Newcastle United have been dealt some bad luck recently under Eddie Howe, though that could all be about to change as they eye January reinforcements.

With the international break now here, it is fair to say that the Magpies have endured an underwhelming start to the Premier League campaign despite a £249 million transfer spend.

Compounding matters, Newcastle suffered a frustrating defeat to Brentford last Sunday, seeing Dan Burn sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity before an Igor Thiago double put the seal on back-to-back top-flight defeats.

Now, they sit 14th in the Premier League standings and look to be in a bit of a malaise, something that Howe put down to lapses of concentration in the second-half.

He said: “Really difficult second half for us. Whatever could go wrong did go wrong. We didn’t respond to the first goal well enough and then the second goal and the red card, which cost us the game.

“We showed a good mentality to our defending in the first half and we stood up to that task. Just that one throw-in and it cost us, and it was a big turning point in the match.”

Sven Botman and Kieran Tripper didn’t cover themselves in glory alongside Burn and contributed to a poor defensive display.

Still, once the dust settles, the Geordies will dust themselves down before planning for a busy festive period, starting with a home clash against Manchester City before a trip to face Marseille in the Champions League.

Come January, arrivals will be on their radar, and it appears that Howe is now plotting a solution to his defensive problems that could be cost-efficient.

Newcastle look to beat Premier League competition to Oscar Mingueza

According to AS, Newcastle are eyeing a cut-price deal to sign Celta Vigo defender Oscar Mingueza, who is also being targeted by Premier League pair West Ham United and Aston Villa.

Barcelona hold a 50% sell-on clause on his next move due to his time with their famous La Masia academy, which could prompt the La Liga club to push for a considerable fee to ensure all bases are covered from their end.

Oscar Mingueza in La Liga – 2025/26 (Fotmob)
Chances created	15
Successful passes	356
Duels won	30
Recoveries	30
Successful crosses	8

However, Mingueza is out of contract in the summer of 2026, potentially offering up a scenario where a cut-price deal may be conducted as Celta Vigo seize advantage of their last chance to cash in on the versatile central defender.

Making 14 appearances this season, the Spain star has registered one goal and three assists and would be a useful addition, given he can also operate on the right-hand side either in wing-back or advanced midfield role.

Newcastle have held internal talks to sign a defensive midfielder

Set to become a free agent next summer, he is inclined to pay attention to offers before coming to a final conclusion on his future, and Newcastle are racing against the clock to tempt him away from Celta Vigo.

Australia 412 (Mooney 138, Voll 81, Perry 68, Reddy 3-86) beat India 369 (Mandhana 125, Deepti 72, Harmanpreet 52, Garth 3-69) by 43 runsCricket was played at a breakneck speed in Delhi on Saturday with close to 800 runs scored at a rate of over eight per over. Australia’s 412 was fuelled by what was then the second-fastest ODI century from Beth Mooney. India – and in particular Smriti Mandhana – came out hunting for both those targets. They got one – Mandhana is now the second-fastest centurion – but India fell just 43 short in the series decider.In the end, Australia protected a proud record of never losing a bilateral ODI series in India as they prepare to defend their crown in exactly these conditions.

India fined for slow over rate

India were fined 10% of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate. They were ruled to be two overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC code of conduct, players are fined 5% of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.

With just ten days to go for the Women’s World Cup 2025, a world record chase was attempted for a second day in a row after Pakistan almost chased down 313 in Lahore on Friday. Faced with a mountainous target of 413, India galloped at a high speed to be placed 204 for 2 in just 20 overs. But Australia gave a reminder of why they are the defending world champions by keeping at it, and striking regularly, to win the series 2-1Riding on a 57-ball century from Mooney and aided with misfields aplenty from India, Australia equalled their highest total. Strange as it may sound, their final total seemed to fall short of what they were likely to score before a late collapse of 6 for 34 ended their innings in 47.5 overs.India’s turbo-charged response was led by vice-captain Mandhana. She added 121 in just 69 balls with captain Harmanpreet Kaur, as Australia searched for ways to plug the flow of runs. It inadvertently came through Harmanpreet’s knee injury break, after which India lost three wickets in 19 balls.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Deepti Sharma, batting at No. 5 in Jemimah Rodrigues’ absence, continued to keep India’s hopes alive with a counter-attacking half-century. She scored a 58-ball 72, and her strike rate of 124.13 was her quickest for a knock above 20 runs. She added 65 off 54 balls for the eighth wicket with Sneh Rana to take India closer to the target. But with 59 needed off 46 balls, she holed out to deep midwicket to dash India’s hopes of a miracle.Mandhana started from where she left off in New Chandigarh, hitting Megan Schutt for three successive fours in the third over. She also greeted her nemesis Ashleigh Gardner with a six and four, before smashing Kim Garth for two fours and a six in the space of five balls. Earlier in the evening, Australia had scored 77 for 1 at the end of the first powerplay – a score India easily surpassed in seven overs. They were 96 for 2 in ten overs, which is the second-highest total in the first powerplay in women’s ODIs.Mandhana showed no signs of slowing down, getting to her half-century in 23 balls, before reaching her hundred in just 50 balls. She bettered her own mark of 77 balls from a few days ago, and also relegated Mooney’s 57-ball effort from earlier in the game to joint third-fastest. At the other end, Harmanpreet showed her silken touch as well as brute force on her way to a 32-ball fifty. But once Harmanpreet and Mandhana fell in consecutive overs, India’s challenge fizzled out.But for India’s fielding missteps earlier in the afternoon, which cost them 26 off 11 balls as per ESPNcricinfo’s logs, the result might have been different. Fielding has been one of the focal points under head coach Amol Muzumdar’s regime, and India looked to have turned a page with a clinical show in England. However, after dropping four catches in the first ODI, India grassed three chances on Saturday.Getty Images

Georgia Voll was the beneficiary of all three – first, when Richa Ghosh was wrongfooted and couldn’t hang on to the outside edge in the seventh over, and then twice by Radha Yadav. First on 23 when Radha only got her fingertips to a powerful swipe at square leg, and then on 36 when Radha misjudged the pace of Voll’s flick and was late on the jump at midwicket. Voll scored 81 before top-edging a sweep to substitute Uma Chetry at short fine leg.The tone was set early by captain Alyssa Healy, who wanted India to “run around in the heat”, and opted to bat. She attacked India’s new-ball bowlers and Australia managed to hit two fours in each of the first five overs. Kranti Goud then dismissed her for the third time in three games but Voll kept attacking, with Ellyse Perry offering stability during a fluent innings of her own.After Voll’s fall in the 22nd over, Mooney came in and never let the momentum shift. She found gaps at will, used the crease well to access empty parts of the field, and got to her fourth ODI century. The highlight of her innings was how she kept going in the hot and humid conditions, and scoring at a high rate while taking minimum risks. She added 106 from 72 balls with Perry, and then 82 off 46 with Gardner, to set the platform for Australia to post the highest total in women’s ODIs against India.It was only the seventh time a team crossed the 400-mark in women’s ODIs. That India responded with a strong challenge and posted the highest total in a chase in this format will give them solace with a World Cup on the horizon.

Club also fined £5,000 for “below average” pitch preparation during defeat to Sussex in May

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Sep-2025Hampshire are facing a battle to stay in the top flight in this season’s County Championship, after the club were docked eight points for the preparation of a “below average” pitch for their fixture against Sussex in May.Hampshire, who are currently taking on Sussex in the return game at Hove, have slipped from fifth place to eighth in the first-division standings following Thursday’s ruling from the independent Cricket Discipline Panel (CPD). With a revised tally of 124 points, they are now just six clear of Durham in the relegation zone, with two further rounds of the Championship to come.The contest in question took place at the Utilita Bowl from May 23-25. Sussex won the match by nine wickets, with their spinner Jack Carson claiming second-innings figures of 5 for 26 in ten overs. On June 3, Hampshire were charged with a breach of the Pitch Regulations, following a report from match umpires Rob White and Tom Lungley, match referee Wayne Noon, and an investigation by the Cricket Regulator.Related

• Hampshire slip into relegation mix as Sussex escape with draw

• Carson spins Sussex to emphatic nine-wicket victory

• Wickets tumble at Hove as Abbott, Fuller strengthen Hampshire's hold

• Wash-out at Hove leaves Hampshire, Sussex frustrated

In addition to the eight-point penalty, Hampshire have also been fined £5000 for their breach of the pitch regulations. In its full judgment, compiled after a hearing on September 2, the CDC cited consistent unevenness of bounce, and excessive spin from day two onwards.Ben Brown, Hampshire’s captain, stated in his match report that he was “really disappointed” with the surface that had been prepared by head grounds manager, Simon Lee, adding that “batting on it was a lottery”.”We wanted a good batting wicket so that we could optimise batting points, but we also wanted a pitch that would bring our spinner, Liam Dawson, into the game, when foot holes became a factor,” Brown had added in his report.Paul Farbrace, Sussex’s head coach, stated in the CDC report that Hampshire were “entitled” to prepare a pitch where spin was a factor, but in opting to play on a recently reused surface, they got it “horribly wrong”.”It was not in their interest to deliberately plan an uneven pitch,” Farbrace said. “They have excellent fast bowlers, and would have expected to win with their seam attack. This is not an example of a home side deliberately cheating … the pitch was set up for spin, and I saw a cloud of dust when the hover cover went off. But the pitch was too dry, and I note the fact that they decided to re-use a pitch not that long after using it before.”Hampshire enter the final day of their rain-affected fixture at Hove needing nine wickets for victory, while Sussex need 241 further runs – but after the third day was washed out, rain again prevented play before lunch. They face a tricky run-in in the Championship, with an away fixture to Somerset prior to a final home game against Surrey, the reigning champions who may also need to win to secure their fourth title in a row.In addition, Hampshire are competing on three fronts, with the prospect of two white-ball trophies in the coming weeks, following their progression to T20 Finals Day and the Metro Bank One-Day Cup final against Worcestershire. Adi Birrell, their long-standing head coach, is set to depart at the end of the season.Durham, who are likely to emerge with a draw from their ongoing fixture at Essex, face bottom side Worcestershire in their next Championship fixture at Chester-le-Street on Monday, ahead of a final-round trip to Yorkshire.

Washington joins for relegation battle

Washington Sundar impressed for India in the Test series against England•Getty Images

In a bid to strengthen their hand, Hampshire announced on Thursday morning that they have signed India allrounder Washington Sundar for the games against Somerset and Surrey. Washington, who scored his maiden Test hundred as well as taking seven wickets on India’s tour of England earlier in the summer, has previously appeared in county cricket for Lancashire.The 25-year-old has not played since featuring in India’s dramatic win at The Oval at the start of August, having missed out on selection for the Asia Cup.”We’re delighted to bring Washington to the club for the County Championship,” Giles White, Hampshire’s director of cricket, said. “He had an excellent series against England this summer and he’ll play a key role with two big games coming up against Somerset and Surrey.”

Celtic have now been told how long they’ll have to wait to appoint Kjetil Knutsen with their search for a new manager taking another frustrating blow.

The Bhoys have been in no rush. After Brendan Rodgers’ shock exit, they know that they can’t afford to get their next appointment wrong and have handed Martin O’Neill the position on an interim basis to buy themselves some time.

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A boost for the Bhoys…

ByTom Cunningham Nov 8, 2025

To the 73-year-old’s credit, he has so far rolled back the years in the dugout. A Champions League defeat at the hands of Midtjylland aside and victories over Old Firm rivals Rangers and Falkirk have represented a step in the right direction.

Even after those three games, however, O’Neill has continued to distance himself from the permanent job. In midweek, he told reporters that he’ll be at Celtic until they no longer need him, before revealing that he’d be “absolutely fine” if Sunday’s Kilmarnock clash is his final game.

Alas, as the search for the next Celtic manager has continued, so have the rumours that they could yet turn to O’Neill until at least the end of the season. And it’s easy to see why. The Northern Irishman is about as experienced as it gets, representing a safe option until the right candidate emerges.

A decision to keep their interim boss until at least next year would also allow Parkhead chiefs to play the long game and perhaps land a frontrunner for the job in the long-term.

Celtic handed fresh Knutsen problem

As Graeme Bailey told 67 Hail Hail, Knutsen wants to finish his Champions League campaign with Bodo/Glimt before taking any job with Celtic. This means that the Bhoys could be forced to wait until next year with the Norwegian side’s last group game coming in 2026.

As things stand, they sit 29th and unlikely to qualify for the next stage. This means that their final Champions League game may well be against Atletico Madrid in January before Bodo take a break from football altogether until March. It’s then that it would make perfect sense for Knutsen to take the job.

What also helps Celtic’s pursuit is that the 57-year-old is reportedly keen to take the job if he gets his Champions League wish. So, the big question for Celtic will be whether he’s worth the wait.

A deeper dive into his history suggests that the Bodo/Glimt boss is certainly an interesting option. Having managed the club since 2018, Knutsen can boast four Norwegian league titles and showed his managerial expertise in full with a 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur on the European stage this season.

Andy Robertson makes Celtic return decision

South Zone were on 129 for 2 at stumps, still trailing by 233 runs

Ashish Pant13-Sep-2025

Yash Rathod made an impressive 194•PTI

Yash Rathod missed out on his maiden first-class double ton, but his 194 was enough to give Central Zone a firm hold on the 2025-26 Duleep Trophy final in Bengaluru.Resuming the third day on 384 for 5, ahead by 235 runs, Central Zone stretched their lead to 362, with useful contributions from Saransh Jain (69) and Deepak Chahar (37) alongside Rathod’s ton. Left-arm seamer Gurjapneet Singh and left-arm spinner Ankit Sharma took four wickets apiece, but Central Zone racked up 511 in 145.1 overs.In reply, R Smaran and Ricky Bhui maintained a positive approach as they took South Zone to 129 for 2 at stumps, still trailing by 233 runs.Related

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Saransh Jain, Kumar Kartikeya hand Central big advantage

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The morning session on both days of the final had plenty for the fast bowlers. That wasn’t the case on day three, though, with the pitch flattening out. Rathod clipped Gurjapneet through midwicket early before Jain reached his second successive fifty with a cut through point. Rathod, too, reached his 150 after the lead crossed the 250-mark.South Zone missed a chance to send back Jain on 61 when he seemingly played and missed a flatter delivery from Ankit. Replays confirmed Jain had got a thin nick through to the wicketkeeper but none of the fielders appealed. The miss didn’t cost South Zone much with Jain missing a reverse sweep off Ankit and getting bowled for 69.Deepak Chahar cracks a cut•PTI

Rathod, meanwhile, picked up pace. He drove V Koushik past mid-off and lifted Bhui over long-on. South Zone burnt their final review when Ankit pinned Deepak Chahar on the back foot with a quicker delivery, but the ball was sliding down leg.Having defended and prodded enough, Chahar took on Ankit, depositing him over long-on and then slashing him through point before going after Gurjapneet through mid-off and cover in an over.Rathod looked fidgety after lunch, and his luck ran out when Gurjapneet got a length ball to nip back sharply into the batter, breaching his defence to end a 286-ball knock. Central Zone lost their last four wickets in 11 runs as Ankit wrapped up the innings. He toiled 44.1 overs and took 4 for 180, while Gurjpaneet picked up 4 for 124 in 28 overs.With no major alarms in the pitch, South Zone started their second innings confidently. Chahar and Aditya Thakare got a hint of movement, but Tanmay Agarwal and Mohit Kale kept things steady. Kale was circumspect initially, but back-to-back flicks for four against Chahar got him going. He reeled off four fours in the next three overs as South Zone went into tea on 57 for 0, trailing Central Zone by 305 runs.Jain got Central Zone the first breakthrough after tea, trapping Kale lbw with a quicker delivery. Smaran, in at No. 3, pulled and drove Kuldeep Sen twice in three balls, but the fast bowler struck at the other end. Agarwal shouldered arms to Sen, only to find the off bail getting dislodged.With the ball gripping and turning, Bhui and Smaran counterattacked against the spinners and found the boundaries regularly. Smaran had a close shave when he was given out lbw to Jain, but a tiny inside edge onto the pad saved him. The duo added an unbroken 53-run stand for the third wicket before bad light ended the third day 25 minutes early.

Hosts left nine down overnight, still 33 runs from the victory they need to avoid relegation

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay26-Sep-2025Hampshire 248 and 148 for 9 (Orr 48, Chahar 7-45) need a further 33 runs to beat Surrey 147 and 281 (Albert 63, Abbott 5-72)Hampshire sat on the brink of Rothesay County Championship relegation after Surrey leg-spinner Rahul Chahar ploughed through them at Utilita Bowl.India international Chahar, in his first Championship appearance, made the most of a turning pitch to take 7 for 45 and see Hampshire collapse from 61 without loss to 148 for 9. The south coast county need to avoid defeat to stay in Division One next season, but in their chase of 181 they struggled to 148 for 9.Bad light stopped play at 4.35pm, to leave them on tenterhooks overnight, with 33 runs still needed – and statisticians CricViz offering a 14% chance of Hampshire managing it.Surrey began the day with four wickets in hand, but Hampshire bumbled their way through the morning – setting up a wretched day – taking 23 overs to finish the innings and giving up 55 runs in the process.It began fine, when Ali Orr pulled off a spectacular one-handed catch over his shoulder to see off Tom Lawes in the fifth over of the day. The wicket also handed Kyle Abbott his fourth five-wicket haul of the season, and took his tally to 56 scalps, beating last season’s tally of 55.Ralphie Albert reached 63 before hooking to long leg, but Matt Fisher scrapped and frustrated the hosts with Chahar and James Taylor.Fisher safely batted for almost an hour and a half for 22 not out, with Chahar hanging around for half an hour before swiping to the leg-side boundary rider. Taylor then blocked for 45 balls before James Fuller finally found an outside edge.Hampshire had been a bowler light, after Washington Sundar split the webbing in his hand fielding a ball off his own bowling the previous evening, and were facing a tough chase. The previous highest successful chase at Utilita Bowl this season had been the 148 they chased five down against Yorkshire in the opening fixture.A tricky over before lunch, which saw Fisher get so close to Orr’s outside edge that he thought it had been tickled through to Ben Foakes, was negotiated.Orr rode his luck when he was put down at short cover, but largely he and Fletcha Middleton appeared comfortable as they ticked off the runs. The first 50 runs flowed in 12 overs, with Orr especially fluent, and fears of the drop eased. But then they stuttered, the ball started to rag and the grey clouds of relegation gathered.From 61 without loss, Hampshire lost eight wickets for 59 runs – with Dan Lawrence and Chahar running amok on a pitch now turning. Middleton inexplicably missed a straight full toss, before Nick Gubbins was lbw to a Lawrence delivery that spun sharply and didn’t bounce.Chahar turned a ball from straight into the top of off stump to dislodge Toby Albert before Ben Brown was lbw to Lawrence and Orr missed a googly to depart for 48.Liam Dawson chased a wide ball from Chahar but drilled straight to short cover before Washington edged a half-volley to slip and Abbott’s under-edged to the keeper after tea as the malaise continued.Fuller had provided some resistance but now had to shepherd No. 11 Brad Wheal, often turning down runs as Wheal blocked 22 deliveries to keep Hampshire alive.The tension was extended overnight as gloomy conditions got too bad even for spin from both ends, meaning Hampshire need 33 runs in the morning or – depending on Durham’s fortunes up in Leeds – likely drop into Division Two.

Vincent Kompany insists that his Bayern Munich side will iron out their set-piece weakness before they take on Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday night. Bayern returned to winning ways with a resounding 6-2 victory over Freiburg but went behind on home turf to two early corners as their dead-ball issues came to the fore once more.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Bayern's set-piece struggles magnified in win over Freiburg

  Bayern sit top of the Bundesliga after the opening 11 games of the season having claimed 31 points from 33 available. In the process, the Bavarian giants have conceded just eight league goals, the fewest in Germany's top tier this term, as they maintain their seemingly unstoppable march towards back-to-back Bundesliga crowns.

  However, of the eight goals they have shipped, six have come from set-piece situations, which is a concern ahead of Wednesday's Champions League game at Arsenal. The Gunners, like Bayern, boast a 100 percent record in European action this season having won their opening four league phase games.

  Arsenal sit top of the Premier League table following their opening 11 matches of the season, and have a chance to go six points clear of second-placed Chelsea when they welcome Tottenham to the Emirates on Sunday afternoon. A key reason behind the Gunners rise to top spot in England's top tier has been their proficiency from set pieces.

  Mikel Arteta's mean have scored 10 goals from dead-ball situations, more than any other team in the Premier League this season, and their ability to challenge any team from corners of free kicks will pose a huge threat to Bayern in midweek.

Advertisement

• Kompany 'calm' on Bayern's set-piece issues

  The last four goals Bayern have conceded have come from set-piece situations, which their Premier League counterparts will look to exploit on Wednesday night. Bayern boss Kompany, though, insists he is "calm" having been asked whether he is worried about facing set-piece specialists Arsenal in the Champions League.

  "I'm calm. We made mistakes in these phases as a team. We shouldn't hide, we should show personality and character to defend them," Kompany said.

  "We're also a good team in attacking set pieces, we scored from a corner today. We just have to stay calm and work to get out of this phase and show that we're also good in this department. I have confidence that we'll solve it"

  Ultimately, Bayern went on to claim a huge 6-2 victory over Freiburg on Saturday, as goals from Michael Olise – twice – Lennart Karl, Harry Kane, Nicolas Jackson and Dayot Upamecano saw FC Hollywood return to winning ways having been held to a 2-2 draw with Union Berlin prior to the international break.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Bayern boss heaps praise upon Arsenal

  Kompany did go on to heap further praise upon Arsenal ahead of next week's meeting, adding: "They're the best team in Europe at set pieces. I think it's a good challenge. I don't know if there are many better teams than Arsenal in Europe at the moment. We're looking forward to the game."

  Arsenal's reliance from set-pieces means they have been dubbed 'Set Piece FC', a nickname that supporters have taken in their stride. Indeed, whenever Arsenal have scored from a dead-ball situation, supporters have chanted 'Set Piece again, ole ole!' to celebrate their effectiveness from corners or free kicks.

  The Gunners will hope to maintain their good form when they take on Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday. Spurs haven't won a league game at the Emirates since they came from two goals down to win 3-2 in 2010 as strikes from Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart and Younes Kaboul capped a remarkable turnaround.

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• Arsenal receive timely injury boost

  And Arsenal have received a timely injury boost ahead of the hectic festive run of games as captain Martin Odegaard nears a return from injury. The Norwegian midfielder has endured a stop-start beginning to the 2025-26 season, with Odegaard presently missing having suffered a knee injury in a home win over West Ham last month.

  In his pre-match programme notes, however, Odegaard has admitted his is close to a comeback, stating: "This week I’ve been working really hard on my rehab – it’s going very well. I can feel I’m getting closer every day and getting towards the final stages where it’s a lot more exciting.

  "I’ve been doing some pitch work and training, so I really feel like I’m getting there. That’s the best part of the rehab, when you’re getting closer to joining the team, you can do a lot more on the pitch and you can be more aggressive in the rehab. I feel like I’m getting stronger and stronger. I can’t wait to be back now, we’re on a good path and it’s looking good. I’m really excited.

  "I guess that’s one of the good things about being injured. You get hungrier and more excited to play football again. That’s the good part of it, I’m desperate to get going again."

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo is planning to hand an exciting young player his first team debut at the London Stadium this season, according to a new report.

This comes in the aftermath of their 3-2 comeback win over Burnley at the London Stadium last Saturday – a clash which gifted Nuno two straight wins and the perfect sign-off before this November international break.

The Hammers have now won consecutive Premier League games despite conceding the first goal each time, having also beaten Newcastle 3-1 the weekend prior. It also marks West Ham’s first back-to-back home wins since October 2024, suggesting the dark clouds could be starting to lift after a torrid opening to the campaign.

With six goals in their last two games – having scored just seven in their previous nine – West Ham’s attack is finally clicking into gear. Crucially, Nuno has settled on a midfield he can trust, naming an unchanged lineup in his last two after criticism for questionable tinkering during his opening four matches.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Academy graduate Freddie Potts has become a fan favourite, if he wasn’t already, and could be working his way into becoming an undroppable after convincing performances alongside Lucas Paqueta in the engine room.

The partnership is providing much-needed stability, with striker Callum Wilson also repaying Nuno’s faith after two straight starts, despite credible reports the Englishman wasn’t fancied by Nuno at first (ExWHUemployee).

Nuno reserved special praise for Tomas Soucek as well, who scored West Ham’s third and ultimately decisive goal of the game on his 250th appearance for the east Londoners.

The 30-year-old won’t be around forever, though, and with his contract expiring in 2027, West Ham could already have an heir apparent in the form of youngster Mohamadou Kante.

Nuno plans senior debut for Mohamadou Kante at West Ham

West Ham agreed a deal to sign Kante from Paris FC last year and the 20-year-old gem spent the rest of 2024/2025 back out on loan in the French capital, with Kante since returning to Rush Green and plying his trade in the club’s academy for the Under-21s.

Kante is yet to make his first-team debut for West Ham, but according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, this is about to change.

The French ‘rising star’ is wanted by multiple sides in January, with numerous Championship clubs already enquiring about Kante and prepared to sign him either on loan or permanently.

Writing for Football Insider, O’Rourke states that Kante is “expected” to get minutes in the West Ham senior team soon and is “close to a first-team breakthrough” after impressing in the academy lately — so it remains to be seen whether the club will green-light a mid-season exit for him.

The midfielder, who’s notched three goals and two assists in 10 academy appearances this term, scored a cracker most recently against Liverpool’s Under-21s — rounding off a superb 3-0 win for West Ham as Kante looks to turn Nuno’s head.

West Ham could have yet another Potts situation on their hands with Kante, and he’s been given chances to impress in first-team training by Nuno lately.

German national team coach Julian Naggelsman has warned teenager Assan Ouedraogo to stay grounded after he became the second youngest goalscorer in Germany’s history. The 19 year-old found the net just two minutes after coming on as a substitute in Germany’s 6-0 win over Slovakia as they secured automatic qualification for the World Cup as winners of their qualifying group.

Oudregao's becomes the second youngest goalscorer

As per , Ouedraogo became the youngest debutant to score for Germany since Klaus Sturmer in 1954, finding the net at just 19 years and 192 days. His rapid rise continued after he was initially called up to the German Under 21 squad but was promoted to the senior team when Nadiem Amiri withdrew through injury. Ouedraogo seized the opportunity brilliantly, marking his first international appearance with a historic milestone.

Ouedraogo reflected on the proud moment and expressed his joy, saying: “Of course, I never imagined it would go so well, but I'm not complaining. I'm very proud of this moment and incredibly happy.”

His teammate David Raum felt that Ouedraogo first needs time to absorb everything that has happened around his call up and first goal, but insisted that he is worthy of praise. 

“I think the lad needs to let everything that's happened over the last few weeks sink in first, but he definitely deserved it and crowned his debut today with a very good performance,” he said.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesNagelsmann warns Oudregao to stay grounded

In an interview with , Germany coach Naggelsman said he is very pleased with Ouedraogo’s development, saying: "He's still very young, but I'm very happy with his development and hope he retains his humility. He needs to keep at it and continue in the same way."

Germany's qualifies for the 2026 World Cup after defeating Slovakia

Germany sealed automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Slovakia, securing top spot in their qualifying group. An inform Nick Woltemade opened the scoring, continuing his impressive goalscoring run for the national team. Serge Gnabry soon doubled the lead, giving Germany full control of the match. Leroy Sane then stepped up with a brilliant brace, a significant moment for the winger after Nagelsmann had warned that chances to prove himself would be limited. Sane’s performance silenced his critics and reaffirmed his value to the squad.

In the second half, Ridle Baku added a fifth before Ouedraogo capped off the dominant display with Germany’s sixth, further overwhelming a Slovak side that had no response. The victory also served as a strong comeback for Germany, who had suffered a 2-0 defeat to Slovakia in their previous meeting in the qualifiers back in September. This commanding win not only avenged that loss but also showcased Germany’s growing confidence and momentum heading into the World Cup.

Nagelsmann praised his team’s exceptional work rate and mentality as they secured automatic qualification for the World Cup after a difficult start to the campaign. 

Reflecting on the performance, he said: “I'm really proud of the team. We had a bumpy start to the qualifiers, and today the pressure was on. It was a very good game. Every player played extremely well today and worked like a maniac. We got into the game really well defensively, thanks to a huge effort. We also scored some great goals and were very convincing in terms of our footballing ability; the team did a really, really good job.”

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gettyWhat next for Germany?

Having progressed as winners of Group A, Germany will begin preparations for the 2026 tournament in Canada, United States and Mexico. The pressure is on Nagelsmann's side to improve on their disappointing group stage exits of the last two editions of the tournament. They will take on Ivory Coast and Finland in March friendlies ahead of the competition.

Slovakia, meanwhile, will have to go through the play-offs after coming in second and three points behind Nagelsmann's team.

West Ham manager Nuno Espírito Santo has seemingly changed his tune about one member of the Hammers squad he reportedly didn’t fancy, with the tactician speaking highly of him in the build up to this weekend’s clash against Burnley.

Nuno has been very experimental with his Irons team selection since taking over from Graham Potter in September.

One of his first orders of business was axing James Ward-Prowse from the matchday squad entirely, despite the midfielder being vice-captain and an ever-present under Potter.

The 30-year-old hasn’t made a single matchday squad during Nuno’s time in charge and all signs point towards Ward-Prowse leaving West Ham when the January transfer window opens in under two months time.

West Ham’s results in the Premier League so far

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

While the writing is on the wall for Ward-Prowse, Nuno has been chopping and changing his preferred options in recent weeks, especially after striker Niclas Fullkrug’s latest in a long line of injuries.

The Portuguese deployed Lucas Paqueta as a false nine against both Brentford and Leeds United, but to no avail, with Nuno tinkering his full-back and midfield choices for the two defeats as well.

Against Newcastle last weekend, Nuno finally found a winning formula, electing to gift highly-rated youngster Freddie Potts his first Premier League start for the club whilst dropping Paqueta back into midfield, with Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo impressing after swapping sides at centre-back.

Striker Callum Wilson was also handed his first start under Nuno.

The Englishman, who signed on a free transfer from Newcastle in the summer, was finally given the nod but replaced on the hour-mark by Tomas Soucek after putting in a decent shift against his former club.

According to reliable club insider ExWHUemployee last month, when asked why Nuno wasn’t playing Wilson in place of Fullkrug initially, the manager simply didn’t “fancy” the 33-year-old as an option.

However, he now appears to have changed his mind.

Nuno changes tune about Callum Wilson as he makes "very important" West Ham claim

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Burnley, Nuno was adamant that Wilson is a “very important” player for West Ham and praised his performance at home to Newcastle.

The 51-year-old also strongly hinted that Wilson is in line for another start against Scott Parker’s side at the London Stadium.

Wilson was once one of the Premier League’s most prolific strikers, scoring 18 top flight goals for Newcastle in 2022/2023 before a plethora of injury problems dampened his form.

So far, the ex-Bournemouth hitman has been fit and readily available for all of West Ham’s games since joining, and Nuno will be praying that continues, at least until January.

West Ham are believed to be in the market for a striker, and this is backed up by the likes of Sky Sports and Fabrizio Romano, with Fullkrug apparently deciding to leave West Ham when the winter window reopens.