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Celtic are eyeing a potential move for England Under-21s manager Lee Carsley as their next boss, as they look to find the perfect replacement for Brendan Rodgers at Parkhead.

Rodgers’ second spell in charge of the Hoops went out in a whimper, following an underwhelming start to the season in the Scottish Premiership, with Martin O’Neill placed in interim charge.

While the Irishman has seemingly only come in for a short spell as manager, taking charge until the right permanent appointment is made, a new report has claimed that he would be willing to take the job until the end of the season.

Victory at home to Rangers on Sunday afternoon would not only be a massive step in the right direction for Celtic, but could even persuade those high up at the club that O’Neill is the right man to continue for longer than originally expected.

That’s not to say that other potential candidates aren’t being mentioned, however, with Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna backed to be Rodgers’ successor, and Club Brugge head coach Nicky Hayen also seen as an option.

Lee Carsley linked with Celtic job

Now, 67 Hail Hail claim that Celtic are eyeing Carsley to be their next manager, with the Hoops “long-term admirers” of him, meaning he could “be in contention” to come in.

That said, the former Republic of Ireland international “isn’t a frontrunner for the job”, so at this stage, others feel more likely to take charge at Parkhead.

Carsley would be an interesting choice for Celtic if they did go down that route, with Roy Keane heaping praise on him during his brief stint as England’s interim boss before Thomas Tuchel came in.

Perhaps the biggest risk in Celtic appointing Carsley is the fact that he is yet to manage at club level, with his only roles coming with England, including his current Under-21s role.

England Under-21s

2025-present

11

2.27

England (interim)

2024

6

2.50

England Under-21s

2021-2024

29

2.41

England Under-20s

2020-2021

1

3.00

For that reason, bringing him in would be a gamble at a point when a safe pair of hands is required to steady the ship after a frustrating end to Rodgers’ reign.

Postecoglou 2.0: Celtic looking at hiring "box-office" McKenna alternative

With Ange Postecoglou unlikely to return to Celtic, should the Hoops appoint a “box office” title-winning manager instead of Kieran McKenna?

ByBen Gray Nov 1, 2025

Carsley may be desperate to prove his worth in the club game, though, and if he impresses Celtic’s bosses more than the rest, they need to be trusted.

Celtic manager search takes twist as O'Neill makes decision about interim role

Jhye Richardson has announced his triumphant return to bowling, taking four wickets in his second game back from injury as Australia A punished a hapless England Lions.The hosts went to stumps on day one of their four-day match in Brisbane at 155 for 2, after Richardson had taken 4 for 35 to help bowl the Lions out for 166.Richardson would almost certainly have figured in Test contention for this summer, had he not been recovering from shoulder surgery. He went wicketless during 20 overs for a CA XI against the Lions late last month, but was back bowling at pace at Allan Border Field on Friday.Richardson had Ben McKinney dropped at first slip in his third over of the day, before running through the tourists in the second session. He bowled James Rew for 7 when the left-hander inside-edged a ball that angled across him onto his stumps, before Richardson’s pace had Ben Kellaway playing on.In almost comical fashion, Kellaway defended a delivery from the quick before he was unable to stop the ball rolling back onto his stumps.Richardson then had both Matthew Fisher and Nathan Gilchrist edging behind the wicket, as the Lions fell from 72 for 1 to all out for 166 in 50 overs.Richardson played his last Test in December 2022, but has battled constant shoulder and hamstring injuries since then. His recovery from last season’s dislocated shoulder ruled him out of contention for the start of the Ashes, with Brendan Doggett debuting in Perth.Todd Murphy and Xavier Bartlett also took two wickets each for Australia A, before Campbell Kellaway flew to 71 off 75 balls in the final session.Earmarked as a Test opener of the future, Kellaway’s runs came after he also hit a half-century for the Prime Minister’s XI against England last weekend.Kellaway produced one of the shots of the day with a cracking pull shot off Gilchrist, before he later pulled the quick straight to mid on.England spinner Shoaib Bashir meanwhile had an unhappy afternoon, taking 0 for 22 from three overs after being overlooked for the Gabba Test.Nathan McSweeney (40 not out) pulled Bashir’s first two balls for four, before Kellaway also took to him in the next over and he was dragged out of the attack.

Ben Stokes, Will Jacks show application in 96-run stand but crushing defeat was in the post

Tristan Lavalette07-Dec-2025

Michael Neser walks off with the ball raised•Getty Images

England batted against type and belatedly produced a rearguard, but it was in vain as seamer Michael Neser justified his contentious selection with a five-wicket haul to lead Australia to a crushing second Test victory.Just six days in, Australia have a stranglehold of an Ashes series that is quickly becoming decidedly one-sided. But they were made to work on day four with England skipper Ben Stokes and Will Jacks stonewalling for almost half a day in a 96-run seventh-wicket partnership lasting almost 37 overs.But Neser, surprisingly selected ahead of offspinner Nathan Lyon, dismissed both batters as England quickly fell away much like they have done numerous times in this series. Neser was sensational on the back of a deadly spell with the pink ball under lights on day three.Related

• Hazlewood out of Ashes, Cummins confirmed for Adelaide

• England at breaking point as Ashes dreams dismantled

• 'We'll leave it out there' – Steven Smith on Jofra Archer confrontation

• McCullum: England 'over-prepared' in second Test build-up

• Smith praises 'exceptional' Neser and 'freak' Carey

He was aided by outstanding fielding, a notable contrast between the teams after England dropped five catches in Australia’s first innings.Skipper Steven Smith snatched a stunning one-hander low to his left to end Jacks’ 92-ball grind, while wicketkeeper Alex Carey completed a stellar effort with the gloves by holding on to a nick up at the stumps to dismiss Stokes.Any hope of a miracle ended with the sight of a forlorn Stokes trudging off the Gabba having given his all with 50 off 152 balls.Needing just 65 runs for victory, Travis Head came out blazing as Australia raced to 33 for 0 after five overs but dinner was still taken despite fears of stormy weather closing in on the Brisbane area.Head could not carry over the momentum on resumption, chopping on to Gus Atkinson who also nicked off Marnus Labuschagne. There were unexpected late fireworks when Smith and Jofra Archer had a war of words.But Smith, fittingly, came out on top with a hooked six off a 150 kph Archer bumper before sealing the victory in style with a huge blow over deep square off Atkinson. Smith finished 23 not out off just nine balls to ensure England left the field in need of plenty of soul searching ahead of the third Test in Adelaide.England will rue several passages of brainless play earlier in the match as their hopes of regaining the Ashes appear shot. Had they batted with the application and grit that Stokes and Jacks exhibited earlier than the match might have taken a different course.But Australia thoroughly deserved their victory after such an even team performance. They outclassed and outsmarted England in another impressive effort without quicks Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.Jofra Archer and Steven Smith exchanged words•PA Photos/Getty Images

Smith continues to provide an excellent stand-in for Cummins as Australia’s mastery and experience of day-night cricket overwhelmed a ragged England.The main question at the start of the day was how long would play last with the result basically a formality. England resumed their second innings in dire trouble at 134 for 6 and still 43 runs from making Australia bat again. With the knives out, a beleaguered England’s only hope seemingly rested on Stokes replicating his Headingley-esque heroics.Going against type, a backs-to-the-wall approach was needed. Unlike a slew of his team-mates, Stokes had been very watchful late on day three to survive Australia’s onslaught and finish unbeaten on 4 from 24 balls. Under the baking sun, Stokes encountered far easier conditions with minimal swing on offer in a sedate start to the day’s play.He crawled to 12 off 50 balls before cracking a superb cover drive off Brendan Doggett in the highlight of a dour 28-run opening hour. There wasn’t much out of the ordinary apart from when Stokes backed away anticipating a bouncer and proceeded to forehand smash the ball, forcing Doggett to do his own fielding to the boundary at long-off.Australia’s quicks bowled excellently without reward and they tried different tactics in search of a breakthrough. In what had seemed unlikely at the start of the day, England hauled in the deficit prompting a standing ovation from the Barmy Army.The 50-run partnership between Stokes and Jacks was brought up a run later to a ripple of mostly ironic cheers from the terraces. They scored at 2.45 – the slowest scoring rate of the 164 partnerships of 50-plus in the Bazball era.Stokes had a nervous moment just before the elongated tea break when a short delivery from Scott Boland hit the shoulder of his bat and flew over a leaping Cameron Green in the gully.With a wicket proving elusive for the quicks, Smith might have wished he could throw the ball to Lyon but, instead, he gave Head’s part-time spin a go. Labuschagne also unfurled his seam bowling in the last over before tea as Stokes and Jacks defied the odds in the first wicketless session of the series.It was much the same early in the second session with Stokes digging in while Jacks, playing just his third Test, looked composed and balanced at the crease.
Jacks brought up his first boundary of the day when he clipped beautifully through midwicket as he passed his previous Test high score of 31.Smith had started to look frustrated in the field, but his mood brightened considerably when he took it upon himself to produce a moment of magic to end Jacks’ resistance.Stokes had barely acknowledged his hard-fought half-century, knowing there was so much work still to do. But he soon walked off disappointed after falling to Neser, throwing his head back in agony with the bitter realisation that the match was effectively over.England lost their last 4 for 17 in their latest collapse as Neser claimed his first five-wicket innings haul of his brief Test career when he dismissed Brydon Carse.Smith equalled Rahul Dravid to sit second all-time in outfield catches and he celebrated with gusto knowing Australia were on the brink of another big win over their hapless opponent.

An unlikely England recall isn’t out of the question for controversial Marseille star Mason Greenwood, according to one of his team-mates, who has vowed to do all he can to help the former Manchester United winger back into the Three Lions reckoning. Greenwood has been in prolific form for the Ligue 1 side again this season and is believed to be keen on return to the England squad.

• Greenwood revival in south of France

  Greenwood joined Marseille in July last year, leaving Manchester United following charges of attempted rape, assault, and controlling behaviour, which were discontinued after key witnesses withdrew and new material emerged which meant there "was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction." After a successful loan spell at Getafe, Marseille signed him permanently for a reported £26.7 million ($35.3m), with the forward quickly becoming a key player under Roberto De Zerbi. 

  His career has seen a resurgence, with him becoming Marseille’s top scorer last season and continuing his form into the current campaign. In the recent Champions League clash with Newcastle, Greenwood delivered an excellent performance. He was a constant threat from the right wing, creating four chances and providing the cross for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's first goal as Marseille secured a crucial 2-1 victory. 

  And USMNT star Timothy Weah, son of former Paris St-Germain, AC Milan and Chelsea striker George, has promised to do all he can to help Greenwood make a remarkable return to to the England team. 

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• AFP
  

  Weah: 'I'm super proud of him'

  After the victory over Newcastle, Weah told : "When I speak about Mason it’s a special feeling because it’s very rare in a lifetime that you get to share the pitch with such an amazing player and amazing character. We’ve grown closer since I've joined the team and been here. Hopefully he gets that call-up soon. I’m super proud of him. He's having an amazing season and hopefully I can help him to reach those heights that he's aiming for."

• England boss clear on Greenwood position

  Greenwood has made just one senior appearance for the England national team when he was brought on as a substitute in a Nations League match against Iceland in September 2020. But there was controversy afterwards, as he was sent home shortly along with team-mate Phil Foden for breaching COVID-19 quarantine rules by bringing female companions back to the team hotel. He has not been called-up to the England squad since. 

  And while he is eligible to play for Jamaica, he holds hopes he could return to the England set-up, but Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel says he isn’t being considered for selection at the moment. Speaking in September, Tuchel said: "I have not spoken to him until now. I have not spoken to him or his camp. My understanding was that he tries to play for Jamaica so we didn't give it another thought. He was not in the mix at the moment, and he is not in our thoughts for our team."

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• AFP
  

  Greenwood 'not wanted' by Jamaica players

  Greenwood has also been tipped to switch allegiance to Jamaica after gaining his passport earlier this year. Steve McClaren resigned as Jamaica's head coach after the team failed to secure automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup, following a 0-0 draw with minnows Curaçao earlier this month. However, Jamaica's World Cup dream is not over and can qualify through the inter-confederation play-offs. But former Arsenal youngster Isaac Hayden has slammed the possibility of Greenwood changing his mind and joining up with the Reggae Boyz if they qualify for the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico. 

  Hayden said: "I've only played for Jamaica for a year, and there was some resistance to me when I started, but I have played 12 games and everyone can see my passion and the way I play the game. The quality of the player, his numbers, what he is producing, is of the highest level. But it comes down to principle and integrity. If players can just rock up because of a World Cup, it would make the whole thing a farce. That would say a lot about the player, and the organisation for allowing that to happen."

After they were placed into administration last Friday, Sheffield Wednesday have now received contact from American billionaire John Textor about buying the club.

The Owls knew the inevitable was coming for some time and it speaks volumes that many around the club will be relieved to be in administration rather than under the ownership of Dejphon Chansiri. His decade-long ownership has finally come to an end following a period in which staff and players went unpaid on a number of occasions.

Whilst there may be some light at the end of the tunnel off the pitch, however, Sheffield Wednesday have suffered on it. Henrik Pedersen’s side have been dealt an automatic 12-point deduction which has left them on -6 points and an impossible battle to stay up in the Championship.

Many have had their say on the consequences that they’ve been handed by the EFL, including Gary Lineker. The former Match of the Day host told The Rest is Football podcast: “They have gone into administration, obviously, and hopefully they can sort it all out. But they have got the 12-point penalty and are now on -6.

“I understand why clubs have to suffer repercussions, but I just think it’s like kicking a club when it’s down and at its lowest. We have had this with other clubs, and it just doesn’t sit well. It’s almost like the fans take the punishment.”

Julian Pitts, Kris Wigfield, Paul Stanley and Begbies Traynor have been appointed joint-administrators and are tasked with finding a suitable buyer for the club, with the EFL ready to relax their 21-day insolvency guideline to fast-track any potential sale.

John Textor makes contact with Sheffield Wednesday

According to reporter Alan Myers, Textor has now made contact with Sheffield Wednesday and their administrators about a potential deal to buy the club.

The American billionaire has also been linked with Wolverhampton Wanderers and it’s clear that he’s looking to invest in English football after selling his Crystal Palace shares in the summer.

That said, Sheffield Wednesday should proceed with caution. Having only just ended a toxic relationship with Chansiri, the last thing they need is another difficult ownership.

Textor stole the headlines when he resigned from his leadership position at Lyon after they were relegated to Ligue 2 amid financial problems. Although they have now been reinstated to France’s top flight and Textor remains a shareholder from afar, his day-to-day role received major protest from fans.

A repeat at Sheffield Wednesday is not guaranteed, but the Owls must ensure that Textor is right for them if they are to add themselves to his portfolio of clubs.

Sheffield Wednesday administrators reveal criteria owners must meet

He took three of the remaining four India wickets that India had when they arrived on Friday morning on 204 for 6

Vithushan Ehantharajah01-Aug-2025

Gus Atkinson finished with a five-for•PA Photos/Getty Images

Gus Atkinson’s fourth five-wicket haul helped England make light work of what remained of India’s first innings of the fifth Test, dismissing them for 224.Atkinson’s 5 for 33 upon his return to the XI after two months out was all the more important after news this morning that Chris Woakes would play no further part in the match after a suspected dislocated shoulder sustained in the field last evening. And the Surrey quick, on his home ground, took three of the remaining four wickets that India had up their sleeve when they arrived on Friday morning on 204 for 6.It was Josh Tongue who made the first key incision, albeit with a choatic approach that would get any surgeon struck off. His first over, opening from the Vauxhall End, went for nine, but he was able to remove Karun Nair for 57 in his second. A sharp delivery that nipped into the stumps – Nair no doubt expected something short and wide either side of them – pinned the right-hander on the back leg. Plumb in front, Nair took one of India’s three reviews with him.Washington Sundar should have assumed the responsibility at that point as an elongated tail became exposed, but he fell five deliveries later, waltzing into a short ball trap, heaving Atkinson to deep square leg, where Jamie Overton sprinted in to take a smart catch.Atkinson would then skittle Mohammed Siraj before Prasidh Krishna felt for a delivery outside off, completing a collapse of four for six in 18 balls. This is now the lowest first innings total of the series. The previous lowest was India’s 358 at Manchester.Atkinson now boasts an average of 21, the fourth best for an England seamer with fifty or more dismissals, and the second best strike rate, ever, at 34.9, for those who have taken 60 wickets.

Buckingham took 4 for 49 to help bowl Tasmania out for 195 despite Kellepotha’s 50 on debut for Tasmania

AAP05-Dec-2025South Australia seamer Jordan Buckingham bagged four wickets to put South Australia on top of their Sheffield Shield clash with Tasmania at Adelaide Oval.Tasmania debutant Ruwantha Kellepotha led a rescue mission for his new team, scoring a half-century but it was the home side’s day.Batting at No.8, Kellepotha top-scored with 50 as Tasmania could only manage 195 after winning the toss on Friday.They slumped to 86 for 6 before Jake Doran made 44 at No.6 and tailender Gabe Bell posted his highest first-class score of 27.Buckingham led the attack with 4 for 49, and South Australia at stumps were well-placed at 116 for 3.Jake Lehmann had made 37 and Jake Fraser-McGuirk was also looking well-set on 26.Kellepotha moved from Sri Lanka, where the legspinner played first-class cricket, in 2013.The 34-year-old played one Shield game for Victoria, and also had three games with the Melbourne Renegades in the BBL, but moved south ahead of this season and broke into the Tasmanian team.He hit two fours and three sixes in his 104-ball innings. Lehmann gave him a life on 31 when he dropped a chance in the deep off legspinner Lloyd Pope.SA player Hanno Jacobs had to leave the field after he was hit on the head while trying to take a catch. He was later cleared of injury.After his important contribution at No.10, Bell then struck twice to remove Henry Hunt and fellow SA opener Mackenzie Harvey, making his Shield debut.Billy Stanlake snared the wicket of Jason Sangha to leave the home side in early strife at 63 for 3.But Lehmann, who scored at faster than a run a ball, and Fraser-McGurk batted through to stumps. Tasmania must break up their partnership early on Saturday to have any hope of a first-innings lead.SA fielded a recast batting line-up, with captain Nathan McSweeney away on Australia A duties. Tasmania similarly made several changes because of injury and national commitments.After five games, SA are fourth on the Shield ladder in their title defence with only one win, and Tasmania are third.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been dealt another blow with an injured star now facing several weeks on the sidelines.

Arsenal navigate plethora of injuries to top Premier League table

Considering the sheer number of key first team players who’ve been sidelined at various points already this season, Arsenal’s position at the top of the Premier League table is all the more impressive.

The Gunners have endured a torrid season with injuries, much like last campaign, which has severely tested Arteta’s squad depth.

While Arsenal have still begun the campaign very strongly, and are unbeaten in their last 18 matches across all competitions, their relentless succession of fitness problems has affected big-name personnel across multiple positions.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Brentford

August proved particularly damaging, with Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Ben White and William Saliba all sustaining injuries.

Odegaard’s MCL knee injury against West Ham in early October proved especially problematic, keeping the captain out for nearly two months and robbing Arsenal of their creative heartbeat during crucial fixtures.

Gabriel Magalhaes remains absent for weeks following a thigh injury sustained during Brazil’s November friendly against Senegal. His regular partner Saliba has battled recurring problems, missing recent matches against Chelsea and Brentford due to an unspecified knock.

Arsenal handed Declan Rice injury twist after pre-Aston Villa update

The England international has been their arguable player of the season.

ByEmilio Galantini 6 days ago

Summer signing Cristhian Mosquera compounds Arteta’s concerns after suffering a ‘complicated’ ankle injury that will require further testing to determine his recovery timeline.

Declan Rice provided fresh worries after limping off late against Brentford with a calf problem, and while the England midfielder insisted he felt “fine” ready to play against Aston Villa this afternoon, Arteta suggests he’s subject to a late fitness test.

Leandro Trossard has missed matches with muscular issues but should return within ‘days’ according to Arteta’s latest briefing, with the same going for Saliba.

Havertz suffered a setback in his knee rehabilitation and won’t return until possibly late December, while Gabriel Jesus finally returned to contention recently after missing nearly a year recovering from an ACL tear.

Summer signing Noni Madueke was out for two months after knee damage against Man City in September, though scans cleared him of cruciate ligament damage. The winger has since returned to action, providing Arteta with a renewed attacking threat.

That is a staggering 10 first-team stars who’ve been sidelined at various points, or still are, with a pretty concerning update now coming to light on Mosquera’s condition.

Cristhian Mosquera facing eight weeks out after Arsenal injury blow

The Spaniard was forced off early doors during Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Brentford in midweek, and according to BBC journalist Sami Mokbel, Mosquera now faces ‘at least’ six weeks out through injury in ‘another blow’ to Arsenal.

The key phrase there is ‘at least’, and it could be as long as two months, with Saliba’s fitness now becoming more crucial than ever.

If the Frenchman is still unable to start, then Arteta will have little choice but to play Jurrien Timber alongside Piero Hincapie for this afternoon’s crunch clash against Villa in the Midlands.

White would then likely be handed his second consecutive league start at right-back for the first time since May, with Arsenal’s strength in depth now set to play an even more pivotal role in their quest to win a first league title in 22 years.

It is important to note that the timeframe for Mosquera’s injury lay-off are initial concerns from within Arsenal, with the ex-Valencia starlet set for further testing to determine his exact recovery timeline.

It is a blow for the centre-back personally after his fine start to life at N5, despite having to contend with being a back-up to Arteta’s first-choice centre-back pairing.

Arsenal believe Mosquera could become one of the best centre-backs in world football in a few years, according to some reports, and nothing we’ve seen so far disproves that theory.

Pep Guardiola has not been afraid to be ruthless when it comes to selling players at Manchester City. One of the best examples would have to be Joe Hart.

The former Citizens number one left the Etihad on loan for Torino in 2016, before exiting the club on loan for West Ham United the year after and leaving on a free in 2018.

More recently, you might look at Raheem Sterling as an example of this ruthlessness. After years of exceptional service for the club, City’s Spanish boss was happy for him to join Chelsea, a move which proved to be a good decision.

It could well be the case that Jack Grealish was on the receiving end of this ruthlessness from Guardiola this summer.

Why Grealish left Man City

City spent a huge fee on Grealish back in 2021, paying his boyhood side, Aston Villa, then-British record of £100m. There is a perception that things didn’t work out for the attacker, but his Champions League medal suggests otherwise.

Nonetheless, Grealish did fall out of favour under Guardiola. He played 157 games for City, but last term only managed 32 appearances across all competitions. However, from Boxing Day and beyond, the attacker only played seven times in the top flight.

After being snubbed in the FA Cup semi-final, with Guardiola opting to bring on youngster Claudio Echeverri for his debut, it seemed like the England star’s time at City was done. Alan Shearer said on the Rest is Football podcast afterwards that he “has to leave.”

Leave, he did. Everton swooped in to sign Grealish on loan with an option to buy him for £50m. It has been a hugely successful move for the winger, too. He is thriving under David Moyes and has five goals and assists to his name in 13 games.

Unfortunately, there is a City star who finds himself in a similar predicament this season, who could be the next to face Guardiola’s ruthless nature.

Man City's next big departure

Looking at this season, it hasn’t been easy to break into the City side. They have a settled 11, especially in attack, with the likes of Jeremy Doku and Phil Foden locking down spots in the lineup and Guardiola sticking with them week in, week out.

This has meant there are fewer opportunities for some players to get into the side. This can certainly be said for Savinho, who has found there have been limited chances this season in a City side performing well on the whole.

The 21-year-old has played 62 times for City now, and did impress last term. He scored and assisted 14 goals across all competitions, but has struggled for that form in 2025/26.

He’s bagged once in the Carabao Cup against Huddersfield Town, and has only assisted twice, in 14 appearances.

Indeed, his performances in 2025/26 have received criticism from fans and pundits alike. Sports writer Amos Murphy said he has been “awful” this term and that his efforts in the 2-1 defeat away to Newcastle United last weekend were “unacceptable.”

Last season, a campaign where City failed to win a trophy, Savinho’s underlying numbers were impressive. For example, he created an average of 2.3 chances each game, down this term to 1.8 per 90 minutes.

Savinho key stats in last 2 seasons
Stat (per 90)	2024/25	2025/26
Key passes	2.3	1.8
Dribbles completed	2.8	2
Big chances created	0.5	0.4
Expected goal involvements	0.46xG	0.28xG
Tackles and interceptions	1.4	1.3
Stats from Sofascore

Savinho’s performances certainly need to improve soon. As the season goes on, Guardiola will need the entirety of his squad to be at their top level in order to push for titles in the Premier League and Champions League.

However, at the rate of his performances, it is easy to see Savinho becoming another Grealish, and really falling out of favour under the Spaniard. Perhaps the Brazilian will be the next player to face the ruthless side of City’s boss.

New Foden: Man City star who will "surprise everybody" is one of PL's best

Manchester City need their stars to step up as Erling Haaland continues to dominate the centre stage.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 22, 2025

Manager Enzo Maresca believes Chelsea’s loss of injured talisman Cole Palmer is equivalent to Manchester City and Liverpool facing life without star forwards Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah. The Blues have not been able to call upon their main man since September, with his return from injury having now been delayed following a freak accident at home.

Palmer was set to resume first-team training before freak incident

Chelsea have been forced to cope without Palmer after he sustained a groin injury in the 2-1 loss at Manchester United on 20 September. The England international was set to resume first-team training this week, but his long-awaited return has been pushed back by an extra seven days after he stubbed his toe on a door.

Palmer will subsequently miss Chelsea’s next three games – Saturday's trip to Burnley in the Premier League, Tuesday's home fixture against Barcelona in the Champions League and next weekend's league match at home to leaders Arsenal.

Confirming the incident in his pre-match press conference ahead of the Burnley game, Maresca said: “He [Palmer] is probably not available for Saturday for sure, Barcelona for sure or Arsenal for sure.

“Unfortunately, he had an accident at home where he hit his toe. It is nothing important, but he won't be back in the next week. I wake up many times during the night – I hit my head, my legs, my everything – so it can happen.”

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMaresca compares Palmer to Haaland & Salah as injury woes continue

Palmer has become Chelsea’s leader since his arrival from City in 2023. The 23-year-old has scored 45 goals in 101 appearances for the west Londoners, winning both the Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup.

And such is Palmer’s influence on Chelsea that head coach Maresca has compared his absence to rivals City and Liverpool trying to win games without Haaland and Salah, who are also among the league’s best players.

The Italian told the club’s official website: “I’m very proud because for us Cole is like [Erling] Haaland for [Manchester] City, like [Mohamed] Salah for Liverpool. If Haaland doesn’t play for City or Salah doesn’t play for Liverpool, they are not the same team.

“So I’m very proud, but especially very proud of the players, because it is a difficult moment without Cole. They showed they are good players and they all want the best for this club.”

Chelsea head coach will be able to call upon fit-again striker Delap

One player Maresca will be able to turn to against Burnley is Liam Delap, who recently made his return from a hamstring injury in Chelsea’s 3-0 league win over struggling Wolves before the international break.

Delap moved to Stamford Bridge from relegated Ipswich Town in the summer, scoring his first goal for his new side against Tunisian outfit Esperance Tunis in the Club World Cup in June. The 22-year-old is still looking for his first Chelsea goal in domestic football.

“For sure Liam is part of our learning process,” Maresca said. “I know Liam very well from years ago and Liam is a fantastic player, especially when there are spaces to attack.

“He struggles a little bit more when there is no space, in the way he is. So in games like Wolves and probably today, he is going to struggle a bit more because there is no space to attack.

“Against teams that we can attack in behind with space he is a top player, he is fantastic. But in the same moment it is a learning process for him, how to play against these teams, how to be better, how we can help him to be better, to play against teams that wait for us and sit back.”

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Getty Images SportIn-form Blues looking to close gap on leaders Arsenal in Burnley clash

It remains to be seen whether Delap will start when Chelsea make the trip to Burnley on Saturday. Maresca’s side can move just three points behind Arsenal with a victory at Turf Moor, with Mikel Arteta’s Gunners set to renew hostilities with Tottenham in the north London derby at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Chelsea have lost just once in their last five games in all competitions, against high-flying Sunderland on 25 October, having recorded wins over Tottenham and Wolves in the league. They also defeated Wolves in the Carabao Cup on 29 October, before drawing with Azerbaijani side Qarabag in the Champions League on 5 November.