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Fabrizio Romano has now revealed when Tottenham Hotspur could sack under-fire manager Ange Postecoglou, sharing key details on the Australian’s very uncertain long-term future in north London.

Ange Postecoglou's future in "serious doubt" at Tottenham

Postecoglou has been linked with the Spurs axe for months now, but last week, big-name news outlet The Athletic backed reports that the 59-year-old could be facing his final season in charge of the Lilywhites.

Ex-scout: Andoni Iraola could sign £46m Premier League star for Tottenham

The Spaniard has been heavily linked with replacing Ange Postecoglou.

ByEmilio Galantini Mar 30, 2025

Tottenham lie 14th in the table after 15 Premier League defeats, which are truly abject numbers for a ‘big six’ side, and while you can make a serious case that injuries have dampened their chances of performing at the top level, results simply haven’t been up to par regardless.

Chelsea (away)

April 3rd

Southampton (home)

April 6th

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

Postecoglou has attracted criticism for his inability to adapt at a tactical level, with dissatisfaction surrounding his work and there being “serious doubt” over the former Celtic boss’ long-term future.

Tottenham have identified Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola as a top target to potentially replace Postecoglou, while it is also believed that Fulham boss Marco Silva and Brentford manager Thomas Frank are high on Daniel Levy’s managerial shortlist (The Athletic).

“You can’t play a system the players can’t play because of principle. For that they’ve conceded three on Thursday and six today,” said Man United legend Peter Schmeichel after a 6-3 defeat to Liverpool earlier this season.

“When you look at the table, they’re not on the front page, they’re on the second page. Tottenham are not supposed to be on the second page, it’s because of the way they play.

“The stubbornness of wanting to play that way, they got what they deserved, and it could have been a lot worse.”

Fabrizio Romano shares when Tottenham could sack Ange Postecoglou

Now, writing for GiveMeSport, Romano has shared key details about when Tottenham could sack Postecoglou.

The journalist claims that the tactician’s hopes of remaining at N17 “strictly” rest on how Spurs perform in the Europa League, but if they fail to win the competition or even put in a respectable showing, then there is a “high possibility” that Levy will part company with Postecoglou.

He adds that they’ve already touched base with Iraola’s “close circle” to express an interest in the Spaniard, who’s worked wonders at Bournemouth despite coping with real injury shortages of his own at points.

Tottenham are also very aware that the 42-year-old has a release clause in his Cherries deal, worth up to £11 million, so Bournemouth would be powerless to keep their manager if Levy elects to trigger it.

While Iraola appears to be the favourite to succeed Postecoglou if he does leave, Romano backs reports that they’re also considering Fulham’s Silva.

He’s 38 and was coming into this series without a fifty in his 13 previous Test innings, but he’s roared back with a 163 against one of his favourite oppositions

Andrew Fidel Fernando18-Jun-2025We didn’t, in truth, learn a lot about Mushfiqur Rahim across the first two days of the Galle Test. That is except to say that he’s still here. That he is not going away. That he can still do this. Which actually, when you’re 38 and by a distance the oldest member of the squad, this is more important than you might think.Mushfiqur is the last remaining Test combatant from Bangladesh’s first generation of greats, Tamim Iqbal, Mashrafe Mortaza, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mahmudullah no longer appearing. There is a level of respect and space afforded to players who have given as much as Mushfiqur has, but also the threat of the companion accusation of hanging on for too long, too selfishly. Against this, there is no better antidote for a batter than runs. “You think I’m past it? Oh yeah? Say that to this 163.”Related

• Tamim: Mushfiqur's 100th Test 'should be celebrated by every Bangladesh cricket lover'

• 'These are not easy runs' – Mushfiqur reflects on 'special' century

• SL's newest spinner brings two arms to a format with one foot out the door

• Sri Lanka claw back after Mushfiqur 163, Litton 90

• Galle becomes Bangladesh's happy place again as top-order finds form

Still, there was little in this innings that was not Mushfiqur treading ground he had already trod. We already knew he could make runs on Sri Lankan tracks. Before this innings, he averaged 62.63 on the island (it’s up to 71 now). In fact several of his most memorable cricketing moments came here. In 2013, he hit Bangladesh’s first-ever double ton at this venue. In 2017, he was at the crease when Bangladesh claimed their first Test win against Sri Lanka at the P Sara Oval, having made a fifty in the first innings of that match. Next year, he’d bossed a Nidahas Trophy chase, his mocking celebration becoming a crucial staging post in the Naagin rivalry.Now that they have been made, these essentially seem like unsurprising runs from an unsurprising source. Mushfiqur has rocked it against better Lankan attacks, on much harder Lankan pitches. And he has always had the game to succeed in these conditions. He sweeps well and cuts even better, tends to read the direction of spin out of the hand, and has strong wrists, which, as several flicks through and over midwicket on day two proved, remained in good condition.And yet there was the big problem of his having arrived in Sri Lanka having not made a fifty in his 13 previous Test innings. Where in younger years this kind of lean stretch may have been viewed as a dip in form, when you are a couple of hops from 40, the accusation is that this is probably a terminal decline. At this stage of his career, Mushfiqur doesn’t need to show growth. Summoning a vintage performance? That’s the stuff.Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das added a century stand•Associated PressNajmul Hossain Shanto was the first to triple figures, and later Litton Das scored his runs more rapidly, but there was no more assured innings in this mammoth Bangladesh batting performance than Mushfiqur’s. There were no early jitters, no periods of the innings in which he appeared to get stuck, no bowler against whom he laboured, and even though he said he felt he got stuck on 99 a little, he only faced four scoreless balls before taking the single that took him to the hundred. It was no big deal, which was essentially the theme of Mushfiqur’s entire innings. A flat surface, an inexperienced opposition attack – why shouldn’t he be scoring runs here?”Mushfiqur has come back strongly and shown his character,” said Mohammad Salahuddin, Bangladesh’s assistant coach after Mushfiqur hit his 163. “He can inspire the team. He has great work ethic, and he is trying to improve all the time. It’s what you want from any senior player.”With the World Test Championship now introducing a “cycle” into the Test cricket consciousness, retirements now require a little more thinking about. “Can I last two more years?” is essentially the calculation Test cricketers in their mid-to-late 30s have to make now. On the Sri Lankan side, 37-year-old Dimuth Karunaratne had quit at the end of the last cycle, and 38-year-old Angelo Mathews is retiring at the very start of this one.Mushfiqur has shown no intention to bounce during this cycle, which is why, for him, at 38, and with 13 straight underwhelmings on his record, 163 is a pretty good number, it doesn’t matter that no new ground was broken.

He has been Bangladesh’s leading wicket-taker in 2023, but has just two wickets at an average of 63 so far this World Cup

Mohammad Isam17-Oct-2023As Bangladesh gear up to face India in Pune in their fourth match of the 2023 World Cup, there are two things that they will be keenly looking at: what speeds Taskin Ahmed clocks, and what lengths he hits.With just two wickets in three games at an average of 63 and an economy rate of 6.30, Taskin has been completely off-colour so far in the World Cup. His pace has been down and his lengths short, an issue that has been recognised both by the team management and his bowling coaches.Arguably one of Bangladesh’s most improved bowlers in the last few years, Taskin has delivered with such consistency that the rest of the bowling attack – fast bowlers and spinners – has operated with a certain degree of comfort. But having started off the World Cup sedately, his fellow fast-bowling colleagues Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam have had to pick up the pace so to speak, while captain Shakib Al Hasan has provided most of the breakthroughs.Related

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Inconsistent selection, lack of role clarity mar Bangladesh at World Cup

Bangladesh hopeful of Shakib getting fit for India clash

Just the fact that Taskin hasn’t bowled his full quota of ten overs in any of the three matches comes as a surprise given his recent stature in the attack. He came into the World Cup as Bangladesh’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs in 2023, with 21 strikes in ten innings at 16.85 following up on a strong 2022 and 2021, where he was among the wickets consistently.Taskin’s importance to the national team can be underlined by the fact that the BCB, fearing any risk of injuries, denied him the NOC to participate in the IPL last year and two more T20 franchise tournaments this year.But things haven’t come together for the 28-year-old in the World Cup thus far. The key to that could be in his lengths. Before the start of the tournament, 60.47% of Taskin’s deliveries in the first powerplay in 2023 pitched outside off either on a length, short of a good length or on a full length. But in the World Cup, Taskin hasn’t bowled enough in the first powerplay, and in the little that he has, his short balls outside off stump have been dealt with easily.Khaled Mahmud, Bangladesh’s team director, said that they have had a discussion with Taskin regarding the drop in pace and the shortened lengths.Taskin Ahmed has managed just two wickets in three games so far this World Cup•Getty Images”We have spoken about it, and Taskin is already working on it,” Mahmud said. “It will be fixed. We have been telling him this. I have a video on the phone. I spoke to him, but Allan [Donald, the bowling coach] takes care of it. We had a plan to bowl short against some teams. But he will come back, I am sure. The pace too was down. I think there was a bit of overwork, so we have given them a break. We want them to come back refreshed.”When it comes to the game against India, Taskin should certainly avoid going short to Rohit Sharma. The India captain has already hammered five sixes against seven short balls in the World Cup, striking at over 400. And it is something Taskin knows all too well. Rohit has a strike rate of 200 against Taskin’s short deliveries in ODIs. However, the same set of data also shows that Rohit has a hard time getting Taskin away when the bowler sticks to length balls.Ultimately, it is any length that’s not too short where Taskin has usually succeeded. It is also true that Bangladesh targeted the Afghanistan batters with quick short balls in the first game, which ultimately helped Shoriful and Mustafizur. It wasn’t a tactic they used against England and New Zealand, though.Taskin’s most effective wicket-taking delivery since the start of 2021 has been the one that holds its length without any movement, bowled at times with the wobble seam. That delivery has fetched him 28 wickets at an average of 26.89, while the offcutter has given him ten wickets at 19.9 during the same period. But Taskin hasn’t been able to do much damage with either type of delivery in the World Cup.Taskin Ahmed has been Bangladesh’s most dependable bowler in 2023•Associated PressMahbub Ali Zaki, the fast-bowling coach who helped Taskin through two tough periods in the last seven years, said that he did notice the drop in pace, but expects Taskin to bounce back quickly.”I have been following Taskin, definitely,” Zaki said. “The pace seems to be slightly down. If you compare his bowling in the World Cup with the New Zealand series last year, I feel that the intent is missing. But when you have worked with a top-class player like Taskin, you will have the highest expectation. He will have his pace up. He will beat their bat. He will take wickets. That’s what we can expect from them.”Taskin’s previous experience with a drop in pace is not a happy one. Six years ago, during Bangladesh’s tour of South Africa, his speeds were consistently on the decline. It was quickly identified that he wasn’t fit enough, and then during the Nidahas Trophy a few months later, he ultimately lost his spot in the team. Lack of pace was again the problem, and it kept him out for around three years.Mahmud’s point that a bit of rest in Pune could recharge Taskin could be crucial. His coach Zaki also believes that “fatigue could be a factor” in his reduced pace. It is now up to Taskin to regather his wits and re-calibrate his bowling, for a lot of Bangladesh’s success hinges on how he goes.

Why did England pick a man they have usually handled so delicately to bowl at a spinners graveyard?

Jarrod Kimber10-Dec-2021″Don’t fall asleep because you might not wake up.” That’s what Jack Leach was saying to himself in 2019. That was when he had sepsis in New Zealand. Leach also has Crohn’s disease.England have done everything they can to keep him fit and healthy. Giving him the very best treatment to ensure he can be ready when they need him.When selected he’s been an almost single-use entity on the field. Since that New Zealand tour, they’ve used him when and where he’s suited. Leach averages 31.12 in Tests because England have waited for pitches that turn, or batters he has good match-ups against.Related

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• Wood stands out as England tick all the wrong checkboxes

• Chastening day casts doubts on Leach's further participation

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And then they turned up at the Gabba, a place where overseas spinners don’t work, where there is little spin, a team of left-handers, and they chose him over Stuart Broad’s 524 wickets.There Leach got a different kind of treatment from the Australians, 1 for 102 from 13 overs.

****

England analyst Nathan Leamon once said that we obsess too much over the selections of the ninth, tenth and eleventh best players in a team in cricket.And he’s right. So much of the cricket media and public’s obsession is over the players who make the smallest impact. Part of that is quite simply because during a Test, a poor selection becomes a story for days, as we try to work out what would have happened with the road not travelled.That happened here with the non-selection of Broad. England got into trouble in this Test because they were dismissed for 147. Broad has a Test century to his name, but it’s doubtful he would have changed that score much.He might have helped with the ball, with Chris Woakes starting poorly. Having Broad out there would have been a simple way to regain control. And as Brisbane’s biggest newspaper will grudgingly admit, he’s bowled well there over the years for 12 wickets at 24.5; even if half of those wickets were from one innings.But what about the man they chose instead, Leach. For a team with so much off-field support, he would seem to be one of the most baffling choices to make for a touring side in Australia for quite some time.

“The Gabba has a weird kink – it actually gets tougher to take spin wickets the longer the match goes. Wickets fail at 51.1 in the first innings, but in the second that is 57.3”

Leach is a spinner who needs a lot of assistance off the surface. That’s common, but he goes from everyday friendly finger spinner to Thanos on a ragging wicket. The best way to tell this is that Leach averages 21.49 at Taunton. In the rest of the UK it’s 32.68. This is also backed up by his average of 27.32 in Asia. And in five Tests at home, he averages 20 overs a match. That’s incredibly low for a frontline spinner.So what kind of help does the Gabba give spin bowlers in the last five years? Seam is averaging around 27 compared to spin’s 53. Lyon is averaging 45.50 here in that time. In the last 41 years, the Gabba has one five-wicket haul to a tourist, John Emburey’s 5-80. Only Daniel Vettori has more than seven wickets in total there. This is the opposite of what Leach needs.The Gabba has a weird kink too. It actually gets tougher to take spin wickets the longer the match goes. Wickets fail at 51.1 in the first innings, but in the second that is 57.3. As most tweakers prefer the second innings, this isn’t ideal. But it’s terrible for someone like Leach, who massively depends on the surface falling apart. In the first match innings he averages 48.82; in the second that drops to 20.95.Then there are the Australian batters, of which four of the top seven, and six of the eleven are left-handed. Leach – like most left-arm orthodox bowlers – is terrible against southpaws. Against right-handers, he averages 24.7, and against lefties that’s 61.5. The problem for Leach is that Smith and Labuschagne average over 40 against left-arm orthodox in the last five years (for Smith, that’s a weakness of sorts). Really only Pat Cummins – who is a poor player of spin generally – is weak against it. That’s not a lot of potential victims for Leach.Not that it matters that much, but Broad has averaged 25.2 against left-handers in the last five years. As you may have heard, he’s been pretty good to David Warner as well.Australia were always going to target Leach, because Ben Stokes was under a fitness cloud, and this was a weaker bowling attack without James Anderson and Jofra Archer. Leach doesn’t have a lot of weapons when someone attacks him on a flat pitch. If it’s a left-hander, without footmarks, he’s naked.Only 25 overseas spinners have more than 20 wickets in Australia. Five of those have played a Test this millennium. Only Geoff Miller of the England spinners has an average under 30 with more than 20 wickets. Panesar doesn’t even qualify (13 wickets at 48.92). Swann has 22 at over 50.Leach has enjoyed success in spinning conditions•BCCIThe problem for most spinners is that generally side spin is more important around the world. In Australia, side spin is helpful, but overspin needs to be with it. The bounce. Most spinners could work this out, but they’d have to bowl in Australia over a couple of series to perfect it. They often get smashed in their first one and are shelved afterwards.Your best chance of taking wickets in Australia is if you are tall, or can master overspin. Weirdly England have a tweaker like this in their group, Dom Bess. He actually profiles like an Australian offspinner, for all his problems with landing the ball where he wants it. And he would have been handy against a team of left-handers. Bess is in Brisbane at the moment; he just took 4-80 against Australia A.

****

Australia attacked Leach almost twice as much as any other frontline bowler.Leach has bowled 95.5% of his career pro deliveries with the red ball. He has 17 List A games and two T20s for 36 combined wickets. He has no white-ball experience. England have protected him from these kinds of situations, and now here he is, in an Ashes Test, being destroyed.Warner hit him for two big sixes. Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne basically scored at two runs a ball against him. His wicket came from some good bounce but mostly because Labuschagne was showing him the same amount of respect he would a fourth-change club bowler.Fans and the media suggested Leach bowled too flat, tossed up, aggressive, and straight. The truth is, he bowled too much.Moeen Ali probably should have been England’s spinner here if he was still playing. Bess would have been a decent back-up with so many left-handers on display.England’s treatment of Leach’s health has been admirable. They used to select him when everything was in his favour which helped him. If there was any problem with this, it was that they never let him develop other skills by using him only when it suited. Or let him play that much at all. In 2020 he didn’t get a Test. This year he didn’t play during the home summer. Hard to go from targeting a team of right-handers on ragging Indian wickets to a team of lefties on a spinner’s graveyard with no Tests in between.England are known to be meticulous with their planning for major series and tournaments. And then they turned up at the Gabba with a bowler absolutely not suited to the job in so many obvious ways.On the third day, England gave him the ball when they had run out of options. Of course, that is part of why he was in the team in the first place.Australia went after Jack Leach, but England’s treatment was worse.

The Brewers punched their ticket to the NLCS by following the same formula that earned them a league-high 97 wins this season—timely hitting, dominant pitching and elite defense. Unfortunately for Milwaukee, its offense didn’t make the trip to the league championship round.

Milwaukee was held to exactly one run yet again in Game 3, falling 3–1 to the Dodgers on Thursday night in Los Angeles. The Brewers, trailing 3–0 in the series, are now just one loss away from being swept out of the NLCS, a round they’ve reached just four times in franchise history.

It’s not difficult to pinpoint where the Brewers have gone wrong. Through three games, Milwaukee has scored a total of three runs while batting .101 as a team with just nine hits. According to TNT Sports, the Brewers have the fewest hits (nine) through three games of a playoff series since the White Sox in 1906.

No, that is not a typo. The White Sox had just nine hits in the first three games of the 1906 World Series against the Cubs.

It is worth noting the White Sox won that World Series in six games—although they were able to take two of the first three games, unlike the Brewers, who could be packing their bags for the offseason as early as Friday night in Game 4.

Who needs to step up for the Brewers?

Is “everyone”a suitable answer?

Christian Yelich led the team with 29 homers and a .795 OPS in the regular season, but he’s batting just .200/.294/.233 in the postseason and an even worse 1-for-11 (.091) in the NLCS. Young stars Brice Turang and Jackson Chourio are a combined 2-for-23 against the Dodgers, and Andrew Vaughn—a hero in the NLDS—is still looking for his first NLCS hit.

Milwaukee’s best bat this series has been Caleb Durbin, a bottom-of-the-order option in manager Pat Murphy’s lineup who has three hits in nine at-bats against Los Angeles.

“We’re in a big hole,” Yelich said Thursday after the Game 3 loss. “Our goal right now should be to get the series back to Milwaukee. And worry about the rest later. We can’t look at it as we’ve got to win four in a row. Obviously we do, But we can’t win four [games] without winning one or without winning two.”

The Brewers will try to keep their season alive Friday night with the second game of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 8:38 p.m. ET.

The Houston Astros have been without star slugger Yordan Alvarez since early May as he's been sidelined with a small fracture in his hand.

The 28-year-old has been rehabbing his ailing hand in Florida, but has suffered a setback in his recovery. According to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, Alvarez's rehab has been shut down and he's now set to visit a specialist in order to determine the best course of action.

Alvarez reportedly felt soreness while swinging a bat on Monday, prompting the team to shut him down.

Alvarez last played for the Astros on May 2. He'd been struggling at the plate all season, looking like a shell of his usual self throughout his first 29 games. Alvarez had a .210 batting average with a 82 OPS+ and just three home runs and 18 RBIs prior to landing on the IL.

The team expects to know more about his injury after his visit with the specialist, but this setback is certainly a cause for concern among fans, who were hoping to have Alvarez return to the lineup for the second half of the season.

Liverpool and Manchester United are two of many teams throughout Europe who are set to benefit after FIFA revealed those involved will be able to play for their clubs for an extra week before jetting off for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Mohamed Salah and Bryan Mbeumo are among the Premier League's top forwards but will leave their sides to represent Egypt and Cameroon when the tournament kicks off in Morocco later this month.

• Liverpool and Man Utd receive much-needed boost

  Clubs around Europe will have to make do without some of their key players during the hectic winter months of December and January due to the 2025 AFCON. Stars like Salah and Mbeumo are set to miss a significant number of matches for Liverpool and United when they travel across the world to represent their countries at Africa's biggest stage. Players had previously been required to show up for international duty by December 8 at the latest, leaving some English clubs particularly short during what is always a fixture-filled time of the year. However, FIFA has now amended its rules, meaning clubs around Europe will be able to call upon their African stars for another week.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  What FIFA said about clubs releasing players for AFCON

  In a statement released on Wednesday, FIFA outlined its decision: "Following fruitful consultations led by FIFA with key stakeholders and, thanks to the spirit of solidarity demonstrated by CAF to reduce the impact on various parties, the Bureau of the Council has taken a decision in relation to the mandatory release of players for the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025, which will take place in Morocco from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026. 

  "In line with the same principle used for the FIFA World Cup 2022™, the release period will be reduced by seven days and start on Monday, 15 December 2025. 

  "It was also determined that Member Associations participating in the CAF AFCON 2025 and clubs releasing players who would be playing in continental competitions during the release period be encouraged to hold bilateral discussions in good faith to find appropriate individual solutions. 

  "In cases where there continues to be a dispute over the release of players subsequent to such bilateral discussions, FIFA will, in mediating between both parties, apply guidelines that take into account the circumstances of each case, including factors related to the timing of matches of affected competitions, the stage of these competitions, the historical and planned involvement of the players in the matches in question, as well as any other pertinent factors."

• Some Premier League teams set to struggle

  It's not just Mbeumo who United will be missing for the better part of a month even after FIFA's ruling. Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui are set to represent the Ivory Coast and Morocco, while Sunderland appear set to suffer majorly with seven of their players projected to be involved in the tournament, including Bertrand Traore, Reinildo, Simon Adingra and Habib Diarra. 

  Manchester City will lose both Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri, though neither the Egyptian nor the Algerian have been particularly prominent in Pep Guardiola's starting XI so far this season. Tottenham will be without a pair of midfielders in Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma, but will retain the services of winger Mohammed Kudus after Ghana failed to qualify. Relegation candidates Wolves are also expected to lose five players to AFCON. 

  However, there is better news for others. Premier League leaders Arsenal, their London rivals Chelsea and Leeds United will be unaffected for the period. Liverpool, meanwhile, will only lose Salah, with manager Arne Slot previously revealing the Reds would be able to keep the struggling winger until mid-December.

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  What comes next?

  There are now just under two weeks before clubs throughout Europe say goodbye to the African players who will be present at AFCON. The tournament looks set to be an exciting one with Morocco, Egypt, Algeria and Senegal among the favourites to lift the trophy – which will add to an already packed winter of soccer.

  There's a disappointing lack of Premier League action on Boxing Day this year, with United's evening clash with Newcastle the only fixture of the day, but supporters will be able to see Salah's Egypt battle South Africa that afternoon.

Manchester United drew 2-2 away to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday lunchtime. It took a late Matthijs de Ligt goal to secure a point, after being 1-0 up at half-time. Not only did United let the three points slip out of their grasp, but striker Benjamin Sesko picked up an injury.

The Slovenian didn’t start the game in North London, coming on in the second half. He suffered a knee problem late in the clash after a tackle by Mickey van de Ven prevented him from getting a shot off.

Ruben Amorim said after the game that he is “concerned” about the striker’s issue.

It is currently unclear how long the 22-year-old will be out injured for, but Amorim has three different options to replace him.

1 The logical option

There is only one other number 9 in the United squad: Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutchman is a superb technical player who is brilliant at bringing his teammates into the game with holdup play and silky footwork.

He ended his debut campaign at United strongly, with ten goals and assists, including a crucial header in the Europa League away from home against Lyon. However, he’s fallen out of favour under the Portuguese manager this term.

It certainly hasn’t been easy for the Dutchman in 2025/26. He’s only made five appearances across all competitions, playing 90 minutes in total and not starting a game. He hasn’t even had a chance to prove himself this term.

However, with his ability to link play together and facilitate the likes of Bryan Mbeumo, the 24-year-old could be a game-changer for United. He’s their only other senior number striker and has shown great promise when given a chance.

2 The wildcard option

The suggested wildcard shout is, ironically, something Amorim has done more often this season than the logical option. That consists of bringing Mason Mount into the starting lineup and playing a flexible front three consisting of the Englishman, Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.

Although he has been struck down with injury a lot for United, the 26-year-old clearly has an abundance of quality. When fit, he has been a trusted lieutenant under Amorim, playing 29 games for the Red Devils boss, scoring four times and assisting one.

In fact, those strikes certainly highlight the quality the number seven brings to United’s side. Look at his finish against Athletic Club in the Europa League last season, taking the ball on the half turn and curling his effort home. That is classic Mount.

This solution would offer Amorim lots of energy up front, with all three players excellent pressers. United fans would also witness fluid rotations in possession, although the lack of a natural number 9 might make them less of a threat in the box.

3 The academy option

Using players from the academy has always been a huge part of the DNA at Old Trafford. Well, in light of Sesko’s injury, Amorim could turn to 17-year-old Chido Obi to help fill the void left at centre-forward.

The former Arsenal youngster has played first-team football in the red of United since his move to Manchester last summer. He’s featured eight times under Amorim, even starting away to Brentford in the Premier League.

It is at academy level that the former Gunners star has made a real impression. Obi has scored six goals for United’s U21 side and has bagged 12 times in ten games for the U18s. It is no surprise that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta previously described him as a “massive goal threat.” Gunners podcaster Will Balsam once even described the prodigy as a “homegrown Osimhen”.

Obi has played against senior sides in the EFL Trophy this season and has made a real impression, grabbing three goal involvements in as many games. Against Barnsley, he got a goal and an assist, having two shots on target, creating one chance and winning three duels.

Obi stats vs. Barnsley

Stat

Number

Touches

20

Shots

3

Shots on target

2

Ground duels won

3

Key passes

1

Goals

1

Assists

1

Stats from Sofascore

Picking the Denmark U20 striker to replace Sesko could be seen as a risk from Amorim. Yet, the Red Devils boss clearly trusts and rates the striker, having given him regular minutes in the top flight last season.

There are a few options for the United boss, and it will be fascinating to see which route he takes if Sesko is sidelined for a long period.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Nov 7, 2025

Big picture: Who will bat where for India?

The last time India and Sri Lanka faced each other in international cricket, Sri Lanka defended their home turf like wounded lions to blank India out in an animated ODI series. Now, though, they come up against each other in an Asia Cup dead rubber with Sri Lanka already knocked out and an unbeaten India already in the final.Related

• Abrarcadabra – the four-over spell that left Sri Lanka stupefied

• Abhishek Sharma is on his way to becoming an elite six-hitter

• The relentlessness of Abhishek and the ruthlessness of Bumrah

• Suryakumar told to refrain from making political comments

However, with India seemingly playing roulette with their batting order, there is always anticipation to see what the box of chocolates throws up next. In India’s previous dead rubber, against Oman, Sanju Samson was promoted to No. 3 and Suryakumar Yadav didn’t bat at all even though India lost eight wickets. In their last match, Sanju Samson didn’t get to bat even though India lost six wickets.There must be some method to what Suryakumar and coach Gautam Gambhir are doing, but the pundits on the outside haven’t been able to figure it out. What happens next is anyone’s guess.Sri Lanka have been on the receiving end of a fickle format. There hasn’t been much separating the three teams other than India in the Super Fours. Sri Lanka have lost both their tosses, and have just not been able to post winning totals. Against India, they will need more than the toss to go their way.

Form guide

India WWWWW (last five T20Is, most recent first)
Sri Lanka LLWWWSri Lanka will hope to end a disappointing Super Fours stage with a consolation win•Asian Cricket Council

In the spotlight: Abhishek Sharma and Wanindu Hasaranga

One change India will not want to make is rest Abhishek Sharma and halt the almighty momentum he has on his side. He has 248 runs in this Asia Cup at better than two a ball. He has twice threatened to get to a century. You don’t ask a batter on such a roll to rest.Wanindu Hasaranga has gone for less than a run a ball through this tournament, and will relish bowling against a top line-up on a slow Dubai track. Especially outside the powerplay.

Team news: All eyes on India’s reserves

Like they did against Oman in the first round, there is a good chance India will experiment on Friday. Rinku Singh and Jitesh Sharma remain the only ones in the squad who haven’t got a game. It remains to be seen if India throw them into the mix. Playing Jitesh doesn’t necessarily mean leaving out Sanju Samson, who needs time in the middle before the final.India (probable): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Sanju Samson (wk), 5 Rinku Singh/Jitesh Sharma, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Arshdeep Singh.Sri Lanka haven’t quite found their ideal combination through the tournament, but wholesale changes won’t make sense either. They could perhaps look to get Kamil Mishara in for Chamika Karunaratne.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Mendis (wk), 3 Kusal Perera, 4 Charith Asalanka (capt.), 5 Kamindu Mendis, 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Chamika Karunaratne/ Kamil Mishara, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Maheesh Theekshana, 11 Nuwan Thushara.

Pitch and conditions

As the tournament progresses, scoring quickly keeps getting harder. The powerplay, and what the set batters can do outside of it, remains critical.

Stats and trivia

• India and Sri Lanka have have faced each other in Dubai once previously. It was in the Super Fours stage of the Asia Cup back in 2022. Sri Lanka won the toss, inserted India, and won by six wickets.
• Hardik Pandya needs three wickets to become the second India bowler after Arshdeep Singh to 100 in T20Is.

Kai Rooney is being tipped to emulate the achievements of his record-breaking father Wayne by making a major impact at Manchester United. Former Red Devils striker Fraizer Campbell has told GOAL, during an exclusive interview, that it would be “fantastic for the club” to see another Rooney leading the line at some point in the not too distant future.

Yamal & Dowman prove to Rooney that anything is possible

Rooney junior is only 15 years of age, but the hottest of prospects have been making senior breakthroughs at that stage of their respective careers. Lamine Yamal earned his big break at Barcelona while in his mid-teens, while Max Dowman has done likewise at Arsenal.

There is no suggestion that Kai is knocking on Ruben Amorim’s door at Old Trafford just yet, but he continues to make positive progress down that path. He has been promoted through the age groups in United’s academy system, allowing him to prove his worth to club bosses.

Big pressure is being lumped onto his young shoulders, with Wayne Rooney still United’s all-time leading scorer with 253 efforts to his name. He won Premier League and Champions League titles with the Red Devils.

Advertisementsportsphotos.ie InstagramWill Kai Rooney follow Wayne into the Man Utd team?

Kai is eager to follow in illustrious footsteps, and has been catching the eye in a fabled academy. Many are suggesting that he is capable of matching his famous father by becoming a talismanic forward for Premier League heavyweights.

Quizzed on whether that could happen, ex-United star Campbell – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “That would be fantastic. He’s played up for the 18s and the 23s this season, I think. He’s doing really, really well. If he’s anything like his dad, it would be fantastic for the club because Rooney was unbelievable in his playing days – still now, he played in the legends game and he’s still got the technique, that drive and hunger. It would be great for Wayne, Coleen and the family to see another Rooney pulling on the Man United shirt. It would be great for the fans as well.”

Hot prospect: Kai Rooney exciting those at Old Trafford

Campbell is not the first former United player to back Kai Rooney for senior opportunities. Wes Brown has previously told GOAL of that family name earning further recognition in Manchester: “I’m pretty sure if you played for a club and your son comes through, and he’s at a stage now where he’s like YTS, going to training everyday, then at any point you could be picked by the manager and told ‘you’re training with us’ or ‘you’re in a game’. It will be a great experience.

“Kai, knowing the lad he is, he’ll just work very hard. He will have his head down. Obviously, his dad has legendary status, but it’s all about Kai. He will have to work and do everything himself, make sure he puts the graft in and keeps on learning.

“All you can hope for, even when I was a kid, is getting an opportunity. If you do, can you take it? He’s done really well to get where he is at the moment because I’m guessing at some point, it will have been difficult for him.”

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Getty ImagesWayne & Coleen helping to keep Kai grounded

Wayne has tended to stay away from Kai’s matches, in order to avoid becoming a distraction, while mother Coleen is doing her best to ensure that a future away from professional football is also being taken into account.

A source has told of that process: “All the boys are obsessed with football, so Coleen’s had no choice but to embrace it. She wasn’t sure how good they would be, but there’s no denying that Kai has his dad’s talents, and has the potential to make it big.

“Kai is very good, and Coleen and Wayne have always drummed into him that he has to train hard and dedicate himself to it if he wants to make it. But Coleen is determined that he’ll stay grounded, whatever happens. She also knows she’ll have to prepare him for the disappointment if it doesn’t work out. The Rooney name will only get him so far.”

It remains to be seen whether Kai Rooney – who has scored plenty of goals for United at youth level while helping them to trophy wins – will earn first-team opportunities. His dad will always be on hand to offer advice if it is required, with Wayne earning wonderkid status himself when making a senior breakthrough with Everton at the age of 16.