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Gary O’Neil is a “strong contender” for the current managerial vacancy at Southampton with a recent update sharing the latest timeline on getting a new boss through the door.

After becoming the first team in Premier League history to be relegated with as many as seven games remaining last season, Southampton hoped for a swift return to the top flight. In the summer, Will Still, who carved out a reputation for himself with Reims and Lens in Ligue 1, moved to St Mary’s.

Despite an influx of summer signings, Still struggled to make things click with the Saints, winning just two out of 13 Championship games. Following three successive defeats, Still was dismissed from his position, with under-21s coach Tonda Eckert taking interim charge of the club.

Eckert, who guided Southampton to a 2-1 win away at Queens Park Rangers, will remain in charge of the team until Southampton make a permanent appointment. Now, it would appear that the Saints could be closing in on Still’s replacement.

O'Neil to take over at Southampton?

According to Telegraph reporter Mike McGrath, O’Neil is very much in contention for the Southampton job, with “admirers at St Mary’s after his work at Bournemouth and Wolves”.

O’Neil received his first experience of senior management with Bournemouth, succeeding Scott Parker and keeping the Cherries in the top flight before being replaced by Andoni Iraola.

O’Neil’s next job was with Wolves, after the 42-year-old replaced Julen Lopetegui as the 2023/24 season began. Though he guided the club to a comfortable mid-table finish, the Englishman struggled for form in the opening chunk of the following campaign, which led to his sacking.

Wolves, who themselves are seeking a new manager following Vitor Pereira’s dismissal, were linked with bringing O’Neil back to the club, only for the manager to pull himself out of the running.

O’Neil, who shares the same agent as Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, tends to favour a 3-4-2-1 formation, which he found success with during his early days at Wolves. Such a set-up, in theory, would work well with Southampton and their current crop of players.

McGrath also reported that it is “still early in the process for Southampton” and their search for a new manager. Given his status as a free agent, O’Neil would be available immediately, which may further bolster his chances of getting the job.

Whoever takes over at Southampton will be expected to take the club towards the play-offs. Whether that person ends up being O’Neil, ultimately, remains to be seen.

Southampton keen on veteran manager to replace Still

Former Barcelona forward Vitor Roque feels he moved to Europe too early in his career as he reflected on his disappointing period with the Catalan club. Now back in Brazil with Palmeiras, Roque believes the return was an important step that will help him move forward professionally. His resurgence has not gone unnoticed, as the Brazilian forward has been selected by Carlo Ancelotti for Brazil’s upcoming friendlies.

• Roque’s forgetful time at Barcelona

  Roque joined Barcelona in 2023 for €35 million (£31m/$40m) after impressing with Athletico Paranaense, where he scored 21 goals in 60 appearances. He had already shown his potential by winning the South American U20 Championship in 2020, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with six goals. Expectations were extremely high when he arrived in Barcelona, but his debut season fell short. Under coach Xavi, Roque made only 16 appearances and scored two goals, with limited playing time suggesting a lack of trust from the coach. His situation declined further when Hansi Flick took charge, as he was immediately loaned to Real Betis in August 2024. The loan spell was cut short and by February this year Barcelona had sold him to Palmeiras for €25m (£22m/$29m) plus add-ons. 

  Barcelona sporting director Deco sympathised with Roque for his difficult spell at the club, believing he struggled to cope with the pressure that comes with playing for Barcelona. Deco said: “I feel really sorry for him. With Vitor, I always think arriving in January did not do him any favours. He started well and scored a few goals, but then it became hard to handle the pressure that comes with playing for Barcelona.”

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Roque reflects on his time at Barcelona

  Now thriving at Palmeiras and back in the Brazil squad, the 20-year-old's career is certainly back on track as he reflected on his La Liga adventure. 

  "I went to Europe very early," he said at a press conference. "I learned a lot and I think the same way. Returning to Brazilian football is not a step backward. Sometimes you have to take a step back to take two steps forward. Luiz Henrique is a real example. He came back to win titles, and I hope to win some too."

  Roque pointed to Zenit St Petersburg full-back Luiz Henrique as an example, noting how the player returned from Real Betis to Botafogo before earning another move to Europe. "Luiz Henrique is a real example. He came back to win titles, and I hope to win some too," he said.

• Palmeiras resurgence rewarded with Brazil call

  Roque’s path to redemption at Palmeiras was far from smooth, as he went his first 10 matches without scoring. Despite the slow start, the club showed full confidence in him, giving him the time and support needed to settle. Their patience paid off, as Roque delivered an outstanding 2025 season, scoring 20 goals and providing five assists in 52 appearances across all competitions. His resurgence became a key factor in Palmeiras leading at the top of the league with 68 points, edging Flamengo on head to head record. Roque’s strong form has also put him firmly in the Golden Boot race, sitting just one goal behind the league’s top scorer, Kaio Jorge, and he could end up a Copa Libertadores winner as his side meet Flamengo in the final later this month. His performances have earned him a place in the Brazil national team, with Carlo Ancelotti recalling him to the squad.

  Roque spoke about his redemption at Palmeiras, explaining how dejected he had felt before coach Abel Ferreira restored his confidence. He said, “When I returned from Europe, I was in a bad place psychologically, with no confidence whatsoever. When I was at Palmeiras lacking confidence, coach Abel placed his trust in me.”

  He added: “Having a consistent run of games is very important to regain that confidence. I managed to score goals and provide assists. I am very happy to be here.”

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  Ancelotti's prepparation for the World Cup

  Brazil are set to face Senegal in a friendly match this week as Ancelotti prepares to test different player combinations to help shape his final squad for the World Cup next year. They will then take on Tunisia on November 18.

The SA allrounder’s century in the Guwahati Test marks a steady rise in his ability

Firdose Moonda23-Nov-20253:14

Philander: ‘Muthusamy deserves all the accolades coming his way’

If you’re surprised to be reading the words Senuran Muthusamy, Test centurion, don’t worry. You’re probably not the only one.Though Muthusamy has spent his domestic career labelled as a batting allrounder, he was picked at international level as more of a bowling allrounder. He was included in South Africa’s Guwahati XI at the expense of a seamer, rather than one of the frontline batters (remember Zubayr Hamza and Dewald Brevis are sitting on the sidelines). Still, he managed to do what no-one else has in the series so far: score a hundred.And he did it while demonstrating the perfect technique for these conditions, with a solid defence, the ability to play the ball late and levels of patience that Ravi Shastri called “meditative.” While Muthusamy himself often only goes as far as saying he is “just trying to do a job for the team,” as he did in Sunday’s post-match press conference, he also showed a skill set that ranged from navigating Mohammed Siraj in fading light on day one to negotiating Jasprit Bumrah and India’s spinners on day two.Muthusamy occupied the crease with monk-like discipline. In the early stages of his innings, he looked for runs only when he could steer the ball behind square. He had two nervy moments – one, when he was on 37 and edged Bumrah short of second slip; the other on 48, when he missed a sweep and was given out lbw to Jadeja.Related

Jansen reaches great heights and carries South Africa with him

India confront the steepest of challenges

Muthusamy ton, Jansen 93 put South Africa in dominant position

South Africa had just crossed 300 at the time, and his partnership with Kyle Verreynne was worth 57. Muthusamy later told the broadcasters he was so “emotional and disappointed” at losing his wicket that he just reviewed, not knowing whether there was anything that could save him. While he waited for the replays and chatted to Verreynne, Muthusamy said he realised there was the possibility the ball brushed his glove, although he didn’t feel it. When the smallest of spikes resulted in Rod Tucker’s on-field out decision being overturned, neither the Indian fielders nor Muthusamy could believe it, but that’s sport. There’s often some luck involved.Muthusamy capitalised on his, and later, revealed his improved hand-eye coordination was down to a stint with a South African sports scientist, Dr Sheryll Calder, who founded EyeGym – an organisation that works with ordinary people and athletes to sharpen motor responses.Senuran Muthusamy had an answer to everything the Indians threw at him•AFP/Getty ImagesThere was a point when Muthusamy “wasn’t sure if I’d ever play Test cricket again, and certainly not in India.” For four years after his debut in Visakhapatnam, he just went into what he called “the wilderness,” of domestic cricket, where he took 76 wickets in 24 matches at 25.15. He was looked at again when Shukri Conrad took over as head coach. Even then, Muthusamy played just one game in 2023, against West Indies in Centurion, where South Africa went all-pace but with the security of someone who could bowl spin. He only bowled eight overs in the match.Since then, Muthusamy has played six of South Africa’s 21 Tests but only appeared in consecutive matches once, in Pakistan last month where conditions called for an extra spinner. That he can bat is a bonus (especially for a coach like Conrad who places significant store in allrounders), and it’s proved more than handy in Guwahati.And let’s not forget that Muthusamy definitely can bat. His game awareness, especially of his own scoring strengths – which is something South Africa have been working on – was exemplary, and he even ventured out of his crease as his innings progressed. When he was on 68 and had seen Marco Jansen clear the ropes, Muthusamy decided he could also show aggression. Washington Sundar tossed the ball up and Muthusamy slogged it over long-on for his first six. Jansen would go on to hit six more sixes during what Muthusamy called a “sublime knock,” helping South Africa race past 400.Muthusamy and Verreynne managed just 28 runs in the first hour of play and scored at a rate of 2.23 per over, but when that partnership was broken and Jansen came in, the run-rate jumped to 5.49. Several factors, including an older ball and a flat pitch, contributed to the difference. But mostly it was Jansen.5:06

‘Extremely tactical’ hitting from Jansen

“He’s got fantastic levers, he’s a clean striker of the ball, and he really showed his skills today,” Muthusamy said. “That was a treat to watch from the other end. It was really attritional cricket out there until Marco came in and really played his shots beautifully. It was a good challenge and then awesome to just build those partnerships and really extend our first innings.”After bettering his previous career-best of 84 with a swing over midwicket, Jansen was on track for a first Test hundred, and furious with himself when he bottom-edged Kuldeep Yadav onto his stumps on 93. But South Africa could still be satisfied with their highest score in India, since the 558 for 6 declared in Nagpur in 2010. The next step is figuring out how to take wickets a surface that is still excellent for batting.Muthusamy seems to be banking on the collective experience of the South African attack more than the prospect of the surface deteriorating and taking turn as the team goes in search of a series win. “We’ll adjust accordingly to the conditions. Simon (Harmer), Kesh(av Maharaj), and myself have got a lot of experience,” he said. “Simon’s got over 1,000 first-class wickets and Kesh has over 200 international wickets, so there’s a vast amount of experience, and I look forward to seeing how things unfold.”Don’t forget Muthusamy has 277 first-class wickets, including 11 in the Lahore Test last month, which contributed to him earning the Player-of-the-Series award. He also scored 89* in the Rawalpindi game, giving South Africa a match-winning lead, and showing the full range of what he offers. Perhaps he shouldn’t be categorised as either a batting allrounder or a bowling allrounder, but rather what he thinks he is. “I see myself as an allrounder,” he said, no caveat attached besides this one. “And it’s tough being a spinning allrounder in South Africa. Conditions are a lot different to the subcontinent. But when we get an opportunity to come to the subcontinent, we really look forward to it.”

R Ashwin, the only player with a base price in six figures, went unsold in the inaugural ILT20 player auction in Dubai. The former India spinner didn’t reappear in the accelerated auction, but there’s a possibility that he can still feature in the upcoming season as a wildcard. Two franchises, MI Emirates and Desert Vipers, are yet to complete their wildcard signings.Vipers were the only team to bid for Pakistan players a day after the PCB suspended all no-objection certificates for players who want to participate in T20 leagues outside Pakistan. No reason has been given as to why this action was taken.Vipers snapped up Fakhar Zaman (USD 80,000), Naseem Shah (USD 80,000) and Hasan Nawaz (USD 40,000) all at their base prices.Vipers also picked the Afghanistan pair of Qais Ahmad and Faridoon Dawoodzai.West Indies wicketkeeper-batter Andre Fletcher fetched the highest bid of USD 260,000. MI Emirates outbid rivals to retain him for a fourth successive season.Related

• Kieron Pollard to captain MI Emirates in ILT20

• R Ashwin to play entire season of BBL with Sydney Thunder

• ILT20: Dinesh Karthik joins Sharjah Warriorz

• PCB suspends player NOCs for overseas T20 leagues

UAE wicketkeeper-batter Vriitya Aravind, who was with MI Emirates and Dubai Capitals in the past, was the first player to attract a bid in the auction, also going to Vipers for USD 10,000.Pakistan-born UAE fast bowler Junaid Siddique triggered a bidding war, with Gulf Giants bidding up to USD 170,000 for him, but Sharjah Warriorz used their RTM to match that bid and bring him back to their franchise. Siddique’s recent form is particularly encouraging: he was the third-highest wicket-taker in the Asia Cup with nine strikes in three games at an average of 6.33 and an identical economy rate.Akshay Wakhare, a former Ranji Trophy winner with Vidarbha, earned a gig with Dubai Capitals while former India Under-19 captain Unmukt Chand, who has now moved to the USA, went to Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.A day before the player auction, Warriorz unveiled former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik as a replacement for Kusal Mendis.The ILT20’s fourth season, to be held in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, begins on December 2 this year, and will run until January 4, 2026, featuring six teams across 34 matches.JP Duminy raises the paddle for Sharjah Warriorz•ILT20

Squads

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (Total Spent: USD 1,457,000)
Auction Signings: Michael Pepper (USD 40,000), George Garton (USD 10,000), Brandon McMullen (USD 110,000), Ibrar Ahmed (USD 22,000), Ajay Kumar (USD 10,000), Adnan Idrees Muhammad (USD 10,000), Abdul Manan Ali (USD 10,000), Mayank Chowdary (USD 10,000), Khary Pierre (USD 10,000), Shadley Van Schalkwyk (USD 10,000), Unmukt Chand (USD 40,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Liam Livingstone, Alishan Sharafu, Alex Hales, Sherfane Rutherford, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Phil Salt, Olly StoneDesert Vipers (Total Spent: USD 1,617,500)
Auction Signings: Vriitya Aravind (USD 10,000), Fakhar Zaman (USD 80,000), Naseem Shah (USD 80,000), Qais Ahmad (USD 40,000), Sanjay Pahal (USD 10,000), Bilal Tahir (USD 10,000), Faisal Khan (USD 10,000), Hasan Nawaz (USD 40,000), Tom Bruce (USD 80,000), Matiullah Khan (USD 10,000), Tawanda Muyeye (USD 40,000), Faridoon Dawoodzai (USD 10,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Dan Lawrence, Max Holden, David Payne, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Lockie Ferguson, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sam Curran, Andries GousDubai Capitals (Total Spent: USD 1,475,000)
Auction Signings: Muhammad Farooq (USD 10,000), Tymal Mills (USD 80,000), Scott Currie (USD 250,000), Mohammad Nabi (USD 80,000), Farhan Khan (USD 10,000), Anudeep Chenthamara (USD 10,000), Usman Najeeb (USD 10,000), Ritesh Mallikarjuna Grandhi (USD 10,000), Shayan Jahangir (USD 10,000), Rushil Ugarkar (USD 10,000), Naveen Bidiasee (USD 10,000), Toby Albert (USD 10,000), Akshay Wakhare (USD 10,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Jordan Matthew Cox, Rovman Powell, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Waqar Salamkheil, Haider Ali, Muhammad Jawadullah, Jimmy NeeshamGulf Giants (Total Spent: USD 1,471,000)
Auction Signings: Asif Khan (USD 26,000), Zuhaib Zubair (USD 10,000), Sean Dickson (USD 10,000), Tabraiz Shamsi (USD 40,000), Liam Dawson (USD 170,000), Fred Klaassen (USD 40,000), Haider Razzaq (USD 50,000), Meet Bhavsar (USD 14,000), Ishtiaq Ahmad (USD 16,000), Lorcan Tucker (USD 10,000), Chris Wood (USD 40,000), Tom Moores (USD 40,000), Ramon Simmonds (USD 40,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Aayan Afzal Khan, Mark Adair, Gerhard Erasmus, Blessing Muzarabani, Moeen Ali, James Vince, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rahmanullah GurbazMI Emirates (Total Spent: USD 1,868,000)
Auction Signings: Muhammad Rohid (USD 140,000), Jordan Thompson (USD 48,000), Naveen-ul-Haq (USD 100,000), Andre Fletcher (USD 260,000), Nosthush Kenjige (USD 10,000), Mohamed Shafeeq (USD 10,000), Zain Ul Abidin (USD 10,000), Usman Khan (USD 10,000), Ackeem Auguste (USD 10,000), Arab Gul (USD 10,000), Tajinder Dhillon (USD 10,000), Zahoor Khan (USD 10,000), Shakib Al Hasan (USD 40,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Fazalhaq Farooqi, Tom Banton, Romario Shepherd, Chris Woakes, Jonny Bairstow, AM Ghazanfar, Muhammad Waseem, Kamindu MendisSharjah Warriorz (Total Spent: USD 1,664,000)
Auction Signings: Junaid Siddique (USD 170,000), James Rew (USD 10,000), Nathan Sowter (USD 100,000), Dwaine Pretorius (USD 120,000), Jayden Seales (USD 80,000), Harmeet Singh (USD 10,000), Wasim Akram (USD 55,000), Mohamed Nawfer Mohamed Aslam (USD 14,000), Raees Ahmad (USD 10,000), Richard Ngarava (USD 10,000), Shubham Ranjane (USD 10,000), Ethan D’Souza (USD 10,000), Taskin Ahmed (USD 80,000), Abdul Salman Khan (USD 10,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Dinesh Karthik, Sikandar Raza, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tim David, Johnson Charles, Tim Southee, Saurabh Netravalkar

Kalvin Phillips left Leeds United for Manchester City to chase his dreams, but since penning an emotional, two-page letter to his boyhood club to mark his departure from Elland Road, his career has been a living nightmare. There have been multiple runs of bad luck, injuries and humiliation, and when his former club visit the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, the England international is highly unlikely to even be on the bench.

A Leeds native, Phillips knew he wanted to play for his local team from the first time he visited Elland Road as a boy. He had a tough upbringing, raised by his mother after his father was imprisoned for much of his childhood and adult life. Phillips was born a triplet but lost one of his sisters when she was a couple of months old, leading to his mother being left to grieve on her own while fending for herself, sometimes going without food so her children could eat.

Phillips would pass the prison his father was interned in every day on the way to Leeds' Thorp Arch training ground, and when he helped the team win promotion back to the Premier League in 2020 for the first time in 16 years, his dad called him so that Phillips could hear the in-mates chanting the club's anthem, 'Marching on Together'.

Phillips was one of the stars as Leeds finished ninth in their first season back in the big time, earning a call-up to the England team in 2020. He subsequently started all seven games for the Three Lions at the European Championship the following summer. One year later, having helped Leeds avoid relegation on the final day of the season, he moved to City in a deal worth up to £42 million, making him Leeds' record sale (albeit only for two weeks before Raphinha joined Barcelona for £55m).

"I hope you guys understand my decision and will accept that I only want to chase my dreams and test myself against and with the best teams and best players on the planet," Phillips wrote when he left for City. Unfortunately, his result in that test was a resounding failure, and Phillips' career has been on a downward slide since, one so steep that he now faces an almighty fight just to get it going again.

Getty Images SportDoomed from the start

It might have seemed like a small detail at the time, but with hindsight one could say that Phillips' time with City was doomed from the start. He was too ill to attend his presentation in front of fans along with the other new arrivals, including Erling Haaland, in the summer of 2022, and he did not have the best introduction to the coaching staff either. 

According to , Guardiola and his assistants noted that Phillips struggled to understand the role of being City's holding midfielder and they quickly concluded that the recently departed youth academy player Romeo Lavia, then 18, would have been a better fit.

Phillips made his first appearance for City in a pre-season friendly against Club America in the unfamiliar position of centre-back, replacing Nathan Ake at half-time. He got 21 minutes in the next game against Bayern Munich, this time in midfield, and when the season began, he played a grand total of one minute across City's three opening Premier League matches. 

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'Overweight'

Phillips made his first City start in an August friendly against Barcelona, but that was when his problems truly began as he injured his shoulder, aggravating a long-running issue. The only solution was to undergo surgery, meaning he missed the next 10 matches, only returning to the matchday squad for the final game before the season paused for the World Cup.

Phillips was still selected by England for the tournament in a call that emphasised how highly he was still regarded by Sir Gareth Southgate, and he made two appearances in Qatar. However, when he returned to Manchester, he was given a shock.

Guardiola didn't pick him for the Carabao Cup tie against Liverpool that kicked-off domestic action following the World Cup, and when asked why in the press conference, the coach gave a surprisingly strong response: "He's not injured, he arrived overweight."

Those comments plagued Phillips for years. "That narrative on social media just grew and grew," he told former Leeds team-mate Patrick Bamford. "Every club that I’d go to, I spoke to, like the manager and the nutritionist and stuff like that, they’d always speak about weight before they’d say anything else. And it got to the point where it peed me off a little bit. I was getting quite frustrated with it."

Getty Images SportNot part of Pep's vision

Phillips was a bystander during City's run to the treble in his first season at the club as he started just two Premier League games, both after they had already wrapped up the title. His second season was even more miserable as he played just 89 minutes of Premier League football across four substitute appearances. 

Again, the writing was on the wall from the start as City signed not one holding midfielder but two, first bringing in Mateo Kovacic and then Matheus Nunes in the summer of 2023. Phillips, who was already struggling to get any game time while competing with the un-droppable Rodri, was now very clearly fourth choice in his position. 

His first start of the campaign in the Carabao Cup against Newcastle ended in a 1-0 defeat, while his only other starts were in meaningless Champions League group games after City had qualified for the knockout stage. He did manage to score his only goal for the club, however, netting from the penalty spot against Red Star Belgrade.

When Guardiola was asked why he used Phillips so sparingly, he gave a damning explanation: "It’s just because I visualise some things and visualise the team and I struggle to see him. I feel so sorry for my decision for him. I’ve said that many times. He doesn’t deserve what has happened to him and I’m so sorry." 

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Getty Images SportNo respite

Having turned down the chance to leave City on loan in the summer of 2023, Phillips took the opportunity to get more game time in January 2024, moving to West Ham. But instead of turning his career around in east London, he plunged to new depths.

On his debut against Bournemouth, he gifted a goal to Dominic Solanke with his second touch of the ball, while in his next home game he was brought on at half-time as West Ham were destroyed 6-0 by Arsenal. At Nottingham Forest he was sent off, he was hauled off at half-time against Burnley, and when he boarded the team bus after a 4-3 defeat at Newcastle, one fan shouted "useless" at him. Phillips raised his middle finger in response.

He played just one more game for West Ham after that incident on Tyneside. His loan spell ended with him making just 10 appearances for the Irons, three of which were starts, while he failed to complete 90 minutes even once. 

Phillips returned to Manchester and went on City's pre-season tour of the United States in 2024, but with it being clear he had no hope of getting regular game time, another loan move beckoned. Newly-promoted Ipswich Town took him on and upon signing Phillips talked of "wanting to enjoy playing football again".

"The main reason I came to Ipswich was to get back playing football," he said. "[To] kind of play football, not stress free, but with less stress and less eyes on me, maybe. When I went to West Ham, I felt like there was quite a lot of eyes on me."

Ruben Dias vented his anger at Premier League officials after Manchester City's 2-1 defeat at Newcastle United. Pep Guardiola's side had two penalty appeals turned down during the game but Dias was left most confused as to why Harvey Barnes' winning goal was allowed to stand after pushing in the penalty area on City's goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Dias unhappy with decisions in defeat at St James' Park

City fell to their fourth defeat of the season in an enthralling game at St James' Park. The visitors appealed for a penalty when Phil Foden was tripped by Fabian Schar and later had a second spot-kick shout for handball by Malick Thiaw. They were left furious when Barnes restored Newcastle's lead with his second goal of the game after Dias had levelled the scores. The winning goal followed a scramble in the box from a corner, with City complaining that Newcastle had put too much pressure on Gianluigi Donnarumma. 

While Dias insisted Newcastle had deserved to win the match, he said the league need to be clearer on what constituted a foul in the area.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDias claims Donnarumma fouled

Dias told : "Of all the decisions, only the second goal we need to make it make sense. Where's the sense in their player pushing our keeper out of the goal? What are we allowing and for how long? It's more like sometimes you allow it and sometimes you don't so what can you do? In the second goal Gigi is being pushed outside his area and there is no consequence. 

"I had the chance to see the review and I think it Barnes is pushing him away from the goal. We are so picky with certain contacts but then ones like this with the keeper, then they allow it. If this is the rule then fine. But then let us do the same. Back in the day it was a foul and now apparently it is allowed. It is one of them that when you lose people say you are trying to find excuses but today Newcastle were better. They deserved the win because of that. They were able to finish more chances than us. There needs to be a rule."

Guardiola: Referees 'know perfectly'

Guardiola could be seen speaking animatedly to referee Sam Barrott at full-time, after also having a heated discussion with Bruno Guimaraes. The coach insisted "everything is fine" between him and the official although the incident instantly reminded him of how Bournemouth's goal against City in their 3-1 win earlier this month was allowed to stand after Donnarumma complained of being pushed as he contested a corner, leading to Tyler Adams levelling for the Cherries.

"It happened in the Bournemouth game and it happened today again," said the City boss. "It is what it is after VAR decided. They know perfectly."

Even though Adams' goal had little impact on the overall result against Bournemouth, it sparked a sarcastic response from Guardiola 

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AFPCity risk falling further behind Arsenal in title race

The defeat at Newcastle saw City fall to third in the Premier League table below Chelsea. And Guardiola's side will slip seven points behind leaders Arsenal if the Gunners beat Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday. Guardiola preferred not to comment on how much of a setback the loss was to City's hopes in the title race, merely responding: "The season is so long."

Guardiola also praised the performance of Eddie Howe's men. He added: "Newcastle is a top side, top players, top manager so unfortunately tonight we could not build on the momentum that we had. It was an entertaining game, we both had chances and then there was a momentum shift and ultimately we couldn't win.

"I'm pretty sure all of the teams prefer to play at home than away, we are not the exception for that. Always Newcastle have been difficult, even where they are low in the table and after two defeats in a row. After they clean the head and the mind and have ten days off, we can hit the good moments. We fought, the players were there, but we could not find the result."

Lauren Bell, Mady Villiers restrict Originals to 95 for 8 before Laura Wolvaardt sees visitors home

ECB Reporters Network06-Aug-2025

Southern Brave started life after Charlotte Edwards with a convincing win over Manchester Originals at Emirates Old Trafford.The damage was all done with the ball, as Lauren Bell took 3 for 28 and Mady Villiers 2 for 19 to limit the hosts to just 95 for 8 from their 100 balls.Seren Smale fought a lone hand for Originals on a wicket that none of her team-mates ever looked at home on, making 40 from 34 balls to give her side the faintest hope at the halfway mark but no side has ever defended fewer than 109 in the Hundred women’s competition and their total never looked like enough.And while Brave were rarely fluent, they were always comfortable – easing to a six-wicket win with 11 balls to spare. Former Originals batter Laura Wolvaardt, a direct signing for Southern Brave this season, showed her old team what they were missing with an assured and unbeaten 42.She was supported by Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who made 32, as Brave’s batting line-up eased over the line in first gear. Having endured a surprising eighth-placed finish last summer, with just one win, Brave – and their new head coach Luke Williams in particular – will have been pleased to start the campaign with a victory.For Originals it was a disappointing start to the season and, Smale’s innings aside, a day of few positives – they’ll hope to demonstrate it was mere blip next time out at the Kia Oval on Saturday.Meerkat Match Hero Bell said: “It’s great to get our first win on the board. In tournament cricket it’s really important to get a good start, and it was a good team performance.”The girls stuck in. The wicket was a bit tricky but we’ve got a great line-up and the batters did the job. We’ve had a lot of really good chats about being really confident, backing our strengths, and having fun out there.”

Gareth Bale has downplayed rumours that he had a bad relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid. The Welsh star played alongside the Portuguese icon for five seasons at Los Blancos, and together they won multiple La Liga and Champions League titles. For all the criticism that came the winger's way in Spain, he says he never had any issues with any of his team-mates at the European giants.

Getty Images SportBale had no problem with Ronaldo

When Bale swapped Tottenham for Madrid in 2013, questions were raised about where he would fit in with fellow wideman Ronaldo. In their 2014 Champions League final win over Atletico Madrid, for example, Bale played on the right and Ronaldo on the left, with Karim Benzema leading the attack. When world-class players are competing for first-team spots, some big egos may have to be put in check. But the ex-Wales international said he had no beef with the now 40-year-old during his time at the Bernabeu. 

He told : "I'm not really in touch with that many [old Madrid team-mates] – a few of the Wales boys – but I always got on with everybody. I never had any problems with anyone. I never had any big arguments. Sometimes the media might say about me and Ronaldo, we never had an issue, never had an argument, never had a fight, never had anything."

AdvertisementWelsh forward was at centre of controversy

After Ronaldo left Madrid for Juventus in 2018, much was expected of Bale at the Spanish giants. But injuries and form didn't help the Welshman's cause in his final five years at the club. The Spanish media did not shy away in criticising Bale and he gave them all the ammunition they needed after Wales qualified for Euro 2020 when he celebrated behind a Welsh flag with the slogan: "Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order." Naturally, that didn't go down well back in Spain back in 2019. 

He said, "That slogan is the one thing I felt hard done by. For one thing, no one knew how much golf I actually played. If I ask you now how much golf you reckon I played, you’d probably say three or four times a week maybe, something along those lines? I played once every two to three weeks, but only on a day off. I'd never play a game for eight hours, I was always very professional about it. But people don't know that so they make up that slogan.

"I got absolutely slaughtered [by the Spanish media]. I felt a bit hard done by because it all comes down to misinformation. I obviously don't prioritise golf more than I do my country and my club and physically haven't done one thing wrong. I look back at it now and it's like, it is what it is. I can't do anything about it. You have to laugh or you cry. So I laughed."

Bale backs old boss Ancelotti

Bale played under manager Carlo Ancelotti at both the start and end of his Madrid career. The Italian led Los Blancos to multiple Champions League triumphs and going by his comments, it seems Bale holds the Italian in the highest regard. While he acknowledged that Brazil are not the force they once were, he thinks the ex-AC Milan boss has a decent chance at leading them to World Cup glory next year.

"Yes, Ancelotti was great. For me his genius is man management; he'll always keep you happy. You learn so much from managers and him as a person, he'll teach you so much just from his calmness in situations. Where you'd be angry, he'll just keep everybody calm and that's why he's such a good manager," he said. "They don't quite have the team that they used to, but if there's a man who can get a team like Brazil going in one direction, it's him."

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AFPWhat comes next for Bale?

The former Los Angeles FC player, who unsuccessfully tried to complete a takeover of Cardiff City, admitted he is still looking to find something to fill the competitive void of being a professional footballer. He has tried his hand at punditry but that hasn't completely satisfied him.

He added, "I started playing the piano last winter and it humbled me. It’s something I want to do as I feel like I'll get good at it given time. In my head I'm not going to fail."

One of the targets Leeds United have for the January transfer window seems to be a new striker. Despite bringing Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha in for free over the summer, they have been lacklustre in front of goal, and are now set to sign a new number nine.

Indeed, that player could be Troy Parrott. The former Tottenham Hotspur star is said to be a key target for the Whites going into the winter transfer window.

However, the 49ers will not have a clear run at his signature, with Wolverhampton Wanderers also keen on the £20m-rated star.

Indeed, the Irish international is a man in excellent goalscoring form, sparking such interest.

Why Leeds want to sign Parrott

£20m is a small fee in the current transfer market, and Parrott certainly seems like he’d be worth that sort of price. The 23-year-old has been in excellent goalscoring form this season for both his club, Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar, and his country, Ireland.

For the Dutch top-flight side, the Spurs academy graduate has bagged an impressive 14 goals in 15 appearances, chipping in with a couple of assists, too. His form in the Eredivisie has been scintillating, with seven goals in eight appearances.

However, what has really stood out of late is Parrott’s form for Ireland.

He became a national hero earlier in the month, bagging five times in just two World Cup qualifiers to help guide his side to the playoffs and keep their dream of going Stateside next summer well and truly alive.

The 33-cap Ireland star kicked off November’s qualifiers by scoring twice to sink Portugal in a 2-0 win. Next up was a game against Hungary, in which the centre-forward bagged a remarkable hat-trick, scoring the third in stoppage time, to secure a 3-2 win and a playoff spot.

To fund the signing of Ireland’s striker, though, Leeds might first have to sell one of their highest earners.

The player Leeds must now sell

After a summer of heavy spending under the new 49ers regime, there is no saying just how much Leeds will have at their disposal in January.

The reported £20m fee for Parrott isn’t too expensive in the grand scheme of things, but who knows how much the Whites have left in the bank?

Thus, it might be the case that Jack Harrison has to depart the club in January. He has not been in good form this season after returning to the club following two years on loan at Everton, and isn’t necessarily loved by the fans. They even booed him in a preseason friendly upon his return.

Indeed, Harrison has not been the most trusted lieutenant this season under Daniel Farke. He’s played ten times in the Premier League, but has only started once and has racked up just 262 minutes.

Whilst the Stoke-born winger has yet to bag this term, he has scored 34 times and assisted 32 for Leeds across his career.

Perhaps the highlight of that was a hat-trick away to West Ham United back in 2022. However, he simply can’t reach that sort of form nowadays.

As for his time as an Everton player, those were a forgettable couple of seasons. The former Middlesbrough star played 73 games for the Toffees, but could only muster nine goals and assists.

Premier League legend Gary Neville said at the end of last season that his “quality’s been poor” for the Merseysiders.

It is easy to see why Harrison might be the fall guy for Leeds if they are to sell someone. Valued at £10.5m by Transfermarkt, he is also the second-highest earner at the club, on £90k per week, a yearly total of £4.68m.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

£100k

£5.2m

Jack Harrison

£90k

£4.68m

Sean Longstaff

£80k

£4.16m

Daniel James

£75k

£3.9m

Noah Okafor

£72.5k

£3.77m

Selling Harrison this winter could help Leeds raise the funds they need to add to their squad up front. Depth on the left wing is not necessarily an issue, with Noah Okafor and Wilfried Gnonto both fighting it out for a starting spot out there.

If Leeds can help themselves sign Parrott by selling Harrison, a player who hasn’t exactly set the world alight with his form this term, then it might be an excellent piece of business.

He's a lot like Bielsa: Leeds could sack Farke for "special" 4-2-3-1 manager

Leeds United could finally dismiss Daniel Farke and replace him with their next Marcelo Bielsa.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 24, 2025

Just a couple of days ago, Shafali Verma was in Surat with the Haryana team, playing in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy. On Wednesday, she was addressing the media on the eve of India’s World Cup semi-final against Australia after earning a late call-up in place of the injured Pratika Rawal. Shafali was her usual confident self and said that playing a semi-final “was not new to her” and that she feels “super ready” to play in any position India wants her to.”I was playing domestic cricket and was in good touch,” Shafali said. “Talking about the semi-finals, it’s not something new for me because I’ve played many semi-finals before. It’s just a matter of keeping my mind clear and giving myself confidence. I’ve been in such situations earlier, so it’s nothing new. I’ll keep telling myself to stay calm and believe in myself. So absolutely, I’ll do well, 200%.”Of course, what happened with Pratika – as a sportsperson, seeing that doesn’t feel good. No one wants any player to go through such an injury. But I believe God has sent me here to do something good.”Shafali is no stranger to the big stage, having already featured in three T20 World Cups and an ODI World Cup, including a final and a semi-final – both against Australia. After being dropped from both formats last year, she fought her way back into the T20I side in June, though Rawal continued to partner Smriti Mandhana at the top in ODIs.Related

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Having just played the T20s in Surat, Shafali admitted adjusting to the 50-over format would need some work. She has had two training sessions with the squad since joining, focusing on both her defensive game and her trademark big hits.”Absolutely, I was playing T20s, and as a batter, it’s not easy to switch formats so quickly,” Shafali said. “But we had good practice sessions yesterday and today. I stayed calm and batted well. I tried to attack the bowlers who were in my range. I’ve had long batting sessions over the last two days, and I’m feeling really good because whatever I’m trying is working out. So yes, I’m happy with my touch. It’s looking very good for me.”While she has built her reputation as a power-hitting opener, Shafali said that she’s ready to adapt to any role the team requires.”That’s a management call [if they want to play me tomorrow]. But if you ask me, I’m flexible,” she said. “I can play anywhere, not just as an opener or in the middle order. The confidence I have in myself is very important as a sportsperson. So wherever the management wants me to play, I’m super ready.”Consistency – or lack thereof – was a concern when Shafali was dropped, but she’s since gone back to domestic cricket and delivered. Last season, she captained Haryana to a quarter-final finish in the one-day competition, topping the run charts with 527 runs at a blistering strike rate of 152.31. While announcing the ODI World Cup squad in August, chief selector Neetu David had said Shafali was “very much part of our system” despite not being named in the squad and that India were “keeping an eye on her.”Shafali Verma prepares for the semi-final clash against Australia in Navi Mumbai•ICC/Getty Images

Inside the dressing room, the message to her has been clear: play your natural game.”All the players I’ve spoken to have boosted my confidence a lot, which means a lot to me,” Shafali said. “The coach, captain, and even Smriti [Mandhana] told me that I just need to play my game, there’s no pressure. I just have to play the way I know, without panicking. So yes, I’ve been given a lot of freedom, and I’ll try to respect the good balls and hit the ones in my range.”Shafali understands the magnitude of the challenge ahead of her – facing an unbeaten Australian side in a World Cup at home. But having faced them 25 times across white-ball formats, including scoring a match-winning 64 not out off 44 balls in a T20I in Navi Mumbai last year, she knows what to expect.”I’ve played against Australia many times, so it’s not something new for me,” she said. “I know their bowlers and their styles. I’ll back my strengths, and yes, they’ll come hard at us. But we’ve prepared a lot and everyone’s in touch. Hopefully, we’ll perform well.”I know that if we don’t lose early wickets as a batting unit, they start to feel the pressure. As a bowling unit, we’ll look to maintain good lengths, and as batters, we’ll back our strengths. The simpler we keep things, the better it’ll be. The less we panic, the better we’ll perform. So yes, we’ll back ourselves and keep things simple.”