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Gabriel Jesus is "happy" after making a return from his devastating ACL injury during Arsenal's victory over Club Brugge in Belgium. The Gunners had plenty to celebrate as they registered a sixth consecutive Champions League win, got another clean sheet and put in a performance that instilled hope among the fans.

• A triumphant return after 11 months of heartbreak

  Noni Madueke’s sensational brace and Gabriel Martinelli’s thunderous third inspired Arsenal to a comfortable 3-0 win over Club Brugge. However, it was Jesus' return to action that stole much of the limelight. The Brazilian played only 30 minutes, yet he left a sizeable footprint on the match. His movement, hunger and involvement were impossible to miss. Remarkably, he even registered more touches than Viktor Gyokeres, who had played twice as long. That imbalance was partly owed to tired Brugge legs, but mostly it underlined how naturally Jesus drops deep and links play. He hit the crossbar, wriggled into pockets of space and knitted attacking triangles as if he’d never been away.

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  Jesus relieved after long ordeal

  Speaking to Arsenal club media, he said: "In the first three months, I had a lot of doubts in my head, and then I could be more focused on what God wants from me. Everyone was expecting me to score. and obviously, I wanted to score. I had some opportunities, but even with that, I'm so happy and so pleased, because to come back and then to have some touches that I had tonight, and then the way I could move, the way I could keep the ball.

  "So with 11 months of helping myself and then feeling scared to come back different, maybe with some limitations, just to walk outside and then play with the boys, I'm so pleased. I feel more than ready. So, I'm here to say God saved my life."

  His return also reunited Arsenal’s most iconic attacking trio of recent years in Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Martinelli.

  "I love him," Martinelli had said before the game. "I always say that he’s one of the best strikers in the world for me, so I’m really happy to have him back – not just on the pitch, but outside the pitch as well. Playing with him is really good. He loves to link up and to move and to rotate."

  Mikel Arteta believes Jesus’ qualities go far beyond goals.

  "I think he brings something else, and I was really happy to see that," he said. "Gabi has a really special quality, which is that suddenly he connects everybody around him, and that’s something that we as a team need, and it will make us better. So happy for him, I think you can see how much we all love him. It's been a very, very difficult and long journey. For 11 months he's been fighting against another very difficult injury and to see him back with that smile, with that energy and with that quality in his first performance with us is something really impressive and we're all delighted for him."

• Dowman dropped from Champions League squad

  Jesus’ comeback also triggered a necessary administrative change. Arsenal confirmed teenager Max Dowman, who recently suffered an ankle ligament injury, has been removed from their Champions League A-list and replaced by Jesus. It has been deemed a long-term injury, which will take more than 60 days to recover, and hence, Jesus has walked into the squad. 

  A club statement read: "Gabriel Jesus has replaced Max Dowman on our UEFA A list with immediate effect. Therefore, Gabby is eligible to play in our match against Club Brugge in Belgium on Wednesday night. Max, who picked up an ankle injury playing for our under-21s on Saturday, will be added to our UEFA B list in January, but will not be permitted to play in any UEFA competitions for 60 days from today (February 6)."

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  Arsenal reassert themselves ahead of domestic test

  The comfortable victory in Bruges offered the perfect response to the shock Premier League defeat at Aston Villa that had briefly dampened the mood. With momentum in Europe restored, Arsenal now shift their attention back to the domestic campaign. Next up, they face Wolves, who are at the bottom of the table and winless in 15 games. It should be another cakewalk for the Premier League leaders.

The 2025 World Series is set, as the defending champion Dodgers will face off with the Blue Jays in the Fall Classic.

Toronto finished the season as the top seed in the American League, but was taken to the brink of elimination in the ALCS by the Mariners. Down 3–2 in the series, the Blue Jays used home-field advantage to take the final two games and earn a trip to their first World Series since 1993.

On paper, the Dodgers are an overwhelming favorite. They are the defending champions and have four former MVPs, four legitimate aces and a $350 million payroll. But they don’t play the game on paper. Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of the two teams in the series. It’s worth noting the Blue Jays have rotated their lineups based on matchups and we’re not yet sure of how Bo Bichette will fit in, so this is our projection of how manager John Schneider will fill out the lineup card.

Catcher: Will Smith (Dodgers) vs. Alejandro Kirk (Blue Jays)

This one will surprise people, but the game isn’t just played with the bat. Kirk is a phenomenal defensive catcher, and that ultimately gives him the advantage here. The veteran backstop had nine defensive runs saved in 2025, while his 22 fielding run value (FRV) ranked second in baseball. Smith’s FRV was -6. Smith is better on offense, but Kirk is no slouch in that regard.

In the playoffs, Kirk has produced a .752 OPS and blasted three home runs, while Smith is at .661 with no dingers. This is close and could easily be a push, but Kirk’s superior defense and current form give him the edge.

Advantage: Blue Jays

First base: Freddie Freeman (Dodgers) vs. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays)

Tottenham’s miserable form under Thomas Frank continues following a lacklustre 2-1 loss at home to Fulham on Saturday night, with the home side subjected to a chorus of boos at the full-time whistle.

Tottenham 1-2 Fulham as tepid Spurs form piles pressure on Frank

The visitors delivered a devastating early double blow to extend the North London club’s torrid run and raise fresh questions about Frank’s ability to arrest their alarming slide.

Fulham raced into a commanding two-goal advantage within the opening six minutes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, capitalizing ruthlessly on defensive frailties that continue plaguing Spurs despite their manager’s persistent tactical tinkering.

Kenny Tete opened the scoring after just four minutes when his speculative effort took a wicked deflection off Destiny Udogie’s leg, completely wrong-footing goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and nestling into the bottom corner. The Italian stopper, helpless against the deflection, barely had time to recover before Fulham doubled their advantage.

Harry Wilson compounded Tottenham’s defensive nightmare just two minutes later, capitalizing on catastrophic goalkeeping from Vicari

The Welshman caught Vicario in no man’s land with a long-range chip from distance, and given there were no defenders there to clear it off the line, the ball floated into a completely empty net.

Tottenham dominated possession throughout the opening period but created virtually nothing of substance, managing just two shots and accounting for a paltry 0.01 expected goals during the first half.

Frank introduced attacking reinforcements during the second half, withdrawing Joao Palhinha, Richarlison and Archie Gray for Wilson Odobert, Xavi Simons and Rodrigo Bentancur around the hour mark.

The changes provided brief encouragement when Mohammed Kudus lashed home a powerful half-volley in the 59th minute — his first at home in a Spurs shirt — which reduced the deficit and offered fleeting hope of a comeback.

Tottenham hold talks with Arsenal target as Frank 'craves his progressive passing'

Spurs need more creativity.

By
Emilio Galantini

Nov 28, 2025

However, Fulham expertly managed the remaining half-hour, introducing Sasa Lukic and Emile Smith Rowe to shore up midfield and nullify Tottenham’s increasingly desperate attacking thrusts.

Despite introducing forwards Mathys Tel and additional creative players, Spurs lacked the quality and conviction required to salvage anything from another disappointing home performance.

The defeat represents Tottenham’s fourth loss in their last six matches across all competitions, following humiliating setbacks against Arsenal (4-1) and PSG (5-3) in the last week.

The pressure is now seriously on Frank, who is attracting real scrutiny as critics question whether he is really the right man for the Spurs job.

Jamie O'Hara loses it with Xavi Simons in Tottenham defeat to Fulham

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, pundit Jamie O’Hara picked out substitute Simons for criticism alongside Frank, despite the fact he only had half an hour to make an impact.

The former Spurs midfielder was livid with Simons following repeated failed flick attempts when the north Londoners were chasing the game at 2-1, with O’Hara expressing his outrage at the wasteful attacking play.

After his disasterclass in goal, keeper Vicario was also booed by supporters nearly every time he touched the ball, with the tension among fans now reaching breaking point as Spurs continue to underperform.

Simons, who could end up costing the club £125 million over a potential seven-year contract when you factor in wages, agent’s fees and add-ons, needs to find his feet in England soon or risk being seen as a major flop.

The Dutchman has scarcely been given a chance by Frank lately, but the fact he’s only been given a few minutes here and there should send a pretty clear message.

Simons was often bullied off the ball against Fulham and failed to make the desired impact, even despite all of his efforts to get into dangerous positions.

For Spurs, the home curse continues, and no other ever-present Premier League side boasts a worse record on their own turf than Tottenham in 2025.

It has been a very eventful last 36 hours for the West Indies left-arm spinner

Mohammad Isam21-Oct-2025Akeal Hosein reached his hotel room in Dhaka at 4:00am on Tuesday. The West Indies selectors summoned him for the second ODI, following two injuries in the squad. Hosein joined the team in the bus to the Shere Bangla National Stadium around noon. By the end of the night, he was bowling the Super Over for West Indies, defending ten runs.Hosein had an unfavourable match-up with the left-handed Soumya Sarkar taking strike. He started off with a wide and then a no-ball. Bangladesh got four runs without facing a legal ball. Hosein somehow managed to salvage the over from there, avoiding getting hit for a boundary, even though he did concede one more wide with four needed off the last ball. So he had to go again and this time he kept his lines and gave up just one run.”I don’t think I have anything left in me again, buddy,” Hosein said after bringing West Indies back from the brink to level the series 1-1. “Got to the hotel at 4:00am. But it’s part of the job, and once you commit to something and once you give your word, you better be ready to turn up and give 100%. No excuses, and I almost messed it up, but thankfully, you know, I took the team home in the end.”Hosein is a world-class limited-overs performer but this was his first ODI in two years. Granted he was playing on an absolute, raging turner in Dhaka, he was still under pressure bowling the Super Over.Related

• Rage against the pitch – it's Bangladesh vs West Indies vs the surface in series decider

• Shamar Joseph out of Bangladesh ODIs with 'discomfort in shoulder'

• Hope conquers Dhaka as West Indies prevail in Super Over

Hosein managed to get the ball to turn into the left-hander’s body when Sarkar and Najmul Hossain Shanto were on strike. Against Saif Hassan, he bowled over the wicket, not allowing the right-hander to free his arms.”It’s a tricky pitch,” he said. “It’s not one that is turning at a fair pace. The ball is jumping a bit, so for me, to the left-hander, it was definitely to make him hit square. He’s [Sarkar] quite a powerful guy, so I think that if he has arms, he can hit through the line easily.”So, for me, it was just trying to spin the ball from as close as possible on a good length and force him to hit square, because that square boundary was quite big.”Hosein had faced a similar situation, in the Hundred last year. He didn’t have to bowl the Super Over back then, but did bowl the final set that pushed the game into overtime.”I have been in a situation like this,” Hosein said. “It was an Eliminator in the Hundred. And it started off quite similar. I bowled a no-ball. In the Hundred, a no-ball is two [runs]. And I had to defend nine [10] or something like that. And one ball [the no-ball] went for six, and then they needed two [three] off four [five] balls or something.”I remember Chris Jordan coming up to me, and he said, ‘don’t worry, you got this.’ and I said to myself, ‘if he can believe that I have this, with two [three] runs to go, Liam Livingstone, world-class hitter on strike, with four [five] balls to go, if Chris Jordan can believe, why can’t I believe?'”Hosein said that he was surprised not to see Rishad Hossain come out to bat in the Super Over on Tuesday. West Indies believed the lower-order batter who had confidently struck an unbeaten 39 off 14 balls earlier in the game, was the obvious choice for Bangladesh.”Yes, I was a bit surprised. I mean, the guy that seemed to do the most destruction in the match, 39 off about 14 deliveries not out, and he’s not in your Super Over, hitting to the short side where he struck two sixes.”We all were a bit surprised that he didn’t come out at all, and you know, it worked in our favor. He was one of the few guys who sort of packed that power and he had that reach because he’s quite a tall guy.”Sarkar, who was one of Bangladesh’s batters in the Super Over, said that the captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz and coach Phil Simmons picked the batters for the Super Over.”The coach and captain took the decision,” Sarkar said. “We actually didn’t know Akeal Hosein would bowl. If two left-handers had gone in, and then an off-spinner came on, we would be in trouble. That’s why there was a lefty and a righty. You’ll see the same with their team; they also batted with a lefty [Sherfane Rutherford] and a righty [Shai Hope].”Hosein also shared the funny story about the unusually black coloured surface used for the first Bangladesh-West Indies ODI on Saturday.”I turned my TV on. The first thing that I did was check my TV, because I thought there was something wrong with it. I thought the color had gone or something like that. The pitch was black, and I was like, ‘surely something is wrong with my television'”, he said.

Real Madrid’s 2-2 draw at Elche delivered drama on the pitch and controversy off it, with a late equaliser following Vinicius Junior’s collision with goalkeeper Inaki Pena sparking fierce criticism from Elche coach Eder Sarabia. The result extends Madrid’s winless run to three matches and exposes deeper issues in Xabi Alonso’s side.

• Real Madrid's chaotic rescue amid controversial equaliser

  Madrid arrived at the Martinez Valero expecting to steady themselves but Elche had other plans for them. Alonso’s team controlled long periods of possession, pushing Elche back into their defensive third, but much of Madrid’s circulation remained predictable, with few penetrative runs or combinations to break the compact defensive lines in front of them.

  Elche, meanwhile, were sharp and direct, exploiting Madrid’s disorganisation whenever the first line of pressure was bypassed. It was from one such moment that Aleix Febas opened the scoring early in the second half, punishing loose marking on the edge of the box. Although Dean Huijsen equalised during a scramble from a set-piece, Elche struck back almost immediately through Alvaro Rodriguez, once again exposing gaps in Madrid’s defensive structure.

  The real turning point came in the final minutes. At 2-1 down, Madrid pushed everything forward and created sustained pressure, culminating in a chaotic sequence inside the box. Vinicius collided heavily with Inaki Pena as both attempted to reach a loose ball. The goalkeeper fell to the ground clutching his face, but play continued, and Jude Bellingham finished the rebound to make it 2-2. The decision to let the advantage stand and allow the play to continue became the central talking point of the night.

  Elche coach Eder Sarabia made his displeasure clear moments after the final whistle, suggesting that the refereeing had directly influenced the result.

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  Elche coach furious over late-goal refereeing decisions

  Replays showed Vinicius' knee colliding with Pena’s face in the aerial contest, leaving the goalkeeper visibly dazed. Elche players protested immediately, insisting the challenge prevented Pena from contesting the rebound. VAR upheld the referee’s decision, allowing the goal to stand, and the frustration in the home dugout boiled over.

  Coach Sarabia did not hold back in his post-match interview, making his stance unmistakably clear.

  "No, I'm not happy, not at all. I already told the players I was gutted, and when I saw the decisive calls, I'm even more so. The foul before the second goal (for Madrid) wasn't a foul at all. What's more, it was a counter-attack that could have made it 3-1. And then Vinicius doesn't touch the ball, it hits Peña in the face. Peña didn't see the play. Vinicius hits him in the face, that's why his face is like that. It's a clear foul," Sarabia said.

  "It makes me angry to have to waste time on these things. When you play against Real Madrid, you do so many things, you take the lead twice, and then you feel that there were factors that influenced the final result, it makes you angry."

  Despite the controversy, the result keeps Los Blancos narrowly top of La Liga, but their lead has shrunk to a single point over Barcelona.

• Madrid’s winless run and Alonso’s growing challenge

  The draw adds to a sequence that now reads, defeat to Liverpool, stalemate against Rayo Vallecano, and another frustrating evening at Elche. Three games, no wins, and increasingly similar patterns. Madrid dominate possession, but the control lacks punch; their defensive transitions remain fragile; and their attacking ideas often become repetitive when opponents close central lanes.

  At Anfield, Liverpool’s intense pressing exposed Madrid’s difficulties in chaotic, high-tempo away fixtures. Against Rayo, Madrid spent 90 minutes circulating the ball without breaking down the low block. And at Elche, the team’s mental lapses, slow reactions, and vulnerability to direct attacks were punished twice.

  Alonso has spoken calmly about the situation, insisting the team remains on the right path while acknowledging the moments where standards have dipped. He has repeatedly stressed the need for sharper execution, greater discipline in rest-defence, and a broader contribution of goals beyond the usual trio of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius and Bellingham.

  The tactical adjustments he is working toward include more controlled build-up shapes to prevent counters, better spacing to sustain pressure, and increased involvement from midfield runners. He has also urged improved focus in aerial duels and set-piece situations, both of which have cost Madrid valuable points.

  Although the narrative outside the club hints at a wobble, Madrid see this period as a necessary test rather than a crisis.

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  Olympiacos and Girona up next for Madrid

  The schedule offers little room for respite. Olympiacos await in Europe, then comes Girona on November 30. Both matches carry weight not only for Madrid’s season but also for their confidence.

  Alonso has made it clear that the next steps require more urgency, more collective responsibility, and a return to the early-season standards that once made Madrid look untouchable. The team currently sits top of the league with 32 points followed by Barca 31, Villarreal 29, and Atletico Madrid 28.  

Shohei Ohtani seems to always be making some sort of history, and he did it again on Sunday.

During the Los Angeles Dodgers' final game of the season, Ohtani blasted his 55th home run of the year. Not only is that a career-high for the two-way slugger, it's also a Dodgers record.

He accomplished the feat in the top of the seventh inning against the Seattle Mariners when he took an 0-2 fastball from Gabe Speier and crushed it to center field. The ball came off his bat at 109.5 mph and traveled 412 feet.

The 31-year-old Ohtani had 54 home runs last season to set L.A.'s franchise record, and broke it this year. While his numbers are a bit down from his remarkable 2024 campaign, they're still incredible, and he's made 14 starts as a pitcher as well. He is a massive favorite to win his fourth MVP award and third in the last three years.

Ohtani and the Dodgers capped off the 2024 season by winning the World Series. They'll be looking to repeat this year, but it will be a much tougher road as they won't be getting a first-round bye. While they won the National League West again, they have the third-best record of the NL's division winners and will open the playoffs next week against the league's final wild-card entrant.

That won't be as easy as the path they blitzed through the 2024 postseason, but Ohtani is hitting his stride after yet another huge season.

Shohei Ohtani's Numbers in 2025

As of this article, Ohtani is slashing .282/.392/.623, with 55 home runs, 109 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.015. He also has 20 stolen bases,, 25 doubles, and nine triples.

On the mound, Ohtani made 14 starts after not pitching since late in the 2023 campaign. He was 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and 62 strikeouts against nine walks in 47 innings. He got much better as the season went along. In September, he made three starts and posted a 0.00 ERA, while allowing only eight hits and two walks against 18 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings.

He enters the postseason on a roll.

Tottenham Hotspur’s activity in the transfer market in the last few months has been a huge success, with the board completing deals for numerous top-level talents.

Thomas Frank will no doubt have been hoping the hierarchy would have given him the opportunity to improve the options at his disposal ahead of his debut campaign in North London.

The biggest deal came in the form of Mohammed Kudus, with the winger costing a total of £55m from Premier League rivals West Ham United – a fee that already looks to be a bargain.

He’s already registered four assists in his first two league outings for the Lilywhites, with the Ghanaian currently the joint highest goal creator in the entire division.

However, with January rapidly approaching, the Dane will no doubt be eying up further deals to help his side be competitive in England’s top-flight and in the closing stages of the Champions League group stage.

Spurs’ hunt for added attacking reinforcements in January

Over the last couple of days, Spurs have been named as just one Premier League club currently in the race to sign Brentford forward Kevin Schade in January.

The German has caught the eye of Frank once more, after the 51-year-old previously signed the attacker during his stint in charge at the GTEC Community Stadium.

It’s been reported that the Lilywhites are already working on a winter deal for the 23-year-old, with a fee in the region of £48m mooted for his signature at present.

However, he’s not the only forward-minded player on their radar, with the hierarchy also currently considering a move to sign Real Sociedad star Takefusa Kubo.

The latest report from one Spanish outlet states that the board see the Japanese international as a priority target for the upcoming window, with a £52m price tag, the ballpark figure right now.

It also states that the 24-year-old is keen on a switch to the Premier League in the coming months, seeing such an opportunity as a chance to take his career to the next level.

Why Spurs’ £52m target would be a huge upgrade on Johnson

Spurs haven’t been alien to a big-money attacking signing, as seen by Kudus’ arrival in the summer, but Brennan Johnson is another player who falls into such a category.

The Welsh international cost a staggering £47.5m back in the summer of 2023, joining the Lilywhites from Nottingham Forest in an attempt to improve the right-wing position.

His time in North London over recent years has certainly been topsy-turvy, with numerous highs often being overshadowed by various moments to forget for the 24-year-old.

He’s previously been subject to vile online abuse from his own supporters on social media, but it’s safe to say he proved all of them wrong with his Europa League-winning goal last season.

Frank’s arrival gave the winger the chance to build on his success in 2024/25, but it’s been a couple of months to forget for Johnson, as he’s dropped down the pecking order – whilst being sent off in Kudus’ absence against FC Copenhagen.

It could be about to get a whole lot worse for the forward should Kubo arrive, with the Japanese star certainly pushing last campaign’s top-goalscorer down the order further.

He may be an unknown quantity to many, but when comparing his stats to those of Johnson from 2025/26, they highlight how much of an upgrade he would be on the current winger.

Kubo, who’s been labelled “world-class” by former Barcelona star Xavi, has completed more progressive carries and passes per 90 – numbers which showcase his desire to get balls into dangerous areas whenever possible.

He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted, whilst notching more key passes per 90 – which could allow him to add a more creative presence to Frank’s first-team squad.

Other tallies, such as more take-ons completed and more carries into the final third per 9,0 reaffirm his ability with the ball at his feet, which could take some of the responsibility off Kudus in the process.

£52m would be yet another huge statement of intent from the board after the summer deal to land the Ghanaian, but it showcases the ambition they do have to take the Lilywhites to the next level.

As for Johnson, such a deal would all but end his career in North London, with the board desperately needing to offload him to avoid losing a small fortune on their investment.

Forget Palhinha: Spurs star is fast becoming their best player since Kane

Tottenham Hotspur have hit the jackpot on one player who is becoming as crucial as Harry Kane.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 7, 2025

Manchester United remain unbeaten in their last five Premier League games under Ruben Amorim, but the Red Devils have been told they are no better by a former Chelsea star who has delivered a savage verdict on their resurgence. The Portuguese coach marked his one-year anniversary at Old Trafford this month, but not everyone is celebrating, as former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has poured cold water on United’s apparent revival, insisting that, despite the recent upturn in results, the ship is still not in steady waters.

• A run of promise overshadowed by doubt

  United had been enjoying a welcome burst of momentum after picking up consecutive victories over Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton. The bright run of form sparked optimism that Amorim’s ideas were finally taking hold. But back-to-back 2-2 draws against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham halted their surge and reopened old questions about consistency and mentality. 

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• Hasselbaink raises questions on United's revival

  Those doubts came roaring back when Hasselbaink, speaking on , bluntly rejected the suggestion that United are moving forward.

  "I don’t think they have improved, I’m sorry," he began. "Where, where have they improved? They have not scored more goals, they have not had less goals against, they have not won any trophies. Yes, they have been in a final in Europe but lost against a poor side – Tottenham were a poor side last year. He has got a lot of work to do, a lot of work. I don’t think they are creative enough, not like they used to be."

  It’s not as if United haven’t backed their manager. The club spent more than £200 million ($264m) last summer, bringing in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and goalkeeper Senne Lammens in an attempt to erase memories of their disastrous 2024/25 campaign. They finished 15th in the Premier League, racked up just 42 points, the lowest tally since their relegation in 1974, and a defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final killed all hopes of a European campaign in 2025/26. Amorim has amassed 21 wins, 14 draws and 19 losses in 54 matches, numbers that suit a mid-table club but not a Premier League giant with significant financial muscle. 

• Inside Old Trafford: Optimism growing

  Despite the criticism, those inside Carrington and Old Trafford insist that the mood has shifted for the better. The recruitments are now more aligned with a long-term strategy, and Amorim has earned respect for staying true to his footballing beliefs even during the club’s darkest periods. It is believed that the INEOS hierarchy is hoping to see the club back in Europe and Amorim continues to enjoy the complete backing of the owners. His interview with last week captured what many inside the club admire about him.

  "During my career as a manager, most of the time I was winning," he said. "When you are winning, you can say that you have convictions and you are loyal to your ideas, but you learn when you lose, when you are under pressure and I learned that when I’m under pressure, I’m stronger on my ideas and I keep with my ideas. Of course, it’s really important to feel the support of everyone in the club, especially the fans that help you, to give you that confidence to continue on your path, but that was the biggest learning point: when I’m under pressure, I can stick with my plan."

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  Room to improve for United

  Saturday’s match against Tottenham brought the same old sting for United supporters as they saw another lead surrendered and another chance to climb into the top four missed. Speaking to after the game, Amorim did not attempt to sugarcoat the frustration.

  "During the game we felt like the three points were there to take home," he admitted. "But then with everything that happened, Harry Maguire and Casemiro coming off and conceding two goals…we scored again and it's a point. When you cannot win you don't lose, once again we did that. We have so much to grow as a team, because today was our day to win this game.

  "We need to look at ourselves, we were not pressing with the same intensity, we felt comfortable but we need to understand that if we had more bravery we kill the game. But sometimes this happens, you have a better first half than second. We believe in our capacity to score goals until the last minute. It's a little frustration, but also pride at the response of the players at the response to second goal of Tottenham. This is the tip of the iceberg, we are at the beginning of becoming a strong team, so we have a lot to do."

  United return to Premier League action at home to Everton after the international break, and after that, comes a tricky trip to Crystal Palace, where Oliver Glasner's men will push their limits.

Bayern Munich chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen had words of encouragement for Vincent Kompany and his players following the Bavarians' 3-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday. Dreesen admitted that it was better for Bayern to lose now than "sometime in the knockout phase." He also had words of assurance for Kompany, adding that "we're happy to be together with you".

• Arsenal bring blistering Bayern down to earth

  Bayern tasted defeat for the first time this season at the hands of Arsenal in a Champions League encounter at the Emirates on Wednesday. Young star Lennart Karl scored the only goal – an equaliser in response to Jurrien Timber's 22nd-minute opener – for Bayern, before Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli effectively put the tie to bed by scoring their goals in the space of eight second half minutes. 

  It brought an end to Bayern's 18-game unbeaten streak since the 2025-26 season began, during which they won 17 games and drew once. They even broke AC Milan's 33-year-old record of 13 consecutive wins at the start of the season, going on to win the opening 16 games this campaign.

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  Bayern CEO encourages 'fantastic team' to continue making fans happy

  In the aftermath of the game, Bayern CEO Dreesen shared a heartfelt speech at a banquet in London, expressing gratitude for how far the team has come and encouraging Kompany and Co. to keep their heads high.

  "I did a little Googling, some dark memories, and [the last defeat] was exactly 144 days ago in the quarter-final match against Paris Saint-Germain at the Club World Cup," he began. "And of course, in the last 18 competitive matches, which we haven't lost, with 17 wins and one draw, we've gotten used to winning. And so, naturally, it's hard to accept something like that.

  "Of course, we played a first half, I think, on equal terms. We saw a fantastic equaliser in that three-man combination between Josh [Kimmich] and Serge [Gnabry], and then Lennart with the finish. That was fantastic. We could perhaps have had a few more chances, but in the second half we were certainly the weaker team. And that's part of the game, and you have to acknowledge it. And that's why you have to give Arsenal credit; we deserved to lose in the second half, and that's why Arsenal rightly won. And that has to be accepted. So, congratulations to Arsenal at this point."

  Dreesen also admitted that it's better for Bayern to lose now than when it matters the most.

  "Some people said today, better now than sometime in the knockout phase. And there's definitely something to that," he conceded. "We've had a wonderful journey with you, dear team, so far in these 18 games, and we've been thrilled by your play, most recently in Paris. And that's what we should perhaps keep in mind going forward, because you're a fantastic team, you play outstanding football, inspiring football, and that's what makes us happy, what makes the fans happy, and that's what will last. And so, a day like today is just an interim step.

  "We might be a little downcast today, but ultimately we know what we have in you. We trust you, you're a top team and you know it, and that's a good thing. So, dear Vincent, it's a shame today, but we're happy to be together with you and we're looking forward to the next game on Saturday against St. Pauli."

• Kompany not making any 'excuses' after being humbled by Arsenal

  It was the Gunners' first win over Die Roten after 10 years. Much of the build-up to the game focused on Arsenal and Bayern being the top two strongest teams in Europe at the moment. However, Mikel Arteta's side now remain the only team in the Champions League to register five wins out of five this season, firmly establishing themselves as one of the favourites to lift the trophy come May 30. 

  As for Bayern, the defeat exposed major chinks in their armour. For a team that is supremely loaded in attack, thanks to the presence of world-class names such as Harry Kane, Michael Olise, and Luis Diaz. 

  "I don't like excuses," Kompany told reporters, accepting that Bayern were second-best all evening. "We've lost now, and let's be honest: Arsenal were better today, and we have to fix that from Saturday onwards.

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  Bayern turn focus to St. Pauli

  Bayern will be eager to ensure the loss to Arsenal reflects a one-off lapse rather than a trend that could unravel their form in the coming weeks. They hold a healthy six-point lead atop the Bundesliga table and will have a chance to extend it on Saturday, when they host St. Paul at the Allianz Arena.

No shortage of allrounders in the final XI and perhaps a controversial call or two

Andrew McGlashan26-Oct-2024Ahead of the tenth season of the WBBL we thought it would be fun to select an all-time XI. The aim was to try and pick a balanced side with players as close to their usual positions as possible, or a role that they could fill. There are a few particularly notable omissions, with the top-order and spin options especially stacked.

Beth Mooney

The leading run-scorer in the competition’s history heading into the tenth season, Mooney’s consistency has been remarkable. Only twice has she averaged under 42 for a season; one of those was the first year of WBBL in 2015-16 and the other was 2018-19 when she was still able to score a hundred and then play the defining innings in the final for Brisbane Heat. Her most prolific campaign was 2019-20 with 743 runs at 74.30 – she has followed that with four more seasons of over 500 runs following her move to Perth Scorchers.Related

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Alyssa Healy

In this XI, Healy forms her international opening combination with Mooney. It won’t always be about volume of runs for Healy – the way she plays means low scores are part of the risk – but when things click she can be unstoppable. She has the most centuries (five) in WBBL history and the second-highest strike rate of those with at least 1000 runs. In 2019, during which she added a tournament-record stand of 199 with Ellyse Perry, and then 2020, Healy had the eye-watering strike-rates of 155.69 and 161.44. The following two seasons were less productive (albeit including 107 off 64 balls against Perth Scorchers) and the dog-bite incident meant she missed all but one game last summer.

Grace Harris

One of the WBBL’s most iconic figures. Harris’ three centuries all come with great stories: she struck the first in the competition’s history, then made the fastest off 42 balls and last season surged to 136 off 59 balls with one of her sixes coming with a broken bat. “Stuff hit, I’ll hit it anyway,” was the viral quote. As with a number of players in this side, there is a high level of risk vs reward and there will be lows amid the highs. But Harris can win a match on her own.Sophie Devine has regularly made an impact with bet and ball•Getty Images

Sophie Devine

The most formidable allrounder in WBBL – and there’s good competition for that title. An ever-present across the nine seasons, split between Adelaide Strikers and Perth Scorchers, things started a little slowly for Devine in the first year but then she found lift-off with 103 not out off 48 balls against Hobart Hurricanes. Barring a tough 2022 season, she has remained ultra consistent. The 2019 edition was a stunning one where she averaged 76.90 with the bat and claimed 19 wickets. She remains the only player in the tournament with a half-century and a five-wicket haul in the same game.

Ashleigh Gardner

It’s possible to argue that Gardner has underperformed overall with the bat in the WBBL. But her strike rate remains in the top 10 for those with at least 1000 runs, and in the middle order it’s about the impact a player can have over a shorter period. Initially it was Gardner’s batting that led the way – including the magnificent 114 off 52 balls against in 2017 – but the last two seasons has seen her offspin excel. In the 2022 edition she managed to bring both aspects together with a player of the tournament return where she averaged 28.25 with the bat, alongside a strike rate of 150.66, and claimed 23 wickets.

Marizanne Kapp

Kapp gets into the side for her bowling, which includes the stand-out economy rate of 5.59 – the second best in WBBL history with a minimum of 200 overs – while providing a middle-order safety net with the bat. Until last season, where she admitted she had a torrid time at Sydney Thunder, Kapp had been the epitome of consistency. Her peak all-round seasons came in 2019 and 2020 when she averaged 32.61 with the bat and 19.82 with the ball across the two editions for Sydney Sixers. Then, having moved to Perth Scorchers for the 2021 season, she was player of the match in the final against Adelaide Strikers.Amanda-Jade Wellington has produced some remarkable figures•Getty Images

Jess Jonassen

The leading wicket-taker in the competition, Jonassen has been an ever-present for Brisbane Heat. She has never had a poor season and peaked with a brilliant all-round double of 419 runs at 38.09 (strike rate 133.01) and 21 wickets at 19.19 in the second of their back-to-back titles in 2019. In the last two seasons she has taken a combined tally of 70 wickets across 46 games.

Sammy-Jo Johnson

The pace-bowling allrounder has been a key figure in two tournament deciders for two teams: in 2019 she broke open Heat’s run chase with 27 off 11 balls against Adelaide Strikers, then in 2020, having moved home to Sydney Thunder, took 2 for 11 off her four overs to set-up victory over Melbourne Stars to take the title. That capped a season where she was the tournament’s leading wicket-taker. In the 2018-19 edition, the first of Heat’s back-to-back titles, she produced a memorable all-round display with 260 runs and 20 wickets, becoming the first player to complete a 250 run/20 wicket double for a season. Last summer she joined the century of wickets club.

Amanda-Jade Wellington

It’s a tough race to be the legspinner in this team. In another era, Wellington would have played a lot more for Australia. Few bowl a harder-spun leg-break. Instead, she has been an integral figure for Adelaide Strikers with the last few seasons seeing her game go to another level. Across Strikers’ back-to-back titles she has taken 46 wickets. For 12 months she held the best figures in the tournament’s history with 5 for 8 against Heat in the 2021 Eliminator final, a return she matched against Renegades a year later, and she was player of the match in the 2023 final. Across all nine seasons only once (2016-17) has she not taken at least 10 wickets.

Molly Strano

Like Wellington, Strano is unfortunate not to have played more international cricket. She led the way from the WBBL’s launch, initially for Melbourne Renegades, and was the first bowler to reach 100 wickets. In 2019-2020 she was the leading wicket-taker in the season with 24 and only once has taken fewer than 13 in a campaign. Her best figures of 5 for 15 came in the first season of WBBL against Melbourne Stars

Megan Schutt

As one of the leading pace bowlers in the world for a number of years, it’s little surprise that Schutt is the most successful quick in the WBBL although it is over the last two seasons where her wicket-taking numbers have really exploded including the 6 for 19 which are the best figures in the competition. While she wasn’t always a prolific wicket-taker, her economy rate has often been a standout: as low as 5.06 during the 2016-17 season never higher than 6.46 in any edition.