It was a gruelling test of patience for England but India eventually fell short of their target by 23 runs

Alagappan Muthu14-Jul-2025

Oh, the agony! Mohammed Siraj watches as the ball trickles onto dislodge his leg bail•Getty Images

Six years ago, Ben Stokes raised his hands in apology. Now he was clenching his fists in triumph. On the anniversary of the day when he made England world champions, he found them a route to victory again. It felt like he couldn’t rest without it.He bowled seven overs with the second new ball on Saturday, and the coach Brendon McCullum dispatched a member of his staff down to the boundary line to remind him that he is still flesh and bone. On Monday, nobody dared to interfere. Stokes pushed through a 9.2-over spell, came back to deliver a 10-over spell and was essentially such a lord and master of proceedings that a member of the opposition felt the need to ask his permission for a bathroom break.Ravindra Jadeja was the one who needed to sprint off. Apparently, nature doesn’t care if you’re the only thing standing between your team and defeat. It comes calling. Just as a whole line-up of Englishmen did, looking for his wicket, or even just a mistake. But nothing was forthcoming. India’s allrounder was every bit as heroic as his red-haired, red-faced, red-hot counterpart, scoring a fourth successive half-century and shepherding the tail towards something legendary. Only it wasn’t to be.Related

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In the fifth over after tea, a man with a broken finger got the ball to spin off the middle of the No. 11’s bat and onto the stumps. Lord’s. On July 14. It is not a place for the faint-hearted. Mohammed Siraj did not belong on his feet. Sorrow engulfing him. Shoaib Bashir invaded the sky. Joy propelling him. He had just sealed the closest Test-match victory this old place has ever seen.India woke up in London looking for 135 runs. Instead, they ran into 21.5 overs of hell in the morning session. They had dished it out four years ago. England felt compelled to return the favour. And they didn’t need to look as far back as the 2021 game to rouse themselves. There’s been plenty of needle over the past three days, starting with Shubman Gill’s irate response to their delay tactics and peaking with Siraj’s send-off to Ben Duckett.Even the totally chill Jofra Archer couldn’t help but get in Rishabh Pant’s face after knocking back his off stump. It was the third over of the day. He had just been smashed back down the ground, one-handed, and it rubbed him just enough the wrong way that he began to pump his legs harder as he ran in. That extra effort meant the ball bit into the pitch that little bit extra and breezed past the outside edge to make friends with off stump, which couldn’t help but do cartwheels.2:32

Stokes: I was going to decide when I stop bowling

Archer usually celebrates the wickets that mean something to him by running off into the distance. The one he took in his first over of this, his first Test in four years, would have had him leaping into the crowd if not for Bashir’s intervention. Here, he was starting to do so but quickly changed direction and ran up towards the retreating batter to fire off a few words.Stokes had demanded this. He wanted noise. He wanted belief. He wanted energy. He wanted India to feel trapped behind enemy lines. “Bang, bang,” he’d said just a few minutes before the Pant dismissal and turned it into prophecy when he got rid of KL Rahul 18 balls later. He was on the floor appealing for lbw, every bit of him straining to convince umpire Sharfuddoula to lift the finger. He didn’t. Immediately, he poured all of himself into figuring out a reason to review. Really there was only one thing he needed to know. Was height an issue? No, said Joe Root from the slips. He’d seen Rahul was well back in his crease.The review confirmed Stokes’ instincts. The ball was good. The movement down the slope was devilish. The impact was pad first. And HawkEye revealed three reds. Stokes pumped his fists. Many of the 24,281 people at the ground roared with him. Ten of them were right there beside him. His team-mates, who have seen him do impossible things and who believe they can do similar just because he says they can. That was the picture of this Test match. Stokes at the centre surrounded by the rest of England.3:47

Gill: Pant’s run-out was the turning point in the Test

India lost three wickets for 11 runs in four overs. Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy were thrown into the fire and for a while they coped. The ball got soft. The runs came at a trickle. Efforts to rouse the crowd landed on the wrong set of ears as chants of “Indiaaaaaa! Indiaaa!” rang out. The eighth-wicket pair stitched a partnership of 30 runs in 89 balls and through it they resisted not just good bowling but their own base impulses.”Not in the IPL,” Harry Brook chirped at Reddy. “Jaddu’s got to score them all.” Stokes tried to engage him too, adding to his own workloads during that marathon spell by extending his follow through, but the India allrounder just calmly shook his head. “Not saying anything.” It felt like the partnership had survived its biggest test and safety in the form of the lunch break was almost at hand.That’s when Chris Woakes arrived and turned the game on its head. Although his pace had dropped, and England looked elsewhere when the day started, now they were grateful to their wizard for securing a crucial edge through to the keeper. Reddy, so solid when the ball was close to his body, flirting with a wider line and throwing his head back when the mistake led to his undoing. England walked off the field to resounding cheers.1:24

Manjrekar looks back at the moments which cost India the Lord’s Test

Jadeja didn’t lift up the anchor even though he only had the bowlers for company and was nearly made to regret it. He was given out lbw to Woakes in the 48th over, with India still 68 runs away. But though the on-field umpire had thumbs-upped the appeal, DRS had other ideas. Jadeja realised how close he had gotten to disaster and sent the next ball soaring into the stands behind midwicket. That, apparently, was nothing more than a little venting of the nerves. There would be no more boundaries for 11 overs as Jasprit Bumrah showed great resilience and Jadeja, trust in his plan. They were going to do it in singles, particularly off the fourth ball of every over. India’s ninth-wicket partnership held England off for 131 deliveries – 53 of those faced with no trouble by Bumrah but the 54th became a problem.Stokes again, in the sixth over of another Iron Man spell, went short. He had refrained from doing so previously because the pitch had gone to sleep and digging it in didn’t seem to make sense. Now he was desperate enough to ignore the signs and just have a bit of faith. Bumrah invited the plan when he tried to hook a couple and missed, at which point Jadeja at the other end shook his head so disapprovingly, normal people would have just burst into tears. All this effort and you had to go and do that?Bumrah didn’t learn his lesson, though. He still went hooking and a top edge settled England’s nerves and left India on the brink.Stokes closed out the over and finally allowed his aura to fade and show some signs of exhaustion. He straight up forgot to pick up his cap from the umpire. He still continued to bowl though. He was still embedded in the fight, exhorting Archer to attack the ball at long-on, cheering Jamie Smith when he prevented a slower ball from sneaking past him, surging towards Ollie Pope when he thought he’d taken the match-winning catch at short leg, slipping under the lid at bat-pad. When what he had worked for finally happened, he just watched the rest of his team take off. He was too tired to join them. So they all came to him instead.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has backed Lamine Yamal to find his best form despite an ongoing groin problem. The German also looked to diffuse any further disagreement between La Blaugrana and the Spanish national setup, sharing his belief that Luis de la Fuente's coaching staff will "take care" of the 18-year-old superstar when he hooks up with La Roja for their upcoming World Cup Qualifiers.

Yamal's niggling groin injury a cause for debate

The wonderkid has missed seven games this season due to pubalgia; a chronic injury that comes from a tear to the small tissue in the groin or lower abdomen. While he has returned to the starting lineup in the past few weeks, Barcelona were without their young superstar for the majority of September, with Yamal also missing a La Liga tie against Sevilla in early October due to a recurrence of the injury. Flick's comments would suggest his young star is close to being back to his scintillating best. 

Yamal's selection for Spain's upcoming fixtures against Georgia and Turkey set up a fractious exchange between club and country, with Flick previously suggesting the Spanish federation (RFEF) had previously failed to look after young stars. 

De La Fuente bristled at that idea, pointing out that the winger has started his previous six games for the Catalonian club,  saying the winger is in "perfect condition." 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFlick calls on RFEF to protect Yamal

Speaking ahead of Barcelona's Sunday night fixture against Celta Vigo, Flick said: "I ask the same of the national team we're making here: that they take care of him. He's changed, he's much better, he's training very well, he does daily treatment in the gym.

"He can return to his best level, he's not at one hundred percent yet. We have to take care of him, here and with the national team. And I think they're doing that too."

Yamal still performing at a high level despite injuries

A recurring soft tissue injury is obviously a cause for concern, but not necessarily a surprise for a young player that has played an extraordinary number of games before his 19th birthday. Yamal has been able to rack up 116 games for La Blaugrana without any real injury concerns. 

Despite his problems this term, he has continued to perform at a high level, scoring five goals and logging six assists in 10 performances for Barcelona this season. He was instrumental in saving his side's blushes in midweek, setting up a goal and bagging one of his own in the Catalonian club's disappointing 3-3 draw away to Club Brugge in the Champions League. 

Reports in Spain also hinted at the Ballon d'Or runner up being unhappy at Camp Nou due to his injury issues, but he dismissed such fears after the midweek match, saying: "There has been a lot of talk about my groin injury, about me being sad, and it was all lies. I was the same as always, I was very happy, I was focused on my work, trying to get back to work and be able to play at this level, which is how I feel best and how I enjoy myself most."

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AFPInternational duty beckons for Yamal

As De La Fuente has pointed out, Yamal has had a consistent run in the starting lineup of Flick's side of late. He will almost certainly be included from the off against Celta Vigo this weekend, before heading off for international duty. 

Spain currently sit top of their group, winning all four of their games without conceding a goal. They can all but secure qualification to next summer's World Cup in North America with a win away against Turkey on November 15. That would require Turkiye to overturn a mammoth goal difference on November 18, provided they can beat Bulgaria. 

Should Spain beat Georgia, it will be interesting to see if De La Fuente will play the 18-year-old, or try to smooth out relations with Barcelona by resting Yamal. 

Manchester United edged closer to finally winning five successive games in the Premier League when they won their third in a row against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

Bryan Mbeumo scored two of the club’s four goals in the game, whilst Casemiro got on the scoresheet and Matheus Cunha scored his first goal for United since his move from Wolves.

Interestingly, the Red Devils were up against a player they were reportedly willing to smash their club transfer record on, Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba.

The Premier League giants were reportedly keen on a deal for the defensive midfielder during the summer transfer window, before INEOS decided against a big-money move for him.

Baleba, however, was substituted in the 59th minute of the match, having failed to provide any goals or assists, whilst Casemiro, his direct opponent, scored and provided an assist.

The Brighton midfielder’s performance on Saturday, coupled with his displays throughout this season, may make the club think twice about any potential move for him in a future transfer window.

Why Man Utd may not make a move for Carlos Baleba

The left-footed star’s drop-off in form from last season to the current campaign is cause for concern at Old Trafford, as it shows a lack of consistency in his game.

In the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, Baleba won 55% of his duels and made 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game across 34 appearances in the Premier League for Brighton.

The 21-year-old midfield talent also scored three goals and provided one assist for his club, with his performances leading to interest from Manchester United in the summer.

Unfortunately, though, Baleba has been unable to kick on and continue his fine form on the pitch in the Premier League this season, after he did not get a move away from Brighton during the transfer window.

The United target’s defensive numbers are down across the board through the opening nine matches of the 2025/26 campaign, which may be a red flag for the Red Devils recruitment department.

Appearances

34

9

Goals

3

0

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.7

2.1

Clearances per game

1.3

0.9

Duels won per game

5.8

3.1

Ground duel success rate

55%

41%

Fouls made per game

1.2

1.4

As you can see in the table above, Baleba’s form has dropped off a cliff this term, from a defensive perspective, as he has gone from being dominant in duels to being dominated by opposition players.

This is why Ruben Amorim and INEOS may be hesitant to make a club-record move, of more than £89m, for the Brighton man in January or next summer, as his current performance level shows that he has not been consistently impressive.

Man Utd preparing move for LaLiga midfielder

According to a report in Spain, via Stretty News, Manchester United are interested in a deal to sign Real Madrid defensive midfielder Eduardo Camavinga in the upcoming January window.

The report claims that the Red Devils are preparing to make a move for the France international to bolster their options in the middle of the park next year.

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It adds that the Premier League giants have made Camavinga a ‘top priority’ target and that they are prepared to offer around £70m to secure his signature from the Spanish side.

The outlet reveals, though, that Real Madrid are not in any rush to cash in on the former Rennes star, and that it would potentially take more than £70m to convince them to part ways with the midfielder.

It now remains to be seen whether or not the Red Devils will be able to do enough to convince Real Madrid to sell Camavinga, or if they will be able to convince the player to make the move to Old Trafford, with no European football on offer this season.

Why Man Utd should sign Eduardo Camavinga

Manchester United should press ahead with a deal for the French central midfielder because he would be an upgrade on Baleba, as an even better signing for Amorim’s midfield.

The left-footed star, who scored his first goal in the Champions League last month, provided a timely reminder of his quality in the El Clásico at the weekend, winning eight of his 12 duels and completing all three of his attempted dribbles in a 2-1 win over Barcelona, per Sofascore.

Camavinga, who has been utilised at left-back, centre-back, central midfield, and defensive midfield by Real, has shown more consistency and quality in his performances than Baleba over the past 365 days in all competitions.

The chart above shows that the France international has outperformed the Brighton star in a host of key midfield statistics both in and out of possession in the past year.

On top of that, the £70m-rated midfielder, who was described as a “duel-monster” by analyst Raj Chohan, has outperformed Baleba at league level so far in the 2025/26 campaign.

Appearances

6

9

Sofascore rating

6.96

6.53

Tackles made per game

1.8

1.0

Dribbled past per game

0.7x

0.7x

Duels won per game

4.3

3.1

Ground duel success rate

74%

41%

Fouls per game

0.3

1.4

As you can see in the table above, the Real Madrid star has been significantly more effective as a defensive presence in the middle of the park at league level this season, winning 1.2 more duels per game and winning a far higher percentage of his ground duels.

Perhaps the most telling statistic is their respective fouls made per game. Camavinga rarely trips up and has to foul opposition players, whilst Baleba is committing over one foul per match on average, which shows that he is losing duels and having to resort to fouls to break up play.

Overall, Camavinga appears to be the better option out of the two, as evidenced by both his form this season and over the past 365 days, as a defensive midfield signing for United in the January transfer window.

This is why INEOS should forget about a move for Baleba and concentrate their efforts on attempting to sign the Real Madrid midfielder next year.

British prodigy who’s like Lampard has made huge decision about joining Man Utd in January

He has a massive future ahead of him.

ByHenry Jackson Oct 28, 2025

At long last, Rangers have got their next manager after officially announcing the appointment of Danny Rohl. The former Sheffield Wednesday manager was not their first choice, that’s no secret, but one former Ibrox star has already pointed out one similarity with club legend Walter Smith.

Danny Rohl: "No time to waste" at Rangers

It’s not Steven Gerrard, it’s not Kevin Muscat, but it is Rohl. Rangers have finally filled their managerial vacancy and must now put full faith in their 36-year-old coach to turn things around after a disastrous start.

For all his inexperience, it’s worth noting that the former Sheffield Wednesday boss has worked with the likes of Hansi Flick and was Ralph Hasenhuttl’s assistant when his Southampton side were at their very best. He is one of the best young managers around and has been handed the biggest job of his career to date.

In an ideal world, Rohl would have all the patience needed to make his mark in Scotland. However, the reality is that he must get off to a solid start following the disaster of Russell Martin’s tenure.

The German is well aware of how urgent things are at Ibrox, though, having told the club’s official website: “We have no time to waste, we start straight away.

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“I respect that trust is earned and understand we have to give the supporters confidence in what we are doing by showing it on the pitch from the start. The expectations are huge and I love this challenge because I set high standards for myself and the team too.”

Some have already hit out at his inexperience, but one former Rangers star has highlighted a key similarity with Walter Smith which may just buy Rohl some time.

Andy Halliday reveals similarity between Rohl and Walter Smith

Speaking on Clyde1 Superscoreboard, former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday revealed a similarity between Rohl and the legendary Smith.

Indeed, Rohl has no experience as the main man in the pressure environment of a top level club with huge support, but cut his teeth behind the scenes at Bayern Munich as Hansi Flick’s assistant. Similarly, Smith arrived at Ibrox with no senior managerial experience, but had coached Scotland’s youth sides.

Of course, Smith is a once in a generation manager, but Halliday’s point stands. The jury should not deliver their verdict until Rohl has had a chance to impress at Rangers.

There will be many who have been left scared by Martin’s time in charge, but Rohl’s reputation suggests that he is a different calibre to the former Southampton boss.

Thursday’s game against Brann in the Europa League hands the young manager the perfect opportunity to prove Halliday right and get his era off to the best possible start.

Will Jacks, with a magnificent 58-ball century, and Sam Curran and Chris Jordan, with some canny late bowling, inspired Surrey to their 11th victory in 14 Vitality Blast games and snuffed out Sussex hopes of winning the last quarter-final berth from the South Group.Jacks powered three sixes and a dozen boundaries as he put on 65 for the first wicket with Ryan Patel and then 97 with Jason Roy as Surry scaled the 200 mark with a last ball six from Tom Curran over long-off off Tymal Mills.It all looked too much for the Sussex Sharks. But they were heroic in defeat. Knowing they had to win go qualify for the latter stages of the competition, with results going against them elsewhere, they strove valiantly for victory. Daniel Hughes, who has been disappointed with his return in the competition this year, plundered 75 from 43 balls, keeping his side in the hunt as he hit former Sussex man Jordan for four fours in over, before lofting Jamie Overton for a straight six.At the halfway stage Sussex were 81 for 1, ten runs behind the Surrey score. When Hughes was bowled, backing away to cut Jacks, it again looked difficult for Sussex. But Coles and Tom Clark changed all that, with a partnership of 58 in just four overs.Coles, in great form this season in red and white ball cricket, hit Jamie Overton for successive sixes, one over long-off and then over long-on and with 33 needed from three overs, and then 21 from two, the home side were favourite.But Surrey turned the game in the last two overs, as Curran took two in three balls, taking a brilliant return catch to dismiss Coles for a delightful 39 off 18 balls and then having Danny Lamb caught behind. That left Sussex needing 13 off the final over and even with captain John Simpson on strike they could not manage it against the clever Jordan, as he changed his paces.Surrey had already qualified for the latter stages with a guaranteed home draw while Sussex, after four losses on the spin, had been given a lifeline with their last-gasp victory over Gloucestershire the previous day and knew they could qualify by winning here.Surrey’s powerhouse batting line-up had shown a liking for Hove’s short boundaries in the past and they again got off to a flyer after choosing to bat, with openers Jacks and Patel thumping 47 off the first four overs, with 65 coming off the six-over powerplay as Brad Currie – replacing the injured Ollie Robinson – Nathan McAndrew and captaian Tymal Mills all coming in for severe punishment.Sussex pulled it back through the spin of Coles and with Henry Crocumbe and Lamb both impressive as they took pace off the ball. But then Surrey powered on again through Jacks, and with Jason Roy finding form to set an imposing total. But it was only just enough.

تحدث أيمن يونس، لاعب الزمالك السابق، عن مواجهة فريقه أمام الأهلي اليوم الأحد، في نهائي كأس السوبر المصري 2025، معلقًا على أداء المدير الفني الجديد أحمد عبد الرؤوف.

وقال أيمن يونس لقناة أون سبورت: “هل استطاع أحمد عبد الرؤوف أن يثبت نفسه؟ طبعًا ذكاء بدهاء كروي وتحديات خاصة، ونجح في عملية تحفيز يجب علينا الوقوف لمشاهدتها، فهي مختلفة ومميزة”.

وأضاف: “كيف تدفع بمحمد عواد، الذي قيل له سابقًا أنت الثالث، والوقوف أمام المرمى وبأداء متميز وثقة كبيرة؟ كيف تدفع بواحد مثل فتوح، والذي قيل إن علاقته بالكرة أصبحت 50%، وإن قدراته قلت، وإنه بدنيًا قلّ، ويلعب 90 دقيقة بهذا القدر من التركيز”.

وأكمل: “عملية صناعة التركيبة الجديدة لناصر ماهر كانت رائعة، كيف أصبح حرًا في الملعب، ويؤدي بفكر هجومي مختلف دون أي ضغوط، ونجح في تقديم أداء مميز”.

طالع.. تعرض للضرب بسبب قراراته.. من هو خليل أوموت حكم مباراة الأهلي والزمالك في نهائي السوبر؟

وواصل: “إعادة ظهور محمد شحاتة في منطقة صعبة، ويكون نجم من نجوم المباراة، الصناعة كانت غير عادية من أحمد عبد الرؤوف، لكنه اختصر المسافات، ضيّق مساحاته ولعب بشكل دفاعي قوي جدًا، وأمّن الجزء الدفاعي بشكل قوي، ويحاول بأفكار هجومية لم تكتمل”.

واسترسل يونس: “نحن نتحدث عن مدرب موجود منذ أيام قليلة فقط، لم يكمل أسبوع أو10 أيام، ليس مطلوبًا منه كل شيء لكنه استغل أمور ونقاط معينة، وهذا يدل على أنه مدير فني ذكي تمكن من مواجهة بيراميدز بكامل قوتها وأفكارها، بإحساسهم بنفسهم “إحنا أبطال إفريقيا، إحنا الكبار” ووضعهم في موقف صعب، حيث لم يهددوا مرمى عواد طوال المباراة، وكانت المباراة صعبة جدًا”.

وأكمل: “الذكاء كان عنوان شخصية الزمالك مع عبد الرؤوف، لكن المباراة المقبلة مختلفة تمامًا، ويجب معرفة أهداف الزمالك منها وهل سيواجه الأهلي بنفس طريقة مباراة بيراميدز؟ أم سيطبق أسلوبًا مختلفًا؟ الضغوط ستكون على الأهلي أكثر، لأنه يملك لاعبين أقوى وأكثر خبرة، ومن المفترض أن يحقق الفوز”.

وأتم: “المباراة قبل الدخول إلى الـ90 دقيقة تتطلب تحضيرًا مكثفًا، وكيفية تجهيز اللاعبين من حيث المهام الفردية والخطط التكتيكية وبالتأكيد، الحالة البدنية والنفسية للاعبي الزمالك بعد مباراة بيراميدز ستكون في أعلى مستوياتها”.

Manchester United have finally found the solution to their goalkeeper issue. Over the last few years, dating back to the end of David de Gea’s final couple of seasons, there were too many errors made by the Red Devils’ shot stoppers.

Andre Onana was signed by Erik ten Hag as De Gea’s replacement, but he constantly struggled, and his long-term number two, Altay Bayndir, also has his frailties.

Onana made five errors leading to a goal in the Premier League and Europa League last term, as per Sofascore, while Bayindir has made two from just ten top-flight outings in total for United.

Thus, the Old Trafford side signed Senne Lammens this summer, who has since gone on to start two games. His debut against Sunderland showed great promise, and he performed well away to Liverpool.

There have been some real standout moments from Lammens so far in just two games.

Lammens’ key moments for United so far

It has been a superb start for Lammens since breaking into the first team at Old Trafford. He kept a clean sheet on debut and managed to keep the likes of Alexander Isak at bay in the hostile atmosphere that is Anfield.

On his debut, he made some big saves. He pushed a well-struck effort from Granit Xhaka wide and did well to narrow the angle on Chemsdine Talbi’s effort, which he promptly saved.

Teammate Mason Mount said he was “solid” on his first start.

His second appearance saw him pull off a few more great saves, but he did something else integral to help United secure a famous Anfield victory. His execution of Ruben Amorim’s game plan was spot on.

Against the Reds, Amorim asked his new goalkeeper to go long when he had the ball. United aimed to win second balls and get at Liverpool, which worked perfectly for Bryan Mbeumo’s opener.

Lammens was pinpoint with his long passing, pulling the Liverpool centre-backs apart and helping United nail a plan which won them the game.

The Belgian has made a huge impression at Old Trafford already. Competition for places could soon be great, with one on-loan United star a player who could really challenge him.

Man Utd loan star can rival Lammens

There are a fair few goalkeepers on United’s books at the moment. Lammens has cemented himself as the number one under Amorim, Bayndir is his backup, and Tom Heaton is the third choice. Onana will return next season, too, as he is only on loan at Trabzonspor.

However, someone who could really force his way into the reckoning is Radek Vitek. The 21-year-old Czech Republic star is currently on loan at Bristol City in the Championship, where he is shining.

He’s played 11 games so far for the Robins and has an impressive record already. He’s only conceded 11 goals in that time, keeping four clean sheets and winning their player of the month award for August.

The United academy star has pulled off some excellent saves, too. This one against Hull City was arguably his best, diving low to his right with cat-like reflexes and tipping it away from goal.

It was a superb piece of athleticism.

The numbers from Vitek’s time in the West Country further highly Vitek’s talent. He has a save percentage of 75% so far in the Championship, and averages 4.3 completed long passes each game, too.

Saves

3

33

Save percentage

75%

75%

Passes completed

14.1

155

Long passes completed

4.3

47

Clean sheets

4

0.4

It will be fascinating to see how Vitek fits in at United. Red Devils correspondent for the Daily Mail, Nathan Salt, said he is “about to rocket” in 2025/26, and it is easy to see why.

It has been an impressive start from the Czech shot-stopper.

Lammens has made a fantastic start to life in Red, but he will have good competition in the next 12 months if these sorts of performances continue. Indeed, with the consistency Vitek is showing this term, there is easily a case to be made that he is even better than the Belgian.

Amorim might one day be in the unenviable position of having to pick between the two. Certainly, Vitek’s form this term will do his United career no harm.

Amorim has unlocked the new Bruno Fernandes in "world-class" Man Utd star

Manchester United already have a player on the books who can emulate Bruno Fernandes at Old Trafford.

1 ByEthan Lamb Oct 22, 2025

In a move that would see them replace 36-year-old Seamus Coleman, Everton are now plotting a 2026 deal to sign a La Liga defender for David Moyes.

Everton's 2026 transfer plans

Everton have endured a mixed start to the Premier League season. The Toffees initially came racing out the blocks, with summer arrival Jack Grealish even winning August’s Player of the Month award, but have since stuttered for the first time. Now, without a win in four games in all competitions, transfer rumours are already beginning to arrive regarding potential upgrades.

Among those is a replacement for Beto. The 27-year-old has struggled to find form in the current campaign – scoring just twice in eight games – and has already been the subject of Moyes’ criticism.

If there was any position that the Toffees could do with improving in 2026 it is Beto’s striker role. To that end, the likes of Daizen Maeda are already reportedly in Friedkin’s sights. The Celtic forward is keen to leave the Scottish club, which has opened the door for Everton to make their move at the right price.

With 33 goals to his name in all competitions last season, there’s no doubt that Maeda would be the Beto upgrade that Everton have been desperate for. His arrival would also ease the pressure on summer signing Thierno Barry to find his feet right away, having so far struggled to break into Moyes’ side.

That said, it’s not just Beto that those at Hill Dickinson should replace. It’s also time to replace 36-year-old Coleman and hand Jake O’Brien the chance to move into a more natural centre-back role as a result.

Everton plotting Juanlu Sanchez move

According to reports in Spain, Everton are now plotting a move to sign Juanlu Sanchez. The 22-year-old right-back would end Moyes’ troubles down that side and would likely end Coleman’s place in the manager’s squad as he approaches retirement. Alas, whether the Toffees can lure Sevilla into a sale or the Spaniard, himself, into a move is another question.

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Described as a player with an “incredible present and a better future” by former Sevilla manager Garcia Pimienta, Sanchez’s arrival would make up for Friedkin’s summer mistake and complete Everton’s backline.

Minutes

1,722

1,571

Assists

4

0

Tackles Won

34

17

Ball Recoveries

66

52

The Sevilla star outperformed O’Brien in several key areas last season and has started four of his side’s seven La Liga games so far in the current campaign.

With a contract until 2029 in Spain, however, signing Sanchez will be far from easy. It may even take a hefty offer to do so before Everton can even get the chance to convince the right-back. But if they see an opportunity, Friedkin should go all in on what is a much-needed right-back for Moyes.

Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson had a good day at the office on Tuesday, as he went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks, a home run and three RBI in the club's 9-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

The home run wasn't just any ordinary round-tripper, though. It was a birthday present for Swanson's mother Nancy, who was among the 13,619 in attendance in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

And the Cubs shortstop, after touching them all, made sure to wish his mother a happy birthday from the dugout in a sweet moment caught by the Marquee Sports Network cameras.

After getting his mother's attention, Swanson can be seen mouthing the words "Happy birthday", to the delight of Nancy Swanson, who mouthed back, "Thank you, baby."

"Just showing my momma some love," Swanson told MLB.com. "I hadn’t seen my folks in a while, so it was nice to be able to see them the last few days."

Here was the blast:

Swanson, who has two homers and seven RBI in his last two games, and the Cubs have now won seven of their last 10 games as they look to make a playoff push in the stretch run.

It didn’t take long for Game 1 of the World Series between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers to produce its first gaffe.

At the bottom of the first inning, Yankees left fielder Alex Verdugo turned what might have been a single into a triple for Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman after misfielding the ball. 

Freeman hit the ball down the left field line, causing Verdugo to chase it down. It looked like Verdugo slipped in the process and couldn’t play the ball cleanly. Freeman, who is reportedly still dealing with a lingering ankle injury, was thus able to round the bases and leg out a triple.

To make matters worse, cameras caught Verdugo blowing a bubble with his gum just as he committed the mistake.

Fans roasted Verdugo for his embarrassing move.

Yankees' Gerrit Cole was able to keep the Dodgers off the board after Freeman's triple, and the game remained tied, 0–0, after the first inning.