BREAKING: Mykhailo Mudryk is clear to play again after doping accusations. Case settled. Mudryk is expected to join Chelsea in Hong Kong for pre-season tour. He’s gonna be available immediately. He is now eligible to return to competitive action with immediate effect after a resolution was reached between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Football Association (FA) over an anti-doping violation.
BREAKING: Hugo Broos has stepped down from his role as South Africa head coach following the expiration of his contract. South Africa Faa said on social media on Friday that Broos, 74, would be departing from the role he has held for more than five years, a tenure which saw the Belgian coach lead the nation to their first-ever appearance in a World Cup knockout stage match this summer. The former Cameroonian head coach took over in 2021 and ha led to a 3rd place finish at the 2023 AFCON tournament as well as qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup where they were eliminated in the Round of 32 by Co-host Canada.
BREAKING: Emerse Faé and Ivory Coast will part ways as the coach’s contract has not been extended. The Federation has started process to find a new head coach. The former Ivorian international who took over during the 2024 AFCON tournament after the firing of Jean-Louise Gasset led the team to the AFCON title at home during the tournament against all odds. He also led the team to the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup before losing to Norway.
BREAKING: FIFA and Gianni Infantino have performed a U-turn on his plot to sell a stake in its commercial and event operations after widespread condemnation of the plans. According to a statent released by Infantino; "The FIFA Forward Enterprise project was intended to provide a basis for further strengthening our FIFA Member Associations and our sport worldwide, especially in those countries where support is most needed. And more so, as we said from the outset, to do this only if a majority of the FIFA Member Associations were in support and always subject to a consultation process with them, the FIFA Council, the Confederations and wider stakeholders. Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place. Our purpose has always been - and will always be - to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed. Moving forward, my intent is to bring all interested parties back together in the coming days and weeks in the spirit of shared interest in our game, and with the objective to continue growing football everywhere, particularly in those countries that mostly need our support.
BREAKING: Newcastle have reached a verbal agreement with Matthias Jaissle to become new head coach. The agreement will be valid until June 2030 and it’s expected to be signed in the next days, with Al Ahli informed. The German coach who is the current coach of Saudi side Al-Ahli led RB Salzburg to 2 Austrian Championship as well as 1 Austrian Cup. He also led Al-Ahli to the AFC Champions League Elite in 2026.
BREAKING: CONCACAF, the confederation of North, Central America and the Caribbean, says it rejects FIFA’s plans to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. All 41 members of CONCACAF met on Thursday to discuss the proposals. One source with knowledge of the meeting, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships, said the feeling and discussion expressed among the vast majority of CONCACAF members was that they are losing confidence, or have lost confidence altogether in Gianni Infantino as FIFA President. A second person considered that to be a slightly stronger description of the meeting than they took away from it, but acknowledged widespread concerns over the current FIFA approach to leadership and transparency.
BREAKING: Sad news from Italy as legendary Italy and AC Milan defender Franco Baresi has passed away this morning at 66 years old. An absolute legend of the game with AC Milan and Italy, marking an era for different generations. Thoughts and prayers with the family and the friends. Rest in peace, Franco. . One of the game's greatest defenders, Baresi won three European Cups and two UEFA Super Cups, representing Italy on 81 occasions. Baresi played 719 games for Milan across 20 consecutive seasons, winning six Serie A titles and three European Cups.
BREAKING: Roberto Mancini has agreed to become new Italy head coach, the new project is set to start after president Malagò stopped Andrea Pirlo deal at signatures due to his collaboration with Russian brands. The former Inter Milan and Manchester City manager who led Italy to a UEFA Championship in 2020 beating England on penalties will be takes with taking Italy to the UEFA European Championship in 2028 as well as qualifying for 2030 World Cup after Italy have failed to qualify for the last 3 World Cup. Italy have also appointed Claudio Ranieri as new technical director. Ranieri will be the new strong man of the Federation, decision has been made. He will be replacing AC Milan great Paolo Maldini who resigned over the debacle that followed the appointment of Andrea Pirlo and the subsequent backlash over his relationship with a Russian betting company. The Premier League winning manager who led Leicester to a PL title in 2016 last managed AS Roma in 2025 before taking up an advisory role till his appointment as the Technician Director of the Italian Football Federation. He'll be expected to work with Claudio Ranieri to help move the Italian national team forward. Roberto Mancini new head coach. Claudio Ranieri new technical director.
BREAKING: FIFA has announced plans to sell a large minority stake in a new company that will run its main events, including the World Cup and Club World Cup, as part of a plan to triple the amount of development money it dishes out to its 211 member associations. Under the proposals — which are subject to approval by a majority of those national associations and FIFA’s 37-member council — a new entity called FIFA Forward Enterprises (FFE) will take over all commercial operations, while FIFA remains the game’s global governing body and retains a majority stake in FFE. UEFA has released a statement condemning the proposals claiming that "None of us are the owners of football. It's not FIFA to sell" UEFA has rejected the FIFA plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors after president Gianni Infantino unveiled a proposal on Tuesday to create a $20 billion company running the World Cup. Part of the proposal is that the World Ccup would be held every 2 years,
BREAKING: Senegal have parted ways with Pape Thiaw after the side’s last-32 elimination at the World Cup. The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) announced on Sunday that they had parted company with the 45-year-old, who took over as national team boss in 2024. The former Senegal international led the team to victory in the Africa Cup of Nations in January — though the controversy around that final continues after Morocco was awarded the win two months after by an appeals committee.
BREAKING: Gianni Infantino has said FIFA will examine expanding the World Cup by a further 16 nations to a 64-team tournament ahead of its next edition in 2030. The 2030 tournament will be spread across six nations and three continents: Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay are scheduled to host one match apiece at the start of the competition, with the remaining games split between Morocco, Portugal and Spain.
BREAKING: Sadio Mané has announced his retirement from international football. The Senegal legend ends his national team career with incredible numbers: 54 goals 29 assists AFCON champion (2022) 2× AFCON runner-up 2× AFCON Best Player 2× African Footballer of the Year A true Senegal and African football icon.
FIFA’s chief refereeing officer, Pierluigi Collina, has hit back at allegations that match officials can be influenced by external factors after suggestions that they are biased towards Argentina. His comments came after Hossam Hassan, the Egypt head coach, criticised referee Francois Letexier and said his side had been “treated unfairly” and “suffered injustice” during their round-of-16 defeat by Argentina on Tuesday. But Collina, a former World Cup final referee who joined FIFA in 2017, has strongly rejected the notion that his match officials are showing favouritism towards Argentina, or any other side.
BREAKING: Jordan Henderson is set to play no further part in the World Cup as he needs surgery on the freak wrist injury he suffered in England’s last 16 victory over Mexico. The Brentford midfielder landed awkwardly as he slipped while climbing over the advertising hoardings during the celebrations after the thrilling 3-2 win at the Azteca Stadium. After leaving the field on a stretcher and receiving oxygen, Henderson was taken to hospital in Mexico City and did not travel back to England’s training base in Kansas City with the rest of Thomas Tuchel’s squad.
BREAKING: Kylian Mbappe has described Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla as “despicable” and “racist” after she called the France captain a “colonised Cameroonian” following the World Cup round-of-16 game between the two nations on Saturday. The French Football Federation has said it has reported Amarilla’s comments to the public prosecutor’s office “with a view to legal proceedings.” The Athletic has sought to clarify where such proceedings would take place. Earlier today, Celeste Amarilla said this on Kylian Mbappé: "This brute hasn't even learned to write. Instead of breast milk, he grew up sucking on coconuts, and the most educated creatures he ever heard were chimpanzees. You should've given him the middle finger, Orlando Gill (Paraguay GK). A colonized Cameroonian, pretending to be French, resentful, newly rich, arrogant, and ugly. He was nervous and scared to death all game, like his whole team. They didn't even manage to score a single goal, until they got lucky with a penalty. The only thing many of us blame the team for is not giving him a full-handed slap at the end of the game. I'm not even a football fan."
BREAKING: Folarin Balogun will be available to play the USMNT’s round of 16 match against Belgium with his one-game red-card ban suspended. The 25-year-old received a straight red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Multiple FIFA officials told reporters after the game that a team is not able to appeal against a red card or the subsequent suspension. However, Balogun is set to be available to face Rudi Garcia’s side as his suspension has been suspended.
BREAKING: Manchester City have announced that they have reached an agreement to complete the signing of midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest in a deal worth £116million. Anderson, 23, has signed a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium which, if all bonuses are realised, will be worth in the region of £300,000 per week. The deal also includes the option to extend by a further 12 months.
BREAKING: Manchester City are delighted to confirm the appointment of Enzo Maresca as manager. The Italian has signed a three-year contract until summer 2029. For Maresca it will mark his third spell at the Club, and he arrives armed with a wealth of experience and success at elite level. “Manchester City is a club I know very well and to have the chance to manage this team is a brilliant opportunity for me,” Maresca said. Manchester City Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak believes City and Maresca are a perfect match and says the style of football the Italian favours is a reflection of the Club’s values. “Enzo is someone who has always sought out opportunities to challenge himself and succeed in his managerial career. He brings a personality, passion and intelligence completely aligned to our needs. “He is re-joining an organisation that is entirely in lock-step with his ambition and hunger for achievement and his return to Manchester City is therefore a welcome natural next step for both him and the Club. “Enzo inherits a squad and football organisation perfectly suited to reflect and evolve his brand of football, and we are all very much looking forward to seeing the impact he can have in building further on the Club’s success. Chelsea have however released their official statement statement on Enzo Maresca. “Chelsea FC appreciates the 2025/26 season was a hugely disappointing one for the Club and its supporters. A major contributing factor was the disruption caused as a result of changes that the Club was forced to make to the Head Coach position over the Christmas period”. “Due to recent developments, we consider that it is important to explain to our supporters what happened and why our former Head Coach left the Club on 1 January 2026”. “In Autumn last year, the Club was informed by our former Head Coach that there might be an opportunity for him to succeed Pep Guardiola at the end of the season”. “It became clear to us that it was his strong desire to succeed Guardiola and that he was fully committed to pursuing the opportunity, despite the fact he was under a long-term contract which he had no right to terminate”. “In December 2025, our Head Coach unexpectedly and abruptly resigned from his position. Obviously, we felt let down as we believed that his head and heart were focused on another club and another opportunity, despite having just arrived at Chelsea the year before”. “No club wants to change its head coach midway through a season. However, in light of his decision not to continue fulfilling his responsibilities through to the end of the season, the Club was left with no choice but to protect our players, our supporters, and the Badge and accept his resignation”. “In the circumstances and given the mutual respect between clubs, a confidential settlement has been reached with Manchester City, which includes the payment of compensation. A confidential settlement has also been reached with the former Head Coach under which he will pay compensation”.
BREAKING: Qatar midfielder Assim Madibo has been handed a five-match ban for his challenge on Ismael Kone, which resulted in the Canadian player sustaining a broken leg at the World Cup.
2026 FIFA WORLD CUP RECAP: Portugal put up a 5 star display as the thrashed World Cup debutants Uzbekistan 5-0 with Cristiano Ronaldo grabbing a brace to become the oldest player in World cup history to score a brace and the 2nd oldest player to score at the World Cup after Roger Milla. After their 1-1 draw with DR Congo and the criticism that came after the game, the Portuguese team delivered a wonderful response. Portugal took an early lead in the 6th minute when Ronaldo latched onto a Joao Cancelo's cross past Uzbekistan keeper Abduvakid Nematov. Nuno Mendes doubled Portugal's lead after smashing home a free kick in the 17th minute. Uzbekistan thought they had pulled one back after Azizjon Ganiev but it was ruled out for a foul. Ronaldo grabbed his brace and Portugal's third goal after shooting past Nematov from a Bruno Fernandes pass after a swift counter attack. In the 2nd half, Portugal kept dominating possession and creating several chances. After a wonderful Nematov save from Ronaldo, the resulting corner kick was diverted into his own goal by the Uzbekistan goalkeeper. Rafael Leao came in to add a 5th goal after a wonderful play by Francisco Conceicao. Ronaldo had a chance to grab a hattrick late in the game but couldn't convert from Nuno Mendes cross as time ran out. The win sees Portugal go top of the group pending the result of the game between Columbia and DR Congo. A win for Columbia sees them return to the top of the table while a draw or a loss will see Portugal remain at the top of the group. Ante Budimir scored the only goal of the game as Croatia defeated Panama 1-0 to record their first win of the tournament. After losing 4-2 against England, the Osasuna striker that was benched against England scored in the 2nd half to give the European side their first win. Despite Croatia dominating posesion, Croatian Goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic was the busier of the two goalkeepers making numerous saves in the first half including tipping a Jose Luis Rodriguez header onto the bar. Zlatko Dalic must have read his team the riot act as they came out in the 2nd half blazing and took the lead barely a minute after the restart. Dalic made 2 substitutions at the beginning of the half and one of the players he brought on was Ante Budimir. Josip Statistic combined well on the right with Mario Pasalic before crossing the ball, the Panama goalkeeper missed the ball completely which allowed Budimir to calmly slot into the net. It was almost 2-0 a few minutes later but Mosquera stood tall to deny Mario Pasalic one-on-one after he was out through by Luka Modric who was making his 200th cap for Croatia. Panama regained control of the possession and almost equalized when Livakovic denied Micheal Murillo before pushing Carlos Harvey's header over the bar from the resulting corner kick. The win sees Croatia climb to third, 1 points behind England and Ghana who both played out a drab 0-0 draw earlier in Boston. Colombia secured qualification for the next round after beating DR Congo 1-0. It was a very tough game with very minimal chances created but the South America side were able to pull off the win to secure qualification. Colombia thought they had an early lead after Crystal Palace's Daniel Munoz thought he had scored but it was immediately chalked off for offside. DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpazi-Nzau had to produce a vital save to deny Bayern Munich winger Luiz Diaz. Columbia had most of the possession but created very few chances. This continued after the restart though Mpazi-Nzau had to produce another save to stop Diaz before Jhon Arrias shot wide. Colombia took the lead in the 76th minute after Munoz was set to free and he finished into the bottom corner for his 2nd goal of the tournament. Diaz had the ball in the net twice after the goal but they were ruled off for a foul and another one for offside. Colombia were able to withstand a barrage of late DR Congo pressure and see out the win. The win gives Colombia 6 points, 2 more than Portugal who they will face in their last game while DR Congo battle debutants Uzbekistan
BEAKING: Nottingham Forest have identified Lucas Bergvall as a potential replacement for Elliot Anderson who is expected to join Manchester City. Aston Villa admire 20yo but not actively looking for a midfielder without making a sale. Bergvall’s preference is to move on from Tottenham and has been alerting several suitors.
2026 FIFA WORLD CUP QUARTER FINALS By: Babatunde Ajibade (World Cup correspondent) Facebook: Babatunde Olatunji Ajibade Twitter: ollyzjinx01 Instagram: sir_ajirowo01 As the tournament draws closer to its end, the excitement just keeps growing. The biggest players continue to show up on the biggest stage with brilliant goals, crunching tackles and unbelievable saves. The quarter-finals were no different. This World Cup may have been longer than previous editions, but one thing is certain—it has delivered. France took on Morocco in the opening quarter-final, and for me, Morocco gave France far too much respect. From the way the coach set up the team, it looked like they were more concerned about stopping France than hurting them. France, on the other hand, came out like a team on a mission. Mbappé missed a penalty in the first half, but that didn't stop him. He responded with a brilliant finish after the break to put France ahead. It was his eighth goal of the tournament, drawing him level at the top of the Golden Boot race. He has now scored 20 goals in World Cup history. At this rate, I honestly believe he will surpass Messi's record before he retires. Dembélé also got on the scoresheet to seal a 2-0 victory and send France into their third semi-final in the last three World Cups. You can already see they have one eye on another final, and I'm sure they'll be hoping for another meeting with Argentina to get revenge for that unforgettable defeat in the 2022 World Cup final. But before dreaming about that, they must first get past Spain. The 2010 World Cup winners, Spain, faced Belgium in the second quarter-final, and what a game it was. It started at a frantic pace, then slowed down for a while before bursting back into life again. Fabian Ruiz, a surprise starter with Pedri beginning on the bench, gave Spain the lead. Belgium responded just 11 minutes later through De Ketelaere. The second half belonged largely to Spain, but the biggest turning point came when Thibaut Courtois picked up an injury and had to be substituted. Lammens came on in goal, while Spain introduced their own game changer, Mikel Merino. Once again, just like he did against Portugal in the Round of 16, Merino delivered when his country needed him most. He reacted quickest after Cubarsí's effort slipped through Lammens' hands to score the winner and send Spain into their first World Cup semi-final since lifting the trophy in 2010. Can Spain go all the way again? One thing is worth remembering. Spain have beaten France in their last two meetings, including that memorable victory at the European Championship. So, I definitely wouldn't rule them out. But who do you think reaches the final? Let me know in the comments. Norway against England had all the ingredients of a classic. Haaland versus Kane. Ødegaard versus Bellingham. Everywhere you looked, those were the headlines, and thankfully, the match lived up to the hype. England controlled possession early on but struggled to break down Norway's disciplined defence. Everything changed after the hydration break. Norway became the better side, and they got their reward when Schjelderup's cross—well, I'm still not sure whether it was a cross or a shot—completely fooled Jordan Pickford and found the back of the net. I was just as confused as Pickford. Norway should have doubled their lead moments later, but Sørloth chose not to square the ball to Haaland. The Manchester City striker was unusually quiet for long spells and looked like he might produce another late moment of magic like he did against Brazil. Instead, it was his friend Jude Bellingham who stole the spotlight. Bellingham drove into the box from midfield, collected Gordon's cross and calmly slotted the ball into the far corner to level the score. Both goalkeepers then produced outstanding saves to force the game into extra time, but football can be cruel. The same man who rescued Norway against Brazil, goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland, became the villain. He spilled a straightforward effort from substitute Morgan Rogers, and Bellingham reacted quickest to fire home his second goal of the match. That took his tally to six goals at this World Cup. No English player has ever scored more non-penalty goals in a single World Cup than Jude Bellingham. Can the Three Lions finally win their second World Cup? The final quarter-final saw Argentina take on Switzerland in a match that was much tighter than many expected. The Swiss started brightly and looked the better side early on, but Argentina reminded everyone why they are the reigning world champions. Alexis Mac Allister, one of the shortest players on the pitch, rose highest to head home from a Lionel Messi corner and give La Albiceleste the lead. That assist was Messi's second of the tournament and his 10th in FIFA World Cup history. To Switzerland's credit, they never stopped believing. They continued to control large spells of the game and got the equaliser they deserved through Dan Ndoye early in the second half. However, the turning point came just minutes later when Breel Embolo received a second yellow card for simulation after a VAR mistaken-identity review. I honestly couldn't understand that decision from Embolo. Your team had Argentina under pressure, pushing for a winner, and you chose that moment to go down looking for a foul. For a player of his experience, it was a needless mistake that completely changed the game. With neither side able to separate themselves after 90 minutes, the match went into extra time. Switzerland gave everything, but Argentina's quality finally told in the second half of extra time. Julián Álvarez produced a stunning strike before Lautaro Martínez added the killer goal with a calm finish to seal a 3-1 victory. The reigning world champions are through to the semi-finals, where England now stand in their way. The Golden Boot race is becoming even more fascinating. At this rate, don't be surprised if the winner finishes with double figures. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé lead the standings with eight goals each. Erling Haaland follows with seven, while Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are right behind on six. In the assist rankings, Michael Olise still leads the way with five assists. Semi-final Fixtures 🇫🇷 France 🆚 🇪🇸 Spain 🏴 England 🆚 🇦🇷 Argentina Who do you think will qualify for the final? Who has scored the best goal of the tournament so far? And which goalkeeper has produced the save of the tournament? We've seen some absolutely incredible stops throughout this competition. Overall, what has been your impression of the quarter-finals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Which moment stood out the most for you? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
It is the year 2025, and the frontrunner to win the Ballon d'Or is Ousmane Dembele, forward for Paris Saint-Germain and the France national team. The road to this point has been far from smooth, but this is the end point nonetheless. PSG are the undisputed and unquestionable kings of Europe, winning the European Cup in any format for the first time in their history - a significant feat not just for a team only founded in 1970, but one for the Qatari Sports Investment project which has been hell-bent on continental domination since their takeover in 2011. Luis Enrique's side will be remembered for years to come for their tiki taka-lite style based on fluidity and slick possession football, and at the forefront of their success has been Dembele. With the Ballon d'Or now judged on a seasonal basis - as should have always been the case, thank you, France Football - it is a campaign that should end with Dembele lifting the prestigious Golden Ball in his home country.
Historic Exchange Under Istanbul Agreement In the largest prisoner swap since the full-scale war began, Russia and Ukraine have each released 390 prisoners—comprising 270 military personnel and 120 civilians—as part of an overall 1,000-for-1,000 agreement negotiated during direct talks in Istanbul earlier in May. BBC+4www.ndtv.com+4Deutsche Welle+4Anadolu Ajansı+15Reuters+ Departures and Arrivals Ukrainian returnees arrived in the Chernihiv region, many visibly frail with shaved heads and draped in national flags, greeted by emotional reunions with relatives amid cheers and tears. Reuters+4 The Washington +4 The Daily Star +4. Some had been held in captivity for nearly two years. Russian returnees, including soldiers and civilians captured during a Ukrainian incursion into Kursk region, were first transported to Belarus for medical and psychological evaluation before being repatriated ussia. BBC+3Reuters+3 The Guardian +3. Emotional Homecomings and Lingering Uncertainty Families crowded the exchange sites, clutching photographs of missing loved ones, hoping for a clue from those stepping off the buses. One Ukrainian newly freed veteran, held for more than 830 days, encouraged others not to lose hope: “In every prison there are many guys who had no contact with their relatives. I was the same,” he said The Guardian+10The Washington Post+10The Guardian+10. But for many, the reunion came with heavy uncertainty about family members still unaccounted for. Political Messages and Future Prospects President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the swap as the only tangible outcome of the Istanbul talks and emphasized continued efforts to bring all detainees home. Hromadske The Washington PostThe Guardian. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov promised that Moscow would submit a draft peace proposal following the exchange but reiterated refusal of a ceasefire unless certain conditions were met—terms Ukraine has rejected, according to Reuters The Guardian. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who helped push for the Istanbul negotiations, congratulated both parties via his social media platform, calling the swap a possible step toward broader peace, though no ceasefire has been agreed upon, according to Reuters and the New York Post. Humanitarian Milestone Amid Ongoing Conflict This first phase swap underscores a rare moment of cooperation in a conflict that has otherwise deepened across Ukraine’s eastern and southern regions. While a few hundred lives have been restored to families, thousands remain in captivity, and both sides show no signs of halting hostilities. Negotiations may continue in coming days as both governments prepare for the next instalment of releases under the "1,000-for-1,000" agreement. For now, the tranche of 390 each represents the largest exchange of its kind since the war began.
Crystal Palace Vs Manchester United Preview By: Babatunde Ajibade (Manchester United correspondent) Facebook: Babatunde Olatunji Ajibade Twitter: ollyzjinx01 Instagram: sir_ajirowo01 Manchester United head to Selhurst Park under heavy pressure and even heavier scrutiny after a disastrous showing at Old Trafford against Everton. The boos that echoed around the stadium said it all. Losing 1–0 to a 10-man Everton side — and conceding after they went a man down — was embarrassing on every level. From the touchline to the pitch, it was shambolic. Many fans are asking the same question: How much more can the board tolerate before admitting the Amorim experiment has failed? United have not scored against Crystal Palace in their last four meetings — and after the lifeless performance against Everton, confidence isn’t exactly flowing. Starting a match with five defenders against a team reduced to ten men was baffling. Shifting Amad into unfamiliar positions didn’t help either. The tactical confusion is becoming a weekly theme, and now they travel to a stadium where their recent record is terrible. The international break may have come at the worst possible time. United had built momentum with 11 points from five Premier League games, but that form now looks like it was papering over deeper cracks — cracks that were fully exposed on Monday night. The Red Devils are barely hanging on to a top-half spot. They’ve failed to keep a clean sheet in five straight matches and continue to struggle away from home. Their London record is even worse: 16 losses in their last 26 Premier League games in the capital — the worst of any top-flight side during that period. A painful stat surfaced recently: Amorim: 9 wins in 35 Premier League games, Ten Hag (same period last year): 23 wins. The numbers speak for themselves. Poor in-game management. Poor structure. Poor identity. United ended the Everton defeat with 25 attempts — but scored none — while conceding from the only shot they faced. Their xG tells the same story: xG For: 20.1 → actual goals: 19 (two were own goals) Conversion rate: 10.4% — 7th worst in the league They create chances, but they can’t finish them. Crystal Palace, on the other hand, are flying. Only Arsenal have conceded fewer Premier League goals this season. Oliver Glasner’s side sit fifth and have kept three straight clean sheets against Wolves, Brentford, and Brighton. Their defensive confidence is sky-high, and recent history backs it up: Three wins in their last four league games vs Man United (D1) Two wins in their last four at Selhurst Park vs Man United Opta supercomputer predictions says Palace to win is 54.1% United aren’t just underdogs, they’re clear underdogs. So here we are again, asking what has become a weekly question for Manchester United supporters: Will this team finally show 90 minutes of concentration and courage or will they crumble, invite pressure, and rely on another desperate comeback attempt? Comment below with your score predictions! Manchester United record against Crystal Palace: Games won: 41 Games drawn: 14 Games lost: 13 Team News: (As of today 29/11/2025,) Crystal Palace: Caleb Kporha, Borna Sosa, Cheick Doucoure , Chadi Riad and Rio Cardines are out for this game. Manchester United: Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Harry Maguire are out for this game. Prediction: United sometimes deliver when everyone has written them off, and they should have more energy than Palace. But this team has a habit of sleeping through the first half, and Selhurst Park is a brutal place for a team low on confidence. Crystal Palace 1-1 Manchester United.
Arsenal and Manchester City played out a dramatic 1-1 draw on Sunday, with the two Premier League rivals unable to be separated through 98 or so minutes. Erling Haaland had given the visitors an early lead, before Pep Guardiola remarkably decided to park the bus to try and sneak the win. Those efforts went up in smoke in added time as Gabriel Martinelli scored to clinch a point for the Gunners. Having both slipped up domestically already this season, this wasn't quite a 'must win' affair for either side, but definitely more of a 'must not lose'. In the end, perhaps a draw in which neither team showed much attacking endeavour will please both parties. City seemed content to sit in and create chances on the break, while Arsenal didn't exactly throw the kitchen sink at their visitors in order to force the leveller. It was a pretty just outcome and neither can really have any complaints about how it ended.
