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Man United ruthlessly dismissed Ruben Amorim on Monday following a spectacular breakdown in relations, with the search now on for his successor.

The 41-year-old departed after just 14 months at Old Trafford, becoming the sixth permanent manager discarded since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.

Sky Sports state that Amorim’s emotional and inconsistent behaviour proved pivotal in United’s decision, with hierarchy concluding his stubborn refusal to adapt his rigid 3-4-3 system demonstrated he was out of his depth.

A heated Friday meeting with director of football Jason Wilcox deteriorated rapidly when Amorim’s tactical approaches were questioned, with the tactician not taking too kindly, according to insiders.

The final straw arrived hours after Sunday’s Leeds stalemate when Amorim insisted he came to be ‘the manager, not the coach’ — openly criticising Wilcox while demanding full control over tactical decisions.

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ESPN report that Amorim felt micromanaged by superiors and lacked freedom to implement his vision, though United maintain they provided 100 percent backing, including £250 million spent since his appointment in late 2024.

According to Opta, Amorim departs with the worst win ratio and highest goals conceded per game of any United manager in the Premier League era, finishing 15th last season with 42 points — their lowest tally in over half a century.

The disastrous campaign included a Europa League final defeat to Tottenham, compounding supporters’ frustrations with his stubborn tactical approach.

However, there are those who will point to the fact that the Red Devils are still sixth in the table, level on points with Chelsea and just three points off a Champions League place.

Amorim could well have guided them back to the pinnacle of European football if he was given the chance, but now the Portuguese has departed, the search begins for his long-term successor.

Former United boss and club legend Ole Gunnar Solksjear is believed to be extremely keen on a caretaker role until the end of the season, with Michael Carrick also open to the prospect of being interim manager.

That is according to journalist Ben Jacobs, who also reports that ex-Barcelona boss Xavi has made his stance known on a potential move to Manchester.

Xavi 'open' to Man United move as Red Devils harbor doubts

Writing for GiveMeSport, Jacobs claims that Xavi himself is open to the prospect of joining United, but the club themselves actually harbor doubts over his possible appointment.

It is believed that the 45-year-old – who won a La Liga title at Barcelona in 2023 and another league crown with Qatari side Al-Sadd in 2021 – is genuinely tempted by Old Trafford.

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However, it is currently unclear whether INEOS will consider the big-name tactician when factoring in his lack of Premier League experience, with the likes of Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva and Oliver Glasner all potentially up for grabs later this year.

Even when considering the fact he hasn’t coached in England before, Xavi’s experience managing clubs with huge pressure on the biggest stages is surely enough to get United at least thinking about his arrival.

Despite parting ways with the tactician, Barça president Joan Laporta once called him the best coach in world football.

Make no mistake, Xavi’s free agent status means his name will be mentioned more as United’s search for a new boss drags on, with some reports in Spain suggesting that talks are expected to take place.

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Tottenham Hotspur will close the door on 2025 as the reigning Europa League champions, but that silver-laden success is tainted by the turmoil that has prevented the club from making headway on the domestic front.

While Ange Postecoglou’s dismissal was understandable after Spurs slumped to a 17th-place Premier League finish last season, Thomas Frank’s early reign has left much to be desired, though the weekend win at Crystal Palace has eased the pressure on the Danish tactician.

Now, it’s time to spend. The Lewis family have given the manager their backing. While Micky van de Ven’s contract renewal is taking precedence, the north Londoners are also in desperate need of a freshen-up in the final third.

Spurs planning to sign a new forward

Tottenham’s number nines have left something to be desired this season. Richarlison can’t stay consistent. Randal Kolo Muani has struggled to adapt. Dominic Solanke can’t stay fit. Reinforcements are needed.

Football.london’s Alasdair Gold has acknowledged Tottenham need to sign a left-back, following Destiny Udogie’s latest injury, and a left winger, following Heung-min Son’s summer sale to LAFC, but there is also a desire to land a top-class centre-forward.

And according to the well-connected correspondent, Porto striker Samu Aghehowa remains high in Johan Lange and Fabio Paratici’s reckoning.

Valued at £70m, the 21-year-old has been on Spurs’ radar for a while, and it’s beginning to look like a formal move could be in the pipeline.

Why Samu would be a Solanke upgrade

Chelsea tried to sign Samu in 2024 before he completed a cut-price move from Atletico Madrid to Porto, but this spell in Portugal may have bore dividends for the young striker.

Now, he’s ready for the Premier League, and he has the skills to become Spurs’ main man, even if Solanke, who completed a £55m move from Bournemouth last year, recovers his fitness levels. Indeed, Solanke, 28, has only played twice in the top flight this term.

He’s not there yet, but Samu has the potential to be “one of the best strikers in Europe”, according to journalist Zach Lowy, and his prolific performances in Portugal have underlined that potential.

Moreover, he’s got an eye for the continental stage, with nine goals from 14 Europa League appearances. This consistency across different spheres bodes well, and suggests that Samu could quickly leapfrog the struggling Solanke if added to Frank’s squad.

Samu in Liga Portugal

Stats (* per game)

24/25

25/26

Matches (starts)

30 (23)

14 (13)

Goals

19

9

Assists

3

1

Shots (on target)*

2.7 (1.1)

3.1 (1.9)

Big chances missed

18

6

Pass completion

79%

73%

Big chances created

5

0

Key passes*

0.6

0.3

Dribbles*

0.4

1.1

Duels won*

3.3

3.5

Stats via Sofascore

Not only a deadly goalscorer, Samu ranks among the top 16% of Liga Portugal forwards for shot-creating actions and the top 5% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, emphasising his creativity and pace.

This presence as a large, imposing striker with an eye for link-up play could indeed see Samu prove the perfect upgrade on Solanke, who created six big chances and won 4.3 duels on average in the Premier League last season, as per Sofascore, as well as scoring nine goals and supplying three assists.

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It’s clear that Tottenham had a vision when they paid a hefty sum for Bournemouth’s talisman, but injuries have not been kind to the Three Lions man. Perhaps it’s time for a new, hungry, younger striker.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig has described the Spanish striker as a “true monster in the making”, and after a year-and-a-half in Portugal, sharpening his scoring ability, it might be time for Samu to make the move to the Premier League.

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England are nursing fears over Ben Stokes’ fitness to bowl in the remainder of the third Test after their captain did not turn to himself to stifle Australia’s day-three march towards an Ashes-sealing victory in Adelaide.Having bowled 19 overs in Australia’s first innings – all on day one – Stokes would have usually featured in the attack. However, he didn’t bowl himself at any point during the host’s 66 overs, despite boasting England’s best average (25.87), with eight dismissals – including a five-wicket haul in his opening spell of the series in Perth. He also has the second-best economy rate (4.05) after Jofra Archer.Trailing by 85 runs at the start of Australia’s second innings, England made breakthroughs at 53 for 2 and then 149 for 4. But Travis Head’s second century of the series, supplemented by a half-century from first-innings centurion Alex Carey, blitzed Australia to an overnight lead of 356.Stokes marshaled his troops for all but three overs of the third innings – between the ends of the 48th and 51st – after bumping the back of his head while fielding. He had begun the day with bat in hand, resuming on 45 and extending it to 83 before becoming the penultimate batter to fall in England’s first innings of 286.The knock itself lasted more than five hours (312 minutes), with the first 151 of the 198 deliveries he faced coming on Thursday (day two), when temperatures were just above 41 degrees centigrade. By the end of day two, he was taking regular breaks to stretch out several ailments, including cramp. He even struggled to consume the requisite amount of carbohydrate drinks to replenish his energy reserves because he was too ill.Stokes looked sore as he walked across Adelaide Oval after stumps on Friday, clearly nursing the toll of three days of hard graft. England assistant coach Jeetan Patel admitted he was not entirely sure why Stokes was unable to bowl, believing it may just be down to tiredness given his exertions so far.”From what I understand, he’s pretty fit to bowl,” said Patel. “I think he’s just pretty knackered and he’s taken a lot out of himself to get through this point in the game.”The disappointment of the way he got out this morning… well not the way, it was a pretty good delivery… but all the work he had done to get to the position where he was, where we could press on again and push that partnership further… that took a lot out of him as well and then you get that early wicket and the energies are up and all of a sudden it’s not quite where you think it’s going.”From what we heard he was (fit). He didn’t bowl, but that’s probably a different discussion with him. I don’t actually know. My sense is he’s just pretty knackered. We all know he doesn’t do anything at 80%. Maybe he thought he was a risk, so he didn’t bowl.”Even with question marks over Stokes’ capacity to fight more than he already has, Patel has urged England to produce something magical. Pushed into the final corner, with a mooted target expected to be in world record territory, he believes the team have worn too many blows from Australia over the nine days of play, the first six being enough for the hosts to take a commanding 2-0 lead.”I’m very optimistic of where we could take it,” said Patel. “I still believe there’s an opportunity for us. It won’t be easy, we’re going to need something magical. I think it’s about time we saw something magical from us, you know?”Three games in, we’ve thrown some but taken a lot and I think it’s about time, now we’re backed into a corner, to throw some haymakers back.”When I go back in that changing room, that’s certainly the way I’ll be looking at it. I’m sure there’ll still be some guys having a little laugh about themselves and it’s what this game is about. It tests you down here, doesn’t it, and asks you some really hard questions. Personally, I think we’ve just got to try and find a way to stand up and answer them.”

Cassim Sulliman, the CEO of the African Cricket Association, has confirmed the organisation will provide Kenya with financial assistance in the formation of their inaugural national league.Cricket Kenya has been planning a domestic competition for several months. The lack of a local league was blamed by many as one of the reasons for Kenya’s poor performance in last month’s ICC World Twenty20.”Kenya has shown the potential of joining the top cricket nations,” Sulliman said. “It has the expertise and experience to move to the next level.”We want to move quickly at a fast pace to improve the game, improve the results and improve the administration. The whole idea is to strengthen cricket from junior to senior level.”Kenyan cricket officials have tried to start an organised national league in the past but their endeavours were scuppered by personal differences. But, as Cricinfo revealed last month, CK are determined they can put in place a viable tournament to help develop future players.

Though they have been well received, Pakistan’s previous visits included unprecedented security © Getty Images

A right-wing Hindu group has threatened to prevent Pakistan from playing in India in the Champions Trophy scheduled to start this week, officials have announced. The Shiv Sena, which has a powerful presence in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, said the step was to protest against the bombings of trains in the state’s capital Mumbai in July that killed 186 people.”How can they allow Pakistan to play matches in our country when the Mumbai police have evidence of its [Pakistan’s] involvement in the July 11 terror attack?” Udhav Thackeray , the Shiv Sena’s executive president, said in comments published Wednesday.Last weekend, Mumbai police chief AN Roy publicly accused Pakistan’s spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), of orchestrating the attacks on trains that left 800 people wounded.Thackeray did not elaborate on the Shiv Sena’s plans to obstruct the Champions Trophy’s Mumbai fixtures, which also includes the final on November 5.Pakistan will fly to Mumbai only if they reach the final. Two of their three league matches are in the northern city of Mohali and the third in Jaipur. The semi-finals will be held in Mohali and Jaipur.Maharashtra authorities said they would not allow any disruptions if Pakistan reach the final. “Right now it is a hypothetical question but we are duty-bound to maintain law and order in the state,” Home Secretary AP Sinha, who handle’s the state’s internal security, told AFP. “We have the warning but I will not issue comments on the remarks of a political leader.”A senior official in India’s home ministry added that the Shiv Sena’s threat has been passed on to Jaipur and Mohali: “Stadiums in these cities will be sanitised and extra security will be provided in view of this development”.The Shiv Sena had dug up the pitch in New Delhi’s Feroze Shah Kotla ground in 1999, eight years after damaging the ground of Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium to protest the Pakistani cricket team’s presence in India.

Derbyshire 216 and 523 drew with Yorkshire 520 and 114 for 6
Scorecard
Points TableYorkshire secured the draw they needed to gain them promotion, but they had to survive a remarkable turnaround in a match they had seemed on course to win by an innings.Derbyshire, without a Championship victory all season, started their second innings 304 in arrears, and when they slipped to 233 for 7 on the third afternoon the game was almost over. But Ant Botha, with a career-best 156, marshalled the last three wickets brilliantly, adding 290 to leave Yorkshire with a tricky target of 220 runs at four an over. Nick Walker took the attack to Yorkshire’s bowlers clubbing 79 in 88 balls as Yorkshire fell apart in the field. But, with an eye on the future of England’s spin bowling, the innings was wrapped up my Mark Lawson who claimed 5 for 155 with his legspin.Yorkshire never looked comfortable as they chased, with Matthew Wood and Anthony McGrath soon out pulling at the new ball. When Michael Lumb followed lbw to the last ball before tea, the Yorkshire balcony looked decidedly nervous, and a clatter of wickets soon after the resumption left them teetering on 82 for 6. It took a tenacious and fortuitous fifty from Joe Sayers – in which he was dropped four times – to see them to safety.Botha followed his heroics with the bat with a continuous 23-over spell of slow left-arm, finishing with 2 for 20.

Brett Lee: likely to be back in action soon© Getty Images

Brett Lee is slated to to visit India next month to get used to the subcontinental pitches before Australia’s tour to the country in October. According to a report in The Sun-Herald, an Australian daily, Lee will travel to India with Dennis Lillee and train at the MRF Pace Foundation, where Javagal Srinath will also help him develop the skills needed to succeed on Indian wickets.Lee is then scheduled to head off to England in mid-August, for a stint of county cricket. The report says that he is most likely to join Surrey, though Middlesex have also made him an offer.Lee recently underwent ankle surgery after sustaining an injury in Sri Lanka in March, and rejoined the Australian squad prior to the Test at Cairns for a net practice. “He’s going to do some work with Lillee in 10 days’ time in Brisbane, he’s having a bowl with the Australian team in Cairns and hopefully he will be able to play a few county matches as well,” said Neil Maxwell, Lee’s manager. “The selectors are playing tough but he’s pretty relaxed,” he added. “The focus is India and it will be interesting to see if he can do that because his recovery is going well and he’s got a wider range of movement in the ankle than ever.”Lee, 27, faces a tough battle to get back into the team, following the resurgence of Michael Kasprowicz, his replacement in the Test team. Kasprowicz took 12 wickets in the 3-0 win in Sri Lanka four months ago, and led Australia to an emphatic victory in the first Test at Darwin, taking 7 for 39 in Sri Lanka’s second innings.Lee has been named in Australia’s 30-man provisional squad for the Champions Trophy, but is unlikely to make the final cut.

Simon Jones, the England fast bowler who ruptured his knee ligaments on the first day of the Ashes series last November, has made an impressive recovery from reconstructive surgery, and intends to play for Glamorgan’s second XI on August 6.Jones suffered the injury while sliding to prevent a boundary on the first morning of the Brisbane Test last year. He had made a good impression up to that point, bowling with pace and picking up the early wicket of Justin Langer, but when his studs snagged in the sandy outfield, his knee took the full weight of his body and left him needing an operation to rescue his career.When Jones turns out for Glamorgan’s second XI at Panteg, it will be almost nine months to the day since the injury, but if he proves his fitness in that match, he could even return to first-class action at Sophia Gardens the following week.Jones has had to watch the likes of James Anderson, Richard Johnson and Steve Harmison move ahead of him in England’s pecking order. But Duncan Fletcher, Jones’s former coach at Glamorgan, has long rated his potential, and if his knee holds up, he could soon be pushing his way back into the reckoning.

Dravid provides latest worry for busy Leipus

© CricInfo

When Rahul Dravid suddenly left for Cape Town on Sunday to have an MRIscan done on his troublesome right shoulder, prophets of doom in theguise of journalists could be seen everywhere at Kingsmead, Durban.Worst-case scenarios were imagined and attempts made to ascertain if theIndian vice-captain had been carrying this injury for long.Indian team manager Dr MK Bhargava was dismissive of these alarms,saying that the team management was only being prudent and money-smart.”Why not use the better opinion in this part of the world, rather thango back and let Dravid come here again to have a check-up?” He had nodoubt that it was just a precautionary check to ensure that nothingserious was developing in Dravid’s shoulder.Dr Bhargava said that they wanted to have a check-up done when the teamwas in Cape Town for five days before the finals. “But then, we couldn’tget a date before the 22nd and, on the 24th, we were playing animportant game,” said Dr Bhargava. “We also needed Dravid for the finalson the 26th.” Not only as a batsman, but also as a wicket-keeper, hemight well have added.Dravid’s injury scare provides an additional worry for team physioAndrew Leipus. He has had his hands full with injuries and, at a timewhen his stint with the Indian team is up for review, such a spate ofinjuries is perhaps cannon-fodder to those looking to ease him out ofthe team set-up.

© CricInfo

Leipus understands the implications and suggests that a physio can onlydo so much and that, generally, it is lack of a physical culture amongIndians that causes disruptions. “You might do eight laps of the ground,but you could still be unfit,” muses Leipus. He reflects that anAustralian or a South African goes to a gym regularly. “Why, even womengo to a gym three times a week!” The team is attentive to him, but oneguesses that genes and background can’t be changed easily.Talking of team fitness, everyone harboured a feeling that MohammadAzharuddin was the fittest of all Indian cricketers, but he regularlyfailed the ‘beep’ test and was the slowest in the long runs. Shane Warneand Steve Waugh are not the fittest of cricketers in internationalcricket today. “But then, they produce the goods, and that’s whatremains fresh in people’s might,” reflects Leipus. “That’s the thingabout sports. A baseballer or a marathon runner has different fitnessneeds from a cricketer.”It seems now that everyone in this team has been seriously injured inthe past year or so. The list of injured seniors – Sachin Tendulkar, VVSLaxman, Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, and Ajit Agarkar- is in no way any longer than the list of injured juniors; AshishNehra, Zaheer Khan, Hemang Badani and Sadagopan Ramesh all have beenlaid up in recent times.Both Leipus and coach John Wright’s extensions are up for review onDecember 23. Wright ends his present contract on November 15, on the eveof the Second Test at Port Elizabeth; by the looks of it, though, thereshould be no problem in his case. Everyone from team members to formercricketers to team manager is singing his praises. His perseverance andattention to details are chilling; on the day the fixtures for the 2003World Cup were being announced, Wright was busy going through theschedule and checking what would be required for India to do well in themillennium’s first World Cup.As for Leipus, his case is still not clear. It would really be theIndian team’s loss, though, if he were to exit the set-up at this stage.He knows the boys and their medical history inside-out, and such adisruption, with just over a year to go before the 2003 World Cup, couldbe disastrous. But then, when has an Indian board really been worriedabout Indian cricket?

Alastair Cook has dropped a strong hint that Moeen Ali will open the batting alongside him during England’s Test series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates next month, with Alex Hales set to front up for the tour of South Africa in December and January.Moeen and Hales are competing for the vacancy created by Adam Lyth’s failure to cement the role during the Ashes, in which he scored 115 runs at 12.77 in the course of the five-Test series.Moeen, who has been picked primarily as a spinner throughout the summer, is being considered for a promotion on the slower surfaces of the UAE, partly in order to make extra room to include an extra slow bowler.Adil Rashid, the Yorkshire legspinner, could make his Test debut against Pakistan, although Samit Patel, a renowned player of spin, is also considered a strong option, having been belatedly added to the squad following a thumb injury to Surrey’s Zafar Ansari.”The conditions are quite unique and I think we have to cover our bases quite a bit,” Cook told Sky Sports News. “We might have to do a short-term option; it might be that Mo opens the batting in this series and doesn’t open in South Africa, or Alex takes his chance in the warm-up game and we go with that balance of the side.”We have options, we’ve got to be pretty clear early on in the tour what we’re going to do. We have got our ideas but we haven’t chatted with the lads.”Moeen, who has batted at No. 8 since the Lord’s Test against New Zealand in May, admitted he would love the chance to open alongside Cook, a role he has performed with some success in one-day cricket.”I’m pretty happy wherever,” he said. “I’d love to open in the UAE if I got the opportunity, but I’m happy at eight. If the captain and the coach wanted me to open I’d be happy to do that.”Whoever gets the job will become Cook’s seventh opening partner in three years, since the retirement of Andrew Strauss in 2012, following on from Nick Compton, Joe Root, Michael Carberry, Sam Robson, Jonathan Trott and Lyth.”It’s a little bit frustrating,” said Cook. “The guys all had a really good taste of it and all did okay without anyone grabbing it and making it their own, and that’s the chance for whoever gets it next.”It’s a big step from county cricket to international cricket and opening the batting as well, you’re playing against the best bowlers with the new ball. It’s a pretty tough job. No one has quite nailed their opportunity.”