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Everton have joined the race to sign a want-away England international in January, according to reports, but face competition from the likes of Manchester United.

Grealish admits "love" for Moyes & Everton

The general rule is that fans should never fall in love with a loan player, but what if a loanee falls in love with them? For Jack Grealish and Everton, the admiration is going both ways and the Manchester City man couldn’t help but heap praise on David Moyes and onwatching fans after scoring the winning goal against Bournemouth on Tuesday night.

Speaking to reporters, Grealish said: “It is a brilliant team and I love the manager to pieces. I have only known him a few months and I can’t speak highly enough of him as a person. How he makes me feel, how he makes me want to play for him – credit to him. We are doing well.

“I am so lucky that I have had such great clubs and great fanbases, this is another one of them. They have been so good to me today. They were singing my name before the goal, I feel like they wanted a bit more from me and I gave it to them!”

There was plenty of cautious optimism when Everton signed the England international on loan in the summer. He was struggling under Pep Guardiola, but a move away and much-needed minutes always seemed likely to spark his love for the game back into action.

It’s been such a successful deal that The Friedkin Group could look to strike a similar transfer in January. Reports have already linked Everton with moves for struggling stars like Joshua Zirkzee and they’ve now even set their sights on welcoming Conor Gallagher back to the Premier League.

Everton join Conor Gallagher race

According to reports in Spain, Everton are now racing to sign Gallagher alongside Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and, of course, Man United.

The England international has struggled for consistent game time as of late, starting just three La Liga games so far this season – and is now ready for a return to the Premier League in an attempt to secure his World Cup place.

Man United’s interest has been well-documented in recent weeks, but Everton could yet spoil their January plans by swooping in. Whether it’s the Red Devils or the Toffees, however, deal is unlikely to come cheap. Atletico are reportedly demanding around €60m (£53m) to sell their midfielder this winter.

Everton could sign "one of the best left-backs in the world" for just £25m

The Toffees could look to re-sign one of their former players and have several formulas ready to acquire him.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 30, 2025

Despite his current struggles, Gallagher often received praise during his time in England, with Chelsea legend Petr Cech telling reporters in 2024: “He’s one of the players that’s always cared about winning and about the club.

“You find that even young players can have special abilities to be a leader. Conor is one of those players – he’s always worked hard, he’s always cared and he always tries his best.”

Having seen the success of Grealish at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Gallagher could yet follow suit to hand Moyes an impressive addition in January.

Everton eyeing up move to sign former Liverpool star who's been "fantastic"

Shohei Ohtani is like the wild card in the card game Uno in that his play can often dictate how the Dodgers—and entire series as a whole—will fare. As National League Championship Series MVP, Ohtani's two-way prowess was on full display during the Dodgers' Game 4 victory, in which he belted three home runs as a hitter and struck out 10 batters over six scoreless innings as a pitcher. Ohtani has continued to amaze in the World Series against the Blue Jays, and he is set to take center stage once again in Game 7 on Saturday night.

The Dodgers earlier Saturday announced that Ohtani will start Game 7 against the Blue Jays, meaning he will also reprise his role as the club's designated hitter.

But, keeping the so-called Ohtani Rule in mind, there are a multitude of other ways Los Angeles could utilize Ohtani. First, let's dive into the rulebook.

What is the "Ohtani Rule?"

While the rule technically isn't named after Ohtani, it has become associated with him given that he's the only player—so far—that the rule largely applies to. Beginning in 2022, the MLB introduced a rule that coincided with the implementation of the designated hitter full time in the National League.

The rule states that if the starting pitcher is also in the lineup as the DH, he can remain as the DH even if he is removed as the pitcher. In the past, if the starting pitcher was also in the lineup, the DH was forfeited and a relief pitcher occupied his spot in the lineup. In starting Ohtani in Game 7, the Dodgers will be making use of the Ohtani Rule as they have for much of the regular season and postseason.

But there are other ways, within the rules, that Los Angeles could use the two-way star.

How could the "Ohtani Rule" affect Game 7?Ohtani starts the game, leaves for a reliever and remains the DH, then returns to close the game

Ohtani entering the game in relief would have been a possibility even if he wasn't named Saturday's starter. Amazingly, it's still a possibility that he could be the game's starting pitcher and come into the game later on as a relief pitcher.

Here's how.

Ohtani could start, be removed from the game in favor of a Dodgers reliever, and remain the team's designated hitter as he always does per the "Ohtani Rule." Here‘s where the twist comes into play. If the Dodgers are clinging to a ninth-inning lead and require his services once more, Ohtani could then re-enter the game as a relief pitcher, but the Dodgers would forfeit the DH spot. Just imagine the peak theater that Ohtani re-entering Game 7 of the World Series as a closer would be. However, this also means that if the game were to continue beyond the ninth inning, a pitcher or pinch hitter would be required to bat in the Dodgers' lineup and Ohtani would not be able to hit again unless…

Ohtani starts the game, leaves for a reliever and remains the DH, then returns to close the game, then becomes an outfielder

This would be the work-around to losing Ohtani's bat after his relief appearance, should the game play out that way. We saw the Dodgers and Blue Jays play an 18-inning contest in Game 3, so another extra innings affair can't be ruled out. Should that happen, Ohtani, after exiting as a reliever, could remain in the lineup as an outfielder. It's a position that Ohtani played in the Nippon Professional Baseball league in Japan, appearing in 62 games for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. However, he has not played the outfield since 2021, when he made six appearances for the Angels. It would be pretty amazing to see Ohtani be a starting pitcher, hitter, relief pitcher and outfielder all in the same game.

This scenario would seem to be less likely than the previous, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts left all options on the table for Ohtani.

"We’ll talk about everything,” Roberts had said on Ohtani playing outfield. “We’ll talk through whatever’s the best. If we get to that point, we’ll see, but he’s not going to play the outfield [in Game 6], I do know that. But, if we get to Game 7, we’ll have a good discussion about everything."

With a repeat championship on the line in Game 7, everything could indeed be on the table for the Dodgers when it comes to Ohtani.

Xabi Alonso has taken a massive gamble on Kylian Mbappe as the Frenchman has been included in the Real Madrid squad to face Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday night. The manager is fighting to save his job in the Spanish capital and needs a positive result to ease the pressure. Mbappe missed training on Tuesday due to an injury, but is still in line to feature against City at the Bernabeu.

Mbappe named in matchday squad for City clash

Mbappe, who has been the club’s talisman this season, sat out Tuesday’s public session alongside compatriot Eduardo Camavinga, prompting speculation about whether the forward would be available for selection. Spanish radio outlet reported that Mbappe had suffered a problem in his left leg, which further spread panic among fans. But Real boss Alonso has moved to quash the uncertainty by including the 26-year-old in the official matchday squad, confirming he will at least take a place among the substitutes at the Bernabeu.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMbappe's dominance and Madrid’s dependence

Mbappe has been Madrid’s heartbeat in the 2025-26 campaign. With 25 goals across all competitions, plus four Champions League assists, he is on track to surpass Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for most goals (69) in a calendar year for the club. In La Liga, he has been responsible for half of Madrid’s total goals, and a scarcely believable 75 per cent  in Europe. His last Champions League outing was a four-goal masterpiece against Olympiacos, underlining both his brilliance and Madrid’s reliance on him. 

Alonso’s decision to include Mbappe in the squad comes at a moment when his own position is under intense scrutiny. Madrid’s 2-0 home defeat to Celta Vigo on Sunday was catastrophic, extending a bleak run of just two wins in seven matches across all competitions. The loss was compounded by two red cards, shown to Alvaro Carreras and Fran García, and a serious muscle injury to centre-back Eder Militao, who is expected to be sidelined for up to four months. The result widened the gap to Barcelona at the top of La Liga to four points and ignited further speculation that Alonso’s reign could be terminated if City inflict another damaging defeat. Reports in Madrid suggest this match, against Pep Guardiola’s side, may be his final chance to steady a season veering off course. 

However, a defiant Alonso is not ready to throw in the towel. He said: "We are all in the same boat. We have to go through positive and negative times. We need to believe the next game is an opportunity, and tomorrow we have a very exciting game for all of us, and we need to keep our eyes open to have that energy so the Bernabeu enjoys what it sees. Communication [with the board] is constant. We are united, we are all together in this, and I have a good relationship with them."

Plan 'Endrick’ prepared as cover for Mbappe

With Mbappe missing training and doubts lingering over his physical condition, Alonso spent Tuesday working closely with teenage forward Endrick. The Brazilian, who has struggled for minutes since arriving in the summer, received special tips from the manager, which indicated that he could play a meaningful role against City. dubbed the tactical contingency "Plan Endrick" with the 18-year-old expected either to start or come from the bench for his first appearance since November 1. Gonzalo García, who has featured more regularly this season, is another attacking alternative if Mbappe is unable to lead the line. But the focus remains firmly on the Frenchman. Without him at full tilt, Madrid’s prospects appear worryingly diminished.

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Getty Images SportMadrid aim for collective strength amid injury crisis

Whether Mbappe will feature from the start is still unknown. Alonso, under enormous pressure and staring down a make-or-break moment in his turbulent reign, may yet opt to gamble on the fitness of a player who has carried his team almost single-handedly through the season. He is already missing several defenders like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, Dani Carvajal and Militao as Madrid’s back line has been ravaged by injury. Hence, it was no surprise when midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni acknowledged the challenge of containing City’s attacking threat, especially that of Erling Haaland. 

"If we don't win games, it's because we have to do things better with and without the ball, with commitment from everyone and play better in defence and attack. We hope to improve and win more games because what's happening now cannot go on," he said.

"We're all together. If we want to win games, we all have to fight, coach and team in the same direction. It's us who are on the pitch, and we have to do things better out there. We have a good opportunity to change the dynamic and pick up more points in the Champions League."

Test captain says he “would much rather have our own competition” in the summer than see his compatriots play in overseas T20 leagues

Vishal Dikshit09-Dec-2025New Zealand Test captain Tom Latham believes the NZ20 – the country’s first proposed T20 franchise tournament – is a “great initiative” and will be “hugely beneficial” for cricket in the nation. Even though the NZ20 idea is yet to get approval from New Zealand Cricket (NZC), plans are underway to launch the six-team competition for men in January 2027 and for women later in the same year. Once underway, it will replace the Super Smash, New Zealand’s domestic T20 competition.”I think you look at the NZ20 possibility, I think that’s a great initiative,” Latham said in Wellington a day before the second Test against West Indies. “When you look at the way that cricket’s moving around the world – I think we’re the only Test-playing nation that doesn’t have a franchise competition. But what it will bring to the country, to cricket here in New Zealand will be hugely beneficial, having international players to boost the standard of cricket. I think we’ve got a great standard of cricket here and I think the Super Smash has produced great cricketers for us up to this point. But I think being able to push the game forward here in New Zealand will only do great things for the cricket here.”The proposed tournament originated from former New Zealand players such as Stephen Fleming who then engaged with the New Zealand Players Association (NZPA] to check the feasibility of a franchise-based competition in New Zealand. The tournament model is set to be based on that of the CPL in the Caribbean and is looking to get private investment as one of the sources of funding.Related

Plans being developed for NZ20 league in January 2027

When asked if Latham was hopeful of the tournament getting off the ground, he said: “Certainly hopeful. I would love to see it happen and I’m sure you talk to a lot of the players that will be in the same camp. A lot of the guys have played franchise cricket around the world these days and been able to mix with overseas players that have had great international careers that don’t play international cricket now but still play in franchise cricket…To learn off the likes of those sort of guys will be hugely beneficial not only to the guys that play cricket for New Zealand but also to the younger generation coming through here in New Zealand.”You talk to a lot of guys that play franchise cricket around the world, they have a lot of fun, they learn a lot from different players and in different conditions. So as I said earlier it’s a great initiative and hopefully one that can get off the ground.”Latham himself has not featured in any T20 franchise tournament around the world but did play for Birmingham Bears in the Vitality Blast in the English summer this year, which was the off season for New Zealand. In his last game there, he smashed a 51-ball 104 against Derbyshire. However, it is during the New Zealand summer that a lot of top players from New Zealand choose to play T20 franchise cricket – such as the BBL, SA20 and ILT20 – over the Super Smash back home.”I would much rather see have our own competition here where we’re using all of our talent as best we can to boost cricket here in New Zealand,” Latham said. “And I think that’s a really good opportunity to do that.”The ILT20 and SA20 – both into their fourth season – already face a calendar clash with the BBL. The ILT20 started early this time to be played from December 2 to January 4, while the SA20 will run from December 26 to January 25 and they both will overlap with the BBL from December 14 to January 25.

Manchester United could sell Kobbie Mainoo to Chelsea in order to fund a move for an exciting new midfielder in 2026.

Man United squad in need of new signings

The Red Devils are preparing to face Bournemouth on Monday amid several availability concerns for Ruben Amorim.

Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt remain absent for the Cherries’ trip to Old Trafford, but striker Benjamin Sesko could feature after a foot injury.

There remain doubts over whether Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo can feature before jetting off to the Africa Cup of Nations, but Amorim is hopeful United can cope without them.

Mason Mount is among those the Portuguese is sure to lean on, especially after putting in a man-of-the-match display at Molineux on Monday.

“He’s a very, very smart player,” Amorim said. “He’s really technical because sometimes to be a technical player is not just having fun with the ball – it’s the quality of the pass, the reception, how to receive the ball. In these things he’s really smart.

“He can balance our team quite well so he’s a very good player.”

INEOS want to strengthen the manager’s squad in the upcoming transfer windows while maintaing financial stability, and are now eyeing one of the Premier League’s rising stars.

Mainoo sale set to fund move for Wharton

Former Everton CEO Keith Wyness told Football Insider he’s heard United are lining up a one in, one out swap of two England internationals.

The Guardian have also confirmed United’s interest in Wharton, alongside Liverpool and Real Madrid, with Crystal Palace set to demand “more than £80m”.

Wharton’s camp have made no secret of his desire to play Champions League football, with agent James Featherstone telling talkSPORT last week: “We’ve got a plan. It doesn’t have to be achieved right at this moment.

“He’s got his in-game and in-season goals, so he’s got to do his bit, and the rest will take care of itself in a very structured and calm way to ultimately maximise his talent.”

Man Utd can replace Amad & Mbeumo by signing "best winger in the country"

Manchester United have the opportunity to soften the blow of Amad Diallo & Bryan Mbeumo’s absence.

ByEthan Lamb 2 days ago

Houston Astros starting pitcher Ronel Blanco will undergo surgery on his right elbow and will miss the remainder of the 2025 season, the team announced on Wednesday.

Blanco was skipped in the rotation over the weekend after complaining of elbow soreness following his last start on May 17. In that start against the Texas Rangers, a 5-1 loss, Blanco went six innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits while striking out five. He was initially diagnosed with right elbow inflammation and sought a second opinion for the injury.

After presumably receiving that second opinion, Blanco will undergo elbow surgery and is slated to return "during the 2026 season" according to the Astros' press release.

Blanco ends his season with a 3-4 record and a 4.10 ERA across nine starts.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has backed Paris Saint-Germain star Vitinha to win the Ballon d'Or, while praising his side's display in a 5-3 Champions League defeat to the French giants. Spurs twice led the defending champions in Paris but Luis Enrique's team stormed back with a stunning second-half display. The Danish manager tipped his hat to the north London team and also the world-class Portuguese.

Tottenham respond after Arsenal drubbing

The anti-Frank rhetoric from some Tottenham fans reached fever point on Sunday as they were thrashed 4-1 by bitter rivals Arsenal in the Premier League. The drubbing was, naturally, difficult to take but the manner of the defeat was particularly galling for some supporters, who were frustrated with Frank's defensive tactics and lack of intent. But they looked like their old selves in the French capital with a performance of grit and character. Ultimately, they shipped five goals and came away with nothing on Wednesday night but Frank saw plenty of positives from the win. He also thinks Vitinha, who scored a hat-trick and came third in this year's Ballon d'Or, is the best midfielder in the world.

AdvertisementAFP'They have one Ballon d'or winner'

He told reporters, via Football London: "I'm pleased with the performance. It was the reaction I wanted from the players, from the team. We've been working very hard on that, the players, the staff, me, to make sure that we responded well and bounced back because that's crucial after a bad performance. Today I saw more identity of the team I want to create, we want to create. Much more character, personality, aggressiveness. Three words you need to have in any team no matter how you want to do, how you want to play, whatever formation, whatever. Today we saw it, that I'm pleased with. 

"Of course, I think it was performance that was up there where we could get something out of the game, a draw or a win. So that's a little frustrating thing that we conceded some goals. Of course, one with a little bit of margin from Vitinha, not top corner but top, top corner. And then, of course, goal three and four. Those are the ones we definitely need to avoid if we want to get something out of here, but something to build on. Strikers scoring two goals. The whole team, I think, all performed well. Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, positive. When we played against a decent team where they have one Ballon d'Or winner and I think the next one is playing in midfield. Vitinha. Wow, what a player."

Frank added to TNT Sports: "Vitinha is the best midfielder in the world. He will be the next Ballon d'Or winner."

Tottenham staying positive

With this defeat, Tottenham have now conceded four or more goals in back-to-back games in all competitions for the first time since May 2003 under Glenn Hoddle. Moreover, Spurs let in five goals away from home in a major European competition for the very first time. Despite that, midfielder Archie Gray had a glass-half-full attitude.

He told TNT Sports: "We played against a top opponent tonight, they are probably the best team in Europe at the moment. There were some good moments we can take into Fulham. We scored some goals, there are things we can work on, but they are a top, top team, and there are moments you will suffer against them. They are the best team in Europe, and they are relentless in every aspect of their game, and they have that individual class. They are a top team, and there are things we can learn from."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Tottenham?

While Tottenham can take some positives out of this match, that belief and optimism will evaporate if they are unable to beat lowly Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday night. Spurs have slipped to ninth in the table but if results go their way, they could climb as high as fourth. On the flip side, if they don't win, they could drop into the bottom half of the table.

The captain said playing against better teams this year has helped Zimbabwe grow

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Oct-2025It’s been a great 2025 for Zimbabwe. Having missed out on the last three ICC events, they secured qualification to the upcoming T20 World Cup. Three weeks later, they wrapped up their first Test win at home in over a decade. Senior players like Brendan Taylor have come back into the fold. Junior(ish) players like Brad Evans and Ben Curran are showing what they can do. The captain Craig Ervine had a lot to be happy about, though in the end he only felt relief.”We’ve been in good positions before and we have let it slip,” Ervine said at the post-match press conference. “So, you know, in this case, we get into a good position, we want to drive the advantage home, and fortunately we do that. And at least it gives you the impetus the next time around, you know, how did you do it? And it’s something that you can put in your pocket to remember for the next time. So these sort of experiences are great for us because at least it gives you the confidence that, yes, you can do it, and you can get over the line, especially when you get into those positions.”Zimbabwe were already on a high coming into the only Test against Afghanistan, because it was their tenth in 2025. Only once have they played more red-ball cricket in a calendar year. Ervine was able to see the gains that they had made, slowly, incrementally, through series against higher-ranked sides like Bangladesh, England, South Africa and New Zealand, as his men rolled Afghanistan over for 127 in the first innings and found a top-order batter to push that advantage further. Curran scored his maiden Test century to provide a 232-run lead and Richard Ngarava used that cushion to blow Afghanistan away.Ben Curran made 121, almost matching Afghanistan’s first-innings total of 127•Zimbabwe CricketErvine also believed they had an advantage in Afghanistan playing only two frontline fast bowlers – one of whom was on debut, though Ziaur Rahman did pick up a seven-for – on a seamer-friendly Harare pitch. Zimbabwe picked four.Related

Ngarava and Curran lead Zimbabwe to first home Test win in 12 years

“I think guys have taken a lot from their experiences against England, South Africa, New Zealand,” he said. “And I think what guys learnt, especially from the series against New Zealand is, it was testing conditions and they got five bowlers that are going to test you all the time.”And I think going into this game [against Afghanistan], I think we felt that you get through that new ball phase and if you’re patient enough, I think the runs do ease up. We felt that with their spin, they weren’t as accurate, so it took a little bit of pressure off and it allowed the scoreboard to keep moving. So I think that guys were a lot more composed, guys were a lot more patient. I think that only stems from the experience that you have against better sides [than Zimbabwe are]. You have to work a lot harder against the better teams. And I thought the application that guys showed in this test. I think is fruit from the test that you played against the better nations.”Ervine had initially been nervous when, after winning the toss and putting Afghanistan in, they were able to score 68 runs off the first 13 overs.Richard Ngarava’s five-for led Zimbabwe to victory•Zimbabwe Cricket”To be honest, after the first hour, I probably wasn’t too sure whether I had made the right call or not. The wicket wasn’t quite as quick as what we thought it would be at the start. But I thought there was enough in that wicket that having picked four seamers we needed to utilise.”We were able to regroup and hit better areas from drinks break to lunch. And we got the reward for that. I think it was just keeping it nice and simple. And obviously using the short-ball plan, which was effective, I think, against Afghanistan.””To bowl them out for 120-odd in the first innings, we knew that we had been in a similar position against them in Bulawayo [and lost]. So we needed to make sure that this time round we drove that advantage home. And I thought the batting unit did just that.”Where Afghanistan lost nine wickets for 50 runs in the first innings – Evans took a five-for – and six wickets for 50 runs in the second – Ngarava with five this time – Zimbabwe were able to bat once and bat big.”It was about our disciplines,” Ervine said. “I think our composure. We had a feeling that they were going to throw everything at us. But they were also one seamer short. So we felt if we were able to get through that new ball spell, we could grind them down. And I thought Ben Curran did that exceptionally well. The way he batted throughout, kept the same tempo and guys managed to bat around him. So really chuffed that he was able to get 120-odd. I think those sort of scores in a test match really make a big impact and put you on the front foot.”

After a dismal defeat against ten men last Monday, Manchester United bounced back with a 2-1 win away to Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon.

The Red Devils were behind at half-time after a Jean-Philippe Mateta penalty, but two goals from set pieces were enough to ensure they would take all three points back to Manchester.

Both goals were impressive finishes from United. First, the lesser-spotted Joshua Zirkzee got himself on the scoresheet with a fantastic finish.

He controlled a Bruno Fernandes free-kick on his chest before superbly volleying low and hard into the back of the net.

That was the strike which drew United level, and the goal which won them the game, from Mason Mount, was just as good. The Red Devils’ number 7 walked onto a Fernandes layoff from yet another free-kick, driving his effort through the Palace wall and into Dean Henderson’s goal.

Despite the result and an energetic second half showing, it was far from a perfect afternoon for United. Ruben Amorim’s side could only muster an expected goals tally of 1.25 xG, and just 0.26 xG in the second half. It was an important win, but there is still a lot to improve on.

Indeed, it was a tough day at the office for some United players, including young defender Leny Yoro.

Leny Yoro's day to forget vs Palace

Young French defender Yoro did not have the best outing at Selhurst Park on Sunday lunchtime. It was his foul on Mateta, a challenge late from behind his countryman, which led to Palace’s penalty and Oliver Glasner’s side taking the lead.

Indeed, there were bright moments against the South Londoners for the former Lille star, who has struggled to find his best form for the majority of this season. He made a crucial block in the first half to prevent Palace from scoring, an important moment in the game.

Yet, it was still not the day Yoro would have hoped for. His foul on Mateta, which was ultimately quite a clumsy challenge, and the fact that he won just three duels from the six he contested, meant Amorim took him off for Noussair Mazraoui after Zirkzee’s goal.

Despite what is a tough moment for Yoro, the United squad is rallying around him. Mount was one of the players quick to support his teammate at full-time, something that football presenter Dylan Penketh said he was “glad to see” after the final whistle.

It was a disappointing day for Yoro, but he was not the only United player who struggled.

Not just Yoro: Man Utd star struggles vs Palace

Coming up against Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada was always going to be tough for United’s pivot at Selhurst Park, and Casemiro was a player who felt the brunt of that.

The Brazilian was said to be “haunted by Adam Wharton” according to journalist Samuel Luckhurst.

Indeed, it was not an easy day against the Eagles’ energetic midfield pivot, especially in the first half. The Brazilian had 65 touches in total across the game, losing the ball 11 times and creating one chance. He also won just seven of his 15 duels.

Touches

65

Pass accuracy

80%

Number of times ball lost

11

Ground duels won

5/9

Aerial duels won

2/6

Fouls

4

Chances created

0

The United number 18 received a 5/10 rating from the Manchester Evening News journalist Steven Railston. He said Casemiro did improve throughout the game, although he described his start to the game at Selhurst Park as “shaky.”

After a tougher game for Casemiro, and the fact that he is one yellow card away from suspension, it will be interesting to see if he keeps his place in the side ahead of United’s next game. Next up, they have a clash with West Ham United on Thursday at Old Trafford.

It is also a game where United are likely to have the lion’s share of possession. Perhaps Amoirm opts to bring Kobbie Mainoo into their midfield, a man who is better on the ball and more capable of retaining possession and sustaining attacks.

On top of that, the Brazilian played 90 minutes at Selhurst Park. With the game as soon as Thursday and a hectic December coming up, it would not be a surprise to see him rotated out of the side to help aid his recovery.

Haaland 2.0: Man Utd can sign "one of the best STs in Europe" for £44m

Manchester United could be about to sign a new talisman like Erling Haaland in January.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 29, 2025

Take it from Kameron Misner, dreams do come true.

Misner, a 27-year-old outfielder with one career hit to his name entering the Tampa Bay Rays' first game of the season against the Colorado Rockies at a new home in George M. Steinbrenner Field on Friday, ended up delivering in the game's biggest moment.

With the game tied at 2 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Misner stepped up to the plate as the leadoff batter, and wasted no time in leaving his mark on the game. The Poplar Bluff, Mo., native swung at the first pitch he saw and sent it over the right field wall for his second career hit, first career home run, and a walk-off for Tampa Bay.

Making the moment even more impressive is the fact that Misner didn't start the game; he entered as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning. Misner is a former first-round pick in the 2019 MLB draft who first made his big-league debut in an eight-game stint with the Rays in '24. Friday's game represented his first taste of Opening Day, as he made the Rays' roster after he was optioned to Triple-A during the spring.

"I mean, it's everything," Misner said of making the Rays' roster in a postgame interview with MLB Network. "It's everything you work for since you were a kid. It's what you look forward to. I mean, today is a dream come true so I'm fortunate enough to help the team win."

After a strong spring, Misner is likely to get more opportunities to help the Rays win moving forward.