Enzo Maresca has been urged to stay "quiet" if he wants to avoid being sacked after appearing to criticise the Chelsea board following Saturday's 2-0 victory over Everton. The Italian head coach described the build-up to the Premier League fixture as his "worst 48 hours" at the club, raising plenty of questions over who the comment was aimed at.

Palmer and Gusto find the net as Chelsea return to winning ways

Following a four-game run without a victory, Chelsea got back to winning ways against Everton at Stamford Bridge. After a drop in form which saw the Blues draw with Arsenal and Bournemouth, while suffering losses at Leeds and Atalanta, Maresca’s men secured all three points against David Moyes’ in-form visitors.

Continuing to build up his fitness following a lengthy spell on the sidelines, Cole Palmer fired Chelsea in front after 21 minutes. The midfielder latched onto Malo Gusto’s pass before burying the ball beyond England team-mate Jordan Pickford.

Former Lyon defender Gusto then doubled the hosts’ lead as he converted Pedro Neto’s lovely cutback on the stroke of half time. And while Everton had their moments in either half – with Iliman Ndiaye hitting the post late on – the west Londoners were able to hold onto a precious victory on home soil.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportHead coach Maresca raises eyebrows with post-match comments

However, with emotions running high as Chelsea put to bed their frustrating run of form, Maresca raised eyebrows with his post-match comments. 

Speaking in his press conference following the win over Everton, the former Leicester City boss said: "This is the reason why I praise the players because with so many problems they are doing very well after a complicated week. Since I joined the club the last 48 hours has been the worst 48 hours since I joined the club because many people didn’t support us. So very happy for Malo (Gusto) in that moment that the effort from Malo and the rest showed that they are all there and want to help this club."

When quizzed on who he was talking about when citing a perceived lack of support, Maresca insisted he "loves" the Chelsea fans, leading many people to wonder whether he was criticising a lack of encouragement from the club’s hierarchy.

He added, "Worst 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn’t support me and the team. In general. I love the fans, and I am very happy with the fans."

Italian told to be aware of Chelsea's reputation for sacking managers

And following Maresca’s remarks, former Liverpool and England midfielder Danny Murphy has warned the 45-year-old to be mindful of the club he works for, with Chelsea having a reputation for freely sacking managers.

While that reputation was largely built under previous chief Roman Abramovich, current co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital – led by Behdad Eghbali – have parted company with Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino since completing their takeover in May 2022.

Former Brighton boss Potter was dismissed after less than seven months in charge in April 2023, while current USMNT head coach Pochettino left by mutual consent after just one season at the helm in May 2024.

Speaking on , Murphy said: "He’s got to be careful. I think you have to realise with the owners and club you are working for, he's been given an amazing opportunity to manage a massive football club after only managing Leicester. Did he expect to gain control because of winning the Conference League? 

"Let's put it in perspective. He's done well, I'm not doubting that. What I am saying is, football is ruthless and these are multi-billionaire owners and if they feel their manager is talking directly to them through the press it is not going to end well for him. He's got a wonderful opportunity to have success with Chelsea. Maybe just pick your moments to… be quiet."

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Getty Images SportUp next for Chelsea: Blues in Carabao Cup quarter-final action

Chelsea will look to build on their win over Everton when they travel to League One leaders Cardiff City in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening.

Maresca’s side will then travel to Newcastle United in the league next Saturday, before rounding off 2025 with successive home clashes against high-flying Aston Villa and out-of-form Bournemouth on Saturday, 27 December and Tuesday, 30 December respectively.

MatériaMais NotíciasVer Resumo da matéria por IABrasil acumula 10 títulos mundiais oficialmente reconhecidos.São Paulo é o maior campeão com três títulos.Corinthians e Santos possuem duas conquistas cada.Resumo supervisionado pelo jornalista!

O futebol brasileiro carrega uma das histórias mais vitoriosas do mundo quando o assunto são conquistas internacionais. Entre Copa Intercontinental e Mundial de Clubes da FIFA, as equipes do país acumulam 10 títulos mundiais reconhecidos oficialmente, espalhados por diferentes gerações e estilos de jogo. Do Santos de Pelé ao Corinthians campeão invicto em 2012, passando pela hegemonia do São Paulo nos anos 1990, o Brasil se consolidou como potência absoluta nesses torneios. O Lance! lista os times brasileiros com mais mundiais.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasLancepédiaPor que o Corinthians disputou o Mundial de 2000?Lancepédia27/06/2025LancepédiaFluminense tem Mundial? Entenda a Copa Rio 1952Lancepédia12/06/2025LancepédiaPalmeiras tem Mundial? Entenda o que foi a Copa Rio de 1951Lancepédia24/11/2024

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Esse patrimônio histórico ganhou nova dimensão em 2017, quando a FIFA reconheceu oficialmente a Copa Intercontinental — disputada entre 1960 e 2004 por campeões da Europa e da América do Sul — como título mundial legítimo. Com essa decisão, a história passou a ser contada de forma mais completa, valorizando equipes que dominaram o cenário internacional antes do formato moderno do Mundial de Clubes.

A seguir, veja o ranking completo, os títulos de cada clube e o contexto que moldou essa trajetória de sucesso.

Ranking dos times brasileiros com mais mundiais conquistados

O Brasil soma 10 títulos mundiais, distribuídos entre seis clubes. Dois deles são multicampeões, enquanto outros três conquistaram o troféu uma vez.

continua após a publicidadeSão Paulo — 3 títulos mundiais

O São Paulo Futebol Clube é o maior campeão mundial do Brasil, com três títulos:

1992 – vitória sobre o Barcelona1993 – triunfo contra o Milan2005 – conquista diante do Liverpool

Essas campanhas consolidaram o clube como referência internacional, especialmente pelo estilo competitivo em decisões e pela geração vitoriosa comandada por Telê Santana nos anos 1990. O São Paulo é também o único clube brasileiro tricampeão mundial.

Corinthians — 2 títulos mundiais

O Corinthians ocupa posição de destaque com dois títulos:

2000 – campeão da primeira edição do Mundial de Clubes da FIFA2012 – título sobre o Chelsea, em campanha invicta e histórica

A conquista de 2012 é marcada pela solidez defensiva, pela torcida que tomou o Japão e pela atuação decisiva de Paulo Guerrero.

Santos — 2 títulos mundiais

O Santos também possui duas conquistas:

1962 – vitória sobre o Benfica1963 – triunfo contra o Milan

A equipe comandada por Pelé foi dominante no cenário mundial, com futebol técnico, ofensivo e reconhecido até hoje como uma das maiores dinastias da história.

continua após a publicidadeFlamengo — 1 título mundial1981 – vitória sobre o Liverpool

Liderado por Zico, o Flamengo apresentou atuação inesquecível no Japão, consolidando uma das maiores equipes brasileiras de todos os tempos.

Grêmio — 1 título mundial1983 – vitória sobre o Hamburgo

O Grêmio marcou sua época com um time aguerrido, competitivo e decisivo, que levou o futebol gaúcho ao topo do mundo.

Internacional — 1 título mundial2006 – vitória sobre o Barcelona

Com atuação histórica e gol de Adriano Gabiru, o Internacional surpreendeu o favorito Barcelona e conquistou o título mundial em um dos jogos mais emblemáticos da competição.

Como o reconhecimento da FIFA mudou o cenário histórico

Em outubro de 2017, a FIFA decidiu reconhecer oficialmente a Copa Intercontinental como título mundial equivalente ao Mundial de Clubes moderno. A medida corrigiu uma lacuna histórica e passou a valorizar gerações anteriores que, durante décadas, enfrentaram os maiores times europeus em finais eletrizantes.

Antes dessa resolução, apenas conquistas posteriores ao ano 2000 eram consideradas “mundiais”. Com a mudança, clubes como Santos, Flamengo e Grêmio passaram a figurar oficialmente no ranking global, reforçando a tradição brasileira em decisões internacionais.

O Brasil se tornou, assim, o país com mais títulos mundiais de clubes reconhecidos pela entidade máxima do futebol, reafirmando a força histórica das equipes nacionais no cenário global.

Tudo sobre

Futebol NacionalLancepediaMundial de Clubes

Everton manager David Moyes has aimed a cheeky dig at Chelsea’s spending power, saying there was a billion pounds worth of difference between the two sides in Saturday’s clash at Stamford Bridge. The Scot made the remark after watching his spirited side fail to make the most of their chances en route to suffering a 2-0 defeat in the Premier League.

• Chelsea duo Palmer & Gusto score as Everton's winning run ends

  After putting together a fantastic run of results which brought about four wins in six league games, Everton travelled to Chelsea in high spirits at the weekend. Before stepping onto the field in west London, Moyes’ side had recorded impressive victories over Fulham, Manchester United, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, while drawing with Sunderland and suffering a solitary reverse against Newcastle United.

  However, in a match which saw in-form midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall forced off with a first-half injury on his return to Stamford Bridge, Everton were then put to the sword by goals from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto. Moyes’ men created several chances in both halves, with Iliman Ndiaye hitting the post towards the end of the game, but Everton were made to a rue their missed opportunities as they travelled back to Merseyside empty-handed.

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  Moyes was unable to snap Stamford Bridge hoodoo on Saturday

  While Everton’s recent win at Manchester United saw Moyes secure his first league victory as an opposing manager at Old Trafford, he was unable to snap a similar hoodoo at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. 

  The 62-year-old was in charge when Everton defeated Chelsea on their patch in the 2011 FA Cup, though he has never won at the same venue in the league, across spells in charge of the Toffees, Sunderland, and West Ham.

  And perhaps in a sign of frustration at the end of the match, Moyes fired a cheeky jibe towards Chelsea’s luxury of being able to spend vast sums of money on new players. Since co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital – led by Behdad Eghbali – completed their takeover of the club in May 2022, the six-time champions have spent £2 billion on transfer fees, according to the .

  When asked if Everton's defeat simply came down to fine margins, Moyes said in his post-match press conference: "Maybe a billion-pound difference? Possibly, you know what I mean?"

• Scot 'disappointed' with Everton's result but not performance

  Speaking to before his dig at Chelsea, Moyes said: "Losing Kiernan [Dewsbury-Hall] was a blow to us but I thought we adapted quite well. I know we've come away with a disappointing result but it wasn't a disappointing performance. We did a lot of really good things today.

  "Maybe we played one of our best games away from home, we've had some very good results away from home. But we couldn't finish it off, we just dropped a couple of runners at times when they showed quality. We pushed them close and that's what we have to try and do. Jack [Grealish] had a great chance to make it one each, then we crossed one right into the goalie's arms, he distributes it quickly and they get the goal from it right on half-time.

  "It felt a bit unfair on us because I thought for long periods we did well. I wouldn't say dominated because Chelsea had a lot of the ball as well. We played well, I've no complaints from the players except the final third stuff – if you don't take the chances you don't win the game. We stuck at it, we were never out of the game and were always a threat. We'll go away, look at it and hopefully do better next time."

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  Chelsea manager Maresca bemoans 'worst 48 hours' in charge of club

  Meanwhile, Chelsea counterpart Enzo Maresca also raised eyebrows with his post-match comments. The Italian head coach described the build up to his side’s win over Everton as his "worst 48 hours" in charge of the club, citing a lack of support in that time. It is not clear if the former Leicester City boss was talking about owners Boehly and Eghbali, having also said he "loves" Chelsea supporters in the same tirade.

  Speaking in his post-match press conference, Maresca said: "This is the reason why I praise the players because with so many problems they are doing very well after a complicated week. Since I joined the club the last 48 hours has been the worst 48 hours since I joined the club because many people didn’t support us. So very happy for Malo (Gusto) in that moment that the effort from Malo and the rest showed that they are all there and want to help this club."

  Chelsea are back in action when they travel to League One leaders Cardiff City in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday. Everton, on the other hand, play host to Arsenal in the league next Saturday.

Victoria’s One-Day Cup campaign is on the brink after a seven-wicket defeat from Western Australia (WA) at Melbourne’s Junction Oval. Top of the ladder and firing in the Sheffield Shield, the Vics sit on the bottom in the battle for the Dean Jones Trophy with a 1-4 win-loss record.WA motored home in their chase, cantering to victory with 32 balls to spare. After WA captain Ashton Turner won the toss and elected to bowl, the hosts had steady contributions through their innings to push them to a total of 285.Wicketkeeper-batter Sam Harper (54), young gun Oliver Peake (54), and Tom Rogers (50) all passed fifty, but were unable to go on with the job as experienced seamer Joel Paris collected 4 for 62. Peake threatened to propel the Vics towards 300, but became young quick Albert Esterhuysen’s only victim of the day.Australia white-ball star Mitchell Marsh, who is an outside chance of featuring in this summer’s Ashes, struggled to get going in WA’s chase, and fell for 17 to Xavier Crone. But Marsh’s opening partner Joel Curtis picked up the slack, flaying 68 from 64 balls to send WA on their way towards the total.WA veterans Turner and Sam Whiteman steered the visitors home with a commanding unbeaten 148-run stand after coming together at 141 for 3. Turner blasted balls all over the quick outfield, finishing unbeaten on 71 from 61 deliveries. Whiteman (70 from 65 balls) got WA to the total by hitting a flawless cover drive to the fence.WA go into the BBL break with a 2-3 record, with the 50-over matches to resume in February. Victoria will seek to gain revenge on Thursday when their Shield match against WA begins at the MCG.

Tasmanian in line to become Usman Khawaja’s seventh opening partner in last two years

Alex Malcolm17-Nov-2025Jake Weatherald and Usman Khawaja batted alongside each other in adjoining nets at Perth Stadium on Monday.There are similarities in their stances but that is about where the similarities end, both as players and as people. However, they have struck up a rapport already, at least publicly via the media, as two unique individuals willing to have some fun with each other.Weatherald went first, stating on the Grade Cricketer podcast that he wasn’t sure if Khawaja knew his name despite playing against him for 10 years. The clip went viral on Instagram. Khawaja struck back with a comment on the post, “Who this?”Related

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Weatherald, on his first day in an Australian dressing room, continued the fun.”He still calls me Jack, so we’ll get there eventually,” Weatherald told reporters on Monday. “Hopefully, if I get a game, he can find Jake there somewhere.”Jokes aside, Khawaja could be forgiven for not remembering names given Weatherald is potentially going to be his seventh Test opening partner in the last two years.That Weatherald still doesn’t know if he playing four days out from the first ball is an indicator of how unsettled Australia’s opening pair has been.In Weatherald’s favour is that he is the most experienced opener of the six since David Warner retired, at least in first-class cricket. Every one of his 145 first-class innings have come opening the batting. He has more first-class innings and more centuries, 13, than Khawaja does in the position, albeit nine of Khawaja’s 11 have come in Test cricket where he has turned into one of Australia’s best ever.Despite all that experience, though, a debut in an Ashes Test in Perth is a different beast. Even for a 31-year-old who has experienced some serious challenges in life, Weatherald went through what every new kid at school does on his first day.There was a moment before he spoke to reporters, where he leaned on the fence and stared up at the gargantuan Perth Stadium stands and imagined what it would look like on Friday when all 60,000 seats are occupied.”I’ve played a little bit of Big Bash cricket here, but at the same time, to represent your country in a place like this, it’s such a cool stadium,” Weatherald said. “To look out and see what it looked like, obviously with everyone full and obviously walking out to bat, I was sort of imagining what it’d be like to go out there.”

“I think that’s going to be the true test for myself, to go out there and just try and operate the same way. And if I walk out there and nick off first ball then I walk out the innings after and try to repeat the same thing again, in terms of my process”Jake Weatherald on the step up to Test cricket

He was wearing his brand-new Australia whites, with his initials, JW, embossed on them and number 66 on the back. The same number worn by his potential opponent this week, Joe Root. It could very well be a nod to Chuck Berry and “Route 66″, given Weatherald’s passion for rock-and-roll guitarists.There was, however, a number missing on his shirt. Eleven of Australia’s 13 squad members in Perth on Monday that had assembled for various media commitments also had their Test numbers embossed.Weatherald and Brendan Doggett did not. They may well do by the end of the week. But it was a subtle reminder that this school is different.He might have played BBL cricket at Perth Stadium before, with a match-winning half-century for Adelaide Strikers to win an elimination final against Perth Scorchers in his last outing at the venue. He also has a century at a full Adelaide Oval in a BBL final. But Test cricket is another level and Weatherald is aware that replicating what has made him the best Sheffield Shield opener of the past 12 months under Ashes pressure will be a huge challenge.”It’s certainly going to be a difficult thing,” Weatherald said. “That’s a part of being an international cricketer, I guess, the fact there’s lot more to it. But at the same time, I think that’s going to be the true test for myself, to go out there and just try and operate the same way. And if I walk out there and nick off first ball then I walk out the innings after and try to repeat the same thing again, in terms of my process.”Trusting his process is what has got Weatherald to the brink of a Test debut. He did not change a thing in his first net session with the team. While Khawaja, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and most others opted to face a majority of throw downs from the coaches on spicy surfaces, Weatherald stayed true to what he has been doing for Tasmania, facing the best bowlers he can in the nets to replicate match conditions as best he can.He took on a brutal spell from Pat Cummins, facing a lion’s share of his eight overs. Beau Webster found nip and awkward bounce at a slightly less venomous, but no less nickable pace. Nathan Lyon found spin and bounce as well. Weatherald took it all on. It looked incredibly hard work. But he endured with the same positive mindset he has shown for Tasmania in recent times.”He’s been a revelation for us at the top of the order,” Webster said of his Tasmanian team-mate.”We were sort of crying out a little bit for someone who can take the game away early in the innings, and he does that. We saw even a couple of knocks this year to go with his exceptional year last year, where he puts the pressure back on the bowlers. And he does it quickly. He bats how you want to as an opening of batter in Australia right now. He punishes the bad ball, and he’s really selective when the ball’s around the stumps. So he’s been excellent for us.”

أثار محمد صلاح نجم ليفربول، ضجة كبيرة في النادي، بتصريحاته الحماسية التي أطلقها بعد التعادل مع ليدز يونايتد، بثلاثة أهداف لكل فريق في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وتعرف جماهير ليفربول جيدًا ما قدمه النجم المصري للنادي، منذ انضمامه عام 2016، وقد أجرت شبكة “بي بي سي” البريطانية حوارات معهم، للتعليق على تصريحاته بعد مباراة ليدز يونايتد.

وكانت جماهير ليفربول في مثل هذا الوقت من العام الماضي، قد أظهرت لافتة تحمل صورة صلاح، وعبارة: “نادي ليفربول، إنه يطلق سهمه، والآن اعطوا مو ماله!”.

وقد احتفل محمد صلاح في أبريل الماضي بعقده الجديد وبعد أسبوعين قاد ليفربول لتحقيق لقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، ووجد صاحب الـ33 عاماً نفسه بعد ثمانية أشهر خارج التشكيل الأساسي ودخل في صراع داخلي مع النادي وآرني سلوت.

اقرأ أيضاً.. جارديان: محمد صلاح “الأناني” يخون زملاءه ويُسرّع نهاية حقبته مع ليفربول

وكان هذا الصراع بين محمد صلاح وليفربول وسلوت قد أصبح محل اهتمام جماهير النادي، حيث ذكر المشجع ستيف هيوز صاحب الـ48 عاماً: “آمل أن يكون هذا توقيت مناسب ولكن إن لم يكن كذلك فهو خارج الخدمة”.

وأضاف: “لا يمكن القول إن هذا هو مكاني نظرًا لما قدمته للنادي، إنه أمر محزن لأننا نحبه بشدة”.

وواصل: “كان سيخلد اسمه كواحد من أعظم اللاعبين الذين لعبوا لهذا النادي على الإطلاق إلى جانب أمثال كيني دالجليش وإيان راش”.

وذكر مشجع آخر: “على الرغم من عظمته كلاعب، لا يمكن قول ما قاله أبداً، عليك أن تكسب حقك في اللعب في هذا المركز في كل مباراة، من الواضح أن هناك خلافًا بينه وبين سلوت، لذا أعتقد أن أحدهما يجب أن يرحل”.

ودافع عدد قليل عن صلاح لتعبيره عن أرائه وألقوا اللوم على سلوت، حيث ذكر أحد المشجعين: “لقد جعلوه كبش فداء، لا أتخيله يلعب لليفربول مرة أخرى”.

وقال مشجع آخر: “إنه بالتأكيد في دوامة هبوط، لكنني أفضل صلاح على سلوت”.

Calling home runs on Independence Day is a little bit played out, but the Chicago Cubs truly earned such a comparison this year.

By the end of the seventh inning, Chicago was leading the St. Louis Cardinals at home 11-1 on the Fourth of July off a slew of home runs from the bats in the lineup.

Two players hit multiple home runs, Michael Busch with three and Pete Crow-Armstrong with two. But the real highlight was the franchise record being set: The eighth home run from the Cubs off the bat of Busch broke the previous team record of seven home runs in a game.

Seiya Suzuki, Dansby Swanson and Carson Kelly all added dingers as well.

Just stunning stuff from the Northsiders.

Chicago leads the NL Central by several games and is in a flirtatious spot with the top seed in the National League. Coming into the day third in home runs with 131, the Cubs will launch all the way to first in MLB, pending the results of the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers games this afternoon and tonight, the two teams ahead of Chicago.

The Cubs also join the Yankees as the only other team to hit eight or more home runs this year. New York hit nine home runs in March, breaking its own franchise record in that game.

The Cardinals attempted to rally back, scoring two runs in the top of the ninth inning, but the deficit was too much. Chicago won 11-3.

The record for most home runs in an MLB game is 10, set by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1987. The only other team to hit eight or more home runs on the Fourth of July is the Boston Red Sox in 1977.

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has confirmed that an injured Spurs star won’t be back in action for a ‘long time’, with the Dane currently minus a few key first-team players.

Tottenham battle Slavia Prague in the Champions League

Spurs welcome Slavia Prague to North London tonight seeking to reignite their automatic Champions League knockout round hopes with a victory that would edge them closer to securing a coveted top-eight finish.

Frank’s side need all three points against the struggling Czech outfit to maintain momentum after Saturday’s morale-boosting 2-0 win over Brentford ended their miserable six-match winless streak.

The Lilywhites currently sit 16th in the Champions League standings with eight points from five matches, sitting just two points behind the automatic qualification places.

Saturday’s Premier League victory will give Spurs more confidence following the chaotic 5-3 defeat to PSG in their previous European outing, with Richarlison and Xavi Simons securing all three points against Frank’s former employers last weekend.

Despite their lacklustre home form overall this year, the hosts actually boast a formidable home record in European competition, remaining unbeaten in 22 consecutive European games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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Spurs have won both their Champions League home matches this campaign without conceding, defeating Villarreal and FC Copenhagen.

History also favours Frank’s side, having never lost to Slavia Prague in four previous European meetings, recording three victories and one draw.

Slavia arrive in desperate circumstances, languishing in 31st with just three points from five matches and facing the genuine prospect of early elimination.

The Czech champions have endured a torrid European campaign, failing to register a single victory while remarkably going four consecutive Champions League fixtures without scoring.

Their attacking struggles represent their most significant weakness, with just two goals across the entire league phase.

Despite domestic dominance — sitting five points clear atop the Czech First League following Friday’s 2-1 victory over Teplice — Jindrich Trpisovsky’s side have repeatedly failed to translate that form onto the continental stage.

Their 3-0 home defeat to Arsenal highlighted the gulf in quality when facing elite opposition, while goalless draws against Atalanta and Athletic Bilbao demonstrated defensive resilience without much threat going forward.

Frank faces several selection concerns heading into the clash, though.

Destiny Udogie is sidelined with a hamstring injury which will keep him out until January, while Randal Kolo Muani is doubtful after limping through Saturday’s victory.

Brennan Johnson is also ‘touch and go’ for the encounter, according to Frank, but one significant positive looked to have emerged from Monday’s training session.

James Maddison was spotted working on the grass for the first time since rupturing his ACL during August’s pre-season friendly against Newcastle, with Frank providing an update on the Englishman.

Thomas Frank shares James Maddison update out of Tottenham

Regrettably, while the £170,000-per-week playmaker sparked excitement when he was clocked in training, Frank has confirmed in quotes relayed by The Press Association, that Maddison still won’t be back for a ‘long time’.

The 29-year-old, who bagged 22 goals contributions in all competitions last term (12 goals, 11 assists), has been a sore miss for Spurs as they heavily rely on the likes of Mohammed Kudus and Simons for their creativity.

Simons’ phenomenal solo run and goal against Brentford will have done the Dutchman a world of good for his confidence following real criticism since his marquee move from Leipzig in the summer.

The pressure is on him to deliver in the ongoing absence of both Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, with Frank also remaining vague about the latter’s recovery timeline.

After Slavia, Tottenham travel to struggling Nottingham Forest on Sunday, and only a win will do there too.

Thursday nights were Ruben Amorim’s saviour at Manchester United last season, although there was to be no solace in that slot this week, following the dismal draw at home to relegation strugglers, West Ham United.

A tepid and uninspiring display saw the hosts almost sleepwalk to that eventual 1-1 scoreline, despite taking the lead through Diogo Dalot in the second half, with the Red Devils showcasing almost a refusal to put the game to bed.

Even with the returning Matheus Cunha reinstated in the forward line, it was particularly concerning just how light United looked with regard to attacking options, not least with Benjamin Sesko the only senior star who is currently sidelined in that department.

At the back too, the frustrating absence of the previously ever-present Matthijs de Ligt also left Amorim scrambling to rejig his defensive unit, with the surprise inclusion of 19-year-old Ayden Heaven having seemingly backfired.

Ayden Heaven's game in numbers vs West Ham

A January arrival from Arsenal, the teenage sensation looked impressive during his handful of outings last season, with club legend Wayne Rooney suggesting that it looked like he’d “been there for years”, following his standout, albeit brief, impact.

Cruelly struck down by injury against Leicester City just a few games into his United journey, Heaven has since been on the periphery in 2025/26, with his only start prior to Thursday having come in the debacle down at Grimsby.

As was the case that rainy night at Blundell Park, the England youth international had a rabbit in the headlights feel to his performance against the Hammers, notably receiving an early yellow for a rash challenge on Jarrod Bowen.

Unsettled in a new role at the heart of the backline, in the absence of De Ligt, Harry Maguire and the benched Leny Yoro, the youngster was somewhat bullied up against the experienced Callum Wilson, having failed to win a single duel at all, as per Sofascore.

Indeed, the towering defender was unable to make a single tackle or interception, while recording a lowly 67% pass accuracy rate from just 17 touches, before being rightly withdrawn at the break.

Such is his age, the £1m signing certainly shouldn’t be written off, with that showing unlikely to prove terminal for his United career.

If anything, more of the scrutiny should rest on Amorim, with the Portuguese’s substitutions also needing to be put under the microscope.

Man Utd substitute looks to be on borrowed time

As treble winner Roy Keane suggested post-match, the hosts were almost attempting to see the game out as if they were champions, knocking the ball around with little belief that they would need a second goal to win the game.

That approach perhaps stemmed from Amorim’s second-half changes, with Joshua Zirkzee and the aforementioned Cunha both withdrawn for midfielders Mason Mount and Manuel Ugarte.

There were also eyebrows raised at the decision to remove goalscorer Dalot, not least with the Portuguese defender having actually looked settled in that unorthodox left wing-back berth.

That move remained even more bizarre considering the criticism that Amorim had directed at his replacement, Patrick Dorgu, ahead of the weekend trip to Selhurst Park, highlighting the “anxiety” that has been a feature of the Dane’s game of late.

Such woes were evident even during the 21-year-old’s cameo appearance, a display that epitomised the drop off that United tend to endure once alterations are made mid-game.

Minutes

22

Touches

28

Pass accuracy

93%

Key passes

1

Successful crosses

1/3

Successful dribbles

2/3

Total duels won

3/5

Tackles

0

Possession lost

6

Indeed, Dorgu memorably wasted a promising opening late on after producing a wayward cross that evaded everyone in red, having lost the ball six times from just 28 touches during his 22-minute outing.

Equally, there were audible groans from the Old Trafford crowd at one stage as the ex-Lecce starlet opted to let the ball run out of play for a throw-in inside his own half, rather than try and keep the play alive.

That might be a case of nit-picking, but nothing appears to be going right for the left-footer right now, with content creator Liam Canning of the assessment that he is “miles off the standard” required to be a success at Man Utd, suggesting the attack-minded talent is “nowhere near it”.

With Amorim now approaching a period where his squad will shrink even further amid the loss of Mbeumo, Amad and Noussair Mazraoui to AFCON next week, the likes of Dorgu and other peripheral figures will have to be relied upon more heavily.

On the evidence of Thursday and this year in general, United’s number 13 has shown little sign that he is up to that challenge.

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This Man Utd ace struggled in their 1-1 draw at home to West Ham

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 5, 2025

Has the ship already sailed? Will it ever happen for Federico Chiesa at Liverpool?

The forgotten man last season, the Italian winger has again been rather luckless this time around, having been unable to use the Mohamed Salah situation to his benefit this week.

Indeed, even with the Egyptian having been left out for the trip to San Siro, Chiesa could not pounce on that potential opening in the right-wing berth, having been forced to miss the meeting with Inter Milan through illness.

Almost halfway through his second season at Anfield, the ex-Juventus man – signed for a bargain £13m fee – remains bound to the periphery, featuring for just 29 times across all competitions in total.

Notable moments, like his crucial ‘winner’ against Bournemouth on the opening day, have seen the 28-year-old secure cult hero status on Merseyside, although the jury is out on whether he can truly emerge from the shadows.

Latest on Federico Chiesa's future

In truth, the Reds claimed Premier League glory last term without the impact of any new signing, with Chiesa – the only senior addition that summer – having been restricted to just six league outings all season.

Frequently overlooked by Slot in 2024/25, even increased influence this time around has not altered his standing in the attacking pecking order, with all of his ten top-flight appearances coming from the bench.

The man who intervened to deny Wilson Isidor from securing a potential winner for Sunderland not too long ago, there is a will for Chiesa to do well, not least with options not exactly brimming on the flanks.

That being said, Slot – such is his neglect of the one-time Fiorentina star – appears to have other ideas, such has been the winger’s limited game time, with a January exit still being mooted according to recent reports.

As reported by The Athletic, the Euro 2020 hero is said to have a ‘number of admirers’ with the winter window now looming, albeit with it said to pose a potential ‘risk’ if Liverpool do let him depart, considering their relatively small pool of attacking alternatives.

That said, Chiesa himself may wish to push for a move, should his standing not improve, with reports last month suggesting that his agent was in talks over a possible switch, amid hopes of forcing his way back into Italy’s plans ahead of the World Cup qualifiers in March.

A desire to depart would be no surprise considering his lack of use over the last 18 months, with Liverpool perhaps left to reflect on the wisdom of signing off on such a deal.

That said, Chiesa isn’t alone in that department…

Liverpool's pointless signing belongs in the Rodgers era

As harsh as it may be, the minimal impact of Chiesa would force anyone to come to the conclusion that he has been an almost pointless signing, with Slot showcasing little appetite to hand a regular role to the albeit injury-hit forward.

Chalkboard

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

Rightly or wrongly, ‘pointless’ may be the word that springs to mind at present regarding this summer’s marquee signing, Alexander Isak, with the misfiring Swede again looking off the pace against Inter.

Hooked on the 68-minute mark, having made just 25 touches and registered just a solitary shot, the ex-Newcastle United man was again largely a bystander to proceedings at San Siro, with the excuse of his lack of pre-season now beginning to wear thin.

With just two goals in all competitions for his new side, following that controversial, club-record switch from St James’ Park, the 26-year-old has already entered disaster signing territory, with Slot and co in need of a drastic improvement heading into 2026.

There is also a sense that, while depth is needed, was this a move that FSG truly needed to make, considering they had already plucked Newcastle target Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt?

While Isak has toiled, the young Frenchman has dazzled, scoring eight times already from just 22 appearances, rubberstamping the belief that he should be the starting striker.

As for Liverpool’s actual number nine, Isak looks like following in the footsteps of the notable transfer misfires of the Brendan Rodgers era, echoing the post-Luis Suarez world that saw the likes of Rickie Lambert, Mario Balotelli and Christian Benteke all flatter to deceive at Anfield.

The summer of 2014, in the wake of Rodgers’ near miss with regard to the title, was particularly egregious, with that centre-forward pairing of Lambert and Balotelli ultimately scoring just seven times between them during their forgettable, brief stays on Merseyside.

Perhaps a better comparison lies with Benteke though, signed a year later, with the Belgian – like Isak at Newcastle – looking prolific in the Premier League at Aston Villa, having scored 49 goals in 101 games for the Midlands side.

Just ten in 42 would follow under Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp.

It might be too soon to write Isak off just yet, and throw him in with that trio of disastrous Rodgers signings, although on current evidence, he is looking like the Benteke of 2015.

Hopefully Ekitike can prove to be the Roberto Firmino…

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