Tottenham Hotspur secured a needed 2-0 victory over Brentford this afternoon to help ease the pressure on the shoulders of current manager Thomas Frank.

The win over Bees was the Lilywhites’ first in the Premier League since the win at Everton at the end of October – a run that lasted a total of five matches.

Goals from Xavi Simons and Richarlison secured all three points for the hosts, with such a result taking the side up to eighth place in England’s top-flight after 15 games.

Frank will no doubt be hoping such a result will kickstart his tenure in North London, especially after a stop-start period which has led to discontent being directed his way from the fans.

One player could well prove to be crucial over the next couple of months, especially if his showing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this afternoon is anything to go by.

The stats behind Xavi Simons’ display against Brentford

After spending £52m on Simons’ signature during the summer window, many Spurs fans will no doubt have expected the attacking midfielder to make an immediate impact to life in England.

However, prior to the clash with Brentford today, he had failed to find the back of the net for his new side, but his 43rd-minute effort has finally broken such a spell at the 19th attempt.

The Dutch international also registered the assist for Richarlison’s strike in the 25th minute, with the youngster having a hand in both of the side’s efforts in North London.

Simons’ underlying stats from the triumph were just as impressive, with the midfielder completing 86% of the passes he attempted, with five of which going into the final third.

He also won three fouls, whilst also creating two chances for his teammates – in what was undoubtedly his best showing since his big-money transfer to the Premier League.

The fanbase will no doubt be hoping that the Dutchman can continue such form, but it didn’t stop another player from reaching similar levels this afternoon.

The Spurs player who looked like Bale against Brentford

Gareth Bale was a player who often managed to get the Spurs fans off their seats as a result of his performances on the pitch during his spell in North London.

The Welshman used to torment defenders with his relentless running and his ability to go either inside or outside when travelling with the ball on the right-flank.

However, since his big-money transfer to Real Madrid in the summer of 2013, the club have greatly lacked that presence and talent off such a wing in the final third.

Brennan Johnson was often filled the void in the last couple of years, even scoring 18 times last season, but he’s ultimately struggled to nail down the position as his own.

He’s since dropped further down the pecking order in the last few months since Frank’s arrival, especially after the Dane forked out a reported £55m for the signature of Mohammed Kudus.

The Ghanaian international has started all but one league game since his arrival, with the manager once again selecting him during the victory earlier this afternoon.

He once again took centre stage in the clash with the Bees and demonstrated why the manager has faith in him to provide the goods – arguably being just like Bale with such a display.

Kudus managed to complete five dribbles during the win – the most of any player on the pitch – taking his tally to 45 this season, the highest tally of any player in the division at present.

He also managed to complete two crosses, created two chances and completed 92% of his passes – reminiscent of the numbers Bale produced during his own spell at the club.

Minutes played

80

Touches

67

Passes completed

92%

Dribbles completed

5

Crosses completed

2

Chances created

2

Duels won

9

Aerials won

100%

The winger’s excellent display was further reflected in his tally of nine duels and 100% aerials won, with the forward managing to star even when not in possession of the ball.

As a result of his showing, the forward was handed an impressive 7/10 match rating by Football London, further showcasing his impressive display against Frank’s former side.

There’s no doubt the winger has made himself one of the first players on the teamsheet, with him and Simons potentially playing a key role at the club for many years to come.

Should he continue on his current path, there’s no reason why he can’t become as pivotal as Bale was at the club – potentially taking the club to new heights in the process.

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McBrine resisted with fifty but it wasn’t enough as Ireland folded for 254 in the second innings

Mohammad Isam14-Nov-2025Bangladesh sealed an innings-and-47-run win over Ireland inside four days in Sylhet, a victory built on Hasan Murad’s four-wicket haul and commanding centuries from Mahmudul Hasan Joy and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto. It was a team effort with almost everyone contributing to the win.Ireland’s only solace, perhaps, was keeping the home side waiting until 45 minutes after the lunch break on the fourth day, particularly after having lost half their side on the third evening. Andy McBrine struck a patient half-century, adding 66 runs for the seventh wicket with Andy Balbirnie, who came in at No. 8 due to a finger injury.Nahid Rana gave Bangladesh the breakthrough they wanted with the second ball after lunch. He banged one in slightly short, which McBrine went to pull, only to find Murad at midwicket. The left-hander fell for 52, having struck five fours in his 106-ball stay.Barry McCarthy and Jordan Neill kept the visitors alive briefly with a 54-run ninth-wicket stand. Neill made 36 with seven fours, while McCarthy, the last man out, struck a six and two fours in his 25.Earlier, the first session revolved around reviews that ultimately went Ireland’s way. It began with Matthew Humphreys in the day’s first over, overturning a decision through DRS. Taijul Islam removed him soon after, caught off a top edge at backward square-leg.McBrine survived twice in the same over against Mehidy Hasan Miraz, both by slim margins. Balbirnie enjoyed similar luck, though Murad eventually trapped him lbw for 38, the dismissal upheld on umpire’s call as the ball was projected to partially hit leg stump.McBrine reached his fifty just before lunch, capping off a fine session for the visitors.Ireland began their second innings facing a deficit of 301 runs. They lost five wickets on the third afternoon, although Paul Stirling fought hard for his 43, which included seven boundaries. But when the experienced right-hander was run out following a moment of hesitation, Ireland slipped further in the final hour. Harry Tector and Lorcan Tucker were trapped lbw by Taijul and Murad respectively, while Shadman Islam’s excellent catch at cover ended Curtis Campher’s stay. It left Ireland with a mountain to climb on the fourth day.

Russell has been a constant for the franchise since IPL 2014, and was among five players retained by the franchise ahead of the 2025 mega auction for INR 12 crore

Nagraj Gollapudi15-Nov-2025In one of the most high-profile releases in IPL history, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have decided to let go of their star allrounder Andre Russell ahead of the auction for IPL 2026.Russell has been a constant for the franchise since IPL 2014 and was among five players retained by the franchise ahead of the 2025 mega auction. Though Russell had cost KKR INR 12 crore, releasing him has given the franchise an additional INR 18 crore for the auction, since he was Player 1 in KKR’s list of retainees last year, worth INR 18 crore, and that amount gets credited to the team’s purse now.A bona fide T20 great, Russell is also an IPL GOAT. Only two players in IPL history have scored over 2000 runs and picked 100 wickets. One of them – Russell – has been released, and the other – Ravindra Jadeja – has been traded, making the 2026 retention window among the most headline-making ones.Related

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While the development will surprise many, including KKR fans, the franchise had deliberated releasing Russell ahead of the 2025 mega auction before deciding to stall that call. Russell, who is 37, had retired from international cricket in July, having only played the T20 format after the 2019 World Cup.Russell, who was the Player of the Tournament in IPL 2019, was part of the KKR’s title-winning teams in 2014 and 2024. Russell also won 16 Player-of-the-Match awards at KKR and is only behind the other KKR great Sunil Narine. A powerful batter who is known to take bowlers apart, especially in death overs, Russell has hit the joint-seventh most sixes (223) in the IPL.It is understood that more than one franchise sought out Russell in trade. KKR, though, will have the biggest purse, INR 64.30 crore, at the auction and could look to even buy him back. The teams will also pay attention to Russell’s form in the 2025 season. With the bat in ten innings, Russell hit 167 runs at a strike rate of 163.72, including a 50. His bowling numbers, though, were under par: eight wickets in nine innings at an average of 27.12 and an economy of 11.94.

Kylian Mbappe's injury has forced Xabi Alonso to launch a 'desperate' Real Madrid tactic in the fight to save his job against Manchester City. Alonso could turn to out-of-favour forward Endrick in the absence of their star attacker. The Frenchman was absent from Los Blancos' open training session the day before the game against Pep Guardiola's side at the Bernabeu.

Injury scare for Real Madrid ahead of Man City clash

A day before Madrid's crucial Champions League fixture against Premier League giants Manchester City, star forward Mbappe missed the club's open training session, alongside compatriot Eduardo Camavinga. While Alonso did not mention anything about injuries in his squad, in the training session following the manager's pre-match press conference, Mbappe was a notable absentee. 

Spanish radio station also reported that the France international had suffered an injury in his left leg, making him a serious doubt for the game with City at the Bernabeu.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMbappe's injury major blow for Alonso

Mbappe has been Los Blancos' standout player in the 2025-26 campaign, with 25 goals across La Liga and the Champions League, plus four assists. He is also on course to break Cristiano Ronaldo's record for the most goals for Real in a calendar year. The Frenchman has been responsible for half of the team's goals in the Spanish top flight and a remarkable 75% of their goals in Europe's top competition, netting a stunning four strikes in his last continental outing against Olympiacos. 

Head coacg Alonso is under huge pressure following Madrid's dismal 2-0 defeat at home to Celta Vigo on Sunday, which also saw Alvaro Carreras and Fran Garcia sent off and key defender Eder Militao hobble off with a muscle injury that is set to keep him out for up to four months. The loss meant that their gap with league leaders Barcelona increased to four points. Alonso's side have won just two of their last seven games in all competitions.

Alonso focusing on Endrick

With Mbappe out injured, reported on Tuesday that the Madrid boss paid special attention to out-of-favour forward Endrick in the training session and even individually spoke to the Brazilian, something he never did since joining the club in the summer. 

The special attention towards the attacker clearly indicates that the youngster is likely to feature in the club's matchday squad to face City on Wednesday, which has been dubbed 'Plan Endrick'. If Endrick starts against the English giants, it will happen for the first time this season. If he comes off the bench, he would feature in a game for the first time since November 1, when he played a few minutes in the club's win over Valencia.

Other than Endrick, another forward option for Alonso ahead of the City clash is Gonzalo Garcia. The Spaniard has played more minutes than Endrick this season and is likely to get the preference ahead of the Brazilian in the European clash.

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Getty Images SportWill Endrick leave Madrid in January?

Endrick has been linked with a temporary move away from Madrid since the start of the new season and the player's frustration has only grown after repeatedly being ignored by Alonso. With just over six months left for the 2026 World Cup to start, the youngster is naturally desperate for game time and could consider moving away from the Bernabeu.

Endrick's father recently showed his support by writing on social media: "I know, my son, how hard you work and how much you dedicate every minute of your day. I know everything you're capable of. You're a winner and you're showing everyone that you're a true warrior. Your star will continue to shine, even though some try to dim your light. I believe your future lies right there."

It remains to be seen now how many minutes Endrick manages to accumulate in Mbappe's absence in December and depending on his opportunity, the teenager will take a final call on his future.

Marnus Labuschagne forced to open after back spasm forces Usman Khawaja off the field

Alex Malcolm21-Nov-2025

AFP/Getty Images

Usman Khawaja was unable to open for Australia after an ill-timed decision to leave the field to get treatment for back spasms just before England’s first innings collapse on the opening day of in Perth leading to a hasty reshuffle of their top order.After months of debate about Australia’s batting order and the selectors’ decision to reinstate Marnus Labuschagne at No. 3, he was forced to open anyway alongside debutant Jake Weatherald after Khawaja spent the last three overs of England’s innings off the field as they lost 5 for 20 in 23 balls to be bowled out for just 172.”I didn’t know about it until the ninth wicket when he still had 10 minutes or so [to make up],” Mitchell Starc said. “We got caught off guard a little bit with the wickets falling pretty quickly in the back end there. It’s just unfortunate that was the case. He’ll manage that overnight and see how we’re at tomorrow.”Khawaja, 38, had left the field several times in the first three hours of play and exited again with the score at 152 for 5 after 29 overs. Khawaja battled back stiffness through the day and had a back spasm the second time he left the field.Related

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England then collapsed while he was stretching to overcome the spasm and it left stand-in captain Steven Smith calling for Khawaja to come back onto the field. Khawaja eventually did return to the field for the end of the innings but according to ICC rules had not returned for the equal amount of time he had been off and therefore was ineligible to open the batting.”I don’t think we really realised he wasn’t going to come out at the start of the innings. It was probably more unsettling for the Aussies,” Brydon Carse said after play.It is understood Khawaja did not have a prior back injury. However, Khawaja did play 18 holes of golf on Thursday, having missed Australia’s last optional training session, and also played several times earlier in the week. It is not unusual for Khawaja to play golf the day before a Test match. Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc, who took a career-best 7 for 58 on Friday, also played on Thursday along with several members of the coaching staff.It meant Weatherald faced the first over from Jofra Archer, although he may have done so anyway. Weatherald had not faced the first ball of an innings in each of his last 20 first-class innings before his Test debut, during a run of form that saw him earn his first Test cap.He was trapped lbw second ball by a searing full delivery from Archer that knocked him off his feet. His duck mirrored that of Nathan McSweeney’s on Test debut for Australia when opening against India at the same ground 12 months ago in very similar circumstances.Given the wicket fell so soon into the innings, it meant Smith walked out at No. 3 for the first time in a Test since 2017, although he had opened alongside in four Tests in early 2024 before returning to his preferred No. 4.Khawaja made his way to the middle at No. 4 after Labuschagne fell to Archer after tea. Like a few in the top order, he didn’t end up surviving long, gloving a superb delivery from Carse to the keeper for 2, as Australia followed suit in struggling with the bat and ended the day on 123 for 9.

Manchester United’s topsy-turvy campaign continued on Monday night but fortunately, it was all smiles in the end as they demolished a dreadful Wolves side 4-1 at Molineux.

Bruno Fernandes was in supreme form, scoring twice and registering an assist but he wasn’t the only player on the away side who stood out.

Bryan Mbeumo ended his run of games without finding the net while Mason Mount continued his impressive form as one of the leading men in Amorim’s attack.

Amorim speaks out after Wolves win

There has been a lot of debate surrounding the position of Fernandes this season. The club captain is an attacking midfielder by trade but has been used as a deeper-lying figure under Ruben Amorim.

That said, he’s still impacting things and arguably had one of his finest games under the young Portuguese manager to date when they travelled to Wolverhampton.

Speaking after the game, Amorim was delighted with the performance, although he was critical of the opening 45 minutes.

He told the press: “I think, once again, after we scored a goal we were a little bit sloppy on the ball and that gave a little bit of hope to the opponent.”

Amorim continued: “But, we created a lot of chances in the first half also. We should have finished that half in a different way and then at half-time they understood that we have everything to win the game, to win three points. And they did that.

“I think the pace, the quality that we showed in the second half, understanding that the moment of Wolves is really hard as a team, as a club, so we took advantage of that.”

Mount receives the acclaim from Amorim

This has been a season of rejuvenation for Mount whose time at Old Trafford has been a difficult one to date, largely due to injury.

However, after scoring against Wolves, it means the England international has now scored three goals in his last seven outings for United. Not jaw-dropping numbers sure, but it’s a return to some sort of prominence for a man who’s been on the periphery for so long.

Amorim was seemingly ecstatic with Mount post-game, telling reporters: “He can defend, he can attack, the quality when he touches the ball is really good, so it’s not a surprise for me,” Amorim said.

The manager continued: “He’s a different type of leader. It’s not like Licha (Lisandro Martinez), for example. It’s a guy that leads by example.”

Amorim concluded by summarising how the former Chelsea man is around the training ground: “It doesn’t matter the situation, Mason Mount is always the same thing – training, talking, dealing with people around Carrington. That is not easy, so he’s a very, very good player.”

While Mount has played as a striker on the odd occasion this term, he featured in an attacking midfield role with Matheus Cunha leading the line instead against Wolves. It seemed to work a treat for United on Monday evening.

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Manchester United’s squad at present is full of top-level talent in numerous areas of the pitch, but Ruben Amorim has so far struggled to make use of the players at his disposal.

The hierarchy have constantly splashed the cash in recent years, with over £200m being spent on new attacking talents during the recent summer transfer window.

The likes of Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha all made the move to Old Trafford, but they have only posted a total of eight Premier League goals combined in 2025/26.

Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system has seen Mbeumo operate in a somewhat unnatural central attacking midfield role, no doubt taking away his best asset – cutting inside off the right-hand side – away from him.

As a result, one player has indirectly suffered this campaign, with the manager recently coming under fire for his lack of faith shown in the player over recent months.

The latest on Kobbie Mainoo’s Man Utd future

Just a couple of years ago, Kobbie Mainoo was a key member of the United first-team squad, with the midfielder often starting at the heart of Erik ten Hag’s side.

He emerged out of the club’s academy setup, often popping up with key moments, as seen by his incredible achievements during the 2023/24 campaign.

The 20-year-old scored a late winner in the clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers, whilst also netting in the FA Cup final against Manchester City – resulting in a place in the England squad for Euro 2024.

However, his career has taken a nosedive over the last 12 months, with Amorim evidently not seeing the academy graduate as part of his long-term plans at Old Trafford.

Mainoo has featured in nine league matches to date, none of which have come from a starting role, leading to one journalist questioning the manager over the midfielder after yesterday’s draw.

The 40-year-old simply laughed when asked about bringing the youngster on to try and win the game at the Theatre of Dreams, which sums up the faith he currently has in him at present.

However, an escape route could well be on the cards for Mainoo ahead of the January transfer window, with Napoli constantly tracking the Englishman over a potential transfer.

The Man Utd player that Amorim is misusing in 2025/26

The reluctance to utilise Mainoo in 2025/26 is just one of Amorim’s biggest failures to date, with the youngster massively deserving the chance to thrive under his guidance.

However, his recent spell on the substitutes bench highlights the lack of faith shown in him by the manager, with a solution desperately needed in the coming months.

The same could also be said about numerous other players, as seen by the struggles endured within the final third of the pitch over the last couple of matches in the Premier League.

Mbeumo has now failed to find the back of the net in each of his last three outings, but the forward is set to go to AFCON throughout January, which could leave a huge hole in the Red Devils’ attack.

His month-long spell away from Manchester could open up the door for Bruno Fernandes to once again feature in the number ten position – a role that is no doubt his best.

The Portuguese international operated in an attacking midfield role during 2024/25, resulting in the 31-year-old registering 37 combined goals and assists across all competitions.

However, the £200m spending spree in attacking areas has resulted in the United captain dropping into a deep-lying number eight position, which has taken away his creative nature in recent months.

He still currently has a total of five assists in his 14 appearances this campaign, but there’s little denying he’s endured a drop-off from his form last season.

Bruno, who’s been dubbed United’s “best player post Fergie” by writer Kaustubh Pandey, has now had to contribute more defensively, as seen by his increased tally of tackles won per 90 compared to last season.

However, whilst he’s still managed to play a part in winning the ball back for his side, it’s come with an adverse effect – subsequently resulting in a lack of creativity in attacking areas.

He’s only scored twice in the Premier League to date, one of which was a penalty, highlighting his lack of impact in terms of goal contributions in 2025/26.

Games played

14

Goals scored

2

Pass accuracy

83%

Shots on target

0.7

Chances created

1.8

Tackles won

1.8

Duels won

4.6

Interceptions made

0.6

It’s clear to everyone but Amorim that the Portuguese star is better in an attacking role, which means one of the £200m additions may need to be sacrificed.

Such a move could open up a free role at the heart of the Red Devils side, which could allow Mainoo to have the run of games he needs to save his United career

However, if Amorim is unable to make such changes in the near future, it could result in the 40-year-old losing his job at Old Trafford in the near future – with such a decision an easy one for him to make.

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His astonishing assault in a low-scoring Ashes Test proved he never ceases to amaze

Alex Malcolm22-Nov-20253:17

Smith: Travis Head’s batting incredible to witness

“I’ll do it.”With three words, Travis Head set in motion a chain of events that had to be seen to be believed.There had long been a thought bubble floating around within Australia’s brains trust. What if Usman Khawaja opened in the first innings, when the pitch was fresh and at it’s most challenging in Australian conditions, and then swapped with Travis Head in the second when the surface was flatter and quick runs were needed?Related

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Khawaja’s back spasms in Perth made that thought bubble a reality. After Australia fudged the order to replace Khawaja in the first innings without success, Head volunteered to do it in the second. And he delivered with an astonishing assault on England to win Australia a Test match they appeared to have no right to win only four-and-a-half hours earlier.It was mind-blowing batting, even by the standards of the man who has produced a career catalogue of crazy match-winning innings on the biggest stage. He was already an Ashes star thanks to his performances in 2021-22. He has already singlehandedly ripped a World Test Championship, an ODI World Cup and a Border-Gavaskar Trophy out of India hands.Now he has the second-fastest century in Ashes history, off 69 balls, to rip another opening Ashes Test in Australia from England’s grasp.Ben Stokes looked like he had seen a ghost when he was asked to sum up his feelings shortly after the winning runs were struck.”I mean, at the moment, I’m still in a little bit of wow phase, after what Travis Head has just done to us,” Stokes said. “That was a pretty incredible, special knock from Travis.”Head didn’t think so. Steven Smith, who was sitting next to Head at the press conference, was asked whether it was the best knock he had ever seen.”No it’s not. Not even close,” Head mumbled under his breath.Smith laughed before politely disagreeing with his vice-captain. “It’s got to be right up there,” Smith said. “Wow. That was incredible to witness. Trav took it on and played one of the great Ashes knocks.”There was a buzz around the ground when Head’s name was announced as he walked out to bat alongside Jake Weatherald, with Australia needing to score the highest total of the match to chase down 205.ESPNcricinfo LtdEveryone knew what Head was going to attempt to do, including England. But Head never ceases to amaze.He was three off 14 balls to start. He was beaten by a cracker from Jofra Archer second ball. His only runs were a clip off the toes behind square and a squeeze past gully. But credit to Head, there were no other loose shots in the 14. No flashing with hard hands like England’s batters had done earlier in the day. No attempts to hit the bowlers off their lengths as Stokes had believed was required on the Perth pitch.He waited, and waited, and then unleashed fury. The first genuine half-volley he got was whipped through midwicket. The next was driven through cover. For the first venomous short ball he leaned back and ramped it over the slips for six. On 22 he finally flayed one on the rise through cover. Another full wide ball was sliced over wide deep third to bring up Australia’s 50 in 9.3 overs.Pitching up wasn’t working, so England went short. Head went large. Mark Wood went at the body, Head stepped inside the line and flicked him over fine leg. The next was short and wide, Head thrashed it through point. The field started to spread. He tucked a single to deep square to bring up a 36-ball 50.But then he lost Weatherald after a crucial 75-run stand. The door was ajar for England to walk back into a game that had seesawed violently over two days. It coincided with drinks and Head hit pause, scoring a single off his next eight deliveries.Stokes seized the moment and took the ball. Mano-a-mano.Ben Stokes couldn’t find any answers•Getty ImagesThe talisman to trump all talismans, with his new-found mane, his ripped physique after swearing off alcohol, who trains like a beast and plays with unparalleled intensity against Australia’s everyman, father of two, with his bogan haircut, unkempt moustache and unashamed beer belly.Head struck four boundaries in five balls. Game over. He then flat-batted a 139.9kph Archer short ball over the sightscreen for the most jawdropping shot of the match to completely demoralise England.All that was left was for Head to receive two standing ovations from 49,983 that had a ticket to the show of a lifetime. The first when he reached his century off 69 balls. The second when he finally mis-hit one to deep square leg for 123 off 83.”It was obvious to us as a group, when Travis came out the top of the order there with Jake, that they’d sent Travis out there to play the role in which he was so successful at doing,” Stokes said. “And it was so hard to be able to continue with plans which we tried to implement, because he had an answer for everything. We went through three, four, five different modes to try and get the wicket of Travis, because when he was going, we knew that he was going to be the big one. But he just had an answer to absolutely everything. It was some knock.”Head said there were “no surprises” with what England came up with. What did surprise him was his form. He revealed he had some doubts. Head had been a quiet concern for Australia heading into the series after an extremely lean run of form in white-ball cricket which forced him to play a Sheffield Shield game that he hadn’t initially planned for. He duly failed in both innings, with scores of 9 and 15.”Conditions down there were pretty tough,” Head said. “But I had four or five days leading to that game. I hit during the game a fair bit with Stubbo (South Australia batting coach Steve Stubbings) and then here I trained all four days, which is unheard of.”Just to find a bit of rhythm and getting into things and once you walk out into this atmosphere, I was more worried about, am I capable of doing it still?”We had such a big lay off a Test cricket, your mind takes you to, okay, facing probably one of the better attacks I’ve ever faced, high quality, high pace, high speed, am I still cut out for this on a wicket that can be pretty intimidating at times.”He was more than cut out for it. He was head and shoulders above every other batter in the game. There will be calls for him to open permanently. Head said he had floated the idea with Australia’s hierarchy if needed after David Warner retired but has understood why he had been left at No. 5 in home conditions, where he has authored so many match-winning knocks for his country.The fear has been what they might lose in the middle order. But given the fear he has struck in England and Stokes, they may well utter three more words.”Let’s do it.”

Rangers boss Danny Rohl was left to settle for what he described as a “fully deserved point” at Tannadice on Wednesday night, although for a club of such stature, these are the type of games that the Ibrox side simply have to win.

Just a few days on from the drab stalemate against Falkirk, the Light Blues were left relying on a last-gasp Nedim Bajrami penalty to bail them out of trouble this time around, having been abject at both ends of the pitch on the night.

Indeed, Bojan Miovski’s dry spell continued, having scored just one Premiership goal since his return to Scotland, while the centre-back pairing of Nasser Djiga and Emmanuel Fernandez were all at sea up against a lively Dundee United forward line.

Rohl, undoubtedly, is paying the price for the chaos that came before him under both Russell Martin and Kevin Thelwell, with the summer recruitment yet again under the microscope.

With question marks over how much will be available to spend in January, the German coach will largely have to make do with what he’s got for now, albeit with key decisions needing to be made.

Record of every Rangers summer signing

Perhaps it is still too early to judge the business that was carried out this summer, although the transfer failures have already helped claim one manager and could well prove fatal for another, unless Rohl can turn things around.

Of course, the biggest backfire appears to be the £8m investment in Everton’s Youssef Chermiti, with a player who failed to score in two years at Goodison Park having since scored just once in his new surroundings.

Former Aberdeen talisman Bojan Miovski hasn’t exactly fared much better, it must be said, with just two goals himself in all competitions for the Glasgow side, ensuring that – perhaps unsurprisingly – captain James Tavernier still leads the way with seven goals from right-back this season.

Despite looking brighter since the change in the dugout, more was certainly expected of Tottenham Hotspur’s teenage sensation, Mikey Moore, with the Englishman joining Thelo Aasgaard and Lyall Cameron in having scored just once in 2025/26 thus far.

Oliver Antman, another marquee summer addition, hasn’t even got off the mark at all, while perhaps the biggest concern lies defensively, with regard to Djiga, in particular.

Already seemingly looking finished at Ibrox, following a string of errors in recent months, the on-loan Wolverhampton Wanderers man has been this season’s key disaster, epitomising a transfer window that won’t be forgotten in a hurry.

The Burkina Faso international has at least been consistent in struggling right from the off, with there perhaps more confusion over the shifting form of fellow new addition, Djeidi Gassama.

Martin's "shining light" now needs to be benched by Rohl

If there was just one positive from the brief Martin era, it was the early performances of young Gassama, with the ex-Sheffield Wednesday starlet looking particularly impressive in Champions League qualifying.

Four goals in just six games in that early round of European games suggested that Rangers had hit the jackpot with their £2.2m addition, with former England international Chris Waddle among those lauding him as a potential “bargain”:

From looking like the “shining light” under Martin’s watch, in the view of former Gers defender Alan Hutton, the France-born winger has frustratingly failed to kick on since then, with that Champions League form looking like a red herring on current evidence.

Indeed, since then, the underwhelming wideman has scored just once and provided only two assists in the Premiership, alongside chipping in with a further goal in the Europa League against Sturm Graz.

An asset in continental action, Gassama has been unable to replicate that form domestically, even despite reuniting with Rohl in recent weeks, following their prior link at Hillsborough.

The youngster was particularly poor during the draw with the Tangerines, having lost the ball 20 times from just 56 touches, while boasting a dismal pass accuracy rate of just 67%, as per Sofascore.

Part of a forward line that just isn’t clicking into gear, Gassama also squandered two big chances and completed just a solitary successful cross, having perhaps been fortunate to last the full 90 minutes in truth.

With young Findlay Curtis among those waiting in the wings, Rohl must forego any potential favouritism and shake things up next time around.

Gassama just isn’t looking like the player he did back in July and August…

Rangers "passenger" has been so bad that he makes Dowell look good

This Glasgow Rangers flop is currently making Kieran Dowell look like a good player by comparison.

By
Dan Emery

Dec 3, 2025

Ruben Amorim was frustrated and angry with his Manchester United players after failing to beat West Ham at home and blowing the chance to move into the Premier League's top five. Diogo Dalot gave United the lead in the second half, only for Soungoutou Magassa to grab a late leveller following a corner and snatch a point for the relegation-fighting Hammers.

• United unable to beat 18th-placed West Ham

  United slumped to a second successive disappointing result at home following their shock 1-0 defeat against 10-man Everton in their last outing, failing to see off a West Ham side who have only won once away from home this season. Favourable results in the other mid-week games gave United the opportunity to move into fifth but they struggled to create many chances against Nuno Espirito Santo's side, with Bruno Fernandes failing to inspire the hosts and Ayden Heaven looking shaky in his first Premier League start of the season. 

  Amorim was in a spiky mood after the game, looking unimpressed with the questioning but also appearing to be running out of patience with his players.

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  Amorim: We should have closed the game out

  Amorim told a press conference: "Frustrated, angry, that is it. After the first goal, we lost some second balls. We tried to defend all the time far from the goal. It happened long ball, they win the second ball against three guys of us so we need to be better in the second half. We are losing because of the second balls, sometimes it is not more men in front. We are really inconsistent but if you look at the goal, we have a long ball, we have everything under control, we need to do better. I always have the feeling that we have to score more goals and I'm sure about that."

  The coach was particularly annoyed with his team for losing control of the game after Dalot had broken the deadlock. "We should have closed the game with the ball because the game was there to win," he told . "I think the overall performance was not perfect. We had our moments but we lost control in the game in some minutes in the first half and in the second half, especially after the goal. The game was clearly ours to win and we had an opportunity with Cunha to finish the game off. It is really frustrating because you look at the game, you have the game under control and we didn't win."

• Heaven taken off as on a yellow card

  Amorim made a surprising decision before kick off by handing 19-year-old Ayden Heaven his first league start of the season, dropping Leny Yoro following his shaky display in the recent win at Crystal Palace. But the coach then chose to haul Heaven off at half-time and replace him with Yoro. Heaven had been given an early yellow card for a rash tackle on Jarrod Bowen and had struggled against West Ham's centre-forward Callum Wilson.

  "Of course it was the yellow card," Amorim explained. "And we tried to press high and leave one centre back with a striker all the time so any foul there could be a yellow. And we missed Ayden in the set pieces, so we need to be smarter when we play the game."

  Goalscorer Dalot added: "Obviously we are disappointed. We have to control much more of the game, especially at Old Trafford. We cannot get as anxious as we got after the goal, we were more sloppy with possession. We had the game there, it shouldn’t be like this. We knew they would be looking for counters and set plays and it’s more our fault than credit to West Ham. We cannot drop too many points – we want to be in the top four or five, we have to be there. That’s why the disappointment is even bigger."

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  United must respond to setback against winless Wolves

  United four days to lift themselves after the disappointment of the West Ham draw and try to make amends when they visit Wolves, who have taken just two points all season and are on course to accumulate the lowest points total of any team in Premier League history. United have a patchy record against Wolves, however, with Amorim losing both games against the west Midlands side last season.