All posts by h716a5.icu

Manchester United are now readying a £70m bid for a “world-class” midfielder, who could join as part of a Kobbie Mainoo swap deal.

Mainoo fails to force his way into Amorim's plans

It is clear that Ruben Amorim isn’t the biggest fan of Kobbie Mainoo, who is still yet to start a Premier League game this season, despite Man United making an awful start, with their most recent setback coming in a 3-1 defeat against Brentford.

With Casemiro suspended, Manuel Ugarte came into central midfield, alongside Bruno Fernandes, and Mainoo once again had to settle for being a substitute, with the 20-year-old being brought on for the final 25 minutes of the game.

Having been unable to force his way into Amorim’s plans, there have been suggestions the Englishman could be ready to move to a new club this winter, and rivals Manchester City have even been named as surprise potential suitors.

That said, with Amorim now under significant pressure, receiving criticism from club legend Wayne Rooney, the midfielder may soon have a new manager, who is more willing to give him consistent game time.

For now, however, INEOS are persisting with the 40-year-old, and Mainoo’s future remains up in the air, with a report from Spain revealing the youngster could be used as part of a swap deal for Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde.

Man United are said to be preparing an offer of around €80m (£70m) for Valverde, but they may be willing to use their youth product as a makeweight in negotiations, in order to reduce the cost of the operation.

Fabrizio Romano says legendary 4-3-3 manager wants Amorim's job at Man Utd

He’s previously won a top-flight title and enjoyed a distinguished playing career.

BySean Markus Clifford Sep 29, 2025

However, Real Madrid are currently showing little interest in sanctioning a departure, with the midfielder emerging as one of their most ‘trusted’ players, so it remains to be seen whether a deal will be possible.

"World-class" Valverde could take Man Utd's midfield to next level

Let’s make it clear — Man United definitely shouldn’t consider letting Mainoo leave, given that the England international has previously shown he has what it takes to perform at the top level, excelling in the 2024 FA Cup Final.

That said, signing the Real Madrid star for straight cash should still be a very attractive proposition, having proven himself over a number of years in La Liga and the Champions League, with Jurgen Klopp once dubbing the maestro “world-class”.

Casemiro has made it clear he is unreliable, with the Brazilian naively getting himself sent off in the 2-1 victory over Chelsea, and at 33-years-old, United are in need of a long-term replacement in the middle of the park.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Pass completion %

89.5% (89th percentile)

Assists

0.20 (89th percentile)

Interceptions

1.48 (86th percentile)

Over the past year, Valverde has shown that he is a well-rounded midfielder, capable of making an impact at both ends of the pitch, and the Uruguayan would undoubtedly be an exciting signing for the Red Devils.

Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman scored twice in Europe for the Under-19s as the junior Gunners succumbed to a 4-3 loss at the hands of Atletico Madrid on Tuesday in the UEFA Youth League. At just 15 years of age, Dowman is considered one of the brightest prospects in Europe and has already started to play under Mikel Arteta with the senior squad this season.

Dowman shines bright in Arsenal loss

Dowman featured in Arsenal U19's starting in the European clash against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday at Meadow Park. The Gunners took the lead through Harrison Dudziak's third-minute strike but Sergio Vinatea brought the visitors back into the game in the 17th minute. Dowman then scored his first goal of the day before the half-hour mark as Arsenal headed into the break with a 2-1 lead. The Gunners, however, failed to hold on to the lead for long as Sergio Esteban and Ruben Gomez scored in quick succession to put Atletico in front soon after the interval. 

Dowman then completed his double with a strike from the penalty spot in the 85th minute, but Jesus Barrios scored the winning goal two minutes to clinch a seven-goal thriller for the Spanish club. This was the Gunners' third successive loss in the UEFA Youth League.

AdvertisementAFP15-year-old sensation already in Arsenal's first team

Even before turning 16, Dowman has made a name for himself and has caught Arteta's eye already. He has been training with the senior squad for nearly a year and trained with the first team at the start of the week. Arteta earlier kept Dowman in his matchday squads as an unused substitute in the Gunners' previous Champions League encounters against Athletic Club and Olympiacos. The teenager has also featured off the Arsenal bench in their Premier League clashes against Leeds and Liverpool in the Premier League as well as versus Port Vale in the Carabao Cup. 

However, despite his promising performances, Arteta is being very protective about the wonderkid and is using him sparingly before giving him full-fledged exposure to the senior professional game. Just a week ago, Dowman became the youngster player to score for England U19s as they saw off Wales 7-0.

Dowman created Premier League 2 record

Last month, the Gunners sensation created history in the Premier League 2. At the age of 15 years and 263 days, Dowman became the youngest player to score a goal in competition's history, a record which was previously held by another Hale End youth graduate in Reiss Nelson.

After the game, Dowman and his team-mates garnered praise from Arsenal U21 head coach Max Porter, who told the club's official website: "I think it was a bit of a roller coaster. We were 2-0 down and had given away two poor goals from our standards, which was obviously disappointing, but I've got to praise the group, really. The reason I say the group is because it wasn't just the ones on the pitch, it was the players that came on. Our first-team manager, Mikel, mentioned the other week about the importance of finishers. All around, from the players on the pitch and the ones that came on to finish the game, they showed huge courage, they pushed themselves physically, and in the end, we got what we deserved from the game. Even in the first half, even though we weren't as good as the second, I think there were still moments we could have scored. So, we're really delighted because I think the group, particularly the ones that played midweek, showed a huge response, which we want to keep going."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportArsenal seniors ran riot against Atletico

While the junior side failed to beat Atletico, later on Tuesday, the senior side avenged that defeat in style as they thrashed Diego Simeone's side 4-0 in the Champions League at Emirates Stadium. Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli handed Arteta's team a two-goal lead at the start of the second half before Viktor Gyokeres completed the rout with a double. 

India head coach says his personal opinion is that even matches at neutral venues should stop after the Pahalgam terror attack

PTI06-May-2025India head coach Gautam Gambhir has called for a complete halt to cricketing engagements with Pakistan, including at neutral venues, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.”My personal answer to this is absolutely no,” Gambhir, speaking at an event in Delhi on Tuesday, said when asked whether India should continue playing Pakistan in multi-team tournaments. “Till all this [terrorism] doesn’t stop, there should not be anything between India and Pakistan.”Twenty-six people were killed in the terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir on April 22. Since then, the government of India has announced several measures against Pakistan, including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down of the border crossing at Attari, and downgrading of diplomatic ties in view of cross-border links to the attack.India have not played a bilateral series against Pakistan since January 2013 and have only played them at multi-nation tournaments such as the Asia Cup and the ICC events. They most recently played each other at the 2025 Champions Trophy in Dubai, and could possibly face each other in the women’s ODI World Cup and men’s Asia Cup later this year, and the men’s T20 World Cup in 2026.”Ultimately, this is [the] government’s decision whether we play them or not,” Gambhir said. “I have said this before also, no cricket match or Bollywood or any other interaction is more important than the life of Indian soldiers and Indian citizens. Matches will keep happening, movies will be made, singers will continue to perform, but nothing comes close to losing a loved one in your family.”This is not up to me, it’s not in my jurisdiction, this is for BCCI and, more importantly, the government to decide whether we should play them or not,” Gambhir said. “Whatever decision they make, we should be absolutely fine with it and not politicise it.”‘A coach’s job isn’t selecting the team’Gambhir also said he would have no role in deciding whether Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are picked for the upcoming five-Test tour of England, which begins in June. Both batters had struggled for runs during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia in December-January but played important roles in India winning the Champions Trophy earlier this year.”First things first, a coach’s job isn’t selecting the team. It is the job of selectors to select,” Gambhir said. “The coach only selects the XI who will play a match. Neither those who coached before me were selectors, nor am I a selector.”Till the time they [Kohli and Rohit] are performing, they should be a part of the team. When you start and when you end is your individual decision. No coach, no selector, no BCCI can tell you when you should call it quits. If you perform, then why 40, you can jolly well play till 45, who’s stopping you?”

Seven MLS teams are searching for a new coach, and more jobs could open after the playoffs – GOAL ranks the openings

Major League Soccer clubs have been criticized in the past for being overly patient with their coaches. That's clearly no longer the case. Last season there was a record 12 head coach openings across the league, and if current trends hold, that number could be matched – or even surpassed – by the end of the playoffs.

So far, eight teams have already made managerial changes, and a ninth, LAFC, has announced that Steve Cherundolo will depart following the postseason. Two of those positions have been filled, with D.C. United hiring René Weiler and CF Montreal promoting Marco Donadel from interim status.

But with several other clubs expected to make changes, this offseason promises to be one of the busiest – and most intriguing – in recent MLS history. Of course, not all coaching vacancies are created equal. This year’s openings range from some of the league’s most ambitious projects to some of its most chaotic situations.

GOAL ranks the vacancies based on their appeal to prospective managers.

Getty Images Sport7St. Louis CITY SC

2025 record: 8W-18L-8T

2025 payroll (via Sportrac): $17.1 million (17th in MLS)

Change: Olof Mellberg was dismissed on May 28, becoming the third manager to lose his job in the 2025 season. 

Pros: Energizer Park is one of the best, if not the best, venues in MLS, and the team's training facilities are also state-of-the-art. St. Louis is also backed by a loyal and boisterous fan base. The city is still bitter over losing the NFL's Rams to Los Angeles, and they seemingly show up in droves to support their soccer club. 

Cons: It has gone downhill from a strong first season, in which they topped the Western Conference standings heading to the 2023 postseason. Since the club was shocked by rivals Sporting KC, they have been rudderless. St. Louis' ownership hasn't made the right choices when it comes to leadership. The team moved on too quickly from Bradley Carnell as manager, who could win Coach of the Year this season. They then hired Olof Mellberg seemingly out of nowhere. This is a team that desperately needs an sure hand in both the front office and at head coach. 

In addition, St. Louis – the city itself – doesn't have free agency appeal as some of the other vacancies.

Current star player: Roman Bürki. The former Dortmund goalkeeper is the face of the franchise and just re-upped with the club, becoming a rare Designated Player.

Ideal candidate: Someone who can build a proactive identity and a strong culture. Gio Savarese and Peter Vermes would fill that bill. Until the last two seasons, Sporting KC were consistently successful despite being a small-market team. They developed promising young talents year after year, and St. Louis needs that foundation – especially considering the city's penchant for producing USMNT talent. 

AdvertisementImagn6Colorado Rapids

2025 record: 11W-15L-8T

2025 payroll (via Sportrac): $14.2million (26th in MLS)

Change: Chris Armas and the Rapids mutually parted ways on Oct. 27 after the team missed the 2025 playoffs.

Pros: The Denver metro area may not be a magnet for global stars, but its mountains and quality of life remain selling points – especially for American players abroad. Over the years, the club has attracted names such as Tim Howard, Zack Steffen, Djordje Mihailovic, and now Paxten Aaronson.

At the center of it all is general manager Padraig Smith, who has maximized limited resources. One of MLS’s most respected executives, Smith  built value through savvy trades and modest transfers (see: Rafa Navarro). After years of searching for an identity, he appears to have bet on a USMNT-centric recruitment strategy that gives Colorado a clear direction.

Cons: It’s easy to forget the Rapids topped the Western Conference in 2021 under Robin Fraser – with an even smaller payroll. Since then, they’ve reached the postseason only once and finished near the bottom two years ago. Their last three full-time managers – Anthony Hudson, Fraser, and Armas – all arrived with optimism (and flashes of success) but left citing frustrations around roster building and internal challenges.

The team’s biggest issue remains proactive investment. Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, once a league showcase, now feels dated, and players reportedly filed a complaint about inadequate training facilities two years ago. If Smith can secure spending closer to league average, the Rapids could quickly climb back into contention.

Current star player: Paxten Aaronson. His arrival was a statement signing. The 2024 Eredivisie Young Player of the Year runner-up brings creativity and energy to become a top-10 MLS player. Like his brother Brenden, he’s a tweener, neither an attacking midfielder or a deep-lying playmaker. Finding the right role for him will be crucial,

Ideal candidate: Colorado’s next coach needs to be its version of Minnesota United’s Eric Ramsay – someone who prioritizes tactics and finds inventive ways to win despite payroll limitations. The Rapids have some quality pieces worth building around, gut need a manager who can make them fit.

Getty Images Sport5New England Revolution

2025 record: 9W-16L-9T

2025 payroll (via Sportrac): $17.2million (16th in MLS)

Change: The Revs moved on from Caleb Porter after a disappointing two-year tenure on Sept. 15. 

Pros: After years of being perceived as frugal, the Kraft family – owners of the successful New England Patriots in the NFL – opened the checkbook. They might not be in the top 10 in spending, but moves such as signing Luca Langoni and Dor Turgeman show this group is willing to make bets on this team.

Former USMNT No. 1 Matt Turner is on board for another season and should be motivated in a World Cup year. New England has some of the most passionate sports fans in the country. And the team has a relatively new training center, which cost $35M. 

Cons: Biggest question of the 2025 season: Was it poor coaching or poor roster management? While Porter ultimately flamed out at both the Timbers and Crew, he usually sees success in his first two years – which made his struggles at New England so alarming. This team has been on a tailspin since Bruce Arena's departure in 2023. The 2026 season is going to answer a lot of questions about the young core. 

The stadium is another challenge. Gillette Stadium is iconic for the NFL, but it's a cavernous ground for soccer. The Revs regularly draw 24,777 fans a game – seventh in MLS – but optically the home support looks sparse.

Current star player: Carles Gil. Luca Langoni has a ton of potential, but remains unproven, so Gil is the answer. Last year he had a strong 10-goal, 14-assist season.

Ideal candidate: After betting big on two matter-of-fact former MLS Cup-winning coaches, Arena and Porter, it might be time for the club to seek a manager who is a strong man manager. Former Union boss Jim Curtin would have been perfect, but he reportedly turned down the job. It has also been reported that former Austin FC coach Josh Wolff is interested.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Imagn4Sporting Kansas City

2025 record: 7W-20L-7T

2025 payroll (via Sportrac): $17.7 million (15th in MLS)

Change: Vermes was the second manager fired in the 2025 season, with the club severing ties after he guided the club for almost 16 years. 

Pros: Children's Mercy Park, built in 2011, remains one of MLS's best venues with a fanbase that brings it every match – regardless of where the team sits in the standings. The team's academy continually produces promising young players who step into the first team. This is also one of the league's more progressive ownership groups, willing to take risks – remember, they reportedly tried to recruit Cristiano Ronaldo to the Midwest. They also ambitiously signed executive David Lee from NYCFC. 

Cons: Kansas City shares similar challenges with St. Louis in recruiting free agents. Outside of Dejan Joveljic and Jake Davis, this is a team that  needs an injection of talent. Lee has shown he can build young, successful teams, but it's easier to sell emerging international talent on the Big Apple than the BBQ Capital of the World. 

Current star player: Dejan Joveljic. SKC went big in its move forJoveljic, prying the star striker away from the LA Galaxy in Vermes's attempt to bring the team back to contention. Questions were raised over whether the Serbian's success last year was a part of playing within the champions' deep squad. This year, he proved he is a star on his own, with 18 goals. 

Ideal candidate: Lee traditionally hired foreign managers from Europe at NYCFC, so expect that to continue. One name to watch could be Patrick Vieria, especially if Genoa continue to sit 20th in Serie A. Lee and Vieria worked together at NYCFC. 

Steven Smith will take charge of Rangers against Dundee United on Saturday while the club look to confirm their new permanent boss.

Former Rangers player Kevin Muscat remains the frontrunner for the post vacated by Russell Martin following the 1-1 draw at Falkirk before the international break.

Rangers full coaching staff to face Dundee United confirmed

Rangers Under-19 coach Smith, 40, who had two spells as a player at Ibrox, is currently overseeing first-team training on an interim basis along with B team coach Brian Gilmour, goalkeeping coach Sal Bibbo and head of performance Rhys Owen.

With such an important game on the return to domestic football, and negotiations ongoing and reaching the final stages, Rangers are looking for some certainty for the weekend.

Muscat established himself as the outright favourite for the post on Wednesday when former Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl took himself out of the running after reportedly impressing the Ibrox hierarchy in talks over the past week.

The former Australia international has guided Shanghai Port to top spot in the Chinese Super League, where they are two points clear with four games left. Their domestic season ends on November 22 and the Light Blues may have to wait for his services.

Steven Gerrard, who won the 2021 William Hill Premiership title with Rangers, had been an early bookmakers’ favourite but had also ruled himself out of a return to Ibrox.

Martin departed the club after securing just five wins in 17 fixtures and having to get a police escort out of the Falkirk stadium as fans attempted to block the team bus from leaving.

Ahead of the visit of the Tannadice side, Rangers sit eighth in the Premiership, 11 points behind leaders Hearts and nine behind Celtic.

Duo share seven wickets as Lancashire collapse

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay18-Jun-2025Ryana MacDonald-Gay and Phoebe Franklin shared seven wickets to spark a Lancashire collapse and lead Surrey to a 53-run victory at the Oval – their seventh win in eight games.Franklin’s 3 for 19 and MacDonald-Gay’s 4 for 14 wrestled back control as the visitors crumbled from 102 for 3 to 118 all out chasing 172 for victory. Their heroics followed a 70-run stand between Emma Lamb, who scored 64 off 46 balls, and Ellie Threlkeld (32) which threatened to snatch an unlikely win for the Red Rose county.All this drama came after Grace Harris scored 57 from 31 and shared a fifth-wicket stand with Paige Schofield worth 69 to help the hosts recover from 17 for 3 to 171 for 9.For the second home game in a row, Surrey’s much-vaunted batting line-up was soon in trouble. Skipper Bryony Smith slapped the first ball for four, but was bowled by the second from Sophie Morris which skidded onto middle stump. Sophia Dunkley inside-edged a full toss onto off stump and confusion in running left Kira Chathli stranded.Danni Wyatt-Hodge, involved in the mix-up, was starved of strike and became fretful before dancing down the pitch to Morris to be stumped by Threlkeld to leave Surrey 50 for 4.Harris looked like she was batting on a different pitch, striking the ball powerfully down the ground before pulling a short one from Morris over deep-square for six as she marched to 50 in 28 balls.Scholfield struggled initially and was dropped in the deep by Eve Jones on 11. The reprieve loosened her shoulders – a huge six over midwicket the pick of her shots in the stand.However, England stars Kate Cross and Lamb removed both batters in quick succession and thereafter only a few late blows from Tash Farrant carried the hosts to what looked an under-par 171.An early missed stumping chance by Chathli off Tilly Corteen-Coleman which reprieved Lamb didn’t help the cause, but the unlucky bowler struck later in the same over trapping Eve Jones lbw.The slow left-armer returned to castle Seren Smale and when MacDonald-Gay found the edge of Fi Morris’s bat, Lancashire were 32 for 3 at the end of the powerplay.Lamb though, who also survived a close call for a run out, creamed one from Harris to the cover fence to signal she remained a threat, while Farrant just failed to hold onto a flashing drive from Threlkeld.Lamb and Threlkeld hoisted Corteen-Coleman over the ropes at midwicket and mid-off respectively, the former moving to 50 from 36 balls, before four boundaries in the next over from Alice Davidson-Richards suggested a momentum shift.Franklin struck back to have Threlkeld stumped to end their stand in a brilliant over which conceded only one and brilliant fielding by Franklin and MacDonald-Gay in the next over had the dangerous Ailsa Lister run out for nought.Lamb was then bowled by Macdonald-Gay, who in company with Franklin routed the tail.

Former Real Madrid goalkeeper Santi Canizares has criticised Barcelona’s handling of Lamine Yamal’s injury, warning that the club could risk worsening the youngster's condition. The 18-year-old has been struggling with groin pain for several weeks and was nowhere near his best during Barca’s 2-1 loss to Real Madrid in El Clasico.

Yamal’s ongoing fitness battle raises alarm

Concerns about Yamal’s fitness are growing both inside and outside Barcelona. The young winger has been struggling with pubalgia, a persistent groin injury that is affecting his speed and agility. Medical experts say the pain can come and go but often worsens during intense matches, making recovery difficult without proper rest. The 18-year-old missed four matches for the Spanish club after returning from international break due to same issue but has played regularly since then.

Sports traumatologist Doctor Pedro Luis Ripoll recently discussed Yamal's condition and revealed that the injury can reduce a player’s movement and shooting power by almost half, and rushing a player back only makes it worse. Barcelona’s medical staff are managing Yamal’s workload carefully, but with so many injuries across the squad, the Spaniard continues to play regularly, a decision that’s beginning to raise eyebrows among experts and former players.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportCanizares questions Barcelona’s injury management

Speaking on , Canizares openly questioned Barcelona’s medical management and believes the club isn’t handling Yamal's recovery properly, which could put the Spaniard at greater risk.

"It’s not the best club for recovery. They have a lot of injuries, and some of them are relapses. This worries me more than giving Lamine a rest or two," the former Real Madrid shortstop said.

However, Yamal’s situation wasn’t the only example Canizares highlighted. The 55-year-old also pointed to the recurring injuries of Gavi, Ansu Fati, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen, adding that Barcelona's medical staff "isn’t getting their players’ recovery right".

Meanwhile, former Madrid forward Alberto Bueno warned that Yamal's situation may worsen if his playing time is not handled well, saying: "I don't see him at 100%. Barça needs his best version, but perhaps he should take a short break."

Injury crisis piling up at Barcelona

Barcelona’s injury crisis is showing no signs of slowing down. Key players like Raphinha, Ter Stegen, Gavi, Christensen, Dani Olmo, and Joan Garcia remain sidelined. Robert Lewandowski, meanwhile, is nearing his return from a muscle issue and could feature in the weekend’s clash against Elche. With so many stars missing from last season’s title-winning squad, it’s no surprise that Flick continues to rely on Yamal, who is clearly not 100%. The decision might make sense short term, but with pubalgia known to worsen under fatigue, the risk of aggravation is high and could sideline the Spain international for the long term. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesHansi Flick and Co. under pressure to respond

The 2-1 defeat to Madrid has left Barca five points behind their arch-rivals, who lead La Liga with nine wins from 10 games. Yamal’s limited impact in the El Clasico alongside the team’s growing injury list, has put more pressure on Flick to manage his resources wisely. The German manager, who served a suspension after being sent off in last weekend’s game against Girona, will return to the touchline as Barcelona face Elche on Sunday. The Blaugrana will be hoping to bounce back and cut the gap at the top of the table. But as the fitness worries grow, the club may have to decide what’s more important – chasing Real Madrid or protecting one of their brightest young stars.

David Moyes’ first spell in charge of Everton lasted 12 years, ending in 2013. He certainly left his mark on the football club, helping them to qualify for Europe numerous times during his first stint on Merseyside.

Some iconic players donned that famous Blue shirt in Moyes’ first spell in charge of the Toffees. Wayne Rooney is probably the most famous. Everton’s Scottish boss can take the credit for bringing the former England international into their first team in the first place.

One of the most notable Premier League full-back pairings of Seamus Coleman and Leighton Baines, were also given their first chance under Moyes.

Another player who will live long in the memory of Toffees fans is Tim Cahill.

Cahill’s most iconic moments under Moyes

There is a strong case to be made that former Toffees attacking midfielder Cahill is the greatest Australian footballer of all time. He left a huge stamp on Everton during his 278-game career at Goodison Park.

Every single one of those appearances came under the tutelage of Moyes. The Scot first brought him to Merseyside in the 2004/05 season, and platformed him so well, to the point Cahill left the club with 68 goals and 29 assists, more often than not from the number 10 role.

The Blue Kangaroo, as he was lovingly dubbed during his time on Merseyside, had some iconic moments under Moyes. His first campaign saw him bag 11 Premier League goals, the most he managed during his time at the club.

Who can forget that iconic boxing celebration when he scored, where Cahill would punch the corner flag.

They tended to go hand in hand with his headed efforts, a real trademark of the Australian’s attacking play.

Moyes would surely love to have Cahill in his side today, a player who ‘conjured moments of brilliance when they were needed most’, as Russell Jackson once said in The Guardian.

Well, perhaps there is a player who can replicate his impact.

Moyes’ new Tim Cahill

In their current squad under Moyes, Everton have a few players who can make a real difference. Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye have been the two real standouts at the Hill Dickinson Stadium this season.

Yet, it could be the case that Carlos Alcaraz could be seen as Moyes’ new Cahill, a link that football analyst Ben Mattinson made. The attacking midfielder turned his January loan move permanent this summer and has made a good impact in his short time at the club so far.

The 22-year-old, who earns £20k per week on Merseyside, has featured 23 times for the club so far. In that time, he’s found the back of the net three times and assisted the same number of goals.

He averages a goal or assist every 178 minutes in Blue.

In his first start for Everton, away to Crystal Palace last season, the Argentine “sensation,” as football scout Antonio Mango described him, assisted the first and scored the winner in a 2-1 victory.

There was certainly a little bit of Cahill about that goal, too. Alcaraz followed up a loose ball in the penalty box and smashed home the winner from 12 yards out.

It was a clinical goal, and certainly a brilliant contribution when his side most needed him, just like Cahill used to produce.

The stats from last season further highlight how he can create big moments in the same vein as Cahill.

For example, he averaged 0.7 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, placing him in the top 7% of Premier League attacking midfielders.

Goals and assists

0.58

82nd

Shots on target

1.4

98th

Passes into penalty area

2.21

88th

Goal-creating actions

0.7

7%

Carries into final third

2.56

88th

That goal-creating actions stat, and others, show how well the 22-year-old is always involved in the attacking play for Everton, even if he’s not directly scoring or assisting himself.

The determination with which he plays is certainly similar to Cahill.

Moyes would love a player of Cahill’s profile in his current side. In Alcaraz, he might have that player, who can produce magic moments from nowhere, during this exciting new era at Bramley Moore Dock.

Moyes has unearthed Everton's brand new Fellaini with "enormous potential"

This Everton star could recreate Fellaini’s role under Moyes

ByJoe Nuttall Oct 9, 2025

Unicorns are still on top of the table, but Freedom now have the same points as them and are only behind on net-run rate

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-2025San Francisco Unicorns are not unbeaten in MLC 2025 anymore, and though they are still right up there on the points table, it’s only on net run-rate now, after Mitchell Owen’s five-for helped Washington Freedom hand them a 12-run defeat in Dallas on Saturday.Matthew Short, the captain, had another good day with the bat as Unicorns started their chase of 170, a smallish target looking at the way the games have gone so far. But he had to go it alone at the start, with Unicorns getting to 52 for 1 in the powerplay despite Finn Allen and Jake Fraser-McGurk contributing very little.In Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Short found a slightly more enterprising partner, but when Short became the third man out in the 11th over, he had scored 67 of the 97 on the scoreboard. But with just 73 to get, Short hadn’t left his middle-order batters with a lot to do.That’s when Owen the bowler came to the fore. Short was his first wicket, in his first over, and Owen sent back Hassan Khan and Romario Shepherd off consecutive balls in his next. And in no time, with Jack Edwards and Ian Holland chipping in with wickets, Unicorns were 113 for 7 in the 16th over.Xavier Bartlett ran through the Washington Freedom top order•Sportzpics for MLCOwen wasn’t done. Returning for the 19th, he sent back tailenders Haris Rauf and Brody Couch too, to finish with 5 for 17, leaving Unicorns with 27 to get from the last over. Despite Jahmar Hamilton’s unbeaten 18-ball 31, Saurabh Netravalkar closed the game out, conceding 14 from his six balls.When Freedom opted to bat, they wouldn’t have expected to be down at 13 for 3 by the end of the third over, all thanks to Xavier Bartlett, who ran through the top three of Owen (a first-ball duck), Rachin Ravindra and Andries Gous.Glenn Maxwell didn’t last long either, but the resistance came from Edwards and Glenn Phillips, who added 71 for the fifth wicket, even though they took 64 balls to do it. Phillips hadn’t really changed gears till that point, but did immediately after as he and Obus Pienaar added 31 in 12 balls, and, after Phillips fell for 58 in 39 balls, Pienaar added 37 in 16 balls in his unbroken seventh-wicket stand with Mukhtar Ahmed.Both teams now have six wins from seven games, but Unicorns still have a big advantage on NRR: 2.016 to 0.603.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been handed a fresh injury update on forward Kai Havertz, with a timeline emerging on his possible return.

The Gunners, even without Havertz, have made a brilliant start to the 2025/2026 season, with their last defeat coming all the way back at Anfield against Liverpool.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Since then, Arsenal have been a force to be reckoned with, sitting firmly atop the Premier League table and showing no signs of slipping.

One of the defining features of Arsenal’s campaign so far has been their dominance from set pieces. Arteta’s side have already scored an incredible 11 goals from dead-balls, making them the undisputed set-piece kings of the league.

From pinpoint corners to clever free-kicks and long-throws, Arsenal have turned these situations into a very reliable source of goals, much to the detest of some critics.

What’s particularly impressive is that they’ve done it while missing a plethora of key stars for long periods.

Club captain Martin Odegaard, who is back on the treatment table until mid-November following a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury against West Ham, had only just come back from a shoulder problem beforehand.

Gabriel Jesus, meanwhile, ruptured his ACL at the very start of 2025 and hasn’t played since Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat to Man United last season.

Noni Madueke, who was really impressing on-lookers with his early-season form, picked up a knee injury in their 1-1 draw at home to Man City, but the England international could apparently make a “faster-than-expected” return to the team (GiveMeSport).

With Havertz, the signs have also been pretty good.

Arteta’s versatile forward — the club’s highest earner on around £280,000-per-week — is believed to be impressing Arsenal staff with his recovery from knee damage behind-the-scenes.

As a result, Havertz is apparently ahead of schedule to return for Arsenal, but it still might not be too imminent.

Arsenal handed fresh Kai Havertz injury update

The 26-year-old, who scored 15 goals and bagged another five assists in all competitions last season, has played just half an hour so far this term and Arteta will be hoping to have him back as soon as possible.

However, according to journalist and founder of Premier Injuries, Ben Dinnery, Havertz may not be back in full match action until as far down the line as December.

Arteta will want to be careful managing the former Chelsea star’s load, especially considering how light Arsenal are going forward right now after Gabriel Martinelli was also sidelined recently.

Summer signing Viktor Gyokeres has done fairly well in Havertz’s place up front, albeit his goal return so far isn’t what most had hoped for.

The return of Havertz would give Arteta an extra option in that area, and Arsenal have already been tipped to bench Gyokeres for the attacker in big games once he makes his comeback.

Mikel Arteta's underrated Arsenal star adds something "people really don’t see"