Everton’s 2024/25 campaign has begun with more firepower than fans have been used to in recent years.

After seasons of scraping survival, the Toffees finally look to have rediscovered some swagger in the final third.

Their summer recruitment was targeted and bold, bringing in attacking reinforcements that have re-energised David Moyes’ side.

However, the season opener ended in disappointment with a narrow 1-0 defeat away at a hostile Elland Road against Leeds United.

But rather than spiral, Everton bounced back in style. They started life at the Hill Dickinson Stadium with a 2-0 victory over Brighton, showcasing a fluid front line.

A 3-2 away win at Molineux underlined their growing confidence, even if defensive gaps remain.

Draws against Aston Villa and a spirited Merseyside derby defeat to Liverpool followed, leaving the Toffees in 10th place and comfortably clear of early relegation chatter.

The underlying metrics point to a promising attacking direction.

Everton have generated 7.1 expected goals (xG) so far, the seventh-most in the league – ahead of Liverpool, who sit on 7.0.

For a club that in recent years ranked near the bottom in attacking output, this marks a dramatic shift.

Much of that change has been inspired by a rejuvenated front four, headlined by Jack Grealish alongside Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Iliman Ndiaye and Beto.

Grealish at the heart of it all for Everton

Grealish’s arrival at Everton raised eyebrows in the summer.

Once a £100m man at Manchester City, his stock had fallen dramatically after two injury-hit seasons that restricted him to just 721 minutes of league action last term.

Now 30, with a market value hovering around €28m (£25m), as per Transfermarkt, Grealish was seen as a gamble – albeit one with huge upside potential. So far, he has delivered.

Across the opening five games, Grealish has registered four assists in 377 minutes of football, immediately placing himself at the core of Moyes’ side.

His ability to glide past defenders and draw fouls has given Everton a new dimension, one that unsettles even the most organised back lines.

For Grealish personally, this spell at Everton represents a crossroads.

England manager Thomas Tuchel has already made it clear that consistent minutes are essential if Grealish is to earn his way back into the international fold.

Left out of the most recent Three Lions squad, he must prove himself week in, week out.

If his body holds up, Everton may have found themselves a creative force capable of driving them towards a top-half finish, far removed from the relegation battles of recent memory.

As promising as Grealish’s revival is, however, Evertonians may be forgiven for wondering what might have been with Ademola Lookman.

How Lookman compares to Grealish

Signed from Charlton in 2017 as one of the most exciting English prospects, Lookman struggled for opportunities at Goodison Park.

He made just 48 appearances, scoring two goals, before being sold to RB Leipzig in 2019.

Since then, his trajectory has skyrocketed. Now 27 and valued at around €60m (£55m), Lookman has flourished at Atalanta in Serie A.

His defining moment came when he scored a sensational hat-trick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, ending Xabi Alonso’s hopes of an unbeaten treble.

That performance propelled him into global recognition, having even attended the Ballon d’Or ceremony in 2024 as a nominee, a remarkable achievement for a player once deemed surplus to requirements on Merseyside.

Stylistically, Lookman has blossomed into a dynamic forward in the mould of Mohamed Salah or Alexander Isak.

His 2024/25 numbers highlight his evolution into an elite attacker: 20 goal involvements, 5.68 progressive carries per 90 and 5.41 shot-creating actions per 90 underline his ability to influence games at the very highest level.

Matches Played

31

Goals

15

Assists

5

Progressive Carries

142

Progressive Passes

73

The BBC’s John Bennett has gone as far as to describe him as “world-class” – praise unthinkable during his Everton days.

For Everton, Lookman is a painful reminder of their past failings in player development.

They once had a potential Ballon d’Or nominee in their ranks, but failed to provide the pathway or patience he required.

While Grealish offers present inspiration, Lookman embodies the “what if?” that continues to haunt supporters who dream of what could have been had the club harnessed his talent.

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After Liverpool lost for the second time in the space of a few days courtesy of Galatasaray, Jamie Carragher has called for one of Arne Slot’s biggest stars to be dropped.

Slot "disappointed" again by Liverpool

After needing late goals in several of their opening games to salvage victory, something seemed off about the Premier League champions. They looked vulnerable and defeat seemed inevitable. The late goal simply wasn’t always going to arrive. And, as expected, Crystal Palace have since exposed that uncomfortable fact for Slot’s side.

The Eagles stole the late show from the Reds to hand them their first defeat at the weekend and Galatasaray have now followed suit to deal Slot back-to-back defeats for just the second time in his Liverpool career. For many, the decision to award Galatasaray a first-half penalty was contentious, but that shouldn’t have been that for Liverpool, who never truly reacted to going behind.

Having his say on his side’s defeat, Slot told reporters: “Again, disappointed. For me, this was a different performance on and off the ball [than Crystal Palace]. First half, we played quite well and had a big chance to go 1-0 up.

“It is difficult to compare this situation to before. We are sometimes a bit outsmarted in situations like this, and I cannot blame Dominik Szoboszlai for the situation. They make a 20% penalty a 100% penalty, which is very smart from them.”

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It doesn’t get any easier for the Reds, either. They travel to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday and club legend Carragher has already called on one player to be dropped against the Blues.

Carragher calls for Liverpool to drop Wirtz

In a brutal assessment, Carragher called for Liverpool to drop Florian Wirtz “right now” following another disappointing display from the £200,000-a-week German. The former Bayer Leverkusen star is without a goal or assist since the Community Shield and is struggling to get up to speed at Anfield.

Whether it’s been out wide or in midfield, it’s hard to argue with Carragher’s verdict. Something is wrong with this Liverpool side and it’s only natural that the blame goes the way of the £116m midfielder who hasn’t contributed since Wembley.

Slot certainly has a big decision to make. A few, in fact. As the Chelsea game approaches, Liverpool must lay down a marker as Premier League champions.

On a day when some supporters decided to take action against the board with a protest at the start of the match, Celtic looked on course to drop points in the Scottish Premiership against Kilmarnock on Sunday.

The Hoops, who had drawn 0-0 with their city rivals before the international break, found themselves drawing 1-1 heading into stoppage time because of an equaliser from David Watson after Daizen Maeda had opened the scoring.

Given how the day started, the onlooking board members may have been fearing the reaction from the supporters if the full-time whistle had blown whilst the score was 1-1.

Fortunately, for them, the supporters, and the team, a stoppage-time penalty was awarded to the Premiership champions for a handball from James Forrest’s shot.

Kelechi Iheanacho stepped up to score from the spot with an emphatic penalty that thumped into the back of the net to win the match for the Hoops in the 96th minute.

It was a debut goal for the Nigeria international, signed on a free transfer the day after deadline day, and one that will hopefully tee him up for a successful season.

Why Kelechi Iheanacho's debut was a big positive for Celtic

Brendan Rodgers, who worked with the centre-forward at Leicester City in the Premier League, turned to the former Sevilla marksman in the 70th minute to replace Maeda whilst Celtic were winning 1-0.

There was nothing he could do, as a striker, to prevent Watson from equalising for the hosts from a corner, but his individual display showed plenty of signs of promise.

It was clear that the Nigerian number nine wanted to score. He was desperate to find the back of the net on his debut. Three of his nine touches on the pitch were shots: one was off target, one was blocked, and the third was the penalty that he scored to win the match.

Minutes

20

Touches

9

Shots

3

Goals

1

Passes completed

3/5

Duels won

0/2

As you can see in the table above, Iheanacho did lose both of his duels in the win over Kilmarnock, as he still looked a little bit short of full match sharpness, understandably.

The left-footed marksman had not played a competitive club match since Middlesbrough’s 2-0 defeat to Coventry City at the start of May in the English Championship, which means that it may take some time for the striker to get back to his best from a physical perspective.

With this in mind, Rodgers may slowly bed him into the team rather than chucking him in as a regular starter in the number nine position after his winning penalty on Sunday.

Iheanacho needs to build up his sharpness and that could come by alternating between being a starter and coming off the bench for a few matches before he is ready to fully kick on.

Chalkboard

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

Meanwhile, there is a summer signing made by Celtic who should already be deemed to be undroppable from the best starting XI after he made a positive impression against Kilmarnock.

Rodgers opted to hand Sebastian Tounekti, who signed on a permanent deal from Hammarby on deadline day, a debut on the left wing and was rewarded with an eye-catching display from the forward.

Why Sebastian Tounekti is undroppable for Celtic

Unlike Iheanacho, the Tunisia international was ready to be dropped straight into the starting XI because he had played six times for Hammarby in all competitions in August, per Sofascore.

This meant that the winger was fully fit and match sharp by the time he arrived at Celtic just before the international break, which helped him to hit the ground running with an impressive debut.

Rodgers opted to start Tounekti on the left flank, moving Michel-Ange Balikwisha over to the right, and the Tunisian star caught the eye with his fearless and confident performance, despite playing on an artificial surface that may have come as a shock to some players who are not used to that kind of pitch.

The 23-year-old star, who lined up with fellow new signing Marcelo Saracchi behind him, did not register a goal or an assist in the 2-1 win for Celtic, but his general play was enough to suggest that he will be an exciting player to watch this season.

Minutes

88

58

Touches

67

34

Shots

5

0

Chances created

4

1

Dribbles completed

5/9

0/1

Duels won

6

1

As you can see in the table above, Tounekti was way better than Balikwisha, who had started on the left against Rangers before the break, with five more shots, five more completed dribbles, and four times as many chances created.

These statistics show that the Tunisia international carried a far greater threat in the final third by constantly looking to make things happen with shots, dribbles, and key passes, whilst the Belgian attacker was too timid in his play.

This is why Tounekti should be considered undroppable by Rodgers already, because he has done more in one match on the left wing than Balikwisha has managed in his first two starts for the club, with one chance created and zero shots against Rangers and Kilmarnock, per Sofascore.

Celtic writer John McGinley noted that the former Hammarby forward “likes being a problem” for opposition defences with his fearless approach to the game, which is partly why his performance against Kilmarnock was so refreshing to see.

Tounekti was willing to take the game to the hosts by taking players on and taking risks with the ball at his feet, which is exactly what supporters want to see players doing to win matches.

Whilst it is now down to the player to prove that he can deliver consistent performances on the pitch, the new signing’s showing on Sunday should mean that he is now undroppable from the starting line-up.

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Meanwhile, Iheanacho still needs to prove his fitness and quality on the pitch before he can be considered an undroppable member of the best XI.

Chelsea have now registered their interest in a surprise move for a “fantastic” Juventus star, who is being targeted by a number of Premier League clubs.

Blues join race for sought-after midfielder

The Blues’ 3-1 home defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion perhaps underlined that they’re not quite ready to mount a Premier League title push, despite their heavy spending, with Jamie Carragher making it clear that Enzo Maresca’s squad lacks experience.

The Sky Sports pundit said: “How long will the rebuild after Abramovich last? At what point will they realize the need to buy ready-made, established stars who can take the team from fourth place to first, combining youth with experience?”

Maresca’s squad has the youngest average age in the Premier League, at just 23.4, with a gap of 0.8 between them and second-placed Sunderland, and Raheem Sterling, who is part of the ‘bomb squad’ is the only player not in his twenties.

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As pointed out by Carragher, the west Londoners need to bring in players with experience of winning major honours if they are going to become serious title contenders, and they have now joined the race to sign a new midfielder.

Indeed, according to a report from Caught Offside, Chelsea have now registered their interest in signing Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli, which would be a surprising move, given that he does not align with their recent transfer policy.

At 27-years-old, the Italian is a lot more experienced than most players who make the move to Stamford Bridge, and there are signs that a deal could be possible, with any bids of €40m (£35m) deemed to be ‘unrejectable’.

With Romeo Lavia struggling on the injury front, a move for Locatelli would make sense, but there is set to be fierce competition for his signature, as Newcastle United, Aston Villa, West Ham United and Bayer Leverkusen have also expressed interest.

"Fantastic" Locatelli has the talent to succeed at Stamford Bridge

Hailed as “fantastic” by scout Jacek Kulig, the Italy international is very impressive in possession of the ball, and has displayed his tackling ability on a regular basis over the past year, suggesting he is a well-rounded midfielder.

Statistic

Average per 90

Passes attempted

74.48 (93rd percentile)

Progressive passes

9.31 (97th percentile)

Tackles

2.78 (84th percentile)

With Maresca keen on a central midfielder capable of progressing the ball up the pitch, the Juventus maestro could be an ideal option, and he also has a keen eye for goal, once scoring with a remarkable shot from distance for Italy.

At 27, Locatelli is by no means old, but his experience could be of great use to Chelsea, given that they have the youngest squad in the Premier League, and they should test the waters with an offer this winter.

A “perfect choice” to be the next Rangers manager is now one of the contenders to take charge at Ibrox alongside the heavily linked Sean Dyche, Danny Rohl and Steven Gerrard.

Gerrard, Rohl and Dyche linked with Ibrox hotseat

Russell Martin was sacked by the Gers on Sunday evening, with the 1-1 draw away to Falkirk in the Scottish Premiership proving to be one underwhelming result too many for the board, leaving them languishing in eighth place in the table.

It was a decision that has been coming for months, with Martin making a poor start to life at Ibrox and never recovering, and it’s now time for the 49ers to nail their successor to the Englishman, with several names already being mentioned.

Former Everton and Burnley boss Sean Dyche is an early contender to come in at Ibrox, as he looks for a fresh challenge after departing the Blues last year, possessing a huge amount of experience.

Meanwhile, a Steven Gerrard reunion also feels possible, having guided them to league title glory in 2020/21, and young German Danny Rohl is appreciated within Ibrox, as he looks for a new club after Sheffield Wednesday.

Matches

17

Wins

5

Draws

6

Defeats

6

Goals scored

21

Goals conceded

24

Points per game

1.24

Rangers eyeing 52 y/o manager who's the "perfect choice"

According to a new claim from Give Me Sport, Kevin Muscat is very much on Rangers’ radar to be their next manager, being seen as a fourth option alongside Dyche, Gerrard and Rohl.

The 52-year-old is currently in charge of Shanghai Port FC, but the Gers may be hoping to lure him back to Ibrox, having played there during his playing career. The obstacle faced by the 49ers is Muscat’s contract in China is believed to be extremely lucrative and tax free, meaning he will have to be seriously tempted by the project on offer at Ibrox to make a move.

Muscat has constantly been named as a potential Rangers manager in recent years, so often being linked with the job when it has become available. In fact, The Rangers Journal believe he has always been the “perfect choice” for the Gers, with the club deciding to hire the likes of Philippe Clement and Martin instead.

Admittedly, Muscat has no European experience in management, which does work against him in terms of knowing the British game well, but if the fans see him as a popular choice, that goes a long way for starters.

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Rangers’ board have to be so careful in their decision-making, not wanting to make a third incorrect appointment in a row, but Muscat stands out as a front-runner, and the fact that he knows the club well from his playing days can only be a good thing.

Bayern Munich have announced that manager Vincent Kompany has penned a contract extension with the Bavarian giants. Kompany has put pen to paper on a new deal with the club that runs until June 2029 after winning the Bundesliga title in his first season in charge. Kompany's side have also started the new season well and currently sit five points clear at the top of the table.

Kompany commits future to Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich announced the news in an official statement that read: "FC Bayern and Vincent Kompany have extended their contract until 30 June 2029. The head coach’s current deal was due to expire in summer 2027. Kompany, 39, arrived in Munich from Burnley FC in England ahead of the 2024/25 season and guided the team to the Bundesliga title in his first year. The Belgian also lifted the Supercup with Bayern at the start of this season."

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'Wonderful journey' – Kompany loving Bayern tenure

Kompany spoke of his pride at extending his stay with the Bundesliga giants and is looking forward to bringing more success to the club. He told the club's media: “I’m grateful, honoured and would like to thank FC Bayern for the trust and the working environment they’ve given me from day one. It feels like I’ve been here a lot longer and that I know the club well. It’s been a great experience so far. We’ve started on a wonderful journey. Let’s keep working hard and celebrate much more success!” 

Meanwhile, Bayern president Herbert Hainer hailed Kompany for doing an excellent job at Bayern since arriving from Burnley. He added: "The contract extension with Vincent Kompany is a strong vote of confidence from the club after the great job he’s done up to now, as well as a clear sign for continuity and stability at FC Bayern. Vincent is held in high regard by the players, the club management and the fans. We’re happy about the early extension of our cooperation.” 

Kane next in line for new contract?

After securing Kompany's future, Bayern could now look to hand top scorer Harry Kane a new contract. The England captain is tied to Bayern until 2027 and has said he's "open" to renewal talks with the club. Bayern Munich's sporting director Christoph Freund has also confirmed the club's interest in renewing Kane, saying that he is the "perfect player" for Bayern and adding that "we hope he'll stay in Munich for a few more years."

Kane has been a huge hit at Bayern since moving from Tottenham. The striker ended his trophy jinx last season by firing Bayern to the Bundesliga titles and bagged his 400th career goal in Der Klassiker on Saturday. Kane has now scored 104 goals in 107 appearances for the Bavarian giants and is averaging a goal approximately every 52 minutes this season.

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Kompany has 'brought the fun back to Bayern'

Kompany's side won the title by 13 points last season, scoring 99 goals in 34 Bundesliga outings, and securing their 34th league crown. The victory put Bayern back on top in Germany, after losing out to Bayern Leverkusen the season before, and CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen feels Kompany has brought the good times back to the club.

He told Bayern's website: “Vincent Kompany has brought the fun back to FC Bayern – and the spark has really caught on. Under his leadership, a real team has grown that plays dominant and attractive football. The extension is also a signal to our players. Moreover, I like Vincent's level-headedness. He never pushes himself into the limelight and makes our players better with his meticulous work.” 

The Bayern boss has also been hailed as a role model by Max Eberl, board member for sport, who added: "I’m delighted about this extension. When we appointed Vinny, we had a clear vision of our shared path and he quickly proved that he would help FC Bayern move forward – both on and off the pitch. He’s a role model who unites players, fans and everyone at the club, and we want to build something long-term with him.”  

يستأنف ليفربول مشواره في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، بعد الخروج من منافسات الدور الرابع من كأس رابطة المحترفين الإنجليزية أمام كريستال بالاس.

وكرر كريستال بالاس تفوقه على ليفربول على ملعب أنفيلد بعد الفوز بثلاثية نظيفة، سجلها إسماعيلا سار في الدقيقتين 41 و45 من أحداث الشوط الأول ويرمي بينو في الدقيقة 88.

وكان كريستال بالاس قد خطف لقب الدرع الخيرية في بداية الموسم بعد الفوز على ليفربول بركلات الجزاء الترجيحية.

اقرأ أيضاً.. هاسلبانك: محمد صلاح متذمر ولم يعد النجم الأول في ليفربول

آرني سلوت مدرب ليفربول دخل لقاء اليوم بتشكيل مكون من: “وودمان، كيركيز، رامزي، روبرتسون، جوميز، موريسون، إندو، نيوني، كييزا، ماك أليستر، ريو نجوموها”. موعد مباراة ليفربول وأستون فيلا في الدوري الإنجليزي

سيلتقي ليفربول مع أستون فيلا، على ملعب “أنفيلد”، في الجولة العاشرة من الدوري الإنجليزي، يوم السبت المقبل 1 نوفمبر، في تمام الساعة العاشرة بتوقيت مصر الحادية عشر بتوقيت السعودية.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras vai visitar o Corinthians, neste domingo (3), na Neo Química Arena, pela 22ª rodada do Brasileirão. Por si só, o Dérbi já vale muita coisa. Além disso, podemos considerar também os objetivos de cada um na tabela do campeonato. Mas neste clássico, especificamente, pode haver um gostinho especial para os palmeirenses, já que eles podem igualar o número de vitórias do rival na arena em Itaquera.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasPalmeiras renova com mais um Cria da Academia bicampeão da CopinhaPalmeiras31/08/2023Futebol NacionalMinistério Público de São Paulo pede o adiamento de Corinthians x PalmeirasFutebol Nacional31/08/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras recusa nova proposta de clube ucraniano por KevinPalmeiras31/08/2023

+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Atualmente, o retrospecto alviverde por lá é de seis vitórias, cinco empates e sete derrotas. Ou seja, caso o Verdão vença neste domingo (3), ficará com a mesma quantidade de triunfos do Timão no estádio do rival. Algo que o próprio time alvinegro chegou a ser superior no Allianz Parque.

+ Copo Stanley a partir de R$120,00. Bebida gelada nos 90′ de jogo do Verdão!

Fica claro que, nos últimos anos, o Palmeiras tem se sobressaído com certa vantagem no Dérbi. Nos sete clássicos mais recentes na Neo Química Arena, o Alviverde perdeu apenas um, que foi o 2 a 1 em 2021, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro. Aliás, é a única derrota de Abel Ferreira nesse confronto.

continua após a publicidade

+ Acesso negado! Em semana de Dérbi, Palmeiras aumenta abismo para o Corinthians em Libertadores

Dos últimos 13 Dérbis, apenas uma vitória do Corinthians contra sete do Verdão, além de seis empates. O mais recente encontro entre os rivais foi no primeiro turno do Brasileiro, quando os palmeirenses venceram por 2 a 1, no Allianz Parque, antes da chegada de Vanderlei Luxemburgo.

Se levarmos em consideração apenas os últimos dez Dérbis pelo Brasileirão, a supremacia alviverde é ainda mais evidente. São seis vitórias do Palmeiras, três empates e apenas uma vitória do Corinthians.

continua após a publicidade

Caso fizermos um recorte ainda mais recente, dos últimos cinco Dérbis, são quatro vitórias do Verdão e apenas um empate. Ou seja, invencibilidade palmeirense de cinco partidas, sendo a última derrota justamente essa que foi citada acima do 2 a 1 na Neo Química Arena, pelo Brasileiro de 2021.

+ Ministério Público de São Paulo pede o adiamento de Corinthians x Palmeiras

Dessa forma, além da mística de uma vitória em clássico, da possibilidade de seguir brigando pelos seus objetivos no campeonato, o Palmeiras pode sair de Itaquera com uma marca significativa na arena do rival, que é tão temida por quem passa por lá. Lembrando que o São Paulo, por exemplo, jamais venceu no estádio.

Tudo sobre

CorinthiansDérbiItaqueraPalmeiras

Manchester United are feeling the heat after a bruising derby loss at the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester United fall to sobering derby defeat

In a derby match with a lot of importance attached to Ruben Amorim, his side failed to turn up at the Etihad Stadium and fell to a comprehensive 3-0 defeat.

Nevertheless, the Portuguese boss made a point in his post-match press conference that he won’t change his style regardless of external pressure, claiming that if INEOS want to see a change, they will have to relieve him of his duties.

He stated: “I won’t change my philosophy. If they [United hierarchy] want it changed, you change the man. I am not going to change my philosophy.

“I will play my way until I want to change. Guys, I understand (the questions) and I accept it is not a record you should have at Man United. But there are a lot of things that you have no idea about what happen in the last months. I understand everything. It is normal [if fans are losing faith], but I don’t accept that we are not doing better.”

While Lisandro Martinez could return for Manchester United in October is a minor positive, platitudes won’t cut it for the majority of the Red Devils’ support, who have witnessed only one Premier League victory this season against newly-promoted Burnley.

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The Red Devils’ underlying numbers have shown small bursts of improvement, but a damaging loss at their city rivals has soured the mood at Old Trafford now that the international break is over.

Results are the be-all and end-all at Manchester United, and if they don’t improve, it isn’t too obvious to suggest what may come next at the club.

Reflecting on a tough day at the office, Gary Neville has made his feelings clear on what he feels could come next at Old Trafford.

Gary Neville offers blunt Ruben Amorim assessment

Speaking after the match on Sky Sports, Gary Neville admitted that a defeat to Chelsea next week for Manchester United could provoke questions surrounding Amorim’s future, and he made it clear that his refusal to change their system is a major cause for concern.

He stated: “I think there will be some pressure applied to the manager and his rigidity of sticking with the system. City have beaten them well and comfortably. United had some good moments in the game – the first 15 minutes and the first five minutes of the second half. City, in big moments, have had better players. Foden, Doku, Haaland have stood out.

“There have been times when I have seen United lose this type of match when I feel angry and frustrated. I just feel nothing, which is even worse. This has been a nothing of a performance. United have just been beaten. With Chelsea next week, another defeat and big questions would start to be asked.”

Amorim is set for a tough run of fixtures at Manchester United, with clashes against Chelsea, Brentford and Sunderland before a trip to face Liverpool in just over a month.

With inconsistent results continuing to dominate the landscape, there is an evident need for improvement if his side are serious about navigating their way up the Premier League table.

After Rathi went ahead with the appeal, the TV umpire ruled it not out, saying the bowler had completed his delivery stride before taking the bails off

ESPNcricinfo staff27-May-2025Jitesh Sharma survived an appeal for run-out at the non-striker’s end after TV umpire Ulhas Gandhe had deemed that Digvesh Rathi, the bowler, had completed his delivery stride before effecting the run-out.The incident took place in the 17th over of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) chase of 228 against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2025. When Rathi broke the bails at the non-striker’s end, Jitesh was out of his crease. The on-field umpire checked with Rathi if he wanted to go ahead with the appeal and after Rathi had replied in the affirmative, the TV umpire ruled Jitesh not out, saying the bowler had completed his delivery stride before taking the bails off.Related

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According to the IPL’s playing conditions 38.3.1, “If the non-striker is out of his/her ground at any time from the moment the ball comes into play until the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, the non-striker is liable to be Run out by the bowler attempting to run him/her out. In these circumstances, the non- striker will be out Run out if he/she is out of his/her ground when his/her wicket is broken by the bowler throwing the ball at the wicket or by the bowler’s hand holding the ball, whether or not the ball is subsequently delivered.”Also, around the time not out flashed on the big screen, Pant gestured that he had withdrawn the appeal and then exchanged hugs with Jitesh. Even if the TV umpire had have ruled Jitesh out, Pant suggested he would have withdrawn the appeal, which he was entitled to.Jitesh was on 57 off 25 when the incident happened. He went onto finish unbeaten on 85 off 33 balls as RCB mowed down 228 with six wickets and eight balls to spare. It was RCB’s highest successful chase in the IPL and the third highest overall in the tournament’s history.The result confirmed RCB’s place in Qualifier 1, where they will face the table-topping Punjab Kings (PBKS) on May 29 in Mullanpur. Gujarat Titans (GT) will take on Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Eliminator at the same venue on May 30.