West Ham boss Graham Potter could have just this weekend’s game against Everton and their trip to Arsenal to save his job, according to reliable reports, following the Englishman’s uninspired spell in the London Stadium dugout thus far.

When Graham Potter could be sacked by West Ham

As per club insider ExWHUemployee, David Sullivan, Karren Brady and the Hammers board could decide to delay Potter’s dismissal until after their clash with Arsenal at the Emirates.

Worst West Ham managers in the Premier League

Win percentage

9. Sam Allardyce

30.7%

10. Julen Lopetegui

30%

11. Gianfranco Zola

27.8%

12 Graham Potter

26.1%

13. Avram Grant

18.9%

via StatMuse

Despite the humongous pressure on Potter right now, great uncertainty surrounding his position and West Ham weighing up new managers behind-the-scenes, Ex suggests that Sullivan may hand the Englishman his P45 in and around the October international break.

This would give any new manager the chance to make a good start at home to Brentford on October 20 — not to mention a good few weeks to settle in and meet some of his new players.

The 50-year-old could even buy himself more time with a convincing performance against David Moyes’ Toffees at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, but it would have to be a tremendous West Ham display to convince large sections of supporters that he’s still the right man to take them forward.

So far, the east Londoners have conceded more goals than any other side in the Premier League, with seven of their 13 concessions coming directly from corners.

Since Potter’s appointment in January, West Ham also have the worst overall Premier League record out of every single current side in the division, barring last year’s relegated trio.

Matters are desperate for the ex-Chelsea boss, and Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol has now shared how the squad feel about their under-fire tactician.

How West Ham players really feel about Graham Potter

Speaking on a Sky broadcast, via West Ham Zone, Solhekol claims that, despite their poor start to the season, Potter retains the backing of most West Ham players.

He also reports that the mood around Rush Green is somehow “very positive”, with the squad “united” in getting back to winning ways.

Even if this is the case among Potter’s squad, it is exactly the opposite when it comes to West Ham’s fanbase, who are growing increasingly impatient.

West Ham face fan protests at every Saturday home game this season

As per The Telegraph, the divisive board face protests from supporters at every single Saturday home game this season, with the ‘broken promises’ made after West Ham’s move to the London Stadium viewed as key to their discontent.

West Ham’s Fan Advisory Board sent a letter of no confidence to the ownership recently, having failed to build upon Moyes’ historic Europa Conference League victory in 2023, which ended their 43-year wait for a major trophy.

That night in Prague also marked the club’s first European piece of silverware since 1965, but it’s only been downhill ever since then.

Potter is now the latest coach after Julen Lopetegui to bear the brunt of West Ham’s arguable mismanagement, and it is hard to see how any new manager can restore the positivity from Moyes’ era in charge any time soon.

Nottingham Forest are preparing for their Europa League campaign and may now have been given a triple boost as they gear up to take on Real Betis on Wednesday.

Nottingham Forest show solidity after chaotic Ange Postecoglou induction

Ange Postecoglou isn’t someone who fails to entertain, and his side have shown excitement and vulnerability in equal measure over the first three matches of his tenure at the City Ground.

Following a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal, his side began to show some of their offensive prowess against Swansea City last midweek, albeit the Tricky Trees were knocked out of the EFL Cup in extraordinary fashion after surrendering a two-goal lead.

After two defeats, Turf Moor was never an easy place to go as Burnley look to stabilise themselves in the Premier League. Nevertheless, Nottingham Forest put in a performance that has bred some optimism among supporters of what could be to come.

Fundamentally, Postecoglou’s emphasis on performance is something he believes can breed results. The Tricky Trees took on 17 shots and bossed proceedings with 63% possession against Scott Parker’s men, indicating that improvement is slowly seeping into his group of players as they work within his system.

Murillo could return for Nottingham Forest’s trip to face Real Betis on Wednesday, offering another encouraging crumb of comfort as things slowly start to come together for the Australian boss.

Evidently, his reign at the club is a work in progress and results may not come imminently. Still, the former Celtic boss won the Europa League last season with Nottingham Forest, so it is fair to say he knows how to get a result in continental competition.

Heading into the beginning of their European campaign, there could be another boost in store for the East Midlands-based outfit if developments elsewhere are to stand.

Isco could miss Real Betis vs Nottingham Forest

According to reports in Spain via Sport Witness, Real Betis playmaker Isco could be ruled out of facing Nottingham Forest on Wednesday after missing training on Monday.

The four-time Champions League winner has been absent since August and may be joined by Nelson Deossa and Pablo García after the pair also sat on the sidelines while their teammates prepare to face Premier League opposition.

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La Liga outfit Betis sit sixth in the Spanish top-flight after six matches and claimed an impressive 3-1 victory over Real Sociedad last Friday, earning an extended rest period ahead of opening their Europa League account.

Boasting plenty of familiar faces, such as Antony, Giovani Lo Celso and Hector Bellerin, they have plenty of stars who have enjoyed distinguished careers in England.

Regardless, Isco is one of the finest playmakers in Europe when fully fit, meaning his absence would elevate Nottingham Forest’s chances of claiming something at Estadio Benito Villamarín.

Glasgow Rangers will be going in search of their first win of the 2025/26 Scottish Premiership season when they welcome Hearts to Ibrox on Saturday.

The Light Blues have drawn all four of their games in the division so far, the latest being the 0-0 draw with Celtic last time out, and need to get three points on the board this weekend.

Russell Martin has confirmed, though, that Nicolas Raskin will not play any part of the clash with the Jam Tarts, after he was also left out of the squad to face Celtic before the international break.

The manager explained: “Every player has a duty to earn the trust of his team-mates and coaching staff to help us win football matches. We have to be on the pitch with trust and feeling and clarity and that’s it. I think the most important thing is Nico knows why, the players know why and we all move forward.

“He’s part of the squad in training and he needs to help that and put himself back in the squad to help us win matches. It is resolved he is still here, he is training with the group now, so it’s fine.”

Supporters will surely be hoping that the Belgian talent is back on the pitch for Rangers sooner rather than later, because he has the quality to be an influential figure for the team.

Why Rangers need Nicolas Raskin back on the pitch

The Light Blues need Raskin on the pitch because he is a central midfielder who provides qualities in and out of possession as a box-to-box star.

His attributes on and off the ball mean that he can influence games at both ends of the pitch, by breaking up opposition attacks and by making an impact in the final third.

Defensively, Raskin has shown that he can provide a combative presence in the middle of the park by making tackles, interceptions, and ball recoveries on a regular basis, domestically and in Europe.

Nicolas Raskin (24/25)	Premiership	Europa League
Appearances	33	12
Tackles per game	2.8	3.7
Interceptions per game	0.6	1.3
Ball recoveries per game	5.6	7.4
Ground duel success rate	57%	50%
Aerial duel success rate	56%	55%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Belgium international won the majority of his duels on the ground and in the air in the 2024/25 campaign, whilst making plenty of defensive interventions each game.

These statistics show that he can break up play ahead of the back four to protect the defence and Jack Butland, which is something that is needed right now after 17 goals conceded so far this season.

Raskin’s form in the 2024/25 campaign also shows that he has the quality to provide a big threat in possession as both a scorer and a creator of goals, to go along with his defensive efforts.

The Belgian star delivered five goals and 11 assists in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, and could provide the creativity that Rangers lacked against Celtic, as they failed to create any ‘big chances’.

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Whilst these statistics explain why Rangers need Raskin back in the first-team squad for matches, there is another Light Blues outcast who should be moved on by sporting director Kevin Thelwell.

Rabbi Matondo did not complete a move away from Ibrox before the end of the Scottish summer transfer window, but Thelwell must find a way to finally move on from the winger, whether that is now or in the January transfer window at the start of next year.

Why Rangers need to move on from Rabbi Matondo

Raskin and Matondo both reportedly earn £15k-per-week at Rangers, but the club have not been getting equal value out of them on the pitch in recent seasons.

In fact, the Wales international spent the 2024/25 campaign out on loan at Hannover in the 2. Bundesliga because Philippe Clement decided that he was not going to make his first-team squad.

Rangers, who signed the forward from Schalke for a fee of £2.5m in the summer of the 2022, need to finally part ways with the attacker because he has not done enough on the pitch since his move to Ibrox.

Matondo has had his moments for the Gers, including the goal against Celtic in the clip above, but he has only scored eight goals in all competitions for the first-team in the last three years.

As well as struggling for consistency on the pitch, the former Manchester City youngster has also struggled to stay fit throughout his time at Ibrox, and on loan in Germany last term.

Matondo’s injury record since joining Rangers
Season	Injuries	Games missed
25/26	1	3
24/25	1	23
23/24	2	19
22/23	1	20
Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the 25-year-old winger has not been reliable enough with his availability in recent seasons, already missing three games at the start of the current campaign.

Matondo, who Kris Boyd claimed has “blistering pace”, cannot be relied upon by Martin because of these consistent injury issues, which is why the manager should not look to reintegrate him into the team.

The Welsh international should, instead, be moved on by Thelwell, whether that is to a club whose window remains open now or to a team in January, because of his performance and injury issues.

Matondo has only scored seven goals in 44 matches in the Scottish Premiership for Rangers in his career, per Transfermarkt, and this shows that he has not been an elite talent for the team even when he has been fit.

The wide player’s underwhelming contributions in the final third and his injury problems suggest that the Gers have not got as much out of their £15k-per-week than they have for Raskin, who won the club’s Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season awards for the 2024/25 campaign.

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It is now down to the club, Martin, and Thelwell to find a solution for Matondo in the coming weeks or months, because, to this point, he has been a flop at Ibrox.

It was yet another devastating result for Manchester United. The Red Devils slumped to another defeat, this time losing 3-1 away from home to Brentford. Ruben Amorim’s side have now lost three games in the top flight this season, winning just two and drawing the other.

That is merely a continuation of the dismal form shown under their Portuguese manager. United have only won 12 games under Amorim in not far off one year, and are yet to win back-to-back games in the Premier League.

Their trip to the Gtech Community was a chance to do just that. However, two first-half goals from Igor Thiago in the first half, and a late strike from Vitaly Janelt were enough to seal the three points for the Bees.

The only real positive for United was the fact that Benjamin Sesko bagged his first goal for the club. It was a strike that showed lots of fight, scrapping for a ball in the penalty box before finally firing a shot into the back of the net.

It was another disappointing day at the office for Amorim’s side. No one really covered themselves in glory. One player who struggled was defender Luke Shaw.

Shaw’s performance vs. Brentford

One of the Red Devils’ most experienced players, Shaw, once again started as the left centre-back in Amoirm’s infamous back three system. He has certainly had better performances in a United shirt.

The England international, who is normally excellent on the ball, was surprisingly poor in possession in West London. Out of possession, he struggled against the physicality of Brentford’s forwards, including goalscorer Thiago.

In terms of his numbers from the lunchtime kickoff, the 30-year-old had 71 touches, losing the ball 17 times. He only won one duel from four attempted, and made one error, which led to a Brentford shot, per Sofascore.

Goal journalist Richard Martin seemingly agreed that the experienced defender did not put in his best performance against the West Londoners. He gave him a 5/10 for his efforts and highlighted his struggles with the ball at his feet, describing him as “sloppy in possession.”

It was certainly not Shaw’s best day at the office, although he was not United’s worst player at the Gtech Community Stadium.

The United player who worse than Shaw

Shaw was certainly not the only player in a United shirt who struggled against the Bees. Harry Maguire was at fault for the first goal, and goalkeeper Altay Bayindir could have done better for the second strike.

However, Bruno Fernandes put in a surprisingly poor performance. The United captain had his afternoon summed up by Statman Dave, who called the situation a “nightmare.” Indeed, he struggled to get involved creatively and, crucially, missed a penalty.

That effort from 12 yards was certainly not his finest moment of the season. The second penalty he’s missed in West London this season, Fernandes struck his effort low to the goalkeeper’s left, which Caoimhin Kelleher easily managed to tip away.

It was a moment that summed up Fernandes’ afternoon. The Portugal international, once again operating deeper in a pivot, struggled to create a chance, playing just one key pass, and losing the ball 18 times.

Touches

81

Pass accuracy

78%

Passes completed

54/69

Ground duels won

3/6

Number of times ball lost

18

Long balls completed

5/11

Penalties missed

1

Key passes

1

Indeed, Martin seemed to agree that the United captain had a day to forget at the Gtech Community Stadium. He gave Fernandes a match rating of 4/10 and, unfortunately, did not have anything positive to discuss from his performance.

United’s number eight certainly was not involved enough creatively, either. Perhaps that is more on Amoirm rather than the reflection of a poor showing. Fernandes would surely be able to create more chances if he were playing further forward, rather than in a pivot. With that being said, perhaps you’d have expected him to create more with United chasing the game.

It was definitely a day to forget for Fernandes. Normally, such a consistent penalty taker, he missed from the spot to make it 2-2 and give United a fighting chance of getting a positive result.

Not just Obi: Man Utd have "dangerous" attacker who can be the next Rooney

Man United fans can get excited about this player’s talent.

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 26, 2025

He may have finally left the club, but former Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy often came under huge fire during his tenure for his actions off the field in North London.

The 63-year-old spent over two decades in the role, but was constantly called into question for his lack of spending to help improve the first-team squad.

He was undoubtedly part of the reason for the Lilywhites’ failures on the pitch, with the club even going 17 long years without a piece of silverware during his tenure.

Levy often became known for offloading key talents on the books of the club, something which once again led to anger from the supporters – especially given his lack of funding after such departures.

One player in particular was sold without an immediate adequate replacement being signed in the same window, which undoubtedly contributed to his demise in the role.

Levy’s decision to sell Harry Kane from Spurs

No Spurs fan would’ve predicted the success Harry Kane would have had for the first-team in North London, after he made his first Premier League start back in 2012.

The Englishman was an unknown quantity to many despite rising through the youth ranks, but rapidly adhered himself to the supporters with his form in front of goal.

He rapidly became a first-team regular, with his first major taste of success coming in the 2014/15 campaign, scoring 31 times in his 51 outings for the Lilywhites across all competitions.

Such a year would be the fourth-best of his time in North London, with his highest goalscoring year seeing him net a total of 35 goals – subsequently winning the Premier League golden boot that year.

As a result of his tremendous goalscoring record, the 32-year-old remains their highest ever goalscorer, with his total of 280 goals breaking the record set by the late Jimmy Greaves.

However, he was sold in the summer of 2023, subsequently joining German side Bayern Munich for a fee in the region of £82m – the second highest in their history.

Whilst they received a mammoth fee for his signature, no new centre forward was brought into the club until 12 months later, with Dominic Solanke costing a club-record £65m from Bournemouth.

However, the former chairman also made a huge mistake in allowing one other former player to depart the club, with the 63-year-old unable to land the reinforcements after his move away.

Levy’s biggest mistake whilst at Spurs

After such dismal years on the pitch for a prolonged period of time, it was hardly a surprise to see numerous top-level talents moving away for pastures new.

Just like Kane, numerous players caught the eye for the Lilywhites, including Kieran Trippier who has to depart and join Atlético Madrid to fulfil his ambitions of winning trophies.

The right-back racked up over 100 appearances in North London, but failed to win a single trophy – subsequently claiming the LaLiga trophy in his second year in Madrid.

He wasn’t the only player to move to Spain to take his career to the next level, with Gareth Bale making the leap and joining Real Madrid in a £85m deal in the summer of 2013.

His move remains a club-record fee received for a player, but such a deal left a huge hole in the club’s forward line and understandably so given his record in North London.

The Welsh international, who was dubbed “world-class” by John Hartson, scored 73 goals for the club before his big-money transfer, with his final campaign in the Premier League by far and away his best.

He netted 26 times in his 44 appearances for the Lilywhites, further highlighting the task the hierarchy had in trying to replace such a top-level talent.

In an attempt to do just that, Levy decided to fork out around £60m on the signatures of Roberto Soldado and Erik Lamela, but both ultimately failed to produce the goods in England.

The pair only scored 53 goals combined during their respective seasons at the club, with such a tally miles below the one Bale managed to achieve on his own.

Gareth Bale: Premier League Stats by Season

Season

Apps

Goals

Assists

21/22

20

11

2

12/13

33

21

8

11/12

36

10

13

10/11

30

7

2

09/10

23

3

5

08/09

16

0

0

07/08

8

2

1

Stats via Transfermarkt

Given his tally of 15 major trophies in Madrid, the player himself certainly made the right call in leaving the club, but it’s safe to say owner Levy should have tried harder to keep hold of the winger.

After seeing the replacements brought in to the club, there’s no question that Levy made a huge mess of the transfer, with such a decision one of his worst at the club.

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Big Picture: Will LSG spoil RCB’s party?

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) need not have watched the game between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Monday with a calculator in hand to see what kind of margin they need for Tuesday to finish in the top two for a straight shot into the IPL 2025 final. No matter what the result on Monday night, RCB just need to win their last league game against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to reach 19 points that will guarantee them a place in qualifier 1, whether they finish on top or second.If LSG win on Tuesday, though, RCB will finish third and play in the eliminator, like they did last year and bowed out of the tournament after a loss to Rajasthan Royals (RR).Related

• PBKS 'haven't achieved anything yet' – Ponting keeps it real

• Hazlewood returns to bolster RCB ahead of playoffs

• Moody, Kumble want RCB to shake off loss and not second-guess themselves

• RCB need their share of luck now to find lost momentum

• Injury scare for Tim David ahead of playoffs

What might scare RCB a little is that the teams eliminated from the playoffs race have been beating the teams that have made it to the playoffs over the last four days. It was LSG who started that trend by taking down the table-toppers Gujarat Titans (GT) with a match-winning century from Mitchell Marsh. Nicholas Pooran’s return to runs after a slump in between also bodes well for LSG, and so does the bowling of 6’4” fast bowler Will O’Rourke, who has bagged four wickets in his two showings so far, after he came on as a replacement for the injured Mayank Yadav.The day after LSG’s last game, RCB had their four-match winning streak broken by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Even though one loss doesn’t make or break a team’s confidence, RCB suffered a blow in that clash when their middle-order basher Tim David hurt himself while fielding in the deep, and is unlikely for Tuesday.RCB will, however, be boosted by the return of their ace fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, who stayed back in Australia for his shoulder rehab when the IPL had resumed, and has joined the team ahead of the last league game.

Form guide

Royal Challengers Bengaluru LWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Lucknow Super Giants: WLLLL

In the spotlight: Josh Hazlewood and Rishabh Pant

There are not many overseas bowlers who have taken IPL 2025 by storm, but Josh Hazlewood is among the small bunch. His metronomic bowling style married with the T20 weapons of hard lengths, pace variations and yorkers make him one of the most feared fast bowlers in the competition. He is a potent weapon in both the powerplay and the death overs, and RCB will look to bank heavily on him, on both Tuesday and in the playoffs, before he heads to London for the WTC final.0:58

Moody: RCB need to move on from this loss quickly

Rishabh Pant is having his worst IPL season, be it in terms of runs, strike rate or average. In his last game, however, Pant gave glimpses of Pant of the old when he hit two sixes with his usual physics-defying positions he gets into by the time he finishes his shots. It could be because LSG had been eliminated from the playoffs, and we saw a carefree Pant with a nothing-to-lose attitude. LSG will hope he bats more like that on Tuesday, and he will hope he gets some more runs before flying out to London for the Test series as vice-captain.

Team news and likely XIIs

RCB will be forced to make a couple of changes. Hazlewood’s return to the XI will be in place of Lungi Ngidi, who misses the last league game to fly back home for WTC final preparations with his national side.The big miss will be David, who had scored 42 runs off 20 deliveries he faced in their last two games. RCB may not have a like-for-like replacement for him if he’s unavailable, but they do have Liam Livingstone and Tim Seifert who was brought in as replacement for Jacob Bethell for the remainder of the tournament, just like they have Blessing Muzarabani for Ngidi. Both Seifert and Muzarabani have joined the squad. Their captain Rajat Patidar was only fit to bat in the last game, and he could continue to be their Impact Player if he has still not recovered to field.Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 1 Phil Salt, 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Mayank Agarwal, 4 Rajat Patidar, 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 7 Romario Shepherd, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Yash Dayal, 12 Suyash SharmaThe main change LSG could make is bringing back Digvesh Rathi, who missed the last game because of his one-match suspension. If their opener Aiden Markram has returned home to prepare for the WTC final, LSG will need a new opener. Will Pant move up the order again? They may also want to give chances to more players on the bench such as batter Matthew Breetzke, wicketkeeper-batter Aryan Juyal, batting allrounder Yuvraj Chaudhary, bowling allrounder Rajvardhan Hangargekar and batting allrounder Arshin Kulkarni who still haven’t played a game this season, and Himmat Singh hasn’t batted even once despite getting two matches this season.Lucknow Super Giants: 1 Matthew Breetzke/Aiden Markram, 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Nicholas Pooran, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt & wk), 5 Ayush Badoni, 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Himmat Singh, 8 Digvesh Rathi, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Akash Deep, 11 Will O’Rourke, 12 Akash Singh

The big question

Pitch and conditions

It’s going to be a mixed-soil pitch for Lucknow’s last game of the season, made up of red and black soil. That’s usually a batting-friendly track. The last game played on that strip was between LSG and CSK when the hosts were restricted to 166 and MS Dhoni had taken CSK home. It’s expected to be extremely hot in Lucknow on Tuesday, with temperatures going over 36 degrees Celsius, and a good amount of humidity too to make it more sultry. There is no rain in the forecast.

Stats and trivia

• RCB will have to find a way to stop LSG’s overseas batters from hitting sixes: Marsh has struck the second-most sixes in the powerplay so far whereas Pooran has the most in the middle overs
• Will RCB be brave enough to bowl Krunal Pandya to Pooran? Because Pooran also holds the record of most sixes against spin in this IPL, at 25, with 15 being the second-best. Pooran has hardly faced Krunal so far, having scored 25 off his 15 balls so far in the IPL without being dismissed yet
• RCB could become the first time in the history of the IPL to win all their seven away games, if they bag another W on Tuesday
• Virat Kohli is 24 away from 9000 runs for RCB overall, in the IPL and Champions League T20 combined

An “incredible” manager has now emerged as a contender to replace Graham Potter at West Ham United, it has been revealed.

Potter's future in doubt after yet another defeat

Potter would’ve been hoping that the surprise 3-0 victory at Nottingham Forest before the international break could be a turning point, but his side once again came up short over the weekend, this time falling to a 3-0 defeat at home against Tottenham.

Speaking after his side’s third loss in four Premier League games, the West Ham boss said: “I understand because the scoreline is the scoreline and I understand why people are upset,”

“We are a new team and we have to stick together and focus on the things we’ve done well and see where we can improve.”

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However, having been in charge since January and been given the opportunity to bring in his own players in the summer, it remains to be seen how much longer the Englishman can last, considering his record up to this point is extremely poor.

The 50-year-old has averaged just 0.96 points per match, and has the second-worst Premier League win percentage of any West Ham manager at just 27.3%.

As such, the Hammers’ hierarchy are now starting to run the rule over potential replacements, according to reporter Alan Nixon (via GiveMeSport), who states David Sullivan is an admirer of former Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

Nuno was a huge success at The City Ground, meaning he has now emerged as a contender to replace Potter at West Ham, but they may have to move quickly, given that the 51-year-old is likely to be attracting interest courtesy of the job he did at Forest.

"Incredible" Nuno could be an ideal Potter replacement

At this stage, the Hammers are looking like serious relegation candidates, having lost three of their opening four games, which leaves them 18th in the Premier League table.

Consequently, it would make sense to bring in a manager with a proven track record of being able to transform struggling sides into European contenders, and that is exactly what the former Forest boss managed to do in his last job.

After taking over a Forest side that only narrowly avoided relegation the season prior, the Portuguese coach led them to the Europa League, and he was praised for the “incredible” job he did by Sky Sports’ Sam Obaseki, while also receiving plaudits from Fabrizio Romano.

Nuno could be an excellent appointment for West Ham, given that he is vastly experienced in the Premier League, having also managed Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Sullivan should move swiftly to ensure he wins the race.

Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta have been handed a huge fitness boost ahead of Tuesday's crunch Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners play host to Diego Simeone's side and will be aiming to continue their fine start to the season by making it three wins from three in the Champions League so far in the 2025-26 campaign.

• Arsenal enjoyed busy summer in transfer window

  Arsenal enjoyed a busy summer in the transfer window, bringing in Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera, Christian Norgaard, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Piero Hincapie in a bid to claim silverware in the new campaign. Arteta has seen his side go on to enjoy a great start to the season, with the Gunners currently sitting top of the Premier League and having made a perfect start to their Champions League campaign. The Arsenal boss has now been boosted further by the return from injury of Hincapie, part of Ecuador's new golden generation 20 years after the last alongside Moises Caicedo and Kendry Paez, who is available for selection once again for the Gunners.

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• Getty/GOAL
  

  Hincapie fit to face Atletico

  Hincapie signed for Arsenal from Bayer Leverkusen, where he was a Bundesliga title winner under Xabi Alonso in 2023-24. But, largely due to a early season injury, he has managed just one minute of action so far for the Gunners after appearing as a late substitute against Athletic Club in the Champions League.

  The Ecuador international will now be bidding for more opportunities after Arteta confirmed the defender is fit for selection at his pre-match press conference. He told reporters: "He will be available. I think [the Fulham] game came a bit too early for him, so he had another two very good sessions and now he's ready to go."

• Arsenal's defence looking rock solid

  Arsenal's defence has looked rock solid so far. The Gunners have kept clean sheets in their opening two Champions League games and have only conceded once in the Premier League. The arrival of Gabriel Heinze to join Arteta's coaching staff seems to have had an impact and the Arsenal boss has been full of praise for the former Manchester United and Real Madrid man. 

  "I think that's something very, very collective with all the coaches, with the players, with their commitments as well and Gabriel added something different, that willingness to win. We've seen that through his career, that experience to win and to elevate somebody's level, ambition and drive to the highest limit, and he's extraordinary at that," he explained.

  "My feeling is that they [the players] really love him, which is normal. But the rest of the coaches are the same. They are all very different characters, but the relationship and the bond that we have with the players, I think it's unique and I think that's something very, very powerful in the team."

  Key has also been the dedication on display, with William Saliba taking the initiative and studying Atletico on the coach home from beating Fulham. Arteta didn't ask the centre-back to do that, but was delighted that he had the motivation to do it off his own back.

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• Arteta talks Arsenal's set-piece success

  Hincapie is also known to be a threat from set-pieces, with Arsenal having been effective from dead-ball situations this season, and Arteta spoke about the team's success.

  He explained: "We keep evolving and keep improving. It's a system that when you put it in place, the system has to learn every single day, every single game, to become better.

  "That's in relation to the players that we have and what we learn from ourselves and as well what we learn from the opposition and try to be as consistent as possible. In order to do that, you have to give importance to certain topics, to become really important and we try to do that in the way that we share the time and the focus in game preparation, and then it's the delivery."

The two helped Lahore Qalandars chase down 202 with a ball to spare in an electrifying PSL final against Quetta Gladiators

Madushka Balasuriya25-May-2025

The Qalandars players carry Sikandar Raza off the field after the win was sealed•AFP/Getty Images

There were n-number of performances that might have deserved to be on the winning side in this final, but in the end, it was Kusal Perera and Sikandar Raza that earned the honour of being swarmed by their team-mates under the midnight Lahore sky, as Lahore Qalandars edged Quetta Gladiators in an electrifying PSL 2025 final.The tl;dr is that Qalandars needed 47 off the final three overs to complete not only the highest successful chase in a PSL final, but in any T20 final. If that wasn’t a dramatic enough script, the winning runs were struck by Raza, a man who had landed in Pakistan just ten minutes before the toss .Twenty-four hours earlier, Raza had made a battling half-century at Trent Bridge in Zimbabwe’s first Test in England for 22 years. Now, with eight needed off three balls, he polished the game off with a ball to spare with a six and a four, but that he was even in a position to score those runs was down to Perera, whose unbeaten 62 off 31 kept Qalandars in the chase when most logic dictated otherwise.Related

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Raza plays PSL final after landing from England ten minutes before toss

Of the performances trailing in their wake were blistering 40s from Mohammad Naeem and Mohammed Shafique, while Hasan Nawaz’s 76 off 43 and Faheem Ashraf’s 28 off eight might have won the game on another day.But this was a game in which holding your nerve was key, and Qalandars did that at the most crucial moments.Raza’s bizarre day”Bowled 25 overs the day before yesterday, batted for 20-odd overs yesterday, had dinner in Birmingham, breakfast in Dubai, drove to Abu Dhabi for lunch, took a flight and had dinner in Pakistan.”That’s Raza summing up his lead-up to this PSL final vividly, a journey which ended with him scoring the winning runs.But even if he had been understandably a little off-colour with the ball, he was around at the game’s key moments. Whether it was to manufacture the opening breakthrough of the game, to hold on to a skier at long-off to see off the dangerous Nawaz, or to dispatch Mohammad Amir for a four and a six off the first two deliveries he faced when the required rate was around 15.Hasan Nawaz scored 76 off 43 to take Gladiators towards an imposing total•PSL

Faheem steals the momentumChasing in a final is never easy. In fact, in PSL finals, the highest successful chase had been 175, and that came in the very first edition. In that context, Nawaz’s 76 off 43 was pivotal; not only did he anchor the innings, allowing those around him to chip in with helpful cameos, he did so at an impressive rate.So when a pair of sixes from Dinesh Chandimal at the tail-end of the 17th over took Gladiators up to 170 for 4, and with Nawaz still at the crease, it looked like Qalandars were about to be set a historic target.What was not expected at this point was the next two overs going for just eight runs, and Gladiators losing four wickets in the process – including that of Nawaz. Suddenly, from eyeing a total of at least 200, even 190 seemed a stretch.Enter Faheem. It took the most ill-advised of singles to get him on strike – Khurram Shahzad was barely in the screen when the throw from midwicket missed the stumps – but once he got there, he could hardly have made more of it. Six, four, six, six went the next four balls as Faheem catapulted Gladiators beyond 200, before holing out off the last ball.Naeem gives yet another fast startThe secret sauce to Qalandars’ season has been the carefree, joyous nature of their play, somehow managing to eschew game state and more often than not string together the exact performance needed. On Sunday, that approach was put to the ultimate test.But if there was ever any doubt about Qalandars feeling the nerves, that was quickly put to rest, ironically, with a helping hand from Faheem. Having struck 23 off that final over, Faheem proceeded to give away each one of those 23 runs in the third over as Naeem’s hat-trick of sixes jump-started Qalandars’ chase.That 23-run over would prove crucial in keeping Qalandars within touching distance as Amir at the other end was at his miserly best, giving away just 12 runs off his first two overs. It meant Qalandars were restricted to 56 runs in the powerplay.Kusal Perera goes big•AFP/Getty Images

Perera’s star turn trumps AmirGladiators edged Qalandars by a single run in the powerplay, but it was in the middle overs that they really stretched their advantage – 98 to 87. It meant that for Qalandars to win, they would have to strike heavily at the death, a tough task, particularly with Amir still with two overs.Amir has been destructive and economical all at once this PSL, and it was no different in the final. After going wicketless in his opening two overs, he returned at the death to get rid of Bhanuka Rajapaksa, just as Qalandars were building up a head of steam.It was, therefore, inevitable that Qalandars would at some point need to take on Amir. And with the required run rate creeping beyond 15, they did just that.The first blows of counterattack came from a likely jet-lagged Raza, as he thumped a four and a six off the first two balls faced to end Amir’s third. Then, in the penultimate over of the game, it was Perera’s turn, and he too obliged with a four-six combo.Perera might have been parachuted in for just the tail-end of this tournament, but in the four games he played, he certainly made the most of his opportunities. He saved his best for last, taking on Gladiators’ other two most economical options in Shahzad and Abrar Ahmed before finally turning his attention on Amir.

Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso provided a key update on Kylian Mbappe's fitness ahead of the club's La Liga fixture against Getafe this weekend. The star forward picked up an injury while on international duty with France. He limped off the pitch late on during Les Bleus' clash with Azerbaijan and missed their World Cup qualifier against Iceland after being released from the French squad.

Mbappe suffered ankle knock against Azerbaijan

Mbappe's participation in their first World Cup qualifier of the October international break was hanging in the balance due to an ankle injury he sustained while playing for Madrid against Villarreal in La Liga. Despite the knock, the France captain took to the the field against Azerbaijan last Friday but he suffered another ankle knock and had to be subbed off in the 83rd minute.

The attacker was subsequently released from the France squad so that he could work on his recovery back at Madrid's facilities. A statement from the French Football Federation read: "Upon the French delegation's return to Clairefontaine, the French team captain spoke with Didier Deschamps. The national coach has confirmed his absence. Kylian Mbappe has been released to his club and will not be replaced."

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesAlonso provides key update on Mbappe

Ahead of Los Blancos' upcoming La Liga match against Getafe on Sunday, manager Alonso provided a key update on Mbappe's condition. Speaking to reporters at the pre-match press conference, the Spanish coach said: "Yes, Kylian Mbappe is back and can also start against Getafe."

Mbappe's recovery comes as welcome news for the Spanish giants, who will aim to occupy the top spot in the league ahead of their Clasico fixture against arch-rival Barcelona next week. The French star is currently enjoying a remarkable scoring run, having scored in his last 10 consecutive matches for both club and country. His recent scoring streak includes goals against Ukraine, Real Sociedad, Kairat, and Espanyol, with the 26-year-old hitting the net in multiple competitions. He also broke the deadlock in France's 3-0 win against Azerbaijan with his 17th goal in 13 appearances for club and country this season, which also marked his 53rd international goal for France, meaning he is now only four goals away from Olivier Giroud's record as Les Bleus' all-time top scorer.

Mbappe wants to help Alonso win many trophies

Alonso created shockwaves in Europe after his scintillating stint at Bayer Leverkusen, where he helped the German side win the Bundesliga title in the 2023/24 season. Following his brief stint as a manager at Leverkusen, the Spaniard returned to Real Madrid, where he had previously played with distinction. Mbappe, who is in fine form, lavished praise on the manager while claiming the Madrid players want to help Alonso with as many trophies as possible.

Speaking about Ancelotti and Alonso's managerial style, Mbappe had to : "They're different, two generations of coaches who have crossed paths. Ancelotti is one of the best in history. When you arrive, you're happy to play for him; he's always close to the players. Xabi wants to help a lot, but he's younger. He has more need and desire to prove himself with Real Madrid, to achieve things in his first big opportunity at the best club in the world. We're going to try to help him win as many titles as possible. It's an important year for Real Madrid and the national team. We're starting to understand what the manager wants from us, but we have to improve to get where we want to be."

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AFPReal Madrid facing hectic fixture list

Alonso will have to rotate his squad as much as possible in the next few matches, as they face a hectic fixture list that involves playing four matches in a span of 13 days, starting this Sunday. The fixture list also includes a key Champions League game against Juventus on October 22 and El Clasico in La Liga four days later. Madrid are currently at the top of the table with 21 points from eight matches. 

The Real Madrid boss says he's taking one game at a time: "For me, the next one is always the toughest when I'm going through a block. This one with fewer games because we've had a clean week, but we want to keep making progress, being consistent in all competitions. We're thinking about what's coming next, which is Getafe. We're not looking any further ahead. We're aware of what's coming, obviously, but what we've talked about internally is tomorrow's opponent, which will be very demanding. So far, we've been very consistent and reliable, but we can't let our guard down."