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With 11 gameweeks gone and the final international break of 2025 underway, the Premier League table is starting to form a true representation of where teams stand.

Sunderland’s hot start has turned into sustained success after their draw with title chasing Arsenal, while Liverpool’s downfall is more than just a blip.

Opta have ranked every team in the top flight by game state, or how much time they spend playing from behind in matches, and it’s more bad news for Arne Slot…

Rank

Team

Percentage of mins played losing

1

Crystal Palace, Chelsea

13%

2

Man City

14%

3

Arsenal

17%

4

Newcastle United

18%

5

Sunderland

21%

6

AFC Bournemouth

22%

7

Everton

24%

8

Aston Villa & Man Utd

26%

9

Fulham

30%

10

Brentford, Tottenham, Leeds, Nottingham Forest

32%

11

Brighton

35%

12

Burnley

36%

13

Liverpool

37%

14

West Ham

47%

15

Wolves

58%

1 Chelsea and Crystal Palace

It has been a promising start to the campaign for both Chelsea and Crystal Palace, with Enzo Maresca’s side potentially still in a position to mount a title challenge, given that they are currently just six points behind league leaders Arsenal.

Palace, on the other hand, continued their unbeaten run from last season into the ongoing campaign, which ultimately came to an end after a record 19 matches, with Everton emerging 2-1 winners at the Hill Dickinson Stadium at the start of October.

Both London clubs have just spent 13% of their matches in losing positions, with the Eagles very much on course to mount a push for Europe, having taken 17 points from their opening 11 games.

2 Manchester City

Man City have also emerged as title contenders, with their most recent victory undoubtedly their most impressive to date, dispatching of reigning champions Liverpool 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium.

Having won six of the last eight Premier League titles, City can never be written off, and they have spent just 14% of their matches trailing up to this point, with Erling Haaland in the form of his life, scoring a whopping 14 goals in the Premier League alone.

3 Arsenal

Having finished in second place three years on the spin, Mikel Arteta will be hoping this is finally the Gunners’ year, and the early signs have been very positive, having opened up a four-point gap at the top of the table.

Arsenal have had to show resilience at times, with Gabriel Martinelli scoring a stoppage-time equaliser against Man City back in September to cancel out Haaland’s early opener, which earned them what could prove to be a vital point in the Premier League title race.

Arteta’s side were also behind for the majority of the game against Newcastle United, but late heroics from Mikel Merino and Gabriel secured a 2-1 win.

Some other victories have been much more routine, however, battering Leeds United 5-0 back in August, while also recording a comfortable 2-0 win at Burnley earlier this month, which means the north Londoners have been in a losing position just 17% of the time.

4 Newcastle United

Newcastle, on the other hand, won’t be feeling anywhere near as positive about their start to the campaign, currently sitting in 14th place, seven points behind bitter rivals Sunderland, despite only spending 18% of their games trailing.

That is largely because the Magpies have developed a very bad habit of conceding late goals, with Rio Ngumoha scoring a dramatic late winner for Liverpool in August, while Gabriel’s 96th-minute winner ensured Arsenal secured a 2-1 victory in September.

Should Eddie Howe’s side be able to cut out conceding late on, however, there is still plenty of time to have a successful season, as the European places remain within touching distance.

5 Sunderland

Few would have predicted Sunderland to be flying high near the top of the table, but it has been a fantastic start, having made the Stadium of Light a fortress, most recently holding Arsenal to a draw, courtesy of Brian Brobbey’s late heroics.

Having taken 19 points from their opening 11 matches, the Black Cats are already nearly half-way to the magic 40 point mark, which would almost certainly secure Premier League safety.

There are some tricky fixtures on the horizon, with trips to Liverpool and Man City penciled in for December, but Regis Le Bris will no doubt be delighted with how things are going, with his side spending just 21% of their matches in a losing position.

6 AFC Bournemouth

Having lost some key players in the summer, including Milos Kerkez, Ilya Zabarnyi and Dean Huijsen, Bournemouth may have been expected to struggle, but that certainly hasn’t been the case.

The Cherries are once again looking like they could mount a push for Europe, as one of five teams currently on 18 points, having spent just 22% of their matches trailing.

7 Everton

It has been a solid, if not spectacular, opening 11 games for Everton, taking 15 points, which leaves them firmly in mid-table, exactly where they were probably expecting to be.

The Toffees have been chasing the game just 24% of the time, which is respectable, given that they have had some very tricky fixtures, already travelling to both Anfield and the Etihad Stadium.

8 Aston Villa and Manchester United

Both Aston Villa and Man United were very poor at the beginning of the campaign, with Unai Emery’s side failing to score in any of their opening four games, while the Red Devils suffered a 3-0 defeat in the Manchester derby and a disappointing 4-2 loss at Brentford.

However, since then, the Villans have gone on to win eight of their last ten matches in all competitions, and things are also looking up at United, having taken 11 points from their last five Premier League games.

A European push could be on the cards for both sides, who have been in losing positions 26% of the time.

9 Fulham

Marco Silva has managed to stabilise the Cottagers in the Premier League, but the manager is now under serious pressure, with his side just one point above the relegation zone following the 2-0 defeat at Everton last time out.

It is still too early to panic, but the early signs certainly haven’t been positive for the west Londoners, who have spent 30% of their matches in a losing position.

10 Brentford, Tottenham Hotspur, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest

The Thomas Frank era is now well underway, but Tottenham are still yet to put a consistent run together, with victories on the road against the likes of Manchester City and Everton being cancelled out by disappointing home defeats against Aston Villa and Chelsea.

That said, despite being one of four clubs who have spent 32% of their matches behind, Spurs are currently fifth in the standings, two points above Brentford, who have arguably surpassed expectations under the helm of new manager Keith Andrews.

Things aren’t looking quite as rosy for Leeds, who are now just one point above the relegation zone, as a result of losing four of their last five matches, while Nottingham Forest are already on their third manager and currently sit in 19th place.

With the Dodgers facing elimination as they trail the Blue Jays 3-2 in the World Series, Los Angeles understandably isn’t closing any doors for its two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.

He started the Game 4 loss at Dodger Stadium, throwing six innings and 93 pitches while letting up four earned runs after the Dodgers’ incredible win in the marathon Game 3 which lasted 18 innings. As the Fall Classic heads back to Toronto, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is leaving everything on the table for Ohtani as their season hangs in the balance.

“We’d consider everything,” Roberts said when asked about his plan for Ohtani in the rest of the series. “It’s more of just doing whatever we can to get through [Game 6] tomorrow and pick up the pieces and then see what’s the best way to attack a potential Game 7. So everything should be on the table and will be for sure.”

The Dodgers skipper spoke to the possibility of Ohtani being available in relief for Game 6, noting the team will see how Ohtani comes in on the day of, but they have to have those conversations as they face elimination. Yoshinobu Yamamoto will get the ball to start Friday’s Game 6 for L.A.

Roberts maintains a wide-open plan for Ohtani the rest of the way, even the potential of playing the outfield. If the two-way star were to pitch in relief, the Dodgers would lose their designated hitter once Ohtani’s appearance ends based on Major League Baseball’s two-way player rule, per MLB.com’s Sonja Chen. Ohtani is able to stay in the game as DH if he starts the game on the mound. Putting Ohtani in the field is a way the Dodgers can work around that risk.

“We’ll talk about everything,” Roberts said on Ohtani playing outfield. “We’ll talk through whatever’s the best. If we get to that point, we’ll see, but he’s not going to play the outfield [in Game 6], I do know that. But, if we get to Game 7, we’ll have a good discussion about everything.”

Kumble, Warne and Duminy have all been pushed a peg down after the MI captain’s efforts in Lucknow

Abhimanyu Bose04-Apr-20251:39

‘Pandya clearly at the peak of his game’

Hardik Pandya – 5 for 36 vs LSG, 2025

Hardik had bowled 96 times in the IPL and the best he had ever returned was 3 for 17. In Lucknow on Friday in the IPL 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), he kept producing wickets even as his team-mates went for big runs courtesy Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram. Hardik brought himself on as the sixth bowler in the ninth over and immediately got the big wicket of the in-form Nicholas Pooran with a slower bouncer. In his next over, an offcutter saw the struggling Rishabh Pant spoon the ball towards mid-off where Corbin Bosch took a good catch. Hardik then came back to bowl at the death and removed the well-set Markram before dismissing David Miller and Akash Deep off consecutive deliveries in the final over to register his first five-for in his 290th T20 match.But his efforts, which also included an unbeaten knock of 28 off 16 deliveries, went in vain as LSG defended their total of 203, restricting MI to 191 for 5.

Anil Kumble – 4 for 16 vs Deccan Chargers, 2009

Opening the bowling for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2009 final in Johannesburg, Anil Kumble set the tone by knocking over Adam Gilchrist in the first over. He went on to dismiss Andrew Symonds, Rohit Sharma and Venugopal Rao to restrict Deccan Chargers to 143. RCB fell short by six runs in the chase as Chargers won the title, but Kumble held the record for best figures for a captain in the IPL until it was broken by Hardik.

Anil Kumble – 4 for 16 vs Deccan Chargers, 2010

No, this isn’t a copy-pasting error. A year on from the 2009 final, RCB and Chargers met in the third-place playoff match at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. Kumble opened the bowling again, and dismissed Gilchrist in the first over again. This time RCB bowled their opponents out for 82, with Kumble returning 4 for 16 from 3.3 overs. Rahul Dravid and Kevin Pietersen ensured a successful chase.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

JP Duminy – 4 for 17 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2015

JP Duminy came close to breaking Kumble’s record in IPL 2015 as he ran through the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) top order to help Delhi Capitals (DC, then Delhi Daredevils) secure a four-run win while defending 168. Duminy broke a 50-run opening stand and dismissed both openers David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan in the space of three balls. He then dismissed a well-set Ravi Bopara and Eoin Morgan, two wickets in three balls again, to round off an all-round performance, having also hit a half-century in DC’s innings.

Shane Warne – 4 for 21 vs Deccan Chargers, 2010

After Rajasthan Royals (RR) were bowled out for 159 in Nagpur, Chargers looked favourites in the chase. Enter Shane Warne, who sparked a middle-order collapse and inspired a two-run win, with Rohit’s 44-ball 73 not enough for Chargers. Warne bagged the wickets of Anirudh Singh, Dwayne Smith, Azhar Bilakhia and Ryan Harris, none of whom could get to double-figures.

Liverpool aren’t doing so well this season. Last year’s indomitable air is a far cry from the tepid and toothless performances of the new campaign, with five defeats inflicted on Arne Slot’s side from six recent Premier League matches.

There is no way to sugarcoat it: that is so far below Anfield’s expectations that it beggars belief. Slot was so pained last season by that sole home defeat to Nottingham Forest, so frustrated by that stain on his copybook, even against the backdrop of a title-winning campaign.

But so many losses have become the norm for Liverpool this season, whose title defence is in tatters and whose focus is currently on establishing enough form and focus to recover a place in the Premier League’s top four.

Slot has got a lot to chew on before the November international break winds up and Liverpool host Forest in the top flight, a game they simply cannot afford to lose – again.

Aside from the lack of intensity and physicality in key areas and fragilities in defence, Liverpool’s widths have been well out of sorts this season, and this is something that needs fixing quickly.

Liverpool's struggles out wide

Mohamed Salah’s startling drop-off this season has been among the biggest concerns for Liverpool, but the Egyptian King has done it all before, and he will surely recover his potency in front of goal before his £400k-per-week contract expires in 2027.

More concerning, perhaps, is the form of Florian Wirtz, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m this summer but has yet to prove FSG have got bang for their buck.

The 22-year-old is clearly an incredible talent, but it hasn’t happened so far, with Liverpool’s wider tactical imbalances making it difficult for the playmaker to find a secure place in Slot’s line-up, flitting between the left flank and a creative berth from the centre.

Likewise, Cody Gakpo has struggled to impress. The left-sided forward has four goals and three assists across all competitions this term, but he’s lacked nuance in his expression.

It’s proving a tough ask for Slot to find a solution that will synergise this struggling frontline and restore Liverpool to their former level.

However, one Redman has enjoyed quite the impressive display for his nation in a World Cup qualifier this week, and in a position which could reshape his role at Liverpool over the coming months.

Slot may have his left wing solution

So much has gone wrong at Liverpool this season, but the form of Hugo Ekitike since joining from Eintracht Frankfurt for an initial £69m this summer cannot be counted among the negatives.

Ekitike is a striker, and was signed as such, but he played out on the left wing for France on Thursday evening as Didier Deschamps’ side defeated Ukraine 4-0 in their penultimate World Cup qualifier, with reporter Bence Bocsak praising his “very impressive” effort, having earlier noted that the star’s slickness and skill on the ball “reminds me of Bobby Firmino”.

Could it be that Liverpool have their left wing solution right here? This is hardly revelatory, but the dynamic forward has proved he has what it takes to produce a show-stopping performance from out wide here, and there’s a case to be made that he offers more than Gakpo does when in the role.

Indeed, were Ekitike to play from the left with regularity, it would only impede Gakpo in his hopes of stringing many minutes together across the season and beyond, especially as he will be competing with Wirtz.

But the one-time PSG prospect’s display demonstrated his potential in the position, a menace throughout after coming off the bench in the first half due to an injury to Bradley Barcola.

It was a spectacular goal, the 23-year-old collecting and driving forward from inside his own half, skating past defenders and entering the danger area before playing a neat connection with Kylian Mbappe and then striking true.

Hugo Ekitike’s Performance vs Ukraine
Match Stats	#
Minutes played	67′
Goals	1
Touches	22
Shots (on target)	4 (2)
Accurate passes	6/9 (67%)
Unsuccessful touches	3
Dribbles	2/2
Recoveries	1
Ground duels	4/5
Data via Sofascore

Ekitike might not have enjoyed much success by way of passing, but he demonstrated how effective he can be with limited opportunities in possession. Not only accurate when carrying the ball forward, but he was fierce in the duel and clinical besides.

This economical approach showed something that has been lacking on Merseyside this season: an ability to make chances count even when presented intermittently.

That is, of course, barring one Liverpool forward. Ekitike. The Les Bleus star has scored six goals and posted an assist since joining the club this summer.

Development is never linear for those entering the Premier League from overseas, but the way in which Ekitike has slipped into life in Liverpool is remarkable, given the circumstances around the club right now.

Should Slot take note of the striker’s performance against Ukraine and begin to hand him more chances out wide, it could help Isak settle in after his record-breaking summer move while easing the fears that Isak and Ekitke cannot cohabit in Liverpool’s starting line-up.

Slot has already followed this train of thought, suggesting several weeks ago that Ekitike’s technical and physical qualities make him apt for a prolific role on the flank, and now it can be put into practice, albeit at Gakpo’s expense.

Without question, Liverpool’s head coach will have been attentive to Ekitike’s performance on the world stage, perhaps more inclined forward to trial Ekitike in a wider role going forward, thus opening the door to a partnership with Isak and a new dimension that could help restore the side’s attacking strength.

If this proves an effective and long-term solution, it may well come at the expense of Gakpo’s stay at Liverpool for the long run, but, as the opening months of the campaign have told us, it is crucial that Slot identifies a way of playing that matches the incredible amount of quality teeming across Anfield.

The new Diaz: FSG enter race to sign "world-class" £79m star for Liverpool

Liverpool’s forwards have flattered to deceive this season, and plans are being drawn.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 13, 2025

Eddie Howe has now reportedly told Newcastle United to go and sign a Serie A midfielder who Tyneside scouts have already watched in action.

Eddie Howe delivers Nick Pope verdict after Marseille mistake

It’s been one step forward and two steps back for Newcastle this season. The Magpies defeated Manchester City in an excellent display last weekend, before picking up where they left off to take the lead against Marseille. It looked as though they were finally back on track. But that’s when it all fell apart.

Nick Pope’s moment of madness allowed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to equalise from wide, before the former Arsenal man was at it again to score what proved to be the eventual winner for the French hosts.

It’s not the first time that Pope has come under fire in a Newcastle shirt this season, but Howe decided to back his shot-stopper in his post-match interview, saying: “I think it’s a concern when we concede goals, regardless of who’s at fault. I think we have to look at everything with a balanced head.

“He (Pope) saved us many times. He made some really good saves against Manchester City just two days ago. That’s the life of a goalkeeper. But I’ll certainly back him.”

With Aaron Ramsdale waiting in the wings, however, it remains to be seen just how many more chances Pope will receive. Up next, Newcastle travel to the Hill Dickinson stadium for the first time to face an Everton side who just defeated Manchester United at Old Trafford.

It’s a game that the Magpies will be desperate to win to at least make it back-to-back victories in the Premier League. Alas, it’s also one that may expose their lack of depth in midfield once again.

Related PIF have signed an "explosive" talent who can end Gordon's Newcastle career

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Nov 27, 2025

It’s a fairly open secret that Howe’s targeting reinforcements in that area ahead of 2026 and reports are now claiming that he’s told the club to go and sign Serie A star Manu Kone.

Howe tells Newcastle to sign Manu Kone

According to Tuttomercatoweb, Howe has now told Newcastle to sign Kone after sending his scouts to watch the impressive AS Roma midfielder.

The midfielder would instantly add depth to the Magpies’ midfield, but Roma have already reportedly dealt those at St James’ Park a frustrating blow in pursuit of his signature. Unsurprisingly, Roma are keen to keep hold of Kone and have told Newcastle that he is not for sale in 2026.

Whether Newcastle test the waters despite Roma’s stance is the big question. Kone would certainly be worth the chase. The Frenchman was dubbed “composed” by Como scout Ben Mattinson ahead of arriving in Serie A in the summer and could yet be on his way to the Premier League.

As bad as Pope: Howe must drop 4/10 Newcastle dud who made just 14 passes

Tickets for the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup have gone on sale with less than a month to go for the start of the tournament on September 30 in Guwahati.On Thursday, the ICC announced that tickets for all the group matches in India and Sri Lanka were available on pre-sale on tickets.cricketworldcup.com for four days from 1900 IST and SLST on September 4 via the Google Pay platform. The second phase of ticket sales will begin on September 9 at 2000 IST and SLST (1430 GMT) on tickets.cricketworldcup.com.According to the ICC, ticket prices will start at INR 100 (USD 1.14 approx.) in the first pre-sale phase – “the most affordable pricing for any ICC global event in history.”Related

• All-woman panel to officiate at 2025 women's ODI World Cup

• Sri Lanka select Prabodhani, Dulani for Women's World Cup

• Navi Mumbai replaces Bengaluru as fourth Indian venue

• India Women to begin World Cup preparation with Visakhapatnam training camp

• USD 13.88 million prize money for Women's ODI World Cup

The Women’s ODI World Cup will be contested by eight teams – India, Sri Lanka, England, Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand and Bangladesh – across five venues: Colombo, Guwahati, Indore, Visakhapatnam, and Navi Mumbai. India and Sri Lanka open the tournament on September 30 in Guwahati, and the final is on November 2 at a yet-to-be-decided venue.The ICC recently announced that the total prize money for the tournament is USD $13.88 million, nearly a fourfold increase from the USD 3.5 million for the previous women’s ODI World Cup in New Zealand in 2022.

Raza scored 151 runs and took a wicket in two ODIs against Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Sep-2025Zimbabwe allrounder Sikandar Raza is the new No. 1 allrounder in the ICC’s ODI rankings, achieving the feat for the first time. He had scored 92 and an unbeaten 59 in the two-match series against Sri Lanka in Harare, and also picked up a wicket. He went past Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi, who are now second and third, respectively.There’s a new No. 1 among ODI bowlers too. South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj has broken the deadlock at the top with Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana, claiming the No. 1 position outright. Maharaj moved up after taking 4 for 22 in a big win in the first ODI against England in Leeds.

Full rankings tables

• Click here for the team rankings

• Click here for the player rankings

Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka, named Player of the Series against Zimbabwe after topping the charts with 198 runs, has climbed seven places to 13th among ODI batters. Janith Liyanage is up 13 places to 29th, while Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams has risen three places to 47th.In the T20I rankings, Afghanistan batters Ibrahim Zadran (up 12 spots to 20th) and Sediqullah Atal (up a remarkable 346 places to 127th) have risen following back-to-back wins against UAE and Pakistan in the ongoing tri-series.Others to improve in the T20I rankings are Pakistan’s Hasan Nawaz (joint-31st) among batters, while Sufiyan Muqeem (22nd), Shaheen Shah Afridi (26th) and Mohammad Nawaz (43rd) made strides among bowlers.

Liverpool’s disastrous run in the Premier League this season has shown no signs of coming to an end in recent weeks, with the showing against Sunderland once again highlighting their frailties.

Arne Slot’s men were only able to secure a point against the newly promoted outfit at Anfield, something which would have been a crazy statement during the title-winning season.

The drop-off has been astronomical from this time last season, with the Reds now already sitting 11 points off the summit despite playing just 14 league matches.

Wednesday’s clash against the Black Cats further showcased the creative struggles within Slot’s side, with Florian Wirtz’s deflected effort just one of four shots on target during the 90-minute display.

The performances of numerous Reds players no doubt contributed to the failure to secure all three points on Merseyside for the third straight home league outing.

Liverpool’s poor performers against Sunderland

During Wednesday’s draw with the Black Cats, winger Cody Gakpo had yet another performance to forget, with his lack of impact resulting in a half-time withdrawal.

The Dutchman only managed to complete a total of seven passes against Regis Le Bris’ men, with none of his being made into the final third – subsequently highlighting his lack of creativity in attacking areas.

The 26-year-old was also only able to register a singular effort on goal, but it didn’t trouble the opposition goalkeeper – with his substitution at the break certainly warranted.

Joe Gomez was once again asked to operate in an unnatural right-back role due to the injuries to Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong, but he was massively dominated by the visitors prior to his substitution.

The Englishman entered nine duels during his 65-minute showing, but only managed to come out on top in one of them, resulting in a measly 11% success rate.

He also got dribbled past twice whilst also only completing 20% of the crosses he attempted, highlighting how lacklustre at both ends of the pitch on Merseyside.

Liverpool star is becoming a big problem

The decline of Liverpool in 2025/26 is certainly something to behold, especially after winning the Premier League title under Slot not even seven months ago.

After securing the club’s Premier League title, the Dutchman spent £440m within the transfer market during the summer, but numerous of the big-money additions have so far failed to deliver.

Wirtz’s effort eventually went down as a Nordi Mukiele own goal, which has extended his goalless run, with the German now without a goal in any of his 13 league outings this campaign.

Milos Kerkez has struggled to dislodge Andy Robertson from the starting left-back role, while Frimpong has struggled with injuries and has subsequently been restricted to just four league outings.

Alexander Isak was the most expensive of the summer arrivals, as the Swedish international joined the club in an English-record £125m transfer from Newcastle United.

He no doubt arrived at Anfield with high expectations given such a transfer fee, but also due to his goal tally, which saw him net 23 league goals last campaign.

The striker’s spell on Merseyside to date has been nothing short of a disaster, with the 26-year-old scoring his first league goal at West Ham United last weekend at the sixth time of asking.

As a result, Isak was handed another start against Sunderland last night, but he was once again unable to deliver despite the faith shown in him by the manager.

He featured for 86 minutes of the contest, but could only complete a measly tally of two passes, whilst also losing possession of the ball on three separate occasions.

Minutes played

86

Touches

14

Passes completed

2

Possession lost

3x

Duels won

1

Shots on target

0

Touches in opposition box

2

Chances created

0

The Swede was largely dominated by the opposition at Anfield, as shown by his duels won tally, with the forward winning just one out of a possible six battles that he entered.

He was once again unable to register a shot on target, whilst managing just two touches in the opposition box – subsequently unable to get on the scoresheet once again.

To top off his disappointing display, Isak only registered a total of 14 touches on Merseyside, a tally fewer than goalkeeper Alisson, who managed to notch a total of 34.

As a result of his showing against the Black Cats, the striker was handed a measly 5/10 match rating by the Liverpool Echo, further showcasing his struggles after his big-money move.

After such a showing, there’s no doubt that Slot must drop the forward at the weekend, with Hugo Ekitiké needing the chance to start at the top end of the pitch again.

Just one goal in his first seven league games is nothing short of embarrassing, with the record addition desperately needing to find form to kickstart his Reds career.

Fabinho 2.0: Liverpool in pole position to sign £35m midfield "machine"

Liverpool look set to be making a move for one star during the upcoming January transfer window.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 3, 2025

Manchester United and INEOS are now reportedly stalling on a new contract for Kobbie Mainoo, as doubts over his Old Trafford future continue.

Mainoo’s fall from grace has been sad to see of late, considering the midfielder emerged has one of the most emerging youth products in years with the Red Devils, even starting for England at Euro 2024 last year.

The 20-year-old has been limited to just 138 minutes of Premier League action across seven cameo appearances this season, with Ruben Amorim not considering him a key man.

It remains to be seen what will happen with Mainoo, but journalist Simon Stone gave his thoughts earlier this week, suggesting his time at Old Trafford may still have legs.

Mainoo contract talks stall with transfer ruled out

Now, speaking to Football Insider, journalist Pete O’Rourke provided an update on Mainoo’s Manchester United future, claiming talks over a new deal have stalled with INEOS, but that they won’t let him leave.

“I’m sure it’s (handing Mainoo a new contract) something that Man United would definitely be interested in doing. They’ve been in talks with Mainoo for a while now over a new contract. Suggestions are now that contract talks have been put on hold because of his uncertain future at Old Trafford.

“We know Mainoo was interested in a move away in the summer window as he knew he wasn’t going to be playing in Ruben Amorim’s side. I don’t think he’s started a Premier League game so far this season.

“For United, on their part, they don’t really want to lose Kobbie Mainoo, and that’s why they blocked the move in the summer window and obviously I think they’d be reluctant to let him go in January as well because United want to be competing in that top four, if they can.”

To lose Mainoo so early in his career would be a negative for United, given his vast potential, so the hope is that Amorim and INEOS’ stance on him changes.

Granted, he has endured a year of struggles, not helped by injury problems, but he is a special young footballer with the natural ability to be a star, as he has already shown in his career.

Antoine Semenyo chooses between Man Utd and Liverpool

What a signing this could be…

1 ByHenry Jackson Nov 22, 2025

Hopefully, a contract extension is agreed, but ultimately, if the manager and the club don’t value Mainoo enough, a move away could be best for everyone, sad as it would be.

49ers keen on signing Man Utd star Kobbie Mainoo for Leeds

The current international break came at the worst time for West Ham United.

After weeks of poor performances, Nuno Espírito Santo had finally got a tune out of the East Londoners.

First, they blew away a talented Newcastle United side 3-1, and then a week later picked up another three points by beating Burnley 3-2.

These back-to-back Premier League wins have given the fanbase genuine reasons to be optimistic, as they were not lucky victories, but hard-fought and thoroughly deserved.

It finally feels like Nuno has his feet under the table at the London Stadium, and as a result, fears of a possible relegation are starting to dissipate.

However, the Premier League can be unforgiving, so West Ham must maintain their upward trajectory and the board need to back the manager in the winter window. If they do, this could be Nuno’s dream lineup at the end of January.

1

GK – Alphonse Areola

While it would have been a surprise at the start of the season, it should come as no surprise now that, keeping his place between the sticks is Alphonse Areola.

Unlike the Dane signed to replace him in the summer, the Frenchman has been pretty reliable since coming back into the team, and while he might not be the long-term answer, he’s more than good enough to spend another season in goal for the Hammers.

After all, he’s already made 108 appearances for the club, what’s another 27?

2

RB – Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Keeping his place at right-back, so long as he’s fit, is Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Now, Kyle Walker-Peters has done reasonably well since joining the club in the summer, but at his best, the former Manchester United ace is a more competent defender and has become more adept at getting forward over the last few years.

He was also the club’s Hammer of the Year just last season.

3

CB – Axel Disasi

Now, moving on to the first new face in the team, and before the pitchforks and torches come out, Axel Disasi, who has previously been touted for a £25m move to the London Stadium, could be an excellent signing for the Hammers.

Yes, he has failed to establish himself at Chelsea, but before that, he was one of Ligue 1’s best centre-backs and was even compared to Virgil van Dijk by respected talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Moreover, under a manager like Nuno, who doesn’t like to leave his defenders isolated, the Frenchman might be able to rediscover some of the form that first earned him his move to the Premier League.

4

CB – Charlie Cresswell

Alongside Disasi is the second signing: Charlie Cresswell.

He might not be a familiar name to English fans at the moment, but he certainly will be in a few years from now, as not only is he doing incredibly well for Toulouse in Ligue 1, but he was also a key part of the England u21 side that won the Euros this summer.

Described as a “proper leader at the back” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the former Leeds United gem has also been described as being a bit “like a Thiago Silva” by European football expert Andy Brassell, who highlighted the fact that he “got real smarts about him.”

Unsurprisingly, the 23-year-old is gaining plenty of attention at the moment, and while it won’t be easy to sign him, reports suggest the Hammers could get the job done for around £15m.

5

LB – El Hadji Malick Diouf

Back to a familiar face and keeping his place at left-back is, of course, El Hadji Malick Diouf.

The all-action full-back joined the Hammers from Slavia Prague in the summer, and while he can be a little frustrating defensively, he is unreal when it comes to the offensive side of the game.

For example, he has already racked up three assists in just 12 appearances, and really could have more if his teammates were able to finish better earlier in the campaign.

6

CM – Freddie Potts

Moving into the middle of the park and onto someone who has to now be one of the first names on the team sheet: Freddie Potts.

The academy graduate was finally handed his first competitive start for West Ham against Newcastle United, and to say he delivered would be a massive understatement.

He put in a man-of-the-match performance that saw him cover practically every blade of grass, snuff out Toon attacks and kickstart ones for his own side.

It was more of the same a week later against Burnley, and while it is still early on, it feels like the Hammers have themselves a future superstar in Potts.

7

CM – Mateus Fernandes

There are a few options Nuno could go with for the position alongside Potts, but based on the last two games, it really has to be Mateus Fernandes.The Portuguese midfielder had a bit of a slow start to life in East London following his £40m move from Southampton in the summer, but over the last few weeks, he has started showing the fans just what he can do.Capable of helping out with the defensive side of the game, but just as able to play defence-splitting”KDB-type passes,”in the words of Mattinson, the 21-year-old could be a real game-changer for the Hammers as the season goes on.

8

CAM – Lucas Paqueta

To nobody’s surprise, Lucas Paqueta keeps his place as the most advanced of the midfielders.

Despite talk around his future, the former Lyon ace has looked back to his best in recent games and scored his fourth goal of the campaign against Newcastle.

He might be frustrating at times, but West Ham are undeniably a weaker team without him in it.

9

RW – Jarrod Bowen

The sky is blue, the grass is green, and Jarrod Bowen starts for West Ham United.

The former Hull City star is the club’s talisman, the most beloved player to wear the shirt in a very long time, and, most importantly, a sensational goalscoring, game-changing winger.

Despite the team’s poor form last season, the Englishman was still able to rack up an incredible tally of 14 goals and ten assists in 36 appearances across all competitions, totalling 3148 minutes.

That came out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.5 games, or every 131.16 minutes.

Bowen’s West Ham Record
Appearances	250
Minutes	19971′
Goals	77
Assists	53
Goal Involvements per Match	0.52
Minutes per Goal Involvement	153.62′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

So far this year, the 28-year-old has already scored three goals and provided two assists in just 12 games, and now that the team seem to have turned a corner, he’ll probably become even more productive.

10

ST – Lucas Stassin

The final signing in the team is Saint-Étienne’s Belgian goal machine, Lucas Stassin.

According to one report, the Hammers might be able to sign the 20-year-old for a fee of €30m, which is about £27m, and while that is a lot, it would almost certainly be worth it.

For example, despite being so young, he racked up an impressive tally of 14 goals and eight assists in just 34 appearances last year, and has already produced seven goal involvements in 13 games this year.

That sort of return would make him an instant upgrade on the still useful but injury-prone Callum Wilson and the ideal replacement for Niclas Füllkrug, who has made it clear he wants out in January.