You'll Never Walk Alone? Liverpool supporters started streaming out of Anfield long before referee Andy Madley brought an end to Saturday's shambolic showing against Nottingham Forest. They knew that there was no way back for their team after Morgan Gibbs-White fired in the visitors' third and final goal with 12 minutes remaining. Truth be told, it felt like the game was up for the hosts as soon as Murillo opened the scoring after just over half an hour of play, because this is a side suddenly bereft of backbone.
The Reds repeatedly came from behind to win or draw games during last season's Premier League title triumph, picking up 23 points from losing positions in total, but they've not managed to do so once this term. The net result is six defeats from 12 games, and Saturday's loss was the most embarrassing yet.
Despite starting the day in the relegation places, Forest cruised to victory at the home of the beleaguered champions, allowing their fans to spend the closing stages joyously alternating between demanding a fourth goal and mocking Arne Slot with chants of 'You're getting sacked in the morning!'
He wasn't fired, of course. Slot is still Liverpool's manager going into Wednesday's Champions League clash with PSV – but for how much longer? Slot himself admitted losing 3-0 at home to Forest was "a very, very, very bad result", so just how bad would things have to get before the club's owners decided to act?…
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Isak issues a major problem
Tom Werner was in attendance on Saturday, meaning the Liverpool chairman will now be acutely aware of the severity of the situation – if he wasn't already before.
The American would have arrived hoping to see the Reds kickstart their campaign with the help of their £125 million ($165m) man, Alexander Isak, who was surprisingly selected to lead the line ahead of Hugo Ekitike. What he witnessed was a complete and collective "mess", as captain Virgil van Dijk admitted afterwards.
Isak was painfully poor, so utterly ineffective that some fans were left pining for Darwin Nunez, a wasteful finisher but a chaotic character always capable of making something happen. Isak, by complete contrast, offered absolutely nothing, touching the ball just 14 times before being mercifully withdrawn after 68 minutes of mediocrity.
There can, of course, be zero sympathy for the Sweden striker, who is paying a heavy price for arriving at Anfield in such poor physical condition. However, that only made Slot's decision to start him all the more inexplicable.
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Running out of time and patience
Isak was meant to have played at least twice for Sweden during the international break but, after making an appearance off the bench against Switzerland, he wasn't used at all against Slovenia because new coach Graham Potter didn't want to run the risk of him picking up a booking that would have ruled him out of next March's World Cup play-off semi-final against Ukraine.
So, why on earth was a ridiculously rusty Isak picked ahead of a fully-fit Ekitike, who had scored his first goal for France last Thursday week? Slot pretty much answered the question before the game by admitting that Liverpool are so desperate to get their club-record signing back up to speed that they're willing to give him game time ahead of more deserving team-mates.
"This morning I had a conversation with the performance staff about what is the best way for Alex – not for Liverpool – to get him as fast as we can to 100 per cent," Slot said in his pre-match press conference on Friday. "I always have to find the balance between what is the best for him as an individual and for us as a team.
"I do know that a 100% fit Alexander Isak is a big, big, big plus for this team. But for him to get there he might need to have minutes where you could argue that another player might be further ahead of him in terms of match fitness. Alex will end up being the player he was at Newcastle if we get him fit. That will take a little bit of time."
It was a remarkable revelation, given both time and patience are running out on Merseyside.
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Gomez's puzzling lack of game time
One can understand Liverpool's pressing need for the time, money and patience they've invested in Isak to start reaping dividends – but starting him only makes sense if he's capable of contributing. Liverpool are carrying enough passengers as it is at the moment, so they hardly need to burden themselves with one more.
The message it sends out is also awful. One can only imagine Ekitike's frustration when he learned that an immobile Isak would be starting ahead of him. Of course, Joe Gomez was probably feeling just as aggrieved on Saturday afternoon.
With injury-plagued duo Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong both unavailable, the presumption was that the versatile Gomez would be asked to fill in at right-back – not least because that would allow Dominik Szoboszlai, Liverpool's best player this season by some distance, to play in his preferred position in midfield.
However, the Hungarian was once again asked to play in defence, while Gomez spent the entire afternoon on the bench. Consequently, the sum total of Gomez's Premier League game time this season remains 43 minutes spread across four matches – which is just staggering in light of Ibrahima Konate's consistently calamitous displays.
Slot alluded to Gomez's longstanding fitness issues on Friday. "I think he's only played 90 minutes twice throughout the whole of this year," the former Feyenoord coach said. "If we want to keep him available longer, it is maybe a risk to play him seven times in 22 days."
It definitely would be, but the point is that Gomez is barely playing at all – and we need to know why. Either the England international can no longer cope with the rigours of Premier League football or Slot simply doesn't feel he's even good enough to play ahead of the increasingly error-prone Konate, who gifted Forest the corner from which they opened the scoring on Saturday with a horrible touch under no meaningful pressure whatsoever.
Of course, the fact that giving away a corner is akin to giving away a goal these days is another major problem for Slot.
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Losing too many battles
Murillo's 33rd-minute opener at Anfield may have been shrouded in controversy due to the fact that it didn't appear very different to the goal that Virgil van Dijk had disallowed at Manchester City two weeks beforehand – but it exposed Liverpool's shocking inability to deal with crosses into their area. Indeed, they've now conceded nine times from set-piece situations this season – equalling their tally for the entire 2024-25 campaign – and what's really worrying is that nobody seems to know what's going on.
Statistically speaking, Van Dijk remains the dominant aerial force in the Premier League, while Konate also ranks among the top 10 for average headers won per game (3.5, alongside Dan Burn and Gabriel Magalhaes). However, on far too many occasions this season, Liverpool players have reacted too slowly to flick-ons or second balls, and the air of apprehension among the supporters every single time a corner, free-kick or throw-in is conceded is an inevitable reflection of lack of confidence they're seeing on the pitch.
"I don't think there is nervousness before a set-piece [among the players]," a visibly angry Van Dijk said on Saturday. "We cleared the ones before [Murillo's goal]. I think overall we were just not good in terms of the battles, the challenges, the second-ball fight. Too rushed. It's just a very, very difficult situation at the moment and we have to get out of this."
Over the years, Manchester United has been the home to numerous elite-level centre-forwards, with Robin van Persie one who captured the hearts of the fanbase.
The Dutchman joined in a controversial deal from Premier League rivals Arsenal for a reported £24m back in August 2012 – a deal that proved to be an absolute bargain.
He ended up making 105 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring a total of 58 goals, with his total of 26 league goals in 2012/13 helping Sir Alex Ferguson win his final top-flight title.
Former Manchester United forward Robin van Persie.
Van Persie also managed to notch 16 assists during such a period, taking his total goal contributions to 74, resulting in an average of 0.7 goals or assists per game over a three-year period.
Such a record has undoubtedly cemented his place in the Red Devils history, but numerous managers have been unable to rely upon similar talents at Old Trafford.
Ruben Amorim is the latest manager to try and unearth his own version of the talisman, subsequently spending big on a new centre-forward during the recent summer window.
The reasons behind Benjamin Sesko’s struggles at United
After taking the reins back in November last year, Amorim had to rely upon the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee to provide the goods at the top end of the pitch.
However, the duo’s tally of just seven combined goals in the Premier League last season highlighted the need for reinforcements during the summer transfer window.
The board handed the manager over £200m worth of funds to make the desired changes, which resulted in three huge names making the move to Old Trafford.
Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo were just two of the additions made by the hierarchy, with Benjamin Sesko the player brought in to operate alongside the pair in the final third.
The latter of the trio cost a reported £74m from RB Leipzig during the summer, with real hope generated by the fans that he would be the man to solve their issues.
However, his start to life in Manchester has been far from plain sailing, as seen by his tally of just two goals in his first 11 league outings – even going four games without a goal.
His early struggles will no doubt present cause for concern, with his underlying numbers also highlighting his lack of impact in recent months after his big-money switch.
He’s only registered a total of 3.6 touches in the opposition box per 90, which has ranked him in the bottom 20% of all other centre forwards in England’s top-flight.
Such a figure showcases that he’s either unable to get himself into the right positions, or he’s not being provided the goods – which could explain his lowly goalscoring tally.
However, Sesko has been hugely reliant upon players around him, with his tally of 0.2 dribbles completed showcasing that he’s unlikely to create a chance on his own.
Like the aforementioned tally, it has placed him in the bottom 20% of other strikers in the league, which could also be contributing to his lack of goals at present.
The United star who could end Sesko’s Man Utd career
There’s no doubt that Sesko will need added time to flourish in England, with his big-money transfer to United in the summer presenting a huge culture change for the 22-year-old.
He’s had to move to a new country, league and surroundings, which is certainly a daunting task for a young talent – which too could be having an effect on his lack of output.
But the lack of quality in such a department has no doubt ramped up the pressure on the Slovenian international to provide the goods in front of goal at Old Trafford.
Amorim will no doubt have to manage Sesko personally to get the best out of the centre-forward, but it’s unclear how much patience the manager will present to the new addition.
The fans, too, will need to cut him some slack, but it will no doubt be tricky, especially given the form of the previous talents in such a role – including the likes of Van Persie.
However, the club may have their next talisman in the form of Chido Obi, with the young star already matching the Dutchman in making the move to Old Trafford from rivals Arsenal.
At just 17, the fans will have to be patient with the Dane, but there’s no doubt excitement has been generated by his incredible goalscoring record in the youth setup.
He scored 13 times in just 11 appearances for the U18 outfit last campaign, living up to the billing he is a “goalscoring machine” in the words of scout Jacek Kulig. Such form has seen him make the step-up to the U21 squad over the last couple of months.
Obi has now made 22 appearances at such a level, scoring nine times and registering four assists in the process – even managing to thrive at an age group four years above his own.
Given the lack of quality in the centre-forward department last season, Amorim even handed the teenager his first taste of senior football in an attempt to improve the situation.
The Dane made a total of eight first-team appearances in 2024/25, but failed to find the back of the net once – however, it didn’t stop the youngster from receiving huge praise.
Teammate Leny Yoro previously waxed lyrical about the youngster, even claiming that he could become “one of the world’s best” in the years to come should he continue on his current path.
After returning to youth level, Obi has backed up Yoro’s statement, averaging a goal every 100 minutes and registering a staggering total of 2.2 shots on target per 90 this season.
Games played
8
Games started
3
Goals scored
3
Mins per goal
100
Shots on target
2.2
Dribbles completed
68%
Touches in opposition box
6.6
Fouls won
1.7
He’s even completed 68% of the dribbles he’s attempted, massively starring in such an area, something which Sesko has been unable to do over the last few months.
Obi has also dominated countless backlines lately, as seen by his tally of 4.7 duels won, with his physical presence potentially perfect for Amorim’s current side.
Whilst he’s just 17, the future is massively bright for the Dane at Old Trafford, with the club desperately needing to streamline his progress into the senior ranks.
Sesko’s inability to impress could certainly hand the manager the perfect chance to allow him to stake his claim and nail down the position as his very own for many years to come.
If he can match Van Persie’s level during his own time with the Red Devils, he will certainly be a fan-favourite and a player who can take the first-team back to their former glory.
An Mbeumo repeat: Man Utd to make £52m bid for "best winger in the country"
Manchester United look set to make another huge bid for a new attacker for Ruben Amorim.
يخوض منتخب مصر الأول لكرة القدم، بقيادة حسام حسن، مباراة قوية ضد أوزبكستان، اليوم الجمعة، ذلك خلال بطولة ودية تقام في الإمارات، استعدادًا لبطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا.
وتقام البطولة الودية بمشاركة 4 منتخبات (مصر وأوزبكستان وإيران والرأس الأخضر)، تلعب بنظام نصف النهائي والنهائي، خلال الفترة من 13 حتي 18 نوفمبر.
ويلتقي منتخب مصر مع أوزبكستان، في دور نصف النهائي، والتقي منتخبا إيران والرأس الأخضر، أمس الخميس، وانتصر منتخب إيران وينتظر الفائز من مواجهة مصر وأوزبكستان.
منتخب مصر، يتواجد في المجموعة الثانية من بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025 بالمغرب، بجانب زيمبابوي وأنجولا وجنوب إفريقيا.
طالع | تشكيل منتخب مصر المتوقع أمام أوزبكستان اليوم موعد مباراة مصر وأوزبكستان اليوم في بطولة الإمارات الودية
مصر ضد أوزبكستان، اليوم الجمعة 14 نوفمبر، الساعة 6 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 7 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية
West Indies captain Roston Chase has described his side’s capitulation against Australia in Jamaica as “heartbreaking” and “embarrassing”.West Indies were bowled out for the second-lowest total in Test history at Sabina Park to lose the third Test and concede the series 3-0 in the process.Chasing 204 to win on the third day, West Indies were bowled out for 27 in 14.3 overs to set a host of new and unwanted records. The total was just one run better than New Zealand’s Test-record low of 26 in 1955 but it was 20 runs short of West Indies’ previous worst total of 47. It was the first time in Test history a team recorded seven ducks in an innings and the six runs made collectively by West Indies top-six batters was the lowest in any innings in Test history.Related
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Mitchell Starc also took the fastest Test five-for ever, claiming the first five wickets of the innings in just 15 balls after picking up three wickets in the first over.Speaking after – at both the post-match presentation and the press conference – Chase was despondent.”It’s disappointing,” Chase said. “We’ve been putting ourselves in positions to win games, and then we just lay down and not put up a fight in the last batting innings. It’s quite heartbreaking, because I think we did it in all three Tests, and we’re not really learning from our mistakes. So that’s something we have to really look at.”Obviously being bowled out for less than 30 is quite embarrassing.”Chase thought the target of 204 was achievable and did not offer any excuses in regards to the surface, despite no batter in the match reaching 50. It was only the seventh time since 1900 and the third time since 1981 that no player had scored a half-century in a Test with at least two completed innings.”I thought it was realistic,” Chase said. “I mean, the wicket was a good wicket, still a good batting wicket. I didn’t think there was too many devils in the wicket, like the last two games where the ball was rolling or bouncing inconsistently. So yeah, we thought 204 was quite gettable. But then, obviously, with the start and stuff being [11 for 6] or something like that, it’s very difficult to really get those runs from there.”It capped off a horror series with the bat for West Indies’ new-look line-up. They posted scores of 190, 141, 253, 143, 143 and 27 across the series. Brandon King was the only West Indies batter to score a half-century, posting the highest individual score on either side with 75 in Grenada. He was also the only West Indies batter to average more than 20 for the series with 21.50, discounting Anderson Phillip making 10 and 11 not out in his only Test in the series in Grenada. Australia had four batters average more than 30, but Travis Head was the only one to score more than 200 runs and average more than 32 thanks to his twin half-centuries in Barbados. Head, Cameron Green and Usman Khawaja were the only players in the series to face more than 300 balls across six innings.Brandon King surveys the wreckage after becoming the third dismissal in Mitchell Starc’s opening over•AFP/Getty Images
Chase did note that the pitches were tough overall for the batters but he did not want to take away too much from the performance of his bowlers.”I think the pitches were very tough,” he said. “I don’t want to say they were too in favour of the bowlers, but they were very tough because, as you can see, this is probably the first series I’ve ever played [where] no batter got a hundred for each side. So that’s something that I’ve never really seen in a Test series. So that just goes to show how dominant the bowlers were.”Chase conceded that West Indies faced a huge challenge to rebuild from here. They do not play Test cricket again until October and face entirely different conditions in India when they do.”We need to really take a deep look at ourselves as batters,” Chase said. “The next series from here is quite a while. So we have time on our side. So I think that’s what we need to really do, really have a look at our batting this series and see where we can improve and how we can put 300 run totals on the board.”Obviously India is going to be different conditions, probably more spinner-friendly. So I think if you can have some batting camps around playing spin bowling and stuff like that, I think that will be ideal for us going into those conditions.”
انتقد الإعلامي أحمد شوبير أداء لجنة الحكام في الفترة الأخيرة، مشيرًا إلى أن مستوى التحكيم في الدوري المصري شهد تراجعًا واضحًا بعد بداية مبشرة هذا الموسم.
وقال شوبير في تصريحات عبر برنامجه الإذاعي صباح اليوم الأربعاء: “أنا هنا كنت أول من أشاد بعمل أوسكار، لقد ذهبت إلى المران وشاهدت التدريبات مرة، ثم شاهدتها مرة أخرى، ورأيت ما يفعله هذا الرجل، إنه يقدم عملًا جيدًا جدًا، ويبذل مجهودًا كبيرًا، ويعمل بجد واجتهاد، فقلت: الحمد لله، يبدو أن هذه السنة ستكون سنة خير في التحكيم”.
وأضاف: “لكن بعد فترة حدث اهتزاز واضح وأخطاء كارثية، وهذا أمر قد يحدث، طبيعي جدًا أن تقع أخطاء أو يحدث اهتزاز في المستوى، ولكن عندما يحدث ذلك، يجب معاقبة المخطئ حتى يتعلم ولا يكرر الخطأ مرة أخرى”.
طالع أيضًا | أحمد دياب يوضح حقيقة تشفير الدوري المصري.. ويؤكد: إلغاء الهبوط أمر استثنائي
وتابع: “للأسف الشديد، الآن لم تعد هناك عقوبة للمخطئ، بل أصبحت هناك مكافأة له! نعم، أصبحت هناك مكافأة للمخطئ، أرجو ألا يغضب مني أحد، لأنني أتحدث من منطلق حبي للتحكيم وحبي للعدل، ومن فضل الله سبحانه وتعالى أنني أحب الإنصاف، لكن ما يحدث الآن خطأ كبير جدًا، وأصبحت الأمور تفلت تمامًا”.
واستطرد: “هناك حكام أصبحوا يعلمون أنه مهما فعلوا، حتى لو كانت الكرة خارج منطقة الجزاء ولمسوها باليد واحتسبوها ركلة جزاء، فسيُمنحون التقدير والثناء، وهناك آخرون، حتى لو أداروا مباريات صعبة جدًا وقدموا أداءً متميزًا، فإن ما في الأذهان لا يتغير، هذا يشكل خطرًا كبيرًا على التحكيم في الفترة القادمة، خصوصًا أنها فترة مهمة وصعبة، لأنها ستحسم بطولة الدوري والكأس، وتشهد مواجهات قوية ينتظرها الجميع”.
واختتم: “كما قلت لك، والله كنت في البداية سعيدًا جدًا ومتفائلًا، وشعرت أن لدينا فرصة جيدة لأن نقدم موسمًا تحكيميًا أكثر من رائع وممتاز، وأتمنى أن يعود الرجل إلى سابق عهده، وأن نعود إلى المبدأ الصحيح: من يجتهد ويؤدي عمله جيدًا نقول له (برافو)، ومن يخطئ نقول له تعلم من أخطائك وراجع نفسك مرة أخرى، حتى تسير الأمور بالشكل الصحيح”.
Tom Moody singles out Sai Kishore for his steady performances, says that the absence of effective bowling partnerships has left GT vulnerable
ESPNcricinfo staff26-May-20251:30
Moody: ‘A number of GT bowlers are losing form at the wrong time’
Despite a sparkling run in IPL 2025, which made them the first team to qualify for the playoffs, Gujarat Titans (GT) find themselves grappling with an untimely dip in bowling form, a concern that could prove costly at the business end of the tournament. Known for their disciplined attack, GT’s bowling unit has appeared unsettled after the mini-break. They have lost two of their three games after the IPL’s resumption – after winning eight of 11 before the interruption – and in those, their bowlers have conceded 664 runs and picked up just ten wickets.After their latest loss – by 83 runs to bottom-placed Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday – Tom Moody singled out R Sai Kishore – the only one to have taken at least a wicket in each of those three matches – for his consistency, but noted that the absence of effective bowling partnerships have left GT vulnerable. While Prasidh Krishna – who has 23 wickets and is in second place on the Purple Cap table – and Mohammed Siraj have contributed, their recent performances have been a bit up and down.”It is a concern that a number of their bowlers are losing form at the wrong time,” Moody said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. “Coming into the finals, one area of your game you want to be absolutely confident with is your bowling attack and everyone not looking over their shoulder but looking to take the responsibility themselves. And I look at their attack and really there’s only one bowler that’s bowling well and the rest are trying to find form.Related
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“And that’s probably being a little bit harsh on Sai Kishore because I think he’s been quite consistent, but it’s nearly like his bowling has been swept away along with many other bowlers purely because they haven’t been able to build the most important thing, and that’s those partnerships with the ball.”Anil Kumble echoed Moody’s thoughts, and highlighted GT’s struggles during the bowling powerplays, which have increased the pressure on the bowling unit, which has had perhaps its biggest name – Rashid Khan – in possibly the poorest T20 form of his career.”When things have not started off well for GT in those first six overs, the pressure on the bowling attack has been pretty obvious,” Kumble said. “That’s where the Rashid wicket-taking ability is sort of missing now, and that’s why they’re probably struggling.To counter this problem, Moody suggested that GT might need to think differently and even open with Sai Kishore.3:07
Moody on GT: Not the time to press the panic button
“I just wonder, just sowing a seed for moving forward, whether they need to actually rearrange their bowling attack,” Moody said. “Maybe do something out of the box, like open with Sai Kishore, you know, have an over or two of them. He’s well-equipped to be able to do that, and it just gives them that little bit of a point of difference as a bowling unit.”Moody: ‘Not the time to press that panic button’Moody and Kumble emphasised the importance of staying calm and focused as GT approach the final stages of the tournament. In Moody’s opinion, it was essential not to panic but to reflect on the strengths while working on small improvements quietly, away from the public eye.”For all the teams, at this time, it’s not the time to press that panic button,” Moody said. “It’s the time to reflect on what are we really doing well and focusing on those areas and highlighting them and celebrating those areas and just quietly going about trying to patch up a couple of gaps without it being sort of seen in a public domain, whether it be through the press or whether it be in the dressing room in front of the whole squad – ‘we must be improving here and here and these are the gaps we’re missing out on’, you know, just quietly going around on a one-to-one basis and reassuring players but also just reminding them of a couple of areas that just might need a little bit of sharpening.4:42
‘The zip has been missing in Rashid’s bowling’
“Players need to have that sort of free mind and not sort of worrying about the consequences of what’s happened in the past or what may happen if we fall down that same track as what we did in our last two games. So, again, it’s preserving confidence, preserving the culture that you’ve built within that playing group. So you’re celebrating that and you’re trying to keep everyone upbeat and positive, because at the end of the day, there’s a lot of tired bodies, there’s a lot of mental fatigue there as well. So you need to be mindful of all those things to make sure that everyone’s feeling really positive about what’s ahead of them.”Kumble said that teams needed to recognise and celebrate the good work that got them to this stage of the tournament.”I think what was important was also to look at all the good things that they’ve done to be here,” Kumble said. “There were ten teams, all of them equally good. Yes, the points table says that Chennai [CSK] is No. 10, and then you have Rajasthan [RR] at nine, and the rest of them. But generally, if you look at it on paper, all of those teams are really, really good. It’s just that one match here, there, things could have been different.”So, you need to celebrate that and then look at whether it is Qualifier or Eliminator, whatever it is, one game at a time. Focus on that and then look at how well the team did in those important moments and try and win those key moments.”
The Coventry City striker took charge when his national team needed him most, scoring once in each half to seal important win
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – For the first half hour of Tuesday's friendly against Australia, it was doom and gloom for the U.S. men's national team. They'd conceded a goal, and a poor one at that. Christian Pulisic, the team's captain on the day, was forced off with an injury.
Despite dominating the play, the U.S. were down a goal and a star at the half-hour mark. Mauricio Pochettino's side needed a spark. It came from Haji Wright, who brought his scoring boots from England right on over to Colorado. Given the start ahead of the prolific Folarin Balogun, Wright made the difference for the USMNT, making one hell of a statement in his first USMNT appearance since his Gold Cup injury.
Behind Wright's brace, the USMNT went on to win 2-1 on Tuesday night. Following Jordan Bos' scrappy opener, Wright took over, netting one on either side of halftime, and continuing his torrid scoring streak – he now has 11 goals in his last 11 games for club and country.
The first came as he ran onto a line-splitting pass from Cristian Roldan. The second came as he ran onto a long ball from the very same man, and that Roldan-Wright combination effectively decided the game.
“I believe in myself and the players around here make it easy," Wright said. "I’ve known these guys my whole life, almost my whole soccer career. So getting back on the field with these guys, it feels like home to me. And playing back in the U.S. feels great… I’m not just stuck in the nine as a typical striker. I’m allowed to move and be free-flowing and create chances and score chances."
Earlier this international break, Pochettino explained what he wants from his strikers: the ball in the back of the net. The rest is all a bonus, he said, and the key unit of measurement in this striker race will always be goals. On Tuesday, Wright got two of them at a crucial time, helping the USMNT turn a poor start into a banner night of momentum building.
“We conceded a goal that we should not concede," Pochettino told TNT. "I was happy the way finished the first half. We controlled the game after 20 minutes. After we conceded, we started to play more natural. It’s a new team, the first time they’ve played together, and they were thinking too much, then started to play more natural.”
Now unbeaten in three games after an up-and-down summer, the U.S. continues to move in the right direction. On this occasion, Wright was the man who made it so.
GOAL rates the USMNT's players from Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defense
Matt Freese (6/10):
Not much he could have done about the goal. Didn't have to do much outside of punching away a corner kick or two.
Tim Weah (7/10):
Played as an actual wingback this time around, and he did just fine in the role. Was dangerous, particularly in the first half, and tracked back in the moments where the USMNT needed him to.
Mark McKenzie (6/10):
Had one massive block on one of Australia's few chances. Nothing too crazy either way outside of that.
Chris Richards (5/10):
At least partially at blame for the goal, although that was certainly a team effort. Really helped set the tone of the game after, though, by adding some fight after several hard Australia fouls.
Miles Robinson (6/10):
Was beaten a few times, but also had one sequence where he tracked back to prevent a chance.
Alex Freeman (6/10):
Was more free than in past appearances, as the Orlando City star was, at a few points, the player highest up the field. His teammates didn't find a few of his better runs, but it was still good to see him offer more on that attacking side.
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James Sands (5/10):
His mishit clearance helped lead to the goal but he generally settled into the game as it went on. Still, he'll be frustrated about that one mistimed swing of his foot.
Cristian Roldan (8/10):
Was also a part of that messy Australia goal, but the Seattle Sounders star then set up Wright's two finishes. Overall, a good reminder that he brings more than vibes; he's also a pretty damn good player, too.
Getty ImagesAttack
Weston McKennie (6/10):
Played a good ball for the hockey assist on Wright's first but, otherwise, wasn't quite as good as he was against Ecuador on Friday. Still, you can see the vision with him in this free role.
Christian Pulisic (6/10):
Was far and away the USMNT's driving force during his time on the field. Unfortunately, that time was cut short due to his first-half injury.
Haji Wright (9/10):
Didn't get many opportunities, but he buried the ones that came his way. His first finish showed decisiveness. His second showed calm. Both went in, which is something we've seen a lot of from him lately with club and country.
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Diego Luna (7/10):
The game immediately changed once he came in and, while that wasn't all his doing, he surely played a part. Provided what he usually does: energy, creativity and nearly a goal towards the end, too.
Folarin Balogun (6/10):
A tough spot to be thrown into as he replaced a guy working toward a hat-trick. Not quite as dangerous as Wright, obviously, but his runs through Australia's defense definitely gave them some problems in the game's final 20 minutes.
Brenden Aaronson (7/10):
It looked like a big moment passed him by, but Aaronson picked out Luna for what could have been, and arguably should have been, a goal. Decent work from the Leeds midfielder.
Tanner Tessmann (6/10):
Didn't get too many touches in the midfield with the U.S. largely on the front foot.
Aidan Morris (6/10):
Didn't have much time to work, but was generally clean and involved in the heart of midfield.
Max Arfsten (N/A):
Came on late and hardly got a touch of the ball.
Mauricio Pochettino (8/10):
Got just about everything right. The Australia goal was fluky and largely down to individual mistakes but, outside of that one moment, the USMNT dominated possession and the overall flow of the game. He'll be happy, too, to see his team erase another deficit, showing some of that fight
Axar was retained by DC ahead of the mega auction for this season, and replaces Rishabh Pant – who went back into the auction – as captain
ESPNcricinfo staff16-Mar-2025
“It’ll be good for us that he’ll be there as a big brother”•Associated Press
Delhi Capitals (DC) will have a new captain in Axar Patel this season, and he’s got the backing of his team-mates. Axar was retained by DC ahead of the mega auction, and has replaced Rishabh Pant – who went back into the auction – as captain.”I think just having him in the team is a huge bonus. He’s one of the best players around at the moment,” Tristan Stubbs, who was also retained by DC, said. “He captained the game last year [against RCB when Pant was suspended for slow over-rate], and he was really calm out in the middle, made the bowlers feel really calm. So hopefully he can do that this year, and we can feed off his energy.”Abishek Porel, another one of the four players DC retained (Kuldeep Yadav was the fourth), felt that Axar’s long association with DC would help him settle into the new role. Axar has been representing DC since 2019, and has played 82 games for them.Related
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“It’s great that Axar will be leading the side. He has been playing for DC for three or four years [six years] now, so he understands the environment,” Porel said. “It’ll be good for us too that he’ll be there as a big brother. He’s quite funny off the field, but at the same time, just as focused on it. So I’m really excited to play under his captaincy, and hopefully, we’ll win the trophy.”Axar being named DC captain came after he was named India’s vice-captain in T20Is ahead of the five-match series against England at home in January. He also led his domestic team Gujarat during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2024-25.”Axar has been around for a long time now, and he is going to be a great captain,” Karun Nair, one of Axar’s new team-mates at DC, said. “He is someone who knows all the facets of the game, and understands everyone’s situation and roles. He will be versatile like he is always. [I’m] looking forward to meeting him, and know a lot of things.”DC, who are yet to win the IPL, had finished sixth last season with seven wins and seven losses. This year, they start their campaign by hosting Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Visakhapatnam on March 24. That will be the first of two home games they play in Visakhapatnam before they shift to Delhi for their remaining five home matches.
Alexander Isak's first goal for Liverpool should have been the story after Tuesday night's 2-1 win over Southampton at Anfield. Instead, it was Hugo Ekitike getting himself stupidly sent off after netting the winner.
Isak opened the scoring in the Carabao Cup third-round clash on Merseyside with a characteristically cool finish just before the interval – and only 58 seconds after Leo Scienza had headed wide with the Liverpool goal at his mercy.
However, Arne Slot's side failed to killed the game and Southampton sensationally drew level with 14 minutes to go when Shea Charles punished a dreadful attempted clearance from Wataru Endo. Unfortunately for the Championship side, Liverpool weren't done and, for the sixth time this season, they scored a late winner, with Ekitike tapping home a pass from Chiesa.
The drama wasn't over, though, as Ekitike clearly forgot that he was already on a booking, meaning the French forward saw red for foolishly removing his shirt to show the crowd the name on the back of his shirt and will, thus, be suspended for Saturday's Premier League trip to Crystal Palace.
Below, GOAL rates all of the Liverpool players at Anfield…
AFPGoalkeeper & Defence
Giorgi Mamardashvili (6/10):
A decent debut for the Georgian, who saw more action than he probably would have expected. Made a couple of decent stops and looked comfortable on crosses.
Jeremie Frimpong (5/10):
A pretty underwhelming display from the Dutchman, who was lax defensively and pretty poor with his passing. Didn't get much better after being moved onto the wing in the second half.
Giovanni Leoni (7/10):
Making his Liverpool bow but looked like he'd been lining out for the Reds for years. The giant Italian teenager was unsurprisingly dominant in the air and very accomplished on the ball. Such a shame that he was forced off through injury in the 80th minute as he really did look ready for more first-team action.
Joe Gomez (4/10):
The versatile England international was excellent during his recent cameo against Arsenal but he looked miles off the pace here. Lucky that a couple of very awkward clearances didn't end up in the back of his own net, while it was his sloppiness that presented Southampton with two gilt-edged chances in the first half – and the corner that led to their leveller.
Andy Robertson (7/10):
Given the captain's armband for the evening and performed with his usual level of tenacity in defence. Also played a beautiful ball over the top for Chiesa to lay on the winner for Ekitike.
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Wataru Endo (5/10):
The Japan international was his usual dynamic self in front of the back four, winning duel after duel. Also involved in a couple of neat passing moves further upfield. However, his disastrous attempted clearance gifted Southampton their equaliser.
Curtis Jones (6/10):
A first start since returning to injury and unsurprisingly kept the ball well – even if he didn't do anything especially creative with it. Taken off just before the hour mark. All things considered, another small step forward for the fit-again Scouser.
Trey Nyoni (5/10):
Deployed in the more advanced role in Slot's midfield three but the youngster struggled to create any real openings. Still, his passing was very tidy.
AFPAttack
Federico Chiesa (8/10):
The Italian is still struggling for regular game time in the Premier League but he really does look much fitter and sharper this season. Had already tested McCarthy with a terrific drive before creating Isak's goal with his awareness and quick cutback. Bagged another assist in his best Liverpool performance to date after a killer first touch to control Robertson's pass before leaving Ekitike with a tap-in.
Alexander Isak (7/10):
His first big chance probably came a little too early for him but he made no mistake when teed up by Chiesa just before the break. Also showed how much of a threat he's going to be down the channels with one exciting show of pace on the left flank.
Rio Ngumoha (6/10):
Lacked an end product but the 17-year-old really is a tremendous dribbler. Looked capable of making something happen every time he got on the ball.
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Hugo Ekitike (6/10):
Took over up front from Isak at half-time and squandered a great cross from Chiesa by heading wide when well-placed, before making amends by deciding the game in Liverpool's favour. However, all of the headlines will rightly focus on his idiotic decision to remove his shirt in celebration. Despite Ekitike's fine form, it's now advantage Isak in the battle for the striking berth in Slot's line-up.
Conor Bradley (6/10):
Replaced Jones in the 58th minute and slotted into his usual right at right-back, as Frimpong moved further forward.
Jayden Danns (N/A):
Only came on for Ngumoha for the final 13 minutes.
Milos Kerkez (N/A):
Thrown on in place of the injured Leoni late on.
Arne Slot (6/10):
Wisely decided to make 11 changes to his starting line-up and he would have been so happy with how Leoni performed before his enforced withdrawal. Starting with Isak before bringing on Ekitike also looked to have worked perfectly until the French forward spoiled everything! This weekend's game at Selhurst Park just got a whole lot harder – even if most of Slot's key men will be well-rested.
Manchester United’s senior players were forced to stage an intervention to address Alejandro Garnacho’s attitude before the winger’s exile from the first team and eventual move to Chelsea. Garnacho’s self-centred behaviour, both on and off the pitch, left Ruben Amorim and Red Devils players frustrated, ultimately leading to his Old Trafford exit just months after tensions began brewing.
Man Utd leadershp group confronted Garnacho
The Sun has reported that Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, and Harry Maguire were among the leaders who confronted Garnacho over his selfish attitude. Despite repeated attempts to get him to focus more on the team, the winger refused to change his ways. His clashes with Amorim, alongside temper tantrums and outspoken behaviour on social media, pushed him closer to the exit door.
AdvertisementAFPAmorim was hoping to make Garnacho central to his plans
Amorim initially hoped Garnacho would be central to his plans after arriving in November, but their relationship soured quickly. A series of flashpoints, including his conduct in Plzen, convinced the manager that the youngster was damaging the squad’s harmony. By January, it was clear that a parting of ways was unavoidable, with Amorim confident in his decision to exile Garnacho from the first-team squad.
Garnacho's negative attitude affected Man Utd dressing room
Garnacho’s mood swings and inability to handle setbacks only deepened the rift between him and the club. Senior players felt his negative energy was beginning to influence the dressing room. His eventual move to Chelsea came as little surprise to those who had witnessed the breakdown firsthand.
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Getty Images SportGarnacho returns to Old Trafford with Chelsea
Garnacho returns to Old Trafford with Chelsea this weekend, just three weeks after leaving Manchester United. The reception he receives is expected to be frosty, given the circumstances of his departure. Amorim, meanwhile, has turned his focus to improving performances with his job now on the line.