Jude Bellingham scored and assisted but Real Madrid otherwise struggled against a resolute Elche in a disappointing 2-2 draw. Los Blancos will take heart from overturning a deficit, but were admittedly sloppy for long stretches against a side they are expected to beat.
Elche enjoyed the majority of the play in the first half, repeatedly hitting on the break. But they were met each time by the impervious Thibaut Courtois, who came up with three big saves to deny the home side. Madrid had their chances, though. Alexander-Arnold delivered smartly for Kylian Mbappe, but the Frenchman fired right at Inaki Pena.
The home side finally made the break through in the second half. It only took two passes, a quick interchange to take two Madrid defenders out of play before Aleix Febas poked past a diving Courtois. Xabi Alonso responded in turn, introducing Vinicius Jr for an extra attacking spark. The result was a Madrid resurgence of sorts. They applied pressure, and were finally rewarded. A corner did the trick, Dean Huijsen turning home after a Jude Bellingham flick on.
And from there, it should have been all Madrid. But Elche had another moment in them. Alvaro Rodriguez, a Madrid academy graduate, gave his side a 2-1 lead with a fine effort from distance. Yet Madrid responded again. This time, Bellingham scored it, side footing into an empty net from Mbappe's clever cutback.
There were more forays forward from both sides, and a third goal seemed possible. Still, it never came, and Madrid were left to settle for a frustrating point.
GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Estadio Martinez Valero…
Getty
Goalkeeper & Defence
Thibaut Courtois (6/10):
Made a few tidy saves in the first half. Beaten twice in the second – and might feel as though he should have denied one of them.
Raul Asencio (6/10):
A bit erratic at the back while covering for Trent. Failed to track a man on a goal.
Dean Huijsen (7/10):
Grabbed a goal, did his defensive work well.
Alvaro Carreras (6/10):
Looked a bit less certain in a back three, and wasn't sure whether to cover the wing or the middle, at times.
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Midfield
Trent Alexander-Arnold (6/10):
A typically mixed performance. Fell asleep on the goal but also moved the ball wonderfully. More to come.
Dani Ceballos (5/10):
Pretty tepid in midfield. Threw some silly tackles and was easily bypassed by a direct Elche side.
Arda Guler (6/10):
Outmuscled for the most part. Created two chances but a deeper lying role didn't quite suit him without Aurelien Tchouameni for cover.
Fran Garcia (6/10):
Scampered up and down the left. Made a load of selfish runs, but didn't connect particularly well.
Jude Bellingham (9/10):
Excellent throughout. Scored Madrid's second, put in some lovely defensive work and assisted Huijsen's equaliser. Absurd that anyone questions his England credentials.
Getty
Attack
Rodrygo (6/10):
Didn't exactly seize the moment in his first start since October 19. A few nice touches and put a couple of efforts on target, but nothing quite came off for him.
Kylian Mbappe (7/10):
Made some dangerous runs, saw a shot well saved in the first half. Provided a clever assist for Bellingham. Impactful, even if he didn't score.
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Subs & Manager
Federico Valverde (6/10):
Full of legs but no real impact.
Vinicius Jr (6/10):
A bit mixed, all said. Took on his man with regularity in a lively 30 minutes, but never came up with a moment of magic.
Eduardo Camavinga (6/10):
Snapped into tackles – most of which he won. Provided some valuable forward thrust, too.
Gonzalo Garcia (N/A):
Missed an open goal in stoppage time.
Brahim Diaz (N/A):
No time to make an impact.
Xabi Alonso (5/10):
Mixed things up with a 3-4-2-1, but Madrid never really had any control. Didn't deserve more than a point. A poor evening.
Tottenham Hotspur are a club still in transition after Thomas Frank’s appointment in the summer, with the full extent of his system yet to be witnessed by the supporters.
The Dane was appointed on a three-year contract after Ange Postecoglou’s dismissal, with the 52-year-old only able to win five of his first 11 Premier League outings.
He’s only managed one league triumph on home soil to date, with such an issue needing to be addressed if the Lilywhites are to have any hope of finishing within the top four.
However, some of the players currently in his first-team squad have also done themselves no favours, leading to criticism of the manager for his team selection at times.
As a result, numerous players could be pushed closer to the exit door, potentially creating the additional funds needed to help build on the activity in the summer transfer window.
The Spurs players who could depart during the January window
Yves Bissouma is a player who has constantly been touted with a move away from Spurs in recent times – even before Frank took the reins back in the summer.
The Malian appeared to have burnt his bridges early on with the new boss, after being left out of the UEFA Super Cup final due to various disciplinary problems.
He’s failed to make a single appearance since Frank’s arrival, also struggling with injuries – which makes him an almost certainty to depart the Lilywhites in the winter.
Brennan Johnson is another player who could be pushed closer to the exit door in North London, something which may come as a surprise six months ago after netting the winner in the Europa League.
The Welshman has since lost his starting role in 2025/26, with Mohammed Kudus subsequently becoming the manager’s number one choice off the right-hand side.
He’s struggled to win his place back in the starting eleven of late, even being sent off in the Champions League clash with FC Copenhagen – further highlighting his lack of positive impact under the new boss.
The Spurs player who Conte was “very happy” to sign
Antonio Conte’s tenure in charge of Spurs was a memorable one for all the wrong reasons, with the Italian unable to get the best out of the crop of players at his disposal in North London.
The Italian spent just under 18 months at the helm in North London, but was unable to secure any silverware and often became known for his inability to succeed in the role.
The 56-year-old even produced a remarkable rant after the clash with Southampton in May 2023, massively digging out the quality of players and criticising their lack of quality.
It ultimately spelt the end of his time in charge of the Lilywhites, leaving the club after achieving a 53% record – but without any silverware to show for his efforts.
However, he was handed key funds to make changes he desired, as seen by the £60m move to sign Brazilian striker Richarlison from Everton in the summer of 2022.
The Italian was extremely pleased with such a move at the time, even stating that he was “very happy” to land the frontman to help bolster the options within the final third.
However, three years on from his transfer to join the Lilywhites, the 28-year-old has struggled to make himself a fan-favourite and has often struggled to produce the goods.
Frank has continued to show faith in the forward during the early stages of 2025/26, but it’s so far been to no avail – especially when delving into his stats from the ongoing season.
He may have scored four times in his 12 Premier League appearances to date, but the fanbase have grown frustrated with his lack of clinical edge – often missing more chances than he’s scored.
Richarlison – PL stats (2025/26)
Statistics (per 90)
Tally
Games played
11
Goals scored
4
Pass accuracy
63%
Dribble success
50%
Aerials won
42%
Big chances missed
5
Fouls committed
1.5
Touches per 90
31
Stats via FotMob
Richarlison has also been alien at the top end in numerous matches, as seen against Bodo Glimt in September, where he only registered a total of 10 touches in his 90-minute performance.
At present, he only has 18 months left on his current deal at the club, which could see them run the risk of losing him for nothing if they refuse to sell him in January.
However, the Brazilian certainly hasn’t done enough to warrant a new deal, nor has he been clinical enough to maintain the backing of Frank in the centre-forward role.
Given the circumstances, the hierarchy desperately need to offload Richarlison in January and invest the money wisely in a new talisman to help the Dane in his quest for success at the club.
Kudus upgrade: Spurs to make club-record offer for "world-class" £70m star
Tottenham Hotspur look set to make a huge move in January for yet another big-money attacker.
Last of eight deals is concluded as Surrey and Reliance confirm partnership for 2026 onwards
ESPNcricinfo staff03-Dec-2025
Oval Invincibles, the most successful franchise in the Hundred, will be rebranded as MI London from 2026 onwards, after Surrey and Reliance Industries Limited concluded their protracted negotiations in the wake of this year’s equity sale.The name change brings the men’s and women’s teams in line with the rest of the Ambani family’s Mumbai Indians stable which, in addition to its flagship team in the IPL, includes MI Cape Town in the SA20, MI Emirates in the ILT20, MI New York in Major League Cricket, and Mumbai Indians women’s team in the WPL.The announcement marks the last of the eight deals that emerged from the ECB’s sale of equity stakes in the Hundred earlier this year, and comes almost five months after the first six of these were tied up. Reliance secured a 49 per cent stake in Oval Invincibles, having valued the franchise at £123 million – the second most expensive behind the Lord’s-based London Spirit, at £295 million.The delay in the announcement reflects a reluctance at Surrey to relinquish a brand identity that had tied the teams to their home ground at the Kia Oval, and which had delivered five titles in as many years of the competition – with the women completing back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022, before the men sealed their third win in as many years this summer, in their victory over Trent Rockets at Lord’s.However, Surrey chairman Oli Slipper acknowledged the strength of the MI brand in confirming the team’s rebranding, with its haul of 13 titles across competitions in the 17 years, including five IPL titles and at least one in every other competition in which it has competed.Akash Ambani, Mumbai Indians co-owner, chats to Jordan Cox after Oval Invincibles’ victory in the Hundred final•Philip Brown/Getty Images
“We’re pleased to have reached an agreement with the Reliance team over our partnership in the Hundred franchise team,” Slipper said. “Reliance bring a significant depth of cricket and business expertise and have had great success with their franchise teams in India and around the world – there’s no doubt that they are here to win. They are passionate cricket people and together we will continue the success of our two teams.”We have worked very closely with Reliance over the name of the new team and believe that MI London will give us the best opportunity to build the fanbase at home and across the world. We also believe that the team brand will help to grow the commercial value of our franchise, in turn boosting investment into the long-term sustainable growth of Surrey and of cricket in our community.”Mrs Nita M. Ambani, co-owner of Mumbai Indians, said: “We are delighted to welcome MI London into the #OneFamily and take the MI legacy to new frontiers. London holds a special place in the heart of cricket, and we are honoured to be part of its rich heritage. Together with Surrey, we look forward to nurturing young talent, engaging diverse communities, and uniting fans through their shared love of the game.”Mr Akash Ambani added: “We are happy to welcome MI London into the #OneFamily, marking a new chapter in our journey of uniting cricket fans, nurturing talent, and growing the game across continents. The Invincibles’ winning record and spirit of excellence perfectly embody the MI ethos of passion, resilience, and teamwork. Building on our shared passion for cricket, we look forward to collaborating with our partners at Surrey CCC and building on the legacy of The Hundred’s most successful team.”The eight partnerships combined represent a valuation for the teams of over £975 million, with over £500 million is now set to be invested into English and Welsh cricket. This includes a £50 million commitment to grassroots cricket, with the remainder set to be distributed to professional counties.Vikram Banerjee, Managing Director, The Hundred, said: “It’s an exciting moment to now have all eight deals complete. The world-leading partners we now have on board will help us take The Hundred to the next level and establish it as the unmissable summer event.”We’re already working closely together as we aim to make the 2026 season of The Hundred the best yet. It’s also an important moment for the whole of the game in England and Wales, unlocking significant investment to support the game at every level.”
The team will also receive USD 4.48 million (approx. INR 40 crore) as prize money from the ICC
ESPNcricinfo staff03-Nov-2025
The Indian team lifts a long-awaited World Cup trophy•ICC/Getty Images
Following India’s win at the Women’s World Cup 2025, the BCCI has announced a cash prize of INR 51 crore for the players, support staff and the selection committee. The team will also receive USD 4.48 million (approx. INR 40 crore) as prize money from the ICC.”On behalf of the board, I congratulate the Indian women’s cricket team on this historic world championship victory,” BCCI president Mithun Manhas said in a statement. “The team’s resilience, talent and togetherness have lifted our nation’s hopes. This triumph vindicates the investment and faith the BCCI placed in building a world-class women’s programme.”India defeated South Africa by 52 runs in front of a crowd of 39,555 at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday. Asked to bat, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led unit posted 298 for 7 with Shafali Verma scoring 87 off 78. Led by Player-of-the-Tournament Deepti Sharma’s five-wicket haul, India then bowled South Africa out for 246 despite captain Laura Wolvaardt scoring a century.Related
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“This phenomenal achievement is the result of relentless preparation, flawless execution and the unshakable belief of our women cricketers,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said. “The coaching staff, support personnel and every state association have played a role. Congratulations to each and every member of the team. This team has made the entire cricket fraternity proud.”India had won the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in 2023 but this was their first senior world trophy. They had come close twice, finishing runners-up in 2005 and 2017. India beat Australia in the semi-final at the same venue to set up a title-clash with South Africa, who had overcome England in the other semi-final in Guwahati.From the squad that won the World Cup, Shafali Verma has been named North Zone captain for the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal T20 Trophy starting November 4 in Nagaland. She will miss the opening match as the victorious Indian team is due to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on November 5.
Yusei Kikuchi started the Los Angeles Angels game against the Texas Rangers on Monday night. Kikuchi pitched five innings, giving up four runs on six hits. When he left the game after the fifth inning, his team trailed, but came back to win 6-5.
Not bad considering how things started for Kikuchi. Sam Haggerty, leading off for the Rangers, hit the ball back to Kikuchi on a 3-2 count in the first at-bat of the game. Kikuchi did not field the ball cleanly and chased after it, tripping over the mound in the process. Kikuchi tumbled and ended up on his knees, sitting feet away from the ball while Haggerty stood safely on second.
The next batter to come up, Corey Saeger, also took Kikuchi to a full count before he hit a two-run home run.
That's about as rough of a start as you can have. Two batters, 14 pitches, one home run, two earned runs, one embarassing fall. Going five full innings was downright heroic considering that start.
Liverpool have now received the green light to make their move for a defensive reinforcement in the January transfer window, according to reports.
Slot: Teams "think they can get a result" against Liverpool
It wasn’t a disaster at Anfield as Liverpool came from behind to rescue a draw against Sunderland, but it was hardly an inspiring performance from the Premier League champions yet again.
Despite breaking their transfer record to sign Alexander Isak in the summer, the Swede was back to his subdued ways just days after netting his first Premier League goal for the club against West Ham United. And whilst Florian Wirtz at least played a part in the equaliser and looked bright throughout, Liverpool’s attack was a far cry from their scintillating best of past campaigns.
What should concern Arne Slot the most is his own admission that teams now believe they can “get a result” against his Liverpool side. That should never be the case at the home of the champions, but the Dutchman also denied that Anfield’s fear factor has evaporated this season.
He told reporters: “No, not Anfield. For sure. But it’s clear that teams that play us now think they can get a result. Not only think, because that has been shown this season.
“And even in the games we’ve won, they also fuelled the confidence for other teams like, ‘Hmm, something is possible’ because the wins we had at the beginning of the season weren’t easy ones as well.”
The only positive for Slot to take from the Sunderland game is that his side, whilst found wanting in attack, were harder to break down defensively. With fixtures coming thick and fast, that defensive foundation will be important but so will any depth that Liverpool add in that area in January, especially if they sign Joel Ordonez.
Liverpool receive green light to make Ordonez move
As reported by TeamTalk, Liverpool have received a green light to make their move for Ordonez after maintaining contact with the defender’s camp. Racing alongside Tottenham Hotspur in pursuit of the Club Brugge defender, the Reds could land an ideal alternative for Marc Guehi.
Fewer touches than Alisson & only 2 passes: Liverpool flop must be dropped
Arne Slot has a huge call to make about one player after his showing for Liverpool last night.
2 ByEthan Lamb Dec 4, 2025
Despite reportedly reopening talks to sign the Crystal Palace man, Liverpool may be forced to wait until next summer when his contract expires to secure his signature. If that does prove to be the case, then those at Anfield should turn to Ordonez.
Although Como scout Ben Mattinson aired caution around Ordonez’s “aggressive” nature last year, it’s the exact trait that Liverpool have been lacking this season. The Reds have been physically outmatched and the arrival of the 21-year-old would go a long way towards solving that problem.
Jamie Carragher slams £280k-p/w Liverpool star who had no "excuses" vs Sunderland
They say form goes out of the window for a derby, but Arsenal proved that to be entirely untrue on Sunday afternoon.
Mikel Arteta’s side played host to Tottenham Hotspur, and instead of wilting under the pressure, they made the most of Liverpool and Manchester City dropping points by demolishing their bitter rivals.
The gulf in class was so vast that it looked like the Gunners were playing a League One side, and summer signing Eberechi Eze, who almost moved to the white side of North London, was unplayable.
The Englishman was untouchable from the first minute to the last, and therefore, fans should be delighted that Arsenal are already brewing a homegrown version of him.
Eze's performance vs Spurs
While it was a joke, Thomas Frank must regret asking “who” when asked a question about Eze in the buildup to the game, as while the entire Arsenal team played well, the former Crystal Palace star was nothing short of spectacular.
It almost felt as if the Englishman was on a mission to make the Spurs boss eat his words, as just three minutes in, he played an exceptional ball over the top that Declan Rice should have finished.
Then, 39 minutes later, with the Gunners already a goal to the good, he added a second thanks to some tidy footwork and a low-driven shot.
Just 30 seconds into the second half, the 27-year-old scored his second goal, once again driving the ball into the bottom corner, only this time with his weaker foot.
Now, for most players, a derby-day brace is more than they could even dream of, but the Greenwich-born maestro is not like most players, and in the 76th minute, he scored a third to make it 4-1.
It’s the first time a player has scored a hat-trick in the North London derby since Alan Sunderland in December 1978.
Overall, it would be fair to say Sunday’s game will always be remembered as the Eze derby, and should act as a springboard for the midfielder to really kick on this season.
And in more good news, the club might already have another homegrown version of the international ace brewing.
Arsenal's homegrown Eze
Arsenal have long been a team that prioritise and promote youth from within, with the greatest example of this in recent years being, of course, Bukayo Saka.
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The club now have another group of incredible youngsters coming through, including one who could develop into a homegrown Eze: Ethan Nwaneri.
Yes, while the 18-year-old might not develop to be just like the former Crystal Palace star, there are some unmistakable similarities.
For example, the Hale End gem is an incredibly skilful player who can and has played out wide, but is ultimately seen as someone who will develop into a sensational number ten.
Moreover, while he hasn’t been getting the minutes that so many expected or hoped he would this year, he’s still very young with plenty of time to develop and even then, he proved how talented he is last season.
For example, the “phenomenal” prospect, as dubbed by former professional Stephen Warnock, scored nine goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances, totalling 1378 minutes.
That works out to a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or more crucially, one every 125.27 minutes, which would be incredibly impressive if he were a seasoned professional and helps to justify Joe Cole’s claim that “he’s the most exciting footballer in England and maybe Europe.”
Appearances
37
Minutes
1378′
Goals
9
Assists
2
Goal Involvements per Match
0.29
Minutes per Goal Involvement
125.27′
Finally, on top of his output, the Enfield-born gem put up some sensational underlying numbers last year.
According to FBref, he ranked in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League for successful take-ons, the top 6% for total carrying distance, the top 8% for crosses and more, all per 90.
Ultimately, while he is still so young, Nwaneri’s ability to play out wide and as a ten, combined with his output and technical ability, means he could be Arsenal’s next Eze.
Forget Eze: £32m Arsenal star looked like prime Ozil and Odegaard vs Spurs
Eberechi Eze is not the only Arsenal star who deserves his flowers after north London derby win.
Arsenal’s incredible unbeaten run that saw them keep eight clean sheets on the bounce had to come to an end at some point, but few would have predicted Sunderland would be the ones to end it.
However, that’s precisely what happened on Saturday afternoon, as the Black Cats scored two goals to hold the Gunners to a hard-fought draw.
However, there is no need to panic for Mikel Arteta and Co, as they remain four points clear of Manchester City atop the Premier League table, and still played some brilliant football in the second half.
Moreover, one of the Gunners’ stars who looked to be on the way out in the summer could now feasibly start for any team in the league, and his uptick in form has helped the club deal with a massive injury list.
How Arsenal have overcome their injury crisis so far
Now, most Arsenal fans and the players themselves would likely admit that the team simply weren’t good enough to seriously compete with Liverpool last season.
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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
However, what is equally true is that the team had very little chance of competing with the Reds, as, unlike their competition, they were drowning in injuries.
Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhães, and Ben White were just some of the vital first-team players to spend time on the sidelines last year, and with a much thinner squad, there was very little Arteta could do to mitigate the impact.
Therefore, it makes a lot more sense why the club took the approach they did in the summer, forgoing the mega-money signings to bring in a larger number of players to bulk out the squad.
The decision to do it this way has already paid off massively this season, as the club has already been as unlucky, if not more so, than last year when it comes to injuries, but has had the backups to deal with it.
Arsenal’s summer signings
Player
From
Kepa Arrizabalaga
Chelsea
Eberechi Eze
Crystal Palace
Viktor Gyokeres
Sporting
Piero Hincapie
Leverkusen
Noni Madueke
Chelsea
Cristhian Mosquera
Valencia
Christian Norgaard
Brentford
Martin Zubimendi
Sociedad
For example, Saka was covered by Noni Madueke and then vice versa; Eberechi Eze is covering for Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres came straight into the side for Havertz, and Cristhian Mosquera has already filled in for William Saliba and Gabriel.
The North Londoners’ improved squad depth has been the number one reason they’ve been able to survive and thrive during their current injury crisis.
However, the international break might have come at the right time, as with Gyokeres now out, the team were threadbare in attack against Sunderland, even if a player who looked destined to leave in the summer but is now playing out of his skin once again found himself on the scoresheet.
The Arsenal player who could get into any side in the Premier League
There are a few Arsenal players who could realistically get into any side in the league this year, from most of the defence to Saka, who scored a sensational goal on Saturday.
However, it’s no surprise that these stars are playing out of their skin, unlike Leandro Trossard.
Now, there is no denying that the Belgian is a hugely talented footballer, as in his first full season for the Gunners, he produced 20 goal involvements in 46 games.
However, what is equally true is that he took a significant step backwards last season, producing as many goal involvements, but in ten more appearances.
Moreover, he also appeared far less influential on a moment-to-moment basis during games, and so it wasn’t too much of a surprise to see him linked with an exit over the summer.
However, that exit never came, and he was instead handed a pay rise, which looked pointless at the time, but has since been more than justified.
For example, in just 14 appearances, totalling 832 minutes, the “little magician,” as dubbed by Arteta, has scored four goals and provided four assists.
That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.75 games, or every 104 minutes, which is the sort of output that could surely see him start for any team in the league at the moment.
Moreover, it’s not as if he’s scoring meaningless goals either, as his strike against Sunderland put the Gunners ahead and ensured they left with at least a point.
Likewise, he scored the only goal in the win over Fulham and got the assist for the second in the win over Burnley.
Finally, his brilliant form has not been limited to these shores either, as he scored and assisted in the 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao to ensure the North Londoners got their Champions League campaign off to a flier.
Ultimately, while he underwhelmed last season, Arsenal fans should be delighted that Trossard was never sold in the summer.
Arsenal leading race to sign "explosive" gem ahead of interest from Barcelona
Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim has been warned by Patrice Evra that missing out on Champions League football would be regarded as a failure. United failed to qualify for Europe's elite competition for successive seasons for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and Evra highlighted the importance of getting back into it, both financially and in terms of prestige.
United counting the cost of not being in Champions League
A record six English teams are participating in this season's Champions League although United are not among them, having lost the Europa League final to Tottenham and finishing in 15th in the Premier League. United missed out on an estimated £100m ($133m) in lost earnings by failing to reach the Champions League while the players also saw their salaries reduced due to not participating in the lucrative competition.
United have a massive advantage on their competitors as they have no European football to distract them while their early exit from the Carabao Cup has given them a week's rest between league matches. They have not made the most of that advantage, having won seven of their 15 matches this season. In the words of Amorim, they should have more points than the 25 they have picked up so far.
Despite their inconsistent results, United are sixth in the Premier League table, just one point behind fourth-placed Crystal Palace in fourth. And there is a strong possibility that finishing fifth in the English top flight will be enough to qualify for the Champions League again.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportEvra: United 'losing a lot' by not being in UCL
"Under the previous manager, we won the FA Cup and EFL Cup, but you lose a lot by not being in the Champions League," Evra told GOAL via . "It’s going to be tough. You’ve got Arsenal, City, Chelsea and Aston Villa giving it a real go. If United do not finish in the top four then it'll be a massive disappointment – a failure.
"When I played for United, the goal was winning four trophies per season and now we’re talking about qualifying for the Champions League. Our wages went down by 30 per cent if we didn’t qualify for the Champions League, but we never had that issue."
Evra still backing Amorim
Evra, a five-time Premier League and one-time Champions League winner during his nine-year spell at United, is still supportive of Amorim despite the team's unconvincing results. He believes the Portuguese has made personal sacrifices in the team's best interests and he thinks he should remain in charge.
The Frenchman said: "Even in the bad times, I trust him. He's someone right now who will die for the club. That's my feeling with Amorin. This is someone who really puts the club first before himself and compared to some previous managers, I feel like he is different, but he needs maybe more players.
"Watching United, I have to be honest, it's like playing roulette. You never know what you're going to get. One moment you're going to win, the next time you're going to lose. So you can never predict a result when United play. I need more consistency from United. I want to see a more consistent starting 11. This is getting a little bit better and the players maybe understand his philosophy, his system more. I feel Amorim has the full support of the board and that’s really important. It could be a surprise end to the season with a top four finish."
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United will be hoping to follow up their win over Wolves with another victory when they welcome Bournemouth to Old Trafford on Monday. The Red Devils have fared badly against the Cherries in recent years. They were thrashed 3-0 by Andoni Iraola's side at Old Trafford in December 2024 and 2023, while they have drawn their last two visits to the Vitality Stadium. Bournemouth made a strong start to the season but are in the midst of a miserable patch of results, losing four and drawing two of their last six games to sink to 13th in the standings ahead of their trip to Manchester.
England batter believes striving to be the very best will help her keep improving
Valkerie Baynes11-Jul-2025Alice Capsey’s development as an international cricketer mirrors the evolution of her England team as a work in progress.Capsey burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old with a Player-of-the-Match-winning 59 for Oval Invincibles in just her second appearance in the Women’s Hundred. Another half-century in just her third T20I innings before her 18th birthday fuelled the excitement around her talent.Almost three years on, much has changed for Capsey and England, particularly over the past 12 months.Related
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'One more ball, please' – The quiet rise of N Shree Charani
India lift their fielding to the next level in bid to 'dominate no matter what'
“For me it’s been a year of a lot of learning,” Capsey said. “Last year, I’ll be the first one to say it, I didn’t perform how I would have liked. Getting dropped from that T20 squad in South Africa was the best thing for me. To reflect, to take that step back and go, ‘okay, well, I know I want to be in that T20 team, what do I need to do to get there?'”Capsey became a casualty of England’s failed T20 World Cup campaign when she was dropped for the tour of South Africa in December. Having held her place in the ODI squad for that trip, she was ultimately called up as injury cover for the T20s but didn’t play a game.After England’s dire showing at the Women’s Ashes in January – where Capsey played one T20I, scoring 6 and taking 1 for 25 with her offbreaks, and three ODIs yielding 18 runs and three wickets – she returned to Australia as part of the England A tour. There, she was England A’s second-highest run-scorer across formats with 207 runs at 41.41, including a hundred and a half-century in the four-day match.”A lot of work went on during the winter and, along with a lot of communication with the ECB, decided to play in that A-series and that was probably one of the best things for me, to still be playing highly competitive games but it also not be in the complete spotlight of an international game of cricket,” Capsey said.
“It is difficult at some points. Every time you go onto the cricket pitch, for the last three or four years, there’s always been eyes on. But at the same time, that’s an amazing place to be”Alice Capsey
“Over the past three or four years, other than domestic games where you’re still that international, you need to stand up, I probably haven’t played in any games where I can just go out and bat and work on a few different things.”Capsey played just one match for Delhi Capitals during this year’s WPL but said training with the franchise in Indian conditions “was a really great experience” and she saw the benefits of facing bowlers in the nets for hours on end there when she returned for the start of the domestic season.By that time, Charlotte Edwards had replaced Jon Lewis as England Women’s head coach and mandated that all centrally contracted players be available for the first seven rounds of the one-day cup. Capsey scored 317 runs across seven innings at 45.28 with a highest score of 125 and two fifties.During Edwards’ first international series in charge, England swept both white-ball legs of West Indies’ visit but they have been comprehensively outplayed by India in three of their four T20Is so far with one to play before a three-match ODI series.Capsey was only required to bat once in the T20s against West Indies (she scored 4). She scored 60 runs and took four wickets across the three ODIs, where the first two matches were dominated by England’s openers, Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones.Against India, she is averaging 7.50 from four innings with a highest sore of 18 batting at No. 3 having played at No. 6 in the first two games.”Deep down I know how much I’ve still got to learn, I’m nowhere near where I want to be,” Capsey said. “I want to be the best batter in the world, no doubt about it. Every player who plays international cricket will want to strive to be the best.Alice Capsey scored 317 runs from seven innings in the One-day Cup•Getty Images for Surrey CCC”If you don’t have a goal to strive for, it makes putting in the work a little bit harder. Whether it’s realistic or unrealistic, at this point it probably doesn’t really matter because if you’re striving to get better, more often than not, you’re going to get better.”With the 50-over World Cup in India just two-and-a-half months away, England have plenty of work to do. The fielding woes which let them down when West Indies knocked them out in the group stage of the T20 World Cup appeared to be improving earlier in the summer but have let them down again against India.They have one match to put that right, on Saturday at Edgbaston with India having already clinched the series, before starting afresh in the ODIs, where captain Nat Sciver-Brunt is expected to return from injury.”Our fielding has been a big talking point and we haven’t been good enough over the last 12 months and we haven’t been good enough again this series,” Capsey said. “But we are working so hard on it and no one means to drop a catch, no one means to miss a run out.”There’s no hiding away from the fact that it’s been a really tough 12 months for us and our fielding hasn’t been up to standard. We all know that. Stats don’t lie. We’ve dropped a lot of catches in really pivotal points in important games.”England are still learning how to perform on the biggest stages, but Capsey has no qualms about having grown up in the spotlight.”That’s just what I’ve known,” she said. “It’s not like I can compare. It is difficult at some points. Every time you go onto the cricket pitch, for the last three or four years, there’s always been eyes on. But at the same time, that’s an amazing place to be.””For me, it is about, being a young player, how do I manage myself through that? And how do I continue to improve? How do I continue to manage that noise? That’s half of the battle with not just being an international cricketer, but you speak to any international athlete, I think that is half the battle. It’s something that I’m learning.”If the spotlight isn’t already burning brightly on England, it will amp up in October when they face South Africa in their World Cup opener and, come this time next year at a home T20 World Cup, it will be positively blazing. They’d best get used to the heat now, and play like they don’t know any different.