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Leeds United need to improve their offensive output if they want to stand a chance of avoiding an instant relegation from the Premier League this season.

Last season, every team that avoided the drop scored at least 42 goals, with Spurs in 17th place scoring 64 times, whilst all three of the teams that went down averaged less than a goal per game.

The Whites are currently in the middle of that, with 11 goals in 11 matches in the Premier League, which shows that they need to improve their output at the top end of the pitch.

11 games into the season, no Leeds player has scored more than two goals in the division, with three players leading the way for goals, and that needs to change in the coming weeks.

25/26

Noah Okafor

Joe Rodon

Lukas Nmecha

2

22/23

Rodrigo

13

21/22

Raphinha

11

20/21

Patrick Bamford

17

As you can see in the table above, at least one player hit double figures for goals in each of the three seasons that the club were in the Premier League during their last stint.

In their run in the division before that, Australian forward Mark Viduka hit double figures in four successive seasons, including 17 and 20-goal hauls in two of them, per Transfermarkt.

Why Leeds need to sign a new centre-forward

Leeds need to sign a new centre-forward to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch in the January transfer window because none of their current options look likely to be their next Viduka.

As aforementioned, no one in the squad has scored more than two goals in the Premier League after 11 matches, and summer signing Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been a particular disappointment so far this term.

The experienced number nine, who was signed on a free transfer from Everton in the summer, is reportedly the highest earner in the squad on £100k-per-week, but has not done enough on the pitch to justify that.

25/26

1.62

1

24/25

8.85

3

23/24

13.63

7

22/23

6.50

2

21/22

6.22

5

20/21

18.21

16

19/20

16.11

13

18/19

6.17

6

17/18

5.44

4

16/17

1.25

1

As you can see in the table above, Calvert-Lewin has historically been a poor finisher in the Premier League, mostly for Everton, and arrived at Elland Road in the summer off the back of four successive seasons without scoring more than seven goals in a league campaign.

It should, therefore, not be a surprise that he has struggled for form for the Whites in front of goal, with one goal and ten ‘big chances’ missed in all competitions so far this season, per Sofascore.

Nmecha, meanwhile, has scored two Premier League goals this season, but has not scored more than eight goals in a league season, per Sofascore, since he plundered 18 goals in the Pro League for Anderlecht in the 2020/21 campaign.

Leeds plotting move for new striker

The unlikelihood of Calvert-Lewin or Nmecha pushing on to hit double figures for goals in the Premier League has reportedly prompted the club to pursue another option in their position.

Transfer Focus

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

According to TEAMtalk, the club recognise that they let Daniel Farke down in the summer transfer window and plan to rectify that mistake by adding more firepower to his squad in January.

The report claims that Celtic attacker Daizen Maeda is one of the players they are plotting a possible move for, alongside Coventry’s Haji Wright, AZ Alkmaar’s Troy Parrott, and Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Garcia.

It adds that the Scottish Premiership forward has told the Hoops of his desire to move on from Parkhead in the next transfer window, which will come as a boost to Leeds, as well as Everton and Brentford, who are said to be leading the race for his signature.

Maeda was reportedly valued at around £21m by Celtic in the summer, amid interest in his services at the time, but it remains to be seen if that valuation has changed ahead of January.

Why Daizen Maeda could be Leeds United's new Mark Viduka

As aforementioned, Viduka had great success in the Premier League during his time at Elland Road, with 72 goals in 166 matches in all competitions for the club, per Transfermarkt.

That impressive form for the Whites came after he made a move from Celtic, where, per Transfermarkt, he scored an eye-catching 27 goals in 37 games in the 99/00 season, before his switch to West Yorkshire in the summer of 2000.

Maeda, who is currently shining for Celtic, could follow in Viduka’s footsteps by making a similar move to be a goalscoring sensation for Leeds in the second half of this season, and beyond.

The Japanese forward, who can play on either wing or as a number nine, scored 33 goals in 51 appearances in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign, per Transfermarkt, and has scored four goals so far this term.

These statistics show that Maeda has been an incredibly prolific goalscorer for the Scottish giants, which is exactly what Leeds are lacking in their current squad.

xG

12.76

Top 1%

Goals

16

Top 1%

xA

5.99

Top 6%

Assists

10

Top 1%

Duels won

104

Top 23%

Tackles won

44

Top 6%

Possession won in the final third

13

Top 16%

Perhaps most interestingly, though, the Japan international ranked within the top 16% of his positional peers in the Premiership last season for winning possession back in the final third, despite Celtic being an incredibly dominant team who won the title.

At Leeds, Maeda would be in a team that is under pressure a lot in matches, as they are fighting relegation, which would give him even more opportunities to use his incredible pressing skills and speed to win the ball off the opposition to spark counter-attacks.

The Celtic star, who ex-Rangers boss Barry Ferguson claimed is “built like a brick”, could be the perfect signing for Leeds because he has the goalscoring record to suggest that he can provide the threat that they are currently missing, whilst also possessing the out-of-possession attributes that you need a player to have in a relegation scrap.

Maeda’s relentless running and pressing could be invaluable to the Whites as they battle to avoid the drop, and his goalscoring quality could make him Viduka 2.0 at Elland Road.

Raphinha repeat: 49ers keen on signing "generational" £79m star for Leeds

Leeds United are lining up a January swoop for a star who could be as exciting a signing as Raphinha once was.

ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

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O Santos se decepcionou com o desempenho do atacante Alfredo Morelos, especialmente após o Paulistão 2024, mas encontra dificuldades para liberá-lo. Com isso, a princípio, o colombiano fica na equipe para a disputa da Série B.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Peixe agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Santos

➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

Segundo fontes ouvidas pelo Lance!, Morelos não sairá do Santos neste momento. A informação foi confirmada publicamente pelo presidente Marcelo Teixeira, em entrevista coletiva realizada na quarta-feira (17).

– Morelos tem contrato. Já vinha com um contrato anterior. Ele, o próprio Dodô. Permanecem no plantel, aguardaremos as reposições. Temos jogadores da base de muito potencial. O Morelos é um jogador que, como está definindo a comissão técnica e a diretoria, caberá a fazer o seu trabalho. O jogador tem histórico e potencial muito grande, jogos no exterior. Foi contratado na gestão passada com essa razão – disse Teixeira.

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Morelos chegou ao Santos em 2023, como uma das maiores contratações da temporada. Ele tem vínculo até agosto do ano que vem e aceitou redução salarial para seguir no Peixe, mesmo com uma cláusula contratual que facilitava sua saída em caso de rebaixamento no Brasileirão.

Apesar da possibilidade da comissão técnica de Fábio Carille não contar mais com o jogador, a situação contratual dificulda uma saída.

– Enxugamos uma máquina, diminuímos a folha e qualificamos o elenco para 2024, assim continuará. Entre tantas saídas, alguns permaneceram. Pode ser que continuem, têm contrato a ser obedecido. Não posso ser irresponsável e rasgar. Não farei isso, nunca. Terei que arcar, como estamos arcando, com ônus e bônus. Temos até julho, a janela atual é curta, para times do Brasil. Temos que estar no mercado no devido momento – concluiu Marcelo Teixeira.

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Além disso, o próprio Morelos garantiu que não cogita deixar o Santos.

– Não estou pensando em ir embora. Tenho contrato vigente e estou treinando o máximo possível para dar a minha melhor versão. Tenho consciência que devo dar um extra e por isso estou trabalhando com o clube e com um preparador físico particular para estar 100% – afirmou o atleta, ao jornalista César Luis Merlo.

Com dificuldade de ter sequência, Morelos soma apenas 14 partidas, dois gols e uma assistência pelo Santos.

Tudo sobre

Alfredo MorelosSantos

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians se despediu oficialmente do Paulistão no domingo (10), após empate com o Água Santa, última partida do time no torneio. O Timão já estava eliminado antes mesmo da bola rolar.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Corinthians

Com isso, a equipe treinada por António Oliveira terá longo tempo livre nas próximas semanas, pois não irá disputar o mata-mata do Estadual. Apenas na quinta-feira (14), enfrenta o São Bernardo pela Copa do Brasil, em jogo único eliminatório.

Para ocupar a lacuna de calendário, a diretoria do Corinthians planeja realizar uma “intertemporada”, com partidas amistosas e de exposição para torcedores que não moram em São Paulo.

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Dentro dos planos estão dois jogos fora da capital paulista, para prestigiar corintianos que moram em outras regiões do país. Também são cogitados amistosos fora do Brasil, contra times da MLS (EUA) e Arábia Saudita.

Tudo dependerá do aceite de António Oliveira e sua comissão técnica. A intenção é disponibilizar maior entrosamento, tempo de jogo e familiaridade do elenco com as ideias do treinador português. Caso fique tudo combinado, as definições devem acontecer durante a Data Fifa, de 18 a 26 de março.

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CorinthiansFutebol Nacional

Former USMNT star Brad Friedel has, in an exclusive interview with GOAL, explained why “workaholic” Mauricio Pochettino could walk away from international management after the 2026 World Cup. The Argentine tactician holds the honour of leading the United States into another major tournament on home soil, but inevitable questions are being asked of his future.

• Pochettino contract: When USMNT deal ends

  Ex-Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss Pochettino stepped into a prominent post on American soil in September 2024. He was charged with the task of ensuring that a so-called ‘Golden Generation’ of talent is ready to fulfil undoubted potential on the grandest of stages.

  That process has not been without the odd challenge, but the USMNT are confident that they can compete with the very best in the business when the global elite descend on their own backyard. Pochettino is only under contract until the World Cup finals come to a close.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Stay or go: What will Pochettino do after the World Cup?

  Coaches in international football tend to work on tournament cycles, with clear beginnings and ends to any given era being easy to find, so will Pochettino follow that trend and bow out when his current deal comes to a close – regardless of how the U.S. fare next summer?

  When that question was put to Friedel, the ex-USMNT goalkeeper – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “That’s a great question. I’m quite close with one of his assistant coaches. I think that because he has had to come in and change the culture in the States, if they do well then I could see him staying for another cycle.

  “I know he is a guy that likes to build, he likes to have continuity and stability. But he also likes to know that he has quality. I don’t know what he thinks of the next four years on his paper, of what’s going to happen when – as happens with national teams – a few people age out, and are the wrong people ageing out to be successful for the next four years.

  “It’s a really good question. I would probably say this: If it doesn’t go well, probably ‘no’. If it goes incredibly well and they win it, I don’t think he stays. If it’s somewhere in the middle and it’s good and building, then I think there is probably a chance. That would be my guess.”

• Premier League return? What Pochettino misses

  Pochettino has admitted that he intends to head back to club management at some stage, telling : “The Premier League is the best league in the world. Of course I am missing it. I am so happy in America but also thinking one day to come back to the Premier League. It's the most competitive league.”

  On missing the day-to-day interaction of working at domestic level, with international camps often months apart, Friedel added on Pochettino’s professional drive: “He’s a workaholic, and his whole staff are. I can say from personal experience, not at the senior level but the U19 national team, you do miss the day-to-day because you are scouting and meeting with people and talking a lot more than you are on the pitch.

  “I can see how any manager, especially on the younger side, would miss club management. When the tournament comes around, then you want to be nowhere else except for there because it’s the big stuff. I can see two things. I can see, one, big clubs wanting him. And two, I can understand him wanting the day-to-day because he is a workaholic and very good at his job.”

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  World Cup focus: Pochettino and USMNT looking at draw

  Pochettino’s stock remains high, so there is every chance that a “big” club will come in for him during the summer of 2026. Teams around the world will be assessing their options at that stage, with many opting for a change in the dugout.

  The USMNT will not be worrying themselves about interest from afar just yet, though, as collective focus there is locked on the group stage draw for the 2026 World Cup – which is set to take place at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC on December 5.

The Guardians nearly managed to pull of what would've been a signature comeback against the Tigers in Game 1 of the American League wild card series. In the bottom of the ninth inning, down 2–1, José Ramírez managed to reach third base with nobody out due to a throwing error, but Cleveland wasn't able to capitalize.

That's in part due to a costly mistake Ramirez made at third, which resulted in him getting caught between bases after Kyle Manzardo hit a ground ball to the pitcher's mound. Ramirez, for whatever reason, had an unusually large lead off third base. As such, when the ball was hit weakly in the infield, he was stranded in between third base and home plate, and was easy prey for Tigers pitcher Will Vest.

Ramírez was already halfway down the line by the time Vest fielded the ball, but rather than continue heading for the plate, he stopped short and tried to retreat. Vest noticed he was in No Man's Land, and reacted accordingly to secure the critical second out of the inning.

The baserunning gaffe from Ramírez moved the potential game-tying run from third base to first base, and the Guardians weren't able to even up the score after that, and the Tigers finished off the 2–1 win.

Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon at 1:08 p.m. ET from Progressive Field in Cleveland.

The Impact Player has marginalised players like him, but Sunday night gave him a chance to remind the IPL of his quality

Sidharth Monga06-Apr-20251:55

Bishop: ‘Surprised by how dominant Washington was’

Washington Sundar has had a curious career arc. He first drew attention at the senior level with his tight powerplay bowling during IPL 2017, which didn’t last when he landed in other teams with other ideas. The next big step was in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, when a surprise debut as India’s lone spinner ended up as a showcase for his batting ability against a top Test attack in an unforgettable series win. He plateaued again before becoming more of a regular last year as India began preparing for life after R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.And yet, among the 20 or so players playing T20Is regularly for India, Washington was the only one struggling to get an IPL game. Put it down to the Impact Player rule. Not only does it disincentivise developing allrounders, it takes out of the game the imperfect allrounder, the nearly-there jack of all trades. Washington might disagree but he is not quite a specialist batter and arguably not in the league of Ashwin to play as an offspinner alone.The nearly man played just two IPL matches last year. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) then let him go, and his new team Gujarat Titans (GT), already a strong bowling unit, again didn’t have a slot for him. He nearly played against Mumbai Indians (MI), though, when he was padded up all innings as a possible Impact Player when GT batted first, but they eventually chose a specialist bowler in Ishant Sharma. The story of Washington since the introduction of the Impact Player: losing out to a combination of players – Ishant and Sherfane Rutherford – whom he might have edged out if it was an 11-man team and not 12.Related

Rayudu: Sai Kishore 'as good as anybody' in the Indian team

Siraj returns fresher, sharper and hungrier after Champions Trophy snub

Siraj, Gill and Washington hand Sunrisers fourth successive defeat

It was when Washington’s former team SRH rolled out a dream pitch for the visitors – slow and low – that GT went in for the extra spinner, which brought Washington in. This may have also been driven by match-ups, with three left-hand batters in SRH’s top three. Even so, GT realised the pitch was doing more for tall, into-the-pitch quicks than spinners, so Washington didn’t get a bowl even as GT restricted SRH to 152.Washington Sundar hit Simarjeet Singh for two fours and two sixes in a match-defining sixth over•BCCIThen fate took a turn. GT lost two early wickets, their captain was out in the middle, and their coach asked Washington to go in at No. 4. Possibly because they wanted to keep the right-left combination going, or perhaps because Washington’s Tamil Nadu team-mate Shahrukh Khan hasn’t had a great start to this year’s IPL. Whatever it was, Washington saw an opportunity and grabbed it with an innings that was head and shoulders above any other on a testing pitch bar that of Rutherford, who arguably batted when the game was almost over and dew had made things easier.Three balls into his innings, Washington started to exploit the powerplay fields, displaying both classic batting chops and T20-style innovation. The 20 he took of Simarjeet Singh in the sixth over put GT on their way. He dominated the third-wicket partnership with Shubman Gill, scoring 49 in a 90-run stand and giving Gill time to get a measure of the pitch. According to ESPNcricinfo’s smart stats, Washington played the most valuable innings of the match, although Mohammed Siraj was rightfully adjudged Player of the Match for his 4 for 17.Washington will hope he has shown enough to convince GT to make him more of a regular, but he will also know that they are a team driven more by process than results. A certain set of conditions brought Washington in, which suggests they look at him more as a bowler than a batter. Their next game is at home against Rajasthan Royals. If they play on a black-soil pitch again – they did so against MI and it turned out to play slow and low – he could stay in and keep the extra fast bowler out.

The Detroit Tigers have been the best team in MLB through the first half of the season, and that's been represented in the team's litany of All-Star selections.

After a late All-Star roster shakeup, the Tigers now find themselves in a deadlock with the Los Angeles Dodgers with the most representatives at the midsummer classic. Houston Astros infielder Jeremy Peña won't be able to participate due to a rib injury, and MLB announced that Detroit's Zach McKinstry would be selected as his replacement.

McKinstry becomes the Tigers' fifth All-Star, joining the likes of starting pitcher Tarik Skubal, second baseman Gleyber Torres and outfielders Riley Greene and Javier Baez. Only the Dodgers, who are sending Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Clayton Kershaw to Atlanta, have as many representatives.

McKinstry, 30, is enjoying his best MLB season to date. He's slashing .283/.357/.460 with seven home runs, 27 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.

New Zealand captain was verging on tears after her side was knocked out of the World Cup, leaving her with just one game left in her ODI career

Sruthi Ravindranath24-Oct-20254:10

Review – India’s stellar batting show

Sophie Devine’s press conference after New Zealand’s loss to India was in stark contrast to the one on the eve of the match.This was an emotional version of Devine – her team had just been knocked out of the ODI World Cup, and she is set to retire from the format on Sunday. Reflecting on New Zealand’s early exit, she spoke of disappointment but also of pride, especially for the younger players coming through.”I don’t really want to think too much about it because I probably get quite emotional around it,” Devine said. “But the way those girls went out there today… I’m incredibly proud of where this team’s going. When you think about the likes of Izzy [Gaze], Brooke [Halliday], Melie Kerr, Eden Carson, the way that they’re starting to really grow into themselves, it certainly makes it easier when I do step away after the next game, not before.”It is sort of [you feel] a bit like a proud mother, you have been involved in this side at New Zealand cricket for so long that you’re so invested. I’m going to go through a few different emotions over the next couple of days, but we’ll take time to reflect on that.”Related

• Mandhana, Rawal, Rodrigues flex batting muscle in India's statement win

• Rawal and Mandhana tons seal India's semi-final spot

• 'Thanks for not saying I'm old' – Devine utterly chill ahead of make-it-or-break-it game against India

• Stats – Mandhana, Rawal tear up the record book

It had been a must-win game for New Zealand against hosts India, but they faltered in both halves. After choosing to bowl, they managed to keep India’s openers quiet early but soon lost control. A DLS-adjusted target of 325 in 44 overs left them chasing the game from the start. Despite half-centuries from Halliday and Gaze, they never quite kept up with the asking rate.”It’s hard. After any [game], you can dissect every single ball,” she said. “I thought we were outstanding with the ball in the powerplay. It’s always hard when you get a partnership of 200 plus, you’re going to be under pressure. I guess for the Indian line-up, they were able to come out and swing pretty freely and take the game on and they probably got a few too many.”We spoke about things we needed to try and stay as close to the run rate as possible. And it’s hard because it jumps so quickly here. So, they’re all learnings for us. It’s frustrating and it’s gutting and it’s disappointing to lose any game of cricket, but especially when we still had a chance of making it through to this World Cup’s semi-finals.”Devine, whose international career has spanned nearly two decades, also reflected on the mental side of leadership, mainly the challenge of staying positive in the face of heartbreak.

“And that’s what sucks about sports sometimes, is you can work harder than anyone in the world, you can do all the right things, but it doesn’t guarantee your results out there when it matters. So that’s probably going to be the hardest pill to swallow about this campaign.”Sophie Devine on New Zealand’s exit from the World Cup

“I think the really important thing for me is to be authentic, and not just for me or my group, but for you guys as well,” she said. “I think sometimes people forget that we’re human beings and that we do have emotions. We’re not just robots out there that go and play and don’t have feelings and we don’t feel the criticism and we don’t feel the hurt. The words that are said about us, expectations.”It’s really important to remember that, but also we’ve got to own up to it. It’s the profession we’re in. Unfortunately, this right now is a bloody tough thing for me to do. But I also want to front up and still be really proud of what this group’s been able to achieve. But I’m not going to sugarcoat it, it sucks. Losing press conferences are probably the hardest ones to do, especially when you’ve been knocked out of a tournament. At the end of the day, there’s not too much positive words I could probably say about it, unfortunately. But that is what it is.”New Zealand had opted to bowl first on a hot and humid day in Navi Mumbai, a decision Devine defended. She said that the call had been made with rain on the radar and a potential DLS scenario in mind.”It rained, didn’t it? The game got altered,” Devine said. “In cricket with Duckworth-Lewis you want to bat second so you know what you’re chasing. And again, hindsight’s a brilliant thing, isn’t it? If we’d have won that game, would the same question have been asked? I think we had our reasons to. We obviously saw that the weather was going to come in at some stage. How much? Again, you can’t control that. But I don’t think we regret that decision. We’ve known the troubles that India have had lately of chasing down totals. In hindsight maybe we should have batted first. Would it have changed the result? I don’t know.”New Zealand’s campaign had begun with two defeats in three games, before rain disruptions in Colombo added to their woes with two of their fixtures washed out. As a result, they have just one win in a tournament where number of wins take precedence over net run rate to make the semi-final. When asked how she would process the campaign after so much preparation, Devine’s voice cracked.”I thought I was going to get through this press conference without crying,” she said. “It’s tough, isn’t it? Because I know I’ve spoken about the weather, the weather’s followed us, jokes have been made about it. At the end of the day, you just want the opportunity to play cricket. Unfortunately, we had fate in our hands. We lost the first two games, put ourselves under pressure. We lost today. So, it’s hard to reflect when nearly half your games have had weather impacted by it. But we haven’t been good enough. And that’s really tough because the work that this group’s put in over the last 12 months has been phenomenal.”And that’s what sucks about sports sometimes, is you can work harder than anyone in the world, you can do all the right things, but it doesn’t guarantee your results out there when it matters. So that’s probably going to be the hardest pill to swallow about this campaign. I’m not sure what else we could have done as a group to be better prepared, to be fitter, to be more connected, I don’t know. But we’ve got to dissect it and figure out where we went wrong and where we can improve. It sucks. Unfortunately, there’s not much other ways to describe it.”Devine, however, finished in typical fashion. With their final league game left against England on Sunday she hoped her team would bow out with pride.”The work that this group’s put in, no one deserves anything,” she said. “Not just in cricket, but in life. Sometimes you wish that the good guys got the results. We’ll pull ourselves up, we’ll dust ourselves off, and we’ll go bloody hard at these English people and give them a good run for their money. And hopefully we like everything out there on Sunday and we can leave with our heads held really high.”

يستعد فريق مانشستر سيتي، بقيادة المدرب بيب جوارديولا، لخوض مباراة قوية مساء السبت في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ضد سندرلاند.

ويستضيف ملعب “الاتحاد” مباراة مانشستر سيتي وسندرلاند، في خضم منافسات الجولة الخامسة عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2025/26.

ويحتل مانشستر سيتي المركز الثاني في جدول الدوري الإنجليزي برصيد 28 نقطة، في حين أن سندرلاند لديه 23 نقطة في المركز السادس.

ويأمل مانشستر سيتي تحقيق الفوز في مباراة اليوم بعدما انتصر بشكل مثير في آخر مباراتين، ضد ليدز يونايتد وفولهام، من أجل مواصلة الضغط على آرسنال في سباق لقب الدوري الإنجليزي. موعد مباراة مانشستر سيتي وسندرلاند اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 6 بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة مانشستر سيتي وسندرلاند اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 1. معلق مباراة مانشستر سيتي وسندرلاند اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

سيعلق جواد بده على أحداث مباراة اليوم.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

The Atlanta United manager knows there’s skepticism around his return, but he’s adamant he can steer the club out of a rough 2025 and spark a turnaround.

Gerardo 'Tata' Martino can already picture the reception from the Atlanta United crowd. It will be there in full when he walks out into Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the second time, the crowd that adored him for years welcoming him home. This is the manager whom they never wanted to leave, who fled for a new opportunity – one that didn't turn out as expected. 

But those 70,000 likely won't care. They won't see the failed stint with Mexico or the fact that he took a job at a rival MLS club in Inter Miami less than two years ago. They won't see the manager they knocked out of the MLS Cup playoffs in 2024, thanks to one of the most significant upsets in league history. 

Instead, they will see a club legend returning, the architect of an immensely impressive expansion franchise returning to the stomping grounds where he made magic. Atlanta announced on Nov. 7 that Martino will be back in the dugout for another stint, after leaving in 2018. There are risks in reunions in soccer. They don't always go well. But Martino's Atlanta return might be a rare one that pans out.

"I know there's a saying that second acts aren't always the best. But in my case, I've done it once before, and we were able to achieve success," Martino said.

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  'ecision Dwe had to make'

  Martino would do it all over again, he admitted. Formerly of Barcelona, with a fine resume throughout South American soccer to boot, he took the Atlanta job in 2016. He coached them for two seasons, winning MLS Cup with his final game in charge two years later. He knew, by then, that he would leave. He didn't confirm it at the time, but the Mexican national team had already, in effect, sealed the deal.

  Mexico was a disaster. They started by winning the Gold Cup, but soon dropped off. Martino lost back-to-back finals to the USMNT, and oversaw a first World Cup group stage exit for El Tri since 1978. Some argued he never should have left. Martino disputes that.

  "At that moment, it was the decision we had to make. And yeah, today I'm saying, if things would have gone as they have, I still would have made the same decision," he said. 

  He knew, too, that a coach's life is short. Nothing is ever guaranteed. Chances are sparse. Mexico may have been a failure, but it was a worthy one. And besides, he was always ready to move on if the right offer came in. 

  "The bags are always packed, or at least we don't pack them fully," he added.

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  Fixing United

  As for baggage? Try Atlanta, who have never really recovered from his departure, seven years down the road. The generated north of $50 million in player sales over the course of a two year period, and went big in spending it. In came Alexey Miranchuk from Atalanta. They convinced Emmanuel Latte Lath to turn down Premier League interest to move across the pond. 

  And then came the first reunion, with the signing of Miguel Almiron – who had fallen out of the picture at Newcastle following a career revival. The result? A 14th-placed finish in the Eastern Conference, and just five wins all season. Manager Ronny Delia was fired before the groundskeepers could fix the pitch on the final day. 

  Martino isn't worried. 

  "Our final evaluation was that the team has better players than the standings at the end of last year would indicate," Martino said. "And in our idea, the way we want to do it is to build a better team."

  But the remit here is different. In 2016, he walked into a blank slate of a club that had a roster ready to compete. Bets were off, but the tools were there. Now, he's in charge of something of a rebuild.

  "Of course, this is a different situation. But what we need to do now is to focus on building the current team, and not think about how we did in 2016," he said. "As the years go on for a coach, we're always learning and taking things as a learning experience and trying to put it into our next job." 

  Martino has experience here, too. He has managed Paraguayan side Libertad twice now. He won the league both times – and oversaw a remarkable Copa Libertadores run in his second stint.

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  'We weren't able to compete better'

  But he hasn't been away the whole time. Miami appointed the Argentine halfway through the 2023 season. It was of little coincidence that he arrived in South Florida at the same time as Lionel Messi – whom he had coached for both Barcelona and the Argentina national team. His time there was mixed. The Herons won Leagues Cup in 2023, and the Supporters' Shield in 2024. But the remit there was to win MLS Cup. 

  In a sense, then, his job can only be considered a failure. Martino sees it in a different way.

  "I think we were able to help the club in a period of growth at the time, and it's a club that continues to grow and to change. But we were, we were there for that key moment. So that's all the positive, and then the negative would be, of course, that we weren't able to compete better in the regular season and playoffs," he said. 

  He has previously said, too, that MLS is a challenge for him. Atlanta might prove to be the same. 

  "I like that the league is in constant growth and evolution, and also some of the unique characteristics that the league presents, including the long travel, the different climates, and just the different ways teams play. So these are all unique things. When you go into planning for a match in MLS, it's a nice challenge," he said. 

  There are further changes to deal with, too. MLS announced last week that it will switch to a fall-spring calendar in 2027. Martino backed the change as a good thing for the league going forward.

  "I think what the league does well is that they're taking these decisions with so much anticipation that we, who work in the league, have plenty of time to adapt and to know what we're going to be working with. It could be favorable in terms of transfer windows for players who are coming and going, because there are times where you have a key player in your team coming or going during the midseason," he said. 

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  Bringing the buzz back to Atlanta

  And so the focus returns to Atlanta and those 70,000 fans. Martino was there at the beginning for its now-clear reputation as a soccer city. Mercedes-Benz has held Copa America and Club World Cup games. 

  Atlanta is one of 11 host cities for the 2026 World Cup. An NWSL team is coming to the city and will enter the league in 2028 as part of a massive expansion. This city has always embraced the game. Martino was never truly charged with building it himself, but his association with Atlanta soccer simply cannot be ignored.

  "I've been involved with soccer in the city from the beginning. It's not a minor thing. This season, we're going to try and do our best on the field, but it has been a great thing to be a part of," he said.

  Those are the things worth holding onto. There will be discussions about potential acquisitions and roster moves. The Josef Martinez reunion has already been floated, and there are reports that the 32-year-old could also return to his former club (Martino has denied that any talks have taken place). The manager, for his part, has insisted that the focus is on a good preseason. The squad, if it roughly stays the same, seems well-suited to Martino's favored 4-2-3-1 system.

  But those are all the specifics. The bigger picture? Making sure that the dangerous return act pans out – from as soon as he steps onto the pitch. 

  "That first moment, the first time, it will be very exciting to reunite with the fans and our wonderful fan base, and from all the memories that we had," he said. "But that's only one moment."