which area of Kane's game left him shocked

Kane and Hummels locked horns against each other twice in the 2023-24 season, which was the former's debut campaign in the Bundesliga as well as the latter's last.

Speaking on podcast , Hummels said: "He's very strong physically. Before I played against him for the first time, I didn't know that. And I was actually always the stronger one in tackles. But he is… Wow, wow, wow. He doesn't play four players and then chip over the goalkeeper, but instead he shoots the ball rigorously into the bottom left and right corners.

"When Harry Kane has the ball on his right foot within 25 meters of the opponent's goal, you can already hear that Jabadabadu (Bayern's goal anthem). He will be good for a long time to come because he does not rely on his athleticism and he is so clever."

Kane can do better with his celebrations, says Hummels

Hummels reflected on Kane's celebration as the conversation took on a light-hearted turn. "The only issue: His celebration could be more awesome, but somehow it's also awesome because he's so sober," he added.

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(C)Getty ImagesCan Kane continue scoring streak amid Bayern exit talks?

Kane will be hoping to continue his rich vein of form on Saturday, when Bayern Munich welcome rivals Borussia Dortmund at the Allianz Arena.

The former Tottenham forward's future has been a much talked about topic in recent months, ever since made a shock revelation regarding a secret release clause in Kane's Bayern contract. According to reports, if the talismanic striker were to inform Die Roten of his wish to leave in the upcoming winter transfer window, his exit clause will be activated for next summer, which could see him leave Sabener Street for £57 million (€65m/$76m).