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Leeds United are in some strife this season. After a strong start, the Whites find themselves in another relegation fight, with just 11 points to their name. That puts them one point clear of the drop zone, and with West Ham United and Nottingham Forest now two unbeaten, they could get caught.

Perhaps this was to be expected by Leeds fans at the start of the season. ESPN journalist Bill Connelly was someone who thought they’d go straight back down to the Championship, explaining that they “probably will have to figure out how to get by with defensive organisation and random bursts of quality attacking.”

Well, it’s not worked out like that so far, with manager Daniel Farke’s future now under question again.

Why Farke’s Leeds future is in doubt

Connelly identified a strong defence and clinical attacking bursts as the keys to how the Whites could keep themselves in the Premier League. Those two things have both been lacking so far this term.

Defensively, the West Yorkshire outfit have left a lot to be desired. They’ve been leaky at the back and have conceded 20 goals.

Despite signing three attackers in the summer, Farke’s side have managed to score just ten goals, better only than bottom-place Wolves.

This has, once again, brought the German’s job into question. He was reportedly close to getting sacked last season, but Leeds chairman Paraag Marathe said Farke is “my man” going into the Premier League adventure.

Circumstances can change quickly, though. Now, reports are suggesting Farke has five games to save himself. After losing the first one against Nottingham Forest before the international break, games against Aston Villa, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool await.

It does seem inevitable that Leeds will have to sack their manager sooner or later. They seem to have a new boss lined up who could get them thriving in front of goal again.

Leeds’ perfect Farke replacement

If Farke is removed from his post as Leeds head coach, journalist Graeme Bailey recently put forward a name for who could replace him.

He says that the pressure is piling on, especially ‘when you have a manager like Brendan Rodgers available,’ a man Leeds could well move for if they sack the German.

Rodgers was once described as a “world-class” manager by Gabby Agbonlahor on talkSPORT, after his impressive performances at Leicester City.

The Foxes were punching above their weight for years, partly thanks to the Northern Irishman’s contributions.

At the King Power Stadium, he looked to capitalise on quick transitional situations, with some dangerous attacking players at his disposal. Those included the likes of James Maddison and star striker Jamie Vardy.

In fact, getting the best out of his strikers has always been a key feature of Rodgers’ management, no matter what club he was at.

He has coached some big-name centre-forwards, including Vardy and Luis Suarez, all of whom have enjoyed success under the Northern Irishman.

Jamie Vardy (Leicester)

157

70

Luis Suarez (Liverpool)

81

61

Moussa Dembele (Celtic)

94

51

Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester, Celtic)

151

46

Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool)

70

43

That could be music to Leeds fans’ ears, given their difficulties in front of goal. Perhaps Rodgers – and his attack-minded 4-3-3 setup – can be the guy to finally get them thriving in front of goal.

He may have a new striker to work with, too. Troy Parrott is a target for the club, according to recent reports, and could be on the move this January.

He has been on fire with club side AZ Alkmaar since moving there last summer, and has 33 goals and seven assists in 61 games.

Of course, he was the hero for the Republic of Ireland last week, helping them reach the World Cup playoffs.

That is exactly the sort of goalscoring prowess that Leeds are lacking at the moment. Despite having three strikers on the books, they are missing that clinical edge in front of goal.

Parrott, however, has just that, and could be the difference maker – much like Vardy was in the past under Rodgers.

With Rodgers’ impressive track record working with strikers, Parrott could be the next number nine the potential Leeds boss gets the best out of.

Together, they might be the perfect pair to get Leeds scoring goals and get them out of this relegation battle.

£45k-per-week Leeds flop looks like their biggest disaster since Koch

Leeds United now have their biggest disaster signing since Robin Koch in this £45k-per-week dud.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 19, 2025

In their quest to win their first World Series title since 2008, the Phillies have been dealt a devastating blow.

Philadelphia pitcher Zach Wheeler will miss the rest of the season after being diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome, the team announced Saturday afternoon. Wheeler, 35, leads the National League in strikeouts (195) and WHIP (0.94); his 11.7 strikeouts per nine innings lead all of baseball.

"The recommendation is to undergo thoracic outlet decompression surgery in the coming weeks," the Phillies' statement said. "Details of the surgery are forthcoming."

Venous thoracic outlet syndrome is a rare blood-clotting disease; Wheeler successfully had one such clot removed on Monday. The three-time All-Star last pitched on Aug. 15, taking a no-decision in a five-inning outing in a 6–2 Philadelphia win over the Nationals.

The Phillies lead the Mets by six games in the NL East division, and are eying their second straight divisional crown.

Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens enjoyed a dream international debut as Belgium stormed into the 2026 World Cup with a ruthless 7-0 demolition of Liechtenstein. It was a landmark evening for the 23-year-old, who not only kept a flawless clean sheet but also watched his team-mates tear their visitors apart with a clinical, seven-goal masterclass.

Belgium blitz their way into another World Cup

Coach Rudi Garcia demanded a rapid start, and his players delivered with ruthless precision. After just two minutes and thirty seconds, Youri Tielemans swung in a measured cross that Hans Vanaken steered into the net with a glancing header. It was the early breakthrough Belgium wanted and Liechtenstein dreaded. Despite holding firm for another half-hour, the visitors eventually cracked under relentless pressure. Alexis Saelemaekers found space on the byline, cutting the ball back perfectly for Jeremy Doku, who finished unmarked from the spot. With confidence flowing, Doku struck again minutes later, this time after pouncing on a loose clearance, dancing past three defenders, and guiding the ball into the corner. By half-time, Belgium were cruising at 3-0. The second half, however, produced an explosion.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSeven-minute storm shreds Liechtenstein

Eight minutes after the restart, Tielemans flicked a corner into a dangerous area, allowing Brandon Mechele to prod home a fourth. Three minutes later, Tielemans’ long-range strike forced a save from Benjamin Buchel, but Saelemaekers reacted quickest to smash in the rebound. Barely sixty seconds passed before Charles De Ketelaere joined the party. Doku turned provider, rolling a pass across the box for De Ketelaere to tuck home Belgium’s sixth. A minute later, Thomas Meunier surged down the flank, squared to De Ketelaere again, and the forward coolly fired in his second. At the other end, Lammens had only one save to make.

Lammens' meteoric rise continues

For Lammens, a clean sheet on his international debut marked another milestone in a rapidly ascending career. United signed the Belgian star late in the summer window after cooling interest in Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martínez. Lammens called his deadline-day move "a dream come true" and "the beginning of something special". Since then, he has featured in five Premier League matches, conceding seven goals but earning widespread praise for his composure, agility and shot-stopping. He played a pivotal role in United’s October revival, helping the side secure consecutive wins over Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton. His performances have drawn comparisons to legendary United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel. Lammens himself has resisted such talk, insisting he has "a long way to go". But one man who sees the potential is Sir Alex Ferguson.

In an interview with , the former United manager spoke warmly about the young stopper and said: "There are signs, the manager has had some good signs. Particularly the goalkeeper has been outstanding, he’s only played three or four games and he’s looking really good. Of course, [Bryan] Mbeumo and [Matheus] Cunha, the new players from Wolves and Brentford, they’ve added to it. I hope the manager gets a bit of success because at United you need to have success – the signs are getting better. I think back-to-back wins is something teams like United should always expect. But having gone through a cycle where the improvement has to come by waiting and being patient, they’ll enjoy it now."

Lammens is not worried about the pressure at United and said: "There's been a lot of commotion about the goalkeepers in recent years. They've received a lot of negative comments. I wasn't worried about that. I want to be someone people look up to. My dream is to play here for the next ten years, be important to the club, and build a legacy. That's a long-term goal."

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Getty Images SportLammens' United look to restart momentum after mixed results

Amorim’s side followed their three-game winning run with two successive 2-2 draws against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham. United return to action on November 24 with a home clash against Everton.

UAE folded for 57, their collapse highlighting the gulf between the two sides

Karthik Krishnaswamy10-Sep-20252:03

What are India’s expectations from Gill?

It took just 106 balls for India to begin their defence of the Asia Cup with the most comprehensive of wins. It took them just 79 balls to bowl UAE out, and just 27 to chase down their target.UAE’s 57 was the lowest total any team had achieved against India in T20Is. India’s 4.3-over chase was their quickest in T20Is.UAE came into this match on the back of encouraging displays against Pakistan and Afghanistan in the tri-series they recently hosted, but all that promise came to nothing against the relentless quality of India’s bowling, with Kuldeep Yadav taking four wickets in no time to celebrate his return to action after a long tour of England spent entirely on the bench.Thereafter, it was just a question of how quickly India would get to their target, and the answer – mostly delivered by their new opening combination of old buddies Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill – was a one-worder: very.ESPNcricinfo LtdBatting depth, two wristspinners, and SamsonA lot of interest surrounded India’s selection for this game, with particularly intense debate surrounding their wicketkeeper, bowling-attack composition, and No. 8. These were India’s choices:Gill displaced Sanju Samson from the opening position as expected, but Samson kept the keeping gloves ahead of Jitesh Sharma. India picked both their wristspinners, Kuldeep and Varun Chakravarthy, and picked the batting allrounder Shivam Dube to give them genuine depth until No. 8, but this meant they only had one specialist quick in Jasprit Bumrah.Some of these choices were surprises. The bigger surprise, perhaps, was that India won the toss – after 15 straight toss losses across formats.Related

'I am always prepared' – free of IPL shackles, Dube the bowler makes an impact

Kuldeep makes it worth the wait

Stats – The shortest T20I that India has ever played

Gill and Abhishek begin new chapter in old bromance

Bumrah bowls three in the powerplayFor the first time since 2019, Bumrah bowled three overs inside the powerplay in a T20I. He took one wicket, crashing through Alishan Sharafu’s defences with a searing yorker, but also conceded four fours, three in one over to UAE captain Muhammad Waseem.With Sharafu and Waseem hitting six fours and a six between them, UAE began well enough, scoring 41 for 2 in their powerplay. But they fell apart thereafter, losing their last eight wickets for the addition of just ten runs.Kuldeep and Dube clean ’em upTo their credit, UAE did not let the loss of two powerplay wickets curb their intent, but on this day they kept losing wickets to low-percentage shots. And they kept losing wickets to Kuldeep in the ninth over – three of them, to be precise.First, Rahul Chopra took on the large outfield at the Dubai International Stadium and the protected long-on boundary and holed out. Three balls later, Waseem was lbw, missing a sweep against a bowler whose stock ball, straightening into the right-hander from left-arm over, is stump-to-stump by design.Kuldeep finished the over with a trademark wrong’un to bowl the left-handed Harshit Kaushik through the gate, and UAE were already five down.India used six bowlers, and five of them ended up on the wickets column, with Bumrah – who bowled three overs in the powerplay, a rarity for him – Varun and Axar Patel taking one each.1:55

Why did Suryakumar let Siddique bat despite being out?

Dube, playing ahead of a second frontline quick to give India batting depth until No. 8, bagged three with his medium-pace, which meant he had taken 5 for 15 in four overs in his last two T20Is. His first two T20Is, it has to be mentioned, since his bowling quality came under severe scrutiny following India’s use of Harshit Rana as his concussion substitute against England in Pune.Here, Dube couldn’t help but pick up wickets even when India didn’t want them. In his second over, a direct hit from Samson caught Junaid Siddique wandering out of his crease – a la Jonny Bairstow – after swinging at and missing a short ball. Siddique was given out stumped but India captain Suryakumar Yadav withdrew the appeal. Next ball, Siddique swung at and miscued a slower ball high in the air, and walked back, c Suryakumar b Dube.Abhishek and Gill do (most of) the restThey’ve been fast friends since the Under-14 level and might have been forgiven for wanting to take a bit of time savouring the feeling of opening together for India, but that was the last thing on the minds of Abhishek and Gill. They clattered 48 runs in just 3.4 overs before Abhishek fell, miscuing a hard-length ball from Siddique, and in that time they played a number of outrageous shots. The pick of them, perhaps, were a dancing flick for six by Gill off Mohammad Rohid, and a falling-away slap over long-off by Abhishek, off a short-of-length dart from the offspinner Kaushik.India were ten away from victory when Abhishek fell, and Suryakumar – whipping his first ball off his hip for six – and Gill took just four balls to finish the job.

Kylian Mbappe has hit back at French rapper Orelsan after being mocked in a new track over the Real Madrid star’s ownership of Caen. The French club now sit in the third tier of French football after facing relegation under Mbappe's ownership. The striker issued a fiery reply on social media, accusing the rapper of "begging" for a free stake in the club.

Mbappe fires back at French rapper Orelsan

The feud erupted hours after French rapper Orelsan dropped his new album, featuring a biting track titled “La petite voix.” In one verse, the Caen-born artist took aim at Mbappe’s record as club owner, sneering, “You’re going to sink your city like the Mbappes.” The line referenced Caen’s dramatic decline since the footballer’s family-led takeover in 2024.

Mbappe, known for rarely engaging in off-field controversies, wasted no time responding. Posting on X, he wrote: “You’re welcome to come and save the city you love so much.

“PS: The guy kept begging us to get in with 1% without paying because he doesn’t have a penny but wanted to look like the little guy from Normandy.”

The jab sparked mixed reactions. Some accused Mbappe of arrogance and deflection, while others applauded his blunt defence. The incident, however, revived scrutiny of his ill-fated venture with Caen, a club now mired in relegation, layoffs, and mounting frustration among fans who once saw him as a saviour.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMbappe’s failed Caen project

In 2024, Mbappe became one of Europe’s youngest football club owners after purchasing an 80 per cent stake in Caen through his firm, Coalition Capital, investing around €20 million. What began as a symbolic homecoming, returning to the club that once nearly signed him as a youth, quickly turned into a cautionary tale of ambition and mismanagement.

By April 2025, Caen had hit rock bottom. A crushing 0-3 defeat to Martigues mathematically confirmed their relegation from Ligue 2, sending the club into France’s third division for the first time in 41 years. Supporters stormed the pitch in protest, unfurling a banner reading: “Mbappe, SMC is not your toy.”

The fallout was immediate. Sixteen staff members were laid off in a controversial restructuring, and fan trust evaporated. Christophe Vaucelle, head of the Malherbe Normandy Kop, summed up local sentiment, saying: “The Mbappe clan bears some responsibility. They arrived, stayed invisible, and disconnected from the fans. The situation is catastrophic.”

For Mbappe, the failure cut deep. Alongside Madrid’s Champions League exit that same week, Caen’s relegation marked one of the most turbulent months of his career, both as a footballer and businessman.

AFPHow Caen collapsed under new ownership

Behind the scenes, Mbappe’s management model at Caen was built on trust and delegation. His close associate Ziad Hammoud took over as club president, while sporting operations were overseen by general manager Josselin Flamand and technical director Pascal Plancque.

Recruitment head Reda Hammache later revealed that Mbappe stayed “informed but not intrusive,” relying on regular updates rather than day-to-day control. “He’s not the type to call and demand changes,” Hammache told . “He trusts us but gives input on big decisions.”

However, reports claim the absence of a strong leadership presence at the club left a vacuum. Miscommunication, unclear sporting direction, and repeated coaching changes – from Bruno Baltazar to Michel Der Zakarian and later Maxime D’Ornano – created instability. Dressing-room tension grew, morale plummeted, and results worsened.

For many fans, the perception that Mbappe had overextended himself as he juggles between Madrid, the French national team, and a football club further cemented the narrative that Caen was a vanity project gone wrong. The financial losses from relegation and dwindling ticket sales have only deepened the crisis.

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Fame, failure, and France’s changing relationship With Mbappe

The Orelsan feud struck a cultural chord because it exposed a growing rift between Mbappe and sections of the French public. Once seen as the golden boy of football, the Madrid star now faces skepticism about his off-field ambitions. This is not the first time Mbappe has clashed with figures from France’s rap scene, his earlier feud with Booba also revolved around ego and authenticity. But this latest exchange cuts deeper, tying together fame, money and regional pride.

As Caen continue life in the National League, the club’s focus has shifted toward stability and youth development under coach D’Ornano. Meanwhile, Mbappe must navigate the fallout by balancing his image as a global superstar with the growing backlash at home.