Match of the Day pundits Joe Hart and Danny Murphy analyse Guglielmo Vicario's mistake for Tottenham that allowed Fulham's Harry Wilson to produce "a piece of art" and increase the pressure on Spurs manager Thomas Frank.
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Sunday, November 30, 2025
Saturday, November 29, 2025
Football Daily
Cristiano Ronaldo’s match ban suspension is a hot topic
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Manchester United ‘confident’ of signing £70m England star – on one condition
Manchester United are confident of winning the race to sign coveted Crystal Palace and England midfielder Adam Wharton – on one condition.
Ruben Amorim is expected to sign a new midfielder in January or next summer and is a known admirer of Wharton.
Wharton has quickly established himself as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League since his £22m move from Blackburn Rovers in 2024.
The 21-year-old’s impressive form helped Crystal Palace win the FA Cup last season and climb into the European places this term.
Wharton’s form has also led to him receiving three England caps and be in contention for a place in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for next summer’s World Cup.
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Whether he is still a Crystal Palace player by then remains to be seen, with a number of top clubs lining up deals for an assured and technical midfielder.
Liverpool and Real Madrid have both been linked with moves but the Daily Mirror say Manchester United are ‘confident’ of winning the transfer race.
United’s next big signing will be a midfielder after Amorim failed to bolster his squad in that position in last summer’s transfer window.
Deals for Carlos Baleba and Wharton were explored but United decided to keep their powder dry after spending almost £200m on three attacking players – Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.
Amorim is said to view Wharton as an ‘ideal fit’ for his midfield at Old Trafford and will sanction United’s £70m move for the Palace star.
But it has been claimed that a deal for Wharton will rely on Manchester United qualifying for Europe, with the midfielder ready to snub the Red Devils if that fails to materalise.
United are without any European football this season after finishing 15th last term. While they are currently just 12th, they are only four points outside the Champions League places in a congested 2025-26 Premier League table.
Given the level of interest in Wharton, he can afford to be picky and intends to keep playing in Europe after Palace’s involvement in this season’s Conference League.
Manchester United will get another look at Wharton on Sunday when Amorim’s side travel to Selhurst Park, hoping to get back to winning ways following Monday’s 1-0 defeat to ten-man Everton.
Baleba, Elliot Anderson and Conor Gallagher have all also been linked with moves to Old Trafford – but Wharton appears to be Amorim’s favoured option.
Paul Scholes, one of United’s greatest midfielders, recently revealed he would sign Wharton ahead of Brighton’s Baleba and Nottingham Forest’s Anderson.
‘I think all three of them are really good players,’ Scholes told Sky Sports. ‘Baleba is very young, but they’re all quite young, aren’t they?
‘But Baleba is very young. Quality-wise, is he quite there? I think he’s almost in a Caicedo type of way.
‘He’s done really well at Chelsea, don’t get me wrong, but is that the type of player Manchester United need? I’m not sure.
‘Adam Wharton is, again, a really good player. Can he get around the pitch? Old Trafford’s a big pitch. It’s a really big pitch to get around, and you need to have some physicality. You need to have legs in that position.
‘I’d say, going off the England form, this has surprised me more than anything is Elliot Anderson.
‘I really liked him when he was at Newcastle, but I thought he was more of an attacking player, maybe play the 8 or 10. I don’t like saying numbers, but he looks more of an 8 or 10.
‘He’s come into that role for England and looks very accomplished, very stylish. Keeps the ball really well, will pass it forward as well. I’d like to see all three of them.
‘I’d probably say I’d go Wharton. I still don’t think they’re any of the Manchester United style midfield players, they’re more the style of football these days.
‘I just think Wharton’s got a little bit more quality. That’s tough saying that. I think he’s got more quality than Baleba.
‘Baleba’s got more legs, so that evens itself out a little bit. It’s close between Elliot Anderson and Wharton. I’d just pick Wharton.’
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Watch the award-winning rom-com starring Anne Hathaway
A mother takes her daughter to a music festival and unexpectedly falls in love.
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Friday, November 28, 2025
Late drama in Scotland's DNA after Ukraine draw
Scotland head coach Melissa Andreatta says her team "never stop" after their last-gasp equalier against Ukraine.
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The surprise success stories to follow at the World Cup
An expanded format means a crop of smaller nations has qualified for the World Cup. Here are some of the underdog outsiders looking to defy the odds.
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Thursday, November 27, 2025
Barcelona ‘regret’ their ‘historic mistake’ not to sign £104m Chelsea star
Barcelona’s hierarchy are reportedly kicking themselves over their ‘historic mistake’ to allow Estevao sign for Chelsea following the youngster’s magnificent performance in the Champions League.
Estevao has proven an instant hit at Stamford Bridge, stepping up in the absence of Cole Palmer to establish himself as Enzo Maresca’s most potent attacking weapon in an outstanding start to his Chelsea career.
The Blues reached an agreement with Palmeiras to sign Estevao in 2024 before sending the 18-year-old back to his boyhood team to continue his development last term – a decision which has proven a masterstroke.
Having shown glimpses of his extraordinary potential in the early stages of the campaign, Estevao has proceeded to go from strength to strength, scoring five goals in his last nine appearances for his new club.
The Brazilian has also been in scintillating form at international level, netting four times in his last four matches for his country to cement his spot in Carlo Ancelotti’s plans ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
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The teenager managed to outshine Lamine Yamal at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night and his piece of solo brilliance to double Chelsea’s lead further underlined just why he is so highly rated across the globe.
But while Chelsea fans can hardly believed the gem they have unearthed, the wonder strike just served as a reminder to Barcelona bosses of the talent they had let slip through their fingers.
According to Spanish newspaper AS, Barcelona came ‘within a hair’s breadth’ of signing Estevao and ‘already regret’ allowing the forward to escape their clutches when he was still at Palmeiras.
The report states that Barca scouts watched Estevao on numerous occasions in Brazil and the missed opportunity is now viewed as a ‘historic mistake’ at the Camp Nou.
The CIES Football Observatory claim Estevao could now be worth in excess of £104million. It comes 18 months after Chelsea signed the Brazil international from Palmeiras for an initial fee of just £29m.
After Estevao’s midweek heroics, his agent, Andre Cury, revealed Barca had multiple chances to sign his young client – but had to pull out of a proposed deal due to their precarious financial situation.
‘In 2018 I started doing reports on Estevao,’ Cury told Cadena SER.
‘In 2019, I took Eric Abidal (Barcelona’s former sporting director) to Brazil to watch one of his matches and you could already see when he was 11 years old that he was different and that he wanted to be a Ballon d’Or winner.’
Metro at the Match: Chelsea 3-0 Barcelona
Metro's Ben Fleming breaks down the action with the winners and losers from Stamford Bridge:
Neto impresses in new role
Given the start as the central striker with Joao Pedro and Liam Delap benched, Pedro Neto was a livewire up in attack. A lack of composure let him down at points, but deploying him centrally could be a great option to provide Estevao with more minutes from the start.
Estevao outshines Yamal
Only 18, but Estevao already looks like a man for the big occasion. A winner against Liverpool last month and now a sublime goal to virtually put this game to bed. The Brazilian easily won the battle of the teenage sensations.
Cucurella the cult hero
A faultless display from Cucurella at left-back. Provided plenty of support to Garnacho in the final third, and kept his fellow countryman Lamine Yamal quiet for virtually the entire 90 minutes. Revered by the fans who sang his name all night long.
Full Chelsea ratings: Sanchez 7, Gusto 6, Fofana 7, Chalobah 7, Cucurella 8.5, James 6, Caicedo 7, Estevao 9, Fernandez 6, Garnacho 6, Neto 7. Subs: Santos 7, Delap 6, Gittens N/A, Acheampong N/A, George N/A.
Yamal kept quiet
Lost his battle up against Cucurella and struggled to have any real impact on the game. Not helped by his side going down to ten men, but a visit to London to forget for the supremely talented teen, who made way to jeers from all four sides of Stamford Bridge.
Awful Araujo
The rank opposite of a captain's display from Ronald Araujo. Picked up his first yellow for dissent and sent for an early bath before the half-time whistle for a clumsy challenge on Cucurella. Cost his team.
Full Barcelona ratings: Joan García 5, Kounde 6, Cubarsi 5, Araujo 3, Balde 5; Eric García 5, De Jong 6, Fermin 6, Yamal 5, Lewandowski 5, Ferran Torres 5. Subs: Rashford 5, Raphinha 5, Christensen 5, Martin N/A, Olmo N/A.
Cury added: ‘I’ve always talked about him and now what I said is starting to come true.
‘I spoke with Barcelona about Estevao in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. We went to their offices to offer the player because I believed he had a great future in world football.
‘However, Barca aren’t in a good financial position and sometimes a deal can’t be made. It’s a shame.’
Cury claims to have spoken directly with Barcelona sporting director Deco on several occasions, but the ‘atmosphere’ was never right for the club to sign Estevao.
‘The technical staff always approved of Estevao’s signing and we met with Deco more than once,’ he added.
‘But Deco is tied to the club and the club’s finances don’t allow for a signing for the future.
‘For example, with Vitor Roque, the club rushed into a mistake. A player can’t be signed and then, after four months, no longer be useful.
‘With what happened to Vitor, the atmosphere wasn’t right to sign Estevao.’
According to Cury, Estevao has a ‘special affection’ for Barcelona and would be capable of playing alongside Yamal in the same team.
Chelsea and there are no plans regarding a move to the Camp Nou at this stage.
‘Think of the Neymar-Messi duo… it’s better than just having Messi or just having Neymar,’ he said.
‘Estevao has five years left on his contract and is enjoying himself at Chelsea.
‘He has a special affection for Barca.’
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Sheff Wed sign ex-England & Saints winger Redmond
Sheffield Wednesday sign former Norwich and Southampton winger Nathan Redmond on a short-term deal until January.
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Wednesday, November 26, 2025
Champions League teams set to miss Women's League Cup next season
Teams who qualify for the league phase of the Women's Champions League will no longer participate in the League Cup, under new plans aimed at revamping the competition.
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Tuesday, November 25, 2025
Liverpool view £100m Bayern Munich star as their ‘dream’ transfer target
Bayern Munich star Michael Olise is a ‘dream’ transfer target for Premier League champions Liverpool, according to reports from Germany.
The 23-year-old has been in stunning form for Vincent Kompany’s side this term with six goals and seven assists across just 11 Bundesliga games.
The France international, who was born in England, has also shined in this season’s Champions League with three assists and a goal in four matches.
The former Crystal Palace star can be deployed as a winger or attacking midfielder and helped Bayern clinch the German top-flight title last season.
Some outlets have claimed that Bayern have priced Olise at £100m after interest from a number of top European clubs.
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Football transfers expert Florian Plettenberg has now revealed on X that Liverpool are very fond of Olise – and see him as a future ‘dream’ target.
Olise has plenty of Premier League experience from his stint at Palace, where he was named Players’ Player of the Season in 2023.
Olise played 90 games for Palace across all competitions before he joined Bayern for a reported transfer fee of €60m including add-ons in July 2024.
He has taken his game to the next level since his move to Bayern, with Olise crowned Bundesliga Rookie of the Season last term.
Liverpool focused on Semenyo instead of Olise
Despite Liverpool’s desire to sign Olise, the Reds are currently more focused on recruiting AFC Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo.
That’s due to a number of reasons, including the fact that Olise does not have a release clause in his Bayern contract, which runs until 2029.
It is also understood Bayern are not open to talks and Olise himself is not inclined to leave.
Liverpool backed to win race to sign Semenyo
Darren Bent has backed Liverpool to win the transfer race for Semenyo with Manchester United and Tottenham also keen on a January deal for the player who is known to have a release clause in his Cherries contract.
‘I think he (Semenyo) would go to Liverpool,’ Bent said on talkSPORT. ‘He can play on both sides.
‘For so long now, Liverpool have been able to depend on Salah on that right-hand side, season upon season, and don’t get me wrong, he’s been one of the best players we’ve ever seen in this country.
‘But the signs are that he potentially maybe is slowing down a fraction. Now, all of a sudden, you have to start addressing both sides.’
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Scotland in pot three of seeds in World Cup draw
The top four seeded countries will not be able to meet each other until the semi-finals of next year's World Cup for the first time in the tournament's history.
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Monday, November 24, 2025
MPs want answers on Villa-Maccabi game intelligence
Ministers ask West Midlands Police for more details on Israeli fans' ban at the match on 6 November.
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Frank Leboeuf backs three Chelsea stars to ‘kill’ Barcelona in the Champions League
Frank Leboeuf has backed Chelsea to take advantage of Barcelona’s ‘insane’ high line and clinch a huge victory in the Champions League.
La Liga champions Barca travel to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night aiming to boost their hopes of automatic qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Barcelona – currently second in La Liga, one point behind arch-rivals Real Madrid – are 11th in the Champions League group phase, level on points with 12th-placed Chelsea.
With the top-eight teams progressing automatically to the knockout stages and avoiding play-off games, both Barca and Chelsea will be keen to climb up the table with four group games remaining.
Hansi Flick’s side came agonisingly close to reaching the Champions League final last season, conceding two late goals in a dramatic semi-final defeat to eventual runners-up Inter Milan.
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Barcelona were one of the most exciting teams in Europe last season but Leboeuf believes the Spanish giants are more ‘fragile’ this term and questioned Flick’s bold tactics and ‘insane’ high line.
Chelsea were not even in the Champions League last season – winning the vastly inferior Conference League – but Leboeuf says their dynamic forwards can ‘kill’ Barcelona.
Enzo Maresca’s side have won eight of their last ten games in all competitions to climb to second in the Premier League and boost their hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Asked for his prediction for the upcoming European showdown, Leboeuf told OLBG: ‘Being positive, 2-1 to Chelsea.
‘I see Barcelona playing the high line and that’s insane. I mean, I don’t understand Hansi Flick and the way he plays.
‘As a defender, I would refuse to play like that, put me on the bench, I don’t want to look like a fool.
‘I saw the last goal they conceded over the weekend. And I say it’s impossible to play that high line when the players don’t even have sight.
‘They’re on their own, the opponent, they’re on their own off of the pitch and they play the high line at the half of the pitch, that’s insane.
‘With Alejandro Garnacho, with Pedro Neto, with Joao Pedro, they’re fast. It’s like Paris Saint-Germain, they kill them. Because you don’t play it like that, it’s impossible.
‘So it worked last season, because they were effective at front, and they were scoring more goals than they conceded, but this season they’re fragile, so it’s possible.’
Chelsea won the Champions League in 2012 and Leboeuf is ‘confident’ his former club can enjoy a promising run in this year’s tournament.
‘I’m confident because I know they can compete with any team,’ the France World Cup winner added.
‘Atalanta is not the Atalanta we have known like two years ago. The two other teams are going to be hard to beat but it’s possible.
‘Let’s see if Chelsea go to the play-offs. I’m pretty sure they can go through.
‘It’s a complicated way of seeing what’s going to happen because I think big clubs go through or they’re going to play the play-offs. So I’m not really concerned.
‘The talent is there. The possibility of surprising any other team is there. So let’s say I’m confident.’
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Sunday, November 23, 2025
Frank apologises to Spurs fans after 'extremely painful' defeat
Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank apologises to fans for their performance in an "extremely painful" 4-1 defeat by Arsenal.
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Leeds were 'not good enough' - Farke
Leeds manager Daniel Farke says his side were "not good enough", after throwing away their one-goal lead against Aston Villa to lose at Elland Road.
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Saturday, November 22, 2025
Ruben Amorim tells Man Utd star he expects him to be ‘so much better’
Ruben Amorim believes Matthijs de Ligt can perform ‘so much better’ despite the defender hitting top form for Manchester United this season.
The Netherlands international joined United from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2024 and has emerged as one of the club’s most important players this season.
De Ligt has been ever-present in United’s Premier League starting XI this term, playing every minute with his form key to their improving fortunes.
The centre-half emerged as one of Europe’s brightest young talents at Ajax, captaining the side that reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2019 at just 18.
Moves to Juventus and Bayern Munich saw him struggle to live up to the huge expectations his early performances created with injuries also hampering his progress.
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But the 25-year-old has gone from strength to strength at United and, with the possible exception of new signing Bryan Mbeumo, has been United’s player of the season so far.
While delighted with his contribution so far this term, Amorim is keen for de Ligt to be more ‘confident’ with the ball at his feet, believing he can ‘control the tempo’ of a game from deep.
Amorim told Stadium Astro: ‘He is doing really well. I think he can play so much better with the ball.
‘He needs to regain that confidence. I remember seeing him playing for Ajax when he started his career.
‘He needs to return a little bit back to that part of being confident to be that guy who demands to control the tempo of the game.
‘I think it is something he can improve. But the way he is defending, transmitting strength to the team, intensity to the team, it’s something I’m really pleased with.
‘But I think he can be so much better.’
United are back in action on Monday night when they welcome Everton to Old Trafford.
With Harry Maguire unavailable, de Ligt is surely in line for another starting role with Lisandro Martinez also pushing for a return having recovered from the knee injury that has sidelined him since February.
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