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Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen has weighed-in on the debate around Mo Salah’s alarming poor form this season, pointing the finger of blame at two players, including one who is no longer at the club. Salah was benched for the recent win over Eintracht Frankfurt, but his behaviour after the final whistle has caused huge concern.

Early season struggles for champions

Salah has struggled to replicate his exceptional form from last season, with several factors to blame for the dip in performance, including the departure of key team-mates and the arrival of new players under Reds boss Arne Slot, which has disrupted Liverpool's settled right-side dynamic. Statistically, his output has dropped significantly this season compared to the same point last year, with fewer shots, shots on target, and touches in the opposition box. The tactical shift under Slot, which includes the arrivals of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, has also altered Salah's role. 

AdvertisementAFPIs Salah heading for the Anfield exit?

But it is Salah’s behaviour after the final whistle in Germany which has been a huge cause of concern for the Liverpool's Dutch boss. The Egypt international was seen to “storm down the tunnel” at the end of the 5-1 victory. And the morning after the match Salah removed all mention of Liverpool from his social media channel's bios, including Instagram and X, replacing the previous club-related photos for generic images of himself and others with his two daughters. 

Kop hero Owen makes stunning claim

Owen told Sky Bet: "Salah has been scoring goals for years and years. Nobody would be surprised if he scored in his next game and went on a run. If there's anyone in the Premier League you shouldn't doubt, it's him. That said, if there's something more going on, then age could be a factor – he's 33 now. I retired at that age myself, so you can't go on forever. That's one possible reason. Another is that there's no Trent Alexander-Arnold feeding him those balls anymore – the dynamic has changed."

He added: "Conor Bradley plays differently, he looks to run past Salah rather than serve him. I did some analysis on TV showing that Salah is picking up the ball about 10 per cent deeper on average than last season. The tactics haven't changed, but the personnel have. Or it could just be that the team isn't firing yet. Every attacking player goes through a spell like this. It's more likely just a blip, and he'll bounce back soon, but it could be a bit of all the above."

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Getty Images SportSlot’s Kop conundrum

Next steps lay firmly with the boss Slot, he could hand a starting place back to Salah away to Brentford this weekend and the storm will blow over. But if he’s left out again the chatter about Salah leaving will only grow louder. The Reds host Crystal Palace in the League Cup on October 29th and there’s the massive Champions League fixture against Real Madrid on the horizon next month, too. 

Ahead of the clash with Frankfurt, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher said Salah must understand his starting place is no longer guaranteed. He said: "When Mo Salah isn't being the legendary Mo Salah, he gets treated like one of the other players, which is right. He's 33 years of age and Liverpool will have three games in six days. At the moment, if he isn't at his best, he shouldn't play three games in six days. There are other options there as well. We know Liverpool have spent a lot of money. Liverpool have got a big game at the weekend as well, so great decision, Arne."

Leeds United endured a frustrating return after the international break, though their defeat to Burnley was marred by an alleged incident involving Hannibal Mejbri.

Leeds lose out against Burnley at Turf Moor

Clashes between newly-promoted sides tend to be combative in nature, and that was certainly the case as Scott Parker’s Clarets saw off the challenge laid before them by Daniel Farke to take all three points at Turf Moor.

Brenden Aaronsen was one of several underperformers on the day for the Whites in what became a forgettable occasion for the visitors despite their vastly superior chances, leaving them three points above the Premier League relegation zone with eight matches played.

After the match, Farke made it clear that his side won the statistical battle on the day and can feel hard done by that they didn’t take something in Lancashire, though conceded that goals win games when all is said and done.

He said: “You can’t have better statistics than we did today in an away game in the Premier League. When Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City travel here even they won’t have better statistics. We won each and every statistic but in football it is also just about goals. They were more effective than us today.”

Nevertheless, Burnley midfielder Hannibal was at the centre of an alleged spitting incident after a complaint was lodged from a supporter in the Leeds United section.

Leeds eyeing fresh 2026 move to sign "perfect" Championship star for Farke

They could finally get their man…

ByTom Cunningham Oct 18, 2025

BBC reporter Adam Pope said on X: “Leeds United are aware of an allegation of spitting by a Burnley player believed to be Hannibal. The authorities are investigating after a complaint was made from a supporter in the Leeds United section at Turf Moor.”

With that in mind and an investigation now launched, further developments have come to light regarding the potential consequences of yesterday’s controversy if he is to be cited.

Hannibal Mejbri could be suspended if found guilty

Speaking to MOT Leeds News, former referee Keith Hackett has said Hannibal could be banned for a minimum of three matches if the allegation of spitting relating is found to be true after the investigation takes place.

Ultimately, nobody wants to see this sort of incident emerge in the aftermath of any football match. For now, it will be down to the authorities to conclude exactly what happened and to dish out the appropriate punishment.

Now, Leeds will take some time to prepare for the visit of West Ham United next Friday, offering another major opportunity to stray further away from the relegation zone after a mixed start to the campaign.

Farke’s side don’t have any problems when it comes to chance creation, but the German coach will hope his side can tighten up at the back before the Hammers make their way to Elland Road.

It may be a small slate in Major League Baseball on Monday, but we have plenty of ways to get in on some plus-money action. 

Let’s have some fun this afternoon!

MLB Best Bets TodayHouston Astros  -1.5 (+115) vs. Toronto Blue Jays at DraftKings

The Houston Astros are the hottest team in MLB, having won nine of their last 10 games.

That includes taking two out of three from the second-hottest team in June — the New York Mets — this weekend.  

A lot of credit for that hot streak can go to pitcher Hunter Brown, who, after a rough start to the season, pitched to the league’s lowest ERA for June (1.16),  lowering his season ERA to 4.37. 

Brown has been striking batters out at nearly 10 per nine innings this season. He has strung together seven consecutive quality starts since the beginning of May, and there’s little reason to doubt he will make it to eight versus a Toronto team batting just .237 this season (17th).  

The Jays will start righty Yariel Rodriguez this afternoon.  

Rodriguez got blown up in his last start vs. the Cleveland Guardians, not making it out of the second inning. His ERA is 5.94 for the season, and he’s walking batters at an extraordinarily high rate: 6.11 per nine innings. 

That’s likely to spell trouble vs. an Astros team that just put up a 10-spot on the Mets and has averaged 5.44 runs per game this month. 

By contrast, the Jays have scored 4.07 runs per game in June and 4.0 runs per game this season at home.  

Yes, the Astros bullpen may be tired after extras yesterday, but they still have Rafael Montero, Ryan Pressly and Josh Hader available.

On the other side, Toronto's bullpen ranks 28th in ERA for the season and has a 5.07 ERA for June.

The Astros took two out of three from the Jays earlier this season, shutting them out in both wins (8-0, 10-0). I like the payout for the Astros to win by two versus a Toronto team with a losing record at home (20-21). 

Rising star Cavan Sullivan came off the bench for the U.S. in Wednesday's U17 World Cup opener, but the Philadelphia Union attacker made the difference in a 1-0 win over Burkina Faso. His late goal sealed three points for the U.S. as they began the tournament in Qatar. Sullivan was tossed into the fray with the game scoreless in the 62nd minute.

Getty ImagesSullivan's big moment

Despite the hype behind him, Sullivan started the match on the bench for a U.S. team loaded with attacking talent, including highly-rated forwards Julian Hall, Nimfasha Berchimas and Mathis Albert, all of whom started. Sullivan replaced LAFC midfielder Jude Terry in the second half as the U.S. pushed for a goal.

It came in the 79th minute, when Albert looped a cross over Burkina Faso's defense to find Sullivan, who placed the ball into the back of the net to earn the U.S. all three points in their opening match.

AdvertisementWatch the goalGetty ImagesSullivan's rise

Sullivan's goal comes as he looks to break through in MLS with the Philadelphia Union. The 16-year-old homegrown has been widely touted as one of the top prospects in American soccer, and was signed by the Union in May 2024 at age 14.

Since, he's featured 18 times for the Union first team and joined up with the U.S. late for this World Cup to participate in the club's initial playoff matches. The teenager is set to join Manchester City when he turns 18.

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Getty ImagesWhat comes next?

Following the tournament-opening win, the U.S. will now look ahead to Saturday's match against Tajikistan, who fell 6-1 to the Czech Republic in their first U17 World Cup match.

Everton have battled their way out of relegation-threatened status in the Premier League.

After several years of low-table fortunes, things have changed, with David Moyes lifting Goodison Park on its swansong up to a mid-table finish last season.

Now, he’s targeting an ambitious push for Europe, with the signings made across the summer propping up these ambitions.

At the forefront is Jack Grealish, and he is back in contention to play this weekend as the Toffees welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the Hill Dickinson, having missed last weekend’s defeat at Manchester City due to ineligibility.

Jack Grealish could be the game-changer

Grealish joined Everton from Man City on loan this summer, having fallen by the wayside across the past couple of years in Pep Guardiola’s squad.

He’s back. Four August assists served Grealish the Premier League Player of the Month award, and he’s maintained a talismanic presence, lifting the spirits and the belief of his teammates.

If Everton surpass expectations this summer, expect the plaudits to rain down at the 30-year-old’s feet.

His playmaking quality was sorely missed last weekend, but he can play once again, and it’s a good thing too, for Tottenham have many high-level players and have improved defensively since Thomas Frank replaced Ange Postecoglou this summer.

Grealish can’t do it alone, but luckily, Moyes has another talented midfielder who could share the load and maybe even outperform his senior peer on the afternoon.

The Everton star who could outshine Grealish

Last season, Tyler Dibling emerged as one of the brightest teenagers in the Premier League, and there was a swarm of interest in his signature. Everton won the race, signing the 19-year-old in a £42m deal.

However, he has only featured four times in the top flight this term, hooked at half-time on his sole start against Crystal Palace.

In fairness, this was a poor display, but for a teenage talent performing in new territory to flatter to deceive during such a scenario is hardly unheard of.

Minutes played

45′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Shots (on target)

0 (0)

Accurate passes

6/7 (86%)

Chances created

0

Dribbles

0/3

Tackles

1

Duels won

3/10

There’s a real player in there, to be sure, with Dibling having already been on Tottenham’s radar, Spurs having pushed for a deal this summer before Everton won the race.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 17% of positional peers for pass completion, the top 20% for successful take-ons and the top 26% for tackles per 90, with this robust array of skills leading the data-driven platform to list Iliman Ndiaye as one of his most comparable players.

But there’s no denying more is needed after a slow start on Merseyside. Luckily, Dibling has all the talent in the world, and Moyes needs only to bring his confidence and balance in this new team to the fore.

And his match sharpness will have improved after two winning performances with England U19s this month. He drew praise for his performances, with data scientist Michael Green hailing the youngster for being “incredibly positive with every action”.

With Grealish sure to slot back into that left-sided berth, the competition for places is thick, but Dibling could use this chance as a springboard, having endured a testing start to his Everton career, no doubt about that.

His speed and technical quality and athleticism suggest he has what it takes to shine the brightest for Moyes’ Everton side, and there’s no doubt that this is a “world-class talent”, as has been said by his former youth coach Andy Goldie, having thrived in an abject Southampton side.

Should Dibling make an impact against Frank’s Tottenham, who lack fluency in attack right now, all eyes will be on him. In this, he could outshine the ever-impressive Grealish.

Not Keane: Moyes can fix Branthwaite blow by unleashing Everton "revelation"

Everton’s star centre-back has suffered a complication in his injury recovery.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 21, 2025

Gill went past 50 for the fourth time in the series as he and Rahul helped India recover from two early wickets

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jul-2025

KL Rahul and Shubman Gill had a good partnership after two early wickets•Associated Press

Tea Shubman Gill and KL Rahul weathered a testing spell from England’s bowlers to produce a wicketless middle session on day four in Manchester, but it was perhaps the only thing that went India’s way after Ben Stokes’ century carried his team to a total of 669 and a lead of 311. Then Chris Woakes struck twice in the first over before India could score any runs to create incredible drama.India went to tea at 86 for 2, still 225 runs behind. They could easily have lost their captain for 46 had Liam Dawson been able to hold on to a tough catch at gully but Gill made the most of that generosity to continue his run-spree. He went past Virat Kohli’s 655 runs against England in 2016 and is chasing down Sunil Gavaskar’s record of most runs as an Indian captain in a Test series (732).Stokes did not bring himself to bowl any of the 29 overs so far, a sign of perhaps the workload he has already taken on. He is playing back to back Tests. He picked up a five-for in the first innings and backed it up with a century – a rare feat among players and even rarer among captains. In scoring 141, he broke a spell of 35 innings without a hundred and earned himself a spot among the best allrounders in the history of cricket. There were, prior to his efforts at Old Trafford, only two with 7000 runs and 200 wickets – Garry Sobers and Jacques Kallis.England’s innings reached incredible heights – 669 was their fifth-highest total in Tests – and it ended with 15 minutes for their bowlers to target India before lunch. Woakes produced a beauty from around the wicket to trap Yashasvi Jaiswal for a duck – angled in, seaming away, taking the leading edge to first slip. Then Sai Sudharsan made a mistake born out of spending 157 overs in the field, fatigue resulting in him misjudging a ball that was short and wide. In the end, he ended up getting caught at second slip trying to play the leave.

Major League Baseball has asked the New York Yankees to ban the two fans involved with the Mookie Betts interference in Game 4 from attending Game 5, according to a report from Jesse Rogers of ESPN. The two fans, identified as Austin Capobianco and John Peter, will be refunded for the cost of their tickets.

Capobianco and Peter attempted to yank the baseball out of Betts's glove on a foul ball down the line in right field in the bottom of the first inning in Game 3. The umpires ruled fan interference and Gleyber Torres out.

The two fans were ejected from the game shortly thereafter. When asked about the play afterwards, it's fair to say the two fans were unapologetic.

"We always joke about the ball in our area," said Capobianco, who was the one who pried the ball out of Betts's glove. "We're not going to go out of our way to attack. If it's in our area, we're going to 'D' up. Someone defends, someone knocks the ball. We talk about it. We're willing to do this. I know when I'm in the wrong and as soon as I did it, I was like, 'Boys I'm out of here. I patrol that wall and they know that."

Game 5 is set for Wednesday night in the Bronx, as the Yankees try to keep their season alive and force Game 6 back in Los Angeles.

Visitors maintain top-four form with comfortable win in Canterbury

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay04-Jul-2025Sussex Sharks comprehensively beat Kent Spitfires by 34 runs in the Vitality Blast at Canterbury.Daniel Hughes top-scored with 48 as Sussex made 195 for 9, despite no one passing 50.Kent’s Nathan Gilchrist took 3 for 31 and Harry Finch then hit his highest Blast score against his former county, making 56 off 25 balls, but when he was out the chase fell apart. Danny Lamb took key wickets at crucial moments, claiming 5 for 15 and Tymal Mills claimed 3 for 20. Lamb wrapped up the win with two balls to spare when he bowled Fred Klaassen.Kent lived to regret putting Sussex in. The visitors were 30 without loss when Jack Leaning bowled Harrison Ward for 11 at the start of the fifth but Hughes then blazed 48 from 28 balls and although Tom Rogers bowled him at the end of the tenth, the Sharks were 112 for 2 at halfway.Wickets at least slowed the scoring rate. Joey Evison bowled James Coles for 12, hitting off and middle, and Tom Clark was furious with himself when he tried to scoop Gilchrist to fine leg and was lbw for 43.Klaassen looked as surprised as anyone when he had Tom Alsop caught behind for 15, given by the square leg umpire Nigel Llong, John Simpson tried to hook Gilchrist and was caught on the boundary by Rogers for 12 and Rogers bowled Nathan McAndrew for 5. The 19th over, however was expensive, going for 18. Gilchrist bowled a wide, had Lamb caught behind off a bottom edge, then bowled three no-balls, one of which was a head-high beamer.Not for the first time this season Kent missed the cut off, but Mills was run out by Billings and Klaassen help them to six off the 20th, despite the last ball being fumbled over the boundary for four.Sussex looked favourites, especially after Coles bowled Tawanda Muyeye for 7 in the second over, but the Hastings-born Finch came in and blasted 50 off 21 balls before Henry Crocombe had him caught by Hughes at third man.The momentum switched again, this time for good, when Joe Denly was bamboozled by Lamb’s slower ball and bowled for 3. Crocombe then took a stunning catch to get Daniel Bell-Drummond for 26 after he skied Lamb, sprinting in from the boundary and somehow keeping the ball off the turf.Mills got Sam Billings for 16, caught on the boundary by Coles and Evison holed out to Lamb and was caught by Robinson. When Mills bowled Leaning for 16, Rogers was left with the tail and the run rate was nearly 15 an over. Mills got him for 4, caught at short third man and the crowd started streaming for the exits.Klaassen and Gilchrist needed a theoretically possible 36 off the last over, but Lamb bowled Gilchrist off the first ball and clinched the win when he cleaned up Klaassen three balls later.

Arsenal took a huge stride towards ending their two-decade wait for a Premier League title, after securing a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace earlier this afternoon.

Eberechi Eze’s goal against his former employers was enough to secure Mikel Arteta’s men all three points in a hard-fought encounter against the Eagles.

Three points alone is a huge deal for the Gunners, but given the slip-ups from their title rivals, the victory has become an even more important one for the club.

Liverpool suffered a 3-2 defeat to Brentford last night, whilst Manchester City fell to a 1-0 loss against Aston Villa this afternoon – resulting in a four-point cushion for Arteta’s side.

However, despite the triumph in North London, numerous players fell way below the high standards they’ve previously set for themselves in England’s top-flight.

Arsenal’s poor performers against Crystal Palace

Despite spending around £65m on the signature of Viktor Gyokeres, the striker has often failed to live up to the expectations of the Arsenal faithful in the last few months.

The Swede may have scored five goals for the Gunners to date, but he’s now without a league goal in any of his last five appearances for Arteta’s men.

His showing against the Eagles was yet another to forget for the 27-year-old, as he only registered 27 touches of the ball in his 90-minute showing – whilst also notching a solitary effort on goal.

Bukayo Saka has been another player who has made himself a fan-favourite at the Emirates, but there’s no denying that his showing against Palace was one below the expectations he’s set for himself.

The England international matched Gyokeres in failing to register a single effort on target, whilst also being unable to register a single chance for any of his teammates.

The 24-year-old also lost possession on 11 separate occasions, producing a somewhat wasteful showing – something which is highly unusual for his usual standards.

The Arsenal star who needs to be dropped after Palace

The three points will undoubtedly be the most pleasing aspect for Arteta, but he will certainly have a few issues to iron out ahead of next weekend’s clash with Burnley.

His men dominated the play in large spells, subsequently having 60% possession, but they were only able to muster three efforts on Dean Henderson’s goal.

Arteta’s side’s total xG of just 1.08 also reflected the lack of threat that the Gunners carried throughout the all-London affair at the Emirates this afternoon.

However, despite the disappointing performances from the aforementioned duo, Leandro Trossard once again failed to repay the manager’s faith in starting the winger.

The Belgian was handed his fifth successive league start this afternoon, but was unable to have the desired impact off the left-hand side of the Gunners’ attack.

He featured for the entirety of the contest, but was unable to hugely threaten the opposition goal – even missing a big chance in front of goal during his performance.

The 30-year-old also only completed one dribble, whilst achieving a tally of just 44 touches – a figure lower than that of goalkeeper David Raya, who achieved a total of 46.

Minutes played

90

Touches

44

Dribbles completed

1

Shots on target

0

Big chances missed

1

Crosses completed

1

Ground duels lost

60%

Possession lost

11x

Trossard’s dismal afternoon was further reflected in his tally of 60% duels lost, often struggling to create any chances against Palace right-back Daniel Munoz.

To top off his afternoon, the wideman was given a measly 5/10 match rating by The Express journalist Tom Parsons – further highlighting how poor he was in North London.

After such a display, Arteta must be left with no choice but to drop the Belgian back down to the substitutes bench, with Gabriel Martinelli deserving of a run off the left-hand side.

It’s a shame to see Trossard struggling to deliver, but given what’s at stake for the club this campaign, the manager has to be brutal if his side are to end their extended wait for a league title.

He’d easily take the #14 from Gyokeres, but Arsenal let him leave for £0

This one-time Arsenal prospect has gone on to become a “world-class” striker.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 25, 2025

Manchester United had held talks with Robert De Zerbi and Thomas Tuchel to replace Erik ten Hag as their head coach last year, before turning to Ruben Amorim for the role. On November 1, 2024, days after Ten Hag's sacking, the United hierarchy confirmed Amorim's arrival at Old Trafford from Sporting CP. After a disappointing start to their 2024-25 season, Ten Hag was shown the door in October.

United under Amorim

Amorim endured a nightmare start to his tenure at Old Trafford as United ended the 2024-25 season trophyless and 15th in the Premier League, their worst finish in half a century. A loss in the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur also meant that the Red Devils would be without European football in the 2025-26 campaign. In the new season, the English giants once again experienced a tough start but they have now revived their form by winning three league matches in a row, including a win against champions Liverpool at Anfield.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesUnited's search for Ten Hag's replacement

According to Andy Mitten, the United hierarchy was convinced that they needed a new head coach by May 2024 due to a series of poor results under Ten Hag. Omar Berrada, who was yet to formally join United as their CEO, along with Sir Jim Ratcliffe, acknowledged that Ten Hag's time was up at Old Trafford. The management met in a meeting in Monaco, where the decision was finalised.

United implemented a full data analysis on the managerial market, although they had to be careful as their in-house data capabilities are not at the highest level. The search for a new manager was based on the team playing a 4-3-3 formation. Six candidates were soon shortlisted as managers like Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, De Zerbi, Thomas Frank, Marco Silva and Graham Potter were on the Red Devils' radar.

Amorim was not on United's initial shortlist as the club at that point prioritised Premier League experience, which the Portuguese coach did not have. Director of football Jason Wilcox, however, later spoke to his contacts about who the next great coach was and that is when the 40-year-old's name came up, alongside Thiago Motta.

Why De Zerbi and Tuchel rejected United?

In the column, Mitten added: "United leaned towards Tuchel and De Zerbi — the latter considered a bit of a maverick but ultimately a top coach. Tuchel came to Monaco for a meeting with United’s leaders two weeks after the FA Cup final, in which Ten Hag’s side outsmarted and defeated Manchester City for a momentous win. Tuchel came across incredibly well, but no terms were agreed and the German wasn’t ready for the United job. He was to take a short break from football after a difficult time at Bayern Munich that led to him leaving that club only the previous month. 

"So De Zerbi became the frontrunner, and financial terms were discussed with the Italian in line with what United felt was fair. Those terms were rejected, and the club chose not to improve them. De Zerbi’s next job was instead at Marseille in France, where he’s unlikely to be on the same level of pay as a United head coach would be getting."

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How Man Utd signed Amorim?

In October, the leadership finally met at INEOS HQ in central London, where the approval came to terminate Ten Hag's deal. Another meeting was held in Barcelona later that month, where the consensus of the football executive landed on Amorim, and Berrada was charged with finalising the deal. The process started with assessing crucial details for any agreement — if Amorim was interested in taking the job immediately, his buyout clause in Lisbon, what his wage demands were likely to be, and who he’d want to bring with him and when.

The officials then met the Portuguese coach in Seville in a private house and the encounter went on for five hours. Amorim presented his idea and plans in detail, which impressed the Red Devils bosses. Amorim had even asked why the club wanted to appoint him midway into the season, to which they said that he would get acclimatised with the new league and the squad in the rest of the 2024-25 campaign.