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The 2024/25 campaign was truly one to forget for everyone involved with Manchester United, as the club registered their worst-ever Premier League finish.

Ruben Amorim’s side ended the year in a measly 15th position, sitting just three spots above the relegation zone, with various issues rearing their head throughout the season.

The Red Devils had a real goalscoring issue during their top-flight campaign, as seen by their measly tally of just 44 goals in their 38 outings – an average of just 1.15 per game.

However, at the other end, things were just as disappointing, as they shipped 54 goals in just 38 matches, ultimately leading to a total of 18 league defeats in 2024/25.

Many of the failures that season were directed that way of one man, with Amorim desperately needing to make the right call on his future during the recent summer window.

The stats behind Andre Onana’s failures for United in 2024/25

After David de Gea’s departure from United back in the summer of 2023, former boss Erik ten Hag decided to delve into the transfer market to bolster his ranks – landing the signature of Andre Onana.

As a result, the Dutchman decided to fork out a reported £47.2m for the Cameroonian’s signature – a deal which could go down as one of the worst in the club’s history.

Upon Amorim’s arrival last November, he decided to stick with the former Inter Milan shot-stopper between the sticks, but he was unable to match the confidence shown in him by the boss.

The 29-year-old featured 50 times across all competitions last campaign, but made nine direct errors that led to goals, many of which came in key moments.

From parried shots against Lyon to misjudging Morgan Gibbs-White’s effort against Nottingham Forest – it truly was a regular occurrence for Onana to drop numerous clangers.

His only appearance for the Red Devils this season came in the Carabao Cup defeat to League Two Grimsby Town – a game that would signal the end of his first-team place at Old Trafford.

Amorim decided to ship Onana out on loan to Turkish Super League side Trabzonspor, with the hierarchy backing him with a new goalkeeper on Deadline Day.

Man Utd have another Onana-esque liability

As a result of Onana’s departure, Senne Lammens was the man chosen to fill the void in the goalkeeping department for United, with the Belgian joining from Royal Antwerp.

At just 23, such a move may have been a daunting task to many, but the youngster has wasted no time in cementing the number one shirt as his own at Old Trafford.

He’s made six appearances for the Red Devils to date, keeping one clean sheet, but his goal prevented xG of 0.2, showcases his immediate impact between the sticks.

Lammens is also yet to register an error leading to a goal after his big-money transfer, with his arrival already solving one of the glaring issues in the squad from last season.

However, not all the new additions have slotted in as seamlessly as the goalkeeper, with full-back Patrick Dorgu unable to be as successful at Old Trafford.

The Dane arrived from Italian side Lecce back in January for a reported £30m, with such a move seeming to end the hierarchy’s hunt for a long-term left wing-back.

However, nearly a year on from his transfer, it’s evident that the 21-year-old simply isn’t at the level required and is now becoming a huge liability for Amorim’s men.

Dorgu has only started seven out of a possible 12 league games to date this campaign, with his latest showing highlighting why he’s been an inconsistent figure in 2025/26.

He featured for 58 minutes in the defeat against Everton on home soil, before being replaced by Diogo Dalot after struggling to make the desired effect at both ends.

Patrick Dorgu – stats against Everton
Statistics	Tally
Minutes played	58
Touches	40
Passes completed	75%
Tackles made	1
Aerials lost	100%
Crosses completed	0
Possession lost	11x
Dribbled past	1
Stats via FotMob

The youngster was labelled “unreliable” by one analyst, after only winning one tackle, and losing all four of the aerial duels he entered – offering a lacklustre option out of possession.

Even with the ball, Dorgu struggled to impress, only completing 75% of his attempted passes, losing possession a staggering 11 times whilst failing to complete a single cross.

As a result, he’s massively becoming a liability under Amorim, arguably the biggest one since Onana’s lack of form for the club back in the 2024/25 season.

A solution for all parties is desperately needed before the January transfer window, with the club potentially needing to reinvest in the market to solve the problem at left wing-back.

Alongside Zirkzee: Man Utd's "waste of time" must not start again for Amorim

Ruben Amorim has a bold decision to make over the future of one Manchester United flop.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 25, 2025

Liverpool are reportedly eyeing the signing of AZ Alkmaar youngster Kees Smit, with the Dutchman expected to have a huge future in the game.

The Reds’ midfield is full of quality and depth, so from the outside looking in, there isn’t a great need to bring in new signings in the middle of the park for the time being.

That said, Alexis Mac Allister’s form has been a concern for Liverpool so far this season, and while the Argentine is still only 26 years of age, years of relentless football at club and international level may be taking its toll.

Not only that, but Mac Allister has been linked with a move to Real Madrid, and the likes of Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai could also be the subject of interest from other clubs, so the Premier League champions need to keep an eye out on potential additions.

Signing young players with a huge amount of promise is an avenue that Liverpool could go down at the end of this season, which is where Smit comes into play.

Liverpool eyeing signing of Kees Smit

According to Soccer News [via Sport Witness], Liverpool are interested in signing Smit from Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar, with the 19-year-old midfielder considered a massive young talent.

The Reds and Arne Slot are “seriously considering” tabling a bid for him, with Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle United, Barcelona and Real Madrid all mentioned as potential suitors, too. It is added that Slot is a fan of the teenager and that he was ‘charmed by him’ when he was a youngster at AZ Alkmaar.

Smit is a player with so much to admire about him, with scout Jacek Kulig hailing him as “fantastic” and Ronald Koeman comparing him to Barca star Pedri, which is high praise.

“I almost regret mentioning his name again (Pedri), but he’s a guy who plays in the same position. The way he turns away from his opponent, the way he scans the area, his two-footedness—I saw that in Pedri too. If he gets half his career, we’ll be very happy in the Netherlands.”

At 19, he could be eased in at Liverpool, arriving as a squad player who can mature at his own pace, before eventually becoming more of a fixture in Slot’s starting lineup.

Netherlands Under-21s

3

0

Netherlands Under-19s

16

4

Netherlands Under-18s

3

0

Netherlands Under-17s

7

0

Netherlands Under-16s

6

0

The teenager is already delivering impressive numbers, despite his tender years, with four goals and six assists coming his way in 50 appearances for Alkmaar.

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He has also represented the Netherlands at five different youth levels, including the Under-21s, and it feels like a matter of time until he received a senior call-up, with the 2026 World Cup around the corner.

Liverpool willing to sell first-team star to fund £150m Adam Wharton move

The Atlanta Braves had been plagued by injuries to their starting pitching rotation, with multiple starters currently shelved with various ailments.

In dire need of healthy arms, the Braves took to the trade market and struck a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals in order to acquire veteran right-hander Erick Fedde, per a team announcement.

Fedde will step in as a much-needed starter who is ready to be deployed immediately. As it stands, Atlanta's starting pitchers currently on the injured list include Grant Holmes, Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, Reynaldo Lopez and AJ Smith-Shawver. All three of Holmes, Sale and Schwellenbach went down with injuries this month.

Fedde, 32, had been designated for assignment by St. Louis earlier in the week. He owns a 5.22 ERA with 63 strikeouts across 101 2/3 innings and 20 starts on the year. It's been a disappointing season for him after he logged a 3.30 ERA across 31 starts with the Cardinals and White Sox in 2024, but he'll be hoping to turn things around with the Braves.

Heading to the Cardinals in the trade are cash considerations and a player to be named later.

Canada got the rub of the green as preparations for the 2026 World Cup kicked into full gear. Les Rouges will face Switzerland, Qatar and the winner of a European playoff to open the tournament next summer. On paper, it’s a winnable group – but if the playoff unfolds as expected, Jesse Marsch’s team could be staring down global giants Italy in the early stages.

Getty ImagesDraw: Switzerland, Qatar, TBD

The World Cup draw brought a kind set of matchups for Canada as they prepare for their first World Cup with Jesse Marsch at the helm. The American coach has repeatedly called for his team to be tested in big moments, and Group B will give him plenty to work with. Switzerland (17), Qatar (51) and the winner of European playoff A tie don’t offer anything particularly easy – but nor do they feel overwhelming.

Crucially, Canada seem to have avoided the biggest names expected to cause damage in Pot 2 and 3. Pot 4, however, is less forgiving. The winner of European playoff A could be former world champions Italy.

Beyond the group, the bracket could also get tricky. An early knockout matchup with Brazil is possible if Les Rouges finish second. Still, the immediate focus is on the group – and this looks surprisingly winnable.

Their Pot 2 opponent is Switzerland, a mixed side of late. They struggled in European qualifying, but beat both Mexico and the USMNT in pre-Gold Cup friendlies in June. Pot 3 produced Qatar, which also feels relatively friendly given the recent drop in form – a run that included defeats to Palestine and Zimbabwe. Pot 4 is where it could unravel. If they win their playoff, Italy (12) would be formidable. Other possibilities include Northern Ireland, Bosnia, and Wales.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport Must-watch TV: Italy

The Canadians will be an excellent watch regardless of who they play. But a fixture with Italy would truly be wonderful. They are a little more expansive under manager Gennaro Gattuso, and uncharacteristically leaky at the back. Tournament games are supposed to be cagey. This might not be that. Should the unexpected happen and Wales advance, their fans would certainly make that fixture good watching.

Getty Images SportDangerous matchup: Switzerland

The UEFA playoffs are still to be determined, but Switzerland will be a tricky Pot 2 team. Even if their results have been mixed, they are still an experienced side, with Granit Xhaka pulling the strings in center midfield. 

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Getty Images SportKey opposition player: Manuel Akanji

It's an admittedly star-light group. But Switzerland's Manuel Akanji, a two-time Premier League winner with Man City, will make things tricky for Canada's attack. 

Crystal Palace have now joined the race to sign an “absolute star”, who is being targeted by some of Europe’s top clubs.

Palace on track to push for Europe after Burnley victory

After the disappointing 2-1 loss at home to Manchester United last weekend, Palace returned to winning ways against Burnley on Wednesday night, securing a 1-0 victory courtesy of Daniel Munoz’s goal on the stroke of half-time.

It was another resolute defensive display from the Eagles, who boast the second-best defensive record in the Premier League this season, having shipped just 11 goals, with only Premier League leaders Arsenal conceding fewer.

Having jumped to fifth place courtesy of the win at Turf Moor, there is every sign Oliver Glasner’s side could make a push for European qualification this season, particularly if they continue to be tough to score against, with captain Marc Guehi at the heart of their defence.

However, with Guehi’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, and Liverpool recently opening fresh talks, Glasner will have to start making plans for life after the England international soon, and Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande is one of the centre-backs of interest.

Crystal Palace are keen to strengthen at the opposite end of the pitch too, according to a report from TuttoAtalanta (via Sport Witness), which states they have now joined the race for Watford star Rocco Vata, alongside Fulham and two Champions League clubs.

Indeed, Eintracht Frankfurt and Atalanta are also vying to sign Vata, who has an affordable asking price, with it being revealed potential suitors will have to fork out a fee of around €8m – €12m (£7m – £11m).

Crystal Palace could now sign £80k-a-week "warrior" in "good value" January deal

There has been a new update on the Eagles’ pursuit of a defender.

By
Dominic Lund

Dec 3, 2025

‘Half of Europe’ are credited with an interest in the former Celtic man, who has really kicked on since leaving Parkhead to join the Hornets back in 2024…

"Absolute star" Vata could be savvy addition for Palace

Scout Ben Mattinson has been left impressed by the 20-year-old’s performances since signing for Watford, lauding him as an “absolute star” back in January, and the starlet established himself as an important player last season, chipping in with seven goal contributions in 33 Championship games.

Palace have been very successful when recruiting players from the Championship in the past, signing the likes of Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise, and the Watford star could go on to achieve similar things, having performed very well across some key statistics over the past year.

Rocco Vata’s key statistics	Average per 90 (past year)
Assists	0.30 (88th percentile)
Successful take-ons	2.31 (92nd percentile)
Tackles	1.70 (79th percentile)

Given that Vata could be available for a very affordable fee, Crystal Palace should look to get ahead of the likes of Atalanta and Frankfurt in the race for his signature by making a January offer.

Kane Williamson’s availability for New Zealand’s home summer will take a little longer to lock in. However, head coach Rob Walter is content to give a player of his standing the extra time.Williamson, who is one of the group of players to hold a casual contract with NZC, made himself unavailable for the three-match T20I series against Australia, having previously missed the tour of Zimbabwe to play county cricket and the Hundred.The next part of New Zealand’s home season sees them play England in T20Is and ODIs before an all-format visit by West Indies in November.”Kane, we’re still in conversations as to what the summer is going to look like,” Walter told reporters after the Australia series. “He will play, no doubt about that. Just what and where is still in discussion.Related

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“I think the reality is we’re dealing with all the guys on casual contracts, actually in different positions from a playing point of view. Kane is one of those and he deserves the opportunity to sit and talk about what the rest of his year will look like. But I keep coming back to the most important thing, [which] is that he wants to play for his country, and so nutting out exactly what that looks like can take an extra week or two, but surely, he deserves that.”Walter confirmed that New Zealand would continue to be without Finn Allen (foot) and Adam Milne (ankle) for the visit of England while Lockie Ferguson (hamstring) and Glenn Phillips (groin) were unlikely to be fit.However, he was hopeful that white-ball captain Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra, who was a late withdrawal from the Australia series after suffering a facial injury colliding with the boundary boards at training, will have recovered in time for the series which starts on October 18 in Christchurch.Walter was unperturbed about not being able to get his full-strength T20I side together in the build-up to next year’s World Cup.Mitchell Santner is likely to be available again•ICC via Getty Images

“I think we don’t live in an ideal world and so that’s part and parcel of it,” he said. “I’ve been part of a World Cup campaign [with South Africa] where the team assembled at its full strength three days before our first game and that team managed to make a final.”For me, it’s just the way it works. I think what’s more important is the environment and the team culture that sort of assimilates together when it needs to. We do know that by the back end of the India series [in January] prior to the World Cup, that’s when our full World Cup squad will be together.”For me, as long as the guys are playing competitive cricket, that’s important, and almost everyone has been part of the environment at some point so I would assume that they can fit seamlessly back into it.”Should all players be fit and available for the World Cup, there will be some selection squeezes, especially around the pace bowling and top-order batting. Tim Robinson took his chance after Ravindra’s injury to make an impressive hundred in the first match against Australia, while Jimmy Neesham claimed a four-wicket haul in the third game.Australia won the T20I series against New Zealand•Getty Images

“Ultimately when things are operating the way they should, everyone’s not fighting for their position, but understands that competition for places is there,” Walter said. “Ultimately you want your best crop of players in the park and in the squad.”They’re all quality players. At the end of the day, there’s going to be a quality player that’s left out, whoever that may be. As you’ve heard me say many times before, the stronger the player that’s left out, the better the system.”Reflecting on the Australia series, Walter was encouraged by the way his side fought back from 6 for 3 in the opening match and forced a collapse with the ball in the second but conceded they had areas that needed improving before facing England.”There’s little bits [of positives] here and there but, to be fair, we were a little bit off our best game and when you do that against [Australia], who’s won 25 of their last 30 T20 internationals, you’re going to find yourself on the wrong end of the result,” he said.”Some of the areas that we weren’t competitive in are actually quite easy fixes, [they] just require a little bit of extra time on our part…like any loss there’ll be some positives most of the time and then some stuff that you walk away with and understanding that you have to do better as we move forward.”With England arriving, you’ve got a team that’s going to play very similar to how Australia played in the series. So again, we get to check out if we actually have improved in the areas that we’ve identified and spoken about.”

Having to let go of some of the key performers that helped them win the title, they have lost two of their first three games this season

Matt Roller31-Mar-20251:53

Rapid Fire Review – What do KKR need to learn from this defeat?

The first ten days of IPL 2025 have seen players who won the 2024 title performing brilliantly up and down the country. The only problem for the league’s defending champions is that very few of them are playing for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).Phil Salt has been blazing boundaries for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Mitchell Starc wore the Purple Cap for a while after eight wickets in two appearances for Delhi Capitals (DC). Shreyas Iyer hit an IPL-best 97 not out in his first game as Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain. Even Nitish Rana, who played only twice last season owing to injury, crashed a match-winning 81 for Rajasthan Royals (RR).Meanwhile, a KKR side that lost three times in the whole of last year has already been beaten two times: a seven-wicket defeat at home to RCB, and now an eight-wicket thrashing at the Wankhede on Monday night against Mumbai Indians (MI). These are early days in a long season, but they have made a slow start to their title defence – as champions have tended to after mega auctions in recent times.Related

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The whole purpose of the mega auction – which saw teams permitted a maximum of six retentions from last year – is to ensure the IPL retains the competitive balance which makes it such a compelling spectacle. It is ideal for the league’s overall narrative, minimising the gap between top and bottom, but makes the notion of retaining a winning squad near-impossible.It must be hugely frustrating for successful franchises, but the combination of a strict salary cap and the unpredictability of an auction is one of the IPL’s key design features. It is not by mistake that there have been four different champions in the last five seasons, with seven teams reaching at least one final in that time. Already this season, each team has won at least once.Unsurprisingly, KKR used all six retentions after their 2024 triumph and made no secret of the fact that they would have liked to keep hold of several more. They bought another six of their title-winners back at November’s auction, with Venkatesh Iyer foremost among them and his INR 23.75 crore price tag doubtlessly inflated by the franchise’s desire to keep the core of the side together.Venkatesh Iyer has scored just nine runs in two innings so far•Associated PressCast your mind back to November’s auction in Jeddah, and you may remember Venky Mysore raising a purple paddle to place bids on all three of Salt, Shreyas and Starc. The trouble was that they had insufficient funds remaining to bring them back within the confines of the salary cap.It is clearly too soon to evaluate Venkatesh’s season, which has brought him nine runs in his first two innings. But the decision to go hard for him over several others was a significant choice at the auction, and KKR’s main changes from last year’s side – Quinton de Kock, Ajinkya Rahane and Spencer Johnson replacing Salt, Shreyas and Starc respectively – do not look like obvious upgrades.But, in fact, de Kock and Rahane are the only batters to hit fifties in their first three games this year, with another new signing, Moeen Ali, instrumental in their win over RR in Guwahati. Instead, it has been their returning players – including Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana and Ramandeep Singh – who have not fired at this stage of the season.Angkrish Raghuvanshi was the only bright spark with the bat for KKR•BCCI”It’s very disheartening after the mega auction because you have a set combination and then every three years the team changes,” Ramandeep said after Monday’s defeat. “But this is part and parcel of the IPL. Now teams will be trying to find their winning combinations as soon as possible and we’re trying for the same.”This was a night that KKR will try to swiftly forget: they were bowled out in under 100 balls for their lowest total since 2022. Rahane described it simply as a “collective batting failure” on what he believed was “a good wicket to bat on”, and will be looking for a response against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Thursday: “We’ve got to learn really fast from this game,” he said.Loyalty is a rare trait in a T20 franchise, and generally an admirable one. The challenge for KKR was to identify the role each player had in their title win and to value them accordingly: it will become increasingly evident as this campaign unfolds whether they have kept hold of the right ingredients from their title-winning recipe.Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2022 and MI in 2018 were the most recent teams to start a season as defending champions immediately after a mega auction, and neither reached the playoffs. KKR will be determined to prove that is a coincidence rather than a pattern – and must overcome two heavy early-season defeats to do so.

Anfield erupted. It really did. That was the performance Arne Slot’s Liverpool have been searching for this season, with Alexis Mac Allister’s second-half header putting Real Madrid to the sword in the Champions League.

Real Madrid were overwhelmed, enervated, reduced to mincemeat in a similar fashion to last season’s win over the La Liga giants, and it could have been a wider, more sobering margin for Europe’s biggest hitters, but for a strong performance from Thiabaut Courtois between the posts.

The win over Aston Villa in the Premier League at the weekend stopped the rot, ended the four-game losing run, but this was a display of a different nature, the Reds going from strength to strength and reminding Europe of their prowess.

There have been many issues and imbalances within Slot’s squad this season, but this was an emphatic performance, outstanding from every department, both in possession and against the ball.

Epitomising this mini-revival on Merseyside, of course, was Conor Bradley.

Bradley proves too much for Real (again)

Not for the first time over the past year, Bradley came up trumps against Real Madrid’s devastating frontline, this time focusing his sights on Vinicius Junior, who was ineffective all evening against the Northern Irish star.

Content creator George Scaife remarked that he had “the game of his life” against Los Blancos, winning all three of his tackles, winning eight duels and recovering so many balls.

With Jeremie Frimpong sidelined with an injury, the 22-year-old has a real chance to kick on now and nail down a starting berth after a shaky start to the campaign which has presented him as unsure and somewhat unfit at times.

There have been times when Bradley’s place in the Liverpool side has been called into question, but he has the ability to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold, who made an unsuccessful return to Anfield on Tuesday, in the long run.

However, there’s another star who has become their main man, having looked endangered in the starting line-up after the summer spending spree.

Liverpool star is becoming one of world's best

There’s no question that Liverpool have been woefully out of sorts this season, but Dominik Szoboszlai has been a pillar of strength throughout the opening months.

Effortlessly good as an all-action midfielder and tenacious and industrious in a makeshift right-back berth, Szoboszlai’s energy and enterprise on the ball have been second to none, and he has been hailed as “our most important player” by one prominent Reds fan, also admitting that he “would be one of the ones to drop out of the XI” after a summer of spending that saw Florian Wirtz signed for a record-breaking £116m fee.

But the Hungary skipper has been nothing short of sensational, and he was once again the star of the show, peppering the Real Madrid goal and assisting the winner with a delightful set-piece delivery.

Szoboszlai’s Performance vs Real Madrid

Match Stats

#

Minutes played

90′

Goals

0

Assists

1

Touches

54

Shots (on target)

5 (4)

Accurate passes

30/39 (77%)

Chances created

3

Crosses

3/3

Interceptions

1

Recoveries

6

Duels won

2/9

Data via Sofascore

The Liverpool Echo saw it fit to hand the 24-year-old a 9/10 match rating, ahead, even, of the goalscoring Mac Allister, producing a masterful creative display and working overtime to overwhelm the Spanish midfield.

While the likes of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk continue to stand proud as the leaders in Slot’s squad, there’s little question that Szoboszlai is outplaying the lot this term, and as the Reds click into gear, raising their collective level, Szoboszlai could hit staggering individual heights.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Oct 30, 2025

The draw is here. Who needs the easiest group? Who could make a run? And did FIFA’s seeding just tilt the field? GOAL's writers weigh in.

And so it gets real. The World Cup draw feels like an inflection point in every cycle. From the end of the previous tournament – when Lionel Messi lifted the trophy in Qatar – everything has basically been informed guesswork. We knew that some teams would be here as hosts. We could make some solid guesses as to who would join them. And even after qualifying last month yielded (most of) the rest of the field, no one substantively knows very much until the draw.

Now it's here. Starting Friday, we will get a real sense of how this tournament will look. We will know who will play who. We will know if the U.S. are odds on to make a run to the quarters, or could crash out at the group. We will have a good sense if England can bring football home. 

Still, there are some questions to be asked here. 48 teams is a lot for a World Cup. And FIFA has set up the seeding so that the highest ranked teams are unlikely to face any of their most apparent competition later in the tournament. Sure, this is randomization, but it's not as unpredictable as in years past. Is that a good thing? Or should there be more obstacles? 

GOAL US writers break down the World Cup draw and make some far too early predictions in another edition of… .

• AFP
  

  Out of the USA, Mexico and Canada, which team needs a friendly draw?

  Tom Hindle: ALL OF THEM, really. But the Canadians could really do with a good one. Canada manager Jesse Marsch has hammered home the point that they could play a ton of home games if they top their group. If he manifests that, then it'll be a sight to see – but they will certainly need a little luck on the day. 

  Ryan Tolmich: All three would LOVE a friendly draw, but in terms of need? Mexico, probably, simply because they're in a place where pressure and expectations don't really match up with talent and quality. For Mexico, any World Cup where they don't genuinely compete is seen as a failure, so a group stage exit from a Group of Death would be no moral victory. Because of that, a nice waltz into the knockout stage would at least quiet the noise, even if would likely fall shortly after.

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• Getty
  

  Who's the team to watch out for if they get a friendly group?

  TH: Norway are the obvious answer, especially considering the fact that Erling Haaland is an evil space demon. But Colombia could be the real tricky one. Every game for them will basically be a home game, and Luis Diaz is in red-hot form. They're a Pot 2 team who could win their group, and you wouldn't bet against them to make a run. 

  RT: Looking at the teams deeper in the pots, it's safe to say no one is going to want to run into Norway. They have the best goalscorer of this generation in Haaland and, when you have that, you can win any game against any team. Because of that, Norway could easily top their group, despite being in Pot 3, and, from there, who knows?

• Getty Images
  

  Which newly qualified teams or long-absent teams are you excited to follow?

  TH: If Ireland manage to qualify, it will be them, especially considering everyone is now a massive Troy Parrott enthusiast! But as for the guys that are already here, why not Curacao? They're a really fun story and play with a real confidence. Will they get battered? Probably. But they won't give up. 

  RT: We've already mentioned Norway, and that's surely one. The other obvious one is Scotland. They haven't been to the World Cup since 1998, with this run ending a six-tournament drought. That's fun! You know their fans will turn up and, given the Premier League-level talent at the squad, they might just be pretty damn competitive, too.

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• Getty
  

  What is the group stage game you most want to see?

  TH: So many options. It's a real disappointment that England and the U.S. are both in Pot 1, because that would have been TASTY. Let's have Germany-South Korea, if only to repeat a classic match-up. 

  RT: Give us Morocco-Portugal again! The former scored a historic upset over the latter in the quarterfinals in Qatar, so seeing those two teams meet again would no doubt be personal. It would also be fun, too, as there would be plenty of star power on both sides eager to make a run this summer.

Queensland quick Sam Geyer withstood an early barrage from Sam Harper to take four wickets on debut in the Sheffield Shield against Victoria.Geyer was the star of the show for Queensland on Saturday, as Victoria hit 318 for 9 declared before the home side were 15 without loss at stumps on day one of the pink-ball fixture.Crucially Matt Renshaw survived a tough final half hour under the Gabba lights to be unbeaten on two, in what could be an audition for the day-night second Ashes Test at the same venue.With questions over Usman Khawaja’s fitness and whether Travis Head will remain opener or go back to No. 5 after his Perth heroics, Renshaw has a big Sunday ahead of him in Brisbane.Saturday night’s 34-ball survival came with chief selector Tony Dodemaide in attendance, with the opener having already scored two centuries this summer.Regardless it will be Geyer who left the Gabba happiest after his 4 for 102 on debut, even if he went at more than six an over. Struck down by stress fractures in his teens, the 22-year-old paceman needed plenty of resilience after Harper took him down early at the Gabba.Harper cut the seamer’s first two balls for four on his way to 88, in a brutal welcome to first-class cricket for Geyer. But the seamer responded shortly after, having Marcus Harris well caught at slip for 18.Geyer also copped some treatment from Matt Short, but recovered to remove Mitchell Perry, Fergus O’Neill and Will Sutherland in the final session.He would have had a five-wicket haul had Tom Straker not put down a catch at fine leg to dismiss Todd Murphy.”He’s very high energy Sammy,” spinner Mitch Swepson said. “Looked like he would run through a brick wall every time I threw the ball to him. He was ready and raring to go.”Outstanding for him to get four wickets, he probably deserved five as well. He bowled brilliantly and was that spark for us.”Swepson also took two crucial wickets, getting Harper and Peter Handscomb in quick succession after the pair added 88 for the third wicket.Harper had been the chief aggressor for Victoria, bringing up his 50 in 55 balls after a series of cuts, late cuts and a big six over mid wicket off Straker.But he fell when he cut Swepson straight to backward point, before Handscomb picked out the midwicket fielder in Swepson’s next over.Veteran Gurinder Sandhu also took 2 for 55, and was arguably Queensland’s best bowler with the pressure he built with the ball.