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Wrexham’s Hollywood-owned rise has been built not just on investment but on discipline — and a £500 fine is proof of that. Former goalkeeper Ben Foster has revealed that skipping the Red Dragons’ annual Christmas party comes with the heaviest punishment on the squad’s fines list, underlining the culture of unity set by Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac.

Wrexham's fine list revealed under Reynolds and Mac

Foster has lifted the lid on Wrexham’s internal fines system, revealing that the biggest penalty players face is for missing the team’s Christmas bash. The former England international spotted the list during a recent visit and was surprised to find a £500 sanction for failing to attend. It highlights the emphasis owners Reynolds and Mac have placed on togetherness off the pitch.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFoster reveals Wrexham's Christmas party fines

Foster shared his discovery on That Wrexham Podcast, saying: “We were in the changing rooms yesterday and we saw the current fines list. One of the fines that’s on there is for not turning up for the Christmas do and it’s the biggest fine on the list. It’s a £500 fine for not turning up to a Christmas do.”

GettyCannon opens up on the importance of the Christmas party

Midfielder Andy Cannon backed the policy, insisting team bonding has been crucial to Wrexham’s success. "I think it's been key," Cannon said. "Some Championship clubs went to Vegas last year as well and I think there were only eight or nine people turning up. Then you're getting every single one of us going. On Christmas dos, I think it's the same because it's good to get everyone together. If you're on a Christmas do, you see a different side of people. You'd be surprised how teams can set off on a winning streak after Christmas dos. I've seen it before."

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Wrexham have a subpar start to life in the Championship

Wrexham’s structured approach under Reynolds and Mac continues to shape their Championship campaign as they adapt to life in the second tier. With 10 points from their opening nine matches, the Red Dragons are learning fast in a more demanding environment. Maintaining the strong team bond that carried them through the lower leagues could prove vital in keeping their Hollywood story rolling.

Bumrah came away with figures of 4-0-29-0 on his return from injury

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Apr-20256:24

The Patidar hand in RCB’s aggressive approach

Fifties from Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar, and a finishing kick from Jitesh Sharma took Royal Challenger Bengaluru (RCB) to 221 as they looked for their first win at Wankhede Stadium in 10 years. However, Mumbai Indians would be optimistic as the pitch was an absolute batting beauty with the small Wankhede boundaries to boot. Kohli, though, said that the pitch was not as straightforward as they made it look.Coming off 29 balls, this was Kohli’s fastest T20 fifty since 2019, and his first sub-30-ball fifty in the IPL since 2018. Kohli’s aggressive intent allowed Patidar to get a look at his first 10 balls but then he went from 8 off 10 to 64 off 32. Jitesh ended up with an unbeaten 40 off 19 to make sure RCB didn’t lose momentum in the end.Jasprit Bumrah made a successful return to competitive cricket with analysis of 4-0-29-0 even as others around him went for a plenty. Notable was Trent Boult’s most expensive analysis in the IPL: 4-0-57-2. He did get a first-over wicket for the 31st time, but that failed to dent RCB’s intent.Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal took 73 in the powerplay but left-arm wristspinner Vignesh Puthur took Padikkal out for 37 off 22. A crucial spell of play was Hardik Pandya’s wide lines that not only defended the leg-side boundary but also resulted in the wickets of Kohli and Liam Livingstone. However, Patidar got the better of his counterpart with ramps, shots across the line and straight hits. He scored 33 off 12 Hardik deliveries; his other 12 balls went for 12 and brought two wickets.While the batters took apart Boult at the death, but this is when Bumrah bowled the 18th and the 20th over for six and eight runs to keep RCB from getting completely out of MI’s reach.

Fast bowler was was primarily recovering from a back injury, and has been out of action since October 2024

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Apr-2025Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)’s express pace bowler Mayank Yadav is set to join the squad on Tuesday. ESPNcricinfo has learnt that Mayank will likely be available for LSG’s next game, against Rajasthan Royals on Saturday in Jaipur.His availability will be another boost for LSG, who had started IPL 2025 without him, Avesh Khan and Akash Deep, who were all recovering from different injuries. Mohsin Khan was also injured and ruled out of the tournament, before being replaced by Shardul Thakur.Avesh and Akash Deep later joined the squad, and have since played five and three games, respectively, out of LSG’s six matches so far. Despite a depleted pace attack, LSG have won four games, and host Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at home on Monday.Mayank, 22, was primarily recovering from a back injury, and has been out of action since October 2024. That is when he had made his international debut, and played three T20Is against Bangladesh at home. He missed the entire domestic season after that and was recovering at the BCCI’s Centre Of Excellence (CoE, formerly NCA) in Bengaluru. LSG head coach Justin Langer had said ten days ago after seeing videos of Mayank operating at “90-95%” that the fast bowler would join the squad soon.Mayank had played only four games for LSG last season, and was among their five retained players before the mega auction.Despite fielding a depleted pace attack from the start, LSG have been among the better bowling attacks this season, handing Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) their first loss by restricting them to 190 in Hyderabad, defending 203 at home against Mumbai Indians (MI), and most recently derailing Gujarat Titans’ charge by restricting them to 180 after they were 122 for 2 in 13 overs.Thakur, LSG’s most experienced bowler, is second on the top wicket-takers’ list, while spinner Digvesh Rathi has been their find of the season.

Manchester United’s heavy spending over the past couple of years has been massively underwhelming, with their funds often being splashed on players not up to the demands of the Premier League.

The Red Devils have spent over £700m on new additions on new additions in the last three years, but it’s safe to say those signings have failed to live up to expectations.

Ruben Amorim is the latest man to try and get the best out of the current crop of players, but like those before him, he’s struggled to be a hit at Old Trafford.

The 40-year-old has only achieved a 40% win rate since taking the reins back in November last year, losing 20 times in his 48 outings across all competitions.

However, he rapidly made up his mind about one player, quickly offloading him after his appointment and allowing him to move on to pastures new.

Antony’s failure to impress at Man Utd

Back in the summer of 2022, United supporters were hugely excited by the arrival of winger Antony from Ajax, with the Brazilian joining the club for a fee in the region of £86m.

However, their excitement looked to be worthwhile, subsequently scoring on his debut against Arsenal at Old Trafford – but that was as good as it got during his spell in England.

He racked up a total of 96 appearances for the Red Devils, but only managed to find the net on 12 separate occasions – eight of which came in his first season.

The 25-year-old only made nine appearances under Amorim, only two of which came from a starting position, before joining Real Betis on a season-long loan in the second half of 2024/25.

In his 26 appearances for the LaLiga outfit, Antony registered 14 combined goals and assists, helping them reach the Europa Conference League final – before suffering a hammering at the hands of Chelsea.

He would rejoin the side on a permanent basis this summer, subsequently ending his three years in Manchester, but also seeing the hierarchy losing a huge chunk of their investment.

The board agreed to offload him for just £21.5m including add-ons, but it has allowed one other player to follow his role and potentially lead the club to success in the near future.

The Man Utd player who looks like Antony was supposed to be

There’s no denying that the deal for Antony will go down as one of the worst in United’s history, with huge money being wasted on a player who was ultimately not up to the level required of the Premier League.

The Brazilian is only part of the reason why the club have been in such a dire situation, but he was once seen as the player to drag them out of the hole – something which he evidently failed to do.

It’s crucial that the hierarchy use such a deal as a stark reminder of the risks they face when spending big on new additions within the transfer market.

However, the board did spend big in the transfer market during the recent window, splashing a fee in the region of £71m on the signature of Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford.

The Cameroonian international netted 20 goals for the Bees during the 2024/25 campaign, subsequently leading to his move – but the similarities to Antony are there for all to see.

Both are left-footed talents who like to cut inside off the right-hand side, but there’s real hope that the new addition can impress and take the side to new levels – something which Antony failed to do.

Mbeumo, who earns £150k-per-week, has already hit the ground running in Manchester, scoring twice in his opening six appearances for the club – including in the Premier League victory against Burnley.

His underlying stats further highlight the talent he’s already demonstrated, with the 26-year-old desperately needing to continue on his current trajectory in the North West.

Mbeumo, who’s been labelled a “superstar” by one analyst, has registered 1.3 shots on target per 90, along with 1.9 chances created per 90 – able to go alone or find a teammate within the final third.

Games played

6

Goals scored

2

Pass accuracy

80%

Touches in opposition box

6.3

Chances created

1.9

Dribble success

60%

Fouls drawn

1.7

Shots on target

1.3

He’s also completed 60% of the dribbles he’s attempted, whilst also notching 6.3 touches in the opposition box per 90, constantly offering a nuisance to the opposition defenders.

It may only be early days for Mbeumo at Old Trafford, but the signs are all positive for the attacker, hopefully continuing on his current path and leading the side to future success in various competitions.

Should he continue thriving, he would be a phenomenal addition at £71m, subsequently allowing the fanbase to forget about the disastrous deal to land Antony a couple of years ago.

Huge Amorim upgrade: Man Utd keen on appointing "incredible" PL manager

Manchester United have set their sights on appointing one manager who has exceeded all expectations.

ByEthan Lamb Sep 25, 2025

Former Manchester United defender Wes Brown has backed Roy Keane to make a sensational return to management — this time as a more balanced figure ready to lead the Republic of Ireland. Brown believes Keane’s intensity has mellowed with time and experience, making him perfectly placed to inject passion and discipline into an Irish side struggling for identity and direction.

Ireland struggling for form in recent years

Ireland’s recent struggles have reignited calls for a new managerial era, with Brown suggesting that Keane, alongside John O’Shea, could be the right pairing to lead the team forward. Keane, who previously managed Sunderland and Ipswich and served as assistant for Ireland and Aston Villa, has been out of management for several years but remains a respected figure. Ireland’s poor results and lack of consistency since Euro 2016 have left fans longing for a revival built on leadership and experience — qualities Keane is renowned for.

The former Manchester United captain last held a top managerial role in 2011, but his influence has continued through punditry and assistant positions. Brown’s comments come as current boss Heimir Hallgrimsson faces mounting pressure to stabilise the national side. Despite being in the midst of a rebuilding phase, Ireland’s failure to qualify for major tournaments since 2016 has deepened frustration among supporters and former players alike.

A Keane return would mark a dramatic comeback for one of the nation’s most iconic footballing figures, known for his uncompromising standards and relentless pursuit of excellence. For many, including Brown, Keane’s evolution in temperament could now make him the ideal figure to guide a new generation of Irish players emerging through the youth ranks.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKeane tipped to return to Ireland management

“I actually think Roy Keane could be a great fit for Ireland now. He’s had some time away from management, but he’s got experience. He managed at Sunderland, Ipswich, he was an assistant at Aston Villa. I think if you listen to some of the players he coached, they found he was maybe too intense. I’m not sure you can be that strong with your management at every occasion, and I think he’s now had time to reflect on that,” Brown told 10bet Casino.

“So that was probably his problem, and he’ll know that. I would also say that Roy can’t take all the blame, the players he had have to take some responsibility. You can still see that he loves the game, and I think now he’d be able to adapt, which is what the game is about.”

Speaking about the possibility of Keane teaming up with O’Shea, Brown added: “John’s very intelligent. He watches a lot of football and sees a lot of what’s happening. He tells me they’ve got a really promising bunch of lads coming through in the younger sides, the under-21s and under-18s. There’s the potential there for what could be the emergence of a really strong team over the next few years. O’Shea’s been assistant managing for years now, five or six, so he’s got plenty of experience he can draw upon. He and Keane know each other and respect each other, so there would be no problem for them to work as a team. You’d just have to give them a chance now and see how it goes.”

GettyKeane's leagcy as a player and manager

Ireland’s national team is undergoing a period of profound rebuilding after years of underachievement. Since reaching the Euro 2016 Round of 16, they have failed to qualify for four consecutive major tournaments, cycling through managers without finding stability.

Keane, who played 67 times for Ireland, remains one of the country’s most successful football exports and its most influential captain. His managerial record is mixed — leading Sunderland to Premier League promotion in 2007 before enduring a difficult spell at Ipswich — but his leadership qualities have never been questioned. Brown’s belief that Keane has matured emotionally and tactically could resonate with a federation looking to balance passion with progress.

Alongside O’Shea, who has served as an assistant for both Reading and the Irish national team, a Keane-led management team could blend grit with insight into the modern game. The partnership would also symbolise continuity and national pride, rekindling the spirit of Ireland’s successful 2000s generation. For a fanbase disillusioned by inconsistency, the duo would bring experience, unity, and a renewed belief that Ireland can again compete with Europe’s elite.

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Could Keane actually become Ireland manager?

For now, Ireland remain under the guidance of Heimir Hallgrímsson, who took over in mid-2024, tasked with leading the country into the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. His tenure, however, has already been marked by frustration, with poor results in the UEFA Nations League and narrow defeats in qualifying matches intensifying pressure. Should results continue to decline, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) may look toward a more iconic, motivational figure to inspire both players and fans.

Keane’s potential return would depend not only on timing but also on his willingness to re-enter the dugout after several years of punditry.

Chelsea have been tipped to move for a “dominant” Germany international defender who is “exactly” what Enzo Maresca needs, coming amid the Blues’ major shortage of centre-back options.

Enzo Maresca demands centre-back signing for Chelsea

Before their 2-1 win over Premier League champions Liverpool, it was reported that Maresca is unhappy with Chelsea’s current squad, as he believes the west Londoners are still light in key areas (Simon Phillips).

The most obvious area of Maresca’s team that’s in desperate need of reinforcement is centre-half, and this was on full display against Liverpool on Saturday, after Chelsea elected not to invest a portion of their £285 million summer spend into a natural central defender in the summer.

Liverpool

£415,000,000

£187,000,000

£228,000,000

Chelsea

£285,000,000

£288,000,000

-£3,000,000

Arsenal

£255,000,000

£9,000,000

£246,000,000

Newcastle

£250,000,000

£152,000,000

£98,000,000

Man Utd

£216,000,000

£68,000,000

£148,000,000

Nottm Forest

£205,000,000

£107,000,000

£98,000,000

Tottenham

£181,000,000

£36,000,000

£145,000,000

Sunderland

£162,000,000

£44,000,000

£118,000,000

Man City

£152,000,000

£53,000,000

£99,000,000

West Ham

£124,000,000

£55,000,000

£69,000,000

via BBC

With Trevoh Chalobah (suspended), Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill all unavailable for the game, Maresca was forced to start a pairing of youngster Josh Acheampong and Benoit Badiashile, with the latter only just returning from injury himself.

Chelsea’s boss publicly requested a centre-back signing before summer deadline day on September 1, but it is believed that BlueCo are in agreement with their manager that one should be a “priority” for January instead (Pete O’Rourke).

They’re already making plans in that regard, having reached out to Marc Guehi’s camp last week over a potential cut-price January move with the England international’s contract expiring at the end of 2025/2026.

Chelsea tipped to move for Borussia Dortmund star Nico Schlotterbeck

Now, ex-Premier League chief scout Mick Brown, who remains well-connected in the beautiful game, has “heard” that Chelsea are looking at Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck as a potential option.

The Germany international’s deal runs out in just under two years, meaning he could be available for a potentially doable fee in the winter window, and this is something that Chelsea are actively considering.

The 25-year-old, who captains Dortmund regularly, also has a questionable injury record — so BlueCo need to tread carefully here.

Schlotterbeck missed a large portion of this calendar year with a meniscus tear, which stretched into Dortmund’s Club World Cup campaign and early this season after he was sidelined near the end of 2024/2025.

The towering defender may not be a reliable ever-present depending on his fitness issues, but could be a very reliable back-up option as Maresca continues not to select ‘bomb squad’ member Axel Disasi.

Joshua Zirkzee is reportedly looking to leave Manchester United in January after falling out of favour under manager Ruben Amorim. Having made just three Premier League appearances so far this season, the striker is now attracting interest from two Serie A clubs as he aims to boost his chances of making the Netherlands’ squad for the 2026 World Cup by exiting Old Trafford.

Zirkzee has reportedly become frustrated by bit-part United role

In a report from Italian newspaper , Zirkzee has reportedly become frustrated at being used sparingly by United head coach Amorim this season. All three of the 24-year-old’s league appearances have come from the bench, while he was also a substitute in the Red Devils’ penalty shootout defeat against Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup in August. Zirkzee equally endured a difficult debut season at United following his move from Serie A side Bologna in 2024, scoring just three league goals in 32 appearances as the club finished 15th under Amorim – their worst-ever Premier League finish.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportStriker wants to boost chances of making Netherlands' World Cup squad

And the report claims Zirkzee is now planning to leave United in January in order to give himself a better chance of making a Netherlands squad which is on course to book its place at next summer's World Cup. The forward, who has six caps for the Oranje, was not included in manager Ronald Koeman’s squad which recorded back-to-back victories over Malta and Finland in their recent World Cup qualifiers. The Dutch currently sit top of Group G on 16 points, three ahead of second-placed Poland, having won five and drawn one of their six fixtures.

Zirkzee attracting interest from Serie A duo Roma and Como

Having caught United's attention in Italy, Zirkzee is reportedly drawing interest back in Serie A from Roma and Como. While Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini is believed to be a firm admirer of Zirkzee, having wanted to sign him for Atalanta before the forward opted to join United, the capital club would only be able to make a loan offer when the January transfer window opens. Cesc Fabregas’ Como, however, would be able to make a permanent offer to sign Zirkzee, though unlike Roma – who are competing in this season’s Europa League – they are unable to offer European football.

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Getty Images SportAmorim criticised by former Arsenal and Chelsea man Petit

It remains to be seen whether Zirkzee can force his way into the United starting eleven before January. Amorim’s men – who currently sit 10th in the Premier League table – return to action when they travel to fierce rivals Liverpool on Sunday, 19 October. The Red Devils were victorious in their last outing, defeating Sunderland 2-0 on home soil in what was a good response to losing 3-1 at Brentford in their previous league fixture.

However, despite the victory over Sunderland, Amorim has been criticised by former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Emmanuel Petit as United prepare to lock horns with Liverpool this weekend. Having been questioned all season over his insistence on United lining up in his favoured 3-4-3 setup, despite winning just three of their seven league games in the formation, Amorim hit back by claiming the system is not the reason behind his side’s stuttering start to the 2025-26 campaign.

Shreyas said he was hit on the finger in training on the eve of the match

ESPNcricinfo staff18-May-20252:20

‘PBKS have depth in both batting and bowling’

Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer suffered an injury to the index finger of his right hand in training on the eve of their match against Rajasthan Royals (RR), which was why he didn’t take the field during RR’s chase. Shashank Singh stood in as captain as PBKS registered a 10-run win.Shreyas made 30 off 25 after winning the toss and choosing to bat, but was subbed out for their Impact Player, Harpreet Brar, at the start of the second innings.”Reason is the finger over here. I don’t know what has happened. Yesterday while practicing, I got hit,” Shreyas said at the post-match presentation ceremony, with his injured finger taped up. “I’ll have to go and check what exactly is the issue here.”Related

IPL 2025: which overseas players are available for the rest of the season?

IPL 2025 playoff scenarios – RCB need one point, KKR eliminated

Nehal Wadhera and Harpreet Brar take Punjab Kings closer to playoffs

PBKS made 219 for 5 on the back of half-centuries from Nehal Wadhera and Shashank. But Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi got off to a flyer in the chase as RR raced to 67 for no loss in five overs.That’s when left-arm spinner Brar broke up the opening stand by dismissing Suryavanshi in the fifth over. He conceded just five runs off his next over before having Jaiswal hole out at long-off in the ninth over. He capped off his performance by castling Riyan Parag in the 14th over to finish with figures of 3 for 22.Harpreet Brar picked off both Rajasthan Royals openers and finished with 3 for 22•BCCI”[Brar] has been consistent in the nets, coming day in and out for practice sessions. And he wants to do the best for himself and he was hungry for this opportunity,” Shreyas said. “And I feel that today he stepped in and delivered at his best. So, congratulations to him and also his mindset has been tremendous throughout.”While a left-arm spinner bowling to a left-handed batter is generally considered a positive matchup for the batter, Brar was the one to break the game open with the wickets of the two left-handed RR openers.”We practice in nets, how to bowl to the left-hander, and even [PBKS head coach] Ricky Ponting sir has motivated me a lot for this, that even a left-arm spinner can get a left-handed batter out,” Brar said, after being named Player of the Match.”So, I worked on a lot of things. And their plan was clear, that they will charge me a little, they will look to hit me. So, my plan was to put the ball in my area and not make it easy for them to hit it”The way the wicket was behaving, and they are very good players, the way they the powerplay was going. So in my mind, I didn’t want to give them easy boundaries. If they charge me and hit boundaries, then it’s fine. I just didn’t want to give them an easy ball.”

New Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche has made an instant impact since taking the helm at the City Ground, where one of his first moves was to ban a once very popular item of clothing favoured by players during the winter months. Dyche has become the club’s third manager despite the season just being a couple of months old, and the former Forest youth player is already laying down the law with his players.

High drama at the City Ground

It has been a dramatic few months for Forest, who have burned into their third manager of the season already, seemingly in disarray, despite qualifying for European football in May. Nuno Espirito Santo began the campaign after a successful seventh-place finish last season but was sacked in September following a public falling out with the owner Angelos Marinakis and his successor, Ange Postecoglou, was appointed in September but lasted only 39 days. The club's third and current manager, Sean Dyche is tasked with stabilising a squad and one of the first changes he has made is to draw the line on the wearing of a certain accessory, which used to be hugely popular with many Premier League players. 

AdvertisementAFPWhy it’s rude to wear a snood

Dyche has banned the snood, which became a short-lived but memorable trend during the 2010-2011 season. Players, notably Manchester City's Carlos Tevez and Arsenal's Samir Nasri, popularised the neck-warmers to combat the cold. The trend sparked a significant debate, pitting the "old school" mentality against modern player comfort. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson famously banned his players from wearing snoods, while Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger defended their use on medical advice. The controversy ended swiftly. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) banned snoods from competitive matches in March 2011, citing safety concerns that an opponent could grab it around a player's neck. And so the snood went the way of goalkeepers wearing jogging bottoms, baggy shorts and long sleeve shirts, consigned to the football history bin.

No-nonsense Dyche bans snood

Dyche said: "It’s early yet but I’d like to think they do their homework, I’d like to think they know enough people in the game and ring around. I’ve even let them wear white socks, for goodness sake, I’ve never let anyone do that. That’s fair isn’t it? But they’re not allowed to wear snoods or hats, I had to do a deal somewhere."

And speaking about club owner Marinakis, Dyche added: "You can question the owner currently, which a few have. But look at the changes from day one to now – they’ve been huge at this football club. At the end of the day, the bigger picture is a lot of goodwill and a lot of good feeling around the area. There’s a bigger picture to this. Look at where the club was before."

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AFPDyche’s overflowing in-tray

The new Forest boss’ problems are numerous, include a defensively ragged team, a squad with low confidence after a difficult start to the season, and a chaotic club culture under a trigger-happy owner. He must also unify a fractured fanbase after the departure of the popular Espirito Santo. To overcome these issues, Dyche must restore basics , a strategy the club's ambitious owner is aware of but may not tolerate long-term as he chases a dynamic playing style. And he made a flying start with a confident 2-0 victory over Porto in the Europa League, next up is an away trip to Bournemouth and there’s the eye-catching trip to Manchester United in November. 

Leeds United are back in action for the first time in two weeks this afternoon as they travel to Turf Moor to take on fellow newly-promoted side Burnley.

This is the club’s first meeting with one of the other two teams that came up with them from the Championship, and it is a chance to show that they have adapted better to the top-flight.

Daniel Farke’s side have twice as many points as Burnley, with eight points on the board, after seven matches in the division, which shows that the Whites have had a better start to the campaign.

Turf Moor is not an easy place to go to, though, as the Clarets have only lost once and conceded two goals in three home games in the Premier League this season.

Points

8

4

Wins

2

1

xG

7.6

4.9

xGA

7.9

13.4

Goals conceded

11

15

xGD per 90

-0.04

-1.12

The statistics in the table above suggest that Leeds should, though, be the favourites to claim all three points this afternoon, as they have offered more offensively and defensively as a team in the top-flight than Burnley so far.

However, some of the injury issues that Farke is currently having to deal with at Thorp Arch may lessen his side’s chances of putting another win on the board.

The latest Leeds team and injury news

The Leeds head coach has confirmed that goalkeeper Lucas Perri is back in training, but he will not start against Burnley ahead of Karl Darlow because he has only just returned to action and needs one or two weeks to settle back in.

There was less positive news on the winger front. Farke said: “Willy Gnonto won’t be available for this game because his calf problems are sorted, but sadly, he had to use the international break for a little minor hernia surgery. So not a major thing, but he needs to do this.

“He’ll be just back in team training next week, so I expect him then to have him available, perhaps only for the next home game, but definitely not for this away trip.”

Farke added that Dan James has returned to training earlier than expected, but the Wales international will not be in the starting XI against Burnley.

The Leeds boss said: “He’s definitely not in contention for the starting line-up, but due to the fact that we have lots of load and also a few problems in training, or Okafor is also struggling a little bit with some adductor problems, he could be perhaps even in contention to be picked for the squad.”

Noah Okafor, who joined from AC Milan for £18m, “struggling” with an adductor problem is a cause for concern for Farke and Leeds, because he is the team’s top scorer with two goals in the Premier League this season.

Given that Gnonto is out and James is unavailable to start, it would be a blow for the £72.5k-per-week star to miss out on the match through injury, or if he is not fit enough to play from the start.

This means that Farke may have to get creative with his team selection due to the dearth of natural wingers available to him if Gnonto, James, and Okafor cannot start on the left flank.

Chalkboard

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

One potential option for the German head coach to explore is the possibility of playing Gabriel Gudmundsson in a new role on the left wing, with James Justin coming into the side at left-back.

Why Leeds should unleash Gabriel Gudmundsson in a new role

All seven of the Sweden international’s appearances for Leeds in the Premier League this season have been at left-back, but he has played on the wing at previous clubs.

Per Transfermarkt, Gudmundsson has played 70 club matches as a left midfielder and 24 games as a left winger, scoring 12 goals and providing ten assists in those two positions combined. This shows that he is comfortable playing further forward as an attacking threat.

TEAMtalk editor James Marshment claimed that the Swedish star has been “up there with the best LBs in the PL so far this season”, but the concern over Okafor’s injury may force him to play higher up the pitch.

Gudmundsson could offer natural width down the left flank as a winger, with James Justin behind him, as he is a left-back who naturally wants to bomb forward and put crosses into the box.

In fact, his statistics in the Premier League so far this season for the West Yorkshire outfit suggest that he has attributes that could allow him to thrive in a more advanced position in the team.

xG

0.17

Top 29%

xA

0.38

Top 39%

Chances created

4

Top 36%

Successful crosses

5

Top 23%

Successful crosses

6

Top 16%

Touches

419

Top 18%

Touches in the opposition’s box

12

Top 18%

As you can see in the table above, Gudmundsson excels among full-backs in the top-flight in a host of attacking metrics, which suggests that he may be effective as a winger, getting more of the ball in the final third.

The left-footed star predominantly played as a full-back for Lille in Ligue 1 during the 2024/25 season, before his move to Leeds, but his goal in the clip below shows that he does have the potential to provide a threat in the box from a left wing position, arriving at the back post to score.

Therefore, playing the Sweden international in a new role could ease the possible Okafor blow that the Whites could be dealt if his adductor issue means that he cannot start against Burnley.

It would also provide summer signing Justin, who has made three appearances off the bench in the Premier League so far this season, with an opportunity to start at left-back and show Farke that he deserves more minutes on the pitch.

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It is now down to the manager to get creative by unleashing Gudmundsson in a new role if he is without Okafor, James, and Gnonto from the start this afternoon.