Just a matter of weeks ago Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim cut a forlorn figure.

He looked ready to give up. The Red Devils were a sinking ship and Amorim was being engulfed by the stress and pressures of being the top man at Old Trafford.

Yet, he has turned a corner and all of a sudden, United look in the hunt for a top four berth, pouncing on the inconsistencies of the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool in recent weeks.

United have now only lost one of their last six matches and have only dropped points in one of their last four outings. It’s an amazing run of form considering how the Amorim era has played out to date.

The Portuguese’s side still have room for improvement, of course they do, but it’s impossible to deny that he isn’t a good coach. He has, after all, managed to revive the careers of Luke Shaw and in-form midfielder Casemiro.

Yet, while the Brazilian has now found the net in successive matches, his companion in defence, Diogo Dalot continues to struggle. United have improved but they still have issues.

Why Dalot has become a big problem for Manchester United

When Amorim was first given the job, he came to English football with a clear style and philosophy. He traditionally plays with a three-man defence, utilising wing-backs to provide the width.

That area of the field is a pivotal one for the manager and it beggars belief that they haven’t strengthened more there.

Amad Diallo has found a home at right wing-back, notably scoring in the draw with Nottingham Forest and striking up a fine partnership with Bryan Mbeumo down the flanks.

Sadly, the left flank continues to be a big problem. Patrick Dorgu is the only senior wing-back that INEOS have signed since Amorim was appointed but the young Dane has not covered himself in much glory since joining.

As a result, alternative solutions have been sought, one of which has been Dalot.

The Portugal international has featured at left-back of left wing-back on 34 occasions in Man United colours but it’s safe to say he’s far more competent on the right.

Dalot was particularly poor at The City Ground a few days ago with the Manchester Evening News’ Steven Railston handing the defender a 3/10 rating, writing that ‘there are always question marks around Dalot when he plays on the left side and he was exposed at various stages of the contest.’

Dalot vs Nottingham Forest

Minutes played

68

Touches

43

Accurate passes

21/24 (88%)

Key passes

0

Accurate crosses

0/2

Shots

0

Possession lost

12x

Tackles

1

Interceptions

2

Clearances

3

Stats via Sofascore.

Dorgu has by no means been much better on the left but he is at least more natural in that position and will give Amorim the rampaging style of play he prefers from his wing-backs.

So, what’s the solution? Well, perhaps there’s one lying in wait at Carrington.

Identifying Man United's Diogo Dalot solution

The most obvious solution here is to exclusively field the 26-year-old on the right, but with Amad having made that position his own in 2025/26, it really does feel as though Dalot is on borrowed time at Old Trafford.

Couple that with some of the young talent United have coming through and the future certainly looks bleak for Dalot.

One talent coming through is Diego Leon and they must start to hand him more minutes before they risk an Alvaro Carreras repeat.

The wing-back has gone around the houses to reach Real Madrid, going via Preston North End and suffering from Erik ten Hag’s rejection before ending up at the world’s most famous football club.

Ten Hag never played him. In fact, Carreras never featured in a single competitive game for United before leaving. That said, he’s been able to thrive away from Manchester and is now seriously catching the eye for Madrid after leaving Benfica behind in a deal worth a whopping £43m.

The fact he left United for just £5m must now leave a seriously bad taste in the mouth of those at Old Trafford.

Carreras has been in the news of late after scoring his first Real goal just last week, belting the ball home in quite some fashion.

The 22-year-old has become a mainstay in Xabi Alonso’s side this season, starting every LaLiga game and playing more minutes (981) than any outfield player in the Bernabeu ranks.

As some have suggested on social media, he is now regarded as “one of the best full-backs in the world”, notably ranking inside the top 2% of wide defenders in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive passes per 90 minutes and among the best 9% for interceptions per 90, according to FBRef.

What might have been for United, eh, but perhaps they have another version of Carreras in the academy?

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

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Step forward Leon, signed from Paraguayan club Cerro Porteno for just £3.3m in the summer. An exciting wing-back, he is yet to feature competitively for United but looks like he has the potential to thrive in the Premier League before too long.

For the U23s this season, the 18-year-old has played just three times but he’s already found the back of the net. Like Carreras’ goal for Madrid, it was a remarkable effort too.

The teenager has been in the matchday squad in the Premier League on three occasions and it is surely only a matter of time before we see him in action. After all, Dalot’s position is under threat and Dorgu is yet to convince many.

So, what’s so exciting about the young Paraguayan? Well, as analyst Ben Mattinson outlines, he is a “powerhouse”.

Revealing more about the wing-back, Mattinson noted that “the standout trait of Leon is his physicality”, adding that “with a broad, compact build he’s able to dominate duels with real aggression despite his young age.”

But, Leon isn’t just about winning duels, something that is vital in the English top-flight. The defender is also strong going forward. Mattinson further commented that Leon “is a powerful runner who takes on players with explosiveness and directness.”

So, he’s got the powerful running style that Dorgu possesses but pivotally, he also looks like a very strong defender.

Whisper it quietly but the teen looks as though he’s got all the raw attributes needed to be a success in English football. Watch out Dalot and Dorgu, Leon is coming for your place.

Manchester United are considering making a £44m offer for Palmeiras attacker Vitor Roque, having shown an interest in him in the past.

The Red Devils’ summer attacking signings are increasingly coming to the fore, playing a key role in their upturn in fortunes under Ruben Amorim this season.

Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have been particularly impressive, adding the consistent end product that has so often been lacking in the final third at United in recent years, and justifying being in the club’s 10 most expensive signings of all time.

Amorim has heaped praise on the impact Mbeumo has made in recent weeks, lauding both him and Matheus Cunha after the 3-2 win at home to Brighton last weekend.

“He’s a working machine. He’s so good in transitions. He’s improving when we are organising the final third. The connection with Amad, it’s really hard to beat these two guys because they change position, they are really fast, they are good in one against one.”

United will still be eyeing new signings, though, and they have now been linked with a move for a player with a big future in the game.

Man Utd preparing £44m offer for Vitor Roque

According to a report from Spain, Manchester United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are considering tabling a £44m offer for Roque, having been linked with a move for him during his Barcelona days.

The 20-year-old was nearly the subject of a £31m bid in that period, but he ended up moving to Palmeiras from Barca earlier this year instead.

Roque could be a great signing for United, being hailed as “truly magnificent” by scout Jacek Kulig and scoring 17 goals in 49 appearances for Palmeiras.

The youngster is also a one-cap Brazil international, and will be hoping to play a part for his country at next summer’s World Cup. He is a centre forward by trade, but his versatility allows him to be a force on both flanks, which has led United to be the “most determined” in the race for his signature as they seek to add varied attacking options to the squad.

Joshua Zirkzee’s United future looks to be in doubt, while Napoli are reportedly pursuing a permanent move for Rasmus Hojlund at the end of the season, so a new striker is likely to be needed at Old Trafford, in order to provide good competition for Benjamin Sesko.

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In Roque, the Red Devils could have an ideal long-term option whose best years are still way ahead of him, and a return to Europe could appeal to him, not least to bolster his international chances ahead of the World Cup.

Napoli ready to activate Rasmus Hojlund's clause and now another Man Utd as well

Cristiano Ronaldo’s former head coach has offered insight into the legendary forward’s mentality and shared why he believes the Portuguese captain could fire his national team to glory in next summer’s World Cup. Hugo Oliveira added that Ronaldo is still desperate to add to his ceaseless goal tally, and his hunger could well see him surpass his 1,000 career goals target.

Ronaldo to play sixth World Cup

Oliveira worked with the Portuguese captain during the qualification phase for the 2010 World Cup and was able to see how, even then, he possessed the mentality to become a footballing great. Ronaldo was 25 when Oliveira knew him best, but the competitive spirit has always been deep inside the forward, who went on to win five Champions League titles and a European Championship, amongst a swathe of domestic titles.

The one trophy that has eluded Ronaldo in his almost perfect career is the World Cup. The 40-year-old will likely have one last shot at lifting the golden trophy at next year’s tournament held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and has spoken frequently of his desire to complete his cabinet of silverware.

The tournament will mark Ronaldo’s sixth World Cup, with the Al-Nassr forward still firing on all cylinders in qualifying. As well as breaking yet another record by becoming the player with the most World Cup qualifiers goals in history, Ronaldo has already helped his nation qualify for the tournament with games to spare.

The continued success of Ronaldo is testament to his mindset, and Oliveira believes the legendary number seven is still desperate for more.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportOliveira lifts lid on Ronaldo's mindset

Asked by why he believes Ronaldo is still performing at a high level at 40, Oliveira explained: “Because he’s still starving. He’s still starving. He’s hungry.

 “He was a young lad, and now he’s the same. That mindset can be contagious to the Portuguese national team. Maybe his last World Cup could be an amazing way for him to finalise international Portuguese games.”

Portugal will possess one of the strongest squads in the competition and have depth in almost every position. The former coach believes that his nation has as good a chance as any and should be fighting for the title.

“I think we have a generation that has to fight for the competition. We are one of the top five national teams that will fight to win the competition,” he said.

The evolution of Ronaldo

Aside from the World Cup, the Al-Nassr forward is also chasing a huge milestone. The aim of reaching 1,000 career goals is one Ronaldo is unlikely to give up on and even as he ages, the striker has adapted his game in order to get the most out of his lethal abilities.

Ronaldo has changed throughout his career, beginning as a tricky winger at Sporting CP he developed into the best player in the world at Manchester United, using his raw pace and skill to complement his developing finishing ability.

At Real Madrid, he typically played on the left of the Los Blancos attack alongside Karim Benzema and the likes of Gareth Bale and Angel Di Maria. In his prime years, he maintained a high level of pace and was capable of finding the back of the net from impossible areas, winning the Ballon d’Or three years running from 2015 to 2017.

As he got older, Ronaldo converted to a more classic centre-forward and, having lost a yard of pace, relied on his shooting and aerial prowess to get him goals. Spells at Juventus, United, and Al-Nassr have all brought goals and yet more records as he continues to shine.

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Getty ImagesThe World Cup dream remains

The World Cup remains the missing piece of the puzzle for Ronaldo. Although, at times, he has played down his desperation to win the tournament, he will be doing all he can to lift the trophy next year. Portugal have two World Cup qualifiers against the Republic of Ireland and Armenia to come next week as the nation looks to demonstrate their credentials to the world.

West Ham United have now joined the race for an “insane” Premier League striker, who is keen to leave his current club.

West Ham looking to sign striker after Fullkrüg blow

In truth, Niclas Füllkrug has flattered to deceive ever since his arrival at the London Stadium, with the German failing to score in his first six Premier League matches this season, but the striker’s recent injury setback is still a blow for Nuno.

Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann has recently confirmed the 32-year-old has suffered a “torn muscle bundle in his thigh” on international duty, which means he will now be ruled out for several weeks.

That leaves Callum Wilson as the obvious choice to lead the line for the foreseeable future, but there are also major doubts over the former Newcastle United man.

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Wilson has struggled with injuries considerably over the past few years, missing 29 games due to hamstring and back issues across the 2024-25 campaign, so the 33-year-old is hardly a dependable option for the Hammers.

As such, it would make sense to enter the market for a new striker in the January transfer window, and that is exactly what West Ham plan to do, according to Football Insider journalist Pete O’Rourke, who credits them with an interest in Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee.

Zirkzee wants to leave Man United, with the centre-forward frustrated by the lack of opportunities this season, and O’Rourke believes he could “push for a move away” in January if Ruben Amorim doesn’t give him more regular game time.

The journalist also stresses the importance of the Irons signing a new striker, adding: “Michael Antonio left when his contract expired, and neither Fullkrug nor Wilson have nailed down that number nine spot in the West Ham side.

“So I think if West Ham are still in relegation trouble come January, I think bringing in a new striker will be key to their hopes of staying up.”

"Insane" Zirkzee could reignite career at West Ham

It would be fair to say the Dutchman’s move to Old Trafford hasn’t worked out, having scored just seven goals in 53 outings for the Red Devils, but there are signs he could be capable of reigniting his career at West Ham.

At 24-years-old, the ex-Bologna man still has time on his side, and he received high praise during his time in Italy, with scout Ben Mattinson describing the former Serie A star as “insane”.

Mattinson also suggested the £105k-a-week forward has the potential to establish himself among the world’s best strikers.

It would be a risk to sign Zirkzee, given that the Netherlands international is still yet to establish himself in England, but it is difficult for a player to make a name for himself without consistent game time, which has arguably halted his progress at Man United.

MatériaMais Notícias

Pedro Geromel está prestes a completar 10 anos no Grêmio, uma década com história de títulos e idolatria. Por outro lado, o futuro do atleta segue indefinido, com o contrato se encerrando no dia 31 de dezembro.

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No dia 23 de dezembro de 2013, o Tricolor oficializou a contratação de um desconhecido: o zagueiro Pedro Geromel, do Mallorca, da Espanha. O atleta, na época com 28 anos, havia, até então, feito toda sua carreira profissional na Europa, e chegava para atuar pela primeira vez no Brasil.

+Fim da novela? Renato Gaúcho indica permanência no Grêmio para 2024

O zagueiro já identificado com o clube, não teve muitas oportunidades nesta temporada por conta das lesões, mas tem o desejo de permanecer no Imortal, assim como o clube tem o desejo da permanência do atleta. 

Em entrevista ao GE, Geromel disse querer terminar sua carreira no Grêmio, onde tem toda uma história.

– Conversamos, entendo a situação que estou, não vou ganhar o quanto eu ganho, vamos ter que ter uma readaptação salarial porque não estou jogando como jogava antes, é natural. Se for do interesse, gostaria de continuar. Sempre deixei claro que quero terminar a carreira no Grêmio. Primeiro só iam definir a parte do treinador, depois sentar e conversar. Quando os dois querem, não tem como não acontecer – disse o zagueiro.

INFLUÊNCIA DE RONALDINHO GAÚCHO

A chegada de Geromel à equipe tem um ponto curioso. O jogador estava no Mallorca e atuava com Giovanni dos Santos, mexicano revelado pelo Barcelona. Esse, por sua vez, havia jogado com Ronaldinho, que acabou como “intermediário” na negociação

Geromel contou à Rádio Gaúcha que estava jantando com o companheiro de time, que lhe disse que Ronaldinho queria o telefone do zagueiro. Ele ficou espantado: “Está de sacanagem?” Mas depois entendeu que o objetivo era que um dirigente do Imortal queria o contato para tentar uma negociação.

– Nunca falei com Ronaldinho sobre isso. Meu empresário Mayckel Portela jogou com Ronaldinho na base do Grêmio. Ele foi a Mallorca a pedido do Rui Costa, que era diretor esportivo do Grêmio. Tinha me visto jogar na Alemanha e na Espanha e tinha interesse em me repatriar para jogar em 2013, quando o Luxemburgo era o treinador – revelou o zagueiro.

Na ocasião, o clube espanhol não liberou o zagueiro, e o negócio não avançou. Quase um ano depois, porém, Geromel desembarcou em Porto Alegre para dar início a uma linda história.

Com 384 partidas com a camisa 3 do Grêmio, Geromel ocupa o 13º lugar dos jogadores com mais aparições pelo clube. Se somar mais 40, entra no top-10. Para isso, porém, precisa confirmar a renovação por mais um ano. A situação segue indefinida.

O SEU LADO TORCEDOR E A POSSÍVEL APOSENTADORIA

O 2023 de Geromel foi difícil. Logo na pré-temporada, ainda em janeiro, sofreu uma lesão no joelho esquerdo. A recuperação foi mais demorada que o esperado, e a estreia na temporada aconteceu somente em agosto. No total, foram sete jogos do zagueiro. 

Sematuar, coube a Geromel assumir outro lado, o de torcedor. Enquanto se recuperava, levava os filhos à Arena para acompanhar as partidas, uma experiência diferente e especial. 

– Esse ano tive a infelicidade, ou felicidade, de ir com meus filhos assistir muitos jogos. Vou com eles na Arena, torcem, cantam as músicas, alentam. Preferia estar em campo, a agonia de fora é surreal, mas foi muito legar ter vivido isso com meus filhos – exaltou.

Embora ainda não tenha definido sua situação no clube, Geromel se mostrou otimista com um desfecho positivo. Chegou a confirmar que “dinheiro não é problema”, visto que uma das questões envolvendo a renovação passa por reduzir seu salário.

– Esse ano tive uma lesão muito difícil no joelho e agora estou 100% recuperado, mas só agora estou recuperado. Também não queria parar de jogar na maca, não é legal de se fazer. Tenho essa vontade, essa ambição de me aposentar jogando – afirmou.

O atual vínculo do zagueiro se encerra no dia 31 de dezembro. O futuro de Geromel será definido nos próximos dias. A definição vai indicar se os 10 anos do atleta no clube terá mais um capítulo, embora a história de um dos maiores jogadores da história do Grêmio já esteja escrita há muito tempo. 

Northern Superchargers 193 for 5 (Malan 58, Crawley 45) beat Birmingham Phoenix 157 for 9 (Bethell 48, Livingstone 46*, Potts 3-26, Lawes 2-23, Rashid 2-26, Duffy 2-31) by 36 runsAn absorbing game in front of a capacity Leeds crowd finally went the way of Harry Brook’s Superchargers, who claimed top spot outright in the men’s Hundred following another scintillating batting performance against Birmingham Phoenix.In pursuit of the Superchargers’ 193 for 5 – the highest score in the men’s tournament since the 2023 season – a magnificent partnership of 80 in just 42 balls between Phoenix’s Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell briefly threatened to upset the odds, but the brilliance of Adil Rashid, who removed Bethell caught-and-bowled with 87 still needed from 38 balls, ultimately swung the momentum back to the home team.Livingstone kept swinging after Bethell’s departure but Rashid’s guile was too much for the Phoenix hitters. In a game dominated by the bat, on a flat pitch with a lightning fast outfield, it was the great legspinner who once again proved to be the difference, outfoxing Livingstone with his 17th delivery to settle the contest.The Phoenix top order again failed to fire, with three wickets falling in the powerplay – two of them to the excellent Matthew Potts, who finished up with three. Phoenix now face an uphill task to qualify for the latter stages of the competition.With the bat, the Superchargers’ superb top four were yet again irrepressible. Zak Crawley and Dawid Malan continued their fruitful opening partnership, adding 67 in 31 balls – Crawley was particularly savage on anything wide, racking up six fours and two sixes in his 23-ball stay – before Michael Pepper and then Brook took centre stage.Brook opened his account with an outrageous scoop for six off his first ball, and finished with 31 from just 14 deliveries as the home side added 40 in the last 20 balls.With three wins in four, Andrew Flintoff’s team are emerging as one of the teams to beat in this year’s tournament.Rashid, named the Meerkat Match Hero, said: “I thought we played exceptionally well. We put a great score on the board, which allowed us bowlers to go out there and attack to take wickets. We’ve got world class players all the way through and great firepower in the middle order.”I know their batters are going to come hard at me, so I need to be unpredictable and mix it up. It’s useful for me because I’ve bowled to a lot of these boys in the nets, so I know their strengths and weaknesses as well, which all plays a part. You’re always learning every day, and hopefully I’ll keep learning until the day comes when I hang up the boots.”

Chelsea have discovered how much time Romeo Lavia will miss after losing the midfielder to yet another injury setback. Lavia was forced off after just four minutes of their Champions League draw against Qarabag, with manager Enzo Maresca subsequently admitting that the Blues are "ashamed" about the amount of time their big-money has spent on the sidelines since joining from Southampton in 2023.

• Lavia out for a month for Chelsea

  Chelsea will have to cope without Lavia for another month following his latest injury setback, according toThe midfielder will therefore miss games against Burnley, Arsenal, Leeds and Bournemouth in the Premier League. He's also expected to sit out the Champions League fixtures against Barcelona and Atalanta due to the quadricep problem. Lavia has been plagued by injury issues since joining the club in a £58 million transfer and those struggles have continued into the current campaign. He has made just seven appearances for the Blues so far this season, and fans will now have to wait until December to see him back in action for Maresca's side.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Maresca 'ashamed' of injury record

  Lavia has made only 29 appearances in total over two years with Chelsea, leaving Maresca to admit the club are "ashamed" by his frequent injuries. "We feel very ashamed, especially for him, because he's not able to be fit for a long, long period," Maresca said after Chelsea's clash with Qarabag. "It's not a recurrence of his hamstring problem; it looks like a quad injury. We'll need to assess him further, but it doesn't look good."

• Lavia's injury hell at Chelsea

  Lavia's injury record at Chelsea does make for dismal reading. The midfielder has sustained 10 injuries and been out for a total of 568 days, missing 88 games, since Chelsea invested heavily to bring him in from Southampton back in 2023. Rather incredibly, Lavia is still yet to complete a full 90 minutes for Chelsea and his latest injury is yet another in a long list of setbacks for the 21-year-old. Chelsea have reportedly tried to manage his workload in a bid to get him fit and featuring on a regular basis but even that does not appear to have worked, with Lavia once again on the sidelines at Stamford Bridge.

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• 'My body let me down' – Lavia lifts lid on injury jinx

  Lavia has previously spoken about the injuries he's had to contend with at Chelsea and has been unable to put his finger on the problem. He told: "You're young and you want to play. You're getting to know your body as well, which is sometimes unfair because you feel like you’re doing everything right to get back but then nature sometimes decides in a different way. It was just about understanding that and growing as a person. It was frustrating but it was more in the head, and now it has helped me. Injuries can happen. I'd say that it was unlucky and I tried to catch up every time. My body let me down a couple of times because I felt like I was doing everything right. I wouldn't blame anything."

حُسمت هوية المنتخبات المتأهلة لدور الـ8 من بطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا، بعد انتهاء منافسات دور الـ 16 للمسابقة العالمية.

وتقام بطولة كأس العالم للناشئين تحت 17 عامًا، بدولة قطر، من الفترة 3 نوفمبر وتنتهي 27 من الشهر ذاته.

طالع..مواجهات دور الـ 8 من كأس العالم للناشئين تحت 17 عاما

منتخب مصر بقيادة أحمد الكاس، ودع منافسات بطولة كأس العالم من دور الـ 32 بعد خسارته أمام سويسرا 3-1، وذلك بعدما تأهل من دور المجموعات كأفضل مركز ثالث ضمن أفضل المنتخبات التي احتلت المركز الثالث للمجموعات الـ12.

على الجانب الآخر، حسم منتخب المغرب تأهله إلى دور الـ 8 بالفوز على مالي بنتيجة 3-2، كممثل وحيد للكرة العربية في المسابقة. المنتخبات المتأهلة لدور الـ 8 من كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا

1- إيطاليا

2- البرتغال

3- سويسرا

4- بوركينا فاسو

5- اليابان

6- البرازيل

7-المغرب

8-النمسا

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has made clear that bilateral contests are off but matches in multi-nation tournaments can go ahead

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Aug-2025India will not host or visit Pakistan for bilateral contests, but their athletes and teams can take part in multi-nation events that also involve Pakistan, clearing the path for their upcoming fixtures in the men’s Asia Cup in September and the women’s ODI World Cup in October.Pakistan sportspersons can also participate in multilateral events hosted by India.The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports set down these guidelines in a statement, clarifying the Indian government’s position on sporting relations with Pakistan at a time of strained political relations between the two South Asian countries. The statement left one question unanswered: whether Indian athletes can take part in multilateral events hosted by Pakistan.Related

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No Babar, Rizwan in Pakistan squad for Asia Cup

The statement comes less than three weeks from the scheduled start of the Asia Cup in the UAE, where India and Pakistan, drawn in the same group, are set to meet at least once (on September 14 in Dubai), and potentially up to three times. It will be India’s first cricket match against Pakistan since the two countries exchanged cross-border hostilities following the Pahalgam terror attack in April.There have been calls, in this climate, for India to boycott all sporting contact with Pakistan. During July’s World Championship of Legends, a tournament featuring retired players, both matches between the teams from the two countries had been abandoned, with the India Champions forfeiting their semi-final against the Pakistan Champions.With the Indian government making its stand clear, India now have official sanction to play Pakistan in the Asia Cup, which was originally to be hosted by India before being moved to the UAE in July.”In so far as bilateral sports events in each other’s country are concerned, Indian teams will not be participating in competitions in Pakistan. Nor will we permit Pakistani teams to play in India,” the ministry’s statement said.In a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, calls for India to boycott all sporting contact with Pakistan have grown louder•Associated Press”With regard to international and multilateral events, in India or abroad, we are guided by the practices of international sports bodies and the interest of our own sportspersons. It is also relevant to take into account India’s emergence as a credible venue to host international sports events.”Accordingly, Indian teams and individual players will take part in international events that also have teams or players from Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistani players and teams will be able to participate in such multilateral events hosted by India.”To position India as a preferred destination for hosting international sporting events, the visa process for sportspersons, team officials, technical personnel, and office-bearers of International Sports Governing Bodies shall be simplified. In respect of office-bearers of International Sports Governing Bodies, a multi-entry visa shall be granted on priority basis for the duration of their official tenure, subject to a maximum period of five years. This shall facilitate their smooth movement into and within the country, in accordance with international norms. Due protocol and courtesies, as per established practice, shall be extended to the Heads of International Sports Governing Bodies during their visits to India.”The statement lays down in unambiguous terms what have been the Indian government’s unwritten guidelines for cricketing engagements with Pakistan for more than a decade. The two countries have not met in a bilateral series in any format since 2012, but they have faced off multiple times at the ODI and T20 World Cups, the Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup.Pakistan have visited India for the T20 World Cup in 2016 and the ODI World Cup in 2023, but India did not visit Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Their matches, including their semi-final and final, were played in Dubai. The BCCI and the PCB have agreed on this hybrid model for all remaining ICC events in the 2024-27 cycle.

Manchester City knew they were going to have to be at their very best to get the better of a stern AFC Bournemouth side at the Etihad on Sunday afternoon.

Thankfully, the usual suspects Pep Guardiola knows he can depend on shone once more, as Erling Haaland picked up yet another brace in City’s sky blue, to take his Premier League goal tally for the season up to an untouchable 13 strikes, from just ten clashes, to also steer the hosts to a convincing 3-1 victory.

The superhuman striker is already up to a mind-boggling 25 goals for club and country this campaign, with Guardiola understandably jubilant at the full-time whistle, as the Norwegian’s lethal edge proved to be the crucial difference maker.

But, he wasn’t the only unstoppable attacker that caught the eye against the Cherries, as Rayan Cherki also effortlessly went about his business, as a perfect teammate for the deadly number nine to bounce off of.

Cherki's standout performance vs Bournemouth

Even before the match had gotten underway, the former Lyon playmaker was being spoken about in glowing terms, with Sky Sports’ Izzy Christiansen labelling him as a “player of the highest quality.”

He lived up to his lofty post-match billing with a stylish showing against Andoni Iraola’s men, as the hard-to-read Frenchman followed up the goal and assist he had collected against Swansea City, with two assists versus the Cherries to bump up Haaland’s ever-growing goal count in England.

Cherki would get the ball rolling for City when using his head to play Haaland in after 16 minutes, while his second assist of the night would see him catch the South Coast side’s defence out with an intricate pass, before City’s lethal number nine unsurprisingly fired home.

Managing to win 100% of his tackles, too, to show off some levels of grit in his varied game, Cherki will surely be retained now for Guardiola and Co.’s difficult match-up in the Champions League on Wednesday night against Borussia Dortmund, with a hope he can unlock the Black and Yellow’s defence in a similar manner to his standout showing against Bournemouth.

One of the possible hurdles stopping Cherki from becoming a recognised first-teamer, though, is his recurring injury problems, as a different teammate in the middle of the park now also prepares to become a key first-team face week in, week out, too, after putting in another formidable showing centrally.

The 8/10 star who is now as undroppable as Haaland

It could be argued, too, that the number ten faded out of the contest somewhat after his breakneck assists were tallied up.

On the other hand, Nico Gonzalez was full-blooded throughout as City’s main man centrally, as Tijjani Reijnders had to sit out the clash on the bench through injury.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

79

Accurate passes

57/63 (90%)

Tackles won

1/1

Interceptions

3

Blocked shots

1

Ball recoveries

8

Total duels won

4/6

On just his sixth start for City in the Premier League this season, Gonzalez put in – arguably – his best display of the season to date, with a high eight ball recoveries won and four duels being won, also being matched by the ex-Porto star rarely giving the ball away, having ended the match with a high 90% pass accuracy still intact.

Bournemouth would fail to mount a comeback courtesy of the Spaniard remaining switched on throughout; therefore, with Cherki only winning 30% of his duels, in contrast, while also coming in with a lower 85% pass accuracy, despite teeing up Haaland for two goals, per Sofascore.

The aforementioned Reijnders has also struggled, recently, to be that Rodri-type figure City desperately desire as their talisman remains out injured, meaning Gonzalez could now be seen as a key part of the starting jigsaw that Guardiola relies on, much like the 54-year-old is heavily dependent on his unerring Scandinavian, still, to lead the line with venom.

Manchester Evening News journalist Simon Bajkowski would reward the 23-year-old’s impressive night with a high 8/10 post-match rating, with the steady midfield presence noted as bringing a needed sense of “calm and authority” to proceedings in the second 45 minutes, as the game ticked down to its conclusion.

This 3-1 win pushes City up to second in the early league standings, with Guardiola well aware that it’s going to take an unbelievable team effort to catch Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, with Gonzalez hopeful he can be of use, next to Haaland, in the long run, after his assured, yet forceful display at the Etihad.

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