“I do like experience though, experience has served us really well over the proud years that we’ve had”

ESPNcricinfo staff19-May-20253:14

Cricinformed – CSK’s worst top-order show

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have had a strange season in IPL 2025. Their success in this tournament – five title wins and 12 playoff appearances – was built around having a core group of experienced players who could navigate the ups and downs of T20 cricket. Even when they were on a winning run, that philosophy was brought into question. Now that they’re losing – and have had to turn to their youth to see if their fortunes might turn around – coach Stephen Fleming was asked if there has been a strategy shift. He was emphatic there wasn’t.”No, I don’t care how old players are,” Fleming said on the eve of CSK’s game against Rajasthan Royals in Delhi. “I do like experience though, experience has served us really well over the proud years that we’ve had. It hasn’t worked out quite well for us this year and that could be a bit of form. It can be strategy, it can be a number of things, that just don’t quite work out.”The competition is very even, so the fact that we’ve been so consistent over a number of years, to have a poor year has sort of shaken everybody, but it’s understandable given that, the excellence in which the franchises are operating in.”Related

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Dhoni: 'Important to get the right combination for next year'

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Fleming: Mhatre has 'everything that we like about a modern-day T20 player'

Fleming could see that CSK were off the pace early this season. The bets they made at the auction table last November did not come off. They brought back R Ashwin. He had been a proven performer for them before and he continued to do well after he left them. They hoped to revive Rahul Tripathi or Deepak Hooda or Vijay Shankar in the same way they did Shivam Dube and Ajinkya Rahane but that didn’t work out either. The collective failure of players who have been around the IPL for years caught them off guard. But that hasn’t yet pushed them to re-evaluate their whole way of doing things in T20 cricket. Over the last five seasons, CSK have either missed the playoffs, or won the title. It’s been a bit of a see-saw.”The challenge for us is making sure out of this that we do go over everything that we are doing [now] and have done in the past to make sure we are keeping up with the philosophies [of the time], but also identifying talent.” Fleming said.”It’s one thing to say we want a team full of young players, but you’ve got to find them. So it’s identifying talent and making sure they fit in. To the experience which I’ll say again, I do like [it] and you have a look at the, the top run-scores and wicket-takers and you see there’s a fair bit of experience there, but what it’s sprinkled with is some amazing performances by young players who are playing sort of fearless cricket.”B Sai Sudharsan, who is yet to play 50 IPL games, has the Orange Cap. Prasidh Krishna, who missed the last two IPLs, has the Purple cap. The past couple of seasons have revealed that lesser-known players have been able to make the step up. Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh have been a compelling opening combination for Punjab Kings who qualified for the playoffs for the first time in 11 years. Digvesh Rathi, playing his first IPL, has more wickets than Kuldeep Yadav.Fleming has seen this and believes some of the people they’ve brought in – like Ayush Mhatre, Noor Ahmad and Dewald Brevis – have a future with them but he isn’t ready to burn the CSK playbook yet.”They have certainly had an impact which is positive from a season that has been a challenge,” he said. “But we realised that early on that we were off pace. So to be able to introduce these players, they are definitely in line for the future as we regenerate the team and redevelop or reconfirm our philosophy of how we want to play,”So it’s getting that balance right. But most importantly, it’s getting the player and the person right, and that’s what we’ve been looking for.”CSK have two matches left this season. After playing RR on Tuesday, they go to Ahmedabad to face Gujarat Titans on Sunday.

Seven games, four wins, two draws and just a solitary defeat. Tottenham Hotspur’s start to the 2025/26 Premier League season has been a far cry from last term, with Thomas Frank certainly getting a tune out of this talented crop of players.

Having slipped to 22 top-flight defeats last season under Ange Postecoglou, the Europa League winners look like a different prospect this time around, with Saturday’s trip to Elland Road once again highlighting their newfound resilience this season.

With Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven holding the fort defensively in that 2-1 win over Leeds United, the Lilywhites can also now rely on the likes of Mohammed Kudus to make the difference in attack, with the Ghanaian notching a goal and assist to maintain his red-hot form this term.

Eyebrows may have been raised following his £55m switch from London rivals West Ham United, although Kudus is quickly proving value for money, having fired home from just outside the box to secure the win in Yorkshire.

Elegant and electric down that right flank, the 25-year-old is swiftly taking on talismanic status in his new surroundings, carrying the mantle even when those around him aren’t exactly at their free-flowing best.

Kudus' game in numbers vs Leeds

Having teed up Mathys Tel for the game’s opener, before getting in on the act with his first goal for the club, Kudus now has six goals and assists to his name in just seven league outings in 2025/26.

Up against Daniel Farke’s stubborn side, the one-time Ajax man was a constant menace from his right wing berth, having also popped up centrally to convert what proved to be the decisive goal on the day.

The man of the moment could and should well have netted earlier following impressive work from Xavi Simons down the left, albeit with Kudus unable to direct his attempt goalwards after lashing over the bar from the Dutchman’s pullback.

That was a rare blot on the copybook on anotherwise eye-catching day for Spurs’ number 20, a fact that was also evidenced as he successfully completed all six of his attempted dribbles at Elland Road, as per Sofascore.

With an 88% pass accuracy rate to boot, the 51-touch playmaker also chipped in defensively for his side, winning ten duels in total – the most of any player for either side on the day.

Minutes played

89

Touches

51

Pass accuracy

88%

Goals

1

Assists

1

Dribbles completed

6/6

Duels won

10/19

That influence both in and out of possession was crucial in clinching the away side’s fourth league win of the campaign, with such a showing perhaps helping to mask the struggles of the man behind.

Why Frank may need to bench errant Spurs star

Battling. Hard-fought. Resilient. All words that could describe the visitors’ performance amid stormy conditions away in Yorkshire.

Chalkboard

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

This wasn’t vintage Spurs, but a resolute defence – combined with fleeting moments of quality in attack – ultimately proved enough up against their newly-promoted hosts.

When reflecting back on Saturday’s win, Frank may also need to consider how his side can truly begin to kick on and thrive in the weeks ahead, with questions likely to be asked regarding Pedro Porro’s regular role at right-back.

With Destiny Udogie returning to his rightful place at left-back, there is now a straight fight between Porro and Djed Spence on the opposite flank, ensuring Frank could well make that change next time around following the international break.

While the typically influential Porro wasn’t a notable villain on Saturday afternoon, he was also far from his best, having been rather erratic in possession after losing the ball on 26 occasions – more than any player for either side.

That may have come amid his desire to create for his side, having teed up Kudus for the winner with a dinked pass in behind, although his 62% pass accuracy rate does make for grim reading.

Wasteful and erratic in possession, the Spaniard was also found wanting defensively at times, having struggled to contain the lively Noah Okafor down the Leeds left.

Indeed, the former Sporting CP defender ultimately won just four of his ten ground duels, while being dribbled past one two occasions, with football.london’s Alasdair Gold noting that it ‘wasn’t one of his best games’, despite showcasing his usual endeavour and commitment.

While Frank may be wary of changing a winning side, the presence of Spence waiting in the wings ensures that the Dane could make the change against Aston Villa in two weeks time.

There’s certainly no harm in keeping Porro on his toes.

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MatériaMais Notícias

O lateral Júnior Caiçara pode ser o próximo reforço do Santos nesta janela de transferências. Livre no Mercado, o jogador, que foi pedido pelo treinador Diego Aguirre, passa por uma bateria de exames médicos e físicos para saber se está apto ou não a agregar ao elenco do Alvinegro Praiano.

Seu apelido veio do local onde morou durante boa parte de sua vida. Caiçara é o nome dado para designar as pessoas que vivem na região do litoral paulista.

+ Já atualizou sua camisa de 2023? Confira os novos uniformes do Peixe!

A identificação não para apenas no apelido recebido. Júnior Caiçara nunca escondeu o desejo de jogar pelo Santos, seu clube de coração.

Contudo, Júnior Caiçara nunca atuou pelo clube da baixada santista. Revelado pelo Santo André, o jogador passou por empréstimo no CSA. No clube alagoano, o lateral possui passagem curiosa contra o Peixe.

Na disputa da Copa do Brasil de 2009, com o recém-promovido Neymar pelo lado do Alvinegro Praiano, o jogador integrou a equipe do Azulão que surpreendeu o Peixe, por 1 a 0, em plena Vila Belmiro e seguiu na competição nacional.

Depois disso, o jogador ainda atuou pelo América-SP, onde teve poucas oportunidades antes de ir para o futebol português.

AVENTURAS NO VELHO CONTINENTE

Desde então, o atleta apenas jogou em equipes da Europa. Primeiro, conseguiu espaço e se destacou pelo Gil Vicente, de Portugal.

Em seguida, rumou com titularidade absoluta para o Ludogorets, da Bulgária e, com isso, despertou interesse dos alemães do Schalke 04, que contrataram Júnior Caiçara para a temporada 15/16.

Por fim, o jogador foi para o Istanbul Basaksehir, da Turquia, clube onde mais atuou e durou em toda sua carreira. Todavia, após anos, o atleta não renovou vínculo com o clube e ficou livre em fevereiro deste ano.

TEMPO PARADO!

Sem jogar uma partida profissional desde janeiro deste ano, a falta de atividade no mundo do futebol motivou o Santos a dar ênfase nos exames médicos para contar com os serviços do lateral.

تغلب فريق ريال مدريد على نظيره فالنسيا بأربعة أهداف دون رد، مساء السبت، ضمن مباريات بطولة الدوري الإسباني “الليجا” لموسم 2025-2026.

واستقبل ريال مدريد خصمه فالنسيا على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” ضمن مباريات الجولة الحادية عشر للدوري الإسباني.

ولاحت فرصة لريال مدريد عن طريق فينيسيوس جونيور في الدقيقة العاشرة، لكن حارس مرمى فالنسيا تصدى لتسديدة البرازيلي.

وتحصل ريال مدريد على ضربة جزاء لوجود لمسة يد، بعد الرجوع لتقنية الفار، وتوجه كيليان مبابي للتسديد وسجلها بنجاح ليمنح فريقه هدف التقدم في الدقيقة 19.

وعزز مبابي تقدم ريال مدريد بهدف ثانٍ في الدقيقة 40، بعد تمريرة وصلت له من أردا جولر، ليسدد مباشرة في الشباك بلمسة رائعة.

وتحصل ريال مدريد على ضربة جزاء ثانية، وتوجه البرازيلي فينيسيوس جونيور للتسديد لكن حارس فالنسيا تصدى له بنجاح وذلك بالدقيقة 43.

وعقب دقيقة واحدة نجح الإنجليزي جود بيلينجهام في تسجيل هدف ثالث لريال مدريد بتسديدة قوية مُذهلة من على حدود منطقة الجزاء.

ومع بداية الشوط الثاني، أجرى تشابي ألونسو مدرب ريال مدريد تبديلين في صفوف الفريق، بخروج أردا جولر وأوريلين تشواميني ومشاركة داني سيبايوس وكامافينجا.

وفي الدقيقة 61 أهدر مبابي فرصة خطيرة لريال مدريد، تصدى لها حارس الخصم، ثم لاحت فرصة لفالنسيا تصدى لها تيبو كورتوا.

وأجرى تشابي ثلاث تبديلات لريال مدريد بخروج دين هويسن وفينيسيوس ومبابي، ومشاركة راؤول أسينسيو ورودريجو وإندريك.

وعزز ريال مدريد تقدمه بهدف رابع في الدقيقة 82 بعد تسديدة صاروخية من كاريراس لتسكن سقف مرمى فالنسيا بنجاح.

حسمت المباراة بفوز ريال مدريد برباعية دون رد، ليرفع رصيده في صدارة الدوري الإسباني للنقطة 30، ليوسع الفارق مع برشلونة إلى 8 نقاط، ويتوقف رصيد فالنسيا عند 9 نقاط في المركز 18.  أهداف مباراة ريال مدريد وفالنسيا

“Complicated” is the best word to describe this FIFA window for Javier Aguirre and the Mexican national team. El Tri wrapped the October break with a 4-0 loss to Colombia and a 1-1 draw with Ecuador. As Mexico looks ahead to November’s friendlies against Uruguay and Paraguay, Aguirre is expected to present a clearer idea of his World Cup squad.

• AFP
  

  Better than Colombia performance

  Mexico showed better attitude and clear improvement against Ecuador following the painful 4-0 loss to Colombia over the weekend. El Tri started strong at Estadio Akron, taking the lead in the third minute through Germán Berterame, who capitalized on a defensive mistake by Ecuador.

  However, the advantage didn’t last long – Raúl Rangel conceded a penalty that Jordy Alcívar converted in the 20th minute to make it 1-1, a score that would remain until the final whistle.

  The match offered few real chances afterward, though Mexico looked more organized and disciplined. They even came close to winning it late, but the team still left the field to boos from fans hoping to see a victory – and a more convincing version of a squad that will host a World Cup for the third time next year.

  Looking ahead, Javier Aguirre is expected to have a clearer picture of his potential World Cup lineup when Mexico faces Uruguay and Paraguay in November.

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• AFP
  

  The MVP

  In September’s international window, Germán Berterame seemed to have run out of chances with Aguirre ahead of the World Cup, following underwhelming performances against Japan and South Korea. 

  However, the “Vasco” gave him another shot in October, and Berterame responded.

  The Monterrey striker opened the scoring early against Ecuador, capitalizing on a defensive mistake to net his first goal for El Tri in five appearances. The goal comes as a much-needed boost for Berterame, who now has renewed hope of remaining in contention for future call-ups – and perhaps even making the World Cup roster.

  Another standout performer was Julián Quiñones, who wasn’t part of the September squad but impressed with his energy and involvement. The América forward outshined both Hirving Lozano and César Huerta, putting himself back into the mix as Aguirre continues to evaluate his attacking options.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  The big loser

  Luis Ángel Malagón clearly struggled in this window. The Club América goalkeeper conceded all four goals in the heavy defeat to Colombia, and while he didn’t feature on Tuesday, his stock took a hit.

  Raúl Rangel, who started against Ecuador, didn’t help the goalkeeping situation – his foul inside the box led to the penalty that sealed the 1-1 draw. It’s difficult to say who came out worse from this FIFA window, but what’s certain is that Aguirre won’t be pleased with either of his goalkeepers – both supposedly locked for the final World Cup roster.

  Also underperforming was César Huerta. The Anderlecht winger came on as a substitute and failed to make an impact. Meanwhile, César Montes and Erik Lira also struggled to find their rhythm, rounding off a disappointing night for several El Tri players hoping to secure their spot ahead of 2026.

  Meanwhile, Ramón Juárez, Carlos Acevedo, and Kevin Álvarez didn’t see any minutes in this international window.

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• Match rating (out of five): ⭐⭐⭐

Franchises are working to get their overseas players to return to India, most of whom left the country on Saturday

Nagraj Gollapudi10-May-20254:30

Moody: CSK need to revisit their magic recipe

The BCCI has begun taking steps towards resuming IPL 2025 in May following the announcement of a ceasefire between India and Pakistan that came into effect at 1130 GMT (1700 IST and 1630 PKT) on Saturday.”The war has stopped. In the new situation BCCI office bearers, officials and IPL governing council, will discuss the matter tomorrow (Sunday) and take a call,” BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla told PTI Videos. “We will see which can be the best schedule to complete the tournament.”ESPNcricinfo has learned that all ten franchises are trying to recall overseas players and coaching staff back to India as plans are afoot to restart the tournament as soon as possible. It is understood the IPL could start as soon as the following weekend – around May 15 – subject to Indian government permission.The BCCI had to suspend the tournament for a week on Friday following the escalation of cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan that led to the abandonment of the match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals midway through the first innings in Dharamsala on May 8.The immediate challenge for the franchises is to try and bring back their overseas contingent, most of whom left India between Friday and Saturday. Several franchises have reached out to players and staff asking them to be ready to fly back to India. Some players and support staff who are in transit have been asked to halt further travel for the time being. One of the franchises even asked its coaching staff to postpone travel out of India as they were getting ready to depart on Sunday.Related

IPL 2025 to resume on May 17, final to be played on June 3

Injury puts Josh Hazlewood's return in doubt if IPL resumes

RCB captain Rajat Patidar recovering from finger injury

Overseas players begin to leave even as IPL prepares Plan B for resumption in May

IPL 2025 suspended 'for one week' amid India-Pakistan border tensions

Some teams are more fortunate than others in this regard: only two Gujarat Titans overseas players – Jos Buttler and Gerald Coetzee – have left the country and the franchise is trying to bring them back.While the franchises remained optimistic earlier on Saturday that most overseas players would return if the tournament were to resume in May, they acknowledged there would be no guarantees if the season extended beyond May 25, when the IPL 2025 final was scheduled to be played in Kolkata. That’s because of bilateral commitments for several players, as well as the World Test Championship (WTC) final between Australia and South Africa, starting on June 11 at Lord’s.A total of 57 matches had been completed in IPL 2025, and the 58th was going on May 8 between PBKS and DC in Dharamsala when it was called off after 10.1 overs of play. The IPL has not yet taken a call on whether that match will be replayed.There are 12 league matches and four playoffs remaining in the season, and one possibility is that these fixtures could be played in three southern cities: Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad. Seven teams remain in the race for the playoffs, with only Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) out of contention.

Paul Mullin will be auctioning off his famous customised "F*ck the Tories" boots. The boots, first unveiled in 2022, carried a message that caused uproar in the Wrexham boardroom. And now, the striker has announced that he is going to sell it off to the highest bidder.

The boots that started a firestorm

The bold slogan, emblazoned across his Nike Mercurials, instantly became a lightning rod for debate in football and political circles. Mullin had them custom-made as part of his personal protest against the Conservative Party’s handling of Britain’s working class. It was a stance rooted deeply in his Merseyside upbringing. But while Mullin saw it as a stand for ordinary people, his club at the time, Wrexham, saw it as a step too far. They were quick to distance themselves from the controversy once images of the boots surfaced on Mullin’s Instagram.

A Wrexham statement read: “The club can confirm that the boots revealed by Paul Mullin on social media will not be worn tonight, or in any other Wrexham AFC fixture and that the photographs taken at the Racecourse Ground were done so without our knowledge or approval. For the record, the pictures wouldn’t have been permitted to be taken had we known, and the issue will be dealt with privately by the club.

“The club has adopted a neutral position on many matters with a political dimension and intends to continue to do so going forward. The club also acknowledge that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, whether that be employees or supporters, but would also highlight that an individual's view cannot be fairly attributed as the view of everyone or the club itself.

“There is no more prominent example of this than the fact that the MP for the constituency within which the club is found is a Conservative seat. After this unwelcome distraction, the club hopes the focus remains on our objectives of gaining promotion on the field and creating community benefit off it, in which Paul Mullin will continue to play a significant part."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBoots put up for auction

Despite being banned from wearing the boots, Mullin kept them. In 2024, Britain changed political course. The Labour Party’s landslide victory ended 14 years of Conservative rule. As Rishi Sunak handed the keys of Downing Street to Keir Starmer, Mullin was quick to celebrate.

Posting a waving hand emoji on Instagram, he wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "If you know anyone who needs some boots, I’ve got a spare pair now!”

Now, the man himself has confirmed on social media that the boots will officially go under the hammer. "So a few months ago I said they would be up for auction and here they are," Mullin announced to his followers on Instagram.

@paulmulin12 Instagram

From cult hero to outsider

After firing Wrexham to two promotions and scoring 110 goals in 172 games, Mullin earned cult hero status in North Wales. But last season, the fairytale began to drift apart. The 30-year-old found himself sidelined as Wrexham made the leap to the Championship. With new signings and bigger ambitions, Mullin became surplus to Phil Parkinson’s plans. Now, he’s swapped red for blue as he joined Wigan Athletic on loan for the 2025/26 season.

A few days after completing the transfer, he said on Sky Sports: "Nothing really changes for me. I’ve always said that I never want to prove anyone wrong; I always want to prove myself right. There’s many reasons why I haven’t played at League One level through my career, that was purely due to choice a lot of the time, and obviously last year didn’t go the way I wanted. I think that was from a personal point of view, but many people will say ‘oh you didn’t score goals last year’, and they will be the same people that rely on xG, which, to be honest, I don’t believe in, but if that was the case, then I only had an xG of four and managed to score three, so it weren’t such a bad season for those people. I probably started 12 games and scored five goals, so I can spin it any way you want. For me, it wasn’t a successful season. I want to play games, never mind scoring goals, I just want to play and be part of a team that’s successful, that’s the most important thing to me, being successful as a team, and last year we were."

Mullin added on his decision to join Wigan: "It is a fresh start. People could be sad about it, like, obviously, a lot of Wrexham fans, but for me, I’m excited about the next chapter of my book. In life, you have many opportunities to change paths and go in different directions, and sometimes you’ve got to be brave to go and take the next step and see what’s next for you. I’m really looking forward to the future; it’s something I’m really excited about, and yeah, I’m fully excited about what’s to come."

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GOALWrexham redemption still on the cards?

Despite his loan spell, the door isn’t shut on Mullin’s Wrexham story. With two years left on his contract, a return to the Racecourse isn’t impossible. Even former Wrexham boss Dean Saunders believes the striker could earn a second chance in north Wales.

 “One thing about Paul Mullin is that he is a goal scorer, and he always will be," he said. "He knows where the net is, and when he is in form on a scoring streak, I’m not sure there is any forward scarier in the EFL. Wrexham have signed players from higher up and have decided to send him out on loan, which I think is fair enough, as they have Premier League ambitions.

“One thing Paul needs to do is keep at it. He needs a manager who backs him to score goals and lead the line, which he seems to have found at Wigan. He needs to stay fit and bang in goals to show Wrexham what they are missing. I actually think Wales could still use him in an international squad. It’s hard to find natural goal scorers, and that’s exactly what Paul is. Wales could use some of his firepower."

At Wigan, Mullin is determined to remind everyone why he’s one of the most prolific forwards outside the Premier League. With four goals in 16 appearances, he’s aiming to break his recent dry spell when the Latics face Mansfield Town on Saturday.

Sunderland’s season might well have hit a bump in the road at Old Trafford on Saturday, but the Premier League newcomers won’t feel completely derailed by the 2-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester United.

After all, the Black Cats are still sitting in an encouraging ninth position in the early standings, with an expectation that they can bounce back immediately from the defeat at the Theatre of Dreams when Vitor Pereira’s winless Wolverhampton Wanderers next come to Wearside.

Regis Le Bris should very much be commended for this top start to the season, as well, with the Frenchman actually up for the honour of September’s Manager of the Month accolade.

He is joined by Granit Xhaka and Robin Roefs in being recognised for their efforts over the last month with the Mackems pair up for Player of the Month.

In an alternate reality, the current make-up of the Black Cats team could look disjointed and messy after a hectic off-season that saw signings aplenty join the building, but also saw Jobe Bellingham disappointingly up and leave for the glamour of Borussia Dortmund.

Fortunately, even without him, they’ve been right as rain in 2025/26 to date.

How Jobe Bellingham is faring at Dortmund

Amazingly, despite garnering much hype at the Stadium of Light, the ex-Sunderland boy wonder never pulled on the famous red and white stripes of the Black Cats in the Premier League.

Instead, the 20-year-old’s final chapter on Wearside fell in the Championship as Le Bris and Co. sealed promotion, with journalist Josh Bunting even hailing the England U21 international as “sensational” when strutting his stuff at the promotion chasers.

While he did begin his footballing education at Birmingham City, it’s fair to say Bellingham very much honed his craft at Sunderland, with the standout number seven managing to mature at a rapid pace, after being handed the first-team reins initially by Tony Mowbray.

A bumper tally of 11 goals and four assists from 90 Sunderland clashes would eventually alert the Bundesliga giants of Dortmund to his services, with the Black and Yellow forking out a substantial £27.8m to land the exciting midfielder.

It hasn’t all gone to plan for Bellingham on German soil so far, though, with just two Bundesliga starts coming his way this season.

In fact, his spell in Germany has been a little controversial thus far with his father, Mark, reportedly unhappy with his son’s playing time, directing anger at manager Niko Kovac.

However, it still goes without saying that the 20-year-old was a stunning success story on Sunderland’s end, with the youngster once just a wide-eyed teenager but now a Champions League figure for Kovac’s side.

So, where could the next Bellingham come from?

Sunderland's biggest talent since Bellingham

Just one glance at those who have previously donned the number ten shirt at Sunderland gives you a quick indication as to why it’s a cherished number.

Kevin Phillips wore that exact number when he bagged 30 goals for the Black Cats during one single top-flight season, while Jordan Henderson also briefly pulled it on, too, before the might of Liverpool came knocking.

While it is, of course, early days into his Sunderland development, Timur Tuterov might well be in line to also pull on that much-talked-about number very soon.

It’s a bold call, indeed, but the Ukrainian is displaying a Phillips-like potency for the U21s this season, as one of his efforts – which saw Tuterov score a fine solo effort – seeing him nominated for Sunderland’s goal of the month competition for September.

Indeed, from just four Premier League 2 contests so far this campaign, the Ukraine U21 international has managed to bag a blistering five strikes in just four games, with back-to-back braces falling into his lap against West Ham and Burnley.

It’s rather evident to see why academy manager Robin Nicholls once described him as “an exciting prospect.”

Tuterov’s numbers for Sunderland

Position

Games

Goals + Assists

LW

12

5 + 2

CF

5

1 + 1

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Should he continue scoring goals at that rate of knots, then Tuterov could also be the biggest talent Sunderland has managed to produce since turning Bellingham into a Dortmund superstar, with the 20-year-old also an adaptable presence, much like the Englishman.

With Le Bris also well-known for getting plenty out of youngsters at his disposal, with Chris Rigg turned into a first-team starter last season, it does feel as if Tuterov could be the next shouted-about name ready to leave an impression on the senior ranks.

Patience will have to be exercised here, but Sunderland’s glittering track record does seem to suggest that Tuterov could be the next gem ready to pull on the number 10 jersey, living up to Bellingham’s insane hype in the process.

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Posts ByWill Miller Oct 3, 2025

Ruben Amorim has heaped praise on Bryan Mbeumo after the forward continued his fantastic start to life at Manchester United with a brace in the 4-2 victory over Brighton on Saturday. The 26-year-old netted his third and fourth Premier League goals of the season as Amorim’s side built on their recent wins over Sunderland and Liverpool with another triumph at Old Trafford.

Mbeumo is fast becoming a United hero following Brentford move

Mbeumo has quickly become a fan favourite amongst the United faithful following his summer move from Brentford. After scoring his first league goal in the last-gasp 3-2 victory over Burnley on 30 August, the Cameroon international then netted the opener in his side’s momentous 2-1 win over bitter rivals Liverpool last Sunday. And picking up from where he left off at Anfield, Mbeumo scored twice in the second half of what was a pulsating encounter with Brighton, with Brazil duo Matheus Cunha and Casemiro also finding the back of the net.

AdvertisementAFPCameroon international receiving love from United fans and Amorim

Having already struck up exciting partnerships with both Amad Diallo and fellow new boy Cunha, Mbeumo is not only being lauded by the United supporters but by manager Amorim, who paid tribute to his in-form charge after the Brighton game.

In his post-match press conference, Amorim said of Mbeumo: “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. 

“My role was, as a manager, to explain what I want from him. But it was more the club. And you guys. We can struggle a lot, but it’s Manchester United. When Manchester United is there, and when we feel that this player wants to come here, no matter what, no matter what the position, no matter if it's Champions League or not, we also give everything to bring these kind of guys, and that was the case.”

Amorim says United produced a 'complete' display against Brighton

Mbeumo’s heroics against both Liverpool and Brighton have played a key role in helping change the mood at United, who have now won their last three games following what was an inconsistent start to the 2025-26 season. While the victory at Liverpool – the club’s first since 2016 – was built on rapid counter-attacks from the likes of Mbeumo, Cunha and Amad, Amorim says the win over Brighton was a more “complete” performance from his side.

Asked if he felt beating Brighton was a bigger “statement” than beating Liverpool, considering the Seagulls had won their previous three games at Old Trafford, Amorim agreed by saying: “I have that feeling. I think [it] was a more complete performance. You can say whatever you want to say against Liverpool, but they didn't deserve to lose that game. We deserve to win, but they didn't deserve to lose. I think today, we did a little bit of everything. We had the ball, create chances, we defend high, we defend low. So, when it’s more complete, it's not a statement, but I feel more complete also as a manager. So today I think I like today more than last weekend.”

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Getty Images SportPortuguese believes fans are seeing benefits of no European football

And when asked if fans are now seeing the benefits of him having all week to work with the players, with United not competing in any European competitions this season, Amorim added: “I think you can sense that, of course, the results now, you can feel that. But the team, since we started this season, the team play so much better compared to last season. We have different players, more suited to this type of style. But it's a big difference. Every team that plays in this league, and has to play in Europe, it's so much harder. And we felt that last year. So, I said that last year, I will say the same thing, [it] is a big advantage to have just one game per week, and we have to take advantage of that.”

تعرض منتخب الإمارات تحت 17 عامًا، للخسارة أمام كرواتيا، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما في دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا. 

وواجه منتخب الإمارات نظيره كرواتيا، في الساعة الخامسة وربع مساء بتوقيت القاهرة، في إطار منافسات الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا، التي تقام في الدوحة. 

طالع.. ترتيب مجموعة تونس في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا بعد الخسارة أمام الأرجنتين

وتلقى منتخب الإمارات الخسارة بثلاثية نظيفة، وأحرز أهداف المنتخب الكرواتي كل من تينز كوزانوفيتش في الدقيقة 30 من الشوط الأول، وجابريال سافيتش في الدقيقة 36، ورادوس في الدقيقة 89. 

وبهذه النتيجة رفع منتخب كرواتيا رصيده إلى 4 نقاط في صدارة ترتيب المجموعة، بينما توقف رصيد منتخب الإمارات عند نقطة وحيدة في المركز الأخير. 

يذكر ان منتخب الإمارات يقع في المجموعة الثالثة في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا، مع منتخبات كرواتيا والسنغال وكوستاريكا. 

وتقام بطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا في قطر خلال الفترة من 3 إلى 28 من شهر نوفمبر الجاري.  أهداف مباراة الإمارات وكرواتيا اليوم في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا