Allrounder Beau Webster agreed that he could be squeezed out of Australia’s XI for the first Ashes Test depending on the make-up of the batting line-up, but he feels that he can contribute in the series if given the opportunity.Webster’s role in the Australia side has been a topic of discussion despite being one of the most reliable performers over the past seven Test matches. Webster had played as the sole allrounder in the XI across all of those matches since replacing Mitchell Marsh in January.But Cameron Green’s return to bowling, after playing as a batter only at No. 3 in the last four Tests, as well as Marnus Labuschagne’s return to form and questions around the need to pick another specialist opener, have created uncertainty about the make-up of the top six for Perth.Related

• Weatherald falls for 0, Webster claims a wicket on return

• Marsh has a route to the Ashes; Khawaja backs Renshaw

• What does Pat Cummins' absence mean for Australia?

• Australia's top order: What are the selectors' options?

George Bailey, the chair of selectors, guaranteed Webster would be in the squad for the first Test, saying “everyone can relax.” But there is a way Webster could be squeezed out of the XI if the selectors opted to reinstate Labuschagne at No. 3, either retain Sam Konstas or pick another opener in his place to partner Usman Khawaja, and move Green back to No.6, given he is expected to be fit to bowl again despite a slight setback in his workload progression.Webster had missed the first two Sheffield Shield games of the summer due to an ankle injury, which only added to the speculation. Speaking after day one of his return for Tasmania against Victoria at Junction Oval, where he took 1 for 26 with the ball from 12 overs, Webster hoped that “I’ll be thereabouts”.”We’ve obviously got a potential hole around the top of the order there, and see who fills that,” Webster said. “If they see me as a pure middle-order [batter], then I’m probably going to get squeezed out. That is what it is. I hope I’m still in the conversation, certainly as a batter only, and if not, if it’s just the makeup of the team I’ll plug the way back in first-class cricket. There’s a there’s a lot of Test cricket coming up in the next two years. I hope I’ll be thereabouts.”Webster, 31, has done very little wrong in his first seven Tests. He has four half-centuries from 12 innings, averaging 34.63, which does not do him justice given the difficulty of the surfaces he has played on. He also has eight wickets at 23.25 with the ball, striking at 45.1, and has taken 12 catches in the field, where he has been a huge asset, especially in the slips cordon.Beau Webster has done little wrong since his Test debut•AFP/Getty Images

He said it was nice to hear Bailey guarantee his spot in the Perth squad, but he had not been given the same guarantee about being in the XI.”That depends who you ask,” Webster said. “I’d obviously love to be in the XI. I think I’ve got a lot to contribute there, and especially this Ashes series, I feel like I’m playing the best cricket of my life at the moment. So I certainly want to be there. Sometimes it’s the make-up of the team and the balance and the overs and who bats where. It feels like this series has probably got more questions over that than any before.”Webster admitted he felt some rust on return for Tasmania. He took the new ball to front end his overs having come into the game on a 16-over limit from Cricket Australia’s [CA] medical staff. He used 12 of those on day one in four spells. He picked up the wicket of former Test opener Marcus Harris with a delivery that pitched back of a length outside leg and nipped sharply across the left-hander to scratch the outside edge. Webster later took a sharp catch at slip but dropped one he would normally take.”If I could sum my day up today, a few no-balls and a drop catch at first slip, it probably felt like I was five or 10% off what I usually am,” Webster said. “I mean, that comes when you have probably three weeks of not playing. I felt like I was probably just slightly off it. But to get out there today and bowling 12 overs and get some more time in the slips is always beneficial.”Webster said the time off was helpful to freshen up mentally and also to do some strength work in the gym, having played nearly a full winter with Australia and Warwickshire in the county championship.”I think there’s some benefits, no doubt,” Webster said. “I think looking back, I did play a lot of cricket in England, and that’s by choice. I play my best cricket when I’m constantly playing. To have a three-week gap there, it was nice to get back in the gym and do some running and probably freshen the body up physically, ready to go for a big summer.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers have now held exit talks over another key player as well as Joao Gomes, who has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester United.

Wolves could be set to lose Joao Gomes in January

Gomes has recently emerged as a transfer target for United, with Ruben Amorim’s side keen to bring in the Portuguese midfielder this winter, and a €50m (£44m) fee has been touted.

It would certainly be a risk for the Old Gold to sell one of their key players, considering their Premier League status is already under major threat, having taken just two points from their opening 12 matches.

However, given that the central midfielder’s value will decrease if Rob Edwards’ side are unable to avoid the drop, it could make sense to cash-in and re-invest the money into other areas of the squad.

Gomes is not the only Wolves player who could be moving on in January either, as revealed by the Tenias Que Haber Tirado podcast on X, who state that Celta Vigo are now “considering the return” of former player Fer Lopez, who only arrived at Molineux in June.

The La Liga club have held talks over a loan move in the upcoming transfer window, which could make sense for all parties, given that Lopez hasn’t exactly made a flying start to life in the Premier League…

"Incredible" Lopez yet to prove himself in England

Wolves would’ve had high hopes after signing the attacking midfielder in the summer, considering the rave reviews from former coach Paul Grainger, who said: “I have seen some of the best players in the world play football. I have never seen a footballer like him. He was literally incredible. From the first day, I knew he was going to be a superstar.”

However, the 21-year-old is yet to reach those lofty heights, having started just one Premier League game this season, which was the 3-1 home defeat against Leeds United, and the youngster hasn’t received any minutes since the 2-0 defeat against Sunderland last month.

Wolves star says 'yes' to joining Manchester United, INEOS working on deal

What a great signing he would be.

ByHenry Jackson Nov 25, 2025

In fairness, the Spaniard was one of very few players who impressed against Leeds, setting up the Wanderers’ only goal in style, and he is still young and adapting to life in the Premier League, so it would be way too early to sanction a permanent move.

However, if Lopez isn’t a part of Edwards’ plans, there is little reason to keep him around, and a loan move could make sense for all parties in the January transfer window.

Glasgow Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell has been questioned by some supporters for the work that was done during the summer transfer, with signings and the appointment of Russell Martin.

It is hard to describe the former Southampton manager’s tenure at Ibrox as anything other than disastrous after he won five matches in all competitions before being sacked last month.

The ex-Rangers centre-back did not have much joy in the dugout during his second stint at the club, as a manager rather than as a player, with 24 goals conceded in 17 matches.

On top of the clearly poor decision to bring Martin to Ibrox, Thelwell’s signings during the summer transfer window have come under some scrutiny, after the new owners provided him with plenty of money to spend.

The appointment of Martin and the work done in the summer window led to a start of one win in the first eight matches of the Scottish Premiership season for the Light Blues, which has put them on the back foot in the title race.

Danny Rohl has come in and won all four of his Premiership games in charge, to his credit, but there are still several summer signings who are yet to prove their worth.

Picking out the worst summer signings for Rangers

It would be hard to look past the most expensive signing of the summer when talking about the worst signings, as Youssef Chermiti was signed for £8m from Everton. That is the most money Rangers have paid for a player since they paid £12m to sign Tore Andre Flo in 2000.

Since that mega-money move to Ibrox, the Portugal U21 international has scored one goal in 13 appearances in all competitions for the Light Blues this season, and that goal came via some rather questionable goalkeeping, as shown in the clip below.

Chermiti is not the only centre-forward signing who has struggled this season, though, as Rangers signed Bojan Miovski for a fee of up to £4.2m and he has delivered two goals in 16 outings in all competitions, per Sofascore.

Further back on the pitch, central midfielder Joe Rothwell has been a disappointment since his permanent move from Bournemouth. The 30-year-old talent was brought in to offer experience and quality in the middle of the park, but he has failed to make a positive impact.

Tackles

7

Bottom 27%

Interceptions

8

Top 29%

Duels won

16

Bottom 26%

Duel success rate

47%

Bottom 39%

Aerial duels won

4

Bottom 25%

Possession won in the final third

1

Bottom 19%

Ball recoveries

22

Bottom 36%

As you can see in the table above, the English flop ranks poorly among his positional peers in the Premiership in a host of key defensive metrics, whilst playing as a number six for the Light Blues.

Thelo Aasgaard, who was signed from Luton Town, is another summer signing who has failed to deliver, with one goal and one assist in 19 appearances in all competitions, per Sofascore, which shows that the attacking midfielder has been ineffective at the top end of the pitch.

Chalkboard

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

Whilst there are understandable question marks over all of the summer signings mentioned so far, there is a player signed by Thelwell who impressed against Livingston, and may be on his way to becoming the new Calvin Bassey at Ibrox.

After signing from Leicester in 2020, the Nigeria international only played eight Premiership games in his first season. In the 2021/22 campaign, the versatile defender featured in just three of the first nine league games under Steven Gerrard, per Transfermarkt.

The left-footed star then became a regular in the side when Giovanni van Bronckhorst took over in October and went on to play 50 games in all competitions before sealing a £19.6m move to Ajax in the summer of 2021.

Now, central defender Emmanuel Fernandez could follow a similar path to success at Ibrox after he produced an impressive display against Livingston on Saturday.

Why Emmanuel Fernandez may be the next Calvin Bassey for Rangers

As was the case with Bassey under Gerrard, the summer signing from Peterborough rarely got an opportunity to showcase what he could do on the pitch during Martin’s time at the club.

Per Transfermarkt, Fernandez featured in one of Martin’s seven league matches in charge of the Light Blues and was an unused substitute in all six of the Champions League qualifiers.

The 24-year-old centre-back only started in a 1-1 draw with St Mirren in the Premiership and a 4-2 win over Alloa Athletic in the League Cup, scoring his first goal for the club in the latter appearance.

Fernandez finally got his first start in the league of the Rohl era against Livingston on Saturday and did not disappoint. On top of scoring the opening goal in the match, making it two goals in three starts for the club, he won eight of his 13 duels and was not dribbled past a single time, per Sofascore.

After the win over Livingston, one Rangers podcaster described him as a “massive” player who “makes a difference” at both ends of the pitch because of his imposing physique.

Tackles made

0.99

Bottom 26%

Duels won

10.44

Top 1%

Duel success rate

72.4%

Top 5%

Aerial duels won

6.96

Top 1%

Aerial duel success rate

87.5%

Top 1%

Interceptions

2.49

Top 5%

Shots blocked

0.99

Top 31%

As you can see in the table above, Fernandez is one of the most dominant and impressive central defenders in the Premiership if you compare his two starts in the league to his positional peers on a per 90 basis.

These statistics suggest that the English defender deserves more chances to start and showcase his quality, which he may well get with John Souttar and Derek Cornelius both missing through injury at the moment.

If he continues to start and produce the level of performance that he has in his first two outings in the division, Fernandez could go on to be a defensive monster for Rohl and anchor the team for the foreseeable future.

Like Bassey, Rangers may look back in the future and wonder why he did not play more regularly earlier in the season, because the towering star looks like he has been a hidden gem at Ibrox.

Fewer touches than Butland: Rohl must bin "missing" Rangers flop after Livi

Rangers did claim another league win over Livingston on Saturday, but one player went “missing” at Ibrox, registering fewer touches than Jack Butland.

Nov 23, 2025

West Ham have emerged as favourites to sign a highly-rated striker in January as manager Nuno Espírito Santo scours the market for more firepower.

West Ham begin striker search ahead of January

The east Londoners, according to widespread reports, are intensifying their search for attacking reinforcements ahead of the winter transfer window, with Niclas Fullkrug’s impending departure forcing Nuno to prioritize forward additions during the crucial mid-season period.

The German international has made his intentions clear, informing the club he wishes to leave when the window reopens in a bid to revive his career, not to mention boost his chances of making Germany’s 2026 World Cup squad.

Fullkrug’s disastrous spell at the London Stadium has yielded zero goals this season across seven appearances, with persistent injury problems severely limiting his availability ever since his £27 million move from Borussia Dortmund last year.

In terms of the 32-year-old’s possible replacements, a few intriguing targets have been mooted already.

AC Milan striker Santiago Gimenez has emerged as a reported target for West Ham, with Nuno learning the Mexican international would cost approximately £30 million.

Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee represents another option being explored by the Hammers. The Dutchman has reportedly grown frustrated with his limited playing time under Ruben Amorim, and is seeking regular minutes to maintain his own international prospects ahead of the World Cup.

West Ham 'sound out' £30m striker with Fullkrug 'determined' to leave in January

The Irons are making plans to replace him.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 6, 2025

Real Madrid youngster Endrick has also been mentioned as a possible loan target, but the Brazilian now looks set to join Lyon instead.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham

Meanwhile, former Brentford striker Ivan Toney could be tempted to return to England from Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli on a temporary basis, with West Ham said to be in the mix for his signature.

They’ve also been linked with Juventus’ Jonathan David, FC Midtjylland forward Franculino Dju and even former Tottenham striker Troy Parrott recently, as chairman David Sullivan casts his net far and wide in pursuit of solutions.

West Ham now in pole position to sign Promise David

Now, as per TEAMtalk, West Ham are emerging in pole position to sign Union Saint-Gilloise forward Promise David after already making contact.

USG are apparently ready to entertain offers of around £17.5 million for the Canadian international, and West Ham are fully aware of this.

The towering 24-year-old has captured attention following his impressive performances in Belgium, where he netted 24 goals in his debut campaign last season to help USG end a remarkable 90-year wait for a Jupiler Pro League title.

Standing at 6 ft 4, David offers the physical presence and aerial threat that West Ham desperately require up front, with Nuno potentially targeting his own version of Chris Wood in east London.

Nuno helped to transform the colossal Wood into a clinical marksman at Nottingham Forest, and while that is an obvious comparison to make with David, there are gaping similarities.

However, West Ham face competition from fellow relegation battlers Leeds and Wolves, who both recognize David’s potential value as well.

The striker’s Champions League experience adds further appeal, having recently scored a winner against Galatasaray to announce himself on Europe’s biggest stage — ending the Turkish champions’ 33-game unbeaten run in the process.

For just under £18m, he could be a fine candidate to strengthen West Ham’s forward line, especially considering how teammates have described him as “the monster”.

The Detroit Tigers' special season continued on Tuesday night as they walked off the Houston Astros in the bottom of the 10th inning. It was the team's fourth shutout victory in their last seven games and preserved the best record in the American League.

Gleyber Torres was interviewed by the local broadcast after picking up the game's only RBI by working a walk, which provided Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson the opportunity to perform some on-air funny business. But having fun isn't easy and anyone who thinks that players simply grab the nearest pre-made Gatorade cooler to dump on their teammate and whichever media member is conducting the interview might be interested to know that it actually isn't quite so easy.

Check out Greene and Torkelson rolling up their sleeves and getting to work to ready the bucket.

There has to be a more efficient way to do this. Never in my wildest dreams would I think the two biggest stars on a team are directly responsible for unscrewing a bunch of bottle tops and working together to achieve a perfect liquid hue. They're in the major leagues! There can't be a pre-made prop cooler at the ready for walk-offs?

Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez is set to miss more time this season with a "significant" left ankle sprain, Houston manager Joe Espada said on Tuesday.

Espada said Alvarez will be "out for a while," so a long-term plan hasn't been decided on yet. There is a chance he could return this season, which ends on Sunday, Sept. 28. The Astros currently sit in the last AL wild-card spot, so Alvarez could be needed for the postseason, too.

“Let’s not get into days or weeks or anything like that,” Espada said, via . “We are going to take one day at a time, but this is going to take some time to heal. We don’t have that many days left in the regular season. He’s in there getting some treatment, getting some work done. Hopefully he’s not out for a long period of time.”

Alvarez suffered the injury during Monday night's game vs. the Rangers. Alvarez was sprinting from third base and opted against sliding into home. He touched home plate with his left foot and appeared to roll his ankle after scoring. Alvarez could barely walk off the field under his own power, and was removed from the game as a result of the injury.

The three-time All-Star just returned to the majors on Aug. 26 after being out since May 2 while he dealt with a small fracture in his hand.

Through 48 games this season, Alvarez has averaged .273/.367/.430 with 45 hits, 17 runs, 27 RBIs and six home runs.

MatériaMais Notícias

A torcida do São Paulo ficou na bronca com Galoppo durante a partida contra o Barcelona, pela quinta rodada da fase de grupos da Libertadores.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasSão PauloSão Paulo decepciona e apenas empata com o Barcelona-EQU na LibertadoresSão Paulo16/05/2024GrêmioGrêmio retoma atividades em São Paulo após viagem de barco e deslocamento na madrugadaGrêmio16/05/2024São PauloEntenda como Zubeldía ganhou o elenco do São Paulo fazendo o oposto de Carpini São Paulo16/05/2024

➡️ Vai dar Brasil? Aposte no Lance! Betting e fature com a Copa América

Zubeldía decidiu preservar Bobadilla, autor do primeiro gol do São Paulo contra o Fluminense, e escalou Galoppo como segundo volante na Libertadores. O meia argentino teve chance de abrir o placar no segundo tempo, mas cabeceou nas mãos do goleiro.

➡️ Siga o Lance! São Paulo no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Tricolor

Diante do Barcelona-EQU, Galoppo completou 50 jogos pelo São Paulo. O Tricolor pagou cerca de R$ 22 milhões ao Banfield, e o argentino soma um gol e duas assistências pelo clube.

continua após a publicidade

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
SÃO PAULO X BARCELONA-EQU
LIBERTADORES – 5ª RODADA – FASE DE GRUPOS

🗓️Data e horário:quinta-feira, 16 de maio de 2024, às 21h (de Brasília)
📍Local:Morumbis, em São Paulo (SP)
Gols: ESPN e Star+
🟨Árbitro:Kevin Ortega
🚩Assistentes:Stephen Atoche e Jesús Sánchez

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários de todos os jogos do Brasileirão

⚽ ESCALAÇÕES

SÃO PAULO (Técnico: Luis Zubeldía)
Rafael; Igor Vinicius, Arboleda, Alan Franco e Welington; Alisson, Galoppo e Michel Araújo; Ferreirinha, Luciano e André Silva.

continua após a publicidade

BARCELONA-EQU (Técnico: Ariel Holan)
Javier Burrai; Alex Rangel, Nicolás Ramírez, Luca Sosa e Anibal Chalá; Leonai, Gaibor e Damián Díaz; Joao Rojas, Preciado e Corozo.

Tudo sobre

LibertadoresSão PauloStar +STARPLUS

Bowlers like Tharindu could redefine their craft, while batters like Shanto could carve new Test legacies. But how many opportunities will they get?

Andrew Fidel Fernando17-Jun-2025It was just as the freshest cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 was approaching its fourth hour that the freshest Test cricketer on the planet pivoted at the top of his mark, and did something a little bit special.In his first 95 deliveries in Test cricket, Tharindu Rathnayake had been a right-arm offspinner. But like a magician who plunges himself into the hat and pulls out a different version of his own self, Tharindu chose this moment to pretty much instantaneously yank out his slow left-arm avatar. The field barely had to move. Tharindu bowled a tidy enough first ball of left-arm spin. It got cut away behind square for a single.In that first fascinating moment of Tharindu’s ambidexterity, this team felt emphatically and inescapably Sri Lankan. It felt like Tharindu was the latest entry into a proud tradition of bowling rebellion. This is a tradition that brought cricket delights such as wrist-spin offbreaks (Muthiah Muralidaran), down-swinging round-arm yorkers (Lasith Malinga), and the carrom ball (Ajantha Mendis and Rangana Herath).Related

• Shanto, Mushfiqur hundreds headline Bangladesh's day of dominance

• 'These are not easy runs' – Mushfiqur reflects on 'special' century

In fact, so steeped is Sri Lanka in bowling weirdness that Tharindu is only the second ambidextrous spinner in this team, Kamindu Mendis also having bowled in Test cricket with both arms. Which means that the XI has as many dual-arm spinners as it does spinners that bowl with only the boring single arm.If Tharindu – for whom bowling is the primary suit – and Kamindu have long careers together, there is the chance that between them, they can open up entirely new sections of bowling analysis. We may suddenly find ourselves asking questions never seriously asked in cricket.Which arm does he get more wickets with? Which arm does he bowl quicker with, and does this correlate to him being more economical? If it’s established that he is a better offspinner, does he get more right-hander wickets with that style, or is the ball turning away always going to be more threatening to right-handers? If he bowls nine offbreak overs consecutively, does he tend to gain a competitive advantage in switching to his less-tired left arm? And on pitches that have footmarks to work with, this guy will probably be unstoppable, right? The lines of attack available… wow!Test cricket’s great strength is that it offers the broadest canvas of maybe any sport in existence. What shapes will come out of Tharindu’s unusually broad brush?And while Sri Lanka are still attempting to regenerate their spin-bowling, Bangladesh were attempting something similar, but on the batting front. There is an ongoing exodus. Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mahmudullah are out already. Only Mushfiqur Rahim remains of the first generation of Bangladesh greats. Where are the consistent big runs going to come from?Mushfiqur Rahim and Najmul Hossain Shanto carved a stand to remember•Getty ImagesOn day one of the first Test in Galle, Bangladesh seemed to have done the better job of replacing their greats, with Najmul Hossain Shanto joining Mushfiqur on a trip to triple-figures, at the same venue Mushfiqur hit Bangladesh’s first ever double-hundred in 2013.But while Sri Lanka and Bangladesh’s Test cricketers are trying to expand the game in their little ways, the environment in which they operate is rapidly shrinking. After this series ends, Sri Lanka have no Test scheduled until May 2026, which is partly why both Angelo Mathews and Dimuth Karunaratne quit this year.Bangladesh also have only 12 Tests (the minimum amount) in their two-year WTC cycle, though they also have non-WTC Tests scheduled against Ireland and Zimbabwe. South Africa, the champion Test side as of Saturday,have only 14 Tests on the ledger, while West Indies have 14 too. It increasingly feels like a coup for these teams to average merely seven Tests per year.The argument is not that Test cricket is dying. In some places, it is in more spectacular health than it has ever been. In both Australia and England in this decade, the Ashes series have smashed viewership records. Just in the last week, the ECB CEO said that ” in terms of commercial importance”, Test series against India were worth as much as The Ashes.After winning the IPL with his beloved Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Virat Kohli insisted that although that victory was sweet, it ranked “five levels below Test cricket”. But then what qualifies as real Test cricket is also in contention. Kohli, for example, played 47% of his Tests against either Australia or England, but never faced Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, or Ireland.Sri Lanka have no Test scheduled until May 2026, which is partly why Angelo Mathews chose to retire•AFP/Getty ImagesEssentially, Test cricket has chosen to build high, rather than wide. There is sufficient money in cricket that it could choose to divert to Tests in nations outside the Big Three, but there is less will. The WTC could require every team to play 16 Tests in the cycle to qualify. The ICC could finally put that ‘Test cricket fund’ into place, whereby the Big Three pay to support Tests elsewhere in the Full Member world. Instead, cricket has arrived at a situation in which England play 60% more Tests than most other nations.While some suggest that playing more Tests is a WTC disadvantage, players from teams who play fewer Tests point out that their opportunities to develop Test skills are scarcer. Even if teams that played fewer Tests had an advantage – and there is no serious evidence they do – they gain so little from winning. South Africa’s men do not have a home Test scheduled for the next 15 months.Increasingly, it has begun to feel as if places such as Galle are Test cricket’s hinterlands. Does what happens here matter, especially when no Big Three team is on the field? If commercial value is to increasingly become cricket’s supreme good, where does that leave Tests like this one? And is the size of your home cricketing economy the greatest predictor of opportunities available to you?Bowlers such as Tharindu could potentially redefine their craft, while batters such as Shanto could carve new Bangladesh Test legacies. But they may never get the chance to. To what extent does cricket really care? As the sport continues to centralise power, these are the margins at risk of being trimmed.

Over the last couple of seasons, Manchester United have failed to deliver in the Premier League, as seen by the embarrassing 15th-placed finish last time around.

From poor recruitment to managerial mistakes, there have been countless reasons as to why the Red Devils have found themselves in such a position of late.

However, after spending a year at the helm at Old Trafford, Ruben Amorim will still believe he is the man to take the club back to their former glory in the seasons ahead.

There have been glimpses of quality during the early months of the 2025/26 campaign, but the 40-year-old desperately needs to sustain such success on a consistent basis.

Numerous of his first-team players have certainly gone under the radar over recent weeks, with many not quite getting the credit they deserve for their showings in England’s top-flight.

Man Utd’s most underrated players in 2025/26 so far

Amorim’s renowned 3-4-2-1 system has allowed numerous players at United to reignite their Red Devils career, but none more so than winger Amad Diallo.

The Ivorian was often an impact player under the last management team, but he’s featured in all but one league outing under Amorim so far this campaign.

He’s already registered three combined goals and assists, with his only goal coming in the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest – but it was certainly a strike to remember.

Underlying stats such as three big chances created and 1.3 successful dribbles per 90 – both the most in the squad – highlight his incredible ability on the transition for the Red Devils.

He’s not the only first-team member who hasn’t received enough praise, with Brazilian midfielder Casemiro resurrecting his career at Old Trafford over the last few months.

Many would have expected the 33-year-old to depart last summer, but he’s once again become a regular starter and has matched Amad for total appearances this season.

He’s already posted four goal contributions – the third highest in the squad – often popping up with the goods when needed in the final third of the pitch.

However, he’s been just as impressive defensively, making 2.9 tackles and winning 6.5 duels per 90 – handing Amorim the disruptive force he’s been craving at the heart of the side.

The United star who’s showing shades of McTominay

Casemiro will no doubt have benefited from the departure of Scott McTominay last summer, with the Scotsman’s move to Napoli freeing a role for him as a starter once again.

The 28-year-old spent a huge chunk of his professional career on the books at United, allowing him to rack up a total of over 250 senior appearances for his boyhood club.

He was at the heart of numerous memorable moments during his first team spell at the Theatre of Dreams, with the highlight undoubtedly being his long-range goal in the Manchester Derby.

However, despite producing such impressive performances, he often didn’t get the credit he deserved from the supporters, which no doubt aided his move to Italy.

In the last 18 months in Serie A, McTominay has registered 14 goals and six assists, leading to a Ballon d’Or nomination – an unthinkable feat given his inconsistency at United.

However, the club do have another hugely underrated player on their books at present, with centre-back Matthijs de Ligt finally starting to show why the hierarchy paid £43m for his signature in 2024.

The Dutchman was seen as the solution to the club’s defensive woes, but endured a tricky debut campaign – one that was no doubt a culture shock to the 26-year-old.

The same can’t be said in 2025/26, with the defender undoubtedly being one of the club’s shining lights over the last couple of months in the Premier League.

He’s featured in every single minute of the Red Devils’ league campaign to date, allowing him to produce some simply mind-boggling numbers in the process.

De Ligt, who’s been dubbed a “warrior” by Dev Bajwa, has made 1.6 tackles and won 5.6 duels per 90 – backing up Casemiro and providing another line of solidarity.

He’s also won 63% of his aerial battles to date, at an average of 3.3 per 90 – handing Amorim that dominant presence which he’s craved since taking the reins.

Games played

12

Goals scored

1

Pass accuracy

88%

Interceptions made

1.3

Aerials won

3.3

Aerial success rate

63%

Tackles won

1.6

Duels won

5.6

Other numbers, such as 88%of passes completed and 1.3 interceptions made per 90, further showcase his all-round quality, leading to Bajwa even claiming he’s the club’s “most underrated player”.

Many of the aforementioned numbers are similar to those of McTominay, who has also dominated aerially in Serie A this season, as seen by his tally of four headed goals already this season.

Both also possess the leadership qualities to lead a side forward, with both players no doubt wanting to achieve added success at their various clubs in 2025/26.

There’s no denying the defensive unit at Old Trafford has massively improved compared to last season, with De Ligt’s upturn in form certainly contributing to their success.

However, he hasn’t yet received as much praise as he deserves for his efforts, with the Dutchman likely to play a key role in any success under Amorim come the end of the campaign.

Anderson upgrade: INEOS plan £105m bid to sign "world-class" CM for Man Utd

Manchester United appear to have another midfielder on their radar instead of Elliot Anderson.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 27, 2025

Coach Andrew McDonald said the captain has had a ‘positive week’ but conceded time was running short for Perth

Alex Malcolm10-Oct-20251:14

Mitchell Starc: Smith ‘has been a great sounding board’ for Cummins

A decision on Pat Cummins’ availability for the first Ashes Test is set to be made next Friday with Australia coach Andrew McDonald admitting his captain is running out of time to be fit for Perth but there remains confidence that Cummins will play some part in the series.Cummins had a scan earlier this week on the lumbar bone stress in his lower back and McDonald confirmed on Friday that the injury had improved.But Cummins is still yet to bowl with just six weeks to go before the first Test begins in Perth on November 21 which has led to doubts over his availability.Related

• Boland: 'I've got my own internal motivations'

• Green ruled out of ODI series against India with side soreness, Labuschagne called up

• Cummins says he's 'less likely than likely' to play in the first Ashes Test

• Brook: Cummins' Ashes doubts 'play into England's hands'

• Ashes tracker: Labuschagne shines as Konstas stumbles

McDonald said the latest scan had allowed Cummins and the medical staff to add some different elements to his training that has been restricted to lower leg strength work only over the past month. He added that a decision would be made late next week as to whether he can progress to bowling with an eye to playing in the first Test but admitted the timeline was getting very tight.”We still aren’t further advanced on whether he’ll play the first Test,” McDonald told reporters on Friday. “We are definitely running out of time around that. He’s added some variables into his training. I think by this time next week, we’ll be in a position where we’re better informed to make a judgment around what that first Test match looks like.”He’s had a positive week, and so we’ll just wait for that information to come in. Anyone that knows the nature of those injuries, you do add the variables in and it’s about how you recover from adding the variables into your training. It’s not as quick as everyone thinks it is. We look forward to a positive outcome next Friday and then making some decisions around what it looks like for the first Test match.”Even if Cummins was ruled out of the first Test, McDonald was reasonably confident he could play a part in the Ashes series.”I haven’t really delved into what it looks like without him for five Test matches because the information and the week that he’s had would suggest he’s going to play some part as it sits right now,” McDonald said.”Can that change with new information when we start to add some more variables into his training? Could that go backwards? There is a possibility of that. And for those who have had lumbar bone stress, they would understand that it’s a journey to add those variables in, how you pull up, recover, and that can ebb and flow a little bit across the rehab. So we’ll just see how it plays out. At this stage there’s no thinking that he will be ruled out for the whole series.”McDonald believes it is possible for Cummins to be ready for the first Test in Perth off a preparation of less than six weeks of bowling. But he said Cummins, the selectors and the medical staff would have to weigh up the risk and reward of rushing him back.”The biggest variable that we need to add in is bowling and if you looked at a reasonable time frame for Patty to get ready, we feel as though he can do a shortened preparation, unlike other bowlers that probably need a longer prep,” McDonald said.”But even if we were to shrink that prep down, we’d start to take on some risk around soft tissue [injuries], some skill readiness as well, making sure he’s prepared to do the job there and then is it advantageous for us to get him up and running in a series even if he’s a little bit underdone and grow throughout the series as well.”Pat Cummins has not bowled since the Caribbean tour in July•AFP/Getty Images

If Cummins were to be ruled out, McDonald was confident the team could cover his absence across all aspects of the game. Cummins’ bowling will be sorely missed but Scott Boland was already pushing for a first choice spot in the XI and has an incredible Test record in Australia where he averages 12.63.If another injury were to happen to one of Australia’s quicks then the likes of Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser and Sean Abbott will come into consideration.Doggett is set to be ruled out of a second straight Sheffield Shield game for South Australia with a minor hamstring issue but it is understood to be a conservative decision and that he will be fully fit for the third round that starts on October 28. Neser bowled well in Queensland’s first Shield match against Tasmania while Abbott is set to play his first four-day game of the season for New South Wales against Victoria next week after being left out of the ODI squad to face India. He has been named in the T20I squad which will rule him out of the third Shield round at least.Cummins’ calm leadership in what looms as a frenzied Ashes would also be missed if he were to be ruled out at any stage but McDonald believes Steven Smith, who is an outstanding tactician, would step in seamlessly if needed.”It’s highly likely that Steve would be that the person that we turn to,” McDonald said. “George Bailey would have to tick that one off. Steve’s incredibly experienced. He’s done a good job as recently as Sri Lanka, when Pat wasn’t on that tour. So that’s the person that we’ve turned to. I don’t see that changing.”Cummins batting contributions in recent years at No.8 have also been vital, particularly in pressure moments having won Australia two Test matches at Edgbaston and Christchurch in nail-biting run chases.McDonald was confident Mitchell Starc could step back up to No. 8 after a impressive performance in the World Test Championship final in June while he cited Boland and Nathan Lyon’s crucial tenth-wicket partnership against India at the MCG last summer as a sign of their ability. Josh Hazlewood has also had large 10th wicket stands in Test matches with Cameron Green and Starc over the last the last two years.