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O Botafogo negocia a contratação do ponta uruguaio Lucas Villalba, do Nacional, de 24 anos. Em janelas recentes, o clube também apostou em jovens do país para o setor ofensivo: Diego Hernández e Santi Rodríguez. Diferente das apostas anteriores, o novo alvo não se destacou tanto pelo refino técnico, mas sim pela velocidade. Por isso, desempenha bem em campo aberto e é ótima válvula de escape para contra-ataques. É destro, mede 1,82m e atua pelo lado direito.

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Campeão uruguaio com o Nacional, Villalba viveu temporada de altos e baixos. Começou o ano muito bem e teve destaque em dois jogos contra equipes brasileiras. Pela fase de grupos da Libertadores, deu uma assistência contra o Internacional e duas contra o Bahia, em duelos disputados no Brasil. No entanto, caiu de produção e até perdeu o posto de titular absoluto. Foi convocado uma vez para a Celeste, em setembro de 2024, mas não voltou a receber oportunidades.

As características são diferentes de Diego Hernández, que chegou ao Botafogo em julho de 2023. O meia-atacante chamava atenção pela técnica e finalização, mas pecava na parte física. Na época, o Alvinegro pagou 2,2 milhões de dólares (R$ 11,1 milhões) ao Montevideo Wanderers pela promessa, que era titular absoluta em seu clube, de menos expressão que o Nacional, e vinha de convocações para a seleção uruguaia. O jogador passou os últimos meses emprestado ao Remo, com o qual conseguiu o acesso da Série B à elite do Brasileirão. Seu futuro é incerto.

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Já no início deste ano, o clube pagou US$ 17 milhões (cerca de R$ 97,1 milhões) para contratar Santi Rodríguez junto ao New York City, dos Estados Unidos. O meia chegou ao Botafogo com mais status, até por ter vivido longa experiência fora do Uruguai. Cresceu de desempenho durante a temporada, conforme começou a se adaptar ao futebol brasileiro, e a expectativa é de um 2026 melhor.

➡️ Botafogo tem boas notícias no elenco de olho em 2026 competitivo

Números do trio em suas últimas temporadas no Uruguai

Lucas Villalba (Nacional), 24 anos – 2025
43 jogos, quatro gols e nove assistências
Total no Uruguai: 107 jogos, 13 gols e 20 assistências

Diego Hernández (Wanderes), 22 anos – 2022
38 jogos, quatro gols e sete assistências
Total no Uruguai: 94 jogos, 13 gols e 14 assistências

Santi Rodríguez (Nacional), 20 anos – 2020
24 jogos, sete gols e cinco assistências
Total no Uruguai: 62 jogos, 14 gols e 16 assistências

Além dos atletas do setor ofensivo, o Botafogo buscou o lateral Mateo Ponte, outra promessa uruguaia, nos últimos anos. Atento ao mercado do país vizinho, o Alvinegro procura replicar o sucesso de jogadores que chegaram jovens ao Brasil e se estabeleceram como figuras importantes, como Arrascaeta (Flamengo), Piquerez (Palmeiras) e Canobbio (Fluminense). Atualmente, são 31 representantes do Uruguai na Série A do Brasileirão.

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➡️ Botafogo é condenado a pagar dívida milionária por Almada e corre risco de transfer ban

Botafogo perto de Villalba

A oferta enviada pela SAF de John Textor ao Nacional foi aceita. Os clubes aguardavam um terceiro envolvido, o Montevideo City Torque, ex-time de Villalba, que tinha prioridade para cobertura de propostas. O prazo de cinco dias para a equipe se posicionar sobre o interesse de igualar a oferta expirou nessa terça-feira (9), sem sinalização, deixando o caminho aberto para o Alvinegro. O vínculo, caso o acordo seja firmado, será de quatro temporadas.

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Botafogo

It’s still early in the season, but even so, Chelsea’s summer business is starting to look questionable.

For example, Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho do not look at the level required, and Joao Pedro has one goal in his last seven Premier League games.

Moreover, even though Jorrel Hato is one of the most promising young defenders around, he looked out of his depth in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Fortunately, there is plenty of time for the players to come good, although there is another member of Enzo Maresca’s squad who is starting to look like one of Chelsea’s worst ever signings: Danny Drinkwater.

Drinkwater's Chelsea career

Drinkwater first shot to prominence when he played a pivotal role in Leicester City’s legendary Premier League triumph in the 15/16 season.

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The Englishman actually stayed at the King Power Stadium for the following campaign, but then, in the summer of 2017, made a £35m move to Chelsea.

While he was a title-winning midfielder, it felt like something of an unnecessary move from the Blues at the time, but nobody would have predicted quite how poorly it was going to go.

He would only make 22 appearances, totalling 1151 minutes, in his first season, on top of dealing with his role as a squad player, he had to contend with persistent calf injuries.

Unfortunately, the following season was even worse, as in addition to yet more injuries, it also became clear that Marizio Sarri did not fancy him at all, and so he ended the season with a solitary 30-minute appearance in the Community Shield.

The following campaign saw him join Burnley on loan for the first half of the season and Aston Villa for the second half.

However, injuries limited him to two appearances for the former, while a training ground incident saw him return to West London after just four appearances for the latter.

The writing was on the wall at this point, and after a loan to Turkish side Kasimpasa for half a season in 2020/21, he made one more move to Reading the following year, where he made 34 appearances and then retired.

It would be hard to describe Drinkwater’s move to Chelsea as anything other than a disaster, and while there were some reasons why, it mostly came down to his inability to remain fit.

Unfortunately for Maresca, it appears that he may now have someone like that in his squad today.

Chelsea's modern Drinkwater

While several players in Chelsea’s team have a less-than-ideal injury record, it’ll come as no shock that Roméo Lavia is the star in danger of becoming Maresca’s own Drinkwater.

Now, before the pitchforks and torches come out, the Belgian has already shown far more in West London than the former Blues man ever did, but that’s not really the point.

Like the former Leicester star, the 21-year-old has been so incredibly unlucky with injuries, and it’s now got to the point where some fans are questioning whether he should still be at the club come next season.

That might sound extreme, but considering he cost in excess of £45m in 2023, it’s really not.

For example, in his first campaign with the club, the midfielder, whom talent scout Jack Kulig once described as having “enormous potential,” played a single game.

Then, despite managing 22 appearances last season, they only amounted to 1,069 minutes of action.

This season, he has made seven appearances, totalling 240 minutes, but is now set to be out for some time after suffering yet another injury against Qarabag FK on Wednesday night.

Unfortunately, availability is the best ability, and as one content creator put it, “there is a world-class player in there when he’s fit, but that is the case so rarely.”

Ultimately, Lavia is a better player than Drinkwater was, but due to his inability to remain fit, his Chelsea career could follow the same path.

He was as bad as Hato: Maresca must now ruthlessly drop 5/10 Chelsea dud

It was a night to forget for the Chelsea ace, who was as bad as Jorrel Hato.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 6, 2025

The Boston Red Sox stayed red-hot on Sunday, beating the Tampa Bay Rays, 4-1, for their 10th straight win.

While Ceddanne Rafaela's two-run home run in the sixth inning gave Boston the three-run lead that it wouldn't relinquish, the team's first run of the day came courtesy of a rare ruling by third base umpire Scott Barry.

With two outs in the bottom of the third, Marcelo Mayer appeared to be picked off at third base on a throw by Rays catcher Matt Thaiss. Barry even initially ruled it an out. But then he quickly changed his mind and ruled that Rays third baseman Junior Caminero obstructed Mayer from being able to touch the bag. That meant that Mayer was able to trot home to score the game's first run.

Here's how that went down:

That's normally a call seen when a catcher blocks a runner from home plate, but it did look like Berry made the right call. Still, that's a very strange way for a team to score a run.

The Red Sox are now 53-45 on the year, and will be right in the thick of the playoff race after the All-Star break.

Tarik Skubal won the American League Cy Young award in 2024 by winning the pitching Triple Crown and leading the AL in wins, strikeouts and ERA. In 2025 he proceeded to have an even better statistical season, lowering his ERA and WHIP and striking out even more batters than he did during his Cy Young season.

About to enter his age 29 season, Skubal has one more campaign under Detroit's control before he becomes a free agent. As of right now, he's due to make $22.5 million next season, which is about half what Max Scherzer got annually from the Mets when they signed him to a three-year deal back in 2022.

The Tigers made Skubal an offer last offseason that was deemed "non-competitive" and it seems that another incredible season on the mound did not convince them to make whatever he considers a competitive offer.

According to Jon Heyman of the , the two sides are about a quarter of a billion dollars apart. No, seriously. In the words of Heyman, "Yep, that’s not a misprint. It’s close to $250 million."

While the total money or number of years is not clear, Heyman says that the "baseline for Skubal is seen as $400M." So the Tigers could be doing anything from making an insultingly low offer to being right there on the average salary, but far apart on the length of the contract.

Either way, they're going to have to pay Skubal to keep him.

Who is the highest paid pitcher in MLB?

For Skubal to crack the top five highest-paid pitchers, he'd need more than $35 million a year, which is exactly what Corbin Burnes is getting from the Diamondbacks. Shohei Ohtani has an average salary of $70 million, but unless Skubal can hit 50-plus home runs a season as a designated hitter, he should probably focus on what these guys are making.

Here are the five pitchers with contracts worth an average annual value of over $30 million, when they signed those deals and how long they are.

Pitcher

Average Annual Value

Signed

Contract Length

Zack Wheeler

$42,000,000

2025

3 years

Jacob deGrom

$37,000,000

2023

5 years

Blake Snell

$36,400,000

2025

5 years + club option

Gerrit Cole

$36,000,000

2019

9 years

Corbin Burnes

$35,000,000

2024

6 years

It's been a tough week to be a Mets fan.

First, the team said goodbye to star closer Edwin Díaz, who joined the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers on a three-year, $69 million deal.

Then on Wednesday an even bigger shoe dropped as slugger Pete Alonso agreed to a massive five-year, $155 million deal with the Orioles.

Not great.

Both losses made Mets fans rightfully upset. Alonso's departure was a crushing blow because in his seven years with the team he became a leader and face of the franchise. He set the franchise record for home runs with 264 and often came up big when his team needed him the most.

More: How Mets Can Replace Pete Alonso at First Base

Ron Darling, who has been calling Mets games for years on SNY and pitched nine seasons for the team during his MLB career, had a bleak message for fans shortly after the Alonso news broke.

“You’ve now paid, unless you get a bat, Juan Soto to walk 150 times a year. That’s what you’ve done,” Darling said. “These last two days have to really be hard on Mets fans.”

Soto, of course, signed a 15-year, $755 million deal with the Mets last offseason. He hit 43 home runs and had 105 RBIs in his first year with the team but he will no longer have Alonso hitting behind him in the lineup, which will likely make it easier for teams to pitch around him. The Mets could still add some weapons to help out Soto, but this is where they stand right now.

Darling had more to say about the Alonso and Díaz moves:

“I’m flabbergasted. I’m just, you know, the Díaz news was shocking, but you know the Dodgers get whatever they want,” Darling said. “But we reported yesterday that Pete, who lives in Tampa, was going to drive over here and meet with the Red Sox and meet with the Orioles. The Orioles were all in on Kyle Schwarber; that’s how Schwarber got the money from the Philadelphia Phillies, and they’re not messing around. The Orioles have said they want to land a big whale, and they did in Alonso.”

Here's Darling making those comments on MLB Network:

The Mets finished 83-69 this past season and missed out on the playoffs after an epic collapse in the second half of the year.

Now, two of their star players from that team are gone, and fans are left to wonder what's next for this franchise that hasn't won a World Series since 1986.

Birmingham City have revealed new images of their planned 62,000-seater stadium but the designs have been brutally mocked by rival fans. The Championship side unveiled their proposal during a launch event on Thursday and despite the Blues being very excited about this initiative, social media has shown no mercy in mocking them from pillar to post.

• Birmingham unveil new stadium plan

  Ever since Knighthead took over Birmingham in 2023, the club has tried to flex its muscles, both with transfers and its lofty goals. And that was plain to see on Thursday with their potential ground in Bordesley Green in East Birmingham, which, they hope, could seat 62,000 fans. The images of the proposed design were released at Digbeth Loc Film Studios in Birmingham, coinciding with the Blues' 150th anniversary celebrations.

  Chairman and co-owner Tom Wagner said the club "could not be more excited" over these plans, which are to be developed by Heatherwick Studio and MANICA Architecture.

  He told the club's website: "This is a huge milestone for Birmingham City Football Club, creating a home for the club that reflects our ambition to compete at the highest level. More than that, the iconic design is a statement of intent for the City of Birmingham and the West Midlands, testament to a region that is on the rise. The stadium draws upon the proud heritage of the West Midlands – a heritage of industry, ingenuity and growth. I believe those same qualities can create a new era of success on and off the field and prosperity for local communities that have been starved of opportunities for too long."

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• The reaction on social media

  Naturally, many fans of rival club, Aston Villa, poked fun at these designs on social media.

  @HarryUTV_ wrote on X: "It looks like an upside down table built in Minecraft lads."

  @PhilKeenan11 tweeted: "The fact you’ve given it large for months about us being obsessed and you’ve gone and designed that agahahahahaha."

  @danielhavfc mused: "It looks like Willy Wonka designed a power plant."

  @MisterMashingto commented: "Oh my days. It's a bouncy castle haha!"

  And @VillaWaffle added: "When you let a group of nursery kids design your stadium. That’s absolutely honking."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Bellingham in Birmingham launch video

  When this became public, academy product Jude Bellingham, along with minority owner Tom Brady, were part of the launch. The American icon added that NFL games would also take place at this ground – dubbed the 'Birmingham City Powerhouse – in the future.

  Incidentally, Thomas Heatherwick, founder and design director of Heatherwick Studio, said: "Too often, stadiums feel like spaceships that could have landed anywhere, sterilising the surrounding area. This stadium grows from Birmingham itself – from its brickworks, its thousand trades, and the craft at its core. It's also a wholehearted place for the community. The stadium will truly come alive where it meets the ground; a place for play, gathering, and everyday life. The goal is to capture the spirit of the city and give it back to Birmingham."

  And David Manica, president and owner of MANICA Architecture, added: "Birmingham is a resilient and passionate community, so the design of this new stadium needed to embody the grit and passion of its people. The Powerhouse’s design is both intentional and meticulous, paying homage to a passionate fanbase while laying the foundation for the Bluenoses of tomorrow."

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• What comes next for Birmingham?

  Birmingham added that Knighthead have commenced a period of engagement and consultation with locals, fans, political representatives, and planning officers before submitting a planning application next year. The goal is to open the stadium for the 2030/31 season. 

  On the club's website, they boldly state: "The new stadium will anchor the Birmingham Sports Quarter in East Birmingham, a once in a generation opportunity to catalyse growth and transform the lives and livelihoods of people across East Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. The Sports Quarter will provide transformative investment into the area, driving new economic growth in East Birmingham and across the region. It will include a mix of new facilities – from leisure and entertainment to retail and wellbeing – as well as dedicated spaces for the community. It will also bring better transport links, new housing and jobs at every level."

All the optimism that had been in the air surrounding Leeds United going into this Premier League season is gradually being sapped more and more as the campaign goes on.

Last time out away at Brighton and Hove Albion, Daniel Farke’s men arguably hit rock bottom, as they were resoundingly beaten 3-0 away at Fabian Hurzeler’s relentless Seagulls, in a contest where they barely laid a glove on the rampant hosts.

If they put in more empty performances like the one they served up on the South Coast, relegation will be a definite, as Leeds now languish just five points off 18th-placed Nottingham Forest, who they face next in a huge tie.

Farke will surely be feeling the intense pressures of the Whites hot seat right now, as he potentially prepares to drop Dominic Calvert-Lewin for matches to come, after his slow start out of the blocks in West Yorkshire.

Calvert-Lewin's struggles at Leeds

It was always going to be a transfer deal that would be fraught with risk, but Leeds gambled on Calvert-Lewin this summer on a free transfer, anyway, following the expiry of his long-term Everton contract.

Indeed, last season in the Premier League, the Sheffield-born striker would only fire home a weak three goals, with a high 15 games missed through injury also a concerning statistic to take in.

Thankfully, despite all these worries, Calvert-Lewin is off the mark for Farke and Co., as this header above helped Leeds to a convincing 3-1 away success at Wolverhampton Wanderers in September.

But, Leeds fans have still been left wanting more from their new recruit, with the 28-year-old now deep in a five-game stretch of no goals in league action, which has often resulted in the injury-prone number nine cutting an isolated figure.

That was very much the case on the South Coast last time out, with Calvert-Lewin only managing to test Bart Verbruggen in the home side’s goal with one effort all afternoon, having amassed just 17 touches of the ball in total.

Farke’s options off the bench aren’t plentiful either, with both Lukas Nmecha and Joel Piroe not the most inspired selection of understudies.

Leeds are now reportedly looking at free-scoring Coventry City striker Haji Wright as a January addition up top, subsequently. But, they could be better placed to just gift one of their own a chance, instead, with this star – who is out on loan competing with Wright’s Sky Blues – potentially putting Calvert-Lewin on borrowed time as a first team starter down the line.

Leeds loanee could put Calvert-Lewin on borrowed time

Farke’s patience regarding Calvert-Lewin’s no-shows must surely be thin already.

But, with Mateo Joseph out on loan, and Joel Piroe potentially on the move in January, he has his hands tied with what he has at his disposal up top, with forgotten striker Joe Gelhardt also currently on the books of another club temporarily.

It feels like a lifetime ago since Gelhardt was dubbed the next best thing at Leeds, with Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp even lauding the Elland Road prodigy as a “wrecking ball” style figure, after he bagged two goals and assisted a further four strikes from 20 Premier League games during the 2021/22 season.

Since then, his opportunities have been sparse, but he could be in for some more game time in the near future in West Yorkshire if he can keep the goals flowing right now in the Championship with Leeds’ near neighbours Hull City.

Gelhardt has rolled back the years for the Tigers, with the striker who was once also deemed as “special” by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher, coming back to the forefront in Hull’s distinctive orange and black, as seen in him collecting four goals from his last four second-tier outings.

With 11 goals now next to his name across two spells at the MKM Stadium, the time might be right for Gelhardt to gain chances in the Leeds first team fold once more, as persisting with Calvert-Lewin could well be the wrong move here, knowing full well his recent sketchy record with injuries and his long barren patches of form.

On the contrary, Gelhardt could be the breath of fresh air needed to reenergise an often lethargic Leeds forward line, with a powerful 4.9 duels won per second-tier contest this season sticking out from the table above.

Of course, Leeds will also be hesitant to chuck Gelhardt back into senior action, with the 23-year-old also prone to a lack of confidence in front of goal.

But, whether it comes via a recall in January or next season, adding the lively striker back into the mix could put Calvert-Lewin on borrowed time, with ex-Premier League scout Bryan King even recently stating that the hot-and-cold attacker just isn’t the “right striker” fit for the Whites, as they desperately crave goals to beat the drop.

Worse than Aaronson: Farke must drop 4/10 Leeds dud who won 33% duels

Daniel Farke has to now drop this Leeds United star after his shocking display against Brighton and Hove Albion.

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 2, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Após o rebaixamento à Série B, o volante Jadson se despediu do Juventude na quarta-feira (10). Ele deve acertar com o Athletico para a próxima temporada.

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– Até breve, Jadson 🇳🇬🥹 Foram cinco temporadas e 220 jogos honrando o manto Jaconero. Inúmeros momentos que vão ficar para sempre gravados na memória da Papada. Nosso agradecimento e reconhecimento por liderar o Ju dentro de campo com a dedicação de um verdadeiro capitão. Você se tornou um de nós, um Jaconero de alma, que sempre representou o sentimento alviverde. Todos nós, da família Juventude, te desejamos sucesso na nova jornada. A você, Jadson, as portas do Alfredo Jaconi estarão sempre abertas! – publicou o clube, nas redes sociais.

Jadson tinha contrato com o time gaúcho até o fim de 2026, mas conseguiu a liberação antecipada. O meio-campista é aguardado em Curitiba (PR) nos próximos dias para fechar o acordo com o Furacão.

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A diretoria rubro-negra já tinha tentado o atleta na última janela de transferência, entre julho e agosto deste ano. Diferente da tentativa anterior, o contexto atual favorece o time paranaense.

O Athletico conquistou o acesso à Série A de 2026, enquanto o Papo caiu e vai jogar a Série B. Na metade de 2025, o cenário era invertido.

Caso feche a transferência, Jadson jogará no Athletico pela segunda vez. Entre 2015 e 2016, ele atuou com a camisa rubro-negra por empréstimo da Udinese-ITA e disputou 27 jogos, com um gol marcado.

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Carreira de Jadson, ex-Athletico

Com passagens na base do CFZ e Flamengo, Jadson foi revelado pelo Botafogo em 2011. Dois anos depois, ele foi negociado com a Udinese por 2,5 milhões de euros (R$ 6,4 milhões, na cotação da época).

No time italiano, o volante fez apenas um jogo e passou a ser emprestado para o próprio Athletico e a Ponte Preta. No Brasil, também defendeu Santa Cruz, Fluminense, Bahia e Cruzeiro.

No Juventude desde 2021, Jadson fez 220 partidas, com seis gols e 17 assistências.

➡️ Veja mais notícias do Athletico

Athletico mira outros volantes

Além de Jadson, o Athletico também tem outros três nomes na mira para o setor: Otávio, do Fluminense, o argentino naturalizado paraguaio Andrés Cubas, do Vancouver Whitecaps, do Canadá, e o boliviano Gabriel Villamíl, da LDU, do Equador.

Na posição, o técnico Odair Hellmann conta com Felipinho, Élan Ricardo, Raul, Zapelli, João Cruz e Dudu, além do recém-contratado Alejandro García. A direção ainda avalia se algum deles será emprestado ou vendido – veja o balanço.

De olho em 2026, o Furacão iniciará os treinos online em 24 de dezembro e marcou a reapresentação no CT do Caju para 2 de janeiro, quando está marcada a pré-temporada. O time sub-20 jogará o Campeonato Paranaense com alguns jogadores do time principal, enquanto o Athletico estreia no Brasileirão em 28 de janeiro.

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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. crushed his seventh home run of this year's MLB playoffs on Tuesday night during Game 4 of the World Series.

Guerrero hit a 395-foot two-run homer in the third inning to put the Blue Jays up 2–1 over the Dodgers. This was a huge moment for Toronto, and it was also a huge career moment for Guerrero.

With his seven career homers, Guerrero officially surpassed Blue Jays legends Joe Carter and José Bautista for the most home runs hit in the postseason by a Toronto player, per Sarah Langs. Carter and Bautista each had six homers during their postseason careers with the Blue Jays. It took Guerrero 21 career playoff games to hit this milestone and make franchise history—though all seven home runs have come during this playoff run.

There will at least be one more World Series game (maybe more if Toronto wins Game 4 to tie the series), so Guerrero has the opportunity to continue adding to his record.

On Monday night, Guerrero and Alejandro Kirk made Blue Jays history by both having at least five home runs in a single postseason for the first time in team history. This year marks the most homers the Blue Jays have hit in a single postseason with 25 so far in 15 games. That total will likely continue increasing. Will Toronto be able to win its first World Series title since 1993, too?

Tottenham Hotspur created a triumphant atmosphere toward the end of their frenzied Premier League clash with Manchester United down N17. Two late goals had turned the clash on its head and the home side were moments away from three points.

But Red Devils defender Matthijs de Ligt headed home from a corner at the eleventh hour, and Thomas Frank’s side had to settle for a draw.

The deflation was felt across the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with this team of talented players still caught in a continuous state of ebb and flow. They may sit third in the Premier League after 11 matches, but improvements are needed both mentally and in attack.

The truth is that Tottenham weren’t up to scratch throughout the first half, and while they improved after the break, it didn’t prove to be enough as Ruben Amorim’s mini-revival continues.

Spurs' worst performers vs Man Utd

Tottenham’s draw to Manchester United was as dramatic as they come. However, it was a game that accentuated the flaws in Frank’s team, having struggled to create chances in the first half and finally up things around on home soil, with the Londoners having won only seven of 24 home matches since the start of last season.

Several stars weren’t at the races. Guglielmo Vicario should have been stronger in repelling De Ligt’s last-gasp effort, while Pedro Porro toiled from a defensive standpoint at right-back.

Randal Kolo Muani will feel aggrieved to have been withdrawn at half-time, but the French centre-forward drifted through the opening half and struggled to latch onto any balls and find space to strike on goal. Across 191 minutes of Premier League action this season, Kolo Muani has taken just one shot, and he is yet to score or assist.

Ahead of Spain international Porro was Brennan Johnson, who continues to be something of an enigma, endowed with such speed and an eye for goal, and yet drifting through matches all too often.

Johnson needs to do better, but he was arguably more energetic and active in his display than his counterpart on the other wing. For sure, Frank will be left frowning over his combination on the left, having witnessed a discordant performance.

Frank must never start Spurs duo together again

Credit must be handed to Richarlison for his striker’s instinct in flicking Wilson Odobert’s shot past Senne Lammens and into the back of the net, but he flattered to deceive for much of the contest and did little to suggest he is the talismanic force Tottenham need to sustain a place at the very top of English and European football.

Regarding Djed Spence: one analyst remarked that the placement of the 25-year-old on the left is “killing Tottenham on the flank”, with the side finding “zero balance in possession” when he is flipped onto his left side.

Had Mohammed Kudus been fit and darting about in front of him, it might have been less apparent against United, but Richarlison was not at the races, even though he scored late on.

The truth is that Richarlison’s fine flick masqueraded over another poor performance, lots of huff and puff, but not enough by the way of impact.

And, as we already know, the contest reaffirmed the truth of Spence, who is not a left-back and does not promote Tottenham’s full efficiency and fluency when placed there, especially behind a wide forward in Richarlison, who was described by writer Halal Wyler as being a “real-life cartoon villain”.

Once Destiny Udogie and Odobert, who impressed and then some in his cameo, had entered the field and dynamised the left-hand side, Spurs looked a cleaner, more polished outfit for it.

It is for this reason that the duo cannot be allowed to play down that channel together again. Richarlison is limited in technical scope, and Spence is left trying to connect in an unnatural role with an imperfect attacking partner. In harsher terms and as analyst Raj Chohan put it, it’s a pretty “garbage” duo when they play together.

The duo’s statistics from the clash underscore this. While the left-back produced some convincing defensive numbers, and Richarlison indeed bagged himself a goal, neither can be truly content with their performances.

Minutes played

90′

90′

Goals

0

1

Assists

0

0

Touches

68

38

Shots (on target)

0 (0)

3 (1)

Accurate passes

33/42 (79%)

17/22 (77%)

Possession lost

16x

9x

Chances created

0

0

Crosses

0/2

0/0

Dribbles

0/2

0/1

Recoveries

5

1

Tackles won

3/3

1/2

Clearances

3

2

Duels won

4/11

4/10

Writing about the respective performances after the match, football.london’s Alasdair Gold saw it fit to hand Spence a 6/10 match rating and a 7/10 score to Richarlison. However, this is somewhat generous, and there’s no question that Tottenham are a more fluent outfit with a different combination running down the left.

The left-sided pair, who earn a combined salary of £130k per week, will have brighter days ahead of them in a Spurs shirt, but as Frank continues to develop his understanding of this team, he will surely accept that this is a duo who cannot be fielded together again.

Richarlison may well be playing his final season with the Lilywhites, but Spence will no doubt have taken note of Porro’s “disaster” of a performance at right-back, as was said by Polish journalist Michael Okonski during the match, and set his sights on a return to his natural berth.

In any case, tactical changes are needed when Tottenham return to action after the imminent international break. Frank has the potential to succeed in north London, but he has to start getting the big calls right.

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