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Dropping points away to Sunderland was far from ideal, but even so, Arsenal are flying this season.

Unlike last season, Mikel Arteta’s side aren’t finding it hard to score goals, and thanks to their unreal defence, they rarely concede any.

This combination sees them sit atop the Premier League table, four points ahead of Manchester City and eight points clear of reigning champions Liverpool.

While there are several candidates, it would be fair to say that, so far, Gabriel Magalhães has been Arsenal’s player of the season, and Andrea Berta has already signed another version of the Brazilian.

Gabriel's development at Arsenal

Gabriel joined Arsenal from LOSC Lille for around £27m in the summer of 2020, and since then has developed significantly in practically every way imaginable.

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

Now, the Brazilian wasn’t a bad player in his first season for the Gunners, but he wasn’t one of the first names on the teamsheet.

For example, he made just 32 appearances across all competitions for Arteta, of which 23 were in the league, averaging 1.57 points per game.

He would become more of an ever-present member of the backline over the following seasons, but even during the early stages of the 22/23 season, he was seen as someone who could be a liability.

In fact, following a game away to Leeds United, in which he had a penalty incident overturned, Rio Ferdinand pointed out that “every week he’s in the headlines or he’s in underneath with a little bullet point next to his name and a bad incident.”

Fortunately, towards the end of that year and in the campaigns since, the former Lille star has become increasingly dependable, to the point that he occasionally wears the captain’s armband and has been the club’s standout performer this year.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.06

0.21

Shots

0.64

0.93

Passing Accuracy

85.3%

88.6%

Key Passes

0.11

0.34

Shot-Creating Actions

0.53

1.23

Goal-Creating Actions

0.04

0.27

Tackles Won

0.51

0.53

Shots Blocked

0.82

1.30

Passes Blocked

0.32

0.48

Dispossessed

0.32

0.00

Aerial Duels Won

2.59

3.22

Another way to see his growth is to compare his underlying numbers from his first season to those of today.

Doing this shows that the 27-year-old now wins more tackles, blocks more shots and passes, makes more clearances, wins more aerial duels, completes more of his passes, is a greater goal threat, and is far better at creating chances for his teammates.

In all, Gabriel has been able to channel his natural passion over the years and is now arguably the club’s most important defender, so it’s excellent news that Berta signed someone who could develop just like him.

Arsenal's new Gabriel

Arsenal are blessed with an abundance of extremely talented defenders, but when it comes to the one most likely to develop down a Gabriel-esque path, it’s impossible to ignore Cristhian Mosquera.

Andrea Berta signed the Spanish centre-back from Valencia in the summer, for a fee of just £13m, which one content creator fairly described as “a steal.”

Now, the 21-year-old certainly has some of the elegance of a William Saliba, and could certainly be that ball-playing passing machine at the back, but it still feels like he is going to evolve to be more like the Brazilian.

One of the main reasons is that, despite being so young and having only just joined the team, he already appears mature beyond his years, as exemplified by his unfazed performance against Liverpool at Anfield earlier in the season.

More crucially, though, the 6 foot 3 “monster,” as club insider Hand of Arsenal dubbed him, seems to relish the more physical side of the game.

Sure, he can play it safe, but as respected analyst Ben Mattinson points out, he very clearly “loves to battle with physical attackers” and “thrives in ground duels due.”

Further described as an “absolute cheat code of a player” by Arsenal content creator Harold Hickman, he has already proven himself to be something of a leader.

For example, in his recent games for Spain’s U21 side, he has had the responsibility of wearing the captain’s armband.

Ultimately, it’s still early in his career, but thanks to his composure, ability to compete in physical duels, and passion for doing so, it looks like Arsenal have themselves another Gabriel in Mosquera.

The new Alexis: Arsenal ready to spend £80m to sign "world-class superstar"

Arsenal could spend £80m to sign their new version of Alexis Sanchez.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 13, 2025

A sight no Tigers fan wanted to see occurred on Wednesday during the club's 6–2 victory over the Mets. Lights-out relief pitcher Kyle Finnegan, one of the Tigers' savvy trade deadline pickups and one of the best relievers in all of baseball since the July 31 deadline, appeared to suffer an apparent injury while warming up in the bullpen. The Tigers broadcast showed Finnegan firing a warmup pitch in the bullpen, then squatting down in discomfort. Finnegan then walked through the Tigers dugout and headed down the steps towards the clubhouse.

Will Vest began wamring up in the bullpen in Finnegan's stead, with the former eventually entering the game in the top of the seventh inning, tossing 1 1/3 scoreless in relief. The Tigers announced that Finnegan experienced right groin tightness while warming up, according to Cody Stavenhagen of .

In 14 1/3 innings pitched since his acquisition by Detroit, Finnegan has yet to allow an earned run and has struck out 19 batters.

It will be a test for Sri Lanka, whose T20 success this year has largely come at home, against a New Zealand team without several regulars

Madushka Balasuriya27-Dec-2024While most of the world’s attention will be on the Boxing Day Tests in Australia and South Africa – both with strong ramifications on the World Test Championship final – there’s still plenty on the line for New Zealand and Sri Lanka ahead of this three-match T20I series starting Saturday. Here are some of the key talking points to keep an eye on over the next week.Can Sri Lanka break their New Zealand hoodoo?“The bounce and seam movement – that’s the main difference.” That was Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka’s succinct analysis of the conditions they’re about to face. In tours gone by, Sri Lanka’s batters have struggled to come to terms with these sort of conditions, while their bowlers have been unable to extract the same assistance as the home side. But this Sri Lanka side might have a better chance than most.”If you look at their team, it’s probably one of the best teams they’ve produced as a collective,” stated New Zealand white-ball captain Mitchell Santner ahead of the first T20I.Related

• Wellalage dropped, Rajapaksa retained in SL T20I squad for NZ

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“They’ve got all bases covered. The fast bowlers are a challenge, and the spinners we know how good they are. Their top six is dangerous all the way through.”I think the group they’ve got together can take them forward for a number of years.”High praise, and rightly so, considering the year Sri Lanka have had, T20 World Cup aside. But a majority of Sri Lanka’s good results over the past year have come at home, and it’s been their red-ball side that’s been doing the travelling. But this tour finally affords the white-ball unit the chance to test themselves in unfamiliar conditions and perhaps finally come away with a white-ball series win in New Zealand.New Zealand continue their rebuildRachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell and Matt Henry are all back in the white-ball fold – which already makes this a stronger squad than the one that toured Sri Lanka – but with the likes of Lockie Ferguson, Finn Allen, Adam Milne, Tim Seifert, Kane Williamson and Devon Conway all away on franchise duty, and Tom Latham, Will Young and Will O’Rourke rested for the T20 leg, this is still a fairly green New Zealand outfit.But with an even greener bunch having come away with a commendable 1-1 series draw in Sri Lanka, there will be some quiet optimism of further improvements in front of home support.While fast-bowling allrounder Zakary Foulkes will be looking to build on an impressive showing in Sri Lanka, others like Mitchell Hay and Tim Robinson – both of whom struggled for runs on the slower subcontinental surfaces – will no doubt be hoping to justify their selections in more familiar conditions – and potentially put their name in the hat for the 2026 World Cup.The exciting Bevon Jacobs could make his New Zealand debut•New Zealand CricketBevon Jacobs’ rising stockAn IPL contract and now a maiden call-up to the national side, life is good if you’re Bevon Jacobs.Had things gone to plan Sri Lanka might have had a chance to get an early look at him, as he was part of the tour game in Lincoln, however, he never went in to bat.That might work out favourably for Jacobs and New Zealand though, with the opposition having limited information to prepare against him.And with a quick outfield and pristine overhead conditions expected at Mount Maunganui, all eyes will no doubt be on the powerful middle-order batter should he make his debut as expected.Will settled Sri Lanka experiment?One of the hallmarks of Sanath Jayasuriya’s term as head coach has been Sri Lanka’s willingness to give players a long rope – a well founded strategy in terms of giving underperforming players a chance to find form while rewarding those that perform. But it also has meant those on the fringe have been afforded limited opportunities.The home series against New Zealand provided just such an opportunity, with the visitors sending an under strength side. However Sri Lanka opted to go with a full strength squad and forego the chance to offer some younger players invaluable international experience.This has given rise to the unusual scenario of Dinesh Chandimal being selected for successive squads but yet to play a T20I since 2022, while Chamidu Wickramasinghe had been picked on the back of an impressive LPL, but has barely played a game. Questions also abound about Asitha Fernando’s workload management, with the seamer having played nearly every game he has been available for.For this tour, Sri Lanka have once more gone with a strong squad, but if the likes of Chandimal or Wickramasinghe are to get game time, Sri Lanka will need to be willing to disrupt a settled XI – something they have thus far been hesitant to do.

South Africa have (again) proved to themselves that they can “mix it with the best” after winning their first Test in India in 15 years, in conditions they described as providing “a different experience” to what they are used to.Careful to stress that he doesn’t “have a problem with wickets like this”, South Africa’s coach Shukri Conrad preferred to focus on what it meant to have triumphed over both the surface and the opposition. “There was prodigious turn, and the Indian quartet of spinners just don’t give you anything. You throw Jasprit [Bumrah] in there with a new ball and when it starts reverse-swinging, both him and [Mohammed] Siraj are obviously world-class,” Conrad said at the post-match press conference. “It makes our victory even sweeter that we were able to contend with all of that and come out on top. It gives you a belief that you can mix it with the best and do special things.”That South Africa, who are the current World Test Champions, feel the need to justify their abilities or defend their success may seem strange, but it is because they are not regarded in the same terms as other successful teams on the circuit. Not by themselves and not by others.Related

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• With 'small hands' and strong instincts, Bavuma shows self-assurance of a player at his peak

Conversations about the best Test batters centre around Joe Root, Steven Smith and Shubman Gill, even though Temba Bavuma averages over 50 as captain. Though Kagiso Rabada does crop up in the same discussions on bowlers, Bumrah and Pat Cummins are usually top of mind. As for South Africa’s spinners? Nobody dreams of mentioning them in the same breath as Nathan Lyon, and that’s because they don’t have the same consistency in success.There is also the reality that the Ashes and the Border-Gavaskar and the Anderson-Tendulkar trophies make more headlines than a contest involving South Africa. Perhaps for as long as the Big Three exist, South Africa will be the outside, noses pressed against the window, but now, they are leaving a print that cannot be ignored. “Whilst we might not have the ability that a lot of teams have, or we haven’t tapped that ability yet, what we lack in that, we certainly make up for in our ability to play as a unit and the resilience we show,” Conrad said. “We never give up.”South Africa’s determination to stay in games has seen them do some remarkable things over the last year, like post a match-winning ninth-wicket stand in the Boxing Day Test last year, complete the joint-second-highest successful chase at Lord’s and come back from defeat in Lahore to beat Pakistan in Rawalpindi. It also saw them go from conceding a 30-run first innings deficit to winning this Kolkata Test by the same margin and ensuring they cannot lose the series. The win means Bavuma is unbeaten in 11 Tests as captain – and South Africa have won ten of those – and Conrad, with a first-choice squad available to him, has not (and will not, irrespective of what happens in the second Test) lost a series.Temba Bavuma and Shukri Conrad hug after the game•AFP/Getty Images

Conrad has also chalked up a series of firsts. After overseeing South Africa’s first series win in the subcontinent in a decade (in Bangladesh last year), Conrad has now presided over their first win in Pakistan in 18 years and India in 15 years, which he rates as highly as their World Test Championship final win over Australia at Lord’s.”This was right up there for us. Coming to India, playing at Eden Gardens, doing something we haven’t done for 15 years, this is right up there,” Conrad said. “We won a Test match in Pakistan, we’ve now won a Test match here but the job’s far from done. You don’t come to a country to win a Test match, you obviously want to win the series.”South Africa have not won a series in India since 2000, and that is the only one they have won out of seven, but they have every reason to believe they can add to that after “finding a way”, as Conrad puts it, in difficult conditions in Kolkata. “I’m so proud of the group in terms of the belief that they’ve got and how they pull together as a unit. It will do wonders for our psyche and it will do wonders for us going forward.”In what became a fight for batting survival, South Africa – and Bavuma, in particular – had more staying power than their opponents. There was also a battle of skill and without Rabada, who has a rib issue, South Africa’s attack, especially Simon Harmer, showed guile and grit to keep them in the contest. Harmer’s performance, both in this match and in Pakistan last month, also marks a turning point for how South Africa’s spin stocks could stack up in future. “Youngsters can now see there’s a line of sight that we’re keen on spinners as well,” Conrad said. “We’re not only a fast-bowling country.”Simon Harmer picked up eight wickets in the Test•BCCI

There is no word on whether Rabada will be available for the second Test and it seems the decision will be, at least in part, left to him as was the case in this match. Rabada was injured in training on Tuesday but only ruled out on Friday morning when he felt discomfort during a fitness test. “We wanted to give him the best chance of being ready, so we gave it up until the morning and when KG tells you ‘I’m not ready’, then you better believe him,” Conrad said. “It makes it so much sweeter that someone that we know can make a huge impact on the game is ruled out and we could still win.”Then he reeled it back in. “It’s important we stay nice and humble and not get too carried away with this. We want to create an environment and a belief in the side that they shouldn’t be surprised when they do certain things. They shouldn’t be surprised when you come to India and beat them. It’s tough. And it’s a massive achievement, but this is what we’re able to do.”The secret to how they did it is that there is no secret: they’re just being themselves.”We’ve really tried to create an environment where, with South Africa being a diverse country with diverse cultures, this change room embraces all of it,” Conrad said. “We’ve allowed players to be exactly who they are and do things how they want to do things. Obviously, we operate with a set of norms and ethics and values as to what’s expected of an elite side and a high-performance side but it’s like a bunch of mates that are playing together. They don’t give up. They practise hard. They’ll party hard. And more importantly, we’ve just allowed a culture to develop organically. I don’t think there’s a recipe or a magic wand. All you can ever ask of a team is to fight for every run and stay in the battle. And I think this side does that.”

Premier League leaders Arsenal have reached an agreement to sign twin brothers Edwin and Holger Quintero from Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle, with the youngsters set to officially join the club in 2027. The Gunners have moved quickly to land the highly-rated duo, who are regarded as two of the most exciting young prospects in South America.

Edwin and Holger Quintero to join Arsenal when they turn 18

Following earlier reports suggesting a deal was close to being completed, Arsenal confirmed on Thursday they had triggered an agreement to sign both Edwin and Holger, with the transfers subject to the completion of regulatory processes. Should everything go through as planned, the 16-year-olds will arrive at the Emirates Stadium in August 2027, when they turn 18.

In a statement on their official club website, Arsenal said: “Edwin and Holger are recognised as two of the most exciting young talents in South America, displaying consistent and impressive performances at youth level for club and country. Both players have been capped at U17 international level for Ecuador.

“Edwin is left-footed, quick and a skilful dribbler. He operates as a right winger, likes to take on opponents and has a catalogue of skills. Holger is a technically gifted, right-footed, attacking midfielder who links play with his progressive vision and also possesses the ability to beat opponents with quick feet.

“We will be collaborating closely with Independiente del Valle on the development and wellbeing of both Edwin and Holger until they arrive at Arsenal. Everyone at Arsenal is excited to welcome the Quintero twins to the club in the near future.”

AdvertisementGetty Images SportHighly rated twins to follow in footsteps of Arsenal's Hincapie

When the transfers go through as expected, Edwin and Holger will follow in the footsteps of current Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie, who was also born in Esmeraldas, Ecuador. 

Like the twins, the 23-year-old – who has earned 50 caps for his country – was also a product of Independiente del Valle’s famed youth academy, which also produced Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo and Paris Saint-Germain defender Willian Pacho.

Hincapie has impressed while filling the boots of injured Gabriel

A summer signing from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, Hincapie has caught the eye after being brought into the Arsenal defence to replace the injured Gabriel Magalhaes.

The left-footed centre-back starred in Arsenal’s 4-1 Premier League win over Tottenham in the north London derby on 23 November before going on to feature in the 1-1 draw at Chelsea last Sunday and Wednesday’s 2-0 victory over high-flying Brentford.

Praising Hincapie’s impact alongside William Saliba in the win over fierce rivals Spurs, Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta said: “We believe that it was the best partnership [Saliba and Hincapie] to start with.

“We are going to have the absence of Gabi for a few weeks and we want to replace that stability that we had in the past. He [Hincapie] has won the league in Germany. For his age already, he has a lot of football in his legs.”

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AFPArsenal to face stern test against in-form Aston Villa on Saturday

Arsenal’s victory over Brentford saw them restore their lead at the top of the table to five points following second-placed Manchester City’s breathless 5-4 win over Fulham on Tuesday evening.

Goals from Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka did the damage for Arteta’s side, who face a tricky test when they travel to third-placed Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon. 

The Villa Park club, led by former Arsenal boss Unai Emery, are enjoying a remarkable run of form at the moment, having won seven of their last eight games in all competitions.

Bayern Munich's unbeaten start to the season came to an end on Wednesday as they fell to a 3-1 loss at Arsenal in the Champions League. Teenager Lennart Karl found the net yet again for Vincent Kompany's side after they had fallen behind to a Jurrien Timber header, but strikes from Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli settled the game in favour of the Gunners.

Bayern dominated possession in the early stages, but their weakness at defending set-pieces saw them fall behind midway through the first half as Timber headed in at the near post in front of Manuel Neuer. The Bundesliga champions battled back, however, and were level 10 minutes later when Karl finished first time from Serge Gnabry's cross.

It was all Arsenal after the break, though, and Neuer needed to be at his best to deny both Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice. However, he was powerless to stop Madueke from tapping in at the back post after Riccardo Calafiori picked him out shortly after coming off the bench. Fellow substitute Martinelli then made the game safe when he rounded Neuer miles out of his goal before stroking into an empty net.

GOAL rates Bayern's players from Emirates Stadium…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Manuel Neuer (4/10):

  Should have done better for Timber's goal as he flapped at the ball, but redeemed himself somewhat with a fine saves to deny Saka, Mosquera and Rice. Took chances with his distribution, but plenty came off, while his positioning had been excellent until he was caught miles out for Martinelli to seal victory.

  Josip Stanisic (6/10):

  Kept Trossard and then Madueke on a pretty tight leash. Didn't offer much going forward but otherwise a solid display.

  Dayot Upamecano (4/10):

  Never looked wholly comfortable. Played some sloppy passes and was pulled out of position on more than one occasion, which resulted in him being booked for a late challenge.

  Jonathan Tah (7/10):

  Much more composed than his central defensive partner. Showed good strength to deal with Merino.

  Konrad Laimer (4/10):

  Engaged in a battle with Saka that he came out second-best in. Booked in the first half before losing Madueke for the substitute's strike.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Midfield

  Joshua Kimmich (7/10):

  Played some outstanding passes, most notably when spreading the play in the build-up to Karl's equaliser. Did present a chance to Saka early in the second period, but that was one of his very rare miscues.

  Aleksandar Pavlovic (6/10):

  Gave Bayern a physical presence in midfield while he kept things simple with his passing.

  Lennart Karl (8/10):

  Looked completely at home whenever he got on the ball as he sought to be positive with everything he did. Showed great composure to score the equaliser in a performance where the teenager announced himself to the world.

• AFP
  

  Attack

  Michael Olise (6/10):

  Looked dangerous when he got opportunities to run at Myles Lewis-Skelly. Didn't create much of note, but still a decent showing.

  Harry Kane (5/10):

  Caused problems with his movement but most of his most impactful moments came when defending as he barely had a touch inside the Arsenal box.

  Serge Gnabry (6/10):

  Had some eye-catching moments on his return to north London, most notably when he provided the superb first-time cross for Karl to score.

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• AFP
  

  Subs & Manager

  Nicolas Jackson (5/10):

  Replaced Gnabry but barely had a kick.

  Tom Bischof (5/10):

  Struggled to get into the game after coming on in midfield.

  Leon Goretzka (N/A):

  Thrown on for the final 10 minutes.

  Raphael Guerreiro (N/A):

  No real impact.

  Kim Min-jae (N/A):

  Blazed a late chance over the bar.

  Vincent Kompany (5/10):

  Set-pieces continue to be an issue for the Belgian's side which they need to figure out, and fast. His team also needed more potency in attack for all their possession.

Tim Seifert and Ackeem Auguste led the chase of 110, as Kings topped the table and ended TKR’s winning streak

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Sep-2025The St Lucia Kings spinners Tabraiz Shamsi, Roston Chase and Khary Pierre shared seven wickets to bundle Trinbago Knight Riders for 109 and set up a commanding seven-wicket win in Tarouba. Victory took Kings into the playoffs of CPL 2025.Tim Seifert, Ackeem Auguste, Chase and Tim David made sure the chase was wrapped up at the start of the 12th over to give their net run rate a big boost with their fourth win in a row that placed them on top of the points table. Their streak also ended TKR’s hot run of five wins in a row as they lost the top spot after the game.Pierre struck on the second ball of the match after Kings opted to bowl. He had Colin Munro caught for a duck off a delivery which kept a little low. In the third over, Darren Bravo chipped Pierre to short fine leg for 11, before captain Nicholas Pooran staged a brief recovery.But once Chase had Hales bowled for 9 to end the powerplay, Kings began to slide. Forty for 2 soon became 59 for 5 by the end of ten overs. Shamsi cleaned up Akeal Hosein with a wrong ‘un first ball while Chase, who ended with 2 for 19, had Pooran caught behind albeit with help from DRS. After Pooran’s knock of 30 off 27, no TKR batter managed to cross 20.Keiron Pollard and Andre Russell were TKR’s biggest hopes if they were to reach a respectable total. But Shamsi had both batters bowled with his deceptive turn to finish with 3 for 12 without conceding a single boundary in his four overs. Nathan Edward and Terrance Hinds took TKR past 100, but Delano Potgieter and Alzarri Joseph wrapped the tail up to leave Kings only 110 to win.Seifert came out firing first ball. He swept Hosein for six, before cutting and punching him for fours in the first over that went for 14. TKR removed Seifert’s partner Johnson Charles for 1 to end the second over; but by then, Seifert had crashed 25 off ten deliveries. Two quiet overs followed before Auguste and Seifert ensured TKR’s momentum was short lived.The two batters doubled the score in the last two overs of the powerplay, which ended with Kings at 66 for 1. Usman Tariq, though, ended the fun for Kings in the seventh over when he had Seifert caught at deep midwicket for 36 from 19 balls. Next over, Sunil Narine trapped Auguste for an attacking 28, but Chase, who hit Tariq for three fours in the ninth over, and David took Kings home with 53 balls to spare.

Andre Onana & Altay Bayindir were slammed for Manchester United errors as former Newcastle star Shay Given lavished Senne Lammens for steadying the ship. When Onana was signed from Inter Milan, he was hailed as the modern-day saviour after David de Gea. He was comfortable with the ball at his feet, and United hoped to bring back authority while playing out from the back. Instead, his United spell became a nightmare reel of errors and misjudgments, with each mistake hammering another nail into the Red Devils’ fragile confidence.

From one calamity to another: Bayindir’s false dawn

By the time Onana was shipped off on loan to Trabzonspor, he had run out of excuses. His fall from grace was swift and was largely emblematic of United’s broader crisis. After Onana’s departure, manager Ruben Amorim turned to Altay Bayindir. The Turkish international had been quietly waiting in the wings, but his audition for the No.1 spot quickly descended into chaos. The United hierarchy had no choice but to invest in a new goalkeeper, and Lammens, the 23-year-old Belgian, was snapped up from Royal Antwerp for £18 million on deadline day. Few outside Belgium had heard of him, but inside Old Trafford, that gamble may already be paying off. Three wins and a draw in their last four matches have led to a surge up the table, and suddenly, they find themselves just two points behind second-placed Manchester City.

AdvertisementGOALShay gives his verdict on United keepers

Former Newcastle and Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Given didn’t hold back in his analysis of United’s keeper carousel, and his praise for the Belgian newcomer was glowing. 

In an interview with , he said: "Both Bayindir and Onana were struggling at times, there’s no getting away from it. There’s no hiding the fact that they just weren’t playing well enough and couldn’t stake a real claim to the position.  don’t know if it was just psychological or a talent problem, but the position really needed to be sorted out. I think what Lammens has brought is a real calmness.

"Any team, if you have a goalkeeper with a presence and a calmness, it just helps reduce the madness that goes on in front of him. His debut, what really stood out for me wasn’t the good saves, but that when a high ball came in, he claimed it.

"The whole ground stood up, and it was like, finally, we have a goalkeeper who does what a goalkeeper is meant to do. The ball is there to be won, and he won it. He came, he caught it, and the fans and players had just been crying out for that for years."

For Given, consistency is everything: "When you have a goalkeeper, you don’t want someone giving a nine out of ten one week, then three the next. You just need a solid seven out of ten each week, no worries, no panic. I think that’s what Lammens brings United. That’s what Ruben Amorim wants."

Given also addressed speculations that Onana had asked for a pay rise earlier this season, even amid his struggles.

"I’d be surprised, as I thought he was making too many mistakes, and he wasn’t consistent enough," he said. "In terms of negotiations, I wouldn’t have thought that was the best time to ask for a new contract! So if he really did ask for a raise, I’d be surprised."

Lammens remains firmly grounded

In contrast to the chaos before him, Lammens comes across as refreshingly humble as he is more concerned with the basics than unnecessary bravado.

"When things go badly, you're immediately put down," he said. "And when things go well, they praise you to the skies. I'm not really concerned with what 'people' say about me. But I did realise how important my debut against Sunderland would be. I had to make a good first impression. And I succeeded. Not that I made any spectacular saves, but I did radiate calm. I'm proud of that."

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Getty Images SportA crucial November awaits United

United are staring down a crucial run of fixtures with Tottenham Hotspur up next on Saturday, away from home, before the international break. After a brief gap of two weeks, they will play Everton and Crystal Palace on November 24 and 30, respectively, to close the month. Amorim knows momentum is everything. United have stumbled too often this season, being the victims of their own instability. But with Lammens between the sticks, there’s a sense that, for the first time in a long while, the team can build from the back without fear.

Wayne Rooney’s son Kai is nearing a return to action after suffering a “life can’t get any worse” injury blow. The talented youngster, who continues to catch the eye in the Red Devils’ academy system, has been nursing a foot problem since September. His recovery is almost complete, with Rooney junior back in boots and stepping out onto the training field.

Another Rooney to lead the line for Man Utd?

Kai celebrated turning 16 on November 2, but has spent several weeks stuck on the sidelines unable to do what he loves most. The highly-rated teenager is held in high regard at Old Trafford, with there every chance that he will follow in the illustrious footsteps of his famous father.

Wayne remains United’s all-time leading scorer, having registered 253 goals for the Red Devils, but could see his eldest son begin to chase down that record at some point in the not too distant future.

AdvertisementHas Kai Rooney recovered from injury?

Kai has been stepping up the age groups in United’s youth ranks, earning a call-up to their U19 side prior to being laid low with an untimely knock. He has already savoured success in tournaments around Europe, with trophy wins being added to his CV.

It was, however, revealed in September 2025 that a blow to his right foot had been suffered – leaving Rooney sporting a protective boot. He posted an image on social media alongside the caption: “Life can’t get worse.”

More pictures from behind the scenes have now been shared, with Kai revealing how close he is to earning a recall at United. He is back on the grass, with boots being laced up again as he works on rebuilding match fitness and sharpness.

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Man Utd urged to appoint Rooney as a coach

The Rooneys have been lapping up some sunshine of late, with Kai joining dad Wayne on a trip to Dubai. The ex-England captain was in the Middle East during the October half-term break as he continues to deliver coaching sessions in that region with Football Escapes. He was joined on this occasion at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel by former Nottingham Forest and Tottenham defender Michael Dawson.

Having enjoyed a relaxing break, Kai is now ready to resume his football career. It has been suggested that his ongoing development could be aided by a return to Old Trafford for his father – who has struggled as a manager across stints with Derby, D.C. United, Birmingham and Plymouth.

Former team-mate Danny Simpson recently told GOAL when asked if United should add Rooney to their coaching team – allowing him to work with Kai in the academy ranks: “Kai, I’ve seen him play a few times and he looks fantastic – looks just like his dad but obviously left-footed! Any time that you get a chance to bring these ex-players back in, I think you have to. Whether he would want to do that, I don’t know.”

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GettyDisney documentary: What next for the Rooneys?

Kai has not always wanted his father to be that close, with mother Coleen telling of how Wayne can be an unwelcome distraction: “I’ve got to make them aware that with social media, things can come back around again. My eldest is 15, he’s at a football academy [in Manchester] where they have social media workshops. They’re told if they put anything online now and you’re in the public eye, it can affect you later on.

“But I think our kids grew up with it. There’s certain things that it does affect – there were times when the kids have said, when Wayne was playing, ‘Can Dad stay at home?’ because we didn’t get around the theme park. Or, ‘He’s not watching me play football because he’s being asked for selfies.’

“He’s grateful for fans too, so it’s a hard situation. We’ve obviously made them aware of things as they’ve got older and started to understand things.”

Wayne is free to watch Kai in action at present, having opted against another return to management, with the 40-year-old enjoying punditry work with Match of the Day and TNT Sports. He is also set to star in an upcoming Disney+ documentary alongside Coleen and their four sons.

Can West Bromwich Albion morph into genuine promotion contenders under Ryan Mason?

At the moment, Mason’s Baggies are wildly inconsistent in the Championship, with a middle-of-the-road finish looking likely if they can’t string together a consistent run of victories sooner rather than later.

The jam-packed December fixture schedule to come will be a big test as to whether West Brom can push up the league, or whether they will have to make do with Championship action for yet another season, having now been outside the Premier League since the close of the 2020/21 campaign.

Whatever does happen, West Brom still have several first-team players out of contract come next June, with West Brom veterans such as Jed Wallace and Josh Maja both at risk of walking away for nothing.

This isn’t new ground for the second-tier outfit, though, with Grady Diangana bringing his up-and-down Baggies career to a close this summer, when his deal expired.

Why Diangana was allowed to leave West Brom

Once upon a time, Diangana would cost West Brom a startling £18m to get through the door from West Ham United.

He demanded such a lavish fee back in the summer of 2020, too, having instantly stood out in the Championship for his new West Midlands employers, with his gung-ho performances in attack.

In total, the Congolese forward would chip in with a sturdy 26 goals and 22 assists from 202 appearances, with Carlos Corberan regularly relying on the magic of his former number 11 when his past Baggies sides were challenging for promotion.

Yet, after mustering up a standout 15 goal contributions under Corberan during West Brom’s promotion near-miss season of 2023/24 , it all began to become a bit pear-shaped for the ex-Hammers winger at the Hawthorns.

Indeed, last season saw Diangana bow out from West Brom as a bit-part figure, with only 14 starts coming his way across a campaign that saw the Baggies fall drastically short of the top six.

With the 27-year-old also reluctant to pen a fresh deal, it was, therefore, agreed that Diangana would walk away from his long-established home, bringing his extensive association with the club to a sad end.

In the here and now, with more contract situations up in the air at the Championship outfit, Mason could have a new Diangana situation unfolding.

West Brom star could be another Diangana

In a summer that saw some of the old guard, such as Diangana leave the building, Mason was also given the appropriate tools to instil some fresh blood into his ranks, with Aune Heggebo already up to six Championship goals for the season, after making the move to England from Brann.

While Mason will be impressed with the current goalscoring exploits of his Nordic recruit, he also has many relics from Corberan’s West Brom past still in his starting XI, with Karlan Grant managing to get minutes here and there under the new regime.

Much like Diangana before him, Grant was once seen as an eye-catching capture when the West Midlands outfit were regularly flirting between the Championship and the Premier League, with £15m dropped on his services in 2020.

In a similar fashion to his former attacking teammate, too, Grant became known as an explosive attacking talent in the EFL’s elite league during the early years of his Baggies career, with pundit Carlton Palmer also praising him for his versatile” edge, even when things weren’t always going his way under Corberan.

Yet, even with 31 goals and ten assists under his belt from 158 total contests, it does look as if the plug will be pulled soon on the number ten’s bumper Hawthorns stay, when you consider he has zero goals or assists from 12 outings under Mason.

With his contract also set to expire this approaching June, it does feel as if it’s a move that suits all parties for his deal to run out without a renewal coming his way, as his past best looks to be far beyond him.

He could, of course, still manage to chip in with a goal or assist this season, having collected seven goals across all of last campaign from inconsistent starting opportunities.

But, with Mason now infrequently starting him this campaign amid poor performances, he is unlikely to want to keep him around, whatever division West Brom end up in when contract renewals pop back up.

Mason must now bin West Brom star who earns more than Heggebo & Johnston

Ryan Mason must now axe this West Bromwich Albion high earner for good.

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 26, 2025