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O Botafogo teve confirmada uma renovação importante para o projeto da SAF gerido pelo empresário estadunidense John Textor. Alessandro Brito, diretor de gestão esportiva do clube, aumentou o vínculo com o Glorioso por mais quatro anos e seguirá como a principal cabeça do futebol alvinegro.

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➡️ Botafogo encaminha contratação do atacante Lucas Villalba, do Nacional-URU

Alessandro Brito chegou ao Botafogo em fevereiro de 2022, nos primeiros passos da SAF, na função de Head Scout. O profissional, contratado junto ao Atlético-MG, foi o responsável pela mudança de toda estrutura quanto à análise de mercado do Glorioso para elevar o projeto de patamar.

— Acredito que nesses quatro anos que se passaram a gente encerra o
“ciclo olímpico” e agora vamos para os próximos quatro anos para que possamos novamente desfrutar de títulos, desfrutar de atletas da categoria de base no elenco principal. Acho que o Botafogo tem um caminho bonito nos próximos anos — disse Brito, em entrevista à “ESPN”.

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O diretor da SAF recusou propostas do futebol do Oriente Médio, até mesmo mais vantajosas, e esteve na mira de clubes da Série A — o Corinthians foi um interessado para a gestão do presidente Osmar Stabile. Homem forte do Botafogo, Alessandro Brito, no entanto, não pensou em deixar o Rio de Janeiro.

Botafogo mantém a estrutura

Além de Alessandro Brito, John Textor também acenou com a renovação de outros profissionais importantes na SAF, como Raphael Rezende, coordenador de scout, Thairo Arruda, CEO, Danilo Caixeiro, vice-executivo da Eaglae, Deive Bandeira (diretor de negociações) e Léo Coelho, diretor de futebol.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Fogão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Botafogo

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BotafogoJohn TextorSAF

حقق برشلونة فوزًا كاسحًا على ريال بيتيس بخماسية لثلاث أهداف، على ملعب لاكارتوخا ضمن منافسات الدوري الاسباني لكرة القدم.

وارتفع رصيد برشلونة للنقطة 40 في صدارة ترتيب الدوري الاسباني بفارق 4 نقاط عن ريال مدريد، وتجمد رصيد ريال بيتيس عند النقطة 24 في المركز الخامس.

وفاجأ أنتوني برشلونة بالهدف الأول في الدقيقة السادسة، وتعادل فيران توريس لصالح البارسا في الدقيقة 11 بعد صناعة من كوندي.

وفي الدقيقة الثالثة عشر وبعد مرور دقيقتين فقط أحرز فيران توريس الهدف الثاني بعرضية من روني باردجي تابعها بشكل رائع في شباك بيتيس.

اقرأ أيضاً.. لامين يامال يسجل هدف برشلونة الخامس أمام ريال بيتيس

وعزز روني باردجي بالهدف الثالث بعد صناعة من بيدري ليسدد بشكل رائع في شباك بيتيس في الدقيقة 31، وقبل نهاية الشوط الأول سجل فيران توريس الهاتريك والهدف الرابع في الدقيقة 40.

وفي الشوط الثاني أحرز لامين يامال الهدف الخامس من ضربة جزاء بعد أن اصطدمت الكرة بيد مدافع ريال بيتيس من تسديدة راشفورد، وفي الدقيقة 85 قلص بيتيس الفارق عن طريق ليورنتي وأحرز هرنانديز الهدف الثالث من ركلة جزاء لتنتهي المباراة بفوز مثير بخمسة أهداف لثلاثة.

There's bad news for MLB teams that lost Game 1 of their wild-card series on Tuesday. Based on past results, it's unlikely that they'll come back to win the series.

As USA Today's Bob Nightengale noted, since MLB moved to its current postseason format in 2022, there have been 12 wild-card series. Ten of those 12 series have ended in sweeps. In addition to that, no team that lost the first game has wound up advancing to the next round.

That's really bad news for the Guardians, Padres, Yankees, and Reds, who all lost the opening games of their respective matchups on Tuesday. All head into Wednesday facing elimination, and the numbers suggest they'll all wind up on vacation soon.

The only teams to force a third game under the current format were the Mets in 2022 and the Brewers in 2024.

The 2022 Mets were hosting the Padres at Citi Field, but lost the opener of the series 7-1. They won Game 2 7-3, but lost Game 3 6-0 in the infamous Joe Musgrove ear game.

Last season, the Brewers lost Game 1 of their wild-card series against the Mets 8-4 at American Family Field. They bounced back in Game 2 to win 5-3, but New York bested Milwaukee 4-2 in Game 3.

We'll see if any of the trailing teams can reverse the trend this year.

PHILADELPHIA — In their meeting before Game 1 of the National League division series, Dodgers hitting coach Aaron Bates gave his players some advice: At some point, something will happen to make the 45,000 red-clad phanatics in Citizens Bank Park go nuts. Instead of letting the noise get to them, the Dodgers should just focus on silencing the crowd. 

As it turned out, two games into this series, the Phillies’ bats have done that all by themselves. They staged a ninth-inning comeback attempt but still fell short, 4–3, in Game 2 to bring themselves one loss from winter. 

Indeed, until that ultimately unsuccessful rally, the loudest sound of the night was the response as the Phillies’ stadium experience staff insisted on turning off the lights, turning up the music and playing closer Jhoan Duran’s flame- and spider-themed graphics as he entered a game his team was losing by three: a chorus of boos. (The opprobrium only increased once the game was over: One caller on WIP 94.1 suggested that an appropriate punishment for DH Kyle Schwarber would be to ban him from Wawa.)

It was hard to blame the fans. The starting pitching has been as good as the Phillies could have hoped for after ace Zack Wheeler was diagnosed with first a blood clot and then venous thoracic outlet syndrome in August. Cristopher Sánchez, the NL WAR leader with 8.0, allowed two runs through 5 ⅔ innings in Game 1; Jesús Luzardo allowed two in six-plus in Game 2. And outside of one Matt Strahm four-seamer that caught enough of the plate for Teoscar Hernández to hammer it for a three-run homer, the relievers have largely generated the strikeouts and weak contact they sought. 

But the offense—especially the $709 million top three in the order—has not resembled the lineup that slugged .431 this year, fourth in the sport. Through the first two games, shortstop Trea Turner, Schwarber and first baseman Bryce Harper have combined for two singles, four walks and 11 strikeouts in 25 plate appearances. The only extra-base hits have come from catcher J.T. Realmuto (a triple in Game 1 and a double in Game 2), part-time right fielder Max Kepler (a double in Game 1 and a triple in Game 2) and Nick Castellanos, the other half of the right field platoon (a double in Game 2). As a team the Phillies have a .601 OPS this series. They are the only team still in the tournament that has not yet hit a home run. 

And they can’t even agree on the problem, let alone the solution. 

“I think [the guys at the top of the order] are trying to do a little too much right now, instead of just being themselves and looking for base hits and the power will come,” said manager Rob Thomson.

“I wouldn’t say we’re pressing,” said Harper. “I think we’re missing pitches over the plate. They’re making good pitches when they need to.”

“I’m not looking to go up there and slug,” said Schwarber. “I’m looking to take my at-bat and feel like you’re taking a quality at-bat. So I just feel like these guys, the first two games, they’ve been on.”

“I don’t really feel like we’re beating ourselves,” said Turner. “I feel like we’ve played good defense. We’re getting some hits here and there. It just doesn’t seem like enough.”

This is a disheartening assessment. Unfortunately, it might also be true. There have been a few unforced errors, such as when Castellanos loafed after a ball in the seventh and then threw to the wrong base, and when, two batters later, Turner made a wide throw on a fielder's choice that allowed the game's first run. Perhaps most curious was Thomson's call to have second baseman Bryson Stott bunt with the slow-footed Castellanos on second and no out in the ninth. The Dodgers executed a perfect wheel play and erased Castellanos at third.

But the Phillies could have overcome any of those mistakes if they had simply scored between the second inning of Game 1 and the eighth inning of Game 2. The Dodgers have pitched brilliantly, mixing offerings and pacing, hitting their spots and missing off the plate, generating whiffs. It makes for a rough hitter’s meeting when your best hope is that the other guys start making more mistakes. 

“I’ll have probably a little meeting with them on Wednesday,” said Thomson. “But I love the fight in the eighth and ninth inning. They fought like hell, and hopefully that carries over into Wednesday. But this is a resilient group. Our backs are against the wall. We’ve just got to come out fighting.”

What he did not say—what none of them want to acknowledge—is that it’s been a while since this group did that. Since the magical 2022 run that ended in a six-game World Series loss to the Astros, the Phillies have produced only stunning flameouts. In ’23, they took a commanding 2–0 lead over the Diamondbacks in the NLCS only to let the bullpen blow the next two games. They won one more, then combined to score three runs over the final two games, both at home, and watched an 84-win Arizona team celebrate the pennant. Last year, they didn’t even make it that far: The third-place Mets rolled into Philadelphia and knocked them out of the NLDS in four games. Again the Phillies scored three runs in the final two games. 

This core is rapidly exiting its prime. Harper, Turner and Schwarber will all be 33 next year, and Schwarber will be a free agent. Realmuto will be 35 and a free agent. Wheeler will be 36 and managing serious health concerns. Only three of the players who started Game 1—third baseman Alec Bohm, left fielder Brandon Marsh and Stott—are still on their initial rookie contracts, and even they have reached salary arbitration. When the Phillies are playing well, they have a lot of veteran leadership. When they’re struggling, they might just be getting old. 

They can stave off those conversations with two wins in Los Angeles this week. In the 90 postseason best-of-five series in which one team went up 2–0, the trailing team has forced Game 5 17 times, and won it 10 times. The Phillies believe they can be the next ones. If they are wrong, it will be an awfully quiet October at Citizens Bank Park. 

Glasgow Rangers will be looking to get back to winning ways this evening when they travel away from Ibrox to take on Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership.

The Light Blues dropped points for the first time under Danny Rohl in the league last weekend with a 0-0 draw against Falkirk, and there will be changes to the starting XI for tonight’s match.

Oliver Antman, as confirmed by the manager in the post above, will be unavailable to retain his place on the wing after suffering a muscle injury in recent days.

As well as the Finland international’s forced absence, Rohl should take attacking midfielder Thelo Aasgaard out of the team after his disappointing display against Falkirk.

Why Danny Rohl should drop Thelo Aasgaard

The Norway international was selected to play in the number ten position for the Light Blues at Ibrox on Sunday, but failed to deliver a quality performance for the side.

Aasgaard had no shots on target, missed one ‘big chance’, made one key pass, and failed to create any ‘big chances’ for his teammates in 68 minutes on the pitch against Falkirk, per Sofascore.

That set of statistics paints a very clear picture. He was ineffective at the top end of the pitch for Rohl, in what was a drab goalless draw, and that has been the theme of his season.

25/26 Premiership

Thelo Aasgaard

Appearances

11

Starts

8

Goals

1

Key passes per game

0.8

Big chances created

0

Assists

1

Stats via Sofascore

Per Sofascore, the Liverpool-born midfielder has produced one goal and one assist in 21 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, playing 1179 minutes in that time.

His lack of impact on the pitch in the league and across all competitions is why Rohl should drop him from the side tonight to finally unleash the rarely-seen attacking midfielder Lyall Cameron against Dundee United.

Why Lyall Cameron should finally be unleashed

The summer signing from Dundee has only played 18 minutes under the German boss, per Sofascore, and has only played 361 minutes across eight appearances all season.

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

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He was an unused substitute in the goalless draw with Falkirk at Ibrox, as Rohl opted not to call on him, but he should now be given a chance to show what he can do in Aasgaard’s place as the number ten.

In his pre-match press conference, the Rangers manager said that Cameron has been “patient” and that the youngster needs to be ready to “seize” his chances when it comes, which will hopefully be this evening.

The Light Blues signed the 23-year-old star off the back of his impressive form for Dundee in the Scottish Premiership during the 2024/25 campaign, and that form suggests that he could come in as an even better option than Aasgaard.

Cameron racked up nine goals and five assists in 32 starts for his former club last season, per Sofascore, which shows that he does have the potential to deliver quality on a regular basis at Premiership level.

24/25 Premiership

Cameron

Rank vs CMs

xG

3.80

Top 7%

Goals

9

Top 4%

Shots on target

20

Top 4%

Chances created

54

Top 4%

xA

4.78

Top 10%

Assists

5

Top 9%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the Scottish ace was one of the top-performing attacking midfielders in the division, with his ability to both score goals and create chances at an impressive rate.

Yet, Cameron has only played 191 minutes across five appearances in the Premiership for Russell Martin, Stevie Smith, and Rohl combined, per Sofascore, which shows that he has not had much of an opportunity to showcase the best version of himself.

Aasgaard, meanwhile, has been given over 1,000 minutes of game time without being able to deliver goals or assists on a consistent basis for the Light Blues in recent months, with as many goals (one) as red cards (one).

Therefore, Cameron should finally be unleashed this evening to see if he can offer more than the Norwegian flop by producing the kind of performances that he showed for Dundee throughout the 2024/25 season.

Related Danny Rohl sends 13-word warning to his Rangers players ahead of the transfer window

The manager has has sent a pretty clear message to his players…

Posts ByBen Goodwin Dec 1, 2025

If Rohl does bring him into the starting XI tonight, the onus will be on the 23-year-old summer signing to make an instant impact to show the manager that he deserves more minutes moving forward this term.

After three months and six matchdays featuring a whopping 108 games, this season's Champions League is finally getting interesting, as we now have a much better idea of which sides are on course to qualify directly for the last 16, who is likely to end up in the play-off round, and whether any top team is running the risk of falling at the first hurdle.

Arsenal remain on track to finish first after maintaining their 100 per cent record with a comfortable win in Bruges, while Bayern Munich got back to winning ways against Sporting CP, after suffering their first defeat of the season at the Emirates last time out, while Manchester City also bounced back from their shock loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen by piling more misery on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso at the Bernabeu.

Elsewhere, Barcelona came from behind to beat Eintracht Frankfurt, but defending champions Paris Saint-Germain were held by Athletic Club at San Mames and Chelsea were stunned by Atalanta in Bergamo, casting serious doubt on the Blues' title prospects. 

Of course, there are still an awful lot of games yet to play but, as it stands, which sides are looking like potential champions? And who is running the risk of suffering an embarrassingly early exit? GOAL ranks and rates all 36 participants in the 2025-26 Champions League below…

• AFP
  

  36Kairat Almaty ⬇️

  Despite the best efforts of Player-of-the-Match-winning goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov, Kairat were beaten 1-0 by Olympiacos on Tuesday, thus effectively ending what little chance the Kazakhstani side had left of making the play-offs.

  They're not mathematically out of the running just yet, but they're six points off 24th place and their goal difference is -11. All that Kairat’s players can do now is to try to pick up their first win when they host Club Brugge on matchday seven – and then do their best to enjoy the exercise in damage limitation that will be their trip to the Emirates on January 28.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  35Villarreal ⬇️

  It's just so hard to make sense of Villarreal. Marcelino's men are currently third in La Liga, having lost just two of their 15 games so far this season – and yet they've managed to pick up just one point in six Champions League outings. Villarreal twice came from behind in Wednesday's 3-2 defeat at home to Copenhagen, but their desperate need for a victory meant they took more risks than they normally would have in the closing stages and ended up conceding a 90th-minute winner to Andreas Cornelius.

  The Yellow Submarine could yet make it to seven points, but that won't be anywhere near enough for a play-off place, and it looks beyond them anyway, especially as they must travel to Leverkusen on matchday eight.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  34Slavia Prague ⬇️

  Jindrich Trpisovsky couldn't fault his players for effort in Tuesday's 3-0 loss at Tottenham, and felt that the final scoreline was not a fair reflection of the game.

  "We had some good chances and then we conceded two goals from penalties and an own goal," he pointed out. "But the speed of the game was incredible, so it's a good experience for our team – as it's different when you see it on TV!"

  Trpisovsky's troops are set for another eye-opener when they face Barcelona on matchday seven, but they could at least pick up their first win in the Champions League proper since 2007 when they play Pafos away in their final fixture, on January 28.

• AFP
  

  33Ajax ⬆️

  With just over 10 minutes to play in Baku, Ajax, the four-time champions of Europe, were 2-1 down to Qarabag and facing the most humiliating Champions League exit possible. However, two goals from Oscar Gloukh, either side of a sweet strike from Anton Gaaei, saw the Dutch outfit end a bitterly embarrassing run of five consecutive defeats in the league phase.

  Of course, Ajax's first win has likely come far too late to salvage their play-off hopes but, with games to come against fellow strugglers Villarreal and Olympiacos, the Eredivisie strugglers could at least finish what has been a trying campaign on a high.

Tottenham’s miserable form under Thomas Frank continues following a lacklustre 2-1 loss at home to Fulham on Saturday night, with the home side subjected to a chorus of boos at the full-time whistle.

Tottenham 1-2 Fulham as tepid Spurs form piles pressure on Frank

The visitors delivered a devastating early double blow to extend the North London club’s torrid run and raise fresh questions about Frank’s ability to arrest their alarming slide.

Fulham raced into a commanding two-goal advantage within the opening six minutes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, capitalizing ruthlessly on defensive frailties that continue plaguing Spurs despite their manager’s persistent tactical tinkering.

Kenny Tete opened the scoring after just four minutes when his speculative effort took a wicked deflection off Destiny Udogie’s leg, completely wrong-footing goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and nestling into the bottom corner. The Italian stopper, helpless against the deflection, barely had time to recover before Fulham doubled their advantage.

Harry Wilson compounded Tottenham’s defensive nightmare just two minutes later, capitalizing on catastrophic goalkeeping from Vicari

The Welshman caught Vicario in no man’s land with a long-range chip from distance, and given there were no defenders there to clear it off the line, the ball floated into a completely empty net.

Tottenham dominated possession throughout the opening period but created virtually nothing of substance, managing just two shots and accounting for a paltry 0.01 expected goals during the first half.

Frank introduced attacking reinforcements during the second half, withdrawing Joao Palhinha, Richarlison and Archie Gray for Wilson Odobert, Xavi Simons and Rodrigo Bentancur around the hour mark.

The changes provided brief encouragement when Mohammed Kudus lashed home a powerful half-volley in the 59th minute — his first at home in a Spurs shirt — which reduced the deficit and offered fleeting hope of a comeback.

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Spurs need more creativity.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 28, 2025

However, Fulham expertly managed the remaining half-hour, introducing Sasa Lukic and Emile Smith Rowe to shore up midfield and nullify Tottenham’s increasingly desperate attacking thrusts.

Despite introducing forwards Mathys Tel and additional creative players, Spurs lacked the quality and conviction required to salvage anything from another disappointing home performance.

The defeat represents Tottenham’s fourth loss in their last six matches across all competitions, following humiliating setbacks against Arsenal (4-1) and PSG (5-3) in the last week.

The pressure is now seriously on Frank, who is attracting real scrutiny as critics question whether he is really the right man for the Spurs job.

Jamie O'Hara loses it with Xavi Simons in Tottenham defeat to Fulham

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, pundit Jamie O’Hara picked out substitute Simons for criticism alongside Frank, despite the fact he only had half an hour to make an impact.

The former Spurs midfielder was livid with Simons following repeated failed flick attempts when the north Londoners were chasing the game at 2-1, with O’Hara expressing his outrage at the wasteful attacking play.

After his disasterclass in goal, keeper Vicario was also booed by supporters nearly every time he touched the ball, with the tension among fans now reaching breaking point as Spurs continue to underperform.

Simons, who could end up costing the club £125 million over a potential seven-year contract when you factor in wages, agent’s fees and add-ons, needs to find his feet in England soon or risk being seen as a major flop.

The Dutchman has scarcely been given a chance by Frank lately, but the fact he’s only been given a few minutes here and there should send a pretty clear message.

Simons was often bullied off the ball against Fulham and failed to make the desired impact, even despite all of his efforts to get into dangerous positions.

For Spurs, the home curse continues, and no other ever-present Premier League side boasts a worse record on their own turf than Tottenham in 2025.

Well, given the circumstances, that was an exceptional result for Chelsea.

Sure, Enzo Maresca’s side would have gone out there looking for a win, but considering Arsenal are the Premier League leaders, a point is not bad and has kept them within touching distance.

Moreover, when Moises Caicedo got himself sent off in the first half, it felt like only a matter of when, not if, the Gunners would take the lead.

There were sensational displays across the pitch for the hosts, including one monster that saved the Ecuadorian international from becoming the talking point.

Chelsea's standout stars

One of Chelsea’s best players this evening, and all season for that matter, was Robert Sanchez.

Chalkboard

The Spanish shot-stopper has come in for some harsh criticism over recent years, but against the Gunners, he was superb.

On top of his passing generally being on point and his collection of crosses being efficient, he also made several top-quality stops, like the one from Gabriel Martinelli’s shot in the first half.

Another hugely important player for the Blues was captain fantastic, Reece James.

The Englishman once again started the game in the middle of the park and was, in the words of presenter Olivia Buzaglo, “gargantuan.”

In his 94 minutes of action, he provided an assist, played two key passes, won 100% of his tackles, won 11 of 12 duels, didn’t get dribbled past at all, recovered the ball twice, and completed 100% of his dribbles.

It was just the sort of performance the team needed from their captain after Caicedo was sent off in the first half.

However, there was another starter who was just as vital to the win, and truly saved the Ecuadorian’s blushes.

The Chelsea player who saved Caicedo

Once Caicedo was sent off, there was an expectation that Arsenal would eventually wrestle control back from Chelsea and stamp their authority over proceedings.

However, the Blues clearly had other ideas.

Just three minutes into the second 45, James delivered an incredible corner into the Gunners’ penalty area, and Trevoh Chalobah rose to meet it and head it home.

It was a well-worked set-piece and a brilliant header that seemed to shock the visitors and gave the Stamford Bridge faithful something to cheer about and take their minds off the red card.

However, while that was the most memorable moment of his game, Chalobah did far more than just score, as he was superb at the back and showed some great on-the-ball skill, coming out from the back on multiple occasions.

He unsurprisingly made quite the impression on the watching press as well, with the Standard’s Dom Smith awarding him an 8/10 match rating at full-time.

The 26-year-old’s statistics more than justify such a rating as well.

Minutes

94′

Goals

1

Tackles (Won)

1 (1)

Clearances

6

Recoveries

4

Ground Duels (Won)

2 (1)

Aerial Duels (Won)

5 (4)

Dribbled Past

0

Touches

52

Shots

1

Fouls Won

1

In his 94 minutes of hard-fought action, the academy graduate won 100% of his tackles, made six clearances, recovered the ball four times, won five of seven duels, didn’t get dribbled past, took 52 touches and won one foul.

It was another performance from the Englishman that proves he’s more than just a stopgap until the club splashes the cash on a new defender.

Or, as Gary Cahill said in an interview that came out a few hours before the game, he is “the most underappreciated player at Chelsea.”

Ultimately, they might not have won, but Chelsea put in a sensational performance to claim a point against Arsenal, and alongside the likes of Sanchez and James, Chalobah saved Caicedo from becoming the talking point.

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ByAngus Sinclair Nov 29, 2025

Wasn’t that all a little inevitable? Time and again, this Manchester United side proceeds to fluff their lines, having failed to take advantage of the chance to move fifth in the Premier League following Thursday’s draw with West Ham United.

Much like a week ago in the dismal defeat to ten-man Everton, there was a real lack of energy and urgency about the hosts at Old Trafford this time around, with Ruben Amorim’s side merely letting the game drift for much of the first half.

Even after Diogo Dalot had nudged the home side ahead just before the hour mark, there was a distinct lack of a killer instinct, with Amorim’s raft of pragmatic changes ultimately backfiring in the closing stages.

Up against a team firmly in the relegation mix, the Red Devils – after failing to push for a second – were served up arguably what they deserved, with Soungouto Magassa poking home for his first goal for the Hammers to draw things level.

Despite two late attempts from skipper Bruno Fernandes, there was to be no stirring finale in front of the Stretford End, with the stop-start nature of United’s campaign showing no sign of ending.

Man Utd's worst performers vs West Ham

Two moments of quality aside in Sunday’s narrow win over Crystal Palace, it’s fair to say that it’s not been a good week for United’s captain, with Fernandes again rather erratic on Thursday evening.

He may, as usual, have been in the thick of the action with six total shots and five key passes registered, but the Portuguese notably regressed as the game progressed, squandering the ball meekly far too frequently.

Indeed, the 31-year-old lost the ball 22 times in all, as per Sofascore, while his delivery from wide areas was also unusually off the mark, having successfully completed just two of his eight attempted crosses.

The former Sporting CP star wasn’t alone in struggling on a difficult, turgid night for the hosts, however, with surprise inclusion Ayden Heaven hooked at the break, following a shaky first Premier League start of the season up against the experienced Callum Wilson.

Far more will have been expected of those operating at the opposite end of the pitch for United too, with the returning Matheus Cunha somewhat anonymous in his number ten berth, before being withdrawn late on, while Joshua Zirkzee failed to build on his weekend heroics after producing another limp showing through the middle.

Rounding off that trio was emerging talisman, Bryan Mbeumo, with the usually dynamic winger putting in arguably his worst performance for the club to date, following his £71m switch from Brentford.

Man Utd star produced his worst performance under Amorim

Right from the off, during the opening weekend defeat to Arsenal, Mbeumo has provided the spark in United’s attacking ranks, netting six times already across league and cup, including in key away performances against both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

Chalkboard

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

The Premier League’s Player of the Month for October has been riding high even amid a turbulent season for the club, although – with AFCON looming – his form appears to have stagnated, having failed to record a goal or assist in each of his last three outings.

That may be a case of a lack of service, although the Cameroonian was hardly able to create much for himself either on Thursday evening, registering just one key pass and attempting just two shots in all – albeit while forcing Alphonse Areola into a sprawling, clawing save early on.

Touches

52

48.8

Pass accuracy

78%

79%

Key passes

1

1.5

Successful crosses

0/1

1.5

Successful dribbles

1/1

0.8

Ground duels won

3/4

2.6

Aerial duels won

0/5

0.3

Possession lost

15

15.5

Sofascore rating

6.3

7.00

The 26-year-old, like many of his teammates, was particularly ineffective as the game developed, looking weary late on as he failed to make things stick after moving into a central role, following the withdrawal of both Cunha and Zirkzee.

Like Fernandes, the left-footer regularly squandered potential openings after losing the ball on 15 occasions from just 52 touches, while failing to win a single aerial duel up against a physical visiting backline.

Such has been his impact in recent months, Mbeumo has set a high bar and raised expectation levels regarding his performances, although this was certainly not him at his best.

Typically the outlet for United when the going gets tough, the one-time Troyes man appeared to go missing late on, looking leggy and lethargic as Amorim’s men allowed the visitors back into the game.

With just over a week to go until the £150k-per-week star is set to head to international duty, Amorim needs him to find his best level again.

Let’s face it, while Mbeumo may have looked distinctly off it last night, even on his worst day, he still appears United’s biggest attacking threat.

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Gabriel Agbonlahor has criticised Thomas Frank and a Tottenham Hotspur star in the wake of the 2-1 defeat against Fulham on Saturday afternoon.

Frank under major pressure after Fulham defeat

Spurs remain without a Premier League win on home soil since defeating Burnley 3-0 on the opening day of the season, following the 2-1 loss against the Cottagers at the weekend, which saw Frank’s fall down to 12th place, having now lost as many games as they’ve won.

The Dane is under major pressure after the latest setback, with it being revealed that former Barcelona manager Xavi is now under serious consideration as a replacement, and a move could be made if there is not an improvement in results by the end of this month.

Thomas Frank’s Tottenham record
Games	21
Wins	8
Draws	5
Losses	8
Points per game	1.38

That said, some of the blame has to lie with the players, according to Agbonlahor, who recently said live on talkSPORT that Frank’s men need to start stepping up to the plate, and the pundit was particularly unimpressed with the start Xavi Simons has made to life in north London.

The former Aston Villa striker said: “A lot’s got to change, Jeff. Players have got to start turning up. Xavi Simons has got to come to the table and start performing.

“You never know what Spurs’ starting team is going to be. Looks very confused doesn’t he? Sometimes it’s five-at-the-back, then it looks like it’s a diamond, then now it’s Bergvall off the left.”

Simons needs to step up sooner rather than later

Of course, any player in their debut Premier League season should be given time to adapt, but Simons needs to start showing signs of improvement very soon, given that he is yet to score for Tottenham, and has registered just two assists in 15 matches in all competitions.

The Dutchman was benched against Fulham, but didn’t make much of an impact after replacing Richarlison on the hour mark, failing to register a single key pass or create a big chance.

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Some Spurs players are also already starting to have doubts about Frank, as they believe the 52-year-old makes too many changes to his attack and focuses on the opposition too much, and the manager will need to start improving results quickly before he loses the dressing room entirely.

It is still early days for the former Brentford boss, but things certainly haven’t worked out so far, with £52m summer signing Simons flattering to deceive, and things don’t get any easier, with Spurs set to travel to St. James’ Park to take on an in-form Newcastle United side on Tuesday night.