All posts by n8rngtd.top

Liverpool are plotting ways to get their Premier League season back on track and could now be set to make a surprise move to bring an exciting forward to Anfield.

Arne Slot looks to evade Liverpool pressure after recent results

It goes without saying that Arne Slot has been under pressure at Liverpool in recent weeks, and reports have even began to link Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique with the Anfield hotseat as scrutiny follows the Dutchman.

Nevertheless, football statistician Josh Williams told BBC Radio Merseyside that he doesn’t believe the former Feyenoord manager should be relieved of his duties, stating that the issues he has faced this season can be internally fixed.

He said: “I wouldn’t sack Arne Slot if it can be helped because whoever replaces him will have the same top-heavy, unbalanced squad. There are two playable centre-halfs and no right-backs as it stands and a dwindling star down the right side in Mohamed Salah.

“You can’t really drop him without it being a massive story. Even if it is a coaching issue that can be solved behind the scenes, whoever replaces him has a game every three days now.”

In the cold light of day, Liverpool’s transfer spend of over £400 million in the summer wasn’t bad on paper, with some high-profile stars arriving following their Premier League triumph last term.

He'd revive Isak: “Best manager in the world” now Liverpool's top target

Arne Slot is losing grip on his position as Liverpool manager after a shocking run of form.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 29, 2025

Nevertheless, the Reds have really struggled to generate momentum since the early part of the campaign, which has put them in a position where the January window and beyond have become more important than anyone would’ve liked them to be.

With that in mind, Liverpool could now turn to an unexpected source to bolster their attack as Slot looks for answers within his tactical framework.

Liverpool make enquiry for Everton attacker Iliman Ndiaye

Antoine Semenyo is said to be one of Liverpool’s key targets for January but he’s not the only Premier League winger on their radar.

According to Foot Mercato, Liverpool have made an enquiry for Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye, and he is also on the radar of Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur after an excellent start to the campaign.

The Senegal international has made 15 appearances across all competitions this term, registering four goals and an assist in total and his versatility is said to appeal to the three clubs who have emerged as suitors.

Lauded by Toffees journalist Patrick Boyland as “one of the best in the league in his position”, Ndiaye is said to be worth in and around the £70 million bracket, likely meaning he would be someone Liverpool need to pay a premium for if they are serious about seeinh him cross Merseyside.

Any move would see a fair deal of controversy unfold, given Liverpool haven’t signed a player directly from Everton since Abel Xavier in 2002. Still, the 25-year-old is someone who is worth the risk as Slot looks to find new solutions in the final third.

San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin wasn't pleased with home plate umpire Tony Randazzo's strike zone Tuesday night in Detroit against the Tigers. Melvin didn't hold his discontent within, letting Randazzo know about it, which led to an early end to the night for the Giants' manager.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Melvin barked from the dugout to Randazzo after he didn't like a ball called on Giants' starter Logan Webb that missed low. Over the NBC Sports Bay Area broadcast, you can hear Randazzo say "Bob I'm going to tell you right now—that's it, that's it. You know what, done," toward Melvin as he quickly tossed him from the game.

The quick ejection brought Melvin right up the dugout steps to exchange words with Randazzo before he hit the showers early. And he definitely got his money's worth.

In the series opener between the Giants and the Tigers Monday, Detroit shortstop-turned-outfielder Javier Baez had to be restrained after he was ejected for arguing a called third strike by home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi.

Now, apparently it's the Giants turn to revolt against the umpire crew. In all fairness to Randazzo, though, Webb's pitch that led to Melvin's ejection was a tad low of the zone. But Melvin had already seen enough.

As Chelsea thrashed Barcelona 3-0 in the Champions League, former Stamford Bridge star Pat Nevin was left in awe of Estevao Willian, who scored a stunning individual effort in a true breakout performance for the young Brazilian.

The Blues started as they meant to go on, almost inviting Hansi Flick’s high-line, baiting Barcelona in. The Spaniards were handed plenty of warning signs, too. Wesley Fofana’s hand spared their early blushes, before the linesman’s flag suggested that Flick had picked his tactic well for the trip to Stamford Bridge. But the inevitable was clear.

Come the 27th-minute, Barcelona and Jules Kounde completed the job that Enzo Fernandez believed he’d done twice prior by finding the back of the net to hand Chelsea the lead. The own goal opened the gate in a half of onslaught that simply did not rest after the break, when West London was treated to the Estevao show.

On a night centred around one of the early 2026 Ballon d’Or favourites Lamine Yamal, it was Chelsea’s youngster who shined brightest to score a wonderful goal in the 55th-minute. The 18-year-old is proving to be one of the best signings of the Todd Boehly era.

Aside from Ferran Torres’ wasted effort early on, Barcelona didn’t have a sniff against Enzo Maresca’s dominant side. This was no 2005 display from the Spanish club. Instead, it was excellency from the hosts in the Champions League as they secured their biggest-ever win against Barcelona.

The impressive victory has made it three wins from five in the Champions League and highlighted them as a potential dark horse. They’ve got plenty of history in European football these days and have just added another night to remember.

Pat Nevin blown away by "utterly brilliant" Estevao

When news emerged earlier this week that Cole Palmer has fractured his toe in a home accident, there may have been understandable concern around West London about where the Blues would continue to find their spark. But Estevao wouldn’t have shared that concern. He saw an opportunity – an opportunity that he’s taken with both hands against Barcelona, of all sides.

Shades of Drogba: Chelsea make contact to sign £26m Liam Delap upgrade

Chelsea could already be about to sign a replacement for Liam Delap.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 25, 2025

He ended the evening with three chances created, one goal, eight touches inside the Barcelona box and deserved praise from Nevin. The former Chelsea man was blown away by the teenage sensation, telling BBC Sport: “You know what? Start believing the hype! Estevao Willian is EXTRA special!

“The way he goes past the first player, there is no space whatsoever and he leaves him for dead. He did it just by pure skill and fast feet. He still had a difficult angle to overcome to finish it but he leathered it into the net.

“He is going to be absolutely and utterly brilliant. It isn’t a question of if, it is a question of when and how good he is going to be.”

Chelsea now "crazy" about signing "wonderful" assist king

Manchester City star Phil Foden has sparked wedding rumours after being spotted ring shopping with girlfriend Rebecca Cooke. The pair were reported to have become engaged after returning from a romantic holiday earlier this year; Cooke was spotted wearing an engagement ring while the pair entered the jewellers in the affluent Cheshire town of Wilmslow.

• AFP
  

  Foden sparks wedding rumours

  Foden and Cooke have been a relationship since they met as teenagers, and they have three children together. Rumours of an engagement between the pair started in Februrary, after Cooke was spotted wearing a diamond ring in February after a New Years Eve trip to Paris. The couple have not officially announced their engagement, however, their recent trip to the jewellers appears to confirm their upcoming nuptials. 

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• Source: "Massive wedding" expected

  A source told in February that the pair had agreed to marry after their romantic getaway to France. They commented: "The pair of them have been together since they were young and their family and friends have been expecting them to get engaged for a while.

  “The time seemed right for Phil to pop the question. He took her away to Paris for New Year’s Eve and when they came back Rebecca had a sparkling diamond ring on her engagement finger.

  “The ring is absolutely huge. It’s a massive diamond. She loves it and she’s very proud of wearing it although she hasn’t announced anything about it.

  “But all the wags know and all the players know in Manchester about the ring and everybody is looking forward to maybe an announcement soon that something has happened, maybe an engagement.

  “It would certainly be a massive wedding full of footballers and celebrities and Wags.

  “Rebecca loves a party and has hosted some amazing baby showers.”

• Foden's personal life not impacting his play

  This is the latest development in the reporting around Foden's personal life. The City star has had to sell his eight-bed Cheshire mansion below the asking price, as he and Cooke relocated to a more secluded house in the countryside. The luxury abode was at the centre of controversy, as the 24-year-old was said to have thrown family parties that sparked multiple noise complaints from his well-to-do neighbours. Cheshire Police were called at one stage, as locals complained the Foden residence was louder than Glastonbury. 

  However, the stress of shifting his £3.25m digs, does not sseem to have had a negative impact on the playmaker's on-field peformances. After a sub-par outing last term, Foden has been enjoying his football again. Last month, the Cityzens star admitted he had "got his smile back" after a tough year, while England manager Thomas Tuchel promised a "central role" for Foden after omitting him from recent Three Lions squads. 

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  What comes next for Foden?

  Despite those assurances, there are still question marks over Foden's place within the German's starting lineup for next summer's World Cup. 

  He will have to continue separating the tumult in his personal life with his performances on the pitch. Foden's season continues on Saturday as City take on Leeds at the Etihad. 

The first leg of Thursday’s doubleheader between the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves ended on a questionable call from home plate umpire Bruce Dreckman.

The Braves were able to load the bases with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, trailing the Phillies by a single run. Left fielder Eli White was at the plate facing Phillies closer Jordan Romano.

On the fourth pitch of the at bat, Romano delivered a breaking ball that appeared to be out of the zone, but Dreckman disagreed, punching White out and ending the game.

From the announce booth, the Braves broadcast team lamented the missed call.

Missed calls are a part of baseball, but when they happen in high leverage moments, they are hard to look past.

Thursday’s game-ending call came just hours after an even worse called strike three ended the Angels’ hopes of a comeback against the Yankees on Wednesday night.

Major League Baseball has been experimenting with its ABS challenge system in spring training, which would allow teams the chance to review some calls on balls and strikes. Should the system eventually make its way to the regular season, it’s possible that calls like this are nothing but a memory in the near future.

Manchester United’s lack of success in the Premier League has been there for all to see, with the club now going 12 years without a title – something which was unthinkable during the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

The Red Devils have been through countless managers since the Scotsman’s retirement, but Ruben Amorim is the latest to try and end such a drought.

The 40-year-old has come under huge scrutiny over the last couple of months, and understandably so, given his measly win percentage of just 41% across all competitions.

However, the manager has already been massively backed by the hierarchy in the market, as seen by the £200m spending spree during the summer transfer window.

As part of the heavy backing from INEOS, the former Sporting CP boss added numerous attackers to his first-team squad, with one already making an immediate impact after his move to Manchester.

The stats behind Mbeumo’s start to life at Man Utd

During the summer, a real impetus was placed on improving United’s frontline, which saw the vast majority of their spending directed into the final third.

Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha were just two of the additions made by the hierarchy, with Bryan Mbeumo the final part of the new-look attacking trio formed by INEOS.

The Cameroonian joined in a deal worth a reported £71m from top-division rivals Brentford, with such a deal seeming to be an overpay at the time it was confirmed.

However, 15 games into his career at Old Trafford, such a move now looks like excellent business, with the 26-year-old already scoring six times in the Premier League.

Such a tally is the highest in the first-team squad, but his underlying stats in the league further showcase his impressive start to life at the Theatre of Dreams.

Mbeumo has also registered 1.5 shots on target per 90, with an accuracy rate of 58%, with both tallies currently the highest of any player in the first-team setup.

The United star who’s becoming the best in the world

Despite the struggles over the last couple of seasons, numerous United players have still managed to catch the eye – but none more so than Bruno Fernandes.

The 31-year-old, who’s the club’s captain, registered by far and away the most goals and assists last campaign, subsequently ending the year on 37 goal contributions across all competitions.

He’s no doubt been at world-class level over the past couple of years, with more of an argument certainly being made after showcasing his versatility under Amorim in 2025/26.

Bruno has dropped into a deeper midfield role this season, but it has not stopped him from starring in the Premier League – as seen by his incredible tally of 10 goals and assists in his 15 appearances.

Alongside Mbeumo and Bruno, goalkeeper Senne Lammens has also massively exceeded all expectations after his own summer transfer to join the Red Devils.

The Belgian was brought in from Royal Antwerp on deadline day to bolster the shot-stopping department and provide an upgrade on the now departed Andre Onana.

Whilst he had to bide his time early on in his career at Old Trafford, the 23-year-old has now cemented himself as the club’s number one between the sticks and has become one of Amorim’s star men.

He’s now featured in nine league matches after his summer transfer, with his stats from the current campaign showcasing his immediate impact – leading to huge praise being directed his way.

Lammens has conceded just 11 goals in his nine matches to date, subsequently registering two saves per 90 whilst achieving a save percentage of 62% – one of the best records in the division.

He’s already prevented 0.14 goals this season – ranking him in the top 25% of all ‘keepers in league, resulting in one analyst labelling him “one of the best in the world”.

The Belgian’s impressive figures have also been evident with the ball at feet, subsequently completing 6.9 long balls per 90, which places him in the top 15% of other goalkeepers in England’s top-flight.

Given his £15m fee and the issues that the club faced in such an area before his move, it’s safe to say that Lammens has certainly been a better addition than Mbeumo.

At just 23, he has plenty of time in his career to reach the next level, which certainly could allow him to become one of the best goalkeepers in the world for at least the next decade.

Cunha upgrade: Man Utd looking to sign "one of the best wingers in Europe"

Manchester United considering a move for a top-level forward ahead of the January window.

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By
Ethan Lamb

5 days ago

Liverpool have been told that Mohamed Salah is irreplaceable and that there is "no way" reported target Antoine Semenyo, who continues to impress at Bournemouth, is as good as their current No.11. Ex-Reds striker Dean Saunders has been discussing an unfortunate Anfield saga with GOAL after seeing Salah aim an explosive blast at the reigning Premier League champions.

• Exit talk: Why Salah is seeing transfer mooted

  Having found himself benched in three successive fixtures, Salah felt the need to speak out following a frustrating evening in Leeds. He accused Liverpool of throwing him under the bus, as he becomes a scapegoat for title defence struggles, and admitted to seeing his relationship with Reds boss Arne Slot break down.

  Inevitable transfer talk has been sparked, with teams in the Saudi Pro League already being credited with interest in an Egyptian superstar that appears to be pushing for the exits. It may be that Salah, who will soon be heading to the Africa Cup of Nations, has played his last game for Liverpool.

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• Getty/GOAL
  

  Salah replacement: Who should Liverpool look at?

  With the Reds being linked with the likes of Semenyo, West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen and Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise, Saunders – speaking via Casino.org, the go-to platform helping British players in finding online casino sites – told GOAL when asked who should be lined up to fill Salah’s boots: "I don’t think you can replace him. Bear in mind, three-and-a-half months ago he won the PFA Player of the Year. He won the league with Liverpool, ended up with 34 goals. I actually said he was the best player in the world, four months ago, because it’s the toughest league in the world and he’s just won the vote of all the players as the Player of the Year.

  "The club does need Mo Salah in the team, it’s so hard to replace him. There is no way Semenyo is as good as Mo Salah. It’s a different level. At one point we thought Son [Heung-min] at Tottenham would probably get a game for Liverpool if [Sadio] Mane went. If Salah goes, who do they get?

  "You look at [Bukayo] Saka, maybe, but they [Arsenal] aren’t going to let him go. It’s players like that. It’s ‘are you going to produce every week, because Mo Salah produces every week?’

  "For whatever reason this season he has not been the player he has been. I think it’s a bit premature at the moment to say ‘let’s get another player to replace him’. They will have to at some point. They will have players lined up."

• Legacy tarnished: Will Salah be welcome back at Anfield?

  Salah – with two Premier League titles, a Champions League crown and 250 goals to his name – stands accused of tarnishing his legacy at Anfield. Saunders added on the 33-year-old burning bridges and what Liverpool need to do next: "I feel like ringing his agent and saying ‘can he not just apologise, say he was emotional after the game, got the hump because he was left out, got the hump because he was never brought on and say sorry, he didn’t mean to offend?’

  "He has offended all of the Liverpool fans who love him. Every week the camera goes on the directors’ box – we see Kenny Dalglish, Alan Hansen, Ian Rush, legends of the past. Will he ever be able to do that now? Has he spoiled his legacy?

  "I’m sure if he had said to Arne Slot: ‘Gaffer, I want to leave in the summer, between you and me. Or I want to leave at Christmas because I’m not happy with the way things are going. I’d rather you tell the owners that I want to go to Saudi. Can I leave the club in the best possible way because I love it, I’ve been here eight years and I don’t want to leave under a cloud?’. Trent [Alexander-Arnold] left under a cloud, not all his fault.

  "They are going to have to find a replacement. He’s a good player, Semenyo, he’s doing really well, but it’s a decision they didn’t think they would have to make. They have just spent half-a-billion on attackers. You’d think they would be able to get a front three out of that lot. You are going to have to be shopping in Harvey Nichols or Harrods for the next right winger at Liverpool."

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  Stay or go: When will Salah leave Liverpool?

  It remains to be seen when Liverpool will be forced into the market for a successor to Salah, and if they choose to frequent the most lavish of transfer outlets. For now, the ‘Egyptian King’ of Merseyside remains tied to a contract through to 2027 and may yet be able to talk and play his way back into favour with disgruntled supporters and coaching staff.

The New York Yankees have had a brutal week, losing six straight games including the last two against their cross-town rival, the New York Mets.

After Saturday's 12-6 loss at Citi Field, Yankees manager Aaron Boone attempted to put a positive spin on things by saying how this brutal stretch for the team could be a good thing for them moving forward.

"As trite it sounds, or as corny as it sounds, these are the moments that build character within a team," Boone said his postgame press conference. "And also help you find out and define what the heck you need moving forward and where you need to change or where you need to go out and explore for things. That’s the challenge of this time right now."

Here are his full comments on the situation:

The Yankees have fallen to 48-41 on the year and are tied with the Tampa Bay Rays for second in the AL East. They currently trail the first-place Blue Jays by three games.

They will try to snap this skid Sunday when they face the Mets at 1:40 p.m. ET.

The Detroit Tigers limped out of the gate following this week's All-Star break, dropping its first two games at the Texas Rangers by a combined score of 6–1. The first-place team had struggled entering the break as well, dropping four consecutive games to the Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners before the break. With Sunday night's game featured on the national ESPN broadcast, the Tigers handed the ball to Tarik Skubal for his first start since he toed the rubber to begin the All-Star Game on Tuesday.

Detroit's ace didn't disappoint.

Skubal had some of his best stuff, striking out 11 Rangers across 6.2 innings, allowing four hits but no walks. After he departed in the bottom of the seventh inning, with two runners on base and 105 pitches under his belt, the Tigers surrendered their only run of the game on a wild pitch by reliever Tyler Holton—an unearned run to Skubal's ledger that nevertheless stripped him of his ability to pick up the win. Detroit would respond in the next frame, taking a 2–1 lead on a Matt Vierling RBI single that would stand up, as Holton and Will Vest combined to close out the rest of the game.

Skubal had struggled a bit in his last outing before the break, allowing four earned runs in five innings in a 12–3 Tigers loss to the Mariners. He wasn't sharp in his All-Star Game start either, allowing two runs in his one inning of work.

Sunday's game showed just how nasty Skubal is at his best, though, and fans tuning in to the national broadcast were as blown away as the 11 Texas batters he fanned on the day. The stats back up just how dominant he's been as well.

The Tigers move to 60–40 on the season with the win, and are the first team in baseball to reach the 60-win mark.

Despite yet another season filled with turmoil under Ruben Amorim, Manchester United went into the international break on the back of a win. The Red Devils ran out 2-0 winners over Sunderland last time out, thanks to goals from Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko.

United supporters will be hoping this can be a catalyst for their season to get underway. Things have still never really got going under Amorim, who has struggled to make an impact in almost a year in charge.

With Liverpool their next opponent after the international break, United will be looking to win back-to-back games under their Portuguese boss for the first time.

As is so often the case, Bruno Fernandes will be someone they will heavily rely on.

Fernandes’ biggest moments under Amorim

As you might expect, United’s talismanic midfielder has been one of Amoirm’s key players during the 11 months or so he’s been at Old Trafford.

Often deploying Fernandes in a pivot in midfield has meant he is further away from goal, causing some controversy, with Paul Scholes claiming “he’s not got the discipline” to play there.

Yet, the United number eight has still managed to put up some impressive goal and assist numbers under his countryman, despite the deeper role.

In 43 games with Amorim as United’s boss, their captain has 17 goals and 12 assists to his name.

It’s hard to pinpoint his best contribution during Amoirm’s tenure. In European football, he scored and assisted ten goals in 11 games as United reached the Europa League final last term.

That included a magnificent hat-trick against Real Sociedad at Old Trafford, to guide United into the quarter-final.

He was one of the best creators in that competition last season, too. Fernandes’ 3.09 key passes and expected assist tally of 0.36xA saw him rank in the top 2% of attacking midfielders in the Europa League.

United will need someone to share that goalscoring and creative burden with Fernandes, but they signed someone of the same ilk this summer.

The new United star who's looking like Fernandes

It was certainly an expensive summer for the Red Devils, with INEOS willing to splash the cash. They spent roughly £200m to improve their front three.

Sesko has already scored twice, and Matheus Cunha has suffered an injury, but impressed when he’s played.

However, the most exciting of United’s new forwards this season would surely have to be Bryan Mbeumo. The Cameroonian star joined the Red Devils from Brentford for a fee reportedly worth £65m up front.

It has been a fast start to life in Red for the attacker. Playing as one of Amorim’s number 10s in the infamous 3-4-2-1 system he deploys, the 26-year-old has scored twice and assisted once in eight appearances so far.

His first Premier League strike for the Red Devils was against Burnley before the last international break.

It is easy to see how the former Brentford star can shoulder the burden of creativity and goals at United and become the new Bruno-style player in Amorim’s side.

As Statman Dave said, he is the “complete package” going forward, and offers so much to the Mancunian giants in attacking areas. Like Fernandes, he is an “output machine”, in the words of content creator Ronaldo Brown.

The other way to tell just how similar Mbeumo will be to his captain is by looking at his underlying stats from the 2024/25 Premier League.

For example, last term he averaged 1.85 key passes for the Bees, which put him in the top 6% of Premier League forwards.

It has been hugely important for United to assess the lack of attacking prowess in the squad, aside from Fernandes’ contribution.

Loaning Marcus Rashford to Barcelona drastically reduced their threat in the final third, especially with how well he’s performing in La Liga.

Yet, the addition of Mbeumo has been a huge benefit. The United number 19 can help shoulder some of Fernandes’ attacking, and has already hit the ground running in that famous Red shirt.

The new Yorke & Cole: Man Utd's "superb double-act" could save Amorim's job

Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke famously scored 53 goals as Manchester United won the treble in 1998/99, but has Rúben Amorim found a new “electric” duo?

By
Ben Gray

Oct 7, 2025