Middlesbrough have made a manager with “an impressive CV” a top target to replace Rob Edwards, and it would be a “significant coup” if they can get a deal done.

Edwards confirmed as Wolves boss as Middlesbrough receive £3m

Wolves confirmed the appointment of Rob Edwards as their new head coach on a three-and-a-half year deal on Wednesday.

The 42-year-old left the Riverside and agreed a contract until 2029 with Wanderers after they sacked Vitor Pereira earlier this month. It is reported Boro will receive around £3million in compensation after Edwards only joined them in June on a three-year contract.

Edwards, who managed Luton in the Premier League, begins a fourth spell at Wolves after making 111 appearances as a player as well as enjoying time as a coach and interim boss. He will be joined by assistant head coach Harry Watling after the pair worked together at Middlesbrough, with the rest of his backroom staff to be confirmed in the near future.

Wolves chairman Jeff Shi said: “I know Rob very well and I have seen his growth in different jobs. He’s a very good person, he knows the club very well, he knows the city, the fans and he is very talented.

“When he was a youth coach here, he showed his tactical awareness, but after he took first-team jobs he started to grow his own identity, character and leadership.

“We need to refresh the whole club with a new coach’s philosophy, bringing his own identity and ideas, and we can build on that. We are at a new chapter for the club and Rob will be a key piece of that.”

For Boro, it is now about finding a swift replacement as they aim to continue their Championship promotion push without Edwards.

Middlesbrough make Steven Gerrard a top manager target

As reported by Rousing the Kop and journalist Graeme Bailey, Steven Gerrard is among the top targets for Middlesbrough to replace Edwards.

Steve Gibson is a long-term admirer of the former Rangers and Aston Villa boss, who is out of work after leaving Al-Ettifaq in January.

Gerrard almost returned to Ibrox last month and is open to a return to the dugout, with a move to the Riverside something that could appeal to him.

Gerrard has never managed in the Championship, with his most successful period as a manager coming in Scotland, winning the league title with Rangers.

Steven Gerrard’s managerial career

Club

Games

Points per game

Rangers

192

2.15

Aston Villa

40

1.18

Al-Ettifaq

55

1.33

The 45-year-old primarily plays an attacking 4-3-3 system and is closing in on 300 games as a manager. Could that benchmark come at the Riverside?

MatériaMais Notícias

Thiago Carpini está próximo de ser anunciado como novo treinador do São Paulo. O agente do jogador está no CT do clube, na Barra Funda, para conversar com a diretoria da equipe paulista e acertar os últimos detalhes da negociação. As informações foram divulgadas pelo ge e confirmadas pelo Lance!.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! São Paulo

O Tricolor, que perdeu Dorival Júnior para a Seleção Brasileira, já havia entrevistado virtualmente o treinador, e comunicou que pagará a multa de R$ 1 milhão à equipe gaúcha.

No entanto, vale ressaltar que Carpini não era o plano A do São Paulo. O clube tentou as contratações de Vojvoda e Caixinha, do Fortaleza e Cuiabá, respectivamente, que negaram a investida. Pedro Martins, treinador do Al-Gharafa, também foi procurado, mas recusou a oferta.

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QUEM É THIAGO CARPINI?

Foi o responsável por dois dos trabalhos de maior destaque no futebol brasileiro em 2023: o Água Santa, vice-campeão do Paulistão, e o Juventude, vice-campeão da Série B em uma incrível campanha de recuperação.

Carpini é mais um técnico jovem: iniciou sua carreira em 2020, no comando do Guarani, clube do qual era auxiliar, e construiu sua carreira em equipes do interior paulista: depois do Bugre, comandou Oeste, Inter de Limeira e Ferroviária. Aprincipal característica de suas equipes está na organização defensiva, sempre com duas linhas de quatro jogadores.

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Tudo sobre

São Paulo

Tottenham Hotspur’s squad in 2025/26 is packed with numerous midfield stars, but it’s apparent that boss Thomas Frank is yet to work out his best combination in such an area.

The Dane has utilised a three-man midfield in the vast majority of his 11 Premier League outings to date, often varying between two deep-lying options with a ten and a flat three.

Joao Palhinha arrived in the summer on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich and has started all but one, with his ball-winning presence a real component to the Lilywhites’ side.

The same can’t be said for £52m addition Xavi Simons, as the Dutchman has struggled to nail down a starting position in his attacking midfield role – subsequently being named in the starting eleven on just six occasions.

However, there’s little denying that one player would have easily walked into the current squad had he still been on the books after his previous spell in North London.

Spurs’ most underrated player in the last decade

When talking about Spurs’ most underrated players in numerous years, many players will be mentioned, but one will always rise to the top – with that man being Mousa Dembélé.

The Belgian midfielder joined the Lilywhites from Fulham for just £15m back in the summer 2012, with very few supporters anticipating the levels he would produce in the capital.

He would go on to rack up a total of 249 senior appearances during his seven-year spell at the club, often catching the eye with his physicality and dazzling feet.

Standing at 6’1, you wouldn’t expect a player to easily get past the opposition, but Dembele used to glide past his men – leading to his tally of 10 goals and 11 assists.

Many of his former teammates have sung his praises in recent years, even labelling him as one of the most underrated players they have played alongside in their careers.

Former right-back Kieran Trippier is just one player to sign his praises, with the Englishman stating: “He was a remarkable player. He was unbelievable, I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves for being such an unbelievable player.”

Since his move to Guangzhou City back in 2019, the Lilywhites have massively lacked a player of his quality, with Frank and the supporters undoubtedly wishing they had a player of Dembélé’s talents at present.

The Spurs star who was tipped to be the next Dembele

In the last six years since Dembele’s departure from Spurs, the hierarchy have spent upwards of £300m on the midfield department alone – a simply staggering amount of money.

Numerous of their additions still remain on the books in North London, with the aforementioned Simons just one of the options Frank is still able to call upon.

Pape Matar Sarr and Lucas Bergvall are two other young stars who have been brought to the club in the last few seasons, with both cementing themselves within the first team ranks.

The latter of the duo joined for just £8m from Swedish side Djurgarden last summer, but has already racked up a total of 60 appearances despite being just 19.

However, Yves Bissouma is another midfield addition that remains in North London, but his time at the club has been far from successful in the last few years.

The Malian joined for a reported £25m from Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer of 2022, leading to journalist Alasdair Gold claiming he’s just “like Dembele”.

In the three years with the Lilywhites, the 29-year-old has already racked up a century of appearances – even finding the back of the net on two separate occasions.

Games played

28

Goals & assists

2

Pass accuracy

89%

Tackles won

2.1

% of tackles won

63%

Duels won

5.2

Interceptions made

1.2

Recoveries made

5.4

However, it’s been a period that has been littered with controversy, with Bissouma being suspended by the club back in August 2024 after being pictured inhaling laughing gas.

Frank’s arrival has seen the downward spiral continue for the Malian, with the Dane leaving him out of the UEFA Super Cup clash with PSG after being consistently late for training.

In the three months since the final, he’s failed to make a single appearance for the Lilywhites, even being left out of the Premier League and Champions League squads for the first half of 2025/26.

Such an omission is a sign that the manager simply doesn’t see the 29-year-old as part of his long-term plans – with the hierarchy desperately needing to offload him in January.

Bissouma currently earns a reported £55k-per-week in North London, with the club paying him a staggering £1.4m since his last competitive outing in the first-team.

Not only has he failed to reach the levels many anticipated upon his move, but he’s also bleeding the club dry of crucial funds that will be needed in January.

His lack of action, current earnings and disciplinary record all point to an exit for the midfielder in the upcoming winter window, with the club needing to make his departure a priority.

Frank will no doubt want to clear him off the books, raising funds for the January market, which is no doubt a crucial point of the season in his quest to secure Champions League football a second successive year in North London.

Spurs have "one of Europe’s best finishers" & he could end Richarlison's stay

Tottenham Hotspur can offload Richarlison if Thomas Frank shows faith in one other squad member.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 14, 2025

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh qualify for the Super Four from Group B

Madushka Balasuriya18-Sep-20252:22

Maharoof: Mendis a nightmare for spinners once he gets going

Kusal Mendis ensured Sri Lanka’s 100% record through the group stage as his unbeaten 74 off 52 trumped Mohammad Nabi’s outrageous 60 off 22 for a six-wicket win against Afghanistan. The result means Bangladesh also qualify with a second place in group B.Kusal was crucial to the chase with his ability to navigate Afghanistan’s variety of spinners – courtesy of well-executed sweeps and pulls – proving crucial in Sri Lanka running down a tricky target with eight deliveries to spare.Kusal was therefore the common denominator in a string of partnerships – 22, 25, 45, 27 and 52* – as Sri Lanka put aside a potentially momentum-shifting cameo from Nabi.Related

With goals reset, Kusal Mendis finally finds his niche

Nabi had earlier resurrected the Afghanistan innings, striking five sixes in the final over bowled by left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage, who had been drafted in to this game ahead of Maheesh Theekshana. Prior to that, Dushmantha Chameera had been taken for 17 runs in the penultimate over of the innings, meaning Afghanistan struck 49 in the last two overs to give their total a monster boost.Up until that point, though, Sri Lanka had dominated proceedings, with Nuwan Thushara, in particular, shining with figures of 4 for 18. It was a performance worthy of a win, and so it proved in the end.Kusal special takes Sri Lanka homeLosing Pathum Nissanka early was not ideal, nor was Kamil Mishara falling in the powerplay. But Kusal ensured that he took on the scoring burden and kept Sri Lanka in the chase with timely boundaries through the middle overs.However, nerves still remained with Sri Lanka needing 48 off the last five overs. It was here that Kusal was joined by the other Mendis in the side – Kamindu – who once more showed off his capabilities as a finisher.Kamindu struck two pivotal sixes – one each off Noor Ahmad and Fazalhaq Farooqi – to take the pressure off his senior compatriot and finished unbeaten on 26 off 13. It meant Kusal rarely had to shift gears, even at the death, as Sri Lanka ran down the target with ease.Mohammad Nabi hit five sixes in the final over to give Afghanistan hope•AFP/Getty ImagesStars align for NabiStarting left-arm spin-bowling allrounder Wellalage over Theekshana was a call presumably predicated on the idea that Afghanistan had ten right-handers in their batting line-up, while also a move that simultaneously lengthened the batting and improved the fielding.As things transpired, though, Wellalage was not needed with the bat, while he dropped Nabi on 5. But more pertinently, so effective were Sri Lanka’s strike bowlers – particularly Thushara – that Charith Asalanka decided that it was worth the gamble to bowl his main bowlers out early in the hopes of picking up wickets sooner rather than later.And the plan worked – to an extent. Thushara bowled three overs in the powerplay, picked up three wickets in that period, before getting a fourth at the death. Chameera bowled well, but was unlucky to go for 50 runs in his four overs – the most expensive spell of his career. Dasun Shanaka, nominally the fifth bowler, got away with 29 runs in his four overs, while Hasaranga gave away just 18 in four wicketless overs.Even Wellalage had given away just 17 up until his last over. For Nabi, a fantastic hitter of spin, this was an ideal match-up and he took on Wellalage in epic fashion. Five sixes in the V saw 32 come off that final over – and with it gave Afghanistan hope.3:12

What are the takeaways for Afghanistan from Asia Cup 2025?

Sri Lanka’s solid plans with the ballIt’s unfortunate that many will remember Wellalage for that final over, because up until then, he, along with the rest of the Sri Lanka bowlers, had kept Afghanistan quiet right through their innings.Thushara was the star, taking three in the powerplay with his outswingers to the right-handers, and one searing in swinger to left-hander Sediqullah Atal.Asalanka smartly got through his fifth bowler quota with Shanaka in the middle overs as Afghanistan sought to consolidate, though it was that extra over from Thushara in the powerplay that proved decisive in the end as it meant Wellalage wound up having to bowl to Nabi in the final over – a strategy rarely, if ever, employed by a Sri Lanka side in recent years.Fortunately for Wellalage and Sri Lanka, it mattered little once all the chips were counted.

Daniel Farke and the Premier League is never a happy marriage and he already now needs to find a way of saving his skin as Leeds United manager across his side’s upcoming games in November.

Indeed, the Whites were resoundingly beaten 3-0 away at Brighton and Hove Albion over the weekend, as ex-Elland Road star Georginio Rutter came back to haunt the West Yorkshire giants, the day after Halloween.

Next up for Leeds is a huge clash away at Nottingham Forest, which feels like a must-win game, not only so the Whites don’t get dragged further into the early relegation fight, but also so Farke can try to survive another day in the dug-out.

After all, Wolverhampton Wanderers have now just dismissed Vitor Pereira, as fixtures become more and more pressurised for managers all across the bumpy division.

Farke will know he has some decisions to make regarding who he starts down either flank for this crucial tie at the City Ground, with both areas of the pitch becoming a problem for the German in recent weeks.

Leeds' winger issues

Coming up to the Premier League, Leeds had a very frightening attack to try and keep their hands on.

Manor Solomon, in particular, stood out for his gung-ho displays down the left wing for Farke’s title-winners, with a stunning ten goals and 13 assists falling into his lap from 41 Leeds outings.

Thankfully, £18m summer recruit Noah Okafor has shown signs of his brilliance as a Solomon-style replacement, with two goals already next to his name in the Premier League, despite his new side’s overall up-and-down form. That said, they did have to rely on the underperforming Jack Harrison when the Swiss missed a period through injury.

It’s more on the right channel where Farke will feel less at ease, as both Daniel James and Wilfried Gnonto – who are EFL superstars in their own right – have failed to maintain fitness so far this season, leading to the German having to shoehorn Brenden Aaronson into a right wing spot regularly.

The heavily scapegoated American did put in a sublime showing on the right channel against West Ham United, as his early goal set Leeds on their way to a 2-1 home victory.

But, that is Aaronson’s only goal contribution in Leeds white from this position on the pitch, with the other ten strikes he has put away for Farke and Co in the past all coming from a more central viewpoint.

Subsequently, the former Norwich City manager might well feel he needs more reinforcements in this spot, particularly with Gnonto also being linked with a January move away from West Yorkshire.

Leeds could sign "special" £23m Gnonto replacement

Leeds showed in the summer that they are willing to splash the cash, with £98m forked out on the likes of Okafor and many more talents.

£23m could soon be added to that spending amount, if Ismael Saibari’s Transfermarkt valuation is anything to go by, with a recent report from the Boot Room linking the Premier League newcomers to the on-fire Moroccan attacker.

At the close of October, the site speculated that a whole host of top-flight outfits were taking a look at the blistering PSV Eindhoven forward, with Aston Villa, Everton, and West Ham named as onlookers, alongside the West Yorkshire side.

Leeds are desperately in need of some additional firepower, and while Saibari has regularly lined up as a central option for PSV, whether that be as a number ten or as a traditional midfielder, he can also cut it as a right or left winger.

His immense goal and assist record in the Netherlands to date will no doubt be further music to the ears of an under-pressure Farke.

Eredivisie games played

77

Goals scored

24

Assists

17

Champions League games played

26

Goals scored

8

Assists

1

After advancing up the youth system in Eindhoven, Saibari has never looked back since entering the first-team fold.

He has a stunning 24 goals and 17 assists from just 77 games in the Dutch top-flight. Staggeringly, eight of those strikes have come just this season, leading to his current manager in Peter Bosz, hailing him as a “special” asset to possess.

With further Champions League pedigree under his belt – which has led to Saibari collecting ten goals from 15 games this season – Leeds could really show they mean business by landing the red-hot 24-year-old’s services this January, as they attempt a revamp of some of their attacking spots shortly.

With Farke further set on what the makeup of his central midfield options looks like, with no number 10 position in fill in his current formation choice, either, Saibari could well be handed one of the wing roles on his potential arrival at Elland Road, as Leeds perhaps puts their money where their mouth is to ensure an immediate return to the Championship is pushed to one side.

Leeds have a "wrecking ball" out on loan who can put DCL on borrowed time

Leeds United have an impressive star out on loan who can put Dominic Calvert-Lewin on borrowed time already at Elland Road.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 3, 2025

The Boston Red Sox embark upon the 2025 season with an Opening Day matchup against the Texas Rangers. It's a year loaded with expectations in Boston as the Red Sox look to snap a three-year streak of missing postseason play, the longest such streak for the franchise since missing the playoffs from 2010-2012.

While the organization is aiming for success in the present, it's also a time to be optimistic about the future. The Red Sox have a few highly-touted prospects making their way up the minor leagues, and one managed to break training camp with an Opening Day lineup spot—Kristian Campbell, the seventh-ranked prospect in all of baseball.

On Thursday the team released a video of manager Alex Cora telling Campbell he made the big league roster for the first time. Campbell's reaction was too cool. So cool, in fact, that he had to be asked if he was excited.

"Appreciate it," was all the 22-year-old said after shaking Cora's hand following the reveal.

Perhaps it was shock at the realization of a lifelong dream. Or perhaps this is just who Campbell is— an unflappable young man who takes it all in stride.

The Red Sox and their fans should find out sooner rather than later which it is, because Campbell's ability to handle pressure will be on full display when he starts at second base on Opening Day.

Whilst long throws, set pieces and teams centred around physicality are back in fashion, a lot has changed in the Premier League since 1992. It’s now the richest league in the world, featuring some of the best players and managers in world football. It is the ultimate destination. But, how much has the table changed in that time?

FootballBlog has released a full ranking of the Premier League table from its very first season in 1992 up until the beginning of the recent November international break. The table includes deductions issued by the Premier League and has tallied the wins, draws and losses by teams over the last 33 years. A total of 51 teams have featured in the top flight over the last three decades, but only 20 can make the all-time standings.

Premier League table by transfer spend per point 2025/26

The top flight would look very different.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 14, 2025 20 West Bromwich Albion: 490 points

They may be languishing outside the top six in the Championship these days, but there was a time when an away trip to face West Bromwich Albion was a day of frustration for any top side. They sit 20th thanks to the fact that they haven’t returned to the top tier since 2021, but it’s hard to forget just how impressive they were at their best – finishing as high as eighth in the 2012/13 season. And who could forget the form of Romelu Lukaku during his time at the Hawthorns?

19 Bolton Wanderers: 575 points

Ever seen a player so good they named him twice? That was Jay-Jay Okocha. The former Bolton Wanderers star formed the most unlikely partnership with Sam Allardyce during the club’s impressive 11-year stay in the Premier League. Their best finish saw them reach as high as sixth in the 2004/05 season and there still exists the famous video of Allardyce attempting his best dance moves with his star midfielder in 2003.

18 Sunderland: 637 points

Sunderland have been back to where they belong this season and are even on course for their highest-ever Premier League finish. The Black Cats have fought their way back from the depths of League One and may yet get the chance to move up the all-time Premier League table by the time that May arrives. A club built on the memories of stunning Jermain Defoe volleys and Kevin Phillips’ goalscoring heroics could now be about to form their most historic campaign yet.

17 Middlesbrough: 661 points

This time next year, we could be welcoming Middlesbrough back to the Premier League for the first time since 2017. It was then that they welcomed the likes of Alvaro Negredo, only to struggle in front of goal when it wasn’t the forward finding the back of the net. It was the third time that they suffered relegation from the Premier League in their history and everyone around Riverside will be desperate to earn redemption almost a decade later.

16 Crystal Palace: 728 points

Whilst there is a running joke that Crystal Palace always end the season sat in 13th, the all-time table has them 16th and their form over the last year suggests that they could be destined for better things. From mid-table mediocrity, the Eagles have soared to become FA Cup winners, Community Shield winners and a side competing in European football. This is without doubt one of, if not the best Crystal Palace side in the club’s history.

15 Fulham: 804 points

Like Palace, Fulham have often been accused of ending their seasons sat in mid-table, but they won’t mind that. The Cottagers have become an established Premier League side once again under Marco Silva and have caused plenty of upsets on their way. Alas, it’s their time under Roy Hodgson that stands out the most, with the veteran manager taking the West London side all the way to the Europa League final in 2010. 15 years later, no one’s forgotten the stunning comeback victory against Juventus at Craven Cottage.

14 Leeds United: 831 points

Like Sunderland, Leeds United are back where they belong in the Premier League. The Whites are full of top flight history and still have their place on the all-time table after the success that they had in the early Premier League years. Their most successful campaign remains a third-place finish under David O’Leary in 2000 to bring Champions League football to Elland Road, as Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka and Alan Smith all starred.

13 Leicester City: 846 points

It’s still absurd, isn’t it? Leicester City: Premier League champions. It remains the most impressive achievement in English football history, as the Foxes took the fight to the big six and somehow came out on top in the 2015/16 campaign. We’re unlikely to see a repeat anytime soon, if ever. Even after they suffered relegation last season, it’s tough to think about the Premier League without picturing Claudio Ranieri’s title winners.

12 Blackburn Rovers: 970 points

It’s been over a decade since Blackburn Rovers were relegated from the Premier League and they remain one of the biggest sides yet to earn promotion back to the top flight. From winning the title in the 1994/95 campaign, Blackburn were relegated in the 1998/99 season and then once more in 2012. History, however, will tell the story of how Sir Kenny Dalglish, with Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton, took his side to glory in 95.

11 Southampton: 1,100 points

For a while, Southampton couldn’t get much wrong in the Premier League. They thrived under Mauricio Pochettino then hired Ronald Koeman to pick up where he left off. The Saints also quickly became Liverpool’s favourite club, with Sadio Mane, Dejan Lovren, Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Virgil van Dijk all heading to Anfield for impressive fees. Although some will be quick to remember last season’s disaster, Southampton were once one of the best ball-playing teams outside the top six.

Celtic are currently ranked 27th out of 36 teams in the league phase of the Europa League after they lost 3-1 to Danish side FC Midtjylland on Thursday night.

The Hoops endured a dismal opening 45 minutes of football, in which they gave up 15 shots against their goal, and went into the break 3-0 down to their hosts.

It was the first loss suffered by Martin O’Neill during his time as the interim head coach of the Scottish giants, after he won his first two games against Falkirk in the Scottish Premiership and Rangers in the League Cup semi-finals.

On top of it being a disappointing performance and result, Celtic will also be frustrated to have lost Callum Osmand to a hamstring injury late on in the second half.

The teenage centre-forward, who won the penalty that Reo Hatate scored from, pulled up when chasing a ball over the top and is now facing a spell on the sidelines.

As well as being frustrated by Osmand’s injury, O’Neill will surely be frustrated by several of the performances that were on display from some of his players on Thursday night.

Celtic's worst performers against Midtjylland

Of the players who started the Europa League clash in Denmark, it is hard to argue against Anthony Ralston being the pick of the bunch when looking at the biggest underperformers.

The Scotland international was caught out for the first two goals as he was given the run-around by 19-year-old winger Mikel Gogorza, who beat him easily to cross for the opener and to score the second goal.

Ralston, as shown in the clip above, allowed the teenage forward to cut inside in the box to get his shot away with ease, as he was barely able to put any pressure on the shot.

The Scottish full-back was not the only player who struggled, though, as Football FanCast published an article explaining why Callum McGregor, who failed to win a single duel or tackle in midfield, was also among the worst performers.

Johnny Kenny and Benjamin Nygren, as shown in the statistics above, also produced underwhelming performances as the starting centre-forward and attacking midfielder on Thursday night.

They were tasked with providing a threat at the top end of the pitch from the start of the match, but neither of them were able to register a single shot on target or key pass.

However, Nygren produced one goal and one assist and Kenny scored three goals in O’Neill’s first two matches in the dugout at Parkhead, which shows that they can offer far more than they did against the Danish side earlier this week.

Meanwhile, a player who came off the bench in the 3-1 loss in the Europa League may be on borrowed time in Glasgow, as he was even worse than both Nygren and Kenny.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Paulo Bernardo was brought onto the pitch for Arne Engels with 16 minutes left to play and his cameo against Midtjylland did little to suggest that he deserves more minutes on the pitch moving forward.

Why Paulo Bernardo may be on borrowed time at Celtic

The Portugal U21 international only played 74 minutes out of a possible 810 in the nine Scottish Premiership matches that Brendan Rodgers was in charge of at the start of the season, per Sofascore.

This shows that the former Benfica central midfielder did not get too many opportunities to shine under the Northern Irish head coach, which is why his resignation from the club appeared to be a fresh start for Bernardo.

Unfortunately, though, he was an unused substitute in the 4-0 win against Falkirk and was not selected to be part of the matchday squad for the clash with Rangers in the League Cup, before playing 16 minutes off the bench on Thursday night.

Bernardo has been a bit-part player for the Scottish giants this season, as shown by the statistics above, and has played fewer minutes in all competitions than McGregor, Engels, Hatate, Nygren, and Luke McCowan, who have all been preferred ahead of him in the middle of the park, per Transfermarkt.

The Portuguese whiz needed to make the most of his 16 minutes of action to impress on Thursday night, to prove that he deserves more game time, but his performance was even worse than Kenny and Nygren’s.

As you can see in the table above, Bernardo lost the ball five times from seven touches of the ball in his time on the pitch, which is a dismal ratio that will not have pleased O’Neill watching on.

The ex-Benfica man also lost 100% of his five duels for the Hoops, whilst Nygren and Kenny at least won a duel each, as he failed to provide any physicality in midfield.

Bernardo, who was awarded a 4/10 player rating by 67HailHail, struggled in and out of possession in his 16 minutes off the bench, which could leave O’Neill wondering whether to reward him with any minutes against Kilmarnock at Parkhead on Sunday.

The 23-year-old flop, who played 28 matches in the Premiership in the 2024/25 campaign, may be on borrowed time in Glasgow unless he can turn things around and earn himself a regular place in the XI before January.

0 tackles, 0 duels won: Celtic man was just as bad as Ralston v Midtjylland

Celtic’s season reached a new nadir with defeat in Denmark on Thursday night.

By
Robbie Walls

Nov 7, 2025

If it gets to the January transfer window and the midfielder is still a bit-part player who is rarely getting minutes on the pitch, a decision may have to be made on his future at the club.

Newcastle United have a tough run of fixtures to contend with for the rest of November, before the bumper Christmas schedule weighs heavily on the calendar.

Indeed, the up-and-down Magpies have a tricky home clash with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City up next, as Eddie Howe no doubt worries already as to how his porous defence will deal with a free-flowing Erling Haaland.

Then, it’s back-to-back away fixtures at Marseille and Everton in the Champions League and Premier League, with Howe, presumably, under even more intense pressure if he fails to pick up a win or two across this stretch of contests.

Far too many players Howe has relied on over the years have failed to deliver the goods across recent matches, with many of those underperformers also falling into the high earners bracket at St James’ Park.

Assessing Newcastle's current wage bill

Newcastle’s highest earner currently continues to lead by example for the most part in club captain Bruno Guimaraes.

Understandably, during losses on the road against West Ham United and Brentford, the Brazilian wasn’t at his liveliest.

But, the £160k-per-week “talisman” – as he has been recently labelled by Michael Carrick – does still have three goals next to his name this season, when bailing his topsy-turvy side out of some sticky situations, which included this wonderfully taken strike breaking the deadlock against Nottingham Forest last month in a much-needed 2-0 win.

The same adoration isn’t being extended to Joelinton and Anthony Gordon – who both take home a hefty £150k-per-week pay packet – with the pair notably struggling in league action this season. Neither player has scored a single goal or registered an assist from a combined 16 Premier League outings.

Thankfully, Nick Woltemade has lived up to his club-record £69m price tag, and his high £132.5k-per-week wage, on the contrary, with four league goals already next to his name.

There will be some grumbles about Anthony Elanga’s £55m fee and £100k-per-week wage, though, with the ex-Manchester United attacker dubbed a “massive overpay” by analyst Raj Chohan, with the Swede yet to show off his exhilarating best on the wings. He remains goalless so far on Tyneside.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The likes of Elanga and Gordon are not the only players being hounded.

A "legendary" star must be ditched by Newcastle

Elanga will also surely have the benefit of patience on his side, with the 23-year-old only 17 games down for his new employers. In time, the hope will be that the expensive £55m purchase does come good.

Whereas, in the case of Joe Willock, the peak of his Newcastle career looks to be very firmly behind him now, with his drop-off in form on Tyneside a very concerning tale.

Towards the start of his Newcastle playing days, Willock perform the role of a bright spark in front of goal from the midfield ranks expertly, much like Guimaraes now provides Howe and Co.

Staggeringly, he scored in seven straight Premier League matches during his initial loan spell from Arsenal during the 2020/21 season, as Willock lived up to Mikel Arteta’s words of being a “special” talent.

Ex-Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell even went as far as to state that Willock had achieved “legendary stats” at St James’ Park with this unbelievable goalscoring run, further hailing the number 28 as “god-like” to the Tyneside masses.

Games played

133

Goals scored

10

Assists

9

Transfer fee

£25m

Wage per week

£80k-per-week

Willock has, arguably, become a victim of his own successes at Newcastle, with the former Arsenal midfielder only managing to cough up two more goals across 133 games, away from exploding onto the scene with a breakneck eight goals during his first 14 outings.

The Athletic’s Chris Waugh has simply labelled the 26-year-old as a major “disappointment” over the past couple of seasons, with only 100 minutes of Premier League action handed his way this campaign, really bringing into view his lavish £80k-per-week wage.

Wildly, that means summer arrival Malick Thiaw earns less than Willock, despite being an ever-present part of Howe’s defensive unit in the Premier League so far this season, with the German only banking a £70k-per-week salary.

It’s far from the most uplifting story seeing the decline of Willock in real time, but if Howe is to turn around his side’s fortunes right now, he will have to consider shelving the EFL Cup-winning midfielder for good very soon, alongside other previous regulars who have now fallen off the horse.

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Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Manchester United has finally shown glimpses of lift off over the last couple of weeks, with the first-team squad now adapting to the demands of his 3-4-2-1 system.

Ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, his future at Old Trafford was massively up in the air, especially after only being able to register a 15th-place finish in the Premier League last season.

However, he maintained the backing of the board, with such a decision now proving to be the right one, especially if their recent run of form is anything to go by.

The Red Devils remain unbeaten in each of their last five outings, winning three in a row in the process, leading to the 40-year-old claiming the division’s Manager of the Month award.

However, one player who joined the club during the off-season has somewhat struggled to make the desired impact in recent weeks, leading to question marks around his future.

What former Man Utd players have made of Sesko’s start at the club

Benjamin Sesko joined United in a £74m transfer from RB Leipzig, with the fanbase having real expectations on the centre-forward to change their fortunes in the final third.

The Slovenian has already featured in 11 league outings to date, but has only managed to find the net twice, failing to score in any of the last four matches in the Premier League.

Given his lack of goals, questions have been asked about the 22-year-old’s role at Old Trafford, with many former players voicing their concern over his struggles in England.

Former right-back and now pundit, Gary Neville, spoke about Sesko early this month and gave an honest review on the youngster’s start to life at the club.

The 50-year-old stated: “The jury is out. He’s well off it compared to the other summer signings Manchester United made up front, like Cunha and Mbeumo.

“He looks awkward. He had a couple of good opportunities against Forest, but his touch wasn’t quite right. For £80 million, you can say he’s young and settling in, but you still want to see a bit more.”

He wasn’t the only former Red Devils first-team member to speak out on the striker’s lack of form at present, with Peter Schmeichel also questioning the big-money transfer.

The former goalkeeper said: “You spend £70 million-plus on Sesko, when we don’t have the number six we should have, and there’s the goalkeeping position as well.

“Why did we bring someone in that we didn’t need? Because the head of recruitment [Christopher Vivell] comes from Leipzig and he’s got to make a mark.”

However, Wes Brown has jumped to Sesko’s defence in the last couple of weeks, with the Englishman offering a more open-minded view on his early months in Manchester.

He claimed that: “The quality in wide areas is very good now, so this season can be a positive one for Manchester United. I think Sesko has all the attributes to score plenty of goals for Manchester United. He is mobile, good in the air and with his feet, so it all bodes really well for the club.”

If he is to reach the heights many anticipated earlier this summer, he will definitely need time to adapt to the demands of the Premier League, with Amorim needing to show patience in the talisman.

The United star who’s becoming INEOS’ worst signing

Despite Sesko needing time to prove his worth at United, the same can’t be said about numerous other talents who were brought to the club by INEOS in recent years.

Manuel Ugarte was signed for a reported £50m from PSG last summer, but his move to Old Trafford has fallen way below the expectations many had upon his arrival.

The Uruguayan was seen as the perfect ball-winning option at the heart of the side, but he’s struggled to cement his place in the starting eleven under Amorim.

It’s evident that the manager currently doesn’t trust the 24-year-old at present, with the boss currently selecting 33-year-old Casemiro ahead of him in the pecking order.

Given his tally of just two starts in the league throughout 2025/26, it would be a surprise to no one if he was sold in January, with the club needing to recoup as much of their investment as possible.

However, he might not be alone in that aspect, with forward Joshua Zirkzee another player who has struggled with the expectations after his own move 18 months ago.

INEOS forked out a reported £36m for his signature last summer, but the Dutchman has massively struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League.

The 24-year-old featured in 49 matches across all competitions last season, but was only able to register a measly tally of seven goals – an average of one goal every seven games.

This season has been a new low for the Dutchman, with the attacker only making four appearances in the league under Amorim – none of which have been from a starting position.

During those outings, he’s only featured for a combined total of 82 minutes, with the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha ahead of him in the pecking order.

His struggles may be down to his own confusion, with Zirkzee even stating that he sees himself as a 9.5, often liking to drop deeper and affect the player – with the manager’s system just not suiting his playstyle.

Games played

32

Goals & assists

4

Pass accuracy

72%

Shots taken

1.8

Chances created

0.8

Dribble success

38%

Aerials won

29%

Times dispossessed

2.8

His performances have unfortunately fallen way below what many expected last summer, leading to one analyst dubbing him as “terrible” after being hooked before half time against Newcastle United.

Given his lack of impact, there’s no denying that his move to Old Trafford has been a failure, with the board desperately needing to offload him in the upcoming window.

Whilst Sesko has had his own doubters in recent months, Zirkzee is on another level in terms of failures at the club – potentially going down as one of their worst dealings in the last couple of years.

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