Dele Alli was seen as a youngster with huge potential at Tottenham Hotspur, but despite his early success at the club, he struggled to maintain his top-level performances.

The Englishman joined the Lilywhites in a £5m deal from MK Dons back in the summer of 2015, taking the Premier League by storm in his first couple of seasons.

He scored 37 times in his first three years in North London, registering a further 26 assists – helping him win the PFA Young Player of the Year award two years in a row.

However, it would all come crashing down for the midfielder, subsequently dropping down the pecking order under Jose Mourinho, with off-field issues rearing their head and leading to his demise.

Fast-forward to 2025, manager Thomas Frank has another talented player in the same situation, which could lead to his own exit from the club in the near future.

The latest on Yves Bissouma’s Tottenham future

Despite being a regular in Ange Postecoglou’s plans, making 44 appearances in all competitions, midfielder Yves Bissouma looks set to be sold by Spurs in the coming weeks.

The Malian international, who cost £35m from Brighton in the summer of 2022, has ultimately failed to impress new boss, Frank, but mainly due to his off-the-field issues rather than on-field performances.

He was left out of the Super Cup clash with PSG due to disciplinary reasons and has failed to be a part of any squad since then, not even making the bench for the Lilywhites.

It’s not the first time the 29-year-old has been involved in off-the-field antics, being spotted inhaling nitrous oxide – leading to a suspension from the hierarchy.

However, he looks set to be sold to Turkey in the coming days, with Fenerbahce interested in his signature, but he should also be joined by another player out of the exit door.

The Spurs player who should be axed alongside Bissouma

Whilst this summer was mainly about incomings at Spurs, decisions have been made to offload players to create wriggle room for Frank to work with after taking the reins.

The Dane splashed upwards of £100m on the signatures of Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus – adding needed quality into the club’s forward line for 2025/26 and beyond.

Such moves have added to the likes of Brennan Johnson and Richarlison, with the pair already opening their account for the new campaign under Frank.

However, despite joining on a permanent basis this summer, attacker Mathys Tel could find himself on the periphery after the latest development in North London.

The Frenchman joined the Lilywhites in a £30m deal from Bayern Munich, re-joining the club after spending the second half of the previous campaign on loan with Spurs.

At just 20, he has bags of time to fulfill his potential, but it’s unclear whether he will be able to achieve his goal under Frank after the new emerging from the club this week.

Tel, who’s been labelled “incredible” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, was left out of the Lilywhites’ Champions League squad for the 2025/26 campaign – casting doubt over his long-term future.

Games played

21

Minutes played

1287

Goals scored

3

Assists

1

Yellow cards

3

Red cards

0

Average rating

6.75

Such a situation is similar to that of Dele, subsequently being alienated from the first-team squad, which could see the player move closer to the exit door.

However, such a scenario could eventually see the club lose Tel for a minimal fee, just like they did with Dele a couple of years ago – needing to cash in on his services if he currently isn’t in Frank’s plans.

The decision to leave the youngster out may prove to be an unpopular one with the fanbase, especially after the hierarchy forked out £30m for his signature a matter of months ago.

The player himself would also undoubtedly be angry with the latest development, with the board needing to fund a move away from the club for Tel alongside Bissouma to allow them to kick on their development elsewhere.

Sold for £28m: Levy hit gold axing Spurs flop now worth less than Bissouma

Tottenham Hotspur made the right call by allowing one player to leave the club in recent years.

ByEthan Lamb Sep 5, 2025

Manchester United are set to appoint Ameesh Manek as their new director of football operations. Manek joins United from Brentford and his primary responsibility will be overseeing the daily operations at United's Carrington training ground. This encompasses areas such as travel, security, training facilities, staff management, and infrastructure for both the men's and women's teams.

New boss for renovated training base

The Carrington Training Centre is United's state-of-the-art training complex, in Greater Manchester. Earlier this year the club completed a significant £50 million ($67m) refurbishment of the main first-team building, led by renowned architects Foster + Partners. The upgraded facility is designed to optimise player performance, health, and wellbeing. New features include a dedicated performance area with a gym, altitude room, hydrotherapy pools, and medical suites. It also boasts a new lounge with a kitchen, a barber shop, and open-plan offices for coaching staff. The refurbishment followed criticism from players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, about the training complex's outdated facilities.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportHigh-flying exec to join United ranks

Manek is a prominent football operations executive known for his successful transition from the corporate world into the high-stakes Premier League football environment and will report to sporting director Jason Wilcox. He first moved into football at Arsenal, where he was head of academy football operations from 2015 to 2018 and head of first team football operations until 2020. After that he enjoyed a productive tenure at Brentford, where he was promoted to chief operating officer in July 2024. At Brentford, Manek initially served as business operations director and his work involved overseeing daily functions of the club.

Carrington wasn’t loved by players

Former United midfielder Andreas Pereira has weighed in on the debate about Man Utd's training base facilities, which have recently undergone the £50m makeover since Pereira left. Speaking to he said: "Compared to what's out there, it's the elite of football. Few clubs have the structure Palmeiras has. I've worked for several big clubs in Europe, and I can say that Palmeiras has the best structure I've ever worked in. Better than Manchester United when I was there." 

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Getty Images SportNo change in the Old Trafford dugout

As Manek prepares to take onhis new role, another senior name at the club had his future at Old Trafford confirmed after co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe revealed boss Ruben Amorim’s job is not currently under threat. Man Utd finished in a lowly 15th place last season, lost the Europa League final to Tottenham and performances this season have led many to believe the Portuguese boss would be let go. But Amorim has been given a major boost after an update from Ratcliffe.

The INEOS chief told podcast: "He has not had the best of seasons. Ruben needs to demonstrate he is a great coach over three years. That's where I would be. The press, sometimes I don't understand. They want overnight success. They think it's a light switch. You know, you flick a switch and it's all going to be roses tomorrow. You can't run a club like Manchester United on knee-jerk reactions to some journalist who goes off on one every week." And asked what would happen if the Glazers told him to sack Amorim, Ratcliffe added: "It's not going to happen."

Borussia Dortmund have been handed a major boost ahead of their Bundesliga clash against Bayern Munich, with Serhou Guirassy back in full training after injury concerns. The Guinean striker, described by Niko Kovac as the team's “life insurance,” looks set to lead the line in Saturday’s highly-anticipated Klassiker clash after overcoming thigh problems.

• Guirassy fit for Bayern clash after injury scare

  Dortmund’s top scorer Guirassy has returned to full training ahead of Saturday’s crunch clash against Bayern. The 29-year-old striker had been a doubt after suffering thigh discomfort while on international duty with Guinea, but according to , he trained normally on Tuesday morning. His availability is a huge relief for head coach Niko Kovac, who relies heavily on the forward’s clinical edge in big matches.

  Guirassy has already scored four goals in five Bundesliga matches this season, underlining his importance to Dortmund’s title ambitions. The club’s medical team and Guinean federation had opted for caution earlier in the month, allowing the striker to return to Dortmund early rather than risk aggravating the injury. Now fully fit, he is expected to spearhead the attack at the Allianz Arena.

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  Coach banking on Guirassy’s goals for title push

  Kovac has made no secret of how integral Guirassy is to his system, often referring to him as the team’s “life insurance” due to his reliability in front of goal. Despite struggling with form briefly in the league, the Guinean remains Dortmund’s focal point and is seen as a potential match-winner against Bayern.

  In late-September, Guirassy had to halt his warm-up due to thigh pain before his team's loss to Mainz, but after starting in the 4-1 win against Athletic Club and the 1-1 draw with RB Leipzig, he has regained fitness.

• Guirassy’s scoring form and release clause attract attention

  While Dortmund fans are eager for Guirassy to continue his goalscoring form, top European clubs are also keeping tabs on his future. As revealed, his current contract includes a €50 million (£43m/$55m) release clause next summer, a potential bargain compared to strikers of similar calibre like Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappe.

  Guirassy has been linked with moves away before, but Dortmund successfully retained him this year despite offers nearing €75 million (£64m/$82m). Given his consistency and physical style, his market value continues to rise, making him one of the Bundesliga’s most intriguing forwards heading into 2026.

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  Two elite strikers set for Der Klassiker duel

  Saturday’s Der Klassiker will feature two prolific forwards in the form of English hero Harry Kane and Guirassy. Kane has already scored 11 goals in six league appearances for Bayern, while Guirassy remains his closest challenger in the Bundesliga scoring race.

  The Guinean striker, who finished joint-top scorer in last season’s Champions League with 13 goals, admitted earlier this year: “We both like scoring goals. Harry Kane is a world-class striker with a lot of experience. I watch a lot of football matches and am always learning.” Guirassy will hope to open his account in the Klassiker, having yet to score in the fixture.

  Bayern currently lead the table with 18 points, while Dortmund sit second on 14. A victory at the Allianz Arena would cut the deficit to a single point and send a statement about Dortmund’s credentials under Kovac. With Guirassy fit again and Kane in red-hot form, Saturday’s clash promises to be an explosive encounter between Germany’s top two sides.

يستعد الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي مانشستر سيتي لمواصلة مبارياته في الموسم الحالي 2025/2026 بعد الخسارة أمام أستون فيلا، ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وخسر مانشستر سيتي بهدف نظيف أمام أستون فيلا، في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات الجولة التاسعة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “بريميرليج”.

وخاض رجال جوارديولا مباراتهم أمام أستون فيلا على ملعب “فيلا بارك”، بالمباراة التي جمعتهما في تمام الساعة الخامسة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة ومكة المكرمة.

جاء الهدف في الدقيقة 19 عن طريق اللاعب ماتي كاش، بعد تمريرة من زميله إيمي بوينديا، حيث وصلت الكرة إلى الآخر الذي سددها بطريقة قوية من على حدود منطقة الجزاء، لتهتز شباك دوناروما.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فيديو | مانشستر سيتي يرفض الوصافة ويسقط أمام أستون فيلا في الدوري الإنجليزي

بتلك النتيجة، تجمد رصيد مانشستر سيتي عند النقطة 16 في المركز الرابع، فيما ارتفع رصيد أستون فيلا للنقطة 15 بالمركز السابع في جدول ترتيب البريميرليج. موعد مباراة مانشستر سيتي القادمة بعد الخسارة أمام أستون فيلا في الدوري الإنجليزي

ومن المقرر أن يخوض مانشستر سيتي مباراته القادمة أمام سوانزي سيتي، ضمن منافسات كأس كاراباو الأربعاء المقبل.

ويستضيف ملعب “سوانزي دوت كوم” مباراة مانشستر سيتي وسوانزي في تمام الساعة الحادية عشر إلا ربع بتوقيت القاهرة ومكة المكرمة.

Manchester City began the 2025/26 season with a point to prove after a disappointing campaign last year, where they finished 13 points behind champions Liverpool.

Pep Guardiola’s side were uncharacteristically inconsistent, struggling for rhythm and creativity.

This summer brought change. In came Rayan Cherki, Tiijani Reinders, and Rayan Aït-Nouri to refresh an aging squad, while a handful of younger talents were sent out on loan to gain experience.

City’s start to the new season has been mixed – four wins, a draw, and two losses after seven Premier League games – but one constant has been the form of Erling Haaland.

After scoring the decisive goal in the 1-0 win over Brentford on Sunday, Haaland looks back to his devastating best.

And while he dominates the present, Guardiola’s eyes are firmly on the future.

Most notably, on a 20-year-old striker currently making waves in the Championship.

Erling Haaland's stunning form in numbers

At 25 years old, Haaland remains the spearhead of Manchester City’s attack and arguably the most feared finisher in world football.

Valued at around £165m by Transfermarkt, the Norwegian forward has already scored nine goals in the Premier League this season, adding three more in the Champions League.

His sharpness in front of goal was evident again on Sunday when he scored in the ninth minute to secure three points against a stubborn Brentford side.

Haaland’s record in Manchester speaks for itself: 136 goals in 155 appearances.

His power, timing, and composure make him the ultimate reference point for Pep Guardiola’s tactical structure, even as the manager experiments with a refreshed lineup.

Beyond his finishing, Haaland’s work rate and movement continue to set the standard for the squad’s younger forwards.

Crucially, his form could be what drags the club back into the title race. For club and country, he’s netted a staggering 16 goals in his last nine matches.

Erling Haaland – 2025/26

Matches Played

7

Goals

9

Assists

1

Progressive Carries

10

Progressive Passes

6

Source: FBref

Yet behind the scenes, there is an understanding at the Etihad that Haaland won’t shoulder the burden forever.

The club’s long-term planning is already underway—and that’s where one of England’s most promising young strikers enters the conversation.

Manchester City's future Haaland

Divin Mubama may not yet be a household name among Premier League fans, but those following the Championship will know the Manchester City loanee is beginning to deliver on his potential.

The 20-year-old, who joined City from West Ham after rising through the Hammers’ academy, has impressed on loan at Stoke City – scoring twice while wearing the No.9 shirt.

Stoke currently sit fifth in the Championship, and Mubama has been pivotal to their early-season form.

Having played in all nine matches so far, he’s shown maturity beyond his years.

Analysts predicted his success before a ball was kicked, with Ben Mattinson claiming he would be “one of the best in the Championship” if given a full loan spell.

Statistically, Mubama’s profile is hugely promising. Compared to positional peers in Eurpe, he ranks in the 86th percentile for successful take-ons (1.08 per 90 minutes), showing his confidence to beat defenders; the 91st percentile for tackles (1.21 per 90), evidence of his work ethic out of possession; and the 99th percentile for interceptions (0.54 per 90), highlighting his reading of the game.

Physically strong and dominant in the air, he also ranks in the 73rd percentile for aerial duels won (3.09 per 90) and 76th for blocks (0.81 per 90).

Internationally, Mubama has been capped at every youth level for England and made his U21 debut in a 2-0 win against Kazakhstan.

At club level, his rise has been steady. He scored 16 goals in 14 games for City’s U21s and already has senior experience in Europe, having featured for West Ham in both the Europa League and the Conference League – the latter of which he helped win in 2023.

He even marked his first senior goal for City in an emphatic 8-0 FA Cup victory over Salford City, a glimpse of what might lie ahead.

Mubama’s blend of technical ability, movement, and physicality makes him the ideal apprentice to Haaland.

The two strikers, though at different stages of their careers, embody Guardiola’s long-term vision: an emphasis on power, precision, and adaptability.

With Mubama’s performances at Stoke drawing praise and Haaland rediscovering his lethal edge, Manchester City’s attacking future looks secure.

If the young Englishman continues his upward trajectory, he could well be the next great forward to define Manchester City’s modern era.

Related Better than Haaland: Man City must regret selling "the best player in PL"

Manchester City let this top talent slip through their fingers.

Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair Oct 3, 2025

There are questions over whether Australia and South Africa players can return with their WTC final scheduled to begin on June 11 at Lord’s

Shashank Kishore11-May-20252:12

What makes Hazlewood such an improved T20 bowler?

As the BCCI plans to try and resume IPL 2025, questions remain over whether a number of Australia and South Africa players will return for the remainder of the season, with the World Test Championship (WTC) final due to begin on June 11 at Lord’s.The IPL was suspended on May 9 for one week following escalation in cross-border tension between India and Pakistan, but the announcement of a ceasefire on May 10 evening raised the possibility of the league resuming soon.”The BCCI is closely monitoring the evolving situation and developments, and will take a call on IPL resumption after consulting all stakeholders and the concerned government authorities,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said. “In the next days, we will begin consultations with the franchises, broadcasters, sponsors and state associations slated to host the remaining matches… Given the importance of IPL at this juncture, it will also be prudent and necessary to take the nod of the government of India before finalising the time for its restart. BCCI will duly announce the date of IPL restart once the whole process is over in due course of time.”Thirteen league matches – including the one that was abandoned mid-way in the first innings – remain in the league phase of IPL 2025 before the four playoff fixtures. The final was scheduled to be held in Kolkata on May 25.Once the IPL was suspended temporarily on Friday, several overseas players and coaching staff left India in the next 24 hours, and a challenge facing all teams is to get them back if the BCCI decides to resume the tournament in the next week.There are doubts over whether Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Josh Hazlewood will return; a shoulder niggle had ruled him out of RCB’s previous home fixture against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on May 3. He was a doubtful starter for RCB’s next match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on May 9 before the tournament was suspended, and he may have missed the remainder of the season even if the tournament had not been interrupted.Hazlewood had said earlier in the season that he had continued a rehab programme during IPL 2025, having returned to fitness from a calf injury and side strain that forced him to miss parts of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (December-January), the Test tour to Sri Lanka, and the Champions Trophy (February-March).ESPNcricinfo understands Cricket Australia (CA) isn’t concerned by his injury and he is expected to be picked in the Test squad that will have a conditioning camp in the UK in the first week of June ahead of the WTC final.Australia’s Test captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Travis Head will also have decisions to make on returning to India should the IPL resume, keeping in mind the WTC final. While Cummins and Head have just three league games remaining with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) already out of contention for the playoffs, Starc’s team – Delhi Capitals (DC) – are still in the race in fifth place at the moment. Starc was among a large contingent of players who travelled by road and train from Dharamsala to Delhi after the match between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and DC was abandoned on May 8.Almost all of the New Zealand players, apart from Mitchell Santner and Bevon Jacobs, have returned home from the IPL too. Santner and Jacobs, who play for Mumbai Indians (MI), agreed to a request to stay on, according to Health Mills, chief of the New Zealand Cricket Players Association, on RNZ Sport.The participation of South Africa’s players for the remainder of the IPL – should it resume – will be decided at a Cricket South Africa board meeting on Sunday. As of now, the NOCs to players had been issued until May 25, with the board stating that safety and security of players was non-negotiable.South Africa are scheduled to play Zimbabwe in a warm-up fixture in the first week of June as part of their build-up to the WTC final.

تحدث جيمي فلويد هاسلبانك، مهاجم تشيلسي السابق، عن محمد صلاح جناح ليفربول الإنجليزي، وقيّم فريق آرني سلوت، في ظل تراجع نتائجه مؤخرًا، والانتقادات التي يتعرض لها المصري.

ويرى هاسلبانك أن صلاح يشعر بالإحباط كونه لم يعد اللاعب الرئيسي في ليفربول في الوقت الحالي، مع قدوم صفقات جديدة، وسلط الضوء على الأزمة التي يعاني منها الريدز.

وسجل صلاح أربعة أهداف في 13 مباراة هذا الموسم، ويرى الكثير أن مستواه تراجع مقارنة بالموسم الماضي.

وقال هاسلبانك لقناة “سكاي سبورتس”: “يبحث سلوت عن أفضل تشكيلة لديه، علاوة على ذلك، فان دايك ليس في أفضل حالاته”.

اقرأ أيضًا | سلوت يعلن سبب تغييراته في تشكيل ليفربول أمام كريستال بالاس وغياب محمد صلاح

وأضاف: “كوناتي يُظهر بعض الشجاعة، وكيركيز لم يتأقلم بعد، وبرادلي لا يزال يتعلم اللعبة، هو يلعب في فريق لا يُقدم أداءً جيدًا، لذا لا يُمكن توقع أن يُساهم لاعب صغير في قيادة الفريق”.

وواصل: “في خط الوسط، لدينا الآن لاعب رقم 10 حقيقي، لذا علينا اللعب بشكل مختلف، هناك الكثير من الأمور غير الصحيحة، صلاح يعاني من بعض الانزعاج؛ أولاً، لأنه لا يلعب بشكل جيد، وثانياً، لأنه لم يعد اللاعب الأساسي، لقد انضم لاعبون مثل إيكيتيكي”.

وأردف: “عادةً، عندما يكون صلاح مُتاحًا وحرًا، يحصل على الكرة من الجميع، إيكيتيكي يُركز على نفسه ويبحث عن فرصه الخاصة”.

واختتم: “من الطبيعي أن يُظهر اللاعبون الجدد جدارتهم باللعب مع ليفربول، وأن يُثبتوا جدارتهم، لكن الفكرة برمتها ليست على ما يُرام؛ لا تبدو مناسبة حاليًا، على سلوت أن يأتي ويُصحح الأمور، وهو يُعاني حاليًا في هذا الجانب”.

MatériaMais Notícias

O técnico Bruno Lage destacou a maneira como os jovens do Botafogo vêm se desenvolvendo. Após, na vitória por 3 a 0 sobre o Bahia, jogadores das categorias de base terem demonstrado seu potencial com a camisa alvinegra.

Lage pontuou o bom desempenho de Matías Segovia no Nilton Santos.

+ Botafogo vem tendo sua maior média de gols dos últimos 15 anos

– O Mati (Matías Segovia) fez um jogo muito bom, sempre com boas decisões em termos ofensivos. E com qualidade defensiva irrepreensível, quer a fechar por dentro ou por fora. Aquilo que mais me interessa é que os jogadores têm a minha confiança, eu exijo que eles trabalhem diariamente, e as oportunidades vão surgindo a cada momento – disse.

O treinador também destacou a maneira como tem lapidado os jovens que desembarcaram no Glorioso e os formados no clube.

–  Temos trabalhado com todos os jovens que chegaram ao clube recentemente, quer o Mati, o Diego(Hernández) ou o Mateo (Ponte). Sejam os jovens da base, como Jota, JP e Hugo. Temos trabalhado para evoluírem. Minha forma de trabalhar é ter gente como o Mati, que entrou hoje e nos ajudou. Ter gente como Luis Henrique, que deixa o banco e decide o jogo com grande gol. A equipe tem funcionado já há dez jogos e temos mantidos coerência nas nossas exibições – garantiu.

Manchester City star Oscar Bobb has been on the receiving end of a brutal assessment from Norway manager Stale Solbakken after an underwhelming performance in the recent draw to New Zealand. The Scandinavian side drew 1-1 with the All Whites, with RB Leipzig winger Antonio Nusa rescuing the game in the 62nd minute after going behind.

• Harsh dose of reality for Norway winger

  Bobb has become a favourite of Pep Guardiola this season, making eight appearances in all competitions for City in 2025-26. His fine form has been rewarded with plenty of minutes for his country too, with the 22-year-old featured in the World Cup qualifying win against Israel, as well as the friendly against New Zealand. Norway sit top of Group I, ahead of Italy, having won all six of their games so far. But that did not stop head coach Solbakken from unleashing his displeasure at Bobb's display across 90 minutes against Tuesday's opponents, even if it was only a friendly clash.

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  'He is lacking everything'

  Having started Bobb as a right winger against Israel, Solbakken moved him into a more central role for the New Zealand game, a mistake the Norway boss may not make again. Speaking after the game, he let loose on the City star, before backtracking in the latter stages of his rant.

  He said: "He was very poor in the first half, he is lacking everything.

  "He takes too long with the ball, positions himself strangely and doesn’t press well. He’s done that in training and been very good at it. But if you ask Oscar, I think he’ll say that the first half was his weakest performance for the national team. The second half was the next weakest. I’m not wasting any energy on that. He has performed very, very well in almost every game, both further up the pitch and further out. It’s not a concern."

• Bobb backed by Guardiola

  Bobb took to Instagram to accept the harsh critcism, but the forward will not be too phased by the comments. He has already earned significant praise from City boss Guardiola this season, who hailed the impact the Norwegian is having on his star-studded squad.

  Speaking earlier in the campaign, Guardiola said: "I’m so happy he is back. I don’t know how long it is since he played 90 minutes maybe one year but he is so strong, so disciplined in defensive issues, incredible threat in small spaces.

  "Hopefully he can be healthy. All I ask for him is to be healthy and strong in his head and I’m pretty sure he is going to help us in that position. He is another quality player from the Academy. In the last decade it has been unbelievable how many good players this club has created, there is an incredible team helping the Academy and I have a feeling right now in the EDS there are a lot of good players."

  Bobb has become the latest name in an impressive list of academy success stories, following in the footsteps of Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Liam Delap and Morgan Rogers. Foden is the only player who remains at the club from the previously mentioned quartet, and Bobb will be hoping to do the same. He will remain happy as long as he is getting regular minutes for his side, as they chase down the Premier League title having had a poor season by their standards in 2024-25.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Shooting for the stars with club and country

  Since recovering from a broken leg last season, Bobb has slowly worked his way into Guardiola's plans, becoming one of his first-choice wingers this term. The academy product missed 48 games for his club last campaign, and is doing everything he can to stay fit and make up for lost time at the Etihad. He has featured in all but one of City's seven Premier League games this season, starting four of them. He has been less utilised in the Champions League, but will be happy with his current efforts to keep the likes of Savinho and Omar Marmoush out of the starting XI. 

  With the international break now over, Bobb will return to Manchester, as City gear up for Saturday's clash against Everton. There will be no Jack Grealish for the visitors, with the England international on loan from City, having been pushed out due to the talent of Bobb and Co.

Newcastle star Joelinton has pledged to supply the chances to make new signing Nick Woltemade a goal-scoring success for the Magpies. Toon boss Eddie Howe has endured an erratic season so far, but can move onto the top half of the table with victory over Brighton and his Brazil star is confident Woltemade will help fire them up the table.

Life after Isak proving tricky for Toon

There has been great upheaval at St James’ Park over the past few months, with star striker Alexander Isak heading to Premier League rivals Liverpool following a protracted transfer saga, and a raft of new faces have arrived. But while the results have been mixed, the players are behind each other, with Joelinton throwing his full support behind Woltemade, who arrived on deadline day in a £69 million ($92.7m) from Stuttgart. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportJoelinton send message to Woltemade

Speaking ahead of the clash with Brighton, Joelinton told ChronicleLive: "There can be a pressure. I had pressure when I played as No 9 to bring good performances and help the team. I don't have the No 9 any more but I still have pressure to try to help my team-mates and create. Everybody has the pressure, you just have to try to do well and create as many chances as you can. We will be looking to do that for Nick Woltemade and give him the best opportunity to score goals. That responsibility lies with everyone and we are close to this and hopefully Nick will score more and more."

Massive tests looming for Magpies

Newcastle’s season has been marked by a turbulent summer and a challenging start across all competitions. The club faced a difficult period with the controversial departure of star striker Isak for £125m ($167.4m), a move which sparked considerable fan unrest. Despite securing several new signings, including Anthony Elanga, Malick Thiaw, and Woltemade, some key transfer targets were reportedly missed, causing frustration among supporters. Newcastle began the defence of their League Cup title with a comfortable 4-1 victory over Bradford City in the third round and they are set to face Tottenham at home in the fourth round of the FA Cup in January. And the Magpies have experienced mixed results in the Champions League so far, including a dominant 4-0 away victory against Union SG and a 2-1 home defeat by Barcelona, while in the Premier League they have endured a difficult start, they sit in 11th, with just nine points from seven matches. 

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Getty Images SportJoelinton targets knockout blow this season

The season is still in its infancy, with Newcastle still fighting for silverware on all four fronts. And Joelinton is clear in what the club’s target should be, he told ChronicleLive: "We always try to learn, and we have in the last two years. Even if we suffer a defeat, we learn and take something from that. With wins, it is the same. This team has grown from two years ago, and we are a much better team now. The starting team has always been good, but we know we have the quality in the squad, and the experience. The club is going the right way, but we have a long way to go still. We are working on that and trying our best every game, every season to make this team grow. It is very important that we get through to the knockout stages of the Champions League this season. We want to make the club bigger, and we know we can achieve that and win more titles."