After the incredible highs of smashing Manchester City 4-0 at the Etihad, last week was a real downer for Tottenham Hotspur.

First, the North Londoners drew at home to Serie A side AS Roma, and while that’s not necessarily the end of the world, it was the manner in which it happened that hurt the most, a last-minute equaliser after having ample chances to put the game to bed earlier.

Then, despite taking the lead once again and being a man up for the last 15 minutes or so, they drew with Fulham in the Premier League, which was the fourth game in all competitions that the club have dropped points at home this season.

Premier League

Fulham (H)

1-1 (D)

Europa League

AS Roma (H)

2-2 (D)

Premier League

Man City (A)

4-0 (W)

Premier League

Ipswich (H)

2-1 (L)

Europa League

Galatasaray (A)

3-2 (L)

So, with a game away to the high-flying Bournemouth to come tonight, Ange Postecoglou has plenty of decisions to make, and one of those is dropping arguably the team’s best performer from Sunday afternoon.

Spurs' best performer against Fulham

So, the truth is that the list of best performers on Sunday afternoon for Spurs is tiny, with perhaps only a few names on it.

However, one of those names is certainly Timo Werner, who actually looked reasonably effective at times, providing the assist for Brennan Johnson in the second half, creating two big chances and earning himself a 6/10 match rating from journalist Alasdair Gold, who claimed he was the ‘most threatening of the front three.’

Yet, if Postecoglou wants to give his team the best chance of picking up all three points against the Cherries this evening, he must boldly drop the German international, for as good as he was, he still wasn’t good enough to help his team win the game.

Moreover, while his form has certainly improved in recent weeks, the former Chelsea ace still has the capacity to seriously underwhelm when it matters most, and his tally of one goal and three assists in 16 appearances this season is hardly good enough to demand his continued selection, especially not when there were far more dangerous players on the bench against the Cottagers.

The player Ange must start vs Bournmouth

So, with Johnson being his most effective off the right and Son Heung-min being even more disappointing than Werner against Fulham, the ideal candidate to start off the left against Bournemouth is Dejan Kulusevski.

Now, it’s certainly true that he’s more experienced off the right, but with his Welsh teammate now a nailed-on starter in his old position and there being few, if any, genuine options off the left, it almost feels like the manager must start the Swede there.

Moreover, the former Juventus star is undoubtedly one of the club’s most technically gifted and naturally talented players and has some experience playing off the left from his time in Italy.

Furthermore, as talent scout Jacek Kulig points out, the 24-year-old is an absolutely “world-class” player, and as this season has shown us, he’s more than capable of transitioning to a new position within the team.

For example, of his nine goal involvements this season, the Stockholm-born maestro has produced seven of them from midfield, showing that he is incredibly adaptable.

Appearances

20

Starts

13

Minutes

1300′

Goals

2

Assists

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.45

Minutes per Goal Involvement

144.44′

Ultimately, if Postecoglou wants to give himself and his team the best chance of winning tonight, he needs to ensure he’s starting his best and most inform players, which means Kulusevski simply has to start, even if its off the left.

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30 clubs have won the Europa League since its inception as the UEFA Cup in 1971.

The competition has given an opportunity to those unable to shine in the Champions League to succeed in Europe, with the likes of Atalanta and Villarreal winning their first European trophies in recent years.

But who are the usual suspects when it comes to Europa League glory? As of 2025, 14 teams have won the tournament on multiple occasions. Here, we have listed them all, from least to most successful.

Most successful Europa League/UEFA Cup teams

Rank

Club

Times won

Last win

1

Sevilla

7

2023

2

Tottenham Hotspur

3

2025

3

Atletico Madrid

3

2018

4

Liverpool

3

2001

5

Inter

3

1998

6

Juventus

3

1993

7

Frankfurt

2

2022

8

Chelsea

2

2019

9

Porto

2

2011

10

Feyenoord

2

2002

11

Parma

2

1999

12

IFK Goteborg

2

1987

13

Real Madrid

2

1986

14

Borussia Monchengladbach

2

1979

14 Borussia Monchengladbach 2 titles (1975, 1979)

Borussia Monchengladbach were the most dominant force in German football in the 1970s, winning the Bundesliga title five times. During that period, they also won the UEFA Cup twice, first in 1975 and then in 1979.

Monchengladbach made the final in 1973 and 1980, but lost to Liverpool and Eintracht Frankfurt respectively.

Former Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes was one of the heroes in 1975, scoring two goals in the second-leg final win over Dutch side Twente.

13 Real Madrid 2 titles (1985, 1986)

Real Madrid are the most dominant club in Champions League history, having won European football’s elite club competition a record 15 times.

They’ve also won the UEFA Cup twice, recording back-to-back wins in 1985 and 1986. In 1985, Los Blancos beat Hungarian side Videoton in the final, while the following year, they got the better of German side Koln. Attacker Emilio Butragueno was among those to play in both triumphs.

Given their success in Europe’s premier competition, Madrid last competed in the UEFA Cup back in the 1994/95 season.

12 IFK Goteborg 2 titles (1982, 1987)

IFK Goteborg remain the only Swedish team in history to have ever won a major European title, having scooped the UEFA Cup in 1982 and 1987. Goteborg beat Hamburg in the final in 1982 under the guidance of Sven-Goran Eriksson, before repeating their feat against Dundee United in 1987.

Striker Stefan Pettersson was on the scoresheet against Dundee United, and when he scored again in the 1992 final – this time for Ajax against Torino – he became the first player in UEFA Cup history to score in multiple finals.

11 Parma 2 titles (1995, 1999)

During the peak of their powers in the 1990s, Parma never won the Italian Serie A, but they did manage to win the Coppa Italia and UEFA Cup twice each during that decade.

Their first UEFA Cup victory came in 1995 when they beat domestic rivals Juventus. Their second came four years later when they beat Marseille after the arrival of a host of would-be and established superstars like Hernan Crespo, Juan Sebastian Veron, Fabio Cannavaro, Lilian Thuram and Enrico Chiesa, scoring some great goals along the way.

10 Feyenoord 2 titles (1974, 2002)

Feyenoord first clinched the UEFA Cup in 1974 when they beat Tottenham Hotspur in the final.

Nearly three decades later in 2002, they won the competition for a second time by beating Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a thrilling affair on home soil at De Kuip. No Dutch club has won a major European competition since.

9 Porto 2 titles (2003, 2011)

In 2002, Jose Mourinho took charge of Porto after barely a season of managing at the top level under his belt.

His limited experience proved not to matter, as in his first season in charge at the Estadio do Dragao, he guided the club to their first-ever UEFA Cup. The following year, he left to join Chelsea.

In 2011, this time under the guidance of Andre Villas-Boas, Porto again won the competition, beating Braga in the final in Dublin. A month later, Villas-Boas left for Chelsea.

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Speaking of Chelsea, like Porto, the Blues have also won the Europa League twice. The first time was in 2013 when they were managed by Rafael Benitez, beating Porto rivals Benfica in the final.

The second time was in 2019 under Maurizio Sarri, when they thumped Arsenal 4-1 in Baku thanks to a brace from Eden Hazard and goals from Olivier Giroud and Pedro.

7 Eintracht Frankfurt 2 titles (1980, 2022)

Eintracht Frankfurt’s two triumphs in European football’s second-tier competition were separated by a whopping 42 years.

The German club first won the title when it was the UEFA Cup in 1980, and then for a second time in 2022. In the 2022 final, Frankfurt beat Scottish club Rangers on penalties after a 1-1 draw, with Colombian Rafael Santos Borre scoring the winning spot-kick.

6 Juventus 3 titles (1977, 1990, 1993)

Juventus are one of only four clubs to have won the UEFA Cup on three occasions.

The Old Lady first scooped the title in 1977, before winning it in 1990 and 1993. In 1993, Juventus thrashed Borussia Dortmund 6-1 across a two-legged final thanks to three goals from Dino Baggio, two from Roberto Baggio and one from Andreas Moller.

However, Dortmund got revenge four years later in the Champions League final when they beat Juve 3-1 with Moller in their team, with the German having moved between the two clubs in 1994.

5 Inter 3 titles (1991, 1994, 1998)

Inter didn’t win a single domestic trophy in the 1990s, but they did win the UEFA Cup three times.

The 1998 final is best remembered for Ronaldo’s masterclass performance, which saw him run Lazio’s Alessandro Nesta ragged and score Inter’s third in an utterly dominant 3-0 win.

Reflecting on Ronaldo’s performance, Nesta later said: “I have watched that game on video so many times since then, trying to work out what I did wrong. We lost 3-0, but I don’t think now it was my fault. Ronaldo was simply unstoppable.”

30 clubs have won the Europa League since its inception as the UEFA Cup in 1971.

The competition has given an opportunity to those unable to shine in the Champions League to succeed in Europe, with the likes of Atalanta and Villarreal winning their first European trophies in recent years.

But who are the usual suspects when it comes to Europa League glory? As of 2025, 14 teams have won the tournament on multiple occasions. Here, we have listed them all, from least to most successful.

Rank

Club

Times won

Last win

Sevilla

2023

Tottenham Hotspur

2025

Atletico Madrid

2018

Liverpool

2001

Inter

1998

Juventus

1993

Frankfurt

2022

Chelsea

2019

Porto

2011

Feyenoord

2002

Parma

1999

IFK Goteborg

1987

Real Madrid

1986

Borussia Monchengladbach

1979

14 Borussia Monchengladbach 2 titles (1975, 1979)

Borussia Monchengladbach were the most dominant force in German football in the 1970s, winning the Bundesliga title five times. During that period, they also won the UEFA Cup twice, first in 1975 and then in 1979.

Monchengladbach made the final in 1973 and 1980, but lost to Liverpool and Eintracht Frankfurt respectively.

Former Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes was one of the heroes in 1975, scoring two goals in the second-leg final win over Dutch side Twente.

13 Real Madrid 2 titles (1985, 1986)

Real Madrid are the most dominant club in Champions League history, having won European football’s elite club competition a record 15 times.

They’ve also won the UEFA Cup twice, recording back-to-back wins in 1985 and 1986. In 1985, Los Blancos beat Hungarian side Videoton in the final, while the following year, they got the better of German side Koln. Attacker Emilio Butragueno was among those to play in both triumphs.

Given their success in Europe’s premier competition, Madrid last competed in the UEFA Cup back in the 1994/95 season.

12 IFK Goteborg 2 titles (1982, 1987)

IFK Goteborg remain the only Swedish team in history to have ever won a major European title, having scooped the UEFA Cup in 1982 and 1987. Goteborg beat Hamburg in the final in 1982 under the guidance of Sven-Goran Eriksson, before repeating their feat against Dundee United in 1987.

Striker Stefan Pettersson was on the scoresheet against Dundee United, and when he scored again in the 1992 final – this time for Ajax against Torino – he became the first player in UEFA Cup history to score in multiple finals.

11 Parma 2 titles (1995, 1999)

During the peak of their powers in the 1990s, Parma never won the Italian Serie A, but they did manage to win the Coppa Italia and UEFA Cup twice each during that decade.

Their first UEFA Cup victory came in 1995 when they beat domestic rivals Juventus. Their second came four years later when they beat Marseille after the arrival of a host of would-be and established superstars like Hernan Crespo, Juan Sebastian Veron, Fabio Cannavaro, Lilian Thuram and Enrico Chiesa, scoring some great goals along the way.

10 Feyenoord 2 titles (1974, 2002)

Feyenoord first clinched the UEFA Cup in 1974 when they beat Tottenham Hotspur in the final.

Nearly three decades later in 2002, they won the competition for a second time by beating Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a thrilling affair on home soil at De Kuip. No Dutch club has won a major European competition since.

9 Porto 2 titles (2003, 2011)

In 2002, Jose Mourinho took charge of Porto after barely a season of managing at the top level under his belt.

His limited experience proved not to matter, as in his first season in charge at the Estadio do Dragao, he guided the club to their first-ever UEFA Cup. The following year, he left to join Chelsea.

In 2011, this time under the guidance of Andre Villas-Boas, Porto again won the competition, beating Braga in the final in Dublin. A month later, Villas-Boas left for Chelsea.

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Speaking of Chelsea, like Porto, the Blues have also won the Europa League twice. The first time was in 2013 when they were managed by Rafael Benitez, beating Porto rivals Benfica in the final.

The second time was in 2019 under Maurizio Sarri, when they thumped Arsenal 4-1 in Baku thanks to a brace from Eden Hazard and goals from Olivier Giroud and Pedro.

7 Eintracht Frankfurt 2 titles (1980, 2022)

Eintracht Frankfurt’s two triumphs in European football’s second-tier competition were separated by a whopping 42 years.

The German club first won the title when it was the UEFA Cup in 1980, and then for a second time in 2022. In the 2022 final, Frankfurt beat Scottish club Rangers on penalties after a 1-1 draw, with Colombian Rafael Santos Borre scoring the winning spot-kick.

6 Juventus 3 titles (1977, 1990, 1993)

Juventus are one of only four clubs to have won the UEFA Cup on three occasions.

The Old Lady first scooped the title in 1977, before winning it in 1990 and 1993. In 1993, Juventus thrashed Borussia Dortmund 6-1 across a two-legged final thanks to three goals from Dino Baggio, two from Roberto Baggio and one from Andreas Moller.

However, Dortmund got revenge four years later in the Champions League final when they beat Juve 3-1 with Moller in their team, with the German having moved between the two clubs in 1994.

5 Inter 3 titles (1991, 1994, 1998)

Inter didn’t win a single domestic trophy in the 1990s, but they did win the UEFA Cup three times.

The 1998 final is best remembered for Ronaldo’s masterclass performance, which saw him run Lazio’s Alessandro Nesta ragged and score Inter’s third in an utterly dominant 3-0 win.

Reflecting on Ronaldo’s performance, Nesta later said: “I have watched that game on video so many times since then, trying to work out what I did wrong. We lost 3-0, but I don’t think now it was my fault. Ronaldo was simply unstoppable.”

أعلن الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، عن موعد مباراة نهائي بطولة كأس مصر 2024-2025، بين الزمالك وبيراميدز.

وتأهل بيراميدز إلى المباراة النهائية بعد فوز كبير على البنك الأهلي بأربعة أهداف دون رد في دور نصف النهائي.

ويطمح بيراميدز حامل لقب البطولة الماضية، في خوض مباراة قوية من أجل تحقيق الكأس الثانية تواليًا واللقب الثاني في تاريخه الذي بدأ قبل سنوات قريبة.

في المقابل، حجز الزمالك بطاقة التأهل إلى النهائي عقب فوزه المثير على سيراميكا كليوباترا بهدفين مقابل هدف. 

خاص | الزمالك يحسم مصير جوزيه بيسيرو بعد الخروج من الكونفدرالية

ويسعى الزمالك للحفاظ على آماله بعدم الخروج من موسم خالي الوفاض بعد وداع بطولتي الكونفدرالية الإفريقية وكأس الرابطة المحلية، وابتعاده عن المنافسة على درع الدوري المصري الممتاز. موعد مباراة نهائي كأس مصر بين الزمالك وبيراميدز

وأكد اتحاد الكرة في بيان رسمي أن إدارة المسابقات قد قررت إقامة مباراة نهائي كأس مصر يوم 20 مايو المقبل.

وأوضح الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم أنه لم يتم تحديد الملعب المستضيف للمباراة حتى الآن مع تحضير كافة الترتيبات الخاصة.

Big picture

And then there were two: Australia and England.Predictable? In part. They are the two most successful teams in the Women’s ODI World Cup history and were considered frontrunners for the silverware in the ongoing 12th ODI edition. But neither favourites Australia nor defending champions England could have potentially foreseen the contrasting campaigns that have pitted them against each other in a 50-over World Cup summit clash for the first time since 1988, when playing cricket in…erm…skirts was a thing.The women’s game has come a long way since – in terms of discarding that questionable sartorial choice as well as other teams making gradual strides towards (occasionally) challenging the supremacy of Australia and England. What has remained largely unchanged, though, is the two teams’ hold on the Cup: Australia have six in their bag whereas a triumph in Sunday’s final at the Hagley Oval would hand England, who have never successfully defended a 50-over world title, their fifth.Related

• 'No fear' Ecclestone dreaming of her first World Cup title

• Stats: Australia's overall dominance vs England's hot streak

Until the last league-stage fixture of this World Cup, Australia vs England was far from a likely match-up for the final. Deemed a spent force throughout their three opening successive losses following a winless Ashes campaign, Heather Knight’s England were forced to rely on knockout mentality after that.But five back-to-back wins thereafter steered a spectacular turnaround. The most recent of those was also by far their most comprehensive all-round performance in the tournament: a 137-run victory over South Africa in the semi-final at the same ground as the venue of the final.For the No. 1-ranked Australia, the script couldn’t have unfolded any better. They kicked off their campaign with a hard-fought 12-run win against England riding a record stand between captain Meg Lanning and her deputy Rachael Haynes. It set them off on a pre-final undefeated streak of eight matches in the tournament and 11 ODIs dating back to the Ashes in January-February.That they didn’t field the same XI for two successive matches until their premier allrounder Ellyse Perry was ruled out of their last league fixture speaks to the make-up of a squad full of impact players. For a team that scripted a world-record 26 ODI wins on the trot in response to their shock elimination in the 2017 World Cup semi-final, one last ‘W’ to their name in this edition would be a fitting crescendo in their pursuit of redemption.

Form guide

Australia WWWWW (Last five completed matches; most recent first)
England WWWWW

In the spotlight

Even in the potential absence of Ellyse Perry Australia seem every bit an unstoppable juggernaut. That’s down in part to the many signature rescue acts opener Rachael Haynes and serial troubleshooter Beth Mooney have scripted in this tournament. Haynes has weathered a few top-order collapses en route to zooming to the top of Australia’s run chart with two fifties and a career-best 130 against England. Mooney, Player of the Series of 2020 T20 World Cup, has hardly put a wrong step forward, playing her middle-order floater role to perfection. Both left-hand batters, along with big-match player Alyssa Healy and knockout specialist Lanning, could be in for match-winning contributions.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

While it’s hard to pick one standout performer from the Australian line-up, it’s harder to look beyond Sophie Ecclestone as far as England are concerned. The top-ranked white-ball bowler, Ecclestone took a career-best 6 for 36 in the semi-final to become the highest wicket-taker for England in a single edition of a World Cup. The 22-year-old, a nets bowler in the 2017 equivalent, with a hundred caps across formats already just five years into her international career, is three strikes shy of equaling another left-arm spinner, former Australia international Lyn Fullston, on the all-time wicket-takers list in a single edition.

Team news

England have a full squad at their disposal while Australia will wait on Perry’s fitness to decide their final XI. If picked, she will slot in as a specialist batter, Lanning said on Saturday, given she hadn’t bowled since back spasms forced her off the field in the league fixture on March 29. Averaging over 50 in the format with the bat, with two successive Player-of-the-Match awards in this World Cup to boot, Perry’s reintegration into the XI might have to come at the expense of pace-bowling allrounder Annabel Sutherland, who had filled in for her against Bangladesh and in the semi-final.Australia (possible): 1 Alyssa Healy (wk), 2 Rachael Haynes, 3 Meg Lanning (capt), 4 Beth Mooney, 5 Tahlia McGrath, 6 Ellyse Perry/Annabel Sutherland, 7 Ashleigh Gardner, 8 Jess Jonassen, 9 Alana King, 10 Megan Schutt, 11 Darcie BrownEngland had left out the 21-year-old offspinner Charlie Dean for their tournament opener against Australia. But they are unlikely to go down that route for the final considering Dean’s 11 wickets in five outings have parachuted her into the top five of the wicket-takers’ chart in this World Cup.England (possible): 1 Tammy Beaumont, 2 Danielle Wyatt, 3 Heather Knight (capt), 4 Natalie Sciver, 5 Amy Jones (wk), 6 Sophia Dunkley, 7 Katherine Brunt, 8 Sophie Ecclestone, 9 Kate Cross, 10 Charlie Dean, 11 Anya Shrubsole

Pitch and conditions

Australia haven’t played at the Hagley Oval since the 2000 World Cup, whereas England played two alone in their last three games ahead of Sunday’s day-night fixture. On a fresh surface, the quicks are expected to have a major say early in both innings. Anya Shrubsole, the heroine of the 2017 World Cup final who dealt two debilitating blows in her first two overs in the semi-final on Thursday, could reap healthy movement on what have so far been batting-friendly conditions for the best part in Christchurch.Under lights, the ball is likely to skid on a tad more, and dew, Lanning said, could be a factor in the latter half of what is expected to be a (mostly) rain-less encounter.

Stats and trivia

• Meg Lanning is set to play her 100th ODI and will become only the seventh Australian woman to do so. Among her current team-mates only Perry, who has 127 appearances to her name in the format, has crossed the 100-ODI milestone
• Heather Knight is on the threshold of becoming the first England captain to win two back-to-back 50-over world titles, having lifted the trophy at Lord’s in 2017
• England (122) and Australia (109) occupy the first and third positions on the list of teams to have conceded the most extras in this World Cup, with semi-finalists South Africa (121) ranked second

Quotes

“[It was] just [about] trying to keep everyone happy really, everyone positive. And I think the girls did that brilliantly. Sometimes you have to force it a little bit when, obviously, you’re in a bad situation. But I think that we are very close as a group, I’m very proud that we really stuck together.”
“[There is] a bit of everything, to be honest. Some nerves around. I think it’d be crazy if you weren’t nervous heading into a World Cup final, so it’s a good thing. But there’s a lot of excitement. It’s a great opportunity for our team to go out on a big stage and play really good cricket. We know that it’s going to be tough. England always provide a great contest.”

Ruben Amorim took charge of his first Manchester United game on Sunday evening but was unable to get the better of newly promoted Ipswich Town as the sides played out a 1-1 at Portman Road.

Marcus Rashford appeared to look more at home, featuring in a centre-forward role, compared to being off either wing, as he did under former boss Erik ten Hag.

However, despite avoiding defeat in his meeting in charge of the Red Devils, the 39-year-old will be far from happy with his attacking unit – unable to break down the low block of the Tractor Boys, subsequently resulting in dropped points.

There’s no denying that his new system will take time to implement at Old Trafford, with supporters needing to be patient with the former Sporting CP boss if he is to be a success in Manchester.

The same can’t be said for some players, who may struggle to find themselves in Amorim’s plans beyond January should they continue to perform in the same vein as they did at the weekend.

Man Utd’s lack of attacking threat

Over the last couple of years, the club’s hierarchy have tried to invest money into multiple big-money strikers to try and provide that cutting edge, like Erling Haaland has done for the blue half of Manchester.

Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee are just two attackers who have arrived at Old Trafford in recent times, trying to provide the goods and catapult the Red Devils towards the summit of the Premier League.

The aforementioned pair set the owners back £108.5m, with the duo only able to contribute with three goals in a combined 31 appearances between the duo – working out at £36m per goal in 2024/25.

Zirkzee managed to score on his debut against Fulham at Old Trafford in the season opener back in August, but since then, he has often looked way beyond the levels required of a player to lead United back to the glory days.

His time in England was summed up by his effort off the bench against Kieran McKenna’s side on Sunday evening, picking the ball up on the edge of the box, before thumping his effort way over the bar.

Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system also places a huge responsibility on the shoulders of the two attacking midfielders, with Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho featuring in such a role at the weekend.

The Argentine, in particular, struggled in an unfamiliar position, with the new boss and the hierarchy already targeting a new addition who could feature at the top end or in a free role behind Rashford for the Red Devils.

Man Utd targeting their own Palmer

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, United are one of a number of sides monitoring the progress of Wolves talent Matheus Cunha after an impressive start to the 2024/25 campaign that’s seen him emerge as one of the most exciting forward players in the top-flight.

The Brazilian, who cost the West Midlands outfit £43m back in January 2023, has already notched seven goals and three assists for a side who have been towards the bottom end of the table in recent months.

However, Spurs, Napoli and Newcastle United all also hold an interest in signing the 25-year-old after his impressive start to the season under Gary O’Neil.

Said to be “in the form of his life” by Don Hutchison, the former Atlético Madrid ace has been categorised as a similar player to Chelsea’s Cole Palmer via FBRef – with Cunha potentially becoming Amorim’s version of the England superstar should he make the move.

Whilst on the face of it, the comparison may seem a little far-fetched, when delving into their respective stats, the Wolves star has matched or even bettered Palmer in numerous key areas – showcasing what an excellent pickup he would be for United.

Cunha may have registered slightly fewer combined goals and assists in the league, but he’s averaged more shots on target per 90, along with a higher take-on success rate, both tending to operate in the pockets of space behind the central striker.

How Cunha compares to Cole Palmer in the PL (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)	Cunha	Palmer
Games played	12	12
Goals & assists	10	12
Pass accuracy	72%	73%
Progressive carries	3.5	3.4
Shot-on-target accuracy	37%	32%
Shots on target per 90	1.2	1
Take-on success	48%	37%
Stats via FBref

It’s unclear if O’Neil’s side would be willing to part ways with their star player in January, or how much any potential transfer would set United back but the idea of signing a player so similar to one of the Premier League’s elite must surely appeal to Amorim and INEOS.

One thing is for certain, though, he would be a phenomenal talent who would no doubt massively improve the new manager’s attacking options, having all the tools to be the Red Devils’ own version of the England star.

Man Utd may regret losing "magic" PL star who's now outperforming Fernandes

The Premier League ace didn’t make a single appearance for Manchester United.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 25, 2024

Julian Alvarez had a penalty incredibly disallowed during Atletico Madrid's shootout defeat against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Champions League tie went to penaltiesAlvarez scored his spot-kickVAR disallowed it for double contactFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Alvarez stepped up to take his team's second spot-kick in the shootout after the last-16 tie ended in a 2-2 aggregate draw. The Argentine forward scored but slipped as he hit it and a VAR review revealed that he had inadvertently touched the ball twice, resulting in the goal being disallowed.

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Seeing Alvarez's effort ruled out put Madrid 2-1 up in the shootout before Federico Valverde stepped up to increase their advantage. Angel Correa scored to give Atleti a chance and then goalkeeper Jan Oblak saved Lucas Vazquez's penalty to provide a further boost, but Marcos Llorente could only smack the woodwork, allowing Antonio Rudiger to score and send the visitors through.

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Carlo Ancelotti's side will now go on to the quarter-finals, where they will face Premier League side Arsenal following their 9-3 aggregate victory against PSV.

It’s been a bizarre season for Tottenham Hotspur so far this year.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have looked hopeless at times, such as in their losses to Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town, but simply electric in others, like the wins over Manchester United and Aston Villa.

However, the North Londoners’ 4-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday was so emphatic and so incredibly impressive that it could just be the catalyst for them to now go on a genuine run of good form.

That said, for all the brilliant displays on the side of the Lilywhites, there were plenty of abject ones on the side of the hosts, including former Spurs ace Kyle Walker, although as bad as he’s been this season, there is a former Tottenham defender who has been even worse.

Kyle Walker's dreadful season

Walker left for Spurs in the summer of 2017 to join City for a whopping £53m, which was a record for a full-back at the time, and while there was an adaptation time for the Englishman, it would be fair to say it’s been a move that’s since worked out.

For example, in the seven and a half years since, the 34-year-old has made 311 appearances, in which he’s won six league titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups, two Community Shields, the FIFA Club World Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and, of course, the Champions League.

However, time catches up with us all, and to say the former Spurs ace has deteriorated this season would be a massive understatement.

His decline was on full show against his old club on Saturday when he looked miles off the pace and was comfortably beaten by Timo Werner for the Lilywhites’ fourth goal.

Moreover, former professional Tony Cascarino described the Englishman’s performance as being similar to when Gareth Bale ran “Maicon, the great Brazilian full-back ragged,” and that it was a similar situation against Brighton & Hove Albion’s Kaoru Mitoma earlier this month.

In all, it’s hard to look at Walker’s performances this season and not come to the conclusion that his career at the top level is coming to an end. Yet, there is another former Spurs defender who is younger and is having an even worse season than him this year.

The former Spurs player who's been worse than Walker

So, to cut straight to the point, the player in question is fellow full-back Emerson Royal.

The 25-year-old, who was described as a “liability” during his time with Spurs by Jamie O’Hara, joined Italian giants AC Milan in the summer for around £13m, in a transfer that Italian football writer Kaustubh Pandey described as “a deal for the ages,” but not for the right reasons.

Instead, he was shocked at how much the Italian giants were willing to pay for the Brazilian defender, as aside from very few glimpses here and there, he’s been dreadful since leaving N17.

For example, in the club’s game against Juventus over the weekend, Football Italia gave him a paltry 4/10 match rating, while he didn’t do much better in the clash with Cagliari either, with Gazzetta dello Sport giving him a 5.5/10.

In all, the São Paulo-born ace has made 14 appearances for Milan, 12 of which have been starts, of which six have ended with victories, three have ended in draws, and five have been defeats.

Appearances

14

Wins

6

Draws

3

Losses

5

Points per Game

1.50

Goals

0

Assists

0

Ultimately, it’s hard to look at Emerson’s time at the San Siro as anything other than a complete disaster, especially when experts like James Horncastle write that his transfer to Milan ‘looks like the biggest donation in the history of Fondazione Milan as the club charitably tries to make his wish to become a footballer come true.’

Therefore, while Walker is having an undeniably poor season, another former Spurs full-back is having an even worse one.

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The exciting winger is enjoying a stellar season away from Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 22, 2024

After a poignant weekend, West Ham United responded positively to defeat Wolverhampton Wanderers and perhaps save Julen Lopetegui’s job with a hard-fought Premier League victory.

It was not a flawless display, but the Hammers deserve credit for fighting and prevailing in a match that both managers desperately needed to win.

Jarrod Bowen, as he so often does, popped up with two massive contributions to propel his Irons into 14th place, just five points behind Fulham in the top half.

He may have saved Lopetegui’s skin.

Jarrod Bowen keeps Lopetegui seated

It’s pretty clear that Lopetegui would have been given the sack had West Ham suffered another home defeat. Wolves are scrambling for form but languish near the pit of the Premier League and couldn’t be allowed to leave the London Stadium with points in the bag.

He set up Tomas Soucek’s opening goal before driving a fine goal strike mere moments after Matt Doherty equalised for the Old Gold.

Bowen is West Ham’s life-blood, with just one more performance for east London when it truly needed a hero. As stated, it wasn’t a perfect effort from the Irons, and there are some points to pick at.

West Ham need to ensure they put together a flowing run of good form, and in order to achieve this, Konstantinos Mavropanos must be dropped – even though he enjoyed one of his better games under Lopetegui’s wing.

Chalkboard

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

Mavropanos nearly cost Lopetegui

Lopetegui doesn’t seem to be all that keen on Jean-Clair Todibo, who signed for the club on a season-long loan in the summer, with an obligation to buy for £34m in 2025. Juventus were defeated in the transfer battle.

It’s a curious situation, not least because Mavropanos continually leaves plenty to be desired on the pitch. In fairness, he made significant improvements from the disastrous display against Leicester City in midweek, notably in his duel winning percentage, but it’s rather hard to claim that he’s deserving of a nailed-down starting berth.

Minutes played

90′

90′

Touches

88

66

Shots (on target)

3 (1)

2 (1)

Accurate passes

64/71 (90%)

45/50 (90%)

Key passes

1

0

Dribbles (completed)

6 (4)

0 (0)

Tackles

1

2

Interceptions

1

3

Clearances

1

3

Total duels (won)

13 (7)

8 (6)

Mavropanos’ statistics oft appear impressive – in isolation. The Greece international is rash and prone to misguided decisions that can evade the glare of the data compilation.

Retired defender Andy Hinchcliffe rebuked the centre-half in the opening half after he “should have done better” with a glorious chance to open his team’s account, and he found himself at the centre of further concern in the closing stages, lucky to have avoided the concession of a penalty after he stamped on Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s foot in the box.

Hinchliffe made his opinion known once again, criticised for the “completely unnecessary” challenge that he was “so lucky to get away with.”

With Todibo waiting in the wings, you’ve got to think that Mavropanos should be dropped for the forthcoming Premier League fixture – away at Bournemouth in one week.

The Evening Standard decided to give the 25-year-old a 7/10 match score. Not bad. But had the officiating been conducted only marginally different – it could have been a very different outcome.

It’s important to take a deep breath and recognise the value in claiming three points, the value in moving within a point of Manchester United, two points of Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.

The relegation zone, moreover, has now stretched nine lovely points into the distance. Of course, vented frustrations move beyond just a ranking in the Premier League table. The football has been strained and colourless at times; the defensive high line raises questions; Lopetegui’s team selections raise more questions still.

But for now, three points, and another chance to make headway. The Spanish tactician needs to realise that there are some players – like Todibo and Lucas Paqueta – who must be in the starting line-up.

Mavropanos nearly cost him his job – will he make the same blunder again?

West Ham hold talks with "fantastic" Lopetegui replacement ahead of Wolves

It comes with the current Hammers boss under massive pressure.

ByBen Browning Dec 9, 2024

Hulking NHL defenseman shows off his unexpected soccer talents, leaves fans in awe of skills

• Bruins player kicks football in Revolution training kit
• Fans in awe of hockey star's soccer skills
• Unexpected crossover between NHL and MLS

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  Nikita Zadorov, the towering 6-6 defenseman for the Boston Bruins, surprised fans by wearing a New England Revolution training kit and showcasing his unexpected soccer skills during a pre-match warmup session.

  Zadorov, known for his physical play on the ice, demonstrated surprising technical ability with the ball, drawing cheers and laughter from those watching on. His football "tekkers" were posted by the New England Revolution's social media team with many in awe of the defenseman's abilities.

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• WHAT THE NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION POSTED

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Zadorov has played 12 NHL seasons across six teams since being drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the first round, 16th overall, in the 2013 NHL entry draft.

  He currently plays for Boston after signing in July 2024 and he's having a solid 2024-25 season with four goals, 13 assists, and a +16 rating in 67 games.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  Following their 2-1 loss to New York City FC, New England Revolution have dropped further down the Eastern Conference table to 14th. They are yet to win a game and have only one point to their name, sitting four points off a place in the Final series play-off after their fourth game of the league season.

  The Revolutions host the New York Red Bulls next at the Gillette Stadium before going on the road to face FC Cincinnati on March 30 and April 6, respectively.