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O Palmeiras disputa três competições de forma simultânea neste momento da temporada e é favorito ao título nas três. No entanto, em um ano tão desgastante e com maratona pesada de jogos, as fases de oscilação sempre aparecem, como agora, em que o time venceu apenas uma das últimas quatro partidas. Mais do que isso, saiu atrás no placar em cinco dos últimos seis duelos disputados.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasContra o Athletico-PR, Palmeiras dobra média de finalizações e bate marca no BrasileirãoPalmeiras03/07/2022PalmeirasConfira todos os públicos do Palmeiras no Allianz Parque em 2022Palmeiras03/07/2022PalmeirasANÁLISE: Palmeiras vacila e ‘aprende’ que sempre vai haver um dia que a bola não vai entrarPalmeiras03/07/2022

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Correr atrás do resultado parece ter se tornado uma rotina para o Verdão. Na atual série, o único confronto em que a equipe conseguiu abrir o placar foi diante do Cerro Porteño, pela ida das oitavas de final da Libertadores, quando venceu por 3 a 0 em Assunção e encaminhou vaga na próxima fase da competição continental.

Tirando essa exceção, os jogos contra Atlético-GO, São Paulo (duas vezes), Avaí e Athletico-PR foram para que palmeirense assistisse o adversário comemorar primeiro, o que não é comum para um time tão vencedor, que conheceu apenas cinco derrotas em 2022.

Diante do Atlético-GO, uma virada espetacular em sete minutos mudou o placar de 1 a 0 contra, para 4 a 1 a favor, tendo terminado 4 a 2. Já ante o São Paulo, pelo Brasileirão, virada nos acréscimos com dois gols em seis minutos. Depois dessas façanhas, havia a impressão de que o Palmeiras conseguiria virar qualquer placar adverso.

No entanto, os três jogos seguintes mostraram o contrário. Diante do São Paulo, pelas oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil, novamente saiu atrás, mas não conseguiu nem empatar, perdendo por 1 a 0. Depois, diante do Avaí, saiu atrás, empatou, virou, mas cedeu o empate em 2 a 2. Por fim, no último sábado, não apenas saiu atrás, como ainda tomou o 2 a 0 e nem conseguiu marcar um simples gol de honra.

Essa sequência de oscilação fez com que um time que havia perdido apenas três vezes no ano, perdesse duas vezes nos últimos quatro jogos em um intervalo de cerca de dez dias. A única vitória nas últimas cinco partidas foi justamente contra o Cerro Porteño, quando conseguiu abrir o placar. Fica claro que, nessa fase de desgaste, é melhor evitar ter que correr atrás do resultado, nem sempre vai dar.

Confira os últimos seis jogos do Palmeiras na temporada:

Palmeiras 4 x 2 Atlético-GO – Brasileirão (saiu atrás e virou)
São Paulo 1 x 2 Palmeiras – Brasileirão (saiu atrás e virou)
​São Paulo 1 x 0 Palmeiras – Copa do Brasil (saiu atrás e não virou)
​Avaí 2 x 2 Palmeiras – Brasileirão (saiu atrás, virou e cedeu o empate)
Cerro Porteño 0 x 3 Palmeiras – Libertadores (abriu o placar e venceu)
Palmeiras 0 x 2 Athletico-PR – Brasileirão (saiu atrás e não virou)

The Premier League has seen plenty of young talents introduce themselves throughout the previous 30 years.

Remember James Milner making his debut for Leeds United aged just 16 years and 309 days, while who can forget Wayne Rooney smashing his way into the headlines with his stunning goal against Arsenal in October 2002?

Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham and Frank Lampard made a name for themselves as youngsters before becoming world-class players.

This season, there have been a whole host of youngsters showcasing their abilities in the top tier. As such, we examine the finest young talent at every Premier League club.

Related Every 2024/25 Premier League club's most underrated player

These players don’t get the credit they deserve.

Posts ByBarney Lane Feb 6, 2025

For this list, any player aged 21 or under at the time of writing can be included.

Arsenal Ethan Nwaneri, 17

Arsenal might not be at their fluent best this season, but Mikel Arteta is brewing some special talent that could take the club to new heights in the coming years.

Ethan Nwaneri is arguably the best of the lot. This season, the 17-year-old has scored seven goals in his 23 first-team appearances, repaying the trust shown in him by the manager.

The future looks exceedingly bright for the English teenager.

Related From Cole to Wilshere: The best 11 players to come out of Arsenal's academy

There have been plenty of stars to come out of Arsenal’s famed Hale End academy.

Posts ByBen Browning Feb 14, 2025 Aston Villa Lamare Bogarde, 21

Lamare Bogarde made his debut for Aston Villa during the 2020/21 campaign, but it wasn’t until the start of the current season that he began to make his mark.

Indeed, the Dutchman has fitted in well across three positions for the club, making 11 appearances thus far. If given more chances between now and the end of the season, it could set him up well ahead of 2025/26.

Bournemouth Dean Huijsen, 19

Dean Huijsen is still only 19, but the Bournemouth defender has already attracted transfer attention from Europe’s biggest clubs following his excellent start to life on the south coast.

The teenager has played a key role in the Cherries’ ascendency under Andoni Iraola of late as they seek a European spot next term. It is no wonder plenty of clubs are showing interest in the centre-back. Whether Bournemouth will be able to keep him is the question.

Brentford Yehor Yarmoliuk, 20

Yehor Yarmoliuk joined Brentford back in 2022, but it has only been since the start of last season that he has become a regular in the first team.

Aged just 20, the Ukrainian winger has plenty of talent to suggest Brentford might well just be a stepping stone in his career. He has yet to score or grab an assist this season – something which may need to change in the coming months if he is to fulfil his potential.

Brighton & Hove Albion Yankuba Minteh, 20

Brighton signed Yankuba Minteh from Newcastle last summer in a deal worth around £30m. The winger failed to make an appearance for the Magpies and with the need to balance the books, Eddie Howe cashed in.

The youngster has already registered six goal contributions for the Seagulls – three goals and three assists – this term. If he continues to impress, Minteh might not be at Brighton long.

Chelsea Tyrique George, 19

Chelsea have a multitude of young talents ready and waiting to make an impression in the first team. Tyrique George, however, could turn out to be the best of the lot.

The left-winger made waves at youth level, scoring 18 goals for the U18s and U21s before getting a chance this term in the senior squad. In two FA Cup matches, he has already notched two assists.

The 19-year-old has a big future ahead. Watch this space.

Related 7 goalkeepers who could replace Robert Sanchez at Chelsea

Chelsea are in dire need of a new ‘keeper…

Posts 1 ByBarney Lane Jan 27, 2025 Crystal Palace Matheus Franca, 20

Crystal Palace brought Matheus Franca to the club last summer, yet he has played just 12 games for the club. This season, the Brazilian has made a solitary appearance due to injury, but he is certainly one for the future.

With two caps for the Brazil U20 side, there may be no stopping him once Franca gets consistent game time.

Everton Tim Iroegbunam, 21

Despite being highly regarded at Aston Villa, Tim Iroegbunam moved to Everton last summer. It was something of a coup for the Toffees given his talent, and he has 10 appearances to his name.

An ankle injury has derailed his progress, but once fit, David Moyes should be introducing the Englishman to his starting XI regularly.

Fulham Martial Godo, 21

Martial Godo has made fleeting appearances for Fulham this term, but the very fact he has made the matchday squad on numerous occasions suggests Marco Silva is a big believer in his talents.

He registered an assist during the FA Cup win over Watford last month, which must have given him plenty of confidence, while he also played the full 90 minutes against Wigan in the fourth round.

Ipswich Town Omari Hutchinson, 21

With opportunities at Arsenal and Chelsea failing to materialise into something meaningful, Ipswich Town signed Omari Hutchinson on a permanent deal last summer, giving him a fresh chance.

23 appearances as a Premier League starter and he is finally demonstrating the talent that indicated he would have a big future in the game.

Hutchinson should be a key figure in this Ipswich team for the foreseeable future.

Manchester United have added Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic to their list of possible replacements for under-fire Andre Onana this summer.

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Onana under pressure after disappointing seasonMan United interested in move for Milinkovic-SavicTorino said to be concerned about losing 'keeperFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

United have initiated contact over the possibility of signing Milinkovic-Savic in the summer transfer window. The Serbian international, who has enjoyed a fine season in Serie A so far, is now firmly on the Red Devils' radar as the club consider replacing error-prone Onana this summer.

The latest report from transfer guru Fabrizio Romano reveals United have made preliminary enquiries and intend to take advantage of a €20 million (£17m) release clause in Milinkovic-Savic's contract, which is valid only for overseas clubs. The condition has reportedly concerned Torino's management, prompting club president Urbano Cairoto to rush negotiations for a new contract in order to raise or remove the buyout clause.

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United's interest in the 6ft 8in shot-stopper comes after a disappointing season for their current goalkeepers. Onana, who is first-choice, has made several high-profile mistakes, most notably in the UEFA Europa League clash against Lyon, which led manager Ruben Amorim to drop him from the starting XI. However, when given the opportunity, backup goalkeeper Altay Bayindir failed to make the most of it, raising more questions about United's goalkeeping options.

WHAT FABRIZIO ROMANO SAID

Speaking to , transfer expert Fabrizio Romano explained United’s strategy: "Manchester United are preparing an important summer transfer window with several movements expected. It’s not only Matheus Cunha as the club has started making contact over other potential targets ahead of the upcoming months."

"One of the positions to follow will surely be the goalkeeper; it’s not an urgent priority compared to other positions in the team, but for sure it is one of many roles Man United want to cover in the summer"

"Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic has recently been added to the list at Man United also with initial contacts made to explore a potential summer move, based on the price tag wanted by the Italian club for their Serbian goalkeeper."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Milinkovic-Savic was once on the books at United, having moved to Old Trafford as a teenager in 2014. He spent his only season there back on loan at Vojvodina, the Serbian club he joined from, and was let go by the Premier League side after just a year having failing to earn a work permit.

Torino are already said to be preparing for life without their No.1. The Serie A club are looking at possible replacements, with Jonathan Klinsmann of Sampdoria and Loris Karius, who is leaving Schalke, on their list.

991 players put their names forward, but Dwayne Bravo is not part of it

Nagraj Gollapudi01-Dec-2022

Sam Curran, who was player of the final and the tournament at the 2022 World Cup, is among 21 men who have listed the maximum reserve price of INR 2 crore (approx US$ 246,000) for the 2023 IPL auction.Not a single Indian player is listed in the 2 crore bracket which includes marquee names like England Test captain Ben Stokes, Australian allrounder Cameron Green, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and Nicholas Pooran who stepped down recently as West Indies white-ball captain.Related

Curran, Stokes and Green to be in second set at IPL 2023 auction

Bravo retires from IPL, takes over as Chennai Super Kings' bowling coach

Pollard, Williamson, Bravo, Mayank released: How the IPL teams stack up ahead of the 2023 player auction

A maximum of 87 players can be bought at the auction (squad strength of 25 each) of which 30 can be overseas names. The auction is scheduled on December 23 in Kochi.A total of 991 players (714 Indian and 277 overseas) are part of the initial long list which the IPL shared with the 10 franchises on Thursday. The IPL will prune this down based on input from the franchises, who have until December 9 to get back to the tournament authorities.A break down of the IPL 2023 auction long list•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Agarwal, Rahane part of Indian group
In what is a first, not one Indian player is listed in the highest reserve price band of 2 crore. The list of 19 capped Indians mainly comprises discarded national players including Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma and Mayank Agarwal.Rahane was released by Kolkata Knight Riders having bought him for 1 crore in the last auction. His base price this time is 50 lakh. Ishant, who had gone unsold in 2022, is asking for 75 lakh.Agarwal was the first player to be retained ahead of the mega auction last year by Punjab Kings and was also handed captaincy of the team. However, a below par season, both for the player and the franchise, forced Kings to release Agarwal, who had been paid 14 crore last season.Agarwal has listed his base price at 1 crore. Left-arm fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat, who has been among the highest-paid players at IPL auctions, has listed his base price at 50 lakh. Unadkat, who has been in stellar form having led Saurashtra to the Vijay Hazare Trophy final, where he is the leading wicket-taker, was released by Mumbai Indians, who had bought him for 1.3 crore in 2022.Focus on Curran, Stokes, Green
The most keenly awaited part of an IPL auction – mega or mini – has been the order in which a player’s name comes out for bidding. And usually franchises pay a lot of attention, and money to the marquee names*. It is fair to assume that Curran, Stokes, Williamson and Pooran will be part of this set along with probably Agarwal.Overseas allrouders have always been a mega hit at mini auctions and the in-form trio of Curran, Stokes and Green will fancy a fat pay cheque as an early Christmas present on December 23. While Green has never featured in IPL, the England duo have significant experience.Currran last played in the tournament in 2021 for Chennai Super Kings before a stress fracture in his lower back forced him to miss a lot of cricket. The Super Kings had bought Curran for 5.5 crore and will once again aim to buy him though rival franchises like Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings, who go in with the two biggest purses, will have a better chance of landing the England allrounder who is a proven match-winner both with ball and bat.The year 2021 was also the last time Stokes played the IPL. Representing Rajastthan Royals, Stokes left the season at the halfway stage due to an injury. Royals had bought Stokes for 12.5. crore in 2018 and had retained him for the next three years. In 2022, Stokes opted out of the IPL.As for Green, he recently said despite the massive workload confronting Australian players leading to, and immediately after, IPL 2023, he was excited to participate in the tournament. Green turned a lot of heads during Australia’s white-ball series in India just before the T20 World Cup where he scored 118 runs at a strike rate of 214.54 while opening the batting. Coupled with his bowling the 23-year old could prove to be a big asset in T20 cricket.Notable misses
Dwayne Bravo looks to have said goodbye to the IPL (at least as a player). Having been released by the Super Kings ahead of the auction, his name was not among the 991 put forward in the long list.Bravo is a three-time IPL winner and the tournament’s highest wicket-taker (183). MS Dhoni’s team had brought him on in 2011 and had kept faith in him through to 2022. But at 39 years of age and battling injuries, it is likely that the West Indian will now shift to a backroom role much like his great friend Kieron Pollard has at Mumbai Indians.Among the 14 overseas countries, Australia with 57 players have the most in the auction. But two of their very best – Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne – are missing from the list. Although given how neither of them had any takers last year, and are likely to be heavily involved in Ashes preparation with the series starting June 16, it may not be too much of a surprise that they’ve chosen to skip the IPL. Australia’s Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins has pulled out as well.The 2 crore band: Nathan Coulter-Nile, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Tymal Mills, Jamie Overton, Craig Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Ben Stokes, Adam Milne, Jimmy Neesham, Kane Williamson, Rilee Rossouw, Rassie van der Dussen, Angelo Mathews, Nicholas Pooran, Jason HolderThe 1.5 crore band: Sean Abbott, Riley Meredith, Jhye Richardson, Adam Zampa, Shakib Al Hasan, Harry Brook, Will Jacks, Dawid Malan, Jason Roy, Sherfane RutherfordThe 1 crore band: Mayank Agarwal, Kedar Jadhav, Manish Pandey, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Moises Henriques, Andrew Tye, Joe Root, Luke Wood, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Heinrich Klaasen, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kusal Perera, Roston Chase, Rakheem Cornwall, Shai Hope, Akeal Hossein, David Wiese

Cristiano Ronaldo Jr paid tribute to his dad after bagging his first international goals and winning silverware with Portugal's Under-15s side.

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• Ronaldo Jr bagged brace in international tournament
• Helped Portugal overcome Croatia in final
• Hit iconic 'SIU' celebration

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ronaldo Jr recently made his debut for the U15 side and has been taking part in the Vlatko Markovic international tournament being held in Croatia this week. On what was only his fourth appearance for Portugal, the son of the five-time Ballon d'Or winner netted a brace in a 3-2 win over the hosts, getting his hands on silverware in the process. His first was a first-time strike that flew in off the crossbar, while his second was a header into an unguarded net.

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• WHAT RONALDO SAID

  Cristiano was clearly impressed with his son's contributions, reposting the video to his Instagram story with three 'fire' emojis as the caption.

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  Ronaldo Jr will be hoping his performances for the national side will work in his favour when it comes to following in his dad's footsteps. Manchester United have reportedly been scouting the young forward but it remains to be seen whether he can reach the same level as his iconic father.

Leeds United have been dealt a concerning injury update to a £40,000-a-week star who is “definitely out for a few weeks”.

Leeds unbeaten in 16 Championship games before West Brom

Daniel Farke is preparing his Whites side for another important Championship fixture, this time against playoff-chasing West Bromwich Albion at Elland Road.

After some huge wins against automatic promotion rivals Sunderland and Sheffield United, Leeds find themselves five points clear at the top of the table, unbeaten in 16 second-tier games.

Their last league defeat came at Blackburn Rovers in November, with Farke praising the Baggies before Saturday’s meeting.

“West Brom are a pretty strong side. They are in fifth. For that, we have to be switched on and keep going in the small details. I’m not getting too carried away. We want to ride this momentum. I like when you see a manager works methodically. Their principles are always clear to see.”

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Leeds United have themselves a star currently out on loan, he could end Brenden Aaronson’s time at the club.

ByEthan Lamb Feb 28, 2025

Overall, Leeds have been relatively lucky since the turn of the year with injuries, with only Patrick Bamford and Max Wober missing regular games in 2025.

However, club captain Ethan Ampadu, on £40,000-a-week, was missing from the 3-1 win at Bramall Lane with a knee problem, and a new update on the Welshman’s fitness has been delivered.

Latest Ethan Ampadu injury update from Leeds

Speaking ahead of the game against West Brom, Farke said that Ampadu is “definitely out for a few weeks” at the very best, and if their “conservative route” doesn’t work, surgery will be required, which would rule him out for the season.

“It’s a bit of a complicated situation. Surgery would have meant that he would have been out for the rest of the season, but after a few consultations, we have decided to try and go the conservative route.

“There’s a good chance that if the rehab programme works in the proper way, that this will be successful, but it would still mean that he’s definitely out for a few weeks.

“Normally, we’d expect him to be out for four to six weeks, so it means we won’t see him back in team training this side of the international break.

“Fingers crossed, everything works in the proper way, then we have him available for at least the run in, but there’s also still a chance that the conservative route doesn’t work out and he would need the surgery in the end.”

This isn’t an ideal update for Leeds and Ampadu, who will be missing for at least the next four Championship fixtures at the very least.

Leeds vs West Brom

March 1

Portsmouth vs Leeds

March 9

Leeds vs Millwall

March 12

QPR vs Leeds

March 15

Hopefully, after the international break, the versatile holding midfielder will be available, but if not, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the captain travel with the squad regularly, as he did against Sheffield United.

أبدى أحمد رمضان بيكهام، لاعب فريق الكرة بنادي الأهلي، سعادته بالعودة من جديد لصفوف القلعة الحمراء، موضحًا أنه يرغب في في تقديم أفضل مستوى له مع الفريق وأن يكون عند حسن ظن الإدارة والجهاز الفني والجماهير.

وعاد أحمد رمضان بيكهام إلى صفوف الأهلي بعدما تألق في الموسم الأخير مع سيراميكا كليوباترا، لينضم إلى قائمة الأحمر في كأس العالم للأندية.

طالع.. رسميًا | الأهلي يعلن ضم أحمد رمضان بيكهام

وقال بيكهام في تصريحات عبر المركز الإعلامي للأهلي: “انتظرت فرصة العودة من جديد بعد مغادرتي قبل ثلاث سنوات، واعتبرت تلك الفترة تحديًا، واجتهدت خلالها كثيرًا وبذلت أقصى جهد مع فريق سيراميكا كليوباترا، إلى أن تحقق هدفي بالرجوع إلى بيتي الأهلي”.

وأكمل: “أعتبر نفسي محظوظًا في توقيت العودة للأهلي قبل مشاركة الفريق في كأس العالم للأندية بالولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، التي يتنافس فيها 32 فريقًا من أفضل الفرق على مستوى العالم”.

وأردف: “تابعت جميع الأحداث التي شارك بها الفريق أو كان طرفًا فيها خلال الفترة التي قضيتها بعيدًا عن النادي، حيث أعتبر نفسي دائمًا جزءًا من منظومة الفريق، وتابعت مراسم إجراء قرعة كأس العالم للأندية والإعلان عن مجموعة الأهلي، وبدأت التفكير خلال تلك الفترة في منافسي الفريق في المجموعة الأولى بالمونديال، لكن لم أتوقع أن أسافر مع الفريق إلى أمريكا وأشارك في هذا الحدث التاريخي”.

وواصل: “كأس العالم للأندية مرحلة تنافسية مختلفة على كافة المستويات، سواء من حيث الفرق المشاركة أو القدرات الفردية للاعبين، وفي مقدمتهم النجم الأرجنتيني ليونيل ميسي لاعب إنتر ميامي الأمريكي الذي أحبه على المستوى الشخصي، بجانب محمد صلاح وكريستيانو رونالدو”.

وأضاف: “مباراة الأهلي أمام إنتر ميامي الأمريكي في افتتاح البطولة في غاية ‏الأهمية، وتعتبر بوابة التأهل إلى دور الـ16 في حال تحقيق الفوز، الذي سيكون بلا شك دفعة معنوية قوية للأهلي”.

وبشأن المنافسة داخل الأهلي، أجاب: “جميع لاعبي الأهلي على درجة متقاربة من الكفائة، وهو ما يزيد من التنافس في جميع المراكز، ويصب في مصلحة الفريق في المقام الأول، لكن تبقى روح العائلة الواحدة هي التي تميز الأهلي، فاللاعب البديل ينتظر فرصته في المشاركة ويدعم زملاءه”.

وزاد: “وسام أبو علي مهاجم من طراز رفيع، واللعب أمامه أمر في غاية الصعوبة، بسبب قدراته في الضغط القوي والتحرك داخل الملعب وقدراته المتنوعة على تسجيل الأهداف، والجيل الحالي في الأهلي فرض نفسه بقوة من خلال البطولات والألقاب التي حققها، كما اعتبر جيل 2006 الذي شارك في كأس العالم للأندية باليابان من أفضل الأجيال أيضًا”.

واستطرد: “وائل جمعة من أفضل مدافعي الفريق على مر التاريخ، وعن نفسي أتمنى تحقيق نفس النجاحات التي حققها جمعة مع الأهلي والمنتخب الوطني”.

وزاد: “ثقة الجهاز الفني للمنتخب في قدراتي وضمّي من قبل أمر يسعدني بكل تأكيد على المستوى الشخصي، وأعتبره وسامًا على صدري، وحسام حسن، المدير الفني للمنتخب، يعطي المجتهد حقه ويريد تقديم المنتخب بالشكل الذي يليق بمكانته على مستوى قارة إفريقيا”.

واختتم: “رسالتي إلى جماهير الأهلي أنهم دائمًا في ظهر اللاعبين، وأعتبرهم اللاعب الأول في الفريق، وأن دعمهم له سيكون فارقًا بكل تأكيد خلال وجودي”.

When Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS purchased a 27.7% stake in Manchester United in February 2024 and took control of the club’s football operations, fans hoped it would mark the beginning of a new era – one that would finally steer the club away from the mismanagement of the Glazer years.

However, rather than a fresh start, United have only sunk deeper into crisis.

On the pitch, the team’s performances have deteriorated further. After spending £14.5m in compensation to sack Erik ten Hag and replace him with Ruben Amorim, the Red Devils subsequently slipped to their worst ever Premier League campaign in 2024/25.

Off the pitch, Old Trafford remains in a state of disrepair, while Ratcliffe has implemented a ruthless cost-cutting regime in an attempt to rescue the club from the financial mess left by the Glazers. Staff have been let go, departments have been streamlined and even basic amenities have reportedly been scaled back.

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While some would argue that these measures are necessary to stabilise the club, Ratcliffe’s hands-on approach has caused friction between INEOS and the club’s fans, who once believed his arrival would usher in a period of much-needed stability, but are now questioning whether his leadership is doing more harm than good.

Here, we list some of the worst things Ratcliffe has overseen at the club since joining, from brutal decisions to embarrassing faux pas.

1 Ordering mass redundancies

Since taking charge at United, Ratcliffe has cut the club’s workforce by almost a quarter.

In July of last year, approximately 250 members of staff were made redundant across all departments. At the time, reports suggested that Ratcliffe and his football operations team implemented mass redundancies to redirect the savings into the club’s transfer budget.

That was followed by an announcement that a further 150-200 people were to be made redundant in an effort to “return the club to profitability”.

“We have lost money for the past five consecutive years. This cannot continue. Our two main priorities as a club are delivering success on the pitch for our fans and improving our facilities. We cannot invest in these objectives if we are continuously losing money,” Omar Berrada, Manchester United’s CEO, said in a statement.

According to BBC Sport, United’s canteen staff are among those facing job losses, as the club plans to shut it down. In its place, the club will offer a free piece of fruit for employees as part of the cost-cutting measures.

More recently, the Daily Mail outlined that a new round of job cuts, potentially impacting a further 200 staff, is set to take place.

2 Ending Sir Alex Ferguson's contract

In October, Sir Alex Ferguson became the most high-profile casualty of Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting measures at Old Trafford when his lucrative contract as a global ambassador was terminated.

The legendary manager, who led United to 38 major trophies, including 13 Premier League titles, had been receiving a multi-million-pound salary from the club since his retirement in 2013.

Club sources claimed Ferguson accepted the decision amicably after a direct conversation with Ratcliffe, but United icon Eric Cantona was far less diplomatic, calling the move “scandalous”.

“Sir Alex Ferguson should be able to do anything he wants at the club until the day he dies,” wrote the Frenchman on Instagram. “Such a lack of respect.”

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ByRoss Kilvington Jan 24, 2025 3 Matchday cuts

Even those still employed at United have felt the impact of Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting measures.

According to a Daily Mail exclusive from last August, funding for various matchday services was significantly reduced. Agency staff, who were previously provided with lunch, were instead told to eat leftovers from the food supplied to corporate guests.

Some workers even claimed they were forced to eat near toilets. “They’ve set up a dining table next to four toilet cubicles,” one said. “You come out of the cubicle, and someone is sitting right in front of you, eating.”

Additionally, matchday programme distribution was scaled back, with corporate suites receiving only five programmes per box – despite each suite accommodating 10 fans. United defended the decision, stating it was made to reduce waste.

4 Cancelling the staff Christmas party

If there’s one surefire way to lose the goodwill of your staff, it’s by cancelling their annual Christmas party – and that’s exactly what Ratcliffe did last year.

According to The Athletic, the decision was part of a broader crackdown on what Ratcliffe considered unnecessary staff expenses. Other cost-cutting measures included revoking club credit cards from senior executives and scrapping free staff travel to May’s FA Cup final against Manchester City.

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ByRoss Kilvington Feb 20, 2025 5 Cutting charity funding for ex-players

According to reports in December, Ratcliffe made the controversial decision to halt Manchester United’s annual £40,000 donation to a charity supporting former players.

The Association of Former Manchester United Players, established in 1985, provides financial assistance to ex-players who didn’t benefit from the lucrative salaries of the modern game. Among the 300 former footballers it supports are club legends like Bryan Robson and Denis Irwin.

Jim Elms, an 84-year-old trustee who played for United’s youth and reserve teams between 1957 and 1960, called the decision “ridiculous”.

“We sent a letter to say we hadn’t been paid. Nobody informed us, so we had to send another letter. That’s when we started hearing rumours that it was the end for us.”

6 Snubbing the women's team

Ratcliffe appears to be highly focused on every financial detail at Old Trafford, but when it comes to Manchester United’s women’s team, he seems largely out of touch.

According to The Telegraph, during a tour of the women’s training facilities shortly after completing his takeover, Ratcliffe failed to recognise Katie Zelem, the club’s then-captain, despite her being with United since the age of eight. When he asked her what her role was, Zelem had to explain that she was the team’s skipper. Zelem has since left the club.

Ratcliffe’s lack of engagement with the women’s team was further highlighted in May, when he came under criticism for opting to watch the men’s Premier League clash against Arsenal rather than attending the women’s FA Cup final, where United triumphed 4-0 over Tottenham.

This is in stark contrast to when he raced over to Wembley for the men’s semi-final win over Coventry City in April moments after completing the London Marathon.

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1 ByBarney Lane Feb 24, 2025

In a season full of downs, the last week has been particularly brutal for Tottenham Hotspur.

With their Premier League campaign going about as badly as it possibly could, the Lilywhites knew that the cup competitions were their best bet for any sort of success this year.

However, within the last seven days, the North Londoners have been booted out of the League Cup at the hands of Liverpool and the FA Cup courtesy of Aston Villa, which has made Ange Postecoglou’s already difficult position appear even more untenable.

The Australian has been under increasing pressure over the last few months, and based on recent reports, Daniel Levy and Co could have already identified the man they want to replace him.

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Now, it’s certainly true that, so far this season, Postecoglou has been outrageously unlucky with injuries, so much so that he’s barely been able to field his first-choice backline, and in recent weeks, the same could also be said for the frontline.

However, with more losses than wins in the league and now two cup exits in the same week, it would be fair to say that much of the patience people had for him is starting to wear thin, and it now appears as if the club are looking for his replacement.

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, the game against Manchester United on Sunday afternoon will be crucial in deciding the Australian’s future, and should he lead the team to another defeat, the club has identified three potential replacements.

The first two are former Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzić and Brentford boss Thomas Frank, but perhaps the most exciting and intriguing option would be Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola.

The report claims that the Spaniard is ‘liked a lot’ by Tottenham, although given his commitment to the Cherries, getting him to N17 before the end of the season would be incredibly difficult.

However, even if they have to wait until the summer, he’d still be worth it.

Why Iraola would be a great appointment

While there are a number of reasons why Iraola would be an excellent appointment for Spurs to make in the summer, arguably the most important is that he has a track record of surpassing expectations.

For example, his first job in management saw him lead Cypriot side AEK Larnaca into the Europa League group stage for the second time in their history.

Then, in Spain, he masterminded second-tier Mirandes’ surprise run to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, and then, following that, he took Rayo Vallecano from the second tier and left them as a midtable side in La Liga when he took over at Bournemouth.

Since moving to England, the “insane” tactician, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has steered the Cherries from relegation candidates to a team pushing for European football, and one that has already beaten the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and Spurs.

Moreover, the Usurbil-born coach has the record to back up respected football analyst Ben Mattinson’s claim that he’s “one of the best in the league”.

Games

24

24

Wins

11

8

Draws

7

3

Losses

6

13

Points per game

1.67

1.13

For example, in 24 league games this season, he has overseen 11 wins, seven draws and six defeats, which works out to an average of 1.67 points per game.

In contrast, in his 24 league games in charge of the Lilywhites this season, Postecoglou has overseen just eight wins, three draws and 13 losses, which comes out to an average of just 1.13 points per game.

Ultimately, it will prove challenging to prise Iraola away from Bournemouth in the summer, but Spurs remain a big club, and if they push hard for him, there is every chance they will get him.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 10, 2025

ICC’s appeal panel reviewed match footage and concluded the pitch had “several redeeming features”

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jan-2023

The ICC has rescinded the demerit point it had handed out to the Rawalpindi pitch after Pakistan’s first Test against England last December.The surface used at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium was deemed “below par” by match referee Andy Pycroft, the second successive Test pitch at that venue to have been given that rating.However, the PCB under new chairman Najam Sethi, had appealed against the ICC’s decision earlier in January. The ICC said its appeal panel reviewed footage from the match and unanimously concluded that the pitch had “several redeeming features”, and felt the pitch did not deserve the “below average” rating.The fact that 37 out of 40 wickets were taken and that the match had a result were among the “redeeming features”, the ICC said.In the match, England scored 657 in the first innings at a run rate of 6.50, before Pakistan fought back with a score of 579. In their second innings, England raced to 264 for 7 in even quicker time, striking at over 7 runs per over, before declaring and setting Pakistan a target of 343.Pakistan nearly held on for a draw, but England managed to bowl them out late on the fifth day to win by 74 runs.Ramiz Raja, who was the PCB chairman at the time, had said that the pitch was “embarrassing”.He told reporters then: “It is embarrassing for us, especially when you have a cricketer as chairman. This is not a good advert for cricket. We’re a better cricketing nation than this.”This was the second demerit point Rawalpindi had received in 2022, following the one it got for the Test against Australia in March.