Happy Monday!   

There are 10 games on the MLB slate today, and plenty of ways to get in on the action. Here are a couple of wagers we are targeting tonight.  

MLB Best Bets Today for Monday, Aug. 19

• Baltimore Orioles ML (+120)
• White Sox at Giants NRFI (-125)

Baltimore Orioles ML (+120) vs. New York Mets

It’s not often we get the option to take the Baltimore Orioles as underdogs, so we are going to grab the chance tonight against the New York Mets.

The Orioles have a 36-24 road record this season and are 43-27 vs. teams above .500.  Meanwhile, the Mets are just 33-32 at home and 25-35 vs. teams above .500.  

Baltimore will start Trevor Rogers tonight, and on the surface that gives them a big disadvantage. The lefty has struggled this season, and especially since the All-Star Break. Since the break he has an ERA of 5.55 while allowing hitters a .330 batting average. That is not good.   

His xERA and exit velocity allowed are in the bottom 9% percent of MLB.

New York will start lefty David Peterson, which could line up nicely for the O's.

Peterson has a 2.97 ERA since the All-Star Break, allowing just a .222 batting average to opposing hitters. However, taking a peek under the hood, Peterson could be due for regression. Peterson’s xERA is in the bottom 7% of the league, which is even higher than Rogers', and his exit velocity allowed is in the bottom 20% of the league. 

It’s far from a sure thing that he can keep this Orioles team that’s scored the sixth-most runs since the All Star Break at bay. 

Both teams are strong vs. left-handed pitching. The Orioles and Mets are top-five in OPS and both teams are hitting .260 (tied for seventh) vs. southpaws. However, the Orioles lead MLB in SLG vs. lefties and they are seventh in ISO as compared to the Mets in fourteenth. 

The Mets have the bullpen and home advantage, too. So, yes, they should be favorites. But, for +120, I’m willing to bet the Orioles can pull this one off in Queens.  

Chicago White Sox at San Francisco Giants NRFI (-125)

The Chicago White Sox were officially eliminated from playoff contention this weekend, and they have scored an MLB-worst 3.10 runs per game this season.  

They have also only scored 18% of the time in the first inning. 

San Francisco Giants pitcher Kyle Harrison has a home ERA of just 3.64, and a first inning ERA of 4.29, but that’s good enough for me to trust him against an anemic offense. 

The Giants have scored just 4.08 runs per game in August, which is the ninth-fewest in MLB, and they are also not prone to scoring early.  

San Francisco has scored in the first inning just 23% of the time this season. Jonathan Cannon will start for the White Sox tonight, and he has been good since the All Star Break with an ERA of just 3.34.    

Former German legends Dietmar Hamann and Oliver Kahn have criticised the inclusion of Said El Mala in Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifying matches. Kahn argued that players should not be selected based on just two or three good performances, while Hamann felt that Nagelsmann should have waited until March next year to give El Mala his first opportunity with the national team.

• El Mala's selection to the German national team

  Germany sit joint top of their World Cup qualification group alongside Slovakia and are on the verge of securing automatic qualification for the 2026 tournament. Wins against Luxembourg and Slovakia in their upcoming fixtures would seal their place at the World Cup. Coach Nagelsmann’s latest squad announcement marked the return of key players Leroy Sane and Malick Thiaw, both of whom have been recalled after a lengthy absence. The big surprise in the squad was the inclusion of youngster El Mala, who has impressed with his recent club performances. 

  Nagelsmann commented on the selection, saying he wants El Mala to express his carefree nature. The coach emphasised his preference for giving young players opportunities to represent the national team, stating: “Said should get the chance to show his carefreeness and easygoingness with us. We have an eye on our U21 players and always want to give them the chance to feature for the senior national team.”

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  Hamann's criticism

  However, former German midfielder Hamann criticised the selection of El Mala, saying that Nagelsmann should have waited until spring as there is already too much hype surrounding the youngster. He said on : “For me, the nomination comes too early. I would have waited until spring; he could still have been nominated then. There's a lot of hype surrounding the lad right now anyway.

  “You could have invited El Mala at any time if he continued playing like this. That's why it's too early for me.”

  Hamann also felt that El Mala was fortunate, recalling that during his playing days, footballers with fewer than 50 Bundesliga appearances were not even considered for selection. He said: “In my day, the national coach wouldn't even look at players with fewer than 50 Bundesliga appearances. After 70 or 80 games, you might find yourself on his radar.”

• El Mala's great start to the season

  El Mala has earned widespread praise for his impressive performances this season, scoring four goals and providing one assist in nine games, despite starting only twice, helping Koln rise to seventh in the table. Operating as a right winger in Lukas Kwasniok’s 3-4-3 system, El Mala combines quick feet, sharp decision-making, and excellent vision to create constant danger in the final third. His pace and agility make him extremely difficult to defend against in one-on-one situations, while his ability to shift lanes quickly despite his height adds unpredictability. 

  Additionally, his explosive acceleration makes him a key weapon in Koln’s high-pressing system. However, Koln sporting director Thomas Kessler looked to temper the growing hype around the youngster, saying: “His first appearances were very promising. However, it shouldn't be forgotten that the match against Dortmund at the weekend was only his second start in the Bundesliga. Expectations in Cologne can be immense.”

  German and Bayern legend Kahn echoed Kessler’s sentiments, saying that players should not be selected for the national team based on just a few good performances. He remarked: “I'm not a big fan of bringing in the guys right away after they've played two or three good games."

  He added: "But the coach also has a responsibility with such young players. And we all know: Julian Nagelsmann is very experimental. Sometimes even impulsive. Meaning: he observes a player who he'd like to see play, without considering the potential consequences. (…) Right now, the national team needs to focus on finding the team that you feel has a chance at the upcoming World Cup."

  However, the former goalkeeper took a more lenient stance than Hamann, acknowledging that national team coaches often want to assess how players adapt and perform within the group. He explained: “On the other hand, you also have to understand that a national coach wants to see and feel the guys – how they perform in training and how they function in the group. Therefore, I can understand the nomination.”

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Germany's world cup qualification challenge

  Nagelsmann will hope that El Mala can make a positive impact when Germany face Luxembourg and Slovakia, helping the team secure automatic qualification for the World Cup and, in the process, justify his selection.

Sherfane Rutherford’s 44-ball 86 was the only bright spot for Los Angeles Knight Riders, whose MLC 2025 campaign is now all but over

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jul-2025

Trent Boult set up the demolition job for MI New York but Sherfane Rutherford put in a solo show to keep Los Angeles Knight Riders in the game, but their 154 for 8 was never going to be enough to test the strong MINY batting. Monank Patel and Nicholas Pooran hit half-centuries in reply, and the target was crossed with 13 balls in hand.LAKR are now all-but out of the race to the MLC 2025 playoffs, while MINY have just about kept their flagging hopes alive.Things happened in a bit of a rush after MINY opted to field upon winning the toss, with Boult bowling three overs inside the powerplay and picking up a wicket – all bowleds – in each of them.Monank Patel and Nicholas Pooran put up a century stand for the second wicket•Sportzpics for MLC

The first wicket came off the first ball, with an inswinger going past Unmukt Chand’s attempted drive to hit timber. In his next over, Boult got one to shape in – and keep low – off a good length and took care of Andre Russell. And in his third, with Andre Fletcher coming down the track, Boult sent in a cross-seam delivery on a length and got it to deviate enough to pick up his third.Boult came back for the 19th over to remove Rutherford to complete his haul, but only after Rutherford had created a bit of a flutter in the MINY camp. Walking out with the scoreboard reading 29 for 3, Rutherford took control of the innings – with almost no support from any other batter till No. 8 Matthew Tromp got into double-digits in a stand of 30 for the seventh wicket – and dragged LAKR to a semblance of respectability. His 86 came off 44 balls, and included five fours and six sixes.The reply was fairly straightforward. Sunil Narine removed Quinton de Kock in the third over, but then LAKR got their next wickets only after 13.4 more overs as Monank (56 in 44 balls) and Pooran, scratchy to start with before getting a move on, added 112 runs for the second wicket. The partnership lasted 84 balls, with Pooran contributing 58 off 46 balls and Monank 46 off 38.When Russell finally removed Monank, MINY had 20 runs to get from 3.2 overs, and needed only a fraction of those as Pooran and Kieron Pollard rushed them to the target. Pooran finished on 62 not out off 47 balls with six fours and two sixes, while Pollard hit two sixes in his six-ball 14 not out.

The tourists went to tea at Edgbaston on 182 for 3, thanks largely to Jaiswal’s 87

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-2025Yashasvi Jaiswal fell 13 short of a sixth Test century – and fourth against England – as Ben Stokes prized out the opener as the only wicket in what was an otherwise solid middle session for India on day one of this second Test.The tourists went to tea at Edgbaston on 182 for 3, thanks largely to Jaiswal’s 87 that kept up the left-hander’s steak of scoring at least 50 in all seven of his Tests against England. But the home skipper was able to cap the damage caused by the opener, who slashed at a wide delivery outside off stump through to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.Related

Bumrah rested; Washington, Reddy, Akash Deep in for India after England bowl

Rishabh Pant rises to No. 6 among Test batters; Travis Head also gains in rankings

Gill wants top order to take 'more responsibility' after Leeds loss

Shubman Gill remains unbeaten on 42 at the interval, with plenty on his shoulders already as India made sweeping changes after going 1-0 down in the series. The big news was that Jasprit Bumrah would sit out this Test, with Akash Deep, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar drafted into the XI.Those changes give India a completely different feel from the defeat at Headingley, with Sai Sudharsan and Shadrul Thakur dropped. Explaining the decision to rest Bumrah, Gill revealed the India management felt Lord’s will offer Bumrah more than this track.So far, it has offered more to bat than ball. Jaiswal negotiated what early movement there was, watching Chris Woakes prise out KL Rahul early for a torturous 2 from 26 deliveries in an impressive new ball spell which read 1 for 15 from seven overs, including four maidens on the bounce. Woakes was unlucky not to make more inroads after standing umpire Sharfuddoula turned down two close LBW appeals – the first against Jaiswal on 12, the second against Nair on 5. Both were reviewed only to come back with fractional Umpire’s Call on the predicted path into the stumps.Fellow opening bowler Brydon Carse had to wait until six minutes before lunch to get his reward, when hard length surprised Karun Nair (promoted to No.3) on 31, splicing to Harry Brook at second slip. That ended a productive stand of 80 for the second wicket which Nair had driven initially before Jaiswal took the wheel.Yashasvi Jaiswal missed out on a century•PA Images via Getty ImagesHe moved to his half-century off 59 deliveries, accelerating into it with the help of some wayward bowling from Josh Tongue. Three boundaries from the Nottinghamshire quick’s third over were followed by three-in-a-row from what turned out to be Tongue’s sixth and final one of his spell, as Stokes ordered his quicks to instigate their usual bumper ploy.A hook took Jaiswal to 49, before he leapt into a vicious cut high over point to pass fifty, followed by a celebratory four – his 11th – carved past third. And he showed patience through the middle session, driving Carse through cover five balls after lunch, and later guiding Tongue past the cordon for the last of 13 boundaries to take him to 81.Perhaps he ran out of patience when going after Stokes. Nonetheless, there is a foundation for a big score, that Gill and Rishabh Pant preserved. The latter in particular seemed watchful, with 14* off 28, showing one moment of malice when he stepped out to Shoaib Bashir and lifted him over wide long on for the first six of the innings.

Considering Ryan Mason is still a novice in the main managerial game, he has started life in the West Bromwich Albion dug-out with some promise.

Entering the international break, the Baggies only find themselves five points off the top of the tree in the Championship, with four victories picked up from their opening nine second-tier outings.

Still, just a quick glimpse doesn’t quite tell the full story, with West Brom picking up a concerning three defeats from their last five games, leaving Mason with plenty to sort out during this enforced break from fixtures.

Isaac Price will also view the break as time to assess where it has all gone wrong for him in recent weeks, after a blistering start out of the blocks from the Northern Ireland international helped the Baggies be in and around the promotion spaces straight away.

Price's up-and-down form

Even if the 22-year-old has found his form has gone off the boil in the Championship, he will also know he can be a hero for his nation away from the Hawthorns, having scored a wonderfully taken strike against Germany during the last international stretch of matches.

Bagging a much-needed strike for Northern Ireland could reignite his faltering league form, therefore, with Price now without a goal for Mason and Co. in league action across their last six up-and-down matches in the topsy-turvy division.

The ex-Everton youth prodigy, before experiencing this crisis in confidence, started the season with an unbelievable four goal contributions from his opening three league clashes, with scout Jacek Kulig once noting that the Baggies’ number 21 was a “fantastic” asset for the future.

For Price’s sake, he will hope he can breathe life back into his wavering campaign, sooner rather than later.

However, he isn’t the only rising star catching the eye in the West Midlands currently, with this other exciting youngster perhaps being seen as an even bigger talent than Price now.

Why Mason has a bigger talent than Price

While it’s undoubtedly true that Price is a Championship-level star, he has had to deal with some turmoil in his early career so far to be where he is today.

Indeed, the 22-year-old would have to relocate to Standard Liege to rebuild his senior playing days after making just three senior appearances for Everton.

On the contrary, Toby Collyer – who is now Price’s midfield teammate for the season – is already 13 appearances down for Manchester United at a senior level and is already turning heads in the West Midlands.

Since making his Red Devils’ men’s debut at just 20 years of age under Erik ten Hag, Collyer has never looked back, with this off-the-line clearance against Fulham last year backing up claims made by one of his former youth coaches in Mark Beard, that the three-time England U20 international is “like a Kante” when it comes to his energy and drive to succeed for his team.

Further lauded as being a star that “plays like two men” by Beard, it would have been viewed as a coup by West Brom when they won his loan signature this summer, and – although it hasn’t gone to plan completely for the 21-year-old yet in his fresh location – he did still manage to stand out last time out against Millwall, even when Mason and Co. were on the recieving end of a 3-0 battering.

While Collyer’s introduction into the first team fold couldn’t inspire a win at the Den, it’s safe to say the new number 13 could trudge off at the end with his head held somewhat high, with a bite present in his game when winning 70% of his duels, on top of also only misdirecting six of his 47 passes on the day.

Price, on the other hand, would only register a meagre 17 accurate passes during the 3-0 collapse, with a worry on his end that he could be dropped when Championship action returns later this month.

Collyer will be hopeful of more starts moving forward, away from Price’s form falling off a cliff, as the youngster aims to use this formative loan stint as a way to boost his long-term Old Trafford future.

West Brom star who has "everything" looks like their new Tom Fellows

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By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 7, 2025

Are we witnessing history unfold before our very eyes in Scottish football?

No club outside the Old Firm has been crowned champions of Scotland since Aberdeen in 1984/85, with Celtic themselves hoovering up 13 of the last 14 Premiership titles.

However, right now, it is Heart of Midlothian who lead the way, five points clear of faltering Celtic, and the pair meet at Tynecastle on Sunday lunchtime in, potentially, one of the biggest matches played on Scottish soil for a generation.

Brendan Rodgers will take his team to Tynecastle depleted, potentially without five key starters, so should the Celts’ “exceptional” forgotten youngster come into the team and, belatedly, be entrusted to start matches?

Cameron Carter-Vickers injury latest

On Thursday night, any celebrations sparked by Celtic’s come-from-behind Europa League victory over Sturm Graz were very much tempered by a trio of injury concerns.

Right at the end of the game, Cameron Carter-Vickers suffered a nasty injury, with Rodgers later revealing that the USA international has sustained a serious Achilles tendon injury which will see him sidelined for potentially up to five months.

This came after both Kelechi Ịheanachọ and Alistair Johnston were forced to withdraw during the first half on Thursday, joining Jota and Daizen Maeda in a star-studded and crowded treatment room.

Thus, none of this quintet will feature at Tynecastle on Sunday, with Maeda the only one in contention to return in time for the League Cup semi-final against Rangers a week later, but Carter-Vickers will be a particularly impactful absentee.

Since joining from Tottenham in the summer of 2021 under Ange Postecoglou, initially on loan but then permanently for £6m, he has been an absolutely integral figure, as the table below documents.

Callum McGregor

208

Cameron Carter-Vickers

172

Daizen Maeda

171

Greg Taylor

167

Kyōgo Furuhashi

165

Reo Hatate

154

Joe Hart

153

James Forrest

129

Matt O’Riley

124

Alistair Johnston

116

Anthony Ralston

114

Liam Scales

112

Jota

99

As the table documents, since Carter-Vickers’ arrival in Glasgow, only captain Callum McGregor has made more appearances for the club than the American international, featuring in 172 of 224 fixtures, around 77%, despite various injury problems, including requiring knee surgery two years ago, but that ratio will drastically drop in the coming weeks and months.

His performances have earned high praise, with former long-serving captain Scott Brown believing he is the club’s best centre-back since Virgil van Dijk, labelling him “solid, strong and quick”, praising his reading of the game and leadership qualities.

So, how on earth does Rodgers go about filling this ginormous void in the middle of his back line?

Well, now would be the time for him to trust his forgotten “exceptional” youngster.

Celtic's ready-made Carter-Vickers deputy

Liam Scales has been Carter-Vickers’ centre-back partner throughout this season, with fellow United States international Auston Trusty seemingly next in line to come into defence.

However, as documented by Art de Roché of the Athletic, managers of possession-heavy teams are often hesitant to start two left-footed centre-backs together.

Meanwhile, Trusty’s form last season suggests he may not be the best candidate, as he made five errors that led to shots or goals in the Premiership, per Sofascore, more than any other defender in the squad.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Thus, should forgotten man Jahmai Simpson-Pusey return from the footballing wilderness and be thrust into the spotlight at Tynecastle?

The 19-year-old, who is right-footed, joined on loan from Manchester City during the summer, but is yet to make his senior debut, an unused substitute for both legs of the Champions League play-off against Kairat, but otherwise not even on the bench for any other fixture.

​​​​​​​

His sole outing in hoops to date came for Celtic B in the KDM Evolution Trophy, starting a 5-3 defeat to East Fife in front of just 616 spectators at Bayview, probably not what he had envisaged when he made the move north of the border.

Simpson-Pusey,​​​​​​​ though, does boast an impressive pedigree, captaining Manchester City to FA Youth Cup success in 2024, featuring regularly for the Sky Blues in the UEFA Youth League and other underage competitions, notably named Premier League 2 player of the season last year, per Transfermarkt.

With the Citizens enduring something of an injury crisis, he made six senior appearances during the most recent campaign too, starting against Brighton in the Premier League, Sporting in the Champions League, and Salford in the FA Cup, thrown in at the deep end.

Thus, he is certainly highly rated by Pep Guardiola, who labelled him “exceptional” following an EFL Cup tie at Tottenham a year ago, while the Scouting App praised his ‘very good passing ability​​​​​​​’ and ‘physical presence’, noting that he thrives in a high line.

These all sound like comparable traits to Carter-Vickers, who is regularly tasked with playing penetrative passes forward, while his usual starting position is on the half-way line, given how much Celtic dominate possession in domestic competitions.

Thus, stylistically, Simpson-Pusey appears to be the ideal deputy, not that Celtic supporters have seen any evidence of this to date.

The teenager was not included in Celtic’s European squad but, following a change in UEFA regulations, if a player is injured long-term, they can be replaced for the remainder of the league phase; clubs can only make this change once a season.

Thus, Simpson-Pusey could yet feature in the Europa League so, before the Hoops travel to Midtjylland next month, he needs to be given an opportunity to prove his worth, starting with Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash in Edinburgh.

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ByDan Emery Oct 25, 2025

Kylian Mbappe has been told he has made a “massive mistake” which will “tarnish his image” after the Real Madrid superstar hit back at a new song criticising his controversial ownership of French side Caen. The 26-year-old forward took aim at French rapper Orelsan over social media on Friday after being made the subject of his fiery ‘diss track’.

Mbappe slams French rapper Orelsan over social media

In a song titled ‘La petite voix’, which translates to ‘The Little Voice’ in English, Orelsan has slammed France captain Mbappe’s position as Caen’s majority owner – a role he has held since completing his takeover of the club in 2024.

In one verse, Caen-based Orelsan sings: “You’re going to sink your city like the Mbappes.” The song is part of the musician’s new album, ‘La fuite en avant’, which translates to ‘The Headlong Rush’ in English.

In a heated response on X, Mbappe accused Orelsan of "begging" for a free stake at Caen, writing: “You’re welcome to come and save the city you love so much.

“PS: The guy kept begging us to get in with 1% without paying because he doesn’t have a penny but wanted to look like the little guy from Normandy.”

AdvertisementAFPFrance captain is heavily criticised by Caen supporter

However, Mbappe’s retort has been met with criticism from Caen fans, who continue to protest against his ownership of the club.

Following the former Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain striker’s social media post, one Caen supporter, Sebastien, told French television channel "We're stunned, like everyone else. It’s sad.

“Orelsan is a huge celebrity in Caen. Kylian Mbappe has made a massive blunder that will tarnish his image. If he thinks he can turn the Caen fans against Orelsan, he's going to have a very hard time; Orelsan is an idol. The song is a parody. Responding at face value is risky.”

Meanwhile, former Caen defender Brahim Thiam has also questioned Mbappe’s response, arguing the song is not directly aimed at him, despite mentioning his name.

Writing on X, Thiam said: “The punchline comes from an Orelsan song title that talks about his evil twin, a little voice that criticises everything and everyone, even his family, his buddies, and his wife – it's not a personal matter, lol…

“It's a shame to expose the club through this kind of post.”

AFPCaen suffered relegation to France's third tier under Mbappe

In July 2024, Mbappe became one of Europe’s youngest football club owners after purchasing an 80 per cent stake in Caen through his firm, Coalition Capital, investing around £17.5 million (€20m/$23m). However, what once began as a symbolic homecoming – with Mbappe returning to the club that nearly signed him as a youngster – has now quickly turned sour.

In April 2025, Caen hit rock bottom as a 3-0 defeat against Martigues confirmed their relegation from Ligue 2, sending the club into France’s third division for the first time in 41 years. Supporters subsequently stormed the pitch in protest, unfurling a banner reading: “Mbappe, SMC is not your toy.”

In the wake of Caen’s relegation, sixteen staff members were laid off in a controversial restructuring of the club, with Mbappe receiving further scorn from fans.

Christophe Vaucelle, head of the Malherbe Normandy Kop, summed up the local sentiment, saying: “The Mbappe clan bears some responsibility. They arrived, stayed invisible, and disconnected from the fans. The situation is catastrophic.”

Caen are currently 10th in France’s third tier, having won just three of their 13 league games this season. The club have also drawn seven and lost three under manager Maxime d’Ornano's stewardship.

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Up next for Mbappe and Real: A trip to Rayo Vallecano in La Liga

While Mbappe continues to receive criticism back home, he has been in fine form for Real in 2025-26. Los Blancos’ no. 10 has scored 18 goals in 15 games in all competitions for Xabi Alonso’s men, who are currently top of La Liga and seventh in the Champions League standings.

Real are looking to bounce back from their 1-0 reverse against Liverpool in Europe’s premier club competition on Tuesday when they travel to Rayo Vallecano in the league on Sunday afternoon. The hosts are currently 10th in the Spanish top flight, having taken 14 points from their 11 games this season.

Leeds United aren’t going to be heading straight back down to the Championship without at least putting in a fight.

The last time the Whites were relegated back down to the EFL’s elite league, they only managed to accumulate a sorry 31 points from 38 matches, with a concerning 78 goals leaked.

Already, with just nine games played this time around, Leeds are occupying 15th spot in the Premier League with a promising 11 points tallied up, with an early Brenden Aaronson effort sealing a third league win of the season against relegation rivals West Ham United on Friday night.

This promising start bodes well for Leeds being able to remain as a Premier League team, with Match of the Day’s Gabby Logan revealing at the weekend that the last ten promoted sides who have got to that 11-point total after ten games have all beaten the drop.

Leeds will just want to remain steady as wins slowly but surely continue to be picked up, with Stuart Dallas previously playing the role of being a calming and reliable presence perfectly when past anxiety crept in at Elland Road.

Why Stuart Dallas is a Leeds icon

While the likes of Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, and Raphinha stick out in recent memory as flashy entertainers in West Yorkshire, the Northern Irishman always stood out as being “Mr Reliable” for the Whites, as he was once affectionately labelled by former Premier League great Kevin Phillips.

267 Leeds appearances would come Dallas’ way in total, with the 34-year-old only getting better as time went on in a Whites shirt, even as he navigated the tough step-up to the Premier League.

Eight goals would fall into the adaptable number 15’s lap during his first-ever top-flight campaign, with his ability to line up all across the pitch – which included Dallas even lining up as a defensive midfielder on one occasion – making him a dependable asset right up until an unfortunate injury ended his playing days.

As former Leeds manager David O’Leary put it back in 2021, Dallas epitomised the tag of being an “unsung hero” throughout his long-standing affiliation with the club, with the one-time Championship title winner always putting in a top shift when pulling on Leeds white.

Daniel Farke could well feel he’s unearthed a new Dallas-style revelation in his current ranks, with the ace in question similarly full-blooded with his commitment to the Leeds cause so far this season.

Farke's "unbelievable" new Stuart Dallas

Leeds’ impressive summer recruitment has undoubtedly helped them to keep their heads above the relegation zone during the early stages of the 38-game campaign.

Indeed, Noah Okafor has already been heralded as a key “difference-maker” by Leeds-based content creator Oscar Mario, and it’s hard to disagree with that assessment, as the lightning-quick winger already has two Premier League goals in his back pocket. Alongside the Swiss international, Sean Longstaff has also stood out as a sterling bit of business, having only cost a reasonable £12m to obtain back in July.

Already, Longstaff has been able to endear himself to his new set of supporters by hammering home strikes such as this one he emphatically fired home against AFC Bournemouth in late September, with Dallas still being remembered to this day for being a player that similarly scored some memorable goals, namely that famous breakaway strike that was put away at Manchester City under Marcelo Bielsa when Leeds had been reduced to ten men.

More importantly, though, as Leeds face another battle against the drop, the ex-Newcastle United midfielder has also displayed plenty of bite and fight that’s reminiscent of the now-retired 34-year-old in his Elland Road prime, with a combined eight tackles and duels won last time out against the Hammers.

Longstaff’s PL numbers for Leeds so far

Stat – per 90 mins*

Longstaff

Games played

9

Goals scored

1

Assists

2

Touches*

46.2

Accurate passes*

27.1

Key passes*

2.0

Big chances created

5

Tackles*

3.0

Ball recoveries*

3.0

Total duels won*

5.0

Stats by Sofascore

All-in-all, Longstaff just seems to have that perfect blend of skill and determination that Dallas also possessed in spades, with his eagerness to get stuck in and battle also regularly being coupled with a hunger to create openings and play on the front-foot, as seen in him creating a high five big chances so far this season, which hasn’t been surpassed by anyone else in the division.

He is, of course, still in the infancy of his Elland Road career, but if he keeps going in this same electric manner, he will surely etch his name into the West Yorkshire outfit’s hall-of-fame as another “unbelievable” – as he was once branded by Newcastle legend Alan Shearer – Premier League performer, alongside some revered company.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Oct 26, 2025

Crystal Palace are thought to be in pole position to sign a new forward who stunned Chelsea earlier this year.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner responds to Man Utd rumours

The Eagles have enjoyed a brilliant start to the 2025/26 Premier League season after lifting the FA Cup and Community Shield earlier this year and are now on a club-record 18-game unbeaten run.

Saturday’s dramatic win against champions Liverpool saw Palace move on to 12 points after six games, with Eddie Nketiah’s late winner ending the Reds’ 100% start to the campaign.

As a result of the brilliant job Oliver Glasner is doing at Selhurst Park, he continues to be linked with roles elsewhere.

There have been claims he is on Manchester United’s radar to replace Ruben Amorim, with reports even suggesting he would take the Old Trafford job “in a heartbeat”.

“My information is if Glasner was offered the Manchester United job, he would take it in a heartbeat.” (Ben Jacobs)

However, when asked about the direct rumours of a move to Manchester and other ‘top clubs’, Glasner has now said:

Steve Parish and co will be hoping Glasner continues in his position when the January 2026 transfer window opens, and it looks as if the Eagles are already working on one potential addition.

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ByTom Cunningham Oct 1, 2025 Crystal Palace "in negotiations" to sign Flamengo forward Wallace Yan

According to reports in Brazil, relayed by Sport Witness, Crystal Palace are thought to be in pole position ahead of Wolves to sign Flamengo forward Wallace Yan in 2026.

The Eagles had talks in the summer which will continue into the New Year. Flamengo director Jose Boto is aware of Palace’s talks for Yan which involve the player’s agent, Claudio Guadagno.

Journalist Julio Miguel Neto said: “The Flamengo forward is in negotiations to move to Europe, and Crystal Palace appear as the main interested party.”

At the age of 20, Yan has now scored seven goals in 28 appearances for Flamengo’s first team after coming through the academy, two of which came at the Club World Cup. He even sealed a shock win for the Brazilian side over eventual winners Chelsea, scoring the third goal of a 3-1 win late on.

Filipe Luis, a former Chelsea left-back, is the manager of Flamengo and has described what Yan is like as a centre-forward.

“He uses both feet and finishes very well with either. He is light, versatile, healthy and a finisher. I see him much more as a nine, a guy who attacks space.”

A move to Selhurst Park is seemingly being worked on behind the scenes, making this one to watch over the coming months.

حصد النادي الأهلي لقب كأس السوبر المصري عقب الفوز على غريمه التقليدي نادي الزمالك، في نهائي كأس السوبر المصري للأبطال. 

وواجه فريق الأهلي نظيره الزمالك، في تمام الخامسة والنصف مساء اليوم الأحد، على ملعب آل نهيان، في نهائي كأس السوبر المصري للأبطال.

طالع فيديو | بن شرقي وزيزو يقودان الأهلي لفوز مثير على الزمالك والتتويج بـ السوبر المصري للمرة الـ16

وحقق فريق الأهلي الفوز على نظيره الزمالك، بهدفين دون رد، أحرزهما أشرف بن شرقي ومروان عطية، ليتوج الأحمر ببطولة كأس السوبر المصري للمرة السادسة عشر في تاريخه. 

وكان الأهلي قد وصل إلى نهائي بطولة كأس السوبر عقب الفوز على سيراميكا كليوباترا بهدفين مقابل هدف، بينما وصل الزمالك عقب تخطيه بيراميدز بركلات الترجيح في نصف النهائي. 

وواصل النادي الأهلي أرقامه القياسية، حيث ينفرد بأكثر الأندية حصولًا على بطولة السوبر المصري لـ16 مرة في تاريخه، بفارق 12 لقبًا عن أقرب منافسيه الزمالك.  سجل أبطال كأس السوبر المصري 

-الأهلي – 16 لقبًا.

– الزمالك – 4 ألقاب.

– المقاولون العرب – لقب وحيد. 

– حرس الحدود – لقب وحيد.

– طلائع الجيش – لقب وحيد.