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Enzo Maresca returned silverware to Stamford Bridge last season, two loads of it. Chelsea also finished fourth in the Premier League to unlock the doorway into the Champions League.

It’s been an up-and-down start to the 2025/26 campaign, but there’s little sense that Chelsea have been hit with a case of second-season syndrome, instead finding their footing after a summer of change.

There is enough on show for the fans to remain confident in the project. Before the international break, the Londoners beat Liverpool, and it was Estevao Willian who wheeled away in celebration after that last-gasp strike against the champions, Chelsea making their pressure and optimism count and keeping pace on the fringes of the early title pack.

However, if the Maresca era is to reach new heights, the Blues will need a ready-made superstar to lead the way toward glory. Someone, perhaps, in the vein of Eden Hazard.

Hazard's Chelsea legacy

Hazard is one of the greatest players to ever grace the Premier League. He might have retired relatively early, but the Belgian maverick gave everything across seven seasons for Chelsea, and his record-breaking departure to Real Madrid in 2019 led Joe Cole to hail him as “the greatest player the club has ever had.”

The 34-year-old played 352 matches for Chelsea, scoring 110 goals and supplying 88 assists. No player in Premier League history has completed more take-ons in a single campaign than him (180), as per Squawka.

Quite simply, his dribbling and directness left nothing to be desired; what more could be demanded from one of the greatest to do it?

The two-time league champion also won two Europa League titles among further domestic honours. Four times he was named Chelsea’s Player of the Year, and he was crowned the Premier League Player of the Season in 2014/15 after guiding his side to the trophy.

In some ways, Estevao may be a new incarnation of the fleet-footed winger, but Hazard was a talisman who transcended his positional role, and there’s another within Maresca’s squad who is shaping up to be the next version.

Chelsea's new version of Eden Hazard

While Estevao has the world at his feet, it’s important not to overburden the 18-year-old. That said, Cole Palmer is already settled into his talismanic berth at Stamford Bridge, and he has the quality and experience to lift Chelsea to new heights and emulate Hazard.

Palmer, 23, joined the Blues from Manchester City just over two years ago, penning a long-term contract off the back of a £42.5m fee.

Ice-cold from the start, the England international’s maiden campaign in the capital was the stuff of legend, fast-tracking himself to the overhanging posters across the Premier League advertising boards. He was, in other words, instantly among the most talented and marketable players in the country.

Given that Palmer is still so young, hailed by Sky Sports’ Nick Wright as being ‘Chelsea’s new leader’, the rangy playmaker might not have Hazard’s same blistering speed, but he’s got the skills and potency in the final third to guide Chelsea toward heights more illustrious than have been reached already under Maresca’s wing.

Indeed, it’s curious to note that Palmer has actually outperformed Hazard across his opening two terms at the outfit, when comparing the superstars’ respective starts to life in London.

Maybe this underscores just how impressive a start to life at Chelsea Palmer has made. There was a reason that Jamie Carragher described the Three Lions star as “the best player in the Premier League” one year ago, after all.

Having struggled with injury across the opening months of the new campaign, Palmer has only featured four times across all competitions, with two goals scored. Despite his limited showing thus far, Palmer has been praised by Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp for a “world-class” performance against Bayern Munich in September.

But he’s a hero for the club, alright, and could leave a legacy that ends up rivalling and maybe even surpassing that of Hazard.

Chelsea's "young Hudson-Odoi" is now on borrowed time because of Estevao

Estevao’s stunning ascent at Chelsea could now mean this other exciting starlet is on borrowed time at Stamford Bridge.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 15, 2025

Lionel Messi and Thomas Müller strolled into the final, but the semifinals still left us plenty to unpack – including fresh questions about Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano’s future in San Diego.

And just like that, the stage is set. The Vancouver Whitecaps and Inter Miami will play for the MLS Cup on Saturday afternoon. That’s a tasty one: Lionel Messi on one side, Thomas Müller on the other, two legends anchoring two genuinely strong teams gearing up for a proper final.

But what about the games that got them here? MLS delivered two highly watchable – if not particularly close – semis over the weekend. Miami battered NYCFC, 5-1. Vancouver saw off San Diego 3-1. The results were perhaps a little predictable. But the margin of victory for both games? Not a chance. Still, it sets things up pincely – and does provide a forum for reflection. NYCFC were underdogs, and actually made a decent account of themselves in the game. SDFC could have played Vancouver even, but a couple of rough breaks – and the fact that they dealt with the reported internal turmoil of strife between their head coach, Mikey Varas, and their star player in Hirving 'Chucky' Lozano – made things trickier. 

Still, are the results fair? And is this the dream final? GOAL U.S. writers take a look at a fun weekend of conference finals, and look ahead to what should be a captivating MLS Cup in another edition of… . 

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  Which was the more convincing win: Miami or Vancouver?

  Tom Hindle: Miami, no question. That was probably the most dominant performance have turned in all season. Messi didn't have his best game whatsoever, and they still battered an opponent in NYCFC that has been in excellent form of late. Five goals, one real chance conceded, and they look in their best form heading into the biggest game of the year. 

  Ryan Tolmich: Both impressive and both, in a way, somewhat expected. Miami and Vancouver are both so far ahead of the teams they beat, which is what makes this such a fun MLS Cup final. As for the more convincing, it's probably Miami, largely because it was just the perfect reminder that they can light up a team unlike any other in MLS history.

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  What do San Diego and NYCFC need to do this offseason to go a step further?

  TH: San Diego got almost everything right. Perhaps the only thing that derailed things a bit was a bit of defensive frailty that Vancouver exposed. So, yeah, avoid injury, maybe bring in a little center back, and they're contenders next year. As for NYCFC, things look a little trickier. Can Maxi Moralez be counted on to stick around longer? Is Alonzo Martinez going to play any part next season? They need to invest in the attack to get close to where they were this year – even if manager Pascal Jansen did a fine job. 

  RT: San Diego will be looking at all of this and wondering "what if?". They had a star striker in Milan Iloski, but now he's in Philly because they were unable to keep him permanently. If they had him, would the outcome change? Maybe not, but it surely would have helped. As for NYCFC, they're close. The big task this offseason will likely be sorting out striker and midfield additions following crucial injuries. If they can do that, they'll be fine.

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  Does Chucky Lozano have a long-term future in SDFC?

  TH: If he behaves, yes! The Mexican star was supposedly in, shall we say, disagreement with Mikey Varas on a few occasions this year. If that relationship is properly mended, then they should be able to run things back in 2026. But disgruntled superstars can be a real issue, and with Anders Dreyer around, Chucky might not be the go-to guy, anyway. 

  RT: It's looking rocky, at the very least. He wasn't quite the elite presence many would have expected and, towards the end of the season, there was a clash with the coaching staff. Because of that, it's fair to at least wonder if this partnership is one that's going to work in the long run. If it doesn't, Lozano will have options. San Diego will, too, and they've shown a real ability to scout and sign talent. Lozano or no Lozano, one would bet on the club making the right call based on just this one year of evidence.

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  Is it fair to say that Miami are now a good defensive team?

  TH: Not really. A couple of defensive good games doesn't make them unreal at the back. But they certainly have found a vital sense of balance from front to back. Let's see if they can keep a good Vancouver team quiet, and then let's talk.

  RT: Let's not get carried away! This team still has its frailties, and the path to an MLS Cup is likely outscoring the Whitecaps, not shutting them down. Are they passable defensively? Sure, but no one is mistaking them for some shutdown side. Ultimately, this is a group that defends via its attack, which should scare any opponent into being just a little bit more cautious, given the talent on the field.

The recent surge in Covid-19 cases is understood to be the reason behind the reschedule

Mohammad Isam06-Apr-2021The BCB confirmed on Tuesday that Pakistan Under-19’s tour of Bangladesh has been pushed back by five days. The visitors will now arrive in the country on April 17 instead of April 12, but the number of matches remains the same.Pakistan Under-19 will spend three days in quarantine in Sylhet before training for a couple of days. The first four-day match, initially scheduled for April 19-22, will now be held from April 23-26.The first three games of the five-match Youth ODI series will be held in Sylhet on April 30, May 2 and May 4, before the touring party moves to Dhaka for the last two matches on May 7 and 9.This will be the first international tour at the Under-19 level since the Covid-19 pandemic struck last year. The previous international age-gorup even was the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa.While the BCB didn’t mention in the revised schedule the reason for the delay, it is clear it is due to the recent surge in Covid-19 cases in Bangladesh. In the last 24 hours, there were 7213 new cases and 66 deaths, both figures a new high in the country.Following the government’s announcement over the weekend that a seven-day lockdown would take effect from Monday, the BCB postponed the National Cricket League’s third round.But the five-match one-day series between the emerging Bangladesh and South Africa women’s teams is being continued in Sylhet as per the schedule, with the second match held on Tuesday. The South Africans have three more matches in Sylhet on April 8, 11 and 13.

Nothing had gone right for Mumbai Indians before the game against Delhi Capitals, and the win on Sunday could be the start of good things for them

S Sudarshanan07-Apr-20242:25

Quick review: 10/10 for Shepherd’s impactful innings

The – a traditional blowhorn in Maharashtra – that rang out at the Wankhede Stadium an over after Mumbai Indians’ powerplay was symbolic in many ways. It wasn’t quite to announce the arrival of an important figure, as in times past, but a signal of things changing for MI.MI headed into the game against Delhi Capitals on the back of three successive losses with seemingly nothing working for them. The bowlers were leaking runs; the batters were unable to do anything of note; the pre-season captaincy change had turned their large fan-base against them, or at least against new captain Hardik Pandya. With most of the stands filled by 18,000 children from various NGOs across the city, as part of MI’s CSR initiative, the powerplay – where MI blitzed to 75 for 0 – was a sign of things to come. The death-overs assault added to the mood, and by the end of the evening, MI had turned a page and stalled their losing run.What might please them the most is that the win was crafted primarily by Romario Shepherd, who was only playing his first full game for Mumbai, with assistance from Rohit Sharma, Tim David and Jasprit Bumrah. They had, after all, shunned the template they had played with so far by bringing in two overseas allrounders – Mohammad Nabi to go with Shepherd – and relied more on their Indian batters to deliver.Related

• Shepherd: 'It's my strength vs your strength when I'm at the crease'

• Hamstring injury rules Marsh out for at least a week

• Shepherd, David and Bumrah help Mumbai get off the mark

• Hardik: 'We needed just one win, and today is just the start'

• Shepherd blasts 4, 6, 6, 6, 4, 6 off Nortje in the 20th over

Suryakumar Yadav’s return after a four-month absence allowed MI that luxury.The played just as he walked out to bat at the end of the seventh over. That his return lasted all of two balls did not eventually make a difference to the five-time champions’ fortunes on the day. But something did seem to have changed.Rohit continued to trust his plan of going hard at the start of the innings. His first boundary attempt was also a sign – he scooped Ishant Sharma over short fine-leg on the fourth ball he faced. Jhye Richardson, playing his first game of the season, was greeted with successive sixes. Rohit pumped six fours and three sixes inside the powerplay and narrowly missed out on a half-century.Ishan Kishan complemented Rohit, and kept the attack going. Anything short and angled into him was dispatched over the on side; anything wide was crashed over point. Along with Rohit, he added 80 in just seven overs.Most teams have been targeting the field restrictions in the powerplay to get a headstart this season, and MI did just that. Their 75 was the second-best for them in the powerplay this season – after the 76 for 2 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in that 523-run game – and the third-highest by any team batting first in IPL 2024.

“When you’re in the back end and there’s only 18 balls [he walked in with 13 left], you will only face about seven, eight or nine of those. You have to maximise and hit it as well as you can. Whenever you’re in that kind of role, you’re even more dangerous”Romario Shepherd

But some hit-the-deck fast bowling and a couple of thrifty overs from Axar Patel saw Mumbai slip from 80 for 0 to 121 for 4. It didn’t help that Hardik wasn’t at his fluent best despite showing glimpses of his batting mettle.Enter Shepherd. He has been working on his batting with batting coach and former West Indies team-mate Kieron Pollard. The only message to Shepherd from the team management was “hold your shape and hit the ball with a clear mind,” as Shepherd said later. He had only a shade over two overs left, which left little scope for any ambiguity.”When you’re in the back end and there’s only 18 balls [he walked in with 13 left], you will only face about seven, eight or nine of those. You have to maximise and hit it as well as you can,” Shepherd explained. “Whenever you’re in that kind of role, you’re even more dangerous, having to just ‘see-ball-hit-ball’.”Along with David, who finished unbeaten on 45 off 21, Shepherd added 53 off just 13 balls. He blasted 32 off the last over – the second-most expensive last over in IPL history – bowled by Anrich Nortje, hitting two fours and four sixes to finish undefeated on 39 off ten balls. MI got 84 in the last four overs, the most in the 17-to-20-over period in IPL 2024 and the second-highest in the 16-year history of the tournament. The cameo also meant that MI’s bowlers had enough to play with on a flat track where the boundaries on either side were more or less equidistant.3:30

A dream for Romario Shepherd – McClenaghan

That cushion came into play in the chase, thanks to local boy Prithvi Shaw. He attacked both pace and spin, and his 88-run partnership with Abishek Porel kept DC’s hopes – and the cheers from the hospitality box where some of the players’ families sat – alive.But all it took was a couple of blows from Bumrah to dash it all. He speared in a 141.3kph yorker that made a mess of Shaw’s stumps, and then had Porel miscue a 143kph full toss in his next over.While shaking hands after the match, DC captain Rishabh Pant punched Shepherd’s biceps in jest. Pollard enveloped Shepherd in a bear hug. Tristan Stubbs, who hit an exhilarating 25-ball 71 not out in the chase, seemed eager to exchange a few notes with him. Shepherd had walked away with the Player-of-the-Match award, and readily obliged.Just days before , the new year for Maharashtra’s Hindus, MI had announced their fresh start. And one of their new recruits had sounded the .

Cristiano Ronaldo is set to receive only a one-match ban for his red card against the Republic of Ireland in Portugal's penultimate World Cup qualifier. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was sent off after elbowing Dara O'Shea off the ball and was set for a three-match ban for 'violent conduct'. However, FIFA's disciplinary committee has decided to let the 40-year-old off easy.

• Ronaldo only gets a one-match ban for O'Shea elbow

  Ronaldo was expected to miss one or two of Portugal's opening clashes in the 2026 World Cup in North America after being shown a red card for violent conduct on O'Shea. However, FIFA's disciplinary committee have ruled that the Portugal captain's actions were only worth a one-game ban, which he has already served after he missed Roberto Martinez's squad for the 9-1 win over Armenia. His punishment, however, also holds a two-game suspended ban, which will be triggered if he is found guilty of a similar offence yet again in the next 365 days.

  Ronaldo was sent off just before the hour mark, after Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg consulted with VAR, having shown the five-time Ballon d'Or winner a yellow card initially. In the review, it seemed clear to the referee that, in a tussle with O'Shea, Ronaldo clearly elbowed O'Shea in the back without any ball involvement around him.

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  CR7's first international red card

  The red card against the Republic of Ireland was Ronaldo's first of his international career as the Portugal captain has never been sent off in his 226 appearances with the national team. It has been reported that this disciplinary record may have played a massive part in the FIFA disciplinary committee's decision.

  However, this wasn't the first time Ronaldo and O'Shea clashed as the Portugal captain and the Irishman had previously clashed, with the Al-Nassr star appearing to slap him all the way back in 2021. While O'Shea had hit the deck at that point as well, the referee and VAR had missed the incident, and Ronaldo had gotten away with his assault on the Ireland star; however, the same was not the case this time around.

• Ronaldo's absence raises questions about Portugal squad

  Ronaldo's absence for Portugal's 9-1 win over Armenia raised serious questions from fans over the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's spot in Martinez's World Cup squad as Portugal's attacking play seemed a lot smoother. The same was the case during the 2022 World Cup when Fernando Santos played Ronaldo as more of a substitute through the tournament in Qatar with stars like Goncalo Ramos, Joao Felix and Diogo Jota starting instead.

  However, the quarter-final failure against Morocco eventually saw Santos receive the sacking and Martinez being onboarded as the head coach of the Portuguese national team. The former Belgium coach quickly reintegrated the former Real Madrid man into the squad as he led Portugal to their Nations League triumph last year.

  Nonetheless, questions are still being raised as to whether having Ronaldo as the main man in the Portugal squad is the best way forward for the 2026 World Cup as the country look to raise their first-ever trophy on the international stage.

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  Portugal's World Cup opener to feature Ronaldo

  Despite all the questions regarding Ronaldo's form at the highest level, it is highly unlikely that Martinez will be altering his squad this close to the World Cup. As such, it is almost guaranteed that Ronaldo will be the first name on the teamsheet when Portugal kickoff their 2026 World Cup campaign in North America.

  However, the ill-tempered Ronaldo will have to keep his emotions in check through the tournament, as another sending off or even a violation of FIFA's regulations could see him miss the latter stages of the World Cup.

The Andhra player was primarily a batter at age group level but has since been working hard on his fast bowling

S Sudarshanan13-Jan-2024After close to 50 overs on another hot Mumbai day, Andhra’s time on the field had finally come to a close, and that’s not counting the 88 they delivered yesterday. Their tired bodies were on auto-pilot when Hanuma Vihari paused just before heading into the dressing room. He stepped aside, broke into applause and asked Nitish Kumar Reddy to lead the team off.Reddy picked up five wickets, his second in first-class cricket, in the Ranji Trophy clash against Mumbai at the Sharad Pawar Academy. Among his dismissals on the first day were Ajinkya Rahane for a first-ball duck and Shreyas Iyer after a free-flowing 48.Brought on as the second change bowler in the 12th over, Reddy struck in his sixth over dismissing Jay Bista and Rahane off successive balls. While Rahane’s lbw call was contentious, it was still pretty much the perfect inswinger, full length, with prodigious movement in the air creating problems for the new batter.”I bowled a lot of outswingers [to Bista and Bhupen Lalwani] and tested their patience,” Reddy said on Friday evening. “I did not bowl any inswingers from the start of the innings. So [Hanuma] Vihari and Ricky [Bhui, captain] came to me and asked me to get the sharp inswing [going]. ‘Let it be full toss or yorker, but you should hit the pad,’ they said. I just came and delivered that, and it worked. In this game, it was first inswinger.”We actually planned the bouncers for Shreyas, but were leaking too many runs. That’s when we came to the normal plan and we bowled full [from around the wicket], and it worked,” Reddy said of Iyer’s wicket, caught by the wicketkeeper.On Saturday, he had Tanush Kotian and Shams Mulani caught at slip to complete the five-for and leave Mumbai on 316 for 8. Vihari had grassed Mulani at first slip a ball before he pouched one to signal the celebrations for Reddy. Andhra, however, had to wait a further 37.4 overs as the last two wickets for Mumbai added 79.Reddy rose through the ranks for Andhra as an opening batter, primarily. He batted No. 3 in the Vinoo Mankad Under-19 tournament in 2018-19. He opened for India Green in the Under-19 Challenger Trophy that same season. He turned up at No. 3 or 4 for Andhra as well at the senior level. At the same time, he kept working hard on his fast bowling until eventually a decision had to be made.”In my Under-16 days, I bowled with the new ball and was the opening batter,” he said. “I got plenty of runs and picked up wickets too. But as I went along, I found it hard to open the batting as well as bowling – padding up after bowling a lot of overs, I felt it affected my concentration.”A conversation with his coaches led him to shift down the order and contribute in both the facets. Like picking up five wickets against Maharashtra in December 2022 or scoring 66 batting at No. 7 against Delhi in January 2023.”It is hard that allrounders do all the jobs – fielding, batting and bowling,” Reddy, who classifies himself as a batting allrounder, said. “It is really hard. Hardik Pandya is doing brilliant; and even Ben Stokes. So I just admire them, enjoy seeing them and I like them.”Sunrisers Hyderabad selected Reddy for his base price of INR 20 lakh in the auction ahead of IPL 2023, where he played two matches but returned wicketless and did not get to bat.”There are a lot of differences in domestic cricket and the IPL, not in terms of the game itself but in terms of preparations levels,” he said. “There will be a crowd in the IPL while not so much here [in domestic cricket]. In the IPL I was at deep point. Bhuvaneshwar [Kumar] is bowling. The batsman just sliced the ball.”In domestic cricket, we hear the sound of the ball hitting bat and [know whether] it is timed well or not. We will accordingly chase the ball in that direction. But in the IPL, I did not hear the sound. I just ran ahead, thought it was mistimed but eventually missed it. I couldn’t hear the sound off the bat due to the crowd. There are a lot of things to learn.”Andhra were 98 for 3 after day two, trailing Mumbai’s first innings score of 395 by 297. With plenty of time left in the game, there’s chance for Reddy to earn more applause perhaps with a batting show.

Brathwaite was in charge of the team when they secured their recent 2-0 win in Bangladesh

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Mar-2021Kraigg Brathwaite has been named West Indies’ new permanent Test captain in place of Jason Holder following his success in leading them to a 2-0 victory in Bangladesh.Brathwaite, who has captained West Indies seven times while standing in for Holder, will take the team into the two-Test series against Sri Lanka which begins on March 21.”It is a huge honour to be given the captaincy of the West Indies Test team,” he said. “I feel extremely proud and humbled that the board and selectors have given me the opportunity and responsibility to lead the team. The recent Test series win in Bangladesh was a fantastic achievement and I’m really looking forward to the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka, and I’m excited about what I believe this team can achieve in the future.”Related

• Brathwaite toasts 'amazing achievement': 'The future is bright'

• In Brathwaite's proactive leadership is a lesson for Mominul

• Mayers: 'I hope this inspires all youngsters to work hard'

Roger Harper, the lead selector, said Brathwaite’s role in the Bangladesh tour, where West Indies were without a number of first-choice players, had played a key part in making the change. They chased 395 to win the first Test, inspired by Kyle Mayers’ debut double century, before clinching a 17-run victory in the second match.”We all believe that Kraigg is the right man to lead our Test side at this point in time and I’m delighted that he has accepted the role,” Harper said. “In the recent Test series against Bangladesh, Kraigg was able to motivate his players to play to a very high level and create the culture we are looking to establish where the team showed a collective determination to fight and a real hunger for success.”Holder, 29, who is among the game’s leading allrounders with a Test batting average of 32.04 and a bowling return of 27.94, captained West Indies in 37 Tests since taking over in 2015 with 11 wins, five draws and 21 defeats.”On behalf of CWI, I would like to thank Jason for all he has given to the game in the region while serving as Captain of our Test team,” Jimmy Adams, CWI director of cricket, said. “Throughout his five-and-a-half-year tenure, he has led with dignity while always upholding the highest values of the sport. As the world’s leading Test allrounder, we all believe that Jason still has a tremendous role to play in West Indies Test cricket for many years to come.”West Indies squad: Kraigg Brathwaite, Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Darren Bravo, John Campbell, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican

Manchester United are in a perilous position with Ruben Amorim in charge, and it is no surprise that they are considering alternative bosses at Old Trafford.

Manchester United's potential alternatives to Ruben Amorim

Inconsistent results have led the Red Devils to a lowly plight in the bottom half of the Premier League, and club chiefs are now casting an eye to alternatives should Amorim be relieved of his duties.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has been earmarked by Manchester United, and Steve Parish is doing all he can to see the German coach remain in the capital.

Nevertheless, Paul Merson believes the Red Devils should go in a different direction, claiming the 51-year-old’s preferred formation wouldn’t align with the squad available at Old Trafford.

He stated via The Express: “Let’s say Ruben Amorim was manager at Palace now, he’d have half a chance of being a success. Palace have the players to play three at the back. They have the attributes in their squad to play in that system. For me, that’s why I’d be concerned about Glasner going to Man United.

“He’s a three-at-the-back man, and it is being proven that it is a system that just doesn’t fit the players at Man United. Glasner is not a good fit for Man United. Of course, I’m sure he’d be adaptable, and he’s proven with how he handles the players, but the system he uses is just all wrong for United. Amorim can tell you that.”

Michael Carrick has been mentioned in media circles, albeit he is probably one for the future, though one of his compatriots is now believed to be firmly in the running should Amorim be discarded over the coming weeks.

Gareth Southgate makes two demands to Man Utd

According to The Sun, former England manager Gareth Southgate has asked Manchester United for two key demands as he becomes a potential candidate to succeed Amorim.

First off, the 55-year-old, who was hailed for his underappreciated “ruthless” streak by John Stones, has made it clear he wants time to piece together a long-term roadmap to success, something he believes could take four years to master before the Red Devils are Champions League regulars once again.

Amorim forced into Man Utd changes v Sunderland as Wilcox and Berrada feelings shared

Amorim could make some big changes.

By
Callum Kemp

Oct 3, 2025

Reticent to commit before his guarantees are fulfilled, he also wants INEOS to back him through all phases of his plan without fail, creating a sense of unity among all parties as Manchester United look to establish themselves among the elite once again.

The ex-Three Lions coach hasn’t managed at club level since his spell at Middlesbrough between 2006 and 2009. However, his time in charge of England was largely successful, reaching back-to-back European Championship finals and finishing fourth in the World Cup in 2018.

Given his ability to build sides capable of deep runs involving some of the world’s best talent, he may be the ideal man to get more out of Manchester United’s faltering players.