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They weren’t the only ones waving the flags of their country around as Mushfiqur Rahim scored 191

Mohammad Isam24-Aug-2024Mohammad Ismail and his family are sat in the Imran Khan enclosure, west of the Pavilion building at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. They are wearing Bangladesh jerseys and caps, with their umbrellas pulled down in the extreme heat. You could however see their smiles from underneath. There is a row of fans sitting with Bangladesh flags in their hands. There are more in the other stands, but interestingly not all of them are in the hands of Bangladeshis.Ismail works in the Bangladesh high commission in Islamabad. He is sitting with warrant officer Sarwar Uddin. They are among a handful of families who live in Islamabad and traveled to Rawalpindi for this game. Many work in the high commission, while some are posted here on private jobs. Presently, they are enjoying the Mushfiqur Rahim-Mehidy Hasan Miraz 196-run partnership for the seventh wicket. As soon as we settle down, Mushfiqur paddle sweeps Salman Ali Agha for his 17th boundary.A big cheer goes up in the stands, which is surprising because the rest of those sitting in this enclosure are Pakistanis. It is a genuine cheer. It is not in jest. When Mushfiqur reached his eleventh Test century, there was a huge cheer around the ground. It is a sign of a decent crowd that cheers for both sides and that has surprised Ismail and Sarwar.”Many Pakistanis have carried Bangladesh flags to the stadium this time, to my surprise,” Ismail said. “I haven’t been here for a long time but I can safely say that it is a first. When we watched Asia Cup matches in Lahore, we waved Bangladesh flags. This time you can see a lot of locals actually bringing Bangladesh flags for genuine support.”One of those locals, a youngster named Abdullah, said that Rawalpindi fans often bring flags and posters of visiting players to the grounds. He said that this time the support is genuine as they enjoy Bangladesh’s cricket. Abdullah said he also followed the student protests in Bangladesh in the last few weeks, which made him more interested about the country. Everyone wants to know about August 5 and how it will shape Bangladesh’s future.Pakistan’s interest in Bangladesh cricket isn’t new though. Hundreds of Pakistani cricketers have played in the Dhaka Premier League since the 1980s while many have also played in the BPL since 2012. A good performance in the first Test in Rawalpindi has the potential of bringing more Pakistani fans to the ground, and perhaps some more supporting Bangladesh too.

He can be particularly dominant against spin, is working to remedy his issues against the short ball, and has a sackful of recent runs to his name

Shashank Kishore09-Dec-202280, 54, 63, 44, 50, 113*, 28*, 80, 49, 24, 82.Following India’s 3-0 loss in South Africa this January, Shreyas Iyer has batted 11 times in ODIs. In this period, he has racked up six half-centuries and a career-best 113 not out at a strike rate of 92.63. In his most recent outing on a difficult Mirpur pitch that offered both turn and variable bounce, he made a high-quality 82 off 102 balls.Much of this consistency (refer to the sequence above) can be attributed to a sense of security he’s had in a second-string India XI, led by Shikhar Dhawan. Eight of these 11 knocks have come in games Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli haven’t played. In their absence, Iyer has either been an accumulator or an enforcer, depending on circumstances.In an ideal world, given the year he has had – he is the highest run-getter among Full Member players in ODI cricket so far – there should be no debates around Iyer’s spot in a full-strength side. But because of stifling competition in India’s middle order, Iyer has a constant tussle on his hands.However, his string of compelling performances have put him top of the list of contenders for now though, and raised hopes of Iyer being the No. 4 batter who could lend stability to the line-up – something India have yearned for since the previous 50-over World Cup in 2019.Related

• India's contenders for the 2023 ODI World Cup

• Blunt in the middle – India have a bowling problem to solve

• Bowler to all-round match-winner – Mehidy comes of age

• Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami likely to miss Bangladesh Test series

Iyer’s biggest strengths are his ability to score freely, and access different pockets of the ground. While others may be lacking in terms of their scoring rate against spin, Iyer has gained a reputation of being unstoppable against slow bowling. Among the reasons for that are his footwork and clarity.But there’s also this growing chorus over Iyer’s vulnerability against the short ball, and not without reason. It all started at the IPL, when he was repeatedly roughed up by bouncers. He was out to short-pitched deliveries four times, and the demons unleashed by it got him one other time when Umran Malik peppered him with some bouncers before dismantling his stumps with a searing yorker.In England, these struggles were exposed point blank with that famous Brendon McCullum’s go-for-his-throat gesture to his bowlers from the balcony. It’s an area that needs work, Iyer has acknowledged, and he is trying to find remedies behind the scenes; he has seldom lacked in effort and willingness to deal with the issue. That quality, in someone as flamboyant as Iyer, will make the team management happy.When it was known Iyer wasn’t going to be part of the travelling reserves to Australia for the 2022 T20 World Cup, he set up one-on-one sessions with Abhishek Nayar, the former Ranji Trophy-winning captain with Mumbai. Iyer and Nayar have developed a fantastic working relationship over the years. The core of these private sessions in Mumbai was to help improve his game against the short ball.Those who’ve watched Iyer closely would know about his propensity to back away to slash behind point or over cover. It’s one of his release shots against the short ball aimed at the body, one that looks terribly ugly when it doesn’t come off. The idea behind the private sessions was to explore more options, and give him enough time to put them into practice by making minor tweaks to his setup.Shreyas Iyer has been vulnerable against the short ball, but he’s been working on it of late•BCCI”The initial part was to understand why he wasn’t able to play the short ball well,” Nayar tells ESPNcricinfo. “We worked on the technical side and made a slight change in his initial movements. If you watch him closely, you will see small tactical and technical changes, like where he stands, how he stands. The distance between his feet and initial movements change. His feet are a lot wider in his setup, which has helped him play the pull. In New Zealand [in November], he was playing the short-arm pull a lot more.”We started working on it during the IPL but couldn’t address the issue since matches kept coming thick and fast. So, when he had this break, we worked on his technique, prior to the [domestic] Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s. Once he understood the nuances of why he wasn’t playing it well and why he’d get into a tangle, it was a lot easier to address it.”Lately, he’s had more success rather than fending or hitting over point or cover point like he did previously. Knowing him and what he’s done and his mindset towards attacking the problem, he’s not far away from pulling a 150kph bouncer for four or six. Is he there yet? He will be, very soon, but at 135-140 [kph], he’s very comfortable playing that. He’s worked really hard at it technically in terms of making those changes and understanding why he had those problems and what was affecting his short-ball game. If his numbers are so good with all these issues going around, once it’s sorted, he’ll evolve into something even more special.”For the record, since the IPL, Iyer has had a control percentage of 77 against short-of-a-length or short deliveries. The balls he’s been in control of have helped him score 134 runs at a strike rate of 97.10. Whether the technical changes now translate into a better record against the short ball, only time will tell.Looking at the bigger picture, Iyer will perhaps compete with Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson and Deepak Hooda for one batting slot in the one-day middle order, if we assume that Rohit Sharma will open with one of Shikhar Dhawan or Shubman Gill, with Kohli at No. 3, followed by KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya.Among those who could give Iyer serious competition, Hooda is the only one who offers some overs with the ball but has barely had any opportunities to present his case. Suryakumar’s case is compelling as well, but he can’t be judged without a fair run. While he did feature in the ODIs in New Zealand, he has been rested for Bangladesh tour. With coach Rahul Dravid stating the home season is likely to throw up opportunities to field an ideal first XI, the next few weeks could give us a peek into who India are tilting towards.It will not be surprising if that someone is Iyer, who has done everything he can to present a water-tight case to be the No. 4 India have wanted for so long.

According to Smart Stats Sam Curran’s efforts with the ball came at a time when the opposition had a higher chance to win.

ESPNcricinfo stats team19-Apr-20212:58

Stephen Fleming: Moeen Ali has been ‘instrumental’ in us getting big scores

One allrounder takes 3 for 7 and hits 26 off 20, while other takes 2 for 24 and tonks a 6-ball 13. Who would be your Player of the Match? The former? Well, that indeed was the official choice for the award in the game between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. That performance had come from Moeen Ali, and the latter, were Sam Curran’s stats in the match.However, ESPNcricinfo’s Smarts Stats rates that Curran’s impact on the match was higher than Ali’s. Smarts Stats not only takes into account the quality of the batters dismissed, but also the situation in which a bowler bowls, among other things, to arrive at an impact value for the bowling performance. The match situation is quantified and fed into the calculations through ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster tool, according to which, Rajasthan Royals’ chances of winning the match were at their highest during the Powerplay. Curran sent down three overs during that period and took out Royals’ captain Sanju Samson, in addition to dismissing Manan Vohra. Curran’s two wickets were worth 3.04 Smart Wickets, including Samson’s wicket which was valued at 1.71.ESPNcricinfo LtdBut surely the wickets taken by Ali – of David Miller, Chris Morris and Riyan Parag – were bigger than those taken by Curran? That’s where the Smart Stats looks at the ‘context’. When Jos Buttler got out to Ravindra Jadeja in the 12th over, Royals were already facing an uphill task: they needed 102 runs off 54 deliveries. Historical data in major leagues and internationals between top teams pegs the win probability of the chasing team at 30%. Smart Stats further adjusts this win probability for the batting quality left and the bowling quality it is up against in the current match. It pegged Royals’ chances at only 19% at the start of the 12th over. By the time Ali took Miller’s wicket in the next over Royals’ chances of winning had dropped to single digits. Ali twin strike in his next over – that of Morris and Parag – came at a time when the match was lost, statistically at least, according to the Forecaster. That’s why Ali’s three wickets were worth only 1.85 Smart Wickets.Curran seemingly was less economical than Ali, but he bowled three over upfront, conceding only 12 runs from this first three overs. By the time he bowled his last over – an expensive one, off which he conceded 12 runs – Super Kings had already won the match. Overall, Curran’s impact with the ball earned him 66.7 impact points, while Ali’s earned 34.7 points.
Ali managed to bridge some gap through his efforts with the bat – his 26 runs were worth 31.7 impact points, while Curran’s cameo was worth 21.5 – but Curran’s exploits with the ball meant that he was the Smart Stats player of the match.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Tottenham have reportedly entered pole position to sign a “big striker” for manager Thomas Frank in January, coming amid reports that the unfit Dominic Solanke now faces an uncertain future at the club.

Thomas Frank unimpressed by Dominic Solanke at Tottenham

Spurs’ club-record signing has played just 49 minutes in all competitions so far this campaign, with a niggling ankle problem keeping him out of action since their 2-0 win at Man City in August.

His ankle issue required minor surgery and Frank has confirmed that the England striker could soon return to the field, having made decent progress in his recovery, but we can still only estimate when he will be fit and available for selection once again.

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

22/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

08/11/2025

Cristian Romero

Groin

01/11/2025

Destiny Udogie

Knee

08/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

08/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

Fitness issues have been commonplace at Spurs since Solanke made the £65 million move from Bournemouth last year, and he hasn’t had a chance to showcase his worth to Frank just yet.

The 28-year-old finished 24/25 as Tottenham’s second-top goalscorer behind Brennan Johnson with 16 goals in all competitions, but a combination of knee, thigh and ankle problems limited his availability.

Interestingly, according to a report from Football Insider this week, Frank has already seen enough.

It is believed that Frank has been left unimpressed by Solanke and a January exit could be on the cards for him, as Tottenham’s manager decides that he wants a new striker to come in.

In the build up to the next transfer window, reports have suggested that Tottenham could bring Ivan Toney back to the Premier League on loan from Al-Ahli, with Frank’s ex-star at Brentford looking to battle his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.

Some media sources claim that Frank has personally contacted Toney about a temporary move to Spurs, but there are other options.

With his contract expiring in 2026, Spurs have also been touted as suitors for Juventus star Dušan Vlahović.

Tottenham "leading the race" to sign Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović

According to reliable Bundesliga journalist and Bayern Munich expert Christian Falk, there’s been an update, and one which suits the north Londoners down to the ground.

While Bayern were continuously linked, it is actually Tottenham who are “leading the race” to sign Vlahovic, as Falk tells Bayern Insider that Vincent Kompany’s side have now backed off.

The 25-year-old, who reportedly earns a whopping £375,000-per-week in Turin, has managed to score at least 14 goals per season since his magnificent breakout campaign at Fiorentina in 2020/2021.

Vlahovic can be a big-game player as well, with strikes coming in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund and Man City over the last two seasons, as well as in crucial Serie A matches against the likes of Inter Milan.

On a free transfer or for a cut-price in January, Vlahovic could be a real coup, but he’ll almost certainly have to take a massive pay cut.

كشف هشام نصر، نائب رئيس مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك، حقيقة فسخ محمود بنتايج، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالقلعة البيضاء، تعاقده بسبب تأخر المستحقات.

وقال هشام نصر، في تصريحات عبر قناة الزمالك: “كل ما يُثار مؤخرًا عن الزمالك غير صحيح، محمود بنتايج أكد أنه لم يرسل إنذارًا بفسخ عقده، لكنه يطالب بمستحقاته، وقد حصل على ما يقرب من نصف مستحقاته من الزمالك”.

وتابع: “سنعقد جلسة مع الجهات المسؤولة الأسبوع المقبل لمناقشة ما يخص مستجدات أرض الزمالك بـ6 أكتوبر”.

طالع.. خاص | بعد معالي وصلاح مصدق.. 4 لاعبين ينذرون الزمالك بفسخ العقد

وأكمل: “قدمنا المسار القضائي فيما يخص موقف الزمالك من أرض النادي بـ6 أكتوبر، وما زلنا متمسكين بها”. 

وأضاف: “شركة الكرة من الحلول الهامة للحفاظ على موارد فريق كرة القدم وأمور أخرى، والزمالك في طريقه لإنشائها خلال أسبوعين وهناك أسماء كثيرة مطروحة لشركة الكرة، لكن سيتم تحديد الأمر بعد الحصول على الموافقة، والزمالك لم يتلقَّ أي خطابات بشأن رفض عودة أرض النادي”.

واستكمل: “مما لا شك فيه أن هناك مشاكل متواجدة بنادي الزمالك، وأرجو من جماهير الزمالك التي لها حق علينا كبير جدًا، أن تعلم أن كل الشاعرات التي تُقال على السوشيال ميديا ليست صادقة، وسيكون هناك ردود على كل هذه الأمور، كل واحد في تخصصه”.

وواصل: “لا يوجد شيء رسمي حتى الآن بشأن أرض 6 أكتوبر، واليوم تلقيت معلومة أن لجنة التحقيق في الجهات النيابية أكملت الملف، والمفترض أن الملف اكتمل ويُرفع التقرير لاتخاذ القرار”.

وأفاد: “لم تتم إدانة الزمالك في أي شيء متعلق بإهدار المال العام أو التربح، ماذا نربح أيه؟ نحن ندفع من جيوبنا لمساعدة نادينا، لا توجد إدانة في أي إجراء تم، غير صحيح أن هناك تربحًا أو كسبًا غير مشروع”.

وأكمل: “نتمنى أن نستمر لأننا بدأنا مشوارًا نريد أن نكمله، ومن لديه حل أو شيء يقدمه لنادي الزمالك، أهلاً وسهلاً به، ليس من مصلحة النادي أن تدخل لجان أخرى وتعيّن في هذا النفق المظلم، كل شيء تحت أمر الجمعية العمومية ونادي الزمالك”.

وأضاف: “هدفنا هو حماية مصالح النادي واستمرار العمل بروح الفريق الواحد، وكل قرار نتخذه يصب في مصلحة الزمالك وجماهيره، ولن نسمح لأي جهة خارجية بالتدخل في شؤوننا إلا بما يخدم النادي فقط”.

Liverpool have a remarkable aversion to confidently defending Premier League titles. This season and in 2021/22, the Reds have found themselves on a sticky wicket after reaching the top, and Arne Slot has to find the answers quickly.

In fairness, the endless rut the club have found themselves in this season looks to have abated. Liverpool have gone four games without defeat, though it would simply be incorrect to suggest that they are back to their best.

With Mohamed Salah’s uncertain future rumbling in the background, FSG are ready to reinforce the struggling champions with a winter recruit or two.

But it might be at the back, and not in attack, that Liverpool need to prioritise.

Liverpool ready to sign a centre-back

Ibrahima Konate is out of contract at the end of the season, and there is still no resolution in sight. Real Madrid have ended their interest in the French centre-back, though, such has been the severity of his dismal season.

Errors have come by the dozen. Couple that with Konate’s weakness in the build-up, exposed by Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure, and you can see that Liverpool desperately need a new elite partner to help the ageing Virgil van Dijk.

Last summer, Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi was the chosen man, and now, sporting director Richard Hughes is ready to return for him.

According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool remain in pole position for the Three Lions star, with FSG confident that a deal can be struck, considering that personal terms have already been agreed and the player is said to still view Anfield as his preferred destination.

However, Bayern Munich are pushing, and so if the Reds want to avoid any doubts before Guehi’s contract expires at the end of the season, they must bid around £20m to bring him over next month.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, Liverpool’s defensive crisis suggests that that might not be the worst idea in the world.

Why Liverpool must sign Guehi in January

Guehi, 25, is one of the best centre-backs in Europe. Over four years since leaving Chelsea and joining Crystal Palace, he has established himself as “an absolute Rolls Royce of a defender” who is “world-class calibre”, as put by academy coach David Matthews.

The England star is just now coming into his own, stretching toward a widely recognised elite status. Liverpool must ensure that they secure his services before someone else does, especially since it could revive Van Dijk.

There’s no denying that the Netherlands captain has been poor this season, lacking his typical authority and imperiousness at the back.

But then Liverpool’s dysfunctional system has promoted inconsistency, and Guehi could prove the upgrade on Konate needed to rekindle Van Dijk’s flame.

The Eagles star’s ball-playing game is more expansive and dynamic than Konate’s own, and alongside the 34-year-old Van Dijk, he would help create a wider variety of passing patterns than Liverpool fans have been treated to this year.

Looking at how Guehi compares to Konate in the Premier League this season, you can see that the Englishman has more quality on the ball while also proving more combative and mobile in protecting his backline. Palace, remember, have only conceded 12 goals in the league this season, a total bettered only by Arsenal.

Goals scored

0.14

0.00

Assists

0.14

0.00

Touches

62.50

78.88

Pass completion (%)

85.4

89.5

Progressive passes

5.21

4.26

Shot-creating actions

1.64

0.72

Progressive carries

1.21

1.16

Ball recoveries

4.00

2.96

Tackles + interceptions

3.00

2.24

Clearances

5.14

6.86

Aerial duels won

2.86

3.96

Errors

0.07

0.22

Forget all the technical frills for a second; Guehi is quite simply much more composed on the ball than his Les Bleus counterpart, who has made so many mistakes this season.

Couple that with his progressiveness and intelligence when making forward passes, Guehi could be the perfect partner for the veteran skipper, who is still one of the best centre-halves in the business but is getting on a bit and could do with a stable partner who complements his strengths and adds synergy to the wider tactical system.

Liverpool make move for £88m Semenyo upgrade who can be "Ballon d'Or level"

Liverpool may need to sign a new winger given the unsavoury Mo Salah situation.

ByAngus Sinclair 3 days ago

MatériaMais Notícias

O atacante Luciano Rodríguez, do Liverpool (URU), até agradou à comissão técnica de Abel Ferreira, mas não deve jogar pelo Palmeiras. Após colher informações sobre o jogador, a direção alviverde optou por não avançar com uma reunião em Montevidéu, onde os clubes se enfrentam às 19h desta quinta-feira (9), pela Libertadores.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão

➡️ Iluminado! Aposte R$100 e leve R$416 no Lance! Betting para gol de Estevão a qualquer momento sobre o Liverpool-URU

O jogador não estava no radar do departamento de futebol palmeirense, mas isso mudou após o primeiro encontro com o Liverpool, pela principal competição continental. O atacante, que no Uruguai é comparado com Luisito Suárez, acabou bem avaliado por Abel.

No entanto, o que foi apurado sobre valores e condições de negócio não agradou ao Palmeiras, que considerou a pedida dos uruguaios por Luciano Rodríguez fora da realidade. O Livepool deseja 15 milhões de dólares (cerca de R$ 75 milhões, na cotação atual) e ainda permanecer com um percentual de até 30% dos direitos econômicos do atleta. Não chegou a acontecer uma abertura de negociação, e o interesse não passou de sondagem por enquanto.

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➡️ Luciano Rodríguez no Palmeiras? R$ 77 milhões e ‘novo Suárez’: conheça o atacante

Além disso, o contato com os representantes de Luciano Rodríguez não agradou aos responsáveis pelo futebol do Verdão. Houve conversa com um intermediário brasileiro, que esclareceu uma preferência de que Luciano permanecesse por mais uma temporada na América do Sul. Só depois ele se mudaria para a Europa.

MAIS INTERESSADOS

O Grupo City avalia o jogador e tem interesse em colocá-lo no Girona, da Espanha. A negociação é feita diretamente com o empresário do atleta, que é uruguaio. Outro concorrente é o River Plate, da Argentina.

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Vendo esse cenário, o Palmeiras optou por se retirar de qualquer movimentação mais firme para tentar a contratação de Luciano Rodríguez, pois não deseja entrar em “leilões” ou ser “barriga de aluguel” para jogadores.

O atacante seria uma opção para suprir a saída de Endrick, que vai para o Real Madrid em breve. Aos 20 anos, ele soma 50 partidas com a camisa do Liverpool, 14 gols marcados e uma assistência distribuída.

Tudo sobre

Luciano RodríguezPalmeiras

Longtime Boston Red Sox first baseman and 1995 American League MVP Mo Vaughn used human growth hormone in an attempt to prolong his MLB career, he told Ken Rosenthal in a recent exclusive sit-down interview.

"I was trying to do everything I could," the now-57-year-old explained. "I knew I had a bad, degenerative knee. I was shooting HGH in my knee. Whatever I could do to help the process…"

Vaughn was one of 89 players listed in the infamous 2007 Mitchell Report—an independent investigation that shed light on the league's widespread use of anabolic steroids and human growth hormone. The report indicated that Vaughn made three separate payments to former MLB bat boy and clubhouse employee Kirk Radomski, a critical witness in the investigation, in exchange for HGH in 2001.

HGH was not banned by the MLB until 2005.

Vaughn played 12 seasons from 1991 to 2003 with the Red Sox ('91 to '98), the Anaheim Angels ('99 to '00), and the New York Mets ('02 to '03). He was named an American League All-Star three times ('95, '96', '98), and in his '95 AL MVP-winning season, he won the Silver Slugger Award and was the AL's RBI leader with 126.

Vaughn was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2008.

Nottingham Forest have now approached an “incredible” Premier League title-winning manager, following the sacking of Ange Postecoglou on Saturday.

Forest sack Ange after just 39 days in charge

Postecoglou lasted just 39 days as Forest manager, with the Australian now second only to Sam Allardyce on the list of shortest-serving managers in top flight history, although it was an understandable decision from Evangelos Marinakis.

The 60-year-old failed to win any of the eight matches he took charge of in all competitions, with the Tricky Trees even being dumped out of the EFL Cup by Championship side Swansea City.

A relegation battle could be on the cards for Forest, who occupy 18th place in the table after a disastrous start to the season, collecting just five points from their opening eight matches.

Marinakis has certainly wasted no time finding potential replacements for Ange, with reports revealing Sean Dyche is in advanced talks about replacing the former Tottenham Hotspur boss in the dugout.

However, Dyche is not the only option on the shortlist, according to a report from The Athletic, which states Nottingham Forest have been in contact with 2011-12 Premier League title-winning manager Roberto Mancini.

Forest have held talks with the ex-Manchester City boss, who was most recently manager of Saudi Arabia, before reaching a joint agreement to exit the role a little over a year ago.

While the Italian was unsuccessful with Saudi Arabia, he certainly achieved his goals as manager of Italy, leading his home country to Euros glory back in 2021.

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ByCharlie Smith Oct 9, 2025 "Incredible" Mancini could be exactly what Forest need

Ange imposing his attacking philosophy ultimately ended up being too much too soon, given that Nuno Espirito Santo implemented a counter-attacking style of play during his time at the City Ground.

Mancini, on the other hand, is well-known for his more pragmatic approach, which could be what Forest need to avoid being exposed in defence, having conceded eight goals in their last three matches in all competitions.

The 60-year-old, who led City to the Premier League title back in 2012, was also praised by former player Yaya Toure in the wake of Italy’s Euro 2021 triumph.

Having won 14 trophies across a very successful managerial career, Mancini could be a fantastic appointment for Forest, and the fact he is currently without a club is an added bonus.

Thomas Frank issued a concerning injury update on Mohammed Kudus ahead of their Manchester United clash this weekend. The Ghanaian playmaker, who joined Spurs from West Ham United in a £55 million ($72.5m) summer move, has become one of the club’s most consistent performers this season. He has scored once and set up five goals across 15 appearances. But just as he seemed to gain momentum, disaster struck again.

• Spurs sweating on Kudus fitness

  Kudus picked up a knock during training last week, ruling him out of Tuesday’s emphatic 4-0 Champions League win over FC Copenhagen. Now, his participation against United is also uncertain. 

  Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Frank cut a cautious figure and said: "Kudus is touch and go for tomorrow, we’ll see."

  In Kudus' absence, Brennan Johnson, who started on the right flank in midweek, is expected to retain his spot. The Welshman impressed with his intensity against Copenhagen and should be a handful for United defenders. 

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  Tottenham's injury list grows longer

  The north London side’s growing injury list continues to stretch the squad thin. Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski, and James Maddison all remain long-term absentees, while Yves Bissouma and summer recruit Kota Takai are still awaiting their first minutes of the season. To make matters worse, promising youngster Lucas Bergvall will sit out the United game after suffering a concussion during last weekend’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Chelsea. 

  Frank also offered an update on Dominic Solanke’s slow recovery. The striker has been limited to a total of 59 minutes this season. Solanke’s ankle problems have kept him sidelined since pre-season, and he even underwent a minor surgery on October 1. And while his rehabilitation is progressing, Frank insists the club won’t rush his return.

  "I think the international break will be the big decider, because we have two weeks there, to push with the next steps," said Frank.

  "It was clear that he was not ready before the international break, it’s more that we look after the international break, that’s what we’re aiming for. I think you always want to get it right, I think it’s important to get it right so he’s out there, can help the team, and we need him back." 

  However, he did offer some positive updates as well. 

  "The ones that have been out for a small spell, Cuti (Cristian Romero) and Destiny (Udogie), responded well, so fit and available," he said. 

• Amicable resolution with Van de Ven and Spence

  Frank has also had to manage an internal situation involving defenders Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence. In the aftermath of the disappointing defeat to Chelsea, the Spurs head coach encouraged his players to perform a lap of appreciation for the fans. However, television cameras caught Van de Ven and Spence walking away, apparently ignoring the manager’s request. At the time, Frank refused to publicly criticise the pair, choosing instead to defuse the incident.

  "All the players are, of course, frustrated," he had said after the match. "They would like to do well, they would like to win, they would like to perform. I understand that. I think it’s difficult to be consistent in good times and bad times, that’s why I went around to the fans as I did, it’s more fun when we win, I can tell you that."

  He added, "I understand why you ask the question. But I think that’s one of, how you can say, small issues. We have Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence doing everything they can. They’ve performed very well so far this season. Everyone is frustrated. We do things in a different way, I don’t think it’s a big problem."

  However, the two players have apologised to the manager to reach an amicable solution.

  "Micky and Djed came into my office yesterday and just said they wanted to say sorry for the situation," he informed. "They didn't want it to look bad or any misconception that you can get in this beautiful media world. So there was no disrespect meant at all towards me or the team. They were just frustrated with the performance from us and the booing during the game."

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  A pivotal match for Spurs

  Tottenham’s 1-0 loss to Chelsea was another frustrating afternoon for the fans, who voiced their displeasure at full-time. Saturday’s showdown against United now carries enormous weight for both sides. A win could reignite Tottenham’s momentum and strengthen their Champions League ambitions. They remain sixth in the Premier League table with 17 points from 10 games and are level with Manchester United but eight behind leaders Arsenal.