All posts by h716a5.icu

Harry Kane's return to Tottenham is reportedly not as 'fanciful' as many would believe despite being happy at Bayern Munich. The 32-year-old is said to have a £56.7 million release clause that could come into effect at the end of the season. And there are 'fears' in Germany that the England international could leave the Bundesliga giants in 2026.

Kane's Bayern release clause leaked

Earlier this year, it emerged that in Kane's Bayern contract, which runs until 2027, there was a £67m ($90.5m) release clause that was active during this summer. With the ex-Spurs man staying put at the German giants, that is no longer the case, but now reports suggest that the clause will drop to £57m ($77m) next summer.

AdvertisementGettyKane to return to Tottenham?

According to , the 'fear' in Germany is that Kane could leave Bayern next summer. The England captain is 'extremely happy' in Munich but a return to the Premier League is not being ruled out. However, for this latest release clause to be active, Kane must inform Bayern of his intention to leave before the end of January 2026. For the time being, though, he is going nowhere.

Spurs have special clause in Bayern deal

The report adds that Tottenham have a first-option agreement on Kane as part of the deal that took him to Bayern in 2023. That would, however, only be applicable should Bayern agree to sell Kane and the striker wanted to return to Spurs. Kane may also reportedly be tempted back to the north London team now that executive chairman Daniel Levy has left, the club may be willing to give him bigger wages than before, and the Premier League goalscoring record may also be on his radar.

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Getty ImagesKane targeting Bayern success

After winning his first-ever trophy earlier this year with Bayern's Bundesliga triumph, Kane is said to be focusing on lifting more silverware, particularly in the Champions League. That may be possible if he keeps up his remarkable scoring rate, with the forward bagging 98 goals in 103 games for Bayern.

Maybe the most frustrating part is the familiarity. Manchester United entered the 2025/26 campaign with such optimism in spite of last season’s struggles, having recruited with ambition over the past few months, having pledged to turn the ship around.

Ruben Amorim did not look like a man in control or a manager instilled with belief, after the Red Devils crashed out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening, defeated by League Two’s Grimsby Town on penalties.

A point from the opening two weeks of Premier League action has left plenty to be desired, but the midweek humiliation has unravelled all the tentative work. One step forward, but United have now fallen down the stairs.

If Amorim is the right man to lead this club back toward the glory days, he must enact drastic change with speed. As strange as it sounds, Saturday’s home tie against Burnley in the top flight carries a considerable amount of weight.

The Portuguese manager, without a doubt, needs to raise his win percentage, currently at the lowliest of lows.

Ruben Amorim vs post-Fergie managers

We’ve been here before. This recycling of first-team coaches at the Theatre of Dreams has yet to bring about the fruits of former successes for Manchester United.

Sir Alex Ferguson is one of the greatest managers in the history of the game, and his influence – or lack thereof – over the past 12 years has been despairingly clear for a fallen giant who have yet to return to the pinnacle in the intervening years.

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Amorim arrived with an air of excitement, having crafted a high-octane and exciting outfit in Sporting Lisbon, who are now two-in-a-row Liga Portugal champions.

But it hasn’t translated, not one bit. In fact, Amorim’s 36.4% win percentage across all competitions since leaving his homeland for Manchester has seen him plummet below all the other permanent post-Fergie managers, and given the frustrations and disappointment that come attached with some of those names, this is damning indeed.

Such plain-and-simple evidence plays into the fact that things need to change, and quickly.

Man United boast so much potential; summer signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, both Premier League sensations last year, are a testament to that fact.

Maybe what INEOS need is a figure in the dugout who knows the division and can bring out such forward players’ potential.

Man Utd shortlist Premier League manager

According to Caught Offside, Manchester United have shortlisted Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola as they consider axing Amorim from his role in the dugout.

Manager Focus

Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner has also been considered for the role, with discussions even taking place for the FA Cup-winning manager, but Iraola could be a shrewder appointment.

It is understood that INEOS will act incisively if need be, and if Amorim fails to showcase some optimism and signs of a resurgence in the coming days, Sir Jim Ratcliffe may well be rewriting the script once again.

What Andoni Iraola would bring to Man Utd

Iraola’s Bournemouth play adaptable and attractive football, and that’s something that Manchester United need if they are to replace Amorim, whose obstinacy in sticking to his 3-4-2-1 formation has seemingly uprooted any semblance of positivity or synergy within the ranks.

Iraola, conversely, is willing to operate through different styles. Balance, energy and an impressive collective understanding all make for staples of the Spaniard’s managerial skill set, and his ability to eke out the best level from his forwards, in particular Dominic Solanke and Antoine Semenyo, suggests he could be the perfect manager to ensure Mbeumo’s attacking quality is put to good use in Manchester.

Former Premier League defender Nedum Onuoha hailed Iraola for his “incredibly impressive” start to life in the Premier League, and he has sustained Bournemouth’s form across his two seasons at the helm, not just emulating Eddie Howe’s record ninth-place finish in the top flight for the Cherries, but accruing ten more points (56 in total) too.

Semenyo has been crucial in getting the system up and running, having scored two goals and supplied an assist across Bournemouth’s opening two fixtures this season, notching 17 goal involvements across the 2024/25 campaign.

Iraola is the architect of the forward’s success, and he could certainly repeat the trick with the 26-year-old Mbeumo, who is more accurate, more clinical and more rounded in his attacking play.

Bournemouth’s esteemed coach, after all, has been described as “one of the best in the league” by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Matches (starts)

37 (36)

38 (38)

Goals

11

20

Assists

5

7

Shots (on target)*

3.4 (1.1)

2.2 (1.1)

Big chances missed

12

9

Pass completion

78%

74%

Big chances created

11

17

Key passes*

1.2

1.8

Dribbles*

1.9

1.4

Ball recoveries*

4.3

4.1

Tackles + interceptions*

1.8

1.7

Duels won*

6.1

4.7

Semenyo was linked with a £60m move to Tottenham Hotspur before signing a new contract at the Vitality Stadium this summer, with his exploits on the south coast leading analyst Ben Mattinson to hail him as a “workhorse” and a “duel monster”.

However, Mbeumo has demonstrated an even deadlier attacking sense in the Premier League with Brentford, and the comparable right-sided forwards, both with impressive underlying data, also have prolific touches in front of goal, Mbeumo more so.

If anything, United need stability and signs of progress within a structured system that has been proven within the English game.

Sadly, Amorim’s style is anything but that, and change might be required if Old Trafford wishes to return to the glory days.

Bad news for Mainoo: Man Utd preparing late move to sign £43m England star

Manchester United are set to make a move for one talent who could send Kobbie Mainoo packing.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 28, 2025

KKR were without an unwell Sunil Narine but still dominated enough to not need Andre Russell with ball or bat

Deivarayan Muthu26-Mar-2025No Sunil Narine, no problem for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). KKR’s new recruit Moeen Ali, who took the unwell Narine’s place, dovetailed beautifully with old face Varun Chakravarthy on a dry, sluggish Guwahati surface to limit Rajasthan Royals (RR) to 151 for 9. The two spinners were so good – they claimed combined figures of 8-0-40-4 – that KKR didn’t even need Andre Russell with the ball.Then another new recruit, Quinton de Kock, came good at the top, and KKR didn’t need Russell with the bat either. De Kock’s unbeaten 97 off 61 balls got KKR on the points table and handed RR their second successive defeat this season.Parag’s unhappy homecomingSanju Samson fell for 13 off 11 balls when he stepped out a bit too early and yorked himself against Vaibhav Arora, but Guwahati’s very own Riyan Parag, who was captaining RR, brought the crowd alive when he crashed the third ball he faced, from Harshit Rana, for a one-handed six. His next six, a lofted checked-drive off Arora over his head in the last over of the powerplay, was even better.Parag even launched Varun for a six over midwicket when the mystery spinner erred too short. However, Varun remedied his length two balls later, having Parag sky a catch to de Kock, the keeper, with a 113kph dart that veered away from the batter.Parag also did his bit in the field later in the evening, coming away with 4-0-25-0 and running Moeen out, but his homecoming wasn’t a happy one.1:20

What went wrong for Theekshana and Hasaranga?

Varun, Moeen mess with RR’s plansMoeen might not even played had Narine been available. After having received his maiden KKR cap from team mentor Dwayne Bravo, Moeen struck in his second over when he had an advancing Yashasvi Jaiswal holing out to long-on for 29 off 24 balls. It was only Jaiswal’s second dismissal against spin in the IPL since 2023 across 197 balls while scoring 289 runs.RR tried to use Wanindu Hasaranga the way they had R Ashwin in the past. They promoted Hasaranga up to No. 5 as a pinch-blocker or pinch-hitter, but the experiment didn’t work. He faced just one ball from Moeen, the offspinner, and ended up miscuing Varun to mid-off for a run-a-ball 4.The slide triggered by the spinners – RR went from 67 for 1 to 82 for 5 – messed with the hosts’ plans. Shubham Dubey, who wasn’t originally in RR’s bat-first XI, had to be brought in at No. 7, which denied them the option of bringing in a frontline bowler in the form of Kumar Kartikeya or Akash Madhwal during the chase.Varun and Moeen conceded just a six and a four between them. In contrast, RR’s spinners, including part-timers Parag and Nitish Rana, leaked 11 boundaries between them.That RR crossed 150 was down to late blows from Dhruv Jurel, who top-scored for them with 33 off 28 balls, and Jofra Archer.1:08

Rayudu: De Kock’s ‘batsmanship’ made the difference

De Kock finishes the job for KKRMoeen was going nowhere with the bat in the chase. He was on five off 11 balls, having been discomfited by Archer’s high pace and bounce. Then, when he tried to steal a double off Parag, he had a mix-up with de Kock and was run out for five off 12.This might have been a match-losing innings on another day, but on this one, Moeen’s own effort with the ball and de Kock’s big hits at the other end meant KKR could offset it. The dew that set in later in the evening made KKR’s job that much easier.De Kock had attacked the hard, new ball, claiming 34 of the 40 runs KKR scored in the powerplay. After bashing Archer for a brace of boundaries in the third over, he went after Maheesh Theekshana and Parag.When Hasaranga, who was picked in place of Fazalhaq Farooqi, removed Ajinkya Rahane for 18 off 15 balls, RR might have felt that they had an opening. But de Kock and 20-year-old Angkrish Raghuvanshi slammed the doors shut on them with an unbroken 83-run partnership off 44 balls.De Kock brought up his half-century off 36 balls when he hoicked Hasaranga for six over wide long-on. He then celebrated the landmark with a six of Parag in the following over. De Kock might have off a century had KKR had more runs to chase.RR’s 151 for 9, the lowest total this season, stuck out like a sore thumb amid the big hitting from various other teams in this IPL.

Leeds United have not been good enough at the top end of the pitch since they earned promotion back to the Premier League by winning the Championship.

The Whites have made club history by failing to score a single goal from open play in any of the first four matches of the league campaign, with their only strike coming from the penalty spot against Everton.

Lukas Nmecha’s spot kick sealed all three points for the Championship champions on the opening day of the season, but they have failed to score in three matches since then.

Leeds reportedly had a bid in for Fulham winger Harry Wilson on deadline day, and felt they matched his valuation, only for the Cottagers to pull out of a deal at the last minute.

This meant that the Whites ended the window with Noah Okafor as the only attacking signing brought in for a transfer fee, alongside free transfers for Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Nmecha.

The lack of business done in the attacking positions has left Daniel Farke with a clutch of players who have previously shown that they are not up to the task in the Premier League, including Dan James and Wilfried Gnonto.

Why Leeds are struggling to score goals this season

Speaking to Beren Cross after the 1-0 loss to Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday, Farke challenged his attackers to prove people wrong.

The German boss said: “James, Harrison, Aaronson with us when we were relegated and they were called hopeless. They still have a point to prove these judgments are not right. We have this type of offensive players and I’m looking forward to improving them, but we shouldn’t expect miracles.”

Publicly admitting that critics described your players as “hopeless” and that the club have failed to replace them since that 2022/23 campaign is an interesting decision by Farke, and one that, hopefully, spurs the players on to prove people wrong.

But the fact that they have kept those three players, along with Gnonto, as their wide options alongside new signing Okafor, is part of the reason why the penalty from Nmecha in the clip above is the only goal they have scored in the top-flight.

James and Gnonto started the season as the first-choice wing pairing, after Manor Solomon returned to Tottenham Hotspur, and they have not done anywhere near enough at the top end of the pitch.

Appearances

4

4

Starts

3

3

Goals + assists

0

0

Shots on target

0

0

Key passes

1

2

Big chances created

0

0

Dribble success rate

17%

25%

As you can see in the table above, both players have struggled badly in possession so far this season, with no shots on target or ‘big chances’ created between them after four matches.

This comes after James and Gnonto combined for four goals in 48 appearances in the Premier League for Fulham and Leeds respectively in the 2022/23 campaign, per Sofascore.

Relying on players who have previously struggled in the top-flight, instead of bringing in quality replacements, is why the Whites are now struggling so badly in the Premier League this season.

Unfortunately, the West Yorkshire outfit sold a player last year who would solve a lot of the team’s current problems in the final third, as Georginio Rutter has proven himself in the top-flight with Brighton.

Chalkboard

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

Leeds sold the France U21 international to the Premier League side for a whopping fee of £40m after the 2023/24 campaign, which was a terrific fee for the club. You cannot blame them for cashing in because it was a release clause in his contract.

However, the Whites, even after winning promotion to the Premier League and having a summer transfer window to recruit more talent, have failed to replace the quality that he provided at the top end of the pitch.

Why Georginio Rutter would solve Leeds United's attacking issues

The left-footed star is a mercurial and versatile attacking talent who would be a difference-maker for Leeds in their current condition, because they lack quality in the final third.

Rutter, who can play centrally or out wide, proved his quality in the Premier League during his first season at Brighton, as he scored eight goals and provided five assists in all competitions, per Sofascore.

Appearances

28

Starts

19

xG

4.64

Goals

5

Big chances created

6

Assists

3

Successful dribbles

28

As you can see in the table above, the French magician delivered 11 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in just 19 starts for his current club in the top-flight last term.

He scored as many goals in the Premier League last season as Aaronson, James, and Gnonto managed in their last full seasons in the division combined, which illustrates the kind of goal threat that he can offer.

The left-footed forward’s form in the 2023/24 Championship campaign for Leeds also shows that he has far more to offer to the team than Gnonto and James as a creative force.

Per Sofascore, Rutter created a staggering 22 ‘big chances’ and racked up 10.52 xA in 45 appearances in the 2023/24 season. Last term, Gnonto created ten ‘big chances’ and 3.74 xA and James created 16 ‘big chances’ and 8.66 xA in the Championship for Leeds.

These statistics suggest that the £40m-rated star can also create high-quality chances at the top end of the pitch for his teammates more frequently than Gnonto and James.

Rutter, who talent scout Jacek Kulig claimed has “blistering” pace, would be a big upgrade on Farke’s current attacking options because of his ability to score and create goals more effectively than the likes of Gnonto, James, and Aaronson.

Of course, it was not a mistake by Leeds to sell the attacker last year, because there was a release clause in his contract, but it now seems like they could use a player with his quality to solve the team’s attacking issues in the Premier League this season.

It's not Calvert-Lewin: Leeds star is quickly becoming their new Bamford

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ByDan Emery Sep 11, 2025

As Liverpool lost a third successive game across all competitions, Premier League legend Wayne Rooney accused Reds talisman Mohamed Salah of "watching" Conor Bradley get torn apart by Chelsea behind him and doing very little to help. Last season, Salah openly praised Liverpool boss Arne Slot for taking away the defensive responsibility that Jurgen Klopp had previously insisted on.

'I would question Salah's work ethic'

On the latest episode of across BBC platforms, Rooney suggested that Salah should be doing more work off the ball that benefits the team around him.

Right-back Bradley was often isolated, eventually withdrawn at half-time as Slot shuffled his team.

"We know he doesn't always get back and defend as much, but in the Chelsea game his full-back was getting torn apart and he was watching," Rooney said of Salah, calling on others to drill it into the Egyptian superstar that he needs to be doing more.

"He's not getting back and helping, and players like [Virgil] Van Dijk and the leaders in the dressing room should be telling him, 'you need to help out'," Rooney continued.

"That was a worry and I think he has looked a bit lost over the last week. When it's going well and you're scoring goals and winning games it's great and the team will put up with that but, over the last week, I would question his work ethic. I think when you get a bit older as well, Slot maybe could have looked at that and thought, 'Chelsea are killing us down the side'."

AdvertisementAFPRonaldo example could fix Liverpool's Salah problem

Liverpool have been defensively poor so far this season, conceding nine goals in seven Premier League games. If teams can consistently exploit a weakness down the right flank, with Salah failing to sufficiently protect Bradley, or Jeremie Frimpong, those problems could worsen.

Rooney's proposed solution is to mimic how Sir Alex Ferguson found a workaround with Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United.

"Move [Salah] inside and move [Florian] Wirtz out there [to the right] and still have that work ethic in there and the brilliance of Salah to try and score goals. The best managers see that and adjust," Rooney explained, calling on Slot to identify and resolve the issue.

"I'm not saying you leave him out of the team. We had that with Ronaldo at Manchester United who similarly wouldn't track back so Fergie moves him inside, so you still have the balance of the team and the work getting done. He moves him inside so he is still on the pitch because he's always got a chance of scoring goals and winning games."

Salah glad about diminished defensive duties

In what could have been perceived as a dig at former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, Salah thanked Slot for "listening" to his request to do less defending than he had to before, when speaking towards the end of last season about his redefined role in the team.

The 33-year-old claimed his 57 goals and assists across all competitions in 2024-25 were a direct result of Slot's differing approach and willingness to allow him to largely disregard defensive duties.

"You can see the numbers. Now I don't have to defend much. The tactics are quite different. I said 'as long as you rest me defensively I will provide offensively', so I am glad that I did," Salah explained at the time.

"He listened a lot and you can see the numbers. When you play in the Premier League you have to defend but I said that I can gamble and somehow I can make a difference. My number of assists shows that you can create chances as well."

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Getty Images SportIs Salah still justified for not defending?

If Salah's excuse for not willingly defending in order to preserve himself to attack, his numbers in the early weeks of 2025-26 are disappointing. It's just three goals in 10 appearances across all competitions so far, with a further three assists, not the kind of return that would make a team essentially defending with only 10 players worthwhile. In the Premier League alone, Salah has found the net just once in his last six appearances.

Liverpool will have to play without Salah for several matches over the Christmas period, with the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations starting on December 21 and running into the latter half of January. If Egypt go the distance, Salah could be missing for up to 10 games across four competitions. It would be sickening for Salah if Liverpool's team balance is better without him.

“When you have 18-19 runs to defend in the last two overs, you give the 19th over to your best bowler,” Anil Kumble says

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Apr-20252:38

Can RCB and DC both finish in the top four?

Axar Patel has been getting positive reviews for his leadership in his debut season as captain in the IPL, but did he get it wrong against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Sunday night? RCB had the upper hand against Delhi Capitals (DC) as the match neared its closing stages but, as Anil Kumble, Wasim Jaffer and Sanjay Bangar pointed out after the game, shuffling the order of the bowler Axar used at the death might have made a difference.When the 17th over started, RCB needed 38 runs from 24 balls. Quite simple, ordinarily, but this wasn’t a pitch where run-scoring was easy. Mukesh Kumar bowled, and Krunal Pandya and Virat Kohli took 12 off him. Dushmantha Chameera gave away nine off the next. And then it was suddenly all over as Mukesh was hit for 6, 4, 4, 4 in the 19th by Tim David. Mitchell Starc had an over left. And Vipraj Nigam had bowled just one.”I don’t know [what DC were thinking]. When you have 18-19 runs [the requirement was 17 from two overs] to defend in the last two overs, you give the 19th over to your best bowler, to take it till the end,” Kumble said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. “I was surprised that he gave the ball to Mukesh and not Starc. The result might have been the same, but the intent was wrong.”Related

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The intent was likely to give Starc eight-nine runs to defend off the last over, perhaps because of what he had achieved in that thriller against Rajasthan Royals (RR).”It must be the hangover from the [game against RR]. Axar must have thought that since Starc had defended nine runs in that last over, so let’s give this to Mukesh and see,” Bangar said. “It might have worked, but the thought process was wrong. Your best bowler should have bowled that over. Even if Starc had conceded, say, 12 runs, you have a legspinner [Nigam] for the last over if you don’t want to bowl Mukesh. Spinners sometimes create magical moments. It was a mistake on Axar’s part.”Was there a lack of faith in Nigam’s abilities, perhaps? Nigam is a newbie, but hasn’t done badly in his debut season for DC, with nine wickets so far at an economy rate of 9.34. But in nine games, he has bowled only 23 overs out of a possible 36. The left-handed and in-form Krunal’s presence in the middle might have forced Axar to ignore the legspinner.”I felt he [Axar] didn’t show enough trust in Vipraj,” Jaffer said. “Maybe he could have been given two-three overs too. Maybe it could have had an effect. Because at that stage [if a wicket had fallen], two overseas batters [David and Romario Shepherd] would have been there and they might have found it tough. Jitesh [Sharma] was the main batter left then.”Fortunately for DC, the loss hasn’t pushed them out of the race for the playoffs. They are still at No. 4 with six wins out of nine. Their next three games are against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) – the first two are among the bottom-four teams on the table, and PBKS have also been up and down, so DC would back themselves to win more often than they lose before their last two games, tough assignments against Mumbai Indians (MI) and Gujarat Titans (GT).

West Ham United have now opened talks with a “tactically astute” manager, who could replace Graham Potter.

Potter under pressure after Crystal Palace defeat

It has been far from the ideal start to the Premier League season for West Ham, with Potter’s side currently sitting in the relegation zone, after losing four of their opening five games, and the manager is now under significant pressure.

Following the 2-1 loss at home against Crystal Palace on Saturday, there have been widespread reports suggesting the 50-year-old could be replaced as manager, after admitting he was disappointed with his side’s performance against the Eagles.

Potter said: “It’s this level and at the moment it’s not enough and we have to face up to that.

“We have to do more, we have to work harder, we have to find a solution to it. We have to be more stable defensively and offensively and find more ways to look stronger as a team. That’s where the work is now.”

West Ham hold talks with title-winning ex-Tottenham manager to replace Potter

The Englishman’s future is very uncertain after a poor start to 25/26.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Sep 20, 2025

Even prior to the defeat against Palace, the board were weighing up potential replacements for Potter, with Slaven Bilic and Nuno Espirito Santo named among the targets, and a new report has revealed that another manager is also being targeted.

According to a report from The Boot Room, West Ham have held talks with former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O’Neil this week, as they begin to prepare for life after Potter.

The report, which was released before Saturday’s game, states the Hammers’ hierarchy were planning to sack their current manager if they lost against Crystal Palace, which suggests it may be a matter of time before he departs.

Explaining the situation further, transfer expert Graeme Bailey adds: “West Ham are talking to other managers, and this tells us in recent history this is really bad news for Potter.

“It happened with Lopetegui and Moyes before him. Hammers’ sources are not pushing back; they can’t, as people know it is happening. It’s going to take some effort for Potter to remain in charge of the club.”

O'Neil would be risky appointment for West Ham

It is starting to look like the Hammers need to part ways with Potter, given that the manager has averaged just 0.92 points per match since his arrival, but there are doubts over whether O’Neil would be a savvy replacement.

The 42-year-old is still relatively inexperienced, having managed AFC Bournemouth for less than one full season, while he was also dismissed by Wolves last December, at which point the Old Gold were four points from safety.

The former Bournemouth boss has received some praise from a fellow manager, with Eddie Howe branding him “tactically astute”, but he would be a risky appointment, at a time when West Ham securing Premier League safety is paramount.

As such, Nuno may be a better appointment, having led Nottingham Forest to Europe last season, so it is promising news that West Ham are also in for the 51-year-old.

In-form striker Erling Haaland is on his way back to Manchester City after the Norwegian Football Association announced he has been released from international duty. Fresh from scoring a hat-trick to help his country take a major step towards qualifying for next summer's World Cup, the 25-year-old will not feature when Stale Solbakken’s men take on New Zealand in an international friendly.

Haaland's hat-trick puts Norway on brink of 2026 World Cup

Haaland carried his remarkable club form with City onto the international stage as he played a starring role in Norway’s 5-0 victory over Israel on Saturday. The forward scored a hat-trick to put his nation on the brink of qualifying for their first World Cup since 1998, having also been denied twice from the penalty spot by goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. It was the 10th game in a row for club and country in which Haaland has scored, having found the net in all but one of his 12 appearances for City and Norway in 2025-26.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportCity striker is currently the Premier League's top goalscorer

Haaland has also been in excellent goalscoring form for City this term. The former Borussia Dortmund man has scored 12 goals in nine games for Pep Guardiola’s side, with nine of them coming in the Premier League. He is currently the leading goalscorer in the English top flight – three ahead of second-placed Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, who has netted six times.

Norwegian FA issue statement saying Haaland has been released

However, Haaland will play no part in Norway’s international friendly with New Zealand on Tuesday, 14 October after being released earlier than expected. The Norwegian FA said in a statement: "Sebastian Sebulonsen is in the Norwegian national team squad, he and Sverre Nypan are participating in today's training.

"Players with particularly tight match schedules are returning home: Alexander Sorloth, Julian Ryerson, Erling Braut Haaland and Fredrik Bjorkan. Felix Horn Myhre is leaving the squad due to a sore ankle.”

The news comes as a boost to City as they look to Haaland to maintain their fine form when the Premier League returns next weekend. Guardiola’s side are currently unbeaten in their last seven games in all competitions, securing league victories over Manchester United, Burnley and Brentford. City also took four points from their first two Champions League games after defeating Napoli before drawing with Monaco.

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Ex-Dortmund man credits birth of his son as giving him extra motivation

When asked to put his finger on why he has been in such strong goalscoring form in 2025-26, Haaland credited the birth of his son as giving him extra motivation on the pitch. Asked if he is currently in the best form of his career following City’s win over Brentford, Haaland told “You can say so, I’ve never felt better than I do now. I think it’s about preparation first of all, getting ready for the games and I spoke so many times about it before, you can be physically ready but you need to be mentally ready as well.

“To be honest with a kid I think it makes me even better because I actually disconnect more than ever, I don’t think about football at all. Sometimes when you’re younger you think of this and that and maybe worry a little bit about things. But now when I go home I relax even more so I think I need to give a shout out to my son.”

As they look to maintain their impressive form against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, Coventry City may have to do so without two players following the latest injury news.

Lampard: Coventry "spot on" in Millwall thrashing

Frank Lampard is doing an excellent job at Coventry. The former Chelsea manager is reviving his career in the technical area and has transformed the Sky Blues from a frustrated mid-table side into serious play-off hopefuls, and that transformation was on show for all to see against Millwall.

Hagi Wright’s brace, followed by goals from Ellis Simms and Kaine Kesler-Hayden from the bench saw the visitors secure a 4-0 rout of their London opposition and move into the automatic promotion spot after eight Championship games.

Still unbeaten and not slowing down, Lampard was full of praise for his side in his post-match reaction – saying: “A really good performance because that’s a tough place to come – it’s a strong squad, strong team they have and the feeling is the stadium is hard to come here and get tight wins, let alone finish the way we did.

“Everything was spot-on from the lads in a busy week – to come here in the middle of the week is a tough challenge. It was great how we started the game, great how we dealt with everything in between, great how we finished the game.”

Up next for Coventry is a trip to Hillsborough to face Sheffield Wednesday. The Sky Blues will be hoping to avoid any upset against a side dominated by struggles away from the pitch rather than any progress on it.

This time around, however, Lampard’s side may have to maintain their unbeaten run without two of their star players following the latest injury news.

Update on Torp and Eccles' injuries

As revealed by Lampard, Coventry could be without Victor Torp and Josh Eccles against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday. The duo were forced off through injury in the second half and face a race against time to travel to Hillsborough.

Lampard seemed fairly relaxed about both injuries in his reaction. Whether that’s a good indication as to how serious they are will be interesting to see, but it would come as no surprise if Saturday came too soon for both Torp and Eccles. The big task that the Sky Blues manager now has is finding replacements for two fresh injury concerns.

Chelsea made it back-to-back Premier League victories with a 3-0 win over troubled Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon. Second-half goals from Josh Acheampong, Pedro Neto and captain Reece James saw the Blues build on their last-gasp triumph over Liverpool and heap more misery on under-fire Forest manager Ange Postecoglou at the City Ground.

Feeling the absence of midfield stars Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez – the former on the bench with the latter missing out completely – Chelsea struggled in possession as Forest passed up chances to score through Elliot Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White. Despite being second best in the first half, the visitors almost took the lead through Andrey Santos but the young Brazilian fired wide of the post.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, serving a one-match touchline ban following his dismissal against Liverpool, rang the changes at half-time, bringing on Caicedo, Jamie Gittens and Marc Guiu, and his substitutions were effective, injecting much-needed energy into his side's play. And the west Londoners soon took the lead in the second half when Acheampong headed home Neto's pinpoint cross after 49 minutes. The Portugal winger was soon at it again as he doubled his side's advantage just three minutes later with a free-kick which found its way past Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels.

Forest continued to pose a threat but it was simply not their day in front of goal, as Neco Williams blazed over from close range before Igor Jesus hit the crossbar. And the hosts' misery was compounded when James netted a third for Chelsea, who were reduced to 10 men late on when Malo Gusto – already on a caution – was given a second yellow card for a reckless tackle on Williams.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from the City Ground…

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Robert Sanchez (6/10):

While Forest had chances to score through Anderson and Gibbs-White, both efforts were off target, meaning he rarely had to make a save.

Reece James (8/10):

The captain registered the assist for Neto's goal, via a little lay-off, and then guided the ball past Forest's Sels for Chelsea's third.

Josh Acheampong (7/10):

Brave on the ball, making forward runs to drive Chelsea up the pitch, the young defender gave his side the lead with a second-half header.

Trevoh Chalobah (5/10):

He struggled to help Chelsea build from the back, gifting Forest possession on a few occasions.

Marc Cucurella (5/10):

Forest almost scored twice at the back post – first through Williams and then through Jesus.

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Malo Gusto (4/10):

Operating from midfield, the Frenchman found it difficult all afternoon, receiving his marching orders for a silly challenge on Forest's Williams.

Romeo Lavia (4/10):

Like so many of his team-mates in the first half, he was unable to get Chelsea going in the middle of the park, before being substituted.

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Pedro Neto (9/10):

A threat all afternoon, his cross was headed home by Acheampong before he doubled Chelsea's lead with a free-kick.

Andrey Santos (4/10):

The young midfielder passed up a chance to score in the first half, firing wide of the post. He was taken off during the interval.

Alejandro Garnacho (4/10):

Unable to get into the game, he fell over more times than he got past his man. Substituted at half-time.

Joao Pedro (7/10):

Despite receiving little service at times, he was effective by dropping deep to bring Chelsea forward.

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Moises Caicedo (6/10):

Brought on at half-time, he helped Chelsea look after the ball better.

Jamie Gittens (5/10):

Introduced after the interval, the young winger was quiet, unable to do much better than Garnacho.

Marc Guiu (7/10):

Working tirelessly up top, he was brought down for the free-kick which Neto scored from.

Estevao (6/10):

He curled in the corner which brought about James' late strike for Chelsea.

Tosin Adarabioyo (N/A):

He was brought on too late to make an impact.

Enzo Maresca (8/10):

Working from the stands due to his one-match touchline ban, he was proactive following Chelsea's poor first-half, making three quickfire substitutions that helped deliver the win.