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It was all looking so good for Manchester United at the start of this season. Into the Women's Champions League proper for the first time and unbeaten through their first seven games of the new Women's Super League campaign, the Red Devils were flying. But as Marc Skinner's side return to action after the final international break of the year, they're looking to avoid a fourth defeat in just five games.

A shock loss in November to Aston Villa, who had won just one league game until that point, has sparked an unwelcome run of form, with heavy defeats to Manchester City and Wolfsburg following, even though United were able to initially bounce back by beating Paris Saint-Germain. It means the Red Devils are suddenly seven points off the pace in the WSL and in need of a big finish in the Champions League in order to secure automatic qualification for the knockouts, with their final two fixtures in the league phase extremely tough.

Given how impressive United were at the start of this season, it's been quite a surprise to some to see them have such a significant wobble. But the struggles of the last few weeks have only underlined what many believed to be the case before the campaign got underway: United do not have the squad to successfully cope with the demands of the WSL and the Champions League.

Getty ImagesDefying the odds

United and Skinner deserve a lot of credit for having the start to the season they did, especially because that thin squad was extremely depleted in the early weeks. Injuries to no fewer than 10 senior players before the month of October left Skinner with little choice when it came to his starting line-up, with only two senior outfielders on the Red Devils' bench for the Champions League qualifier against Hammarby back in late August.

Despite those challenges, United were able to qualify for the European league phase, win all of their first three games in the Champions League proper and go unbeaten through their first seven matches of the WSL season, winning five. However, the tall order facing this squad is now becoming apparent.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesLacking depth

It was difficult not to think that after United were battered 3-0 in the Manchester derby. These two sides have used the same number of players through the first nine weeks of the WSL, but one looked much more at it and much fresher than the other, despite City themselves having injury concerns to deal with in the early portion of the season. Indeed, captain and defensive leader Alex Greenwood was missing at the Etihad Stadium, and City's bench was arguably weaker than United's, featuring two inexperienced academy products. However, the one advantage of not being in the Champions League was on show for the blue side of Manchester, who look to have a real opportunity in the WSL this season because of that.

Dealing with that schedule is not an issue only affecting United, either. Arsenal are another good example of a squad ill-equipped to deal with the demands of two top-level games a week, that being at least one factor in the Gunners' own underwhelming start to the new campaign. The reigning European champions have only used 19 players in the Champions League this term, compared to numbers like Chelsea's 25 and Lyon's 24. United are one of just six teams to use fewer than Arsenal, with only Leuven, Twente and Valerenga utilising fewer than the Red Devils.

That can work, to an extent, when you are a superpower like Barcelona, who have actually used the same number of players as United. However, their starting line-up is still arguably the best in the women's game, making them a unique case. For most, it is far too difficult to compete at the very top in domestic and European competition with a small squad, especially when playing in a league as competitive as the WSL.

Getty ImagesDifficult situation to manage

It's not just about rotation, freshness and dealing with injuries, either. "You can't coach much," Skinner said earlier this season, explaining the constraints such a situation causes. It means there's less time to work on specifics and tweak things effectively, because players are not spending as much time in full training sessions due to the recovery needed between games.

Of course, when a team is playing well and winning, that's not really an issue. Not much needs changing. But when a team gets stuck in a bit of a rough patch, like the one United have found themselves in over the last few weeks – and Arsenal have in this campaign, too – it's not easy to suddenly get out of that without the time to pay real attention to detail.

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GettySalt in the wounds

Having such a light squad also means it hurts more when big injuries occur, and United have been hit with a couple of huge ones. Millie Turner, who has formed such a formidable partnership with Maya Le Tissier in central defence, has been missing since mid-September, forcing a reshuffle at the back. Dominique Janssen has generally done well filling in for the England international, but between the break-up of that reliable duo, the withdrawal of Janssen from her usual midfield role and the decreased depth Turner's absence has caused, it's not an ideal situation.

More significant has been the injury to Phallon Tullis-Joyce, United's No.1 goalkeeper and one of the best in her position in the world. Skinner has turned to Safia Middleton-Patel, the 21-year-old Wales international, to fill her gloves, and while the youngster has looked good at times, it's unrealistic to expect her, with her inexperience, to deliver at the level of Tullis-Joyce at this point.

United have conceded nine goals in the three games without the American, having only conceded seven times in their first 14 games of the season, prior to her injury. That doesn't feel like a coincidence, particularly with her absence only adding to the upheaval in the spine of the team that had already happened as a result of Turner's injury and Janssen's positional switch.

The allrounder flew home to Mumbai from Srinagar on Tuesday evening, but the move is believed to be precautionary

Shashank Kishore14-Oct-2025

Allrounder Shivam Dube has been pulled out of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy 2025-26 squad on the eve of their season opener against Jammu & Kashmir due to back stiffness. Dube flew home to Mumbai from Srinagar on Tuesday evening.The move is believed to be precautionary, given he’s also part of India’s T20I squad that is set to leave for Australia on October 23 for a five-match series.Dube had a prolific 2025 Asia Cup, where India captain Suryakumar Yadav regularly turned to him as a bowling option. In the final against Pakistan, he played a pivotal all-round role. Used as a new-ball option in Hardik Pandya’s absence, he bowled three tight overs for just 23 runs and later scored a crucial 22-ball 33 as India sealed a tense chase.While Dube will have to wait until after the Australia tour for a Ranji return, Mumbai will welcome back allrounder Musheer Khan, who missed the previous season due to a neck and collar-bone injury he suffered during a road accident.Also back from injury is older brother, Sarfaraz Khan, who was ruled out of contention for the just-completed Test series against West Indies due to a quadriceps injury.Mumbai will be captained by India allrounder Shardul Thakur, who takes over the mantle from Ajinkya Rahane, who is set to continue playing.Rahane has been training for the season from as early as July, when he said on a podcast that he’d even carried his trainers and kit to the UK – while on a media assignment during India’s Test tour – to be able to train for the upcoming season.Mumbai are in Group D alongside J&K, Hyderabad, Delhi, Puducherry, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The opening round of the new season against J&K has been billed as a rematch of last season’s group fixture, which Mumbai lost by five wickets at the Bandra Kurla Complex grounds.

Harry Kane believes England are "one of the favourites" to win next year's World Cup after his brace against Albania. The Three Lions secured a 2-0 win in Tirana to ensure they finished their World Cup qualifying campaign with eight wins out of eight. Now, the Bayern Munich star has sent a warning out to the other contenders for the 2026 tournament in North America.

Kane stars again for England

Kane's two second-half goals meant England finished their qualifying campaign with a 100 per cent record and took his goal tally for his country to 78 – taking him past Brazilian great Pele. The Three Lions have now kept a clean sheet in each of their last 10 games in the World Cup qualifiers, a run of 1,032 minutes without conceding a goal. The 32-year-old has so often been the saviour for England and that proved to be the case again on Sunday night in Albania. 

Incidentally, former England defender Conor Coady says it is a "pleasure" to watch the ex-Tottenham striker in full flight.

He said on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Harry Kane plays every minute of every game because he does the job. Playing for his country means a lot to him – it is a pleasure to watch him. I thought England were top draw tonight. The manage is in a fantastic place going into next year. It was hard at times, but the subs that came on were outstanding."

AdvertisementGettyKane says England are among World Cup favourites

In recent years, England have reached the final of the Euros for two straight tournaments and made it to the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Ahead of the next edition of this famous event, Kane appears to be confident about his country's chances.

When asked how he rates his team against other top nations, he told ITV Sport: "I think it's as good as we've ever had, I think when you look at starting 11, you look at the players coming off the bench, we're going to go into the tournament as one of the favourites, we have to accept that, we've been like that now for the last few tournaments and that's part and parcel of it so we've been building, we've had a great year together with the new coach and now we look forward to obviously a big 2026."

Tough test in Albania

England boss Tuchel made seven changes to the side that beat Serbia 2-0 in midweek. The Three Lions had to be patient at Arena Kombetare, with Kane scoring in the 74th and 82nd minutes. For the ex-Spurs man, Albania provided a stern test for him and his team-mates.

"I think it was a really tough game, probably one of the toughest games we've had in the group, and we had to be patient, we had to grind them down defensively, really solid, and we've done that, and we ended up with a two-nil win, another clean sheet, we can be really happy," he said. "Yeah so we kind of changed it, first half we went in a different out swing and then when Saka come on, we know how good he is at hitting that kind of front post zone and we kind of went to the front post, got a little bit lucky with the flick on but thankfully I was there to put it away. If you're going to go far in any tournament you need a whole squad, you need the players who don't start to come off the bench and make an impact, that's what football's about, it's not just the 11 that play so we're going to need everyone and you know the guys who come on today made a big difference. I think we've set the standard now, especially in the last few camps, and we carried it on into this camp, and it's an important win, you don't want to finish with a loss on the end of the year and then have to wait until March to play again, we can go away and enjoy this now."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for England?

After this successful World Cup qualifying campaign, Tuchel's side will wait to find out which friendly games are in store for them in 2026. It remains to be seen what level of opposition England will face before heading to North America next summer as they seek their first World Cup win since 1966.

MEYBA are back and have cooked up a third collaboration with The Beatles, completing a trilogy which brings together football, music, art and culture. They've already achieved great success together with two previous drops, and for their final act in this series, they have gone all in to bring back the spirit of Yellow Submarine, one of the world's very first cross-platform successes.

MEYBAThree new football shirts – £65

The collection features three new football shirts, coming hot off MEYBA's drops honouring Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The extra distinction with Yellow Submarine is its wider cultural impact, with its psychedelic colour scheme and popping visuals coming from the animated film of the same name in 1968, two years after the release of the album.

Yellow Submarine is widely credited with the boom in vibrant art styles seen in animation for the decades that followed. MEYBA has sought to stay true to that in this modern reboot, with each football shirt a tribute to locations within the film. The black-and-white number represents the Sea of Holes, while the titular submarine and the Blue Meanies are instantly recognisable with their associated palettes.

AdvertisementMEYBAFour graphical t-shirts – £45

Accompanying the football shirts for this drop are limited edition graphical t-shirts, adorned with either an 'All You Need Is Love' quote or the idiosyncratic submarine in a reversed colour scheme.

Though the main palettes on these t-shirts are perhaps less exciting, coming in white, black and grey, the contrast to the funkier colours of the graphics themselves make them stand out from the crowd in true late-sixties Beatles fashion.

MEYBABespoke varsity jacket – £150

Talk about a coveted piece of merch. This stunning varsity jacket features caricatures of the band's four members – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr – on jet black sleeves, with the deep blue of the Blue Meanies again featuring on the body. A Yellow Submarine patch appears with the MEYBA logo on the front, with another cartoon of the band all together on the back.

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MEYBAMEYBA's journey, collaborations and future

MEYBA, once one of Spain's most revered sportswear producers and Barcelona's partner when they won their first European Cup in 1992, have been busy making football shirts fit for all sorts of cross-cultural purposes, from festivals to food to music and more.

Jonathan Jones, MEYBA's Head of Global Marketing, said: "This collection represents everything MEYBA stands for – creativity, nostalgia, and cultural storytelling through football design. Yellow Submarine allowed us to blur the lines between sport, art, and music in a joyful, playful way."

It's only fitting that the trilogy wraps up with a Spanish brand honouring a piece of art called Yellow Submarine, given that is the nickname of one of the country's most successful teams and Champions League side Villarreal, who hail from a community town of around 50,000 people.

This is, however, not the end of MEYBA's return to football or their adventures dipping into other cultures and mediums, with an exciting future still in their sights having agreed deals with clubs all over the world.

Jamie Carragher took aim at one Liverpool star, who was “really poor” against Sunderland, as Arne Slot’s side endured another mixed evening at Anfield.

Liverpool struggle at Anfield yet again

After victory over West Ham United last weekend, Liverpool looked to their game against Sunderland as an ideal chance to make it back-to-back wins in the Premier League and stop the rot. The Black Cats had different ideas, however, and soon reminded the Reds why they find themselves in the position they’re in.

In many ways, Chemsdine Talbi’s deflected effort summed up Liverpool’s recent fortunes. With the Premier League champions entering the game off the back of two Anfield losses, the last thing they needed was for Virgil van Dijk’s block to find the back of Alisson Becker’s net.

Related Fabinho 2.0: Liverpool in pole position to sign £35m midfield "machine"

Liverpool look set to be making a move for one star during the upcoming January transfer window.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Dec 3, 2025

One positive for Liverpool in recent weeks has been the form of Florian Wirtz, though, and at long last the German made his mark in the Premier League. His effort went down as a Nordi Mukiele own goal, but there’s no doubt that one of the summer’s most expensive signings stepped up to get his side level.

It was far from a vintage display from the champions, but they’ll at least be relieved to avoid another defeat. Following victory at West Ham, Slot’s side should see the Leeds United game this weekend as the opportunity to turn the narrative to two wins from three games in the same week.

That said, whether Alexander Isak plays a part this weekend remains to be seen. The Swede didn’t follow up from last weekend’s first Premier League goal for the club and had just 15 touches, much to Carragher’s frustration.

Jamie Carragher slams "really poor" Alexander Isak

Watching on from commentary, Carragher slammed Isak as “really poor” and said that the forward has no “excuses” for his disappointing form at this stage of the campaign.

After smashing their transfer record to welcome the £280,000-a-week star, Liverpool were in dreamland in the summer. Alas, that dream has quickly turned into a nightmare for all involved.

Isak has gone from strike to strike-less at times. Liverpool sit eighth and their attack has never seemed so toothless under Slot. With Hugo Ekitke also struggling to find the back of the net in recent weeks, there’s no doubt that the Reds have an attacking problem on their hands.

It doesn’t get any easier, either. On paper, a trip to a newly promoted side should be a routine affair, but Liverpool will be squaring off against a Leeds side who just defeated Chelsea.

Before then, Slot simply has to find a way to get Isak more involved. With just 15 touches, the Swede was always likely to struggle.

Liverpool open talks this week to sign "monster" Real Madrid target

After winning the Premier League during the debut year under Arne Slot, very few Liverpool fans would have predicted the huge drop in form during the 2025/26 campaign.

The hierarchy handed the Dutchman around £440m worth of funds to help improve his first-team squad, but it’s safe to say none of the additions have yet to improve the situation.

His side have suffered a defeat in nine of the last 13 games across all competitions, which has resulted in their attempts to retain their league title all but coming to an end in November.

Ahead of tonight’s clash against Sunderland at Anfield, Slot’s men remain nine points off the summit, with a faultless run of form needed between now and the end of May to try and bridge the gap.

Such a feat could be achieved should the club make further additions during the January window, with numerous players already being linked with a move to Merseyside.

Liverpool’s hunt for new additions in the January window

With the window now rapidly approaching, Liverpool have been named as just one of the sides interested in a move to land Bournemouth sensation Antoine Semenyo next month.

It’s been reported that talks have already been held with the Cherries over a potential deal in the winter, leading to a £65m price being mooted for his signature.

However, they’re not alone in the hunt for his services, as fellow English side Tottenham Hotspur have also entered the mix and are seemingly in the lead in the race to land the 25-year-old.

Semenyo isn’t the only option currently being considered by the hierarchy at present, with Atalanta midfielder Ederson also firmly on their radar ahead of January.

According to one Spanish outlet, the Reds are battling Barcelona for his signature, with his current employers now demanding a fee in the region of £35m in the winter window.

They also state that Hansi Flick’s side are now trailing in the race to land the 26-year-old, as Slot’s men remain in pole position to complete a potential transfer.

Why Liverpool’s latest target would be Fabinho 2.0

Back in the summer of 2018, Liverpool completed the £39m transfer of midfielder Fabinho from French side Monaco, with very few supporters knowing much about his quality.

However, during his five-year stay at Anfield, it’s safe to say he made himself a fan-favourite with the supporters, whether that be on or off the pitch on Merseyside.

He racked up a total of 219 senior appearances for the Reds, helping them win a Premier League and Champions League title under the guidance of Jürgen Klopp.

Fabinho was mainly responsible for breaking up the play in his deep-lying position, but he also managed to find the back of the net in tremendous fashion – as seen with his thunderbolt against Manchester City.

However, he did leave the club back in the summer of 2023, leaving to join Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad for a reported £40m – subsequently making a profit on his services.

Despite the financial benefits, the side have massively lacked the Brazilian’s talents at the heart of the side, but that could be about to change with a move for Ederson.

His compatriot does possess serious quality, with the 26-year-old able to fill the void if he carries his performance levels from Serie A to the Premier League.

Ederson, who’s been labelled “out of this world” by former England boss Fabio Capello, has completed 1.4 progressive carries and 7.5 progressive passes per 90 to date.

Such numbers highlight his tremendous ball-playing ability from a deep-lying role, something which Fabinho became known for during his own spell at Anfield.

Games played

8

Minutes played

588

Progressive carries

1.4

Progressive passes

7.5

Pass accuracy

90%

Passes into final third

6.6

% of tackles won

53%

Interceptions made

1.6

Take-on success

50%

He’s also completed 90% of the passes he attempted, with 6.6 of his passes per 90 being into the final third – further showcasing his excellent ability in possession.

However, ball-winning is a needed component to any deep-lying midfielder, with Ederson able to match such expectations – as seen by his tally of 53% tackles won in 2025/26. Judging by that, it’s hardly a surprise he was labelled as a midfield “machine” by Italian pundit Carlo Garganese.

The 26-year-old has already made 1.6 interceptions per 90 in Italy, with the Atalanta star having all the qualities to match Fabinho’s levels should he move to Anfield.

£35m in today’s market would be an excellent piece of business for Slot’s side, especially given the levels produced by Ederson during the last couple of months in Italy.

However, he’s showcased he can be the next Brazilian star to capture the hearts of the Liverpool faithful and potentially lead them back to title glory in the process.

Liverpool now in advanced talks to sign "outstanding" attacker who's quicker than Salah

He’s a man in demand.

ByTom Cunningham Dec 3, 2025

Bangladesh have picked batter Saif Hassan in an ODI squad for the first time, and also recalled Nurul Hasan after two years, for the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi.Hassan had returned to the T20I squad against Netherlands in August and impressed with his performances, especially in the Asia Cup where he made 61 and 69 in the Super Four matches against Sri Lanka and India. Nurul made a match-winning 23 not out off 13 balls to rescue Bangladesh in the first T20I against Afghanistan. Both batters are consistent performers in the domestic List-A competitions.Litton Das missed out on ODI selection as he continues to recover from the side strain he sustained during the Asia Cup. It had kept him out of the ongoing T20Is against Afghanistan too. The Bangladesh selectors dropped Parvez Hossain Emon from the ODI squad that played Afghanistan in July.A couple of Bangladesh players have also had visa issues. Mohammad Naim, who was picked in the ODI squad, is still in Dhaka because he hasn’t got his UAE visa yet. Soumya Sarkar, who is in the T20I squad for the ongoing series, has also been unable to travel to Sharjah; he is not part of the ODI squad, though. ODI captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Hasan Mahmud, Tanvir Islam and Nahid Rana will travel to the UAE on Friday to join the rest of the squad.Bangladesh play Afghanistan in the second and third T20Is on October 3 and 5 in Sharjah, followed by the ODIs in Abu Dhabi on October 8, 11 and 14.

Bangladesh squad for ODIs vs Afghanistan

Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), Tanzid Hasan, Mohammad Naim, Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana

Liverpool boss Arne Slot is continuing to build what he hopes will be a long-term dynasty at Anfield, though he may well need to plan for the future without Ryan Gravenberch.

The Reds are keen to push once again for the Premier League title. They will feel a renewed sense of optimism on that front with the international break to come, helped in no small part by Arsenal’s last-minute collapse at Sunderland on Saturday.

No matter what happens as the campaign continues to take shape, Liverpool know that their presence near the top of the pile has the potential to make other sides feel uneasy, even if a mixed start to the season has left supporters searching for more out of their side.

Florian Wirtz has failed to fully ignite at Anfield and there are still question marks over Jeremie Frimpong and Alexander Isak’s form. Nevertheless, one man Slot has been able to hang his hat on over the course of his tenure is Ryan Gravenberch.

Strutting his stuff and getting on the scoresheet against Aston Villa last weekend, the Netherlands international followed that performance up with an excellent engine room display as the Reds edged past Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Enjoying life in midfield, Gravenberch has been in fine form since returning from an ankle injury sustained against Manchester United. Fundamentally, his availability is crucial to Liverpool’s title bid, and he is now firmly one of the first names on Slot’s teamsheet.

Either way, the Reds are constantly pitting themselves against the elite sides in world football, and they have witnessed first-hand that rival heavyweights aren’t daunted by the prospect of trying to steal players from under their nose.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is a key example of that practice. However, they could now face a battle on their hands to retain Gravenberch amid recent developments from Spain.

Barcelona want to seize opportunity to sign Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch

According to reports in Spain, Barcelona want to capitalise on Ryan Gravenberch’s Liverpool situation and retain an element of confidence that they may be able to reach an agreement to sign the Netherlands international next summer.

Intriguingly, the former Ajax man values the opportunity to fulfil a career dream by signing for a top-level side such as the La Liga giants, though La Blaugrana will need to balance their finances before making an official approach.

Ryan Gravenberch’s 2025/26 season – Premier League

Shots

12

Successful dribbles

7

Chances created

5

Pass accuracy

87.7%

Duels won

42

Despite no exact price being named by the outlet, Liverpool’s valuation of their star midfielder has soared due to his recent performance and role in last term’s Premier League title triumph, making Gravenberch a hard player to attain for any elite side.

Liverpool may have their next Gini Wijnaldum in midfield

Like any potential move, selling the project on offer in Catalonia will be key to initiating movement. In contrast, the Reds will hope their upward trajectory as a club will convince the 23-year-old to stay put on Merseyside.

Adam Lallana would be “interested” in becoming the next manager of Southampton.

Since winning the 2024 Championship play-off final, it has hardly been the future that Southampton would have anticipated. Russell Martin, who guided them back to the Premier League, was replaced by Ivan Juric mid-season, following a turgid start to the 2024/25 campaign.

Juric was unable to turn around Southampton’s misfortune, as they became the first club to be relegated from the English top flight with as many as seven games remaining.

Will Still, who made a reputation for himself with Reims and Lens, joined in the summer. Despite his promise and an influx of summer signings, though, Still also struggled for form. After just two Championship wins in 13 matches and a three-game losing streak, Southampton parted ways with Still and have since been on the hunt for a new manager.

Now, it would appear that an unlikely candidate would happily take on the role were he offered the job.

Lallana to replace Still?

Following the 2024/25 season, Adam Lallana called time on his 19-year playing career. The midfielder, who came through the ranks at Southampton, played for the Saints for eight years until joining Liverpool in 2014. Six years later, Lallana moved to Brighton before returning to St. Mary’s, for a single season, in 2024.

As per Sky Sports, Lallana, who currently works as a first-team coach with the Saints, would be “interested in becoming a head coach”.

Across his playing career, Lallana played with some incredible managers, including Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool and Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton. Lallana has been outspoken about his “love” for De Zerbi, who now manages Ligue 1 side Marseille. No doubt then that he would look to draw from the Italian for inspiration in his own coaching career.

Despite his enthusiasm however, it appears that he is “an unlikely option at this time, given his lack of experience in the role”.

Southampton are aiming for a swift return to the English top flight, though their start to the 2025/26 season suggests that they may fall short of the mark they were aiming for.

Lallana could, no doubt, start his career as a first-team head coach in the coming years. With Southampton, however, it could well be too much, too soon for the former midfielder. He would be inheriting a club that desperately need lifting from the slump they find themselves in and a more-experienced option may better benefit the Saints at this time.

Southampton consider short-term deal for new manager

Former USMNT star Tim Howard reflected on Inter Miami’s 3-1 MLS Cup win over Vancouver, acknowledging the significance of the title while warning of challenges ahead. He said the trophy cements the club’s place in MLS's history after years of high-profile signings and marketing. He also cautioned that next year could provide challenges for Lionel Messi and warned Vancouver are on the rise.

• AFP
  

  'I think it's good for the league'

  The former Manchester United and Everton star noted that while the club had already captured attention through high-profile signings and lucrative television deals, winning the championship provided tangible validation of their ambitions.

  “I think it's good for the league,” Howard said on thepodcast. "Ultimately, there's the haves and the have-nots, and I just tend to think that makes for better drama, makes for better viewing, which ultimately, at the end of the day, this is the sport, just the business we're in, a viewership, sort of, driven sport. So, I like it."

  Howard emphasized that the trophy represents more than just silverware – it demonstrates that Inter Miami has successfully translated their financial investments and star power into actual competitive success.

  “You get the, you get the television deal that's linked to Messi, the biggest name in football. Like, you kinda need to win. Like, I mean, that's just my opinion on it.”

Advertisement

• Believes Vancouver better positioned for future

  Looking ahead to potential rematches between these two clubs, Howard expressed confidence that Vancouver Whitecaps would be more likely to return to future MLS Cup finals. 

  “I think Vancouver because, because I really like their team,” Howard said. “I do. I like their team, and I think they showed how good they are in the final and in the run-up to the final. Um, Sebastian Berhalter's gonna be an X factor. Can they keep him? Um, can they keep him happy? 

  "Arsene Wenger used to talk about the World Cup hangover…And here's what I would say. Now, look at Inter Miami. You got a Supporter Shield last year, you got a MLS cup this year, middle of the season this year, you're gonna have a World Cup, right for two or three of your best players, and obviously, Messi, the greatest player.

  “There's no doubt in my mind that that team will down tools [because of the World Cup]. There's no doubt in my mind. Not because they're bad guys. Not because they're bad, but because literally the exhaustion. "

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Howard urges caution

  Howard stressed the unique pressure Messi carries for Argentina and suggested that both the player and Inter Miami will carefully map out his appearances to ensure he remains fully fit and rested before – and even after – the tournament.

  “And by the way, don't forget, Messi, who runs this team,” Howard explained. “He's the heartbeat of his team, right? And I know he can do it 'cause he's done it for years. But just don't forget, Messi playing at a World Cup isn't a player playing at a World Cup. It's the hopes. It's the dreams. It's the threats. It's the entire nation. There's so much more on Messi's plate going into a World Cup, and then post-World Cup, how he unwraps that, than anybody else.

  “He's not gonna play a ton of minutes before the World Cup, FYI, MLS. He's basically gonna look at the calendar when it comes out, speak to Mascherano, and just say, 'All right, I'll play here, here, and here.' And I'm not, I'm not lying when I say that, right? He's gotta be fully fit and rested before the World Cup. And then after the World Cup.”

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Championship validates MLS growth

  The victory validates MLS's investment in attracting world-class talent while establishing Inter Miami as a franchise capable of winning at the highest level.