Following a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Genk in the Europa League, Fabrizio Romano has shared what he’s now heard from Glasgow Rangers on the future of Ibrox boss Russell Martin.

Martin calls for "perspective" after Rangers defeat

Last weekend’s victory over Hibernian handed Martin hope, but just that. His side were returned to the reality of their situation in brutal fashion as former Celtic striker Oh Hyeon-gyu raced in behind before firing home Genk’s winning goal at Ibrox in midweek. Down to 10 men and beaten, it was yet another evening to forget for the Gers.

Martin was once again forced to come out in defence of his side and his tenure at the club, calling for “perspective” after Mohamed Diomande’s red card left Genk with a man advantage.

Truth be told, after just four wins in 14 games, it may be too late for anyone to hand the former Southampton boss the benefit of the doubt. There’s been more than one example of such a performance taking place when Rangers have kept all 11 players on the pitch.

Just where the Gers go from here is the big question. Reports before the Hibs victory last week mentioned the likes of Steven Gerrard and Davide Ancelotti as candidates to replace Martin, only for other headlines to suggest that he still has the full backing of the 49ers.

"Whether you like it or not" – Martin demands "perspective" after Rangers defeat

It was another night to forget.

ByTom Cunningham Sep 26, 2025

Now, after yet another defeat, Romano has provided an update about what he’s hearing from Ibrox on Martin’s future.

Romano provides Russell Martin sack update

According to Romano, Martin’s position at Rangers is now being assessed and those above the manager are contemplating whether to bring his Ibrox spell to an end. The reporter told GiveMeSport:

With that said, another defeat at Livingston this weekend may well make Martin’s position simply untenable and force the 49ers into another managerial search so soon after hiring the 39-year-old.

Having his say on the matter, Rangers legend Ally McCoist told TNT Sport: “I just felt, coming into the stadium tonight, it kind of blew me away. It was nothing like a normal atmosphere of any game, never mind a European game, here at Ibrox.

“There was an apathy, there was no life about the place actually on or off the pitch, which is really, really concerning. Listen, the manager’s in trouble, the manager’s in big trouble because something has to change, and something has to change dramatically.”

The clock is certainly ticking on Martin’s tenure. Some are even suggesting that time is up, but the ball remains in the 49ers’ court as they continue to deliberate their options.

Shreyas Iyer and Virat Kohli failed with the bat on Friday, spoiling their chances of moving up the Orange Cap table

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Apr-20252:43

Will RCB’s home form hurt their playoff chances?

Purple Cap leaderboardRCB have now lost all their three games at home this season but Josh Hazlewood did his best to change the trend against PBKS, picking up 3 for 14 in what was a low-scoring, 14-overs-a-side contest.With that, he has gone past Kuldeep Yadav of Delhi Capitals (DC), Hardik Pandya of Mumbai Indians (MI), Khaleel Ahmed of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Shardul Thakur of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), who all have 11 wickets, as well as the big line-up of bowlers with ten wickets to their names: Prasidh Krishna, R Sai Kishore and Mohammed Siraj of Gujarat Titans (GT), Varun Chakravarthy and Harshit Rana of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Mitchell Starc of DC, while PBKS’ Arshdeep Singh, after his 2 for 23 against RCB, is also on ten wickets now.Hazlewood now has 12 wickets. The same as table-topper Noor Ahmad of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who has led the pack since the second day of IPL 2025 when he picked up 4 for 18 against MI. But, while both of them have played seven games each, Noor has an economy rate of 7.12, while Hazlewood’s stands at 8.17, deciding their order on the table.Orange Cap leaderboardNicholas Pooran (LSG) is No. 1, B Sai Sudharsan (GT) is No. 2, and Mitchell Marsh (LSG) is No. 3, as has been the case for a while now. Below them is Suryakumar Yadav (MI) in fourth.Shreyas Iyer, the PBKS captain, had a chance to move past Suryakumar to No. 4, or even to No. 3 edging Marsh, but his 7 in ten balls against RCB kept him in fifth place. Virat Kohli also had a similar opportunity, but scored just 1 in that game, and is still in sixth place.Highest batting strike ratesBest bowling economy ratesMost sixesBest bowling figures in a match

Leeds United would have traveled to Molineux on Saturday hoping to kick Vitor Pereira’s Wolverhampton Wanderers when they’re down.

After all, the hosts had lost every Premier League game they had competed in before Daniel Farke’s men came to town. That misery continued against the Whites, as the often goal-shy visitors managed to collect a convincing 3-1 win on their travels.

Both Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin would break their ducks in the forward areas, with Calvert-Lewin’s bullet header proving to be vital in turning around a contest that saw Wolves take an early lead.

On top of both the Swiss international and the ex-Everton marksman combining to devastating effect, the midfield ranks also stood out throughout, with Farke now hopeful he has Leeds’ next Kalvin Phillips at his disposal, having had a whole host of midfield talents come and go during his up-and-down stint in the Elland Road dug-out.

Leeds' best midfielders since Phillips left

Farke would never have the privilege of working alongside the beloved former Whites midfielder, with the Yorkshire-born favourite already deep into his poor playing days at Manchester City when the German took on the managerial reins.

Still, since taking on the esteemed job post, Farke has come face-to-face with some top talents in the middle of the park, with Archie Gray shining on occasion centrally under the ex-Norwich City manager’s wing, when he wasn’t being drafted into the lineup as a makeshift full-back.

Unfortunately, while Gray, who mainly played at right-back, was solid and composed, he just didn’t offer the same goal and assist threat as Phillips before him, with Glen Kamara, the same season the 19-year-old had his breakthrough moment, also providing a steady, if unflashy, presence in the midfield department.

As per Opta, Kamara would average a stunning 93.4% pass accuracy across the full second-tier season, but again, the goals and assists weren’t there.

Thankfully, new recruit last season in Ao Tanaka managed to combine both goals and calm play on the ball to be an instant success story, with Farke even going as far as to laud the Japanese international as “unbelievable” for what he can provide.

Yet, Leeds might well have an even brighter talent now that rivals Tanaka’s burst onto the scene, with Farke possessing the next coming of Phillips subsequently.

The Leeds player who is the new Kalvin Phillips

While Phillips did routinely compete in the second tier during his celebrated Leeds stay, the former England international really did make a name for himself at his boyhood club at the very top of the English game.

Therefore, a second coming of Phillips will also have to look assured and lively in the Premier League, with Anton Stach definitely passing that test against Wolves last time out.

Indeed, with the game finely poised at 1-1 after Calvert-Lewin’s equaliser, Stach would hammer home this outrageous free-kick to hand Farke and Co. the slim 2-1 lead.

Amazingly, that effort, sailing past Jose Sa, was the first time a Leeds player had scored their first-ever Premier League goal via a direct free kick since Phillips pulled off the ridiculous same feat back in 2021.

Stach’s PL numbers (25/26) vs Phillips’ debut PL season (20/21)

Stat – per 90 mins*

Stach

Phillips

Games played

5

29

Goals scored

1

1

Assists

1

2

Touches*

56.0

65.0

Accurate passes*

29.6 (77%)

41.0 (85%)

Tackles*

2.0

2.6

Clearances*

2.6

1.7

Total duels won*

5.8

5.3

Stats by Sofascore

The table above further suggests that Stach has even more common in his overall play with that of the 29-year-old during his peak years at Elland Road, away from just comparing audacious free-kick goals.

Overall, Stach is a tenacious and tireless midfield talent, away from firing home sweet strikes like the one at Molineux, with a high 5.8 duels won on average so far this season, even bettering Phillips’ 5.3 average during his debut standout season in the Premier League.

The hope will be that the German goes down as being as beloved as Phillips, as Leeds make instant survival look easy, with the 26-year-old often flying under the radar in his native country as an “underrated” gem, as he was once labelled by journalist Bence Bocsak.

Now, away from lining up for Hoffenheim, the brand new Whites number 18 on English soil might find he grows more and more into a Phillips-level player, as Leeds commend their transfer business in landing the well-rounded battler for just £17.4m.

Related Not Okafor or Stach: Farke's 9/10 hero looked like "Leeds' best player"

This Leeds United star outshone both Noah Okafor and Anton Stach at Molineux.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Sep 21, 2025

Senior executives at Manchester United are convinced that the squad is behind embattled head coach Ruben Amorim. CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox have held informal discussions with members of the senior leadership team, including Bruno Fernandes. Those conversations have left the hierarchy at Old Trafford convinced there is genuine support for Amorim.

Man Utd players and execs discuss Amorim's future

reports that Berrada and Wilcox were not explicitly trying to "sound out" the players on Amorim's future, but feedback on the former Sporting boss and the atmosphere in the dressing room was positive. 

Berrada and Wilcox, both of whom were appointed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe after the businessman became a minority shareholder of the club in February 2024, have been tasked with taking a hands-on approach in understanding the current mood around the club. Both execs are based at the club's Carrington training facility. The compound has undergone a £50m makeover this year, which has facilitated more interactions between the club's execs and the players in and around the newly-designed group areas.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMount and De Ligt express public support for Amorim

This new report backs up the public utterances of senior players. After the Red Devils' 2-0 win over Sunderland at Old Trafford on Saturday, Mason Mount he and his team-mates are giving Amorim their full support.

"We're 100% behind the gaffer," Mount said. "We've had some difficult results that hurt us, have been painful for the team, the staff and the fans, but it was important to win.

"It needs to be [the start of a winning streak] – we thought after Chelsea it would be the start of something, and then we go to Brentford and have a disappointing result.

"It starts [with the win over Sunderland], and we'll be working hard over the break. We want to get back-to-back wins, then three in a row and push on for the top four."

Matthjis de Ligt showed that even after a defeat, the players are unwilling to lay the blame solely at their boss's door. The Dutchman refused to blame Amorim's maligned 3-4-2-1 formation for their 3-1 defeat away to Brentford in September. 

"Of course, I mean it's always easy to look to the manager, but in the end the players on the pitch have to do it," said De Ligt. "We can't say the goals we conceded, or the chances we conceded, are because of what… I don't know, you guys always talk about the system. That also has a lot to do with focus, concentration, and, if that's lacking in key moments, it's going to make a difference."

Amorim appreciative of player support as outside criticism continues

Amorim will be grateful for the public and private displays of loyalty from his players, as the outside criticism of his tenure continues at pace. Not only has he had to deal with comments from prominent United legends such as Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney, he has also been negatively compared to flailing Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch by LBC host Nick Ferrari.

Specifically replying to Mount's comments after the Sunderland win, Amorim showed his appreciation for his players' continued efforts, while also suggesting they still have plenty to improve upon.

"I know they want to do the best, and I know they don't want to change the coach all the time," Amorim said.

"We need to show with actions. Sometimes, when we look at our team, I know for sure that when we see the games, in the end, they know sometimes we can do better. I feel [the support] during the week, but we need to show it on the pitch."

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Getty Images SportCan Amorim convert players' support into success?

The positive noises coming out of Carrington will be of scant comfort to United fans if it does not start translating into consistency on the pitch, and points in the league table. United return from the international break with a massive fixture against Liverpool. Given their arch rival's recent defeats, Amorim and his players might just fancy their chances in taking all three points at Anfield on October 19.

Prolific county seamer could be in contention for Zimbabwe Test next month as selectors expand pace stocks

Vithushan Ehantharajah17-Apr-20251:05

Should we expect to see Sam Cook in England’s Test squad?

Sam Cook’s wait for a Test debut could be coming to an end. The seamer has been rested for Essex’s upcoming County Championship clash at home to Worcestershire, with a view to playing in England’s opening Test this summer against Zimbabwe next month.Cook boasts 318 first-class wickets at an average of 19.77, and has long been on England’s radar without ever earning a cap. That now looks set to change with Essex collaborating with England to manage the 27-year old’s workloads ahead of the one-off fixture with Zimbabwe, which begins on May 22 at Trent Bridge.It was at the same venue last week that Cook took five wickets in a draw with Nottinghamshire, including 4 for 44 in the first innings, with men’s managing director Rob Key in attendance. Though it may seem overly cautious to rest Cook after just two rounds of the Essex’s Division One campaign, he has already bowled 75 overs across four innings, taking his seven wickets at 28.42. His domestic tally for the club is now 301 dismissals at 18.30.The right-armer came close to debuting last summer, only for a hamstring injury to rule him out of contention for the three-match Test series against West Indies. Now, injuries to others provide a clearer route into the squad, both for Zimbabwe and the five-Test series against India, although he could yet be vying for a spot with the 22-year-old fast bowler Sonny Baker, who was handed a development contract in February, and has been rested by the ECB for Hampshire’s home match against Somerset this week.Mark Wood and Olly Stone are ruled out until the end of July, while there remains uncertainty over Brydon Carse’s recovery from a toe issue. Chris Woakes is also dealing with an ankle issue. Dillon Pennington, the Nottinghamshire seamer who featured in England’s Test squads last summer, is also out of action for the time being with a side strain.Surrey’s Gus Atkinson is in line for his first appearance of the season this week, with Josh Tongue returning for Nottinghamshire after resting for the second round. The squad for the opening Test will be selected in the next two weeks, and no players will be called back early from the IPL.Despite Cook’s injury at the end of last May against Kent, he finished the 2024 season with 43 wickets at 17.30. And he restated his case over the winter on an England Lions tour of Australia, taking 13 wickets including 3 for 58 in the unofficial Test against Australia A.Sam Cook has been an outstanding performer for Essex since 2017, but hasn’t yet broken into the England Test team•Getty Images

His presence alone on that trip impressed selectors, having spurned Lions commitments the previous winter to focus on honing his white-ball skills at the Abu Dhabi T10 and SA20. This time, his priorities flipped.”I give him a lot of credit – he gave up going to franchise cricket to prove his point in the Lions,” England selector Luke Wright said on the latest Sky Cricket podcast. “It’s great when we get the players that want to do that, because we get a lot of guys that turn us down for franchise cricket. So, when you get players like him who get away from just the money side of it and prove their point, that’s exactly what you want as a selector.”Despite not being on the ECB’s central contract list, Cook has had regular conversations with the management, particularly as to where he sits in their bowling stocks. The recent onus on bolstering the battery of quicks has seen Atkinson, Josh Hull and Carse handed debuts since the start of last summer, while Baker’s development contract was earned through his exploits on that same Lions tour.However, the desire for a balanced attack means Cook’s skills have him in a separate queue, vying with Woakes and Matthew Potts for the “mid-to-low” 80mph seamer slot, following James Anderson’s retirement.Ahead of the Ashes, Cook’s recent work in Australia highlighted his red-ball skills, transferring them from the regular Dukes ball to the newly designed Kookaburra with a more prominent wide seam. He showcased as much last season when taking 23 wickets with the latter across four rounds of the County Championship.”We have never not thought about Sam Cook,” Wright said. “Over the last couple of years, I’ve spoken to Sam Cook a lot. Each time we picked someone else out of County Cricket, you know, we picked the phone up to Sam Cook to sort of explain why.”It was explaining to Cooky that you’re competing with the likes of Woakes or Potts and those guys you want in a varied attack. They’re certainly those guys that are bowling with high skill, not necessarily 85-plus, but they’ve still got a definite part to play in a bowling attack. And people like Sam, Woakesy are going to be massive going into Australia.”Though Essex will miss Cook, even with Sri Lankan quick Kasun Rajitha recruited for their next five matches, they should benefit in the long term from England’s vested interest in their premier seamer. Cook’s contract with the club is set to expire at the end of the summer, and concrete international recognition will likely prevent him joining the litany of bowlers who have recently moved to Test match venues in a bid to further their England causes.

Manchester City find themselves in a mini-rut after two successive defeats, though could be about to announce a statement signing ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline.

Manchester City suffer problematic defeat at Brighton

Despite being billed as one of the Premier League title favourites, Manchester City have lost back-to-back Premier League matches after falling to a 2-1 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Erling Haaland opened the scoring and looked set to send the Citizens on their way to a victory, though a penalty from James Milner and Brajan Gruda’s late strike left Pep Guardiola with much to ponder after a disappointing collapse on the South Coast.

Speaking after the loss, Manchester City star Rodri admitted his side ‘are not at the level’ that they should be and urged newcomers to step up quickly if they have designs on fighting for major silverware.

He told Sky Sports: “Disappointed because we are Manchester City and we come here to win, but this is the reality. We are not at the level for a long, long time.”

“We are missing the level. It is a matter of the team and the changes. New players have to adapt, and of course, when you change the team that much, it is difficult. This is our reality, it is not for excuses and we have to see that this is not the way to achieve things.”

Man City plan to submit record £130m offer to sign Ballon d'Or nominee

The Citizens are ready to break the bank.

BySean Markus Clifford Aug 29, 2025

Undoubtedly, the lack of cohesiveness between Manchester City’s defence and goalkeeper James Trafford is one factor behind their shaky nature. £27 million was forked out on the stopper who joined from Burnley, while fan favourite Ederson looks set to depart before the window closes.

Needing a replacement with the wherewithal to become a rock behind Guardiola’s backline, Manchester City could now have found their man with time ticking before tonight’s deadline.

Manchester City set to sign Gianluigi Donnarumma

After weeks of speculation, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed on X that Manchester City are set to seal a deal to sign Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Ederson has agreed to join Fenerbahce, the renowned journalist added in his description, and the former AC Milan stopper is set for a medical this afternoon before an official announcement.

Weeks after Pep doubled down on Ederson’s importance to Manchester City, Donnarumma looks set to replace the Citizens’ legend between the sticks, though he hasn’t exactly had a simple journey of his own to get to this point.

Speaking about his situation at Paris Saint-Germain, for whom he kept 17 clean sheets in 47 appearances across all competitions last term, he admitted that he has been somewhat forced out at the Parc des Princes after protracted negotiations to extend his £212,000-a-week deal fell through.

Either way, that all appears to be water under the bridge and Manchester City will land an apt replacement for Ederson who will make a major difference between the sticks.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Atlético-MG venceu o Bahia por 1 a 0, na manhã deste domingo (13), com gol de Paulinho, no Mineirão, pela última rodada do primeiro turno do Brasileirão. Resultado dá fôlego ao trabalho de Felipão e pode fazer o Tricolor de Aço terminar rodada na zona de rebaixamento.

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+Atlético-MG vence o Bahia pelo Brasileirão e Felipão respira; veja o resultado

Felipão saiu em defesa de Paulinho após o atacante assumir responsabilidade da eliminação contra o Palmeiras.

– Quem fez o gol? Foi o Paulinho. Não está afetando. Quem fez o gol contra o Flamengo? Paulinho. Se ele faz dois, três gols, em quatro, sete jogos, ele tem que errar uma ou duas oportunidades, porque senão seria o maior jogador do mundo.

O gol de Paulinho saiu no início do segundo tempo. Depois de boa triangulação com Igor Gomes e Hulk, o campeão olímpico ficou de frente com Marcos Felipe para fazer o único gol da partida.

Quem chegava com mais frequência era o Bahia, mas quem levava mais perigo era o Atlético. A primeira boa chance do Tricolor foi uma finalização de fora da área de Ademir. Éverson encaixou sem muitos problemas. Thaciano também raspou a trave após finalizar depois de um rebote na área. Do lado do Galo, além do gol de Paulinho, no final do primeiro tempo, Hulk chegou com perigo na área. Embolado com Kanu, o atacante tentou cavar um pênalti, mas Sávio Pereira Sampaio não marcou nada.

O jogo foi bastante movimentado. Ao todo, foram 25 finalizações. Uma grande partida para os dois goleiros. Éverson, inclusive, comemorando data especial, 200 jogos pelo Galo.

+Galo: Éverson completa 200 jogos hoje contra o Bahia

Data especial no dia de hoje também por conta do dia dos pais. Na saída do gramado, Paulinho ressaltou a importância do pai na sua vida e na sua carreira.

– Na verdade hoje, um dia muito especial, feliz de poder comemorar esse dia dos pais com uma vitória seria importante depois de uma eliminação. Às vezes, a gente não faz um bom jogo, e ali dentro a gente tem que se cobrar e conversar, e foi isso que aconteceu no vestiário.

Partida de hoje pode ficar marcada também como uma das despedidas do Atlético no Mineirão. Diretoria já tenta liberação da Arena MRV para o próximo jogo do Brasileirão, contra o Santos, no dia 27.

O próximo jogo do Atlético-MG é contra o Vasco, no domingo (20), às 11h (de Brasília) em São Januário. O Bahia enfrenta o Red Bull Bragantino, no mesmo dia, às 16h, na Fonte Nova.

Everton’s summer has been one of transition and intrigue.

After narrowly avoiding relegation in recent seasons, the Toffees entered the new season determined to rebuild both their squad and their reputation.

Their start has been encouraging: an opening-day 1-0 defeat at Elland Road was quickly forgotten with back-to-back victories, including a 2-0 win over Brighton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium and a thrilling 3-2 triumph away at Molineux.

The summer transfer window also saw several key departures. Veteran Ashley Young, midfield enforcer Abdoulaye Doucouré and striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin all moved on.

In their place came a blend of youth and proven Premier League pedigree.

Thierno Barry arrived from Villarreal, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Chelsea, and Tyler Dibling from Southampton.

But the headline addition was Jack Grealish – a marquee arrival from Manchester City, brought in to reignite his career after two difficult years.

Jack Grealish's revival on Merseyside

Grealish has experienced the highs and lows of modern football.

Once valued at £100m, his stock has since fallen to €28m (£24m), as per Transfermarkt, after a spell at Manchester City where injuries and competition for places limited his impact.

Across 190 Premier League appearances, the 29-year-old has scored 27 goals – but his last two seasons were disrupted by hip and groin issues, causing him to miss 17 games.

Last term, Grealish managed just 721 league minutes, contributing one goal and one assist.

For a player who was integral to City’s treble-winning 2022/23 season – when he averaged 6.27 progressive carries per 90, 4.39 progressive passes per 90, and 4.55 shot-creating actions per 90 – the drop-off is remarkable.

His ability to progress play, carry the ball into the final third, and dictate tempo in wide areas made him invaluable to Pep Guardiola’s system, yet form and fitness deserted him at a crucial stage.

That backdrop made his switch to Everton this summer all the more intriguing.

Grealish himself admitted that a conversation with David Moyes convinced him instantly that Merseyside was the right move.

And early signs suggest he may be rediscovering his best level.

Four assists in his first three matches – two against Brighton and two against Wolves – have already justified his arrival.

If he maintains that output, Grealish will surely force his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad ahead of the World Cup.

The competition is fierce, with Cole Palmer and Jude Bellingham both operating centrally, but Grealish’s unique ability to dictate tempo and unlock defences remains valuable.

For Everton, he is a player with experience of winning at the highest level who can inspire those around him. Ring any bells?

James Rodríguez – the original Grealish

For Everton fans, the arrival of Jack Grealish may feel strangely familiar.

Just five years ago, the club unveiled James Rodríguez in a signing that carried similar weight and intrigue.

Once of Real Madrid, Rodríguez arrived on a free transfer in 2020, reuniting with Carlo Ancelotti and bringing global star power to Goodison Park.

The Colombian – in need of a fresh start in his career, just like Grealish – started spectacularly.

Everton won their first four fixtures of the 2020/21 campaign, and Rodríguez contributed goal contributions with the flair that had once lit up the World Cup. Indeed, he scored three goals and registered three assists in his first six Premier League games.

James Rodriguez – 2020/21
Matches Played	23
Goals	6
Assists	4
Progressive Carries	36
Progressive Passes	133
Shot Creating Actions	19.6
Source: FBref

“A creative genius,” Statman Dave labelled him at the time. His vision, passing range, and ability to drift into pockets of space made Everton briefly one of the most exciting sides in the league.

Yet injuries and inconsistency took their toll.

Rodríguez never truly settled in the Premier League after that bright beginning, struggling with the physical demands and Everton’s broader decline.

By 2021 – and with Rafa Benitez now at the helm – he had departed for Al-Rayyan in Qatar, a move that seemed to draw a line under his time in Europe’s top five leagues.

Now 34, Rodríguez plays for Club León in Mexico.

For Everton supporters, the memory of his dazzling early performances serves as a reminder of what might have been, and what could still be for their latest signing.

Comparisons with Grealish are inevitable. Both were marquee signings made to shift perception, both arrived carrying immense expectations, and both offered creativity Everton badly lacked.

Rodríguez’s initial burst of goals and assists mirrors Grealish’s early impact this season.

However, it remains to be seen whether the England international can sustain his form, avoid injury, and provide long-term value is the true test.

Where Rodríguez drifted, Grealish now has a chance to write a different story.

By anchoring himself in a side desperate for a new talisman, he could achieve what Rodríguez could not: lasting influence at Everton.

Everton have a "match-winner" who's Moyes' new Pienaar & it's not Grealish

David Moyes could have this next Steven Pienaar now at Everton in this fantastic £22m star.

By
Kelan Sarson

Sep 5, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Após folga neste último domingo, o elenco do Palmeiras se reapresentou nesta segunda-feira (11), na Academia de Futebol para iniciar a preparação para o duelo diante do Goiás.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Com um compromisso em um dia inusitado desta semana, Abel Ferreira terá quatro dias de trabalho antes de pegar o Esmeraldino na ‘balada’ de sexta-feira no Allianz Parque.

Luís Guilherme e Atuesta fizeram trabalhos separados dos demais e seguem o cronograma de transição física para retornarem aos gramados em breve.

continua após a publicidade

Abel só deve contar com Gustavo Gómez, Richard Rios, Piquerez e Raphael Veiga na atividade de quinta-feira, quando o quarteto retorna das eliminatórias.

A presença dos quatro no jogo diante do Goiás ainda é incerta.

+ Artur enfrenta maior jejum de gols desde que retornou ao Palmeiras; veja números

O Palmeiras treina novamente nesta terça-feira (12), a partir das 10h (horário de Brasília) na Academia de Futebol.

West Ham boss Nuno Espírito Santo oversaw a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Everton during his debut game in the Hammers dugout, and he’s now being told that there’s another world-class player in his new squad to rival Jarrod Bowen.

West Ham set for change under new boss Nuno Espírito Santo

Chairman David Sullivan followed the advice of fellow boardroom member Karren Brady, who was a big supporter of Nuno, and appointed the Portuguese on a three-year contract immediately after sacking Graham Potter last Saturday.

Potter was a popular figure among senior members of the West Ham squad and had significant backing behind-the-scenes, according to credible reports.

However, a string of poor results, not to mention the club’s second-worst win percentage of the Premier League era behind Avram Grant, forced Sullivan and co to pull the trigger.

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

Nuno wasted no time stepping into Potter’s shoes, with Tottenham’s former boss overseeing first-team training at Rush Green the very same day that Potter was sacked, as he prepared his team for a looming trip to Merseyside.

The tactician noticeably omitted midfielder James Ward-Prowse from his first ever West Ham matchday squad – a player he didn’t fancy at Nottingham Forest either – and it’s since been reported that the 30-year-old is resigned to leaving in January (GiveMeSport).

Ward-Prowse has already been told that he has no future at West Ham under Nuno, with the ex-Al-Ittihad coach wasting no time in stamping his authority on the team amid reports that Sullivan is also ready to back him in January.

There are suggestions that West Ham are prepared to bid up to £43m for AC Milan star Christian Pulisic, though it is highly debatable that the USA international would leave a potential Serie A title challenge midway through the campaign.

In any case, the squad is going to look slightly different under West Ham’s new manager.

That being said, alongside the obviously undroppable Bowen, summer signing El Hadji Malick Diouf is already making quite an impression.

West Ham told El Hadji Malick Diouf might be the best left-back in the world

The 20-year-old, who joined West Ham in July for around £19 million from Slavia Prague, is already looking like an absolute bargain.

Malick Diouf’s marauding pace down the left-hand side has already wreaked havoc at times, with the Senegal international bursting past two Everton players before putting in a delightful cross in the build up to Bowen’s equaliser at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday.

The defender undoubtedly sent a message to Nuno with that moment of sheer quality, and members of the media are convinced that he could be something special.

YouTuber and football content creator ‘CaniSports’ told West Ham they might have the best left-back in world football, while Sky presenter Joe Thomlinson has already called Diouf “one of the finds of the season”.

Elsewhere, presenter Jamie Boyce branded the African a “special” player amidst a tongue-in-cheek verdict that Diouf could be one of the best players to ever wear Claret and Blue.

Meanwhile, journalist Muhammad Butt has already called Diouf “massively superior” to Man United’s Patrick Dorgu, hailing West Ham’s often criticised recruitment team in the process.

It is still very early days, and a lot of these verdicts may be deemed excitable to say the least.

However, what is clear is that Diouf has stood far above West Ham’s newest recruits so far, and Nuno will be hoping that is set to continue.