أعلن الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم، فيفا، مجموعة منتخب فرنسا في بطولة كأس العالم نسخة 2026، الصيف المقبل، خلال مراسم إقرعة القرعة في مركز “جون كينيدي” مساء يوم الجمعة.

وتستضيف كل من الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، كندا والمكسيك نهائيات النسخة المقبلة من بطولة كأس العالم، في الفترة بين 11 يونيو و19 يوليو.

وتُعد تلك هي النسخة الأولى من بطولة كأس العالم، بعد استحداث نظامها، حيث سيشارك فيها 48 منتخبًا، سيتم تقسيمهم على 12 مجموعة، ويتأهل متصدر ووصيف كل مجموعة إلى دور الـ32، بالإضافة إلى أفضل 8 منتخبات في مركز ثالث.

ويجري الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم، فيفا، في مركز “جون كينيدي” مراسم قرعة النسخة المقبلة من بطولة كأس العالم 2026، حيث تم الكشف عن طبيعة مجموعة منتخب فرنسا (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

وتأهل منتخب فرنسا، بقيادة المدرب ديدييه ديشامب، إلى بطولة كأس العالم بعدما تواجد في صدارة المجموعة الرابعة في تصفيات قارة أوروبا برصيد 16 نقطة.

وخسر منتخب فرنسا في نهائي نسخة 2022 من بطولة كأس العالم أمام الأرجنتين، بركلات الترجيح. مجموعة منتخب فرنسا في كأس العالم 2026

حسبما تم الإعلان، جاءت مجموعة منتخب فرنسا في بطولة كأس العالم الصيف القادم، على النحو الآتي:

المجموعة التاسعة: فرنسا، السنغال، العراق/بوليفيا/سورينام، النرويج.

Both fast bowlers will face India in the ODI series with Hazlewood then due to miss the latter part of the T20Is

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff07-Oct-20252:26

How is England’s attack shaping up ahead of the Ashes?

Josh Hazlewood is confident one Sheffield Shield game will be enough for him and Mitchell Starc before the Ashes, with the quick likely to skip three T20Is against India to play for New South Wales.Hazlewood and Starc were on Tuesday both named in Australia’s squad to face India in three ODIs later this month, which kicks off the main part of the home summer.Related

'He doesn't need much' – Starc says Cummins can play off limited preparation

Maxwell hopes to be fit for back-end of T20I series against India

Doubts over Cummins' fitness for first Ashes Test grow, return remains unknown

Ashes tracker: Labuschagne shines as Konstas stumbles

Hazlewood: England will bring an 'unbelievable' batting line-up for the Ashes

Five T20Is then follow, and while Starc has retired from that format, Hazlewood has been listed in the squad for the first two of those games on October 29 and 31.Australian officials are keeping an open mind to Ashes preparations, ahead of the first Test in Perth beginning on November 21.But the most likely scenario remains having the duo play for NSW against Victoria in a Shield match from November 10, before a one-week preparation into the first Test.”We’ve definitely had chats about fitting in a Shield game,” Hazlewood said at a Cricket Australia sponsorship announcement with Woolworths on Monday. “I do think it’s important when there’s time for it. You don’t want to squeeze things in or rush for it.”This year I’m going to miss a couple of T20s to do that. Which I certainly don’t like doing, missing games for Australia. But in the long run it is about getting the best prep for the Ashes as well. You can’t have everything and that’s the trade off at the moment.”Josh Hazlewood will work through ODIs and T20Is during October•Getty ImagesIt creates the potential for a star-studded NSW side to take the field at the SCG. Nathan Lyon is eyeing three out of the first four Shield matches before the first Test and is expected to miss the round two fixture at Junction Oval which would leave him to face Queensland at the Gabba then Victoria in Sydney.It’s understood that Steve Smith is also in line to play while Sam Konstas will likely line up, although by then he will know his Test fate with the squad due to be named after the third round of Shield fixtures.Pat Cummins will sit out the white-ball matches against India as he fights to recover from his back issues in time for the first Test.Hazlewood said playing the ODIs would also help with preparation, with three games in the space of a week offering a reasonable workload.There is a fine balance for the 34-year-old to strike, given he is still eying off playing in the T20 World Cup in February before another ODI tournament in 2027.”That’s why I put my hand up for as many tours as I can,” Hazlewood said. “Even if I only play two out of three on a tour, it just means I am still touching base with those formats.”My game doesn’t change too much. I have been around long enough to duck and dive in each format and chop and change.”Hazlewood said it was possible for him to play all five Ashes Tests, with lengthy gaps between the first three helping bowlers manage their fitness.

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.

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

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.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 22, 2025

One of the biggest success stories a Manchester United academy graduate has had since leaving the club is, without doubt, Scott McTominay.

The Scotland international has shone for his new club Napoli and played a crucial role in getting his country to the 2026 World Cup.

The 28-year-old has played 50 games for the Italian giants now, scoring 17 goals and assisting seven in that time. He became a club hero by helping guide them to the Scudetto title last season, winning the Serie A MVP award and earning himself a Ballon d’Or nomination in the process.

Ruben Amorim never got the chance to work with him at United, but it would have been fascinating to know how he’d have utilised him.

How Amorim could have used McTominay at Man Utd

It is interesting to note that under Antonio Conte in Naples, McTominay has operated in a few different roles. He’s played as a number ten, a box-crashing number eight and even off the left-hand side.

Well, had Amorim got the chance to coach the Scot, he may have used him as a number ten in his infamous 3-4-2-1 system. The United academy graduate has great instincts in the box and excels at occupying the centre-backs.

If he were to play high up under Amorim, the chances are he’d be spending more time in the box.

Of course, the other area McTominay would naturally fit in Amorim’s system would be as a number eight. In this role, he could still have crashed the box, making late runs to get on the end of crosses from the wing-backs.

Off the ball, his physicality would have been a handful. That is perhaps best showcased by his 1.85 aerial duels won per 90 minutes over the last year, placing him in the top 11% of midfielders across Europe’s big five leagues.

Of course, we’ll never truly know how McTominay would have fitted in under Amorim, but there is a player in the academy who could be seen as the Portuguese manager’s own version.

Amorim’s in-house Scott McTominay

Over the years, United’s esteemed academy, Carrington, has produced some exceptional talent. McTominay is one of the modern examples, and the Red Devils have some brilliant talent coming through still.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

One of those is Sekou Kone, a man who could be viewed as the second coming of McTominay.

The Malian youth international is seen by football scout Antonio Mango as a player who can be “a beast under Ruben Amorim.”

At 19 years of age, Kone has already been involved in first-team squads thanks to United’s manager, who clearly sees talent in him to give him that opportunity. The midfielder was an unused substitute for three Premier League games last season.

As for his performances in the academy, the five-foot-nine midfielder has shown good versatility and an eye for goal. He’s played 14 games for the Red Devils’ under-21 side, scoring twice and operating as a number ten and in the pivot, just as McTominay has shown for Napoli.

The competition in which Kone truly announced himself was the Under-17 World Cup back in 2023.

He helped steer Mali to third place and was one of the standout players in the competition, creating 10 chances and grabbing two assists.

It will certainly be interesting to see how far down the line we are from Kone’s first-team debut.

The 19-year-old could operate in a few different roles, and his ability to have an effect in the final third might pique Amorim’s interest.

It is easy to see how he is the second coming of McTominay. A versatile midfielder who can be physically dominant, despite having a smaller frame than the Scot, and someone able to score goals.

He is certainly an exciting prospect for Amorim and United.

Next Carrick: Man Utd want to sign "one of the best CMs in the PL" for £60m

Man United could enhance the quality of their midfield with the signing of another Michael Carrick.

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 19, 2025

Big chases bring all the drama and here is a list of five from the IPL that had almost everything

ESPNcricinfo staff27-May-2025Jonny Bairstow made an unbeaten 108 in a chase of 262•BCCIPunjab Kings 262 for 2
In a season where run-scoring and six-hitting scaled new heights, this clash raised the bar for T20 cricket. The match featured a record 42 sixes and produced the highest successful chase in the format – 262. KKR’s 261 for 6 was powered by a 138-run opening stand between Sunil Narine and Phil Salt, with the middle order adding the finishing touches. In reply, Prabhsimran Singh provided the early thrust before Jonny Bairstow’s fiery hundred and Shashank Singh’s 28-ball 68 sealed the mighty chase with eight balls to spare.Sunrisers Hyderabad 247 for 2
It was Abhishek’s night in Hyderabad. A stroke of luck came early when he was caught on 28, but it turned out to be off a no-ball. Most times, when he hit the ball in the air, it either disappeared into the stands or dropped safely in no man’s land. Occasionally, as is the case when playing such high-risk innings, the ball went in the general direction of a fielder but PBKS weren’t able to hold onto their catches. Abhishek dismantled PBKS’ bowling attack with audacious ease. He stormed to his maiden IPL century in just 40 balls and went on record the highest individual score (141 off 55 balls) by an Indian in IPL history. Head played the perfect supporting act, hammering 66 off 37 in a dominant 171-run opening stand.Jitesh Sharma and Mayank Agarwal stitched a match-winning 107 in just 45 balls•Associated PressRoyal Challengers Bengaluru 230 for 4
The night seemed to belong to Rishabh Pant. His blazing 118, off just 61 balls, meant that RCB had to gun down 228 to earn a spot in Qualifier 1 against Punjab Kings. RCB began well, with Kohli and Phil Salt adding 61 inside six overs, but three quick wickets tilted the advantage LSG’s way. Kohli raised a fine half-century, but his dismissal in the 12th over left RCB with 105 runs still to get from just 52 balls. Enter Mayank and Jitesh. While Mayank’s 23-ball 41 was impressive on its own, Jitesh seemed to batting in a different dimension altogether, blasting 85 off 33 balls, with eight fours and six sixes. Will O’Rourke, in particular, came in for some heavy punishment, conceding 74 from his four overs – the third-most expensive spell in IPL history.The game wasn’t without drama from other corners. Jitesh looked to be out at the start of the 17th over, but a back-foot no ball from Digvesh Rathi handed the batter a reprieve. A few moments later, Rathi, before delivering the ball, clipped the stumps at the bowler’s end with Jitesh well sort of his crease. However, the wicket was not given because the umpire deemed that Rathi had completed his delivery stride before he removed the stumps. Pant also asked for the appeal to be withdrawn. In the end, RCB were not to be denied, as Jitesh himself sealed it with a six to send every Bengaluru fan into delirium.Rahul Tewatia was the centre of attention after his spectacular innings against Kings XI in IPL 2020•BCCIRajasthan Royals 226 for 6
With Rajasthan Royals (RR) needing 51 off the final three overs, Rahul Tewatia’s 17 off 23 balls was turning into a disastrous promotion to No. 4. But what followed was one of the most dramatic turnarounds in IPL history. Tewatia smashed five sixes off Sheldon Cottrell’s over. He and Jofra Archer added three more sixes, and a four, in the next nine balls. RR chased down 224 – the highest IPL chase at the time – with three balls to spare. Earlier, Sanju Samson’s 85 off 42 had kept them in the hunt against PBKS.Jos Buttler pulled off a great one-man rescue act for Rajasthan Royals last year•BCCIRajasthan Royals 224 for 8
The standout performer of KKR’s title-winning campaign, Sunil Narine, smashed his maiden T20 century to lift his side to 223 for 6 and then struck with the ball too. With 103 to defend off 46 balls and four wickets remaining for RR, KKR were cruising. But Jos Buttler had other plans. With a strapped-up hamstring that kept him out of the previous game, Buttler single-handedly turned the chase on its head – scoring 70 of the remaining runs, retaining strike for the final 18 balls, and completing the win with five sixes and six fours.The Pandya brothers run to congratulate Kieron Pollard on taking Mumbai home in a chase of 219•BCCI/IPLMumbai Indians 219 for 6
This was one of those chases that cemented Kieron Pollard’s status as Mumbai Indians (MI) saviour. Ambati Rayudu’s blazing 72 off 27 balls had powered CSK to 218 for 4. MI came out swinging in the powerplay but stumbled with three quick wickets. MI needed 125 off the last eight overs with Pollard batting on 2 off 4. Then the tide started turning – he hit three sixes off Ravindra Jadeja, followed by a barrage against the quicks. Cameos from the Pandya brothers helped bring it down to 16 off the final over. Pollard kept strike throughout and sealed the win off the last ball with a nervy, match-winning double.

Stats highlights from the penultimate day of the Oval Test

Sampath Bandarupalli03-Aug-20251:44

Bangar: India could have bowled straighter to Root

24 – Hundreds for Joe Root in Tests in England, the most by a batter in a single country. He goes past Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Mahela Jayawardene, who have 23 centuries each at home.Root now has 39 tons in Test cricket, the fourth-most by a batter, behind Sachin Tendulkar (51), Kallis (45) and Ponting (41).13 – Number of hundreds for Root in Tests against India. Only Don Bradman has more Test tons against an opponent – 19 against England, while Sunil Gavaskar also has 13 against West Indies.Related

• Root says shoulder injury won't prevent Woakes from batting

• India claw back after Brook, Root tons to set up thrilling finish

50 – Innings Harry Brook has taken to record ten Test hundreds; the least for any batter in the last 70 years. Overall, only eight batters have taken fewer innings to score their tenth hundred in Tests.13 – Fifty-plus scores for Root in the fourth innings of a Test match, the joint-most by any batter, alongside Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Graeme Smith and Chris Gayle.7 – Brook’s 91-ball century in this fifth Test is the seventh-fastest in the fourth innings of a Test match. The two fastest fourth-innings hundreds have been by England players – Gilbert Jessop off 76 balls against Australia in 1902 and Jonny Bairstow off 77 balls against New Zealand in 2022.1:58

Bangar: Brook largely responsible for what unraveled

21 – Number of individual hundreds by England and India batters in the five Tests, the joint-most for a Test series, alongside the five-match series between West Indies and Australia in 1955.9 – Number of batters with 400-plus runs, the most for a Test series. The previous highest was eight during the Frank Worrell Trophy in 1975-76, and the 1993 Ashes.19 – Century partnerships in this series are the joint-most for a Test series. The 1957-58 series between West Indies and Pakistan and The Wisden Trophy in 1967/68 also had 19 century stands.The 195-run partnership between Root and Brook was the 85th century-stand in all Test cricket involving Root. Only Rahul Dravid (88) and Tendulkar (86) have been involved in more century stands, while Ponting was also part of 85.100 – Total number of hundreds for England in Tests at The Oval. It is the second venue where England batters have a century of tons in Tests, after Lord’s (141). Australia have three such venues – Melbourne (116), Adelaide (110) and Sydney (108).

A former England international, who played Premier League football, has reportedly been arrested on suspicion of attempted rape. The suspect, who is said to have represented the Three Lions in the 2010s, was detained when passing through Stansted Airport following an allegation from an ex-partner that is now being investigated by the relevant authorities.

• Suspect apprehended at Stansted Airport

  Police have announced that the player in question has been bailed pending further inquiries. He was apprehended by security when being stopped at Stansted. Border Forces stepped in at passport control.

  reports that the former Premier League performer was wanted by police over a “non-recent allegation of attempted rape reported by a former partner”. He was stopped from boarding a flight with a budget airline on November 30.

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• Getty
  

  Allegation made by former partner

  A source told The Sun, with efforts being made to avoid causing a scene in a very public place: “He was walking through passport control when he was discreetly pulled aside by Border Force. There was clearly an issue and he was led away.”

  A complaint is said to have been lodged by the player’s ex-partner several weeks ago. Essex Police subsequently opened an investigation. Officers from that constabulary are said to have been alerted to possible movement, allowing them to descend on Stansted Airport and make an arrest.

• Suspect held in police custody

  The one-time England international will have been held behind bars after being taken to a local police station, as he waited for his solicitor to arrive. Fingerprints, a DNA sample and mugshots have been taken – as is standard procedure in a case of this type.

  It is reported that the suspect was held in custody for “several hours” before being released on bail as inquiries continue. The player at the centre of the investigation is said to have “attended recent public events”, leading to confusion as to why he has only now been arrested when passing through an airport.

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• Getty
  

  Statement from Essex Police

  An insider for The Sun added on decisive action that was taken over the weekend: “It’s bizarre that he was arrested at the airport when he has been quite visible in public recently.”

  The complainant is said to have been “interviewed by specialist sex crimes officers and offered counselling and support”. A spokesperson for Essex Police has said, with the suspect unable to be named for legal reasons: “A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted rape and has been bailed to a date in late February 2026 while we continue our inquiries.”

Neymar has revealed why he was "sad and very upset" despite his goalscoring display in Santos' crucial 3-1 win over Sport Recife. The build-up to the game had been dominated by whether or not the 33-year-old would play amid an issue with his knee. The former Barcelona star bagged a goal and an assist but after the match, he took a swipe at the media.

Neymar to the rescue for Santos

Despite a knee issue keeping him out of Santos' 1-1 draw with Internacional earlier this week, Neymar played through the pain in his side's vital victory on Friday night. The former Paris Saint-Germain ace, who has reportedly been advised to undergo an arthroscopy in order to repair a tear in the meniscus region of his left knee, received a standing ovation from his home fans as the Brazilian giants earned an important three points. The result took them up to 15th in the table, giving them a two-point cushion above the relegation zone, although 17th-placed Vitoria and 18th-positioned Fortaleza have a game in hand. While many celebrated the victory, Neymar was not best pleased.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'It was a joint decision'

The former Al-Hilal man appeared to take aim at how his injury has been reported in the press. The forward made it clear that he made the decision to play for Santos after being advised by the club's doctors, rather than defying them. 

"To be honest, it's not okay! People need to know that doctors and I know. These are the people who have to know what happened to make the right decisions. We will never harm my career, we will try to do the best for me. That's what I have to say. People invent many things. I'm sad! Very upset," he said in an interview with Sportv. "I am a human being and no being deserves to listen to the nonsense I heard. You, who report things, have to be very careful. It is very harmful to the mind of a player, who is a human being. I'm happy for today's game. For the goal, for Santos' victory. Seek the three points. About these decisions (to play or not), they are internal. I didn't go over the doctors, it was a joint decision. I was the one who had to take it."

Neymar optimistic about his injury

Neymar, who has had an injury-hit second stint at boyhood team Santos, was optimistic about his conditioning going into the final games of the season. It did not seem like he would sit out the rest of the campaign, with the veteran very much determined to keep Santos in the Brazilian top-flight. 

He added: "Physically I've been doing well, I'm feeling better and better, obviously with this injury now it's sad, it's annoying, but it's nothing that will stop me from doing something, that's why I keep playing. Now it's time to think about Santos and where Santos deserves to be, which is Serie A, and then we'll see what they do. We have been facing a very big difficulty in the fight against relegation, obviously we didn't want that, but now we depend on us. Obviously we know that goal difference is important, that's why I was always demanding the team to try to score goals, respecting the Sport team, but we really wanted this victory, we wanted a bigger balance, because we know that in the end it will be important. Now we have to keep going from here for the better."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Neymar's Santos?

Santos' final two games of the Brasileiro Serie A season involve a trip to 19th-placed Juventude, who are set to be relegated, on Wednesday, before hosting third-placed Cruzeiro four days later. 

When asked if he would be on the field in Santos' next match, Neymar replied: "Absolutely."

Indeed, Santos manager Juan Pablo previously said on the Brazilian icon: "He's a player we need for all three rounds, and he'll help us. He's our leader on the field. He'll be there."

Aston Villa are now plotting a £18m bid for a “tremendous” defender, who is also being targeted by Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, with Emiliano Martinez a big fan.

Villa keen on strengthening despite resurgent form

Villa have made major improvements over the past month or so, having won six of their last seven matches in the Premier League, which has propelled them to fourth in the table, and Unai Emery has been impressed by his side’s recent performances.

After the 2-1 victory away at Leeds United last time out, the manager said: “The second half (was) better, but overall, 90 minutes, I am so happy how we competed. Even the first half, we didn’t play brilliant, but we were always trying to set our gameplan on the field, and progressively we did it.”

The Villans went 1-0 down at Elland Road, with Martinez receiving criticism for his goalkeeping in the build-up to Lukas Nmecha’s opening goal.

However, a second-half Morgan Rogers brace turned the game on its head, with the goalkeeper’s blushes being spared, and Aston Villa have now joined the race for one of the Argentinian’s international teammates.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Villa are now plotting a €20m (£18m) opening offer for River Plate defender Lautaro Rivero, having tracked the centre-back for months, and Martinez has provided positive feedback on his compatriot.

The Villans believe the 33-year-old’s personal relationship with the River Plate star could give them the edge in the race for his signature, despite rival interest from Man City and Tottenham.

Although the Argentinian has a €100m (£88m) release clause in his contract, River Plate would be willing to sanction a departure for considerably less, and there is a belief he could make an instant impact at Villa Park.

"Tremendous" Rivero has earned big Premier League move

Hailed as “tremendous” by journalist Juan Patricio Balbi, the 22-year-old may now be ready to test himself in England, having performed very well over the past year, placing in the 93rd percentile for tackles per 90, compared to other centre-backs, courtesy of averaging 2.27.

Aston Villa make Emiliano Martinez sale decision amid Unai Emery comments

There has been a key update on Martinez’s future, following the goalkeeper pushing for a move during the summer.

ByDominic Lund Nov 19, 2025

Villa are arguably well-stocked at centre-back, with Pau Torres and Ezri Konsa forming a reliable partnership as of late, but Tyrone Mings has been unable to put his injury problems behind him, and is potentially in the latter stages of his career at 32-years-old.

Tyrone Mings’ injury record

Games missed

12/08/23 – 30/10/24

70

Remainder of 2024/25

7

2025-26

17

As such, Emery could do with bringing in a younger centre-back, and having recently received his first cap for Argentina, Rivero could be capable of pushing for a starting spot.

Liverpool’s dire run of form continued on Saturday afternoon. The Reds were defeated 3-0 by Nottingham Forest at Anfield, leaving Arne Slot’s side with just three wins in their last 11 games in all competitions, and just 18 points to their name in the Premier League.

It was a hugely underwhelming performance from the reigning Premier League champions. Their poor form sees them slip to 11th in the top flight, with just 18 points to their name. They are already eight points behind league leaders Arsenal.

In terms of the Saturday afternoon clash at Anfield, a first-half strike from defender Murillo, and second-half goals from Nicolo Savona and captain Morgan Gibbs-White were enough to give Sean Dyche’s side all three points.

The Reds dominate the ball, having 76% possession, and 21 shots at the Forest goal, but simply didn’t do anything of substance. They lacked real bite in attack, with just four of their shots actually finding the target. Forest, on the other hand, had seven shots on target out of 15.

There were some poor performances across the board from Slot’s side, although a few stand out in particular.

Liverpool’s worst players vs. Forest

It was yet another tough day at the office for Liverpool, with one man struggling to get into the game being Liverpool striker Alexander Isak. The Swede went another game without finding the back of the net, still chasing his first goal in the Premier League for Liverpool.

Liverpool content creator George Scaife expressed his surprise at the fact that Isak got just 15 touches of the ball against Forest. Indeed, there was a lack of service against Forest for the Reds’ number nine, who only managed one shot on goal.

Another man who left a lot to be desired for Liverpool on Saturday afternoon was Alexis Mac Allister. The 2022 World Cup winner was part of yet another reshuffled midfield, and although he almost put Liverpool ahead, he struggled to contribute anything of note.

Indeed, the disappointing performance from Mac Allister was noticed by Liverpool World journalist Will Rooney. He gave the Argentina international a 4/10 rating, criticising him for the fact that he ‘stupidly dived in’ on Neco Williams, which allowed the former Liverpool man to find a cross leading to Savona’s goal.

Isak and Mac Allister certainly struggled against Dyche’s men, but there was one player who was perhaps worse.

Liverpool’s worst player vs. Forest

It was yet another day to forget for Reds centre-back Ibrahima Konate. The Frenchman’s poor afternoon was summed up by James Pearce, The Athletic’s Liverpool reporter. He described it as a “nightmare” and said it was “error after error” at Anfield.

His once-formidable partnership with Virgil van Dijk has been breached plenty of times this season. Indeed, that was something that Forest found it easy to do on Saturday, given that they bagged three goals.

Some of the stats from the 26-year-old’s performance against Forest highlight how tough a day it was for him. Konate only won four out of seven attempted duels, conceded two fouls and was dribbled past once.

Konate key stats vs. Forest

Stat

Number

Touches

61

Passes completed

50/54

Number of times ball lost

5

Ground duels won

2/5

Aerial duels won

2/2

Fouls

2

Number of times dribbled past

1

Stats from Sofascore

Indeed, Rooney gave the former RB Leipzig man a scathing review. The journalist rated his showing a 4/10, explaining that he “should have dealt with the ball better,” which led to a corner from which Forest opened the scoring, and “made a meal of the cross” from which Forest had their goal ruled out.

This season, Konate, who is out of contract in the summer, has put in several underwhelming showings. As recently as September, it was reported that Real Madrid will try and sign the Frenchman, either on a free if he doesn’t sign a new contract, or in January.

Slot and the higher-ups at Anfield now have a decision to make. With Konate’s performances and contractual situation, they may well decide to recruit in January and look to move on from the Frenchman.

They have been linked with Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi again in the last few weeks, after failing to sign him on deadline day. Perhaps the Reds will be of the view that it is best they cut their losses on Konate and sell him to Los Blancos, or elsewhere, and reinvest that money.

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Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 21, 2025