Cubs second baseman Nico Hoener wasn't expecting to hit a low slider by Reds relief pitcher Yosver Zulueta in the eighth inning of Wednesday afternoon's game. He attempted a check swing, but ended up hitting the ball instead of avoiding contact.
Luckily for Hoerner, his swing had enough power behind it for him to hit a single to left field. As he eyed the ball to make sure it dropped, Hoerner got extremely excited when he realized his mistaken hit was turning into an RBI for him and a run for the Cubs. He was able to bring in his teammate Matt Shaw from second base to home.
Marquee Network caught the perfect shot of Hoerner's reaction once he realized his hit was a happy accident.
Hoerner's RBI single brought in the sixth and final run of the day for the Cubs. Chicago beat Cincinnati 6-1, pushing the Cubs to a 66-48 record to secure a stronger second-place hold in the NL Central behind the MLB-best Brewers.
During Sunday's matchup with the Mariners, the Rangers ace logged his 1,800th career strikeout. deGrom became the fastest MLB pitcher in history to reach this milestone as he did so in 240 games and 1,493.1 innings.
The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner's historic strikeout was thrown against Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford in the second inning of Sunday's game. The three strikes thrown to Crawford were all 98 mph fastballs. It was deGrom's fourth strikeout of the game, too.
After deGrom's past two seasons were riddled with injuries, the ace is having a great comeback season this year. Ahead of Sunday's game, deGrom had a 2.55 ERA with a 10–3 record. He'd thrown 130 strikeouts this season—a solid 9.5 per nine innings pitched
The Rangers star now sits at No. 128 on the MLB's all-time list of strikeouts thrown by pitchers. Nolan Ryan holds a very strong lead for the record with 5,714 strikeouts thrown in his career.
India captain says “If we want to win the match, then never mind the combination”
ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-20254:23
Suryakumar: ‘I am in a good space, runs will come eventually’
India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav agreed that selecting a squad of 15 can sometimes gets challenging, with multiple options in the race for one slot, but said that the players understand the team’s needs and have their focus on one simple goal: to help India win matches.”It’s a good headache to have so many options, [whether] fast bowlers, [or] spinners,” Suryakumar said ahead of the first T20I against Australia in Canberra. “From the top to No. 7, everyone is flexible; anyone can bat anywhere. It is a little difficult during squad selection, but in this team, the atmosphere is such that everyone knows that the goal is to win.”If we want to win the match, then never mind the combination. So, even if someone has done well in the last two matches, but he is not fitting in the combination for the next game – for example, if we want to play an extra spinner or play an allrounder instead of a fast bowler – the player understands. We have reached that situation.”Related
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Suryakumar jokingly suggested that he maintains “a good friendship with everyone”, making it easier to tell them when they are not playing. But he has asked all 15 members of the squad to be ready at all times.”See, only 11 people can play, 15 cannot play, but according to me, anyone can get an opportunity at any time,” he said. “In the Asia Cup, Rinku Singh did not get the opportunity till the final, but he got a chance at such a time, when he needed 3-4 runs to win [the match] and he hit the boundary. I keep telling everyone to keep preparing and you never know when your opportunity can come. It can come in an important game; anything can happen.”Suryakumar was also glad to have Jasprit Bumrah back in the India squad after the fast bowler was rested for the ODI series and expected him to be the “guy who will take charge” against Australia, particularly in the powerplay.”As you saw in the Asia Cup, he took the responsibility of bowling two overs minimum in the powerplay,” Suryakumar said, “It is good that he is raising his hand. It is going to be a good challenge against the Aussie team in the powerplay.”The way he has played his cricket for the last so many years, he has kept himself right on the top, and he knows how to prepare for a good series. He knows how to come and play cricket here. I think he has visited this country the most of all the guys. So all of them have spoken to him. He is very open and very helpful in that, but yeah definitely when he takes the ground, starting from tomorrow, it will be a good thing. Good to have him in the squad, when we play in Australia.”Jasprit Bumrah will make a return to the India squad•Getty Images
India haven’t had recent success in Australia. They lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 3-1 in December-January and then went down in the ODI series 2-1 earlier this month. But Suryakumar doesn’t feel the recent losses will have any bearing on the T20I series, particularly considering India’s form, having lost just two of their last 15 T20Is.”According to me, it’s a different format,” he said. “The team is the same, but the format is almost different: Test, one-day and T20. And [as for] the brand of T20, we will continue playing the brand of cricket that we have been playing. There is no need to change anything and according to me, there are always challenging conditions, when you go to Australia, England, South Africa, [or] New Zealand. There is challenging cricket in all these countries, but at the same time, how you adapt to it and how you think about how to play shots, how to make runs.”I think it is non-negotiable at this level, you do your preparation and come. I feel it’s a good thing, good challenge to have going forward and we are playing five T20s, so I think it will be more fun.”Suryakumar Yadav has not scored a half-century in his last 14 innings•AFP/Getty Images
Suryakumar’s own form has been under scrutiny. He had a lukewarm Asia Cup 2025, managing just 72 runs in seven innings at an average of 18.00. The 35-year-old, however, isn’t fussed about his form as long as India keep winning.”I feel I have been working really hard,” he said. “I have had good few sessions back home, good two to three sessions here, so I am in a good space. I think that is really important… runs, it will come eventually but I think working hard towards the team goal, it’s more important what team wants from you in different situations. I take one game at a time and if it starts then I think it will be a good thing.”The one area where India have struggled in recent times has been their fielding. They were guilty of dropping many chances in the Asia Cup, and while Suryakumar reckons that fielding lapses are a part of the game, he wants the team to give the fielding department special attention.”See, catches do get dropped,” he said. “As a fielder, when you attempt a catch, sometimes you spill it. A batter gets dismissed, a bowler at times doesn’t get wickets. This is a part of the game. But, according to me, what you do after that is important. It was an optional session today, but everyone came to work on their fielding.”That means the team is working towards something really special. This is a department which I have told them we have to work really hard if we want to be the best fielding unit in the world. You have seen teams taking good catches, saving runs… they win matches through their fielding.”Sometimes the batting and bowling go awry, but you can also win matches through fielding. We are working hard. But there is no guarantee that if you take 25 catches today, then you won’t drop one tomorrow. You can drop, it’s part of the game but how much you want the ball to come to you, how much intent and opportunity you create, that is important for me. If someone drops a catch, it’s not a problem. There is disappointment, but at the same time, if you put in the effort, then there’s no problem.”
O Corinthians está na final da Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior. O Timão derrotou o Novorizontino por 3 a 0, nesta segunda-feira (22), sob os olhares de mais de 30 mil torcedores na Neo Química Arena.
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Dono da partida, Arthur Sousa foi o autor dos três gols do duelo. O primeiro deles um golaço de letra, aos 19 minutos da primeira etapa.
⚽ COMO FOI A PARTIDA?
A primeira etapa começou disputada, com ambas as equipes disputando a posse de bola. Embalado pela torcida, o Corinthians assumiu o controle do duelo e começou a criar chances de perigo. Aos 19 minutos, Arthur Sousa aproveitou cruzamento pela esquerda para marcar um golaço de esquerda.
Após o impacto do gol adversário, o Novorizontino organizou sua saída de bola e levou perigo a meta defendida pelo goleiro Felipe Longo.
O segundo tempo foi de domínio dos mandantes. Arthur Sousa anotou mais dois gols e deu números finais ao duelo.
✅ O QUE VEM POR AÍ?
Em busca do 11º título na Copinha, o Corinthians encara o Cruzeiro, que eliminou o Flamengo, na próxima quinta-feira (25).
A war of words has erupted between La Liga and the Argentine Football Association (AFA) following scathing criticism by president Javier Tebas. The Spanish league chief used a recent appearance at a sports summit in Argentina to lament the state of football in the South American country and the way its institutions are managed, drawing a sharp rebuke from AFA president Claudio Tapia.
Tebas laments state of Argentine club football
Tebas has sparked a row with the AFA following highly critical remarks made during the 'Olé Summit' conference in Argentina. Tebas took advantage of his platform to express his views on the current state of Argentine football, particularly focusing on the domestic club game and its management.
"My first feeling is sadness because a country with so much passion, so many fans, and such a strong sense of belonging doesn't have football and clubs with the performance level to become a world power at the club level," Tebas stated during the conference. He went on to point out what he perceives as a "lack of potential" within Argentine football and claimed to feel Argentine by adoption, adding that he suffers "because of the state" of the sport in the country.
AdvertisementAFPAFA President Tapia hits back at Tebas
The comments from Tebas were met with an almost immediate and sharp response from Tapia. The AFA president took to social media platform X to address the La Liga president's criticisms, labelling them as an insult to Argentine football and its history.
"Our tournament isn't a league for the few: it's popular, competitive, and developmental," Tapia wrote in the first of two posts responding to Tebas. "To belittle it is to ignore our history and the contribution we make to world football. What can we expect now, if you've already criticised even the Club World Cup?"
Tapia continued his defence in a subsequent post, highlighting Argentina's status as current world champions and rejecting Tebas's interference. "We are the League of World Champions, and we don't accept insults from those who should be promoting respect between institutions," Tapia stated. He also addressed Tebas's comment about feeling Argentine by adoption with a parting remark: "And to be clear, you don't need to 'become a citizen.' Argentinians are born wherever they want."
Tebas also takes aim at Saudi Pro League
During the same conference in Argentina, Tebas also addressed the current standing of La Liga following the departures of global superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. While acknowledging he would prefer to have such players in the league, Tebas argued that the strength of a competition lies in its clubs and competitiveness rather than individual stars.
"I would prefer to have Messi, Cristiano, Mourinho, Guardiola, all of them… But that’s not the key to sustaining growth. Players are temporary; what makes you great are the clubs and a strong competition," Tebas said.
He then used the Saudi Pro League as an example to support his argument, suggesting that the influx of star players does not guarantee a league's status as one of the world's best. "Take the case of the Saudi league, which has major stars, but still hasn’t taken off as one of the best in the world," Tebas claimed. He insisted that La Liga's structural model and strict salary-cap rules have preserved its growth and that broadcaster contracts remained stable even after Messi's departure.
Tebas maintained that La Liga remains the second-best league in Europe behind the Premier League and is narrowing the gap. "In Europe, the Premier League is on top, but we come right after them. Below us are the Bundesliga, Serie A, and the French league. You can also see it in followers and engagement on social media. We’re growing every day, widening the gap with other competitions and narrowing the distance with the Premier League."
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AFPWhat next for La Liga and the AFA?
The public spat between Tebas and Tapia is likely to strain relations between La Liga and the Argentine Football Association. The exchange highlights a clash in perspectives on football development and management, with Tebas advocating for a European model focused on club performance and financial controls, while Tapia defends the Argentine approach, emphasising its "popular and competitive" nature and its success in producing world-class talent and winning international tournaments. This incident adds to the list of public disagreements involving Javier Tebas, who has also recently had exchanges with players like Thibaut Courtois regarding La Liga's plans to play matches overseas. The long-term consequences of this latest row remain to be seen.
Aston Villa have now opened talks with the agents of a goalkeeper, who’s in red-hot form, amid doubts surrounding Emiliano Martinez’s future.
Martinez's Villa future up in the air after failed Man Utd move
Martinez was widely expected to leave Villa in the summer, with it being revealed that he wanted to join Manchester United, but the Argentina international ultimately ended up staying put, and has since been reintroduced to the squad.
Indeed, the 33-year-old, who is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, has started the last four Premier League matches, during which time the Villans are undefeated, having won their last four games on the spin in all competitions.
However, the goalkeeper’s future remains up in the air, with Ruben Amorim personally requesting that Man United sign him in the January transfer window, which means Unai Emery may be tasked with bringing in a replacement.
According to a report from WinWin (via Sports View), Aston Villa have now made their first approach to sign a new goalkeeper, having opened talks with the agents of AS Monaco goalkeeper Yanis Benchaouch-Marty.
Villa are making contingency plans, in case Martinez departs next summer, and Benchaouch-Marty has caught their eye, having recently impressed for national side Morocco, guiding them to the semi-finals of the Under-20 World Cup following a fantastic display against South Korea.
Emery’s side are expected to make moves to sign the 19-year-old once the tournament ends, with Morocco U20s set to take on France U20s in the semi-final this evening.
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ByDominic Lund Oct 14, 2025 Benchaouch-Marty could be long-term Martinez heir
The AS Monaco youngster has certainly put himself in the shop window with some of his performances at the U20 World Cup, perhaps most notably putting in a fantastic display in Morocco’s statement 2-1 victory against Brazil.
The Moroccan came very close to keeping a clean sheet, with Brazil scoring a 92nd-minute penalty, which ultimately ended up being nothing more than a consolation, but he still achieved a 8.6 SofaScore match rating, the highest of any player on the pitch.
Statistic
Number completed
Saves from inside the box
4
High claims
1
Long balls (accurate)
12 (7)
Accurate passes
32/37 (86%)
The teenager is showing signs he could be a long-term heir for Martinez, but the young goalkeeper is clearly still in the infancy of his career, given that he is still yet to make a senior appearance for AS Monaco.
As such, Emery will be hoping his current first-choice goalkeeper sticks round a little while longer, potentially as a mentor for Benchaouch-Marty, and Villa are currently under no pressure to cash-in, with Martinez under contract until the summer of 2029.
Are Aston Villa starting to build some serious momentum?
Having failed to win any of their first six matches this season, scoring only two goals, the Villans have since won four on the spin, beating Bologna and Feyenoord in the Europa League, as well as Fulham and Burnley at Villa Park in the Premier League.
Nevertheless, chance creation remains a concern for Unai Emery, considering his team sit second-bottom of the Premier League when it comes to expected goals, above only Burnley, while only Fulham, Sunderland and Burnley have mustered fewer shots on target.
Back in January, the Claret and Blue Army addressed this by signing both Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford on loan; the Spaniard scored eight goals and registered one assist, while the England international netted four times and notched six assists.
However, both moved on to pastures new over the summer, so who could be this season’s Asensio, and why will he help unlock Villa’s primary star attacker?
Ollie Watkins' struggles for confidence
As the graphic documents, ever since he arrived from Brentford, Ollie Watkins has been a reliable goalscorer in a claret and blue shirt.
However, this season, the England international is seemingly struggling for confidence, seeing a very tame penalty saved by Bologna’s Łukasz Skorupski, before, to great relief, getting off the mark three days later against Fulham.
Nevertheless, when compared to last season, pretty much all of his statistics are down, as the table below outlines.
Ollie Watkins PL statistics
Stats per 90
24/25
25/26
Goals
0.6
0.2
Shots
2.4
1.3
Shots on target
1.4
0.5
Shooting accuracy
59.7%
37.5%
Chances Created
0.9
0.7
Duels Contested
10
8.6
Touches
27.1
25.3
Touches in the box
6.3
4.5
Stats via Squawka
As documented, every available metric for Watkins this season has plateaued, with the decrease in his shooting statistics the most stark drop off.
Of course, seven matches into the Premier League season, it is only a small sample size, while the fact Watkins’ touches as well as touches in the opposition penalty area have both decreased suggests that it is as much a service issue as a Watkins problem.
Last season, Watkins and the aforementioned Asensio formed an effective partnership, the former setting up the latter to score his second goal against Cardiff City in an FA Cup tie in February, but who is most likely candidate to break into the Villa team now and add that much-needed creativity?
Aston Villa's forgotten summer signing
After a summer of very little activity, restricted by Premier League Profit and Sustainability rules, Aston Villa were certainly busy on deadline day.
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Victor Lindelöf arrived as a free agent, Harvey Elliott joined from Liverpool, on loan with a £35m option to buy, so the move many missed was Jadon Sancho’s loan move, rescued from the Chelsea bomb squad at the 11th hour.
Still only 25 years old, it is now four years since the England international joined Manchester United for around £73m, and his career certainly has not panned out as hoped since.
Upon his arrival at Old Trafford, then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær praised his “tremendous pace, flair and creativity”, noting that he had “already achieved a great deal” for such a young player.
Well, after scoring only 12 goals in 83 appearances for the Red Devils, he has been loaned back to Borussia Dortmund and then Chelsea, spending last season at Stamford Bridge.
While he may not have been the world-beater he once was, Sancho was effective for the Blues, scoring five goals and accumulating ten assists across all competitions, including netting at Tottenham in the Premier League and then against Real Betis in the Conference League Final in Wrocław.
Given how little he has done since 2021, his most recent England cap coming against Andorra almost exactly four years ago, it is easy to forget just how exciting Sancho was when he first burst onto the scene at the Westfalenstadion.
Raj Chohan of BBC Sport praised his ‘incredibly mature decision-making’ in the final third, while Nick Wright of Sky Sports asserted that the ‘extraordinary talent’ was one of the very best young players in Europe.
During his best season in the Bundesliga, 2019/20, Sancho ranked third for goals, second for assists, first in terms of goals – xG, first for goal-creating actions, second for attempted take-ons and second when it came to carries into the final third.
Put succinctly, the Englishman was truly a phenomenon so, with Emery’s coaching, will Aston Villa get him back to that level?
Well, if they can, during that aforementioned 2019/20 Bundesliga season, Sancho created 19 big chances, thereby ranked behind only Thomas Müller and Serge Gnabry.
For comparison, in the Premier League last season, the Villa players who created the most big chances were Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans, both reaching 16.
Thus, getting Sancho back to his exhilarating best could be exactly what this team needs to unlock talisman Watkins. Like Asensio – and Rashford – before him, he could be the club’s new loan success story and revive his floundering career.
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Man in the middle of the park is Aston Villa’s modern Gareth Barry, key to their revival
It's difficult to overstate Cole Palmer's importance to Chelsea, but it's probably reflected in how determined head coach Enzo Maresca has been to have him at his disposal this season despite a persistent, niggling groin injury. The Blues have now paid a significant price for that over-reliance on the 23-year-old, with the attacker – who has already been sidelined for close to a month – now ruled out until December, in a crushing blow to his club and his World Cup hopes.
Palmer has only made four appearances in all competitions this season; after pulling out of the starting line-up on the second Premier League matchday of the campaign, he returned prematurely in spite of the ongoing problem in September and was inevitably forced back onto the treatment table as the wear and tear on his groin became too much to bear.
Having already missed a month of action, Maresca has now revealed that Chelsea's talisman requires a further six weeks to recover, meaning he won't be seen until late November at the earliest and will be sidelined for at least nine club matches between now and then, in what will be a defining period for the Blues' long-term prospects in 2025-26. The only silver lining is that, for now, he doesn't require surgery.
It also means he will be forced to sit out a third England camp in a row in November, having been unavailable to Thomas Tuchel in both September and October through the same injury, and – despite his obvious talent – his hopes of going to the World Cup next summer are now under serious threat as the German tactician looks to reward those who have performed consistently for him so far.
AFPPaying the price
There is little doubt that this is an injury that Palmer could have avoided or that would have been less severe if it wasn't for Chelsea's run to unexpected glory at the Club World Cup in the summer, where the 23-year-old was their hero once again as he dismantled European champions Paris Saint-Germain almost singlehandedly in the final.
Despite the west Londoners often coming up against relatively weaker opposition in the U.S., Palmer clocked up more than 550 minutes in six games over the course of just under a month. It is believed that this groin problem flared up at some point during the tournament, where matches were invariably played in excruciating and physically draining heat and humidity.
After the final on July 13, the squad was afforded just three weeks off before reporting back for training in early August as part of their scaled-back warm-up plans, with Palmer playing more than 100 minutes across their two friendlies against Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan on the same weekend when, evidently, he wasn't fully fit.
It's easy to forget that he was also involved in the completely misguided post-season England camp in June, too – needlessly playing in what should have been a routine win over Andorra before warming the bench against Senegal.
Chelsea legend Pat Nevin is in no doubt that the club's summer schedule is to blame for Palmer's injury woes, with the attacker previously a near ever-present for the west Londoners.
"Cole Palmer is the same as everyone, not in terms of quality, but in terms of he's one of those things called a human being," the Scot told . "The physicality of what Chelsea players have gone through, it's going to get to them and we know it's going to get them. And it's not a maybe, it's a when, not if.
"So Cole's getting a little bit of it now. Because he played all through the summer, I thought a big hit would happen around November, December time. I thought that sort of time you'd start seeing a lot of injuries and form dipping with a number of players.
"Chelsea's pre-season was two games in three days. It's bizarre, it's wrong, it's impossible."
Getty Images SportRushed back
Some blame should certainly be attributed to Maresca and perhaps the Chelsea medical staff following this latest setback, as his unwavering determination to have his key man available as often as possible has undoubtedly come at the detriment of his fitness.
Following his last-minute withdrawal before the thumping victory over West Ham on matchday two of the league season in August, apparently after painkillers failed to have the desired effect, the head coach admitted his talisman had already been playing through the pain barrier in the season opener against Crystal Palace five days prior, after which the attacker was criticised for a subdued performance in the goalless draw.
Palmer was able to rest during the September international break and started as a substitute in the first game back against Brentford, but he was called upon by Maresca with Chelsea trailing 1-0. He popped up with a vital equaliser, and scored again as he played the full 90 against Bayern Munich in the Champions League a few days later, but three run outs in a week proved to be too much as he was forced off after just 21 minutes at Manchester United the following weekend, and he hasn't played since.
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Getty Images Sport'I was wrong'
It had been reported that Chelsea were hopeful of having Palmer back by early November, and Maresca had downplayed the severity of the problem, but he has now been forced to eat his words.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the clash with Nottingham Forest, the Italian tactician conceded: "I was wrong, unfortunately, he needs to be out for probably six more weeks. We try to protect Cole as much as we can and the most important thing is when he comes back he is fully fit.
"Unfortunately, the medical staff are not magicians, you never know that (he will definitely be fine again by then). He will probably need six weeks, we hope that six weeks is enough. It is a problem we need to see step by step, week after week. But for sure he is going to be okay."
That recovery timeline means Palmer will miss nine matches, including upcoming big games against Tottenham and Barcelona, while he faces a race against time to be fit for the showdown with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on November 30.
Manchester United supporters are clinging on to all and any green shoots of recovery right now.
On Saturday, Rúben Amorim’s team claimed a much-needed victory going into the international break, beating Sunderland 2-0 at Old Trafford, thanks to goals from Mason Mount and then Benjamin Šeško.
Next up, the Red Devils take on champions and fierce rivals Liverpool at Anfield, before tough-looking fixtures against Brighton, Nottingham Forest and then Tottenham.
Ahead of this challenging period, has Amorim unearthed a deadly attacking duo reminiscent of Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole from Manchester United’s glory days?
In numbers: Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole at Man United
Back in 1998/98, Manchester United famously won the treble, beating Newcastle in the FA Cup Final, pipping Arsenal to the Premier League title by a solitary point on the final day, before that historic comeback against Bayern Munich to snatch the Champions League.
Fair to say, Yorke and Cole were key figures in this success, scoring 29 and 24 goals respectively across all competitions.
As the table below documents, this makes them one of the most dangerous attacking duos in Premier League history.
Andy Cole &
Dwight Yorke
Manchester United
1998/99
53
Chris Sutton &
Alan Shearer
Blackburn Rovers
1994/95
52
Didier Drogba &
Frank Lampard
Chelsea
2009/10
63
Thierry Henry &
Robert Pirès
Arsenal
2003/04
58
Harry Kane &
Son Heung-min
Tottenham Hotspur
2017/18
59
Wayne Rooney &
Cristiano Ronaldo
Manchester United
2007/08
60
Julián Álvarez &
Erling Håland
Manchester City
2022/23
69
Sadio Mané &
Mohamed Salah
Liverpool
2018/19
53
Yorke, who is currently the manager of Trinidad and Tobago, bet you didn’t know that, arrived at Old Trafford from Aston Villa, later representing Blackburn, Birmingham and Sunderland.
Cole meantime, was poached from Newcastle, where he’d been a massive star, turning out for 12 English clubs in total.
Now, does the current iteration of Manchester United have a duo who could replicate the famous Yorke and Cole duo?
Manchester United's modern-day Yorke and Cole
As Amorim searches for a winning formula, while they may not be a traditional strike partnership, Amad Diallo alongside Bryan Mbeumo could be the pair of attackers to fire Manchester United up the table.
Amad was arguably the Red Devils’ most dangerous attacker last season, registering 11 goals and ten assists, most memorably scoring a stoppage-time winner in the Manchester derby at the Etihad.
After arriving as a teenager from Atalanta for up to £37m, the Ivorian endured an underwhelming loan spell at Rangers, before showcasing his talents at Sunderland, scoring 14 goals for the Black Cats, firing them into the EFL Championship play-offs.
Now, Amad is earning plaudits for his performances back at Man United, with Darren Bent, speaking on talkSPORT, labelled him a “wonderkid”, adding that he is the club’s “best [player] by some distance” after he scored a hat-trick against Southampton in January.
Mbeumo, meanwhile, joined for a reported fee of £71m this summer, having scored 20 Premier League goals for Brentford last season.
The Cameroonian international opened his Man United league account against Burnley in August, while he has had more shots (17) of any player at the club so far this season.
An electric winger, Carl Anka of the Athletic has asserted that he is certainly ‘one of the better forwards in the Premier League’.
So now, how does Amorim get both into the same starting lineup?
Well, Man United signed an entirely new front three in the summer, with Matheus Cunha yet to get off the mark, but Šeško has scored against both Brentford and Sunderland, thereby opening his account for the club.
ManchesterUnited's Bryan Mbeumo celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo
In a solution to get them all in, Amad was deployed at wing-back for Sunderland’s visit, a decision that proved successful.
At the weekend, as outlined by Adam Bate of Sky Sports, Amad and Mbeumo as a duo were very ‘impressive’, with the Ivorian attempting six dribbles, his highest figure in any home league game under Amorim, with the manager himself stating that “he can help Bryan to play more inside and worry more with the runs behind the defenders”.
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Well, Black Cats boss Régis Le Bris certainly agreed, noting afterwards that Man United “are really strong on the side”, adding that this forced him into making a lesser-spotted tactical substitution in the first half.
Meantime, journalist Muhammad Butt labelled them a “superb double-act”, praising their “wonderful chemistry and creativity”, with Carl Anka of the Athletic concluding that this match was 2the best pair have played with each other” to date.
Thus, Amad’s form both last season and at the weekend necessitates getting him into the side somehow.
For tougher fixtures, he should potentially be used at Cunha’s expense in attack, while in games where the onus is on Manchester United to create and break down the opposition, he has to be chosen over Diogo Dalot or Noussair Mazraoui at right-wing-back, given that they offer so little going forward.
In summary, it is still early days, but this duo could be Man United’s best partnership since the glory days of the late-90s.
Their own Yamal: Man Utd teen is "one of the world's most exciting talents"
Manchester United have an exceptional teenager in their academy ranks.
Lancashire live to fight another day as visitors unable to press home advantage in small window of play
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay21-Apr-2025Lancashire 264 (Harris 77, Balderson 51, Scriven 5-46) and 90 for 3 (Bohannon 45*) drew with Leicestershire 491 for 8 dec (Handscomb 142*, Rehan 100, Hill 64)The Rothesay County Championship match between Lancashire and Leicestershire ended in a draw after the home side’s fourth-wicket pair, Josh Bohannon and Marcus Harris, safely negotiated what could have been a tricky final session at Emirates Old Trafford.Resuming on 16 for 3 at 4.30pm after persistent rain had prevented play getting under way in the first two sessions at Manchester, Bohannon and Harris extended their stand to an unbroken 79 and had taken their side to 90 for 3 by the time the draw was agreed with a minimum of eight overs left to be bowled.At that point, Bohannon was 45 not out and Harris was unbeaten on 34. However, the last session was not without its alarms for the home side. Bohannon was dropped twice in the opening seven overs by wicketkeeper Ben Cox off the bowling of Ian Holland, although neither chance was easy.Leicestershire take 15 points from the game to Lancashire 11 and the visitors will have left the ground disappointed not to have had a longer opportunity to press home their advantage.The home team had gone into the final day still needing 212 runs to avoid an innings defeat and Keaton Jennings’ players might be grateful for the week off they will have before their next game, at home to Gloucestershire on May 2-5, when it is expected that James Anderson will make his first appearance of the season.Leicestershire, on the other hand, are certain to remain among the Division Two leaders after this round of fixtures and will travel to Bristol for their match against Gloucestershire in good spirits.