Kobbie Mainoo is reportedly in talks with Napoli ahead of a January exit from Manchester United.

Across his last four games, manager Ruben Amorim has won 10 points from an available 12, stringing together a run of three wins and a draw. The former Sporting boss has seemingly, after over a year in charge, found some consistency in his first team.

This could prove crucial for Amorim, who has found himself under varying amounts of pressure since moving from Sporting to Old Trafford in November 2024. In becoming more sure of his first team, though, the Portuguese has limited the minutes of Kobbie Mainoo.

A product of the club’s prestigious youth academy, Mainoo has played just 138 minutes in seven Premier League appearances this season. As a result, rumours have started to circulate about his future and now, reports in Italy have suggested that a move to Serie A could be on the cards.

Amorim wants Mainoo to stay amid Serie A talks

As per Football Italia, Napoli have “been in contact with the agent” of Kobbie Mainoo and that “interest in a loan deal is mutual” between the player and club. Reportedly, the defending Serie A champions are looking for midfield depth following an injury suffered by Kevin De Bruyne.

Depth is made all the more imperative given that Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa will be absent during the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations and Napoli have retained the interest that they seemed to have in Mainoo back in the summer transfer window.

Despite keen interest from Antonio Conte’s side, it would seem that Amorim hopes that Mainoo remains in Manchester, though it has also been reported that a move to Italy is “more likely” and something that has reached the “advanced talks” stage of negotiation.

Though Amorim may want Mainoo to stay, it is understandable as to why the midfielder wants more first-team football, especially with a World Cup coming up next year. With Napoli’s current absentees, Mainoo would certainly receive minutes at the club.

Not only that, but Napoli’s status as a Champions League club may only make the move more alluring to Mainoo. It remains to be seen, though, whether the England international departs in the next transfer window.

Exciting update on young Man Utd defender's first team chances

INEOS are now reportedly prepared to spend more than £100m to sign Raphinha from Barcelona under one circumstance at Manchester United in 2026.

The Red Devils owners have not been afraid to spend big on transfer fees in the last six months, despite their cost-saving measures off the pitch. Sir Jim Ratcliffe continues to back Ruben Amorim, who has shown signs that he could yet turn things around at Old Trafford, and that could yet result in further much-needed reinforcements.

INEOS have already seen the majority of their summer signings settle into life at Old Trafford, with Bryan Mbeumo even picking up the Premier League’s Player of the Month award for October to match Amorim’s Manager of the Month achievement. The former Brentford forward scored three goals and assisted one other to earn the award.

After watching Mbeumo pick up the award and claiming the Manager of the Month prize himself, Amorim told reporters: “The credit is not mine, the credit is for my players. They did really well, and our goal is to win the next one because it means we win football matches.”

The former Sporting CP boss, more than anyone, will be well aware that there’s still a long way to go, however, and INEOS must still back the Red Devils in the transfer market.

Forget Mbeumo: "Phenomenal" Man Utd star was the real player of the month

Bryan Mbeumo has won the Premier League Player of the Month, but one other Manchester United star may feel hard done by.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 7, 2025

On that front, those at Old Trafford have already been linked with 2026 moves for the likes of Elliot Anderson and Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic. Anderson would be a particularly impressive signing, given how he’s starred in a struggling Nottingham Forest side as of late, whilst Vlahovic would undoubtedly add depth to Amorim’s frontline.

Neither of those players would be as impressive as Raphinha though, who has scored twice against Man United throughout his career.

Man Utd prepared to spend over £100m on Raphinha

According to reports in Spain, INEOS are now prepared to spend €120m (£105m) to sign Raphinha if Man United qualify for the Champions League this season. Qualification for the competition would hand the Red Devils further financial freedom and the ability to attract stars such as the Barcelona winger.

The Brazilian would instantly become Man United’s record signing at £105m, finally dethroning the £89m fee that they paid to sign eventual flop Paul Pogba in 2016.

Unlike the Frenchman, Raphinha may well prove to be worth every penny after becoming one of the best wingers in the world at Barcelona and finishing fifth in the 2025 Ballon d’Or.

Whether a club-record bid would be enough to lure Barcelona into a sale is the big question. Manager Hansi Flick should be desperate to keep hold of his winger, having told reporters last season: “He has good dynamics with the ball and he has had an extraordinary match. His offensive and defensive dynamics, and his good technique, are something special. I have never had a player like him and he helps us a lot.”

Forget Cunha & Mbeumo: "Explosive" Man Utd star is coded for the Fergie era

Both teams will hope for better batting support for overburdened talismans Athapaththu and Amin

Andrew Fidel Fernando23-Oct-20252:12

SL vs Pak preview: Chamari Athapaththu’s swansong?

Big picture: Pakistan, SL aim to finish strongly

Both Pakistan and Sri Lanka are out of contention for the semis. Pakistan were out already, following their big loss to South Africa on Tuesday. Sri Lanka’s exit was confirmed after India beat New Zealand on Thursday.This is both Sri Lanka and Pakistan’s opportunity to finish a campaign strongly. Pakistan are winless as yet in this competition, though rain denied them a near-certain victory over England. Sri Lanka batted poorly in the match against Bangladesh, but were bailed out by their captain in the final over. They will, if nothing else, want to put a stronger stamp on this tournament, which they have essentially co-hosted.The problem areas for both teams overlap. Pakistan are over-reliant on Sidra Amin with the bat, and have tended to crumble around her. Sri Lanka are not quite as reliant on Chamari Athapaththu as they used to be, but they are yet to put in a dominant batting performance so far. Hasini Perera hit her first international fifty against Bangladesh, but the likes of Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari will have hoped to have had better tournaments.

Form guide

Sri Lanka WLLLL (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
Pakistan LLLLW

In the spotlight: Chamari Athapaththu and Sidra Amin

Chamari Athapaththu will be 36 in February. Unless stars align in extremely fortuitous fashion, Sri Lanka will play their last match of this World Cup on Friday. There is always the chance that Athapaththu will play the next ODI World Cup as well, at age 39. There are certainly no signs that she is slowing down. But realistically, this could be her final ODI World Cup game. She is without a doubt the first woman in Sri Lanka’s cricketing pantheon. If this is her last major game in this format, she deserves a strong finish.Can Sidra Amin finish her World Cup with another strong display?•AFP/Getty Images

Just as an illustration of how far back Pakistan’s batting is from the world leaders, consider this. Alyssa Healy, the top runscorer for this tournament, has hit 294 runs in four innings. Pakistan’s top run-scorer Sidra Amin has hit 138 runs in five innings. Amin and Pakistan have had consistently challenging conditions in Colombo to deal with, of course, but still, there is both a fragility and a stodginess to this top order, which prevents them from even competing in many matches. If they are to impose themselves on the next World Cup, Pakistan need to develop more batters like Amin.

Team news

Pakistan might search for ways to strengthen their batting order. Could Eyman Fatima or Sadaf Shamas make it back into the XI as they search for better combinations?Pakistan (possible): 1 Omaima Sohail, 2 Muneeba Ali, 3 Sidra Amin, 4 Aliya Riaz, 5 Natalia Pervaiz, Sidra Nawaz (wk), 7 Fatima Sana (capt), 8 Eyman Fatima/Rameen Shamim, 9 Diana Baig, 10 Nashra Sandhu, 10 Sadia Iqbal.Sri Lanka will likely keep their XI from the win over Bangladesh. Seamer Malki Madara was economical in that match, and will likely keep her spot.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Vishmi Gunaratne, 2 Chamari Athapaththu (capt), 3 Hasini Perera, 4 Harshitha Samarawickrama, 5 Kavisha Dilhari, 6 Nilakshika Silva, 7 Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), 8 Sugandika Kumari, 9 Malki Madara, 10, Inoka Ranaweera, 11 Udeshika Prabodhani.

Pitch and conditions: Can the rain stop, please?

The northeast monsoon shows no signs of easing in Colombo. Expect there to be swing and seam, owing to the rain around. There will also likely be significant turn, so long as the balls aren’t too wet. This is all presuming the rain will allow any cricket to be played at all.

Stats and trivia

• In 19 World Cup innings, Athapaththu averages 37.61 – just slightly better than her overall stats. Her World Cup bowling average of 30.00 is substantially better than her overall average of 40.12.
• Sidra Amin tops Pakistan’s run-scorers’ chart this year, with 656 ODI runs at 59.63. Their next-highest run-getter, Muneeba Ali, has hit 402 at 30.92.
• In 33 ODIs between the two sides, Pakistan have won 11 and Sri Lanka 22.

Quotes

“We’ve seen how the games have tended to go here. There’s been help for the pacers as well. We’ve studied the wicket carefully and are preparing to adjust our game according to the conditions. There’s quite a bit of swing for the fast bowlers, and for the spinners, there’s also good turn.”
Sri Lanka batter Harshitha Samarawickrama on conditions at Khettarama at the moment“I’ve learned quite a lot. This was a huge event – the World Cup – and unfortunately, we couldn’t perform as well as we wanted to. But there’s so much we’ve learned from it, and we’ll go back home and work hard on those areas.  It’s been quite difficult because many of our matches were affected by rain.”
Pakistan spinner Sadia Iqbal on Pakistan’s takeaways from a rainy Colombo campaign

Tottenham hero Cristian Romero revealed international team-mate Lionel Messi as the influence behind his "beautiful" last-gasp overhead kick goal against Newcastle. Spurs' trip to St James’ Park ended in a breathless finale, with the Argentine defender scoring an acrobatic equaliser deep into stoppage time to rescue a 2-2 draw.

Newcastle dominate early but made to settle for a point

For much of the evening, Newcastle appeared set for a victory that would have accurately reflected the flow of the contest. Eddie Howe’s side were sharp from the opening whistle, pinning Spurs back and dictating the first half with confidence. Yet, despite their control, the breakthrough refused to come until midway through the second period. It was the introduction of captain Bruno Guimaraes that changed the tempo. Howe, searching for inspiration, turned to his midfield leader, and within minutes the Brazilian had stamped his authority. Anthony Gordon whipped a teasing cross into the box, a flick redirected the ball into Guimaraes’ path, and he dispatched a precise finish into the corner. 

Up to that point, Tottenham had offered little more than occasional flashes of counter-attacking intent. But Thomas Frank, confronted by another worrying result, responded boldly with a triple substitution. Mathys Tel, Richarlison and Xavi Simons were thrown into the fray. The impact was immediate. Mohammed Kudus swung a dangerous ball into the penalty area just seven minutes after Newcastle’s opener, and Romero, who was already leading by example at the back, launched himself into a diving header that skimmed off his forehead and drew Spurs level.

The drama only escalated as the final minutes ticked down. A Newcastle corner sparked a VAR review when Rodrigo Bentancur tangled awkwardly with Dan Burn at the back post. After a lengthy check, a penalty was awarded, and Gordon made no mistake, sending goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario the wrong way in the 86th minute. However, Spurs were unwilling to throw in the towel. When a Tottenham corner was punched weakly by Aaron Ramsdale, the ball travelled only as far as Romero. He showed great athleticism to produce a bicycle kick, and although his connection wasn't as clean as he would have liked, the ball skipped through the crowded box and rolled into the net to break Newcastle hearts.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportRomero name drops Messi

After the match, Romero admitted the audacity of the attempt came from studying Messi up close during Argentina training sessions.

"I train every day with Leo Messi in the national team and I watch him,” he said to Sky Sports. ”It's a beautiful goal."

He also acknowledged the emotional weight of the moment, saying the Tottenham team had been deeply aware of their recent shortcomings.

Romero said: "It's very important. In the last three or four games, the team knows it's not been good enough. Today, the mentality to play like this altogether it's a difficult time, but especially in this game, I love the mentality.”

Thomas Frank praises captain’s leadership at both ends

Spurs manager Thomas Frank was effusive in his praise, describing Romero’s performance as “exceptional” and highlighting not just his goals but also his discipline and composure in defence.

"The perfect bicycle kick, hit the shin, aiming for the bottom corner," he said. "I think let's start praising Cuti, I think he deserved that for all of the top performance, defending, on the ball, coolness, calmness, duels. And then getting up there and scoring two goals. I think the bicycle kick will most likely get a little bit more praise, but I think the header is more exceptional, the way he does that is better than many strikers."

Frank emphasised that the team’s resilience was what pleased him most.

"The performance showed fantastic mentality and character," he added to Sky Sports. "Every team needs that. It is fair to say it has been a tough week, fourth game in 10 days, third away game. St James' Park is always a difficult place to come. Last 60 minutes I am very happy with that performance overall. The ability to react to setbacks was great. We suffered the first 25 minutes. Sometimes you need to suffer, after that we were very brave, calm on the ball going forward. There's a lot to love about the performance."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next?

The draw leaves Tottenham 11th in the Premier League table with 19 points from their opening 14 matches. The wider concern is their long winless run, which now extends to five matches in all competitions. Yet the manner of the comeback, and the grit shown in the final 30 minutes, injected a sliver of optimism into an atmosphere that has grown increasingly restless. Frank’s side will aim to turn resilience into wins when they return home to host Brentford at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.

Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has returned to India’s Test squad for the two-match series against South Africa beginning on November 14 in Kolkata.Pant replaced N Jagadeesan while Akash Deep took Prasidh Krishna’s spot in the squad that beat West Indies 2-0 in October. Pant had missed that series as he was recovering from the foot fracture he suffered during the fourth Test against England in Manchester in July. Akash Deep was recovering from a back injury that had kept him out of the Duleep Trophy after his return from England; he has since played two rounds of the Ranji Trophy for Bengal. Mohammed Shami, who has played the first three rounds of the Ranji Trophy for Bengal and taken 15 wickets, was not picked.Pant proved his match fitness by captaining India A to victory in the first four-day game against South Africa A at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru last week. Pant made 90 in the second innings as India A chased down a target of 275.India’s Test captain Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are currently playing the T20I series in Australia, and will join the Test squad after the five-match series ends on November 8. Kuldeep Yadav was released from the T20I squad after the third match in Hobart so that he could prepare for the Test series by playing India A’s second four-day game against South Africa A starting on November 6.India play two Tests against South Africa from November 14 in Kolkata, and then from November 22 in Guwahati, a city that will be hosting Test cricket for the first time. India are currently third in the World Test Championship table with 61.90% points; South Africa, meanwhile, are fifth with 50% points, having most recently drawn a series 1-1 in Pakistan.

India’s Test squad for South Africa series

Shubman Gill (capt), Rishabh Pant (vc & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash DeepIndia’s selectors also picked the A squad, led by Tilak Varma with Ruturaj Gaikwad his deputy, for the one-day series against South Africa A. The three matches are on November 13, 16 and 19 in Rajkot.

India A’s squad for one-dayers vs South Africa A

Tilak Varma (capt), Ruturaj Gaikwad (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Ishan Kishan (wk), Ayush Badoni, Nishant Sindhu, Vipraj Nigam, Manav Suthar, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed, Prabhsimran Singh (wk)

Manchester United have improved drastically in the forward areas this season, though they could now be prepared to offer a platform for Real Madrid star Endrick to shine ahead of the World Cup if circumstances align.

Benjamin Sesko has endured a mixed time since joining the Red Devils. Two goals in 11 matches haven’t exactly set the house on fire, though he has been an impressive presence within build-up play under Ruben Amorim.

Nevertheless, his recent performances have not escaped Gary Neville’s attention, who told NBC Sports that the ‘jury is out’ on whether he will be the right fit through the middle long-term.

He said: “I’m no further forward with him. The jury is out. He’s well off it compared to the other summer signings that Man United made up front in Cunha and Mbeumo.

“He looks awkward, he had a couple of really good opportunities in the first half – when balls got played over the top. And his touch wasn’t quite right.”

Quite clearly, Sesko has the potential to come good. Other than him, Joshua Zirkzee has had limited minutes at Manchester United this season, and he is now reportedly in the sights of Everton with the World Cup taking place next summer.

At this point, it is unclear whether he will be allowed to leave in January. If he is permitted to go, the Red Devils will likely target another forward to pick up the shortfall for the second half of the campaign, even temporarily.

As the transfer window draws closer, Manchester United may now have a plan in place to land a world-renowned talent to bolster their attacking options.

Man Utd target Endrick tells agent he wants loan from Real Madrid

According to The Daily Star, Manchester United target Endrick has told his agents that he will seek a loan move in January, with the only way of that being likely to change if his minutes improve at Real Madrid.

The Brazil international has been frozen out by Xabi Alonso and has played in a single match this season. Aston Villa have also come to the table if uncertainty over his future is set to linger.

Endrick since joining Real Madrid

Appearances

38

Goals

7

Assists

1

West Ham United and Juventus have been mentioned in dispatches as alternative suitors, with the 19-year-old fearful that a lack of games may prohibit his chances of going to next year’s World Cup.

In the scenario where any deal is concluded to send Endrick on loan, Real Madrid want his next club to pay his wages in full for the duration of a spell away from the Spanish capital.

Man Utd are also pushing hard to sign an England international

Mid-season always promised to be an important time of year at Old Trafford, and it now remains to be seen whether they can secure the youngster in a deal that would make headlines across the world.

Despite some spasmodic pyrotechnics on the final day, the Rothesay County Championship match between Kent and Lancashire ended in a draw, with the weather ruining what might have been a thrilling run chase.Ekansh Singh hit 60, his highest first-class score, as Kent posted 293 aided by a hugely entertaining cameo from Matt Quinn, whose 42 was his best score for Kent.Mitchell Stanley also had a career day, taking 6 for 100 to finish with match figures of 11 for 180.Lancashire needed 303 to win and were 138 for 3 when rain forced the players off, just after Marcus Harris had reached 50. Quinn took 2 for 21, but then limped off with an injury.Some 28 overs were lost due to rain but when play finally began both sides immediately went on the attack.Ekansh hit the second ball of the day from Tom Hartley for six, but Mo Rizvi was lbw to Stanley’s first delivery from the Nackington Road End, getting a pair on his first-class debut.When Stanley then bowled Matt Parkinson for a second-ball duck, in the same over, the lead was only 221, but Quinn joined Ekansh for a partnership worth 71 that steered Kent out of danger.He blazed 22 off Stanley’s next over (including four byes) and left Stanley kicking his crease in frustration. He even improvised a ramp shot off a full toss that somehow ended up at point and by lunch Kent were on for 276 for 7.The final three dismissals were all caught behind. Stanley finally got Quinn and George Balderson got Ekansh after a bouncer caught his raised bat. Ben Compton, playing despite a wrist injury, came in at 11 but only faced one ball before Michael Cohen was out to Stanley for four.This pattern continued in the Lancs’ reply when Keaton Jennings edged Quinn to Harry Finch for 4 and Wells then went to the same combination for 19, but Josh Bohannon and Harris took the heat out of the situation for the visitors with a partnership of 91.Harris reached 1000 runs for the season when he reached 23 and it was 73 for 2 at tea, but Quinn then pulled up injured during a run-up, stumbling at the crease and walking straight off, to be replaced by Rizvi.His first over went for 15 and he was immediately replaced by Evison, whose third ball bowled Bohannon’s off stump for 46. At 16.34 however, the rain returned and this time there was no chance of a resumption.

Matthijs de Ligt scored a 96th-minute equaliser as Manchester United managed to snag a 2-2 draw from their trip to Tottenham, snapping a run of four successive losses to Spurs. Thomas Frank's side trailed for much of the game but a late turnaround saw them close in on three points, only for Ruben Amorim's men to claw back at the very last and enact at least some sort of revenge after losing last season's Europa League final.

United went in front just after the half-hour mark. Spurs failed to clear their lines when playing inside their own box, and when the ball came back in courtesy of an Amad Diallo cross, Bryan Mbeumo slipped behind Pedro Porro to head in at the far post.

Tottenham nearly pulled level on the other side of half-time when Cristian Romero flicked on a Wilson Odobert cross, only for Senne Lammens made a fine save with his feet. Moments later, the Belgian threw up a strong hand to bat away a half-volley from Joao Palhinha.

Spurs had the ball in the net through Brennan Johnson but the flag was quickly raised for an obvious offside as the hosts continued to push for an equaliser. With only six minutes to go, United finally caved in. Odobert skipped past Manuel Ugarte with ease before teeing up Destiny Udogie to put in a low cross, which was received by Mathys Tel and finished on the swivel by the Frenchman.

What became a manic end to the game opened up for Benjamin Sesko to find a winner when slipped through by Mason Mount, but the Slovenian dawdled on the ball too long and was tackled at the last by Micky van de Ven. Sesko walked away from this challenge injured and had to hobble off, but as United had used all their substitutes, they had to finish the match with 10 players.

Entering six minutes of added time, Tottenham turned the game around completely. United couldn't clear from a Spurs corner, with the ball falling to Odobert on the edge of the box. The Frenchman curled an effort back in, which was flicked on by Richarlison and past a helpless Lammens.

Yet there was still time for one final twist. United won a corner, which sailed to the back post for De Ligt to nod over the line by a matter of inches and save a point. The result means both sides missed the chance to climb to second in the Premier League table before Manchester City's meeting with Liverpool on Sunday.

GOAL rates United's players from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Senne Lammens (7/10):

Started off nervily by letting a pass from De Ligt roll under his foot and out for a corner but recovered well with a series of saves.

Matthijs de Ligt (7/10):

Had some early trouble watching Richarlison's marauding runs from the left, though the Dutchman quickly figured the Brazilian out in that regard. Saved the day with one of the most important headers of his United career.

Harry Maguire (7/10):

A rock at the back. Stifled Randal Kolo Muani before his half-time substitution and did the same to Richarlison afterwards. Withdrawn with a minor injury for Yoro. No surprise it all went to pot after his substitution.

Luke Shaw (6/10):

Protected by Dorgu so well that there was little on Shaw's plate to clean up, even despite Spurs seeing more of the ball.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Noussair Mazraoui (6/10):

Didn't need to worry too much about Spurs' threats on his flanks given how inverted they were on that side. Substituted for Sesko.

Casemiro (7/10):

Didn't offer a lot in possession but swept up well when needed. Replaced by the fresh legs of Ugarte, whose introduction effectively cost United two points.

Bruno Fernandes (7/10):

One of few players on the entire pitch who enjoyed getting the ball on the floor and spreading play. Grabbed the assist for De Ligt's leveller, with his menacing playmaking rewarded at the very end.

Patrick Dorgu (7/10): 

One of his better outings since joining United in January. Nullified Spurs' threats coming down his side and stretched play when in possession. Subbed for Dalot with United protecting the lead.

AFPAttack

Amad Diallo (7/10):

Bumped up into the frontline from the off after rescuing a point in last week's draw at Nottingham Forest. Came up with the cross for Mbeumo's goal before moving to wing-back after Sesko's introduction.

Bryan Mbeumo (7/10):

Began on the left to accommodate Amad on the right. Was the subject of interest from Tottenham and former boss Frank over the summer, but only wanted United and it's a decision that is already paying dividends. Peeled away from Porro to break the deadlock and extend his fine run of form.

Matheus Cunha (6/10):

Started as the false nine, dropping into midfield to try and link midfield and attack. Showed flashes of his brilliance though that was about it. Taken off for Mount.

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AFPSubs & Manager

Benjamin Sesko (3/10):

Still adjusting to the pace of the Premier League, which became almost too obvious when he was both thwarted and injured by Van de Ven when in on goal. Walked back down the tunnel as United ended with 10 men.

Leny Yoro (5/10):

Didn't provide nearly as much authority and confidence as Maguire.

Manuel Ugarte (2/10):

Walked past by Odobert for the equaliser, played Richarlison on for Spurs' second. A cameo to forget.

Mason Mount (6/10):

Played in Sesko for United's chance to win the game.

Diogo Dalot (N/A):

The usual United scapegoat but the collapse was hardly his fault.

Ruben Amorim (6/10):

A real mixed bag. The starting XI did their job, but Amorim's substitutions nearly cost United any sort of result.

Bob Simpson played 62 Tests and would then go on to shape one of the great eras of Australian cricket

Alex Malcolm16-Aug-2025Australian cricket has lost a giant after former Test captain and the first full-time coach Bob Simpson died in Sydney at the age of 89.Simpson is one of the most influential figures in the history of Australian cricket. He played 62 Test matches between 1957 and 1978, averaging 46.81, and claimed 71 wickets while being known as one of the greatest slip fielders of his time. Simpson had made his first-class debut for New South Wales aged 16 and would go on to amass 21,029 runs and picked up 349 wickets with his legspin.He had initially retired from the game in 1968 after an 11-year career as one of Australia’s finest openers, having played 50 Tests and captained in 29 of them. But he then made an extraordinary return as Test captain in Australia cricket’s hour of need after the World Series Cricket schism in 1977. Simpson, at the age of 41, led in five home Tests against India and five away Tests against a full-strength West Indies side then.He finished with ten Test centuries, all of them made as captain, including 311 against England in Manchester in 1964, which was his first hundred in his 30th Test, and two more double-centuries. He averaged 54.07 as captain after not making a century and only averaging 33.67 before he assumed the role from Richie Benaud during the home summer of 1963-64.Simpson formed what remains one of Australia’s most successful Test opening pairings with Bill Lawry with 382 they added against West Indies in 1965 still the record for the first wicket.Bob Simpson had initially retired from the game in 1968 but then made an extraordinary return as Test captain during the World Series Cricket schism•PA Photos/Getty ImagesSimpson was again called upon by the then Australian Cricket Broad (now Cricket Australia) in 1986 during the nadir of Australia’s on-field performance as a Test nation, having not won a series for over two years.Alongside captain Allan Border, Simpson was instrumental in instilling a culture of discipline and hard work into a younger group of players that were selected to regenerate Australian cricket, including David Boon, Dean Jones, Steve Waugh, Craig McDermott and Merv Hughes.In 1987, he was added to the selection panel that was chaired by Laurie Sawle and oversaw the start of Australia’s next golden generation with Mark Taylor, Ian Healy, Mark Waugh, Shane Warne, Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Glenn McGrath and Ricky Ponting among a host players selected and coached by Simpson until he stood down in 1996.Australia won the World Cup in 1987 and regained the Ashes in 1989, which they would hold until 2005. Australia regained the Frank Worrell Trophy in 1995, a trophy they had not held since 1976, having not beaten West Indies in a series anywhere during that time. That win in the Caribbean gave them the unofficial mantle of world No. 1 Test side.”Bob Simpson was one of the greats of Australian cricket and this is a sad day for anyone fortunate to have watched him play or who benefited from his wisdom,” Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird said. “Bob’s decision to come out of retirement to successfully lead the Australian team during the advent of World Series Cricket in 1977 was a wonderful service to the game, and his coaching set the foundation for a golden era for Australian cricket.”Dean Jones chats to Bob Simpson during the latter’s hugely successful stint as Australia coach•Elizabeth Dobbie/Fairfax Media/Getty ImagesMany of the players, including Warne, regarded Simpson as the best coach they ever had and pivotal to their develop as international players after also coming through the Australian Cricket Academy under former wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, which had been established as a breeding ground during Simpson’s early years as Australia coach. Warne credited Simpson for convincing him to bowl around the wicket more often in certain conditions.Simpson was known as a disciplinarian and famously made fitness and fielding a major priority as coach.He was succeeded as Australian coach by one of his former players, Geoff Marsh, as the more senior team shifted their approach to preparation under the captaincy of Taylor after Border had retired in 1994.Simpson went on to coach Leicestershire and Lancashire for short periods in English county cricket. He also worked as a coaching advisor for Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy in India and as a consultant for India’s men’s team during the late 1990s.He coached into his 70s, including with Netherlands through a successful qualification campaign to reach the 2007 World Cup.He was appointed a Member in the Order of Australia in 1978, which was upgraded to Officer (AO) in 2007 for services to the game as a coach, consultant and administrator.He was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1965. He is a member of the ICC Hall of fame and the Australian Cricket Hall of fame.

Olympiacos pushed Real Madrid to the brink in a chaotic seven-goal Champions League thriller in Piraeus, but Kylian Mbappe’s four-goal performance proved decisive. Jose Luis Mendilibar praised his team’s fight, admitting Madrid “gave us a lifeline” late on, while offering a tactical breakdown of why Mbappe and Vinicius Junior are so devastating for Los Blancos.

• Mbappe hits four as Real Madrid edge Olympiacos

  Madrid survived a relentless Olympiacos comeback to win 4-3 in one of the Champions League’s most dramatic group-stage matches of the season. Their star striker Mbappe was the difference-maker, scoring all four goals as Los Blancos twice surrendered two-goal leads before hanging on in the final minutes in Piraeus.

  The hosts struck first through Chiquinho after a slick combination with Daniel Podence and Ayoub El Kaabi. Madrid initially struggled to gain control, but Mbappe flipped the game on its head with a devastating seven-minute hat-trick, scoring in the 22nd, 24th and 29th minutes. A brilliant ball over the top from Vinícius sparked the comeback, followed by a textbook header from Arda Guler’s cross, and then a composed finish from Eduardo Camavinga’s through ball.

  Olympiacos refused to fold. Mehdi Taremi and El Kaabi struck in the second half, dragging the Greek side back within touching distance and setting up a frenetic finale. But Madrid held firm for their first win in four games, with Mbappe becoming the first Real Madrid player ever to score four goals in a major European away match and extending his record for most away hat-tricks in Champions League history.

  After the final whistle, Olympiacos manager Mendilibar described the match as “crazy,” emphasising the emotional swings throughout the night.

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  ‘Crazy’ match & ‘lifeline’ from Madrid – Mendi breaks down the thriller

  Speaking to after the game, Mendilibar gave an honest and detailed assessment of a match he believed could have gone either way. His first reaction summed up the unpredictability: "Crazy, it's true, so many things happened, too many. We started very well, they turned the game around in two minutes, they were close to making it 1-4 which would have killed us. They gave us a lifeline and we finished the match pinning Madrid back and creating chances to equalize."

  The Olympiacos boss insisted his players deserved credit for refusing to collapse despite being repeatedly punished by Madrid’s world-class attackers. He admitted the quality gap was visible in certain moments, saying: "Look, it seemed like we were dead and they scored goals on us very quickly with very little effort. That's when you realize you're up against the best players in the world and that there are differences with your own team."

  Even with Madrid threatening to run away with the result, Mendilibar maintained belief that his team could fight back. Asked about his satisfaction with the performance, he replied: "Anything could have happened. The result is what matters; we did what we could and we never gave up. That's the most important thing for us."

• Mendilibar’s tactical explanation

  Mendilibar went beyond simple praise when analysing the impact of Mbappe and Vinicius, offering a tactical breakdown of why Madrid’s two stars are so devastating in transition and so efficient in front of goal.

  When asked what makes the pair so dangerous, he explained: "There are two sides to it. The two up front have caused us a lot of problems, but also because they rest a lot when we have the ball and only eight of us try to defend and run. When they win the ball back, they're fresh to make runs behind the defense, and then, they convert almost every chance they get."

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  Madrid going strong in Champions League

  The result places Real Madrid in a strong position in the Champions League, they now sit fifth in the table and three points behind leaders Arsenal. With 22 goals already this season and nine in Europe, Mbappe continues to be the defining figure of Madrid’s campaign. Xabi Alonso’s side will look to build on this momentum as they chase qualification with matches against the group’s lower-ranked opponents still to come.

  For Olympiacos, the performance, despite the defeat, offers genuine encouragement. Mendilibar’s team fought back against one of Europe’s most powerful squads and created more than enough opportunities to take something from the match.