All posts by n8rngtd.top

Manchester City have monopolised football in recent seasons, buying some of Europe’s best talents as they have dominated the Premier League. It has certainly reaped the benefits.

The Citizens have won the Premier League in six out of the past seven years, with their four consecutive titles a new record. They also won their first Champions League back in 2022/23.

Pep Guardiola’s men have had some of Europe’s best players in that time. Arguably the best of the bunch is Kevin De Bruyne, who has played 388 games for the club, scoring 103 goals and registering 171 assists. In recent years, there has been another player who has arguably become even more important than De Bruyne, however.

Erling Haaland’s Manchester City record

The player in question here is City’s Norweigan striker Erling Haaland. The 24-year-old has been simply extraordinary since joining the club from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, and cannot stop scoring.

He has played 104 games for City so far and has scored an incredible 99 goals, grabbing 14 assists, too, which gives him more than one goal involvement per game. He has also scored 11 hat-tricks in all competitions in the sky blue of City.

In the Premier League, the Norway international has eight hatp-tricks and is now just four behind Sergio Aguero who currently has the most in Premier League history, with 12.

Haaland has won the Premier League Golden Boot in both of his completed top-flight seasons. In the 2022/23 campaign, he scored 36 goals in 35 games and scored 27 goals in 31 games last term.

City’s number nine is simply extraordinary and does not seem like stopping any time soon. Incredibly, the eight-time Premier League winners almost signed a player back in 2019 who is now arguably better than their star striker, Kylian Mbappe.

When Man City missed out on Kylian Mbappe

Yes, that is right, the Citizens wanted to sign the player many regard as the best in the world, back in 2018.

According to a report at the time from The Sun, Guardiola wanted the club to bid £200m for the Frenchman in January 2019, with his then-club Paris Saint-Germain potentially facing consequences for Financial Fair Play breaches.

The striker now plays at Real Madrid, after a long-awaited summer move from the French giants on a free transfer. He has already made a superb start to life at the Santiago Bernabeu, winning a trophy, the UEFA Super Cup, and scoring five goals in seven games.

His record at PSG was exemplary, and he became their all-time top goalscorer in March 2023. The France captain left the club having played 308 times, scoring a whopping 256 goals and grabbing 108 assists. As football statistician Statman Dave said, Mbappe is “inevitable”.

Had they signed the great forward in January 2019, the Citizens could have seen him eventually form a deadly partnership with that man Haaland.

The Real Madrid number nine enjoys playing on the left wing and with Haaland central, it could have proven to be a formidable duo, with fluid rotations, smart link-up play and lots of goals.

Nowadays, the pair have both been nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or. They are set to go up against current club teammates Vinicius Junior and Phil Foden for the esteemed prize, which neither have won at this stage of their career.

As City fans watch Haaland bang in the goals week in, week out, they might well sit there and think about what could have been if, four years ago, Guardiola had convinced the club’s ownership to break the world record transfer fee and sign Mbappe.

Worse than Savinho: 5/10 Man City star who lost 100% duels let Pep down

The Cityzens ace had a night to forget against Inter in the Champions League.

2

By
Dan Emery

Sep 19, 2024

The Fire made Berhalter both head coach and director of football, hoping 'seamless connection' leads to success

You’ll hear the platitude on the lips of everyone around the Chicago Fire organization, pushed at every possible opportunity.

“Chicago is a sleeping giant.”

And perhaps they’re right. The Fire have all of the credentials: massive sports market, Major League Soccer success, a track record of signing household names from Europe. But there are also some drawbacks: weather, some poor transfer business. In recent years, the story has been one of struggle and disappointment.

The Fire have aimed to change that – and have done so with one of the higher profile hires in recent MLS history. In October, Gregg Berhalter was officially announced as head coach and director of football of the Fire, a dual role in the club that has an admittedly mixed history in the league. But Chicago, in handing over the reins to the former United States men’s national team manager, insist they have the right man.

“If he can do his best work as director of football and head coach, and there’s this seamless connection, I’m fine with it,” Fire owner Joe Mansueto said.

• Imagn
  

  A mixed history of dual roles

  The Berhalter story is admittedly a confusing one. He was unceremoniously dismissed from the U.S. job following the USMNT’s failure in Copa America, as the hosts failed to make it out of the group stage. There were calls in some corners for him to be removed before that. He reportedly had offers from both Liga MX and European sides before opting to take the dual role in Chicago. He insists he’s ready to assume both responsibilities.

  “It’s definitely going to be difficult, but the really important thing is putting together a good team,” Berhalter told GOAL.

  He joins a lineage of individuals who have operated in both roles over the years. Berhalter himself assumed the twin jobs for the Columbus Crew during his previous stint in MLS, and qualified for the playoffs in four out of five seasons. But that proved a difficult task, he admits.

  “I learned a lot of lessons from the Columbus days, working from 6 a.m. to 10 at night every day for five years. It aged me,” he said at his introductory press conference. “I realized how I need help.”

  For others, though, success has been mixed. Bruce Arena, also a former USMNT manager, has held both positions on three separate occasions. In the first, he turned LA Galaxy from a struggling side – or, a sleeping giant, even – into back-to-back MLS Cup Champions within five years.

  He took on a similar challenge with the New England Revolution in 2019. The early days were good, with Arena leading the team to first an Eastern Conference final, then a Supporter’s Shield win, before seeing his team succumb to injuries and fall out of the playoff picture in his third full season. Things ended in controversial fashion in August 2023, when he was placed on administrative leave for alleged “insensitive and inappropriate remarks.” Arena resigned a month later.

  Now, he is back, taking on similar responsibilities with the beleaguered San Jose Earthquakes.

  Bob Bradley and Peter Vermes have also gone about similar tasks. For Bradley, it wasn’t a successful venture, as he was dismissed by Toronto FC after 18 months. Vermes enjoyed early success – winning MLS Cup in 2013 – but Sporting Kansas City have rather struggled in recent years. He signed a five year deal in 2023, though, and still operates as general manager and head coach.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Piecing together a staff

  The initial days of Berhalter’s tenure have been marked by extensive overhaul. Within a month, two assistant coaches were gone. On the same day, the club announced the hiring of head of recruitment Michael Stephens – a former USMNT scout who worked closely with Berhalter from 2019-2022.

  A week later, a chief sporting officer was unveiled. Meanwhile, the head coach of Chicago Fire II – the club’s MLS Next Pro side – was dismissed. Two days before Christmas, 9 weeks after officially taking the helm, Berhalter had his staff filled out.

  “We have a leadership team that we put together with a sporting director, general manager, head of strategy, head of recruitment and a head of performance. And we’re really relying on that team,” Berhalter said.

  The original plan for the Fire, though, was only to find a new director of football. A head coach, they figured, could come after.

  “Initially, we were just looking to fill the sporting head’s spot… when we came across Gregg, he expressed a desire to do both,” Mansueto said. “While that was not initially our intention, because of who Gregg is, and he has succeeded in this dual role before, we were confident it would work.”

  For Berhalter, there were other opportunities and jobs available. But the assurance that he would have full support from the ownership, including a willingness to invest, was key.

  “It’s a market that is desperate for success and an owner that's willing to invest and is committed to building a strong team for the city of Chicago,” Berhalter said. “And that really appealed to me. When evaluating other opportunities, this one became clear because of the tremendous opportunity.”

• USA Today
  

  The players' reaction

  Part of the allure, from the Fire’s perspective, is the standing Berhalter has within the game. The former USMNT manager, Mansueto said, has a global brand. The connections developed over the years can only help. The same comes from the players.

  “I think we have a duty and job on the field, and we look at him as coach, and not the guy with multiple job titles,” veteran midfielder Kellyn Acosta told GOAL. “From our standpoint, and my standpoint, it's about executing the system and his tactics and playing the best football we can on the field, I think all the rest is is secondary for us.”

  He’s not alone in his assessment.

  “The fact that he gets the double role speaks for itself, and the trust that he gets from the club,” Hugo Cuypers said. “The experience he brings from his past experiences, and I hope it says it sets the standards for the season.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Re-tooling the roster

  The goals here are clear. The Fire, sleeping giant and all, have to compete from day one. There was a real buzz about them taking a massive step towards that when they were – ever so briefly – linked with Neymar. The Brazilian has a longstanding interest in MLS, but with an agreement to join Santos reportedly just around the corner, talk fell away.

  Instead, Berhalter has looked elsewhere. Chicago has money to spend, and the former USMNT boss has used it. Overseas talent has come in. Former Celta Vigo winger Jonathan Bamba is the marquee arrival. The Ivorian international has appeared 10 times for his country, and played in La Liga, Ligue 1 and the Champions League.

  It would seem to be better business from a side whose signature of Xherdan Shaqiri will go down as one of the worst acquisitions in MLS history. Midfielder Rominigue Kouame has come in from Cadiz on loan. Winger Philip Zinckernagel signed a four-year contract from Belgian side Club Brugge. There are defensive reinforcements in experienced center back Sam Rogers and Portuguese youth international Leonardo Barroso.

  “We’re committed to building a strong team for the city of Chicago,” Berhalter explained.

Harry Kane has been ranked against Robert Lewandowski, Luis Suarez and Sergio Aguero in a debate regarding the best No.9 of his generation.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Record goalscorer for Spurs & England
• Impressive standards maintained at Bayern
• Expected to extend career like all-time greats

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  England captain Kane is very much in that discussion after becoming the all-time leading scorer for Tottenham and the Three Lions. He hit 280 goals for Spurs and has 69 for his country. Remarkable individual standards are currently being maintained at German giants Bayern Munich.

Advertisement

• WHAT MICHEL VORM SAID

  Kane is competing with several other legendary forwards for the tile of ‘best No.9’ – with Karim Benzema another to enter that conversation – and ex-Spurs goalkeeper Michel Vorm, speaking in association with , told GOAL when asked where his former team-mate stands: "On that list, for me, the only thing that separates those players are the trophies.

  "Lewandowski and Harry are more the same type of player than Aguero and Suarez. For me he is a top three striker of all-time in Europe. There’s not even a doubt. Maybe I am a bit biased because I played with him and I know him, but he is such a great finisher. Lewandowski is more his type than Suarez. Aguero obviously retired a bit earlier. He was a top striker as well. For me, Harry is top three."

• Getty/GOAL
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kane has reached the very top of the game as a result of his relentless pursuit of perfection, which could be likened to the mindset shared by all-time greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Vorm said of how Kane got to this point: "I obviously didn’t train with Messi or Ronaldo but, from my own experience, I was around 30 years old when I joined Spurs – quite experienced – and I could tell straight away when I worked with Harry that he was different from the rest. His work ethic was unbelievable and he has a very clear goal for himself, where he wants to be. Working on, for example, his finishing and his mentality was, and still is, unbelievable.

  "I think for the kids nowadays, you could see that there are a lot of talented players doing all kinds of tricks, but the work ethic and mentality, for me, is bigger than the talent. Harry showed that from the moment that I worked with him until today. Otherwise, you can’t keep on doing what he is doing for so many years in a row."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Kane is now 31 years of age, but is being backed to follow the lead of Messi and Ronaldo by playing towards his 40s. Vorm added: "One hundred per cent. The quality he has is very specific and he’s looking after himself so well. Maybe some people forget but during his last period at Tottenham, sometimes he drops back. He had a lot of assists that season. He can play very well, he’s not just a No.9. There is so much more in him. If you understand football you will have seen that over the years.

  "Now, he’s very specific and just a No.9 and scoring goals. If he is looking after himself, because he had some injuries in the past with his ankle, the last few years he has been fitter than ever and if he can maintain it, why not?"

Newcastle United are believed to be keen on signing two Premier League players worth a combined £75m to replace Fabian Schar and Dan Burn.

Newcastle transfer rumours

Newcastle’s defensive issues have been well-documented of late, in terms of Eddie Howe having a dearth of options at centre-back, due to long-term injuries to Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles.

For that reason, they have been linked with a move for AC Milan ace Fikayo Tomori, with the Englishman considered a strong option to come in at the heart of the defence.

At the other end of the pitch, Botafogo forward Igor Jesus has also been mentioned as a potential target for the Magpies in one of the upcoming transfer windows. The 23-year-old is thought to be wanted by Arsenal as well, though, so Paul Mitchell may well have a job on his hands getting a deal over the line.

Bournemouth attacker Antoine Semenyo is reportedly wanted by Newcastle, too, being seen as an upgrade on Miguel Almiron out wide, with the latter’s time at St James’ Park arguably on the verge of reaching its conclusion. It still appears that defenders are the primary targets, however, following a fresh update.

Newcastle eyeing £75m Premier League duo

According to Caught Offside, Newcastle are “closely monitoring” Wout Faes and Nikola Milenkovic from Leicester City and Nottingham Forest respectively, with the pair worth a combined £75m.

It is claimed that the Magpies are “undecided” over whether to hand Schar and Burn new deals at St James’, with their current contracts expiring at the end of this season. For that reason, they could be replaced by their fellow Premier League counterparts.

Leicester and Forest are expected to demand approximately £33.4m and £41.8m for Faes and Milenkovic respectively, in what would represent expensive deals.

This is a big decision that Newcastle have to make, considering what stalwarts Schar and Burn have been in recent years, making a combined 306 appearances for the club. Both are now in their 30s, however, so having them sign extensions would be risky, in terms of being ageing figures who could drift past their peak in no time at all.

For that reason, the Magpies could be entertaining the idea of bringing in Faes and Milenkovic in 2025, with the pair proving to be influential centre-backs at their respective clubs.

The former has played every single minute in the Premier League so far this season, averaging a whopping seven clearances per game, which is more than any Newcastle player, with Burn topping the pile with 4.9.

Meanwhile, Milenkovic has been a dominant performer for Forest, winning an average of 3.3 aerial duels per match in the league, and playing all 90 minutes of his side’s famous 1-0 victory away to Liverpool back in September.

Newcastle may regret losing £15m ace who is now playing better than Gordon

Newcastle United never got the best out of this star.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 14, 2024

While many Magpies supporters would likely be content to see Schar and Burn sign new short-term deals, given their consistency, next summer may be the right time to add younger blood to the squad. At 26 and 27, Faes and Milenkovic could tick that box.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca slammed the referees for missing a 'clear' handball in the Blues' 2-1 loss to Brighton in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Chelsea lose 2-1 to Brighton in the FA Cup
• Lamptey's handball missed before Mitoma's winner
• Maresca criticises lack of VAR during round four

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Chelsea lost 2-1 to Brighton, as goals from Georginio Rutter and Kaoru Mitoma cancelled out Bart Verbruggen's early own goal. However, questions have been raised over the legality of the Seagulls' winner in the 57th minute, as Tariq Lamptey looked to handle the ball after his shot was blocked and ricocheted off his hand in the build-up to Mitoma's winner. Maresca has now opened up about the match and criticised the lack of a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  WHAT MARESCA SAID

  Speaking to BBC Sport, Maresca said: "We controlled much better the first half. In the second half the only shots they had we conceded a goal from. I think the handball [before Brighton's second goal] is quite clear. In the last two or three days there were many different moments in different games. Without VAR it's complicated."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The FA Cup does not have VAR until the start of the fifth round due to a lack of necessary technology at smaller stadiums and the need for extra officials at every match. Maresca's words about the VAR absence affecting other matches come after Manchester United's 93rd-minute winner against Leicester City was not flagged offside despite Harry Maguire seemingly being behind the defensive line.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  Maresca added that Chelsea can now focus on the Premier League and the Europa Conference League after being knocked out of the FA Cup. He also discussed the Blues' Premier League clash against Brighton on Friday, February 14.

  The Italian said: "We tried to come here and play our football; we always aim to win matches, but at the same time, we must accept the consequences of the result. At 2-1, we had a few chances, but now we can focus on the Premier League and the Conference League. I don’t think this loss will affect our next match against Brighton on Friday in the Premier League—I’m sure it will be a completely different game with a different level of competition."

Tottenham Hotspur talents Mikey Moore and Will Lankshear have been handed opportunities to impress by Ange Postecoglou this season, but there is another youngster who could be worth keeping an eye on.

Moore and Lankshear called upon by Postecoglou at Tottenham

Moore and Lankshear appear to be grabbing the most headlines in north London right now, with the latter included in two Premier League matchday squads so far this season, whilst also leading the line during Spurs’ 2-1 win at Ferencvaros in the Europa League.

Ange without "very strong" Tottenham player through injury alongside Son

He’s set to miss Crystal Palace on Sunday with Son a huge doubt too.

By
Emilio Galantini

Oct 25, 2024

It is clear Postecoglou’s sees something in the 19-year-old, who’s scored 26 goals across 34 appearances in total for Tottenham’s Under-21s, and it is likely we’ll see more of Lankshear as the season goes on.

Meanwhile, fellow teenager Moore has significantly impressed when given the opportunity. The 17-year-old sensation has made seven senior appearances already this season, starting their Europa League wins over Ferencvaros and AZ Alkmaar, where he put in very impressive displays.

Moore should have an assist to show for his efforts, but Timo Werner failed to convert the Englishman’s low cross and fumbled a chance one-on-one with the keeper against Ferencvaros, prior to the most recent international break.

He made brief Premier League cameos against Brentford, Man United and Brighton as well – appearing in each of their last four matchday squads. Moore has been praised at Tottenham for grabbing his chances with both hands, and many believe he could Spurs’ next rising star.

Moore is in contention to start at Crystal Palace on Sunday, with Postecoglou praising Moore as a “very mature” forward considering his age.

“I think Mikey just wants to be Mikey and like I said after the game, what I see with him is that he’s very mature for a 17-year-old,” said Postecoglou on Moore.

“He handles things really well. Sometimes young players are exciting but you can see pitfalls down the road, but I don’t see that with him. At 17, you think what is he going to be like at 21 and hopefully I am the manager then!”

Praise for Dane Scarlett at Tottenham

Alongside Moore and Lankshear, pundit John Wenham believes that another young forward worth monitoring at Tottenham is Dane Scarlett.

Jose Mourinho compared the attacker to Marcus Rashford in 2021, and while the Englishman hasn’t become a fixture of the squad yet, he is shining out on loan at Oxford United right now.

Speaking to Tottenham News, Wenham praised Scarlett for his form at Oxford on loan from Tottenham – claiming England absolutely love the “exciting” player.

“England love him, they absolutely love him,” Wenham said. “He was captain of the Under-20s and was then called up to the Under-21s, where he scored straightaway. I’m pleased by his recent form, it is good for his confidence and keeps him going. He scored an amazing header against West Brom, which gave him the confidence to start in the next game and score again.

“I just want him to be out there playing football because he knows where the back of the net is. He continues to prove that every time he plays for England and now Oxford United.”

Lamine Yamal was left baffled by some decisions in Barcelona’s clash with Las Palmas, as he was left sporting a bloodied sock.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Youngster subjected to rough treatment
• Not always defended by match officials
• Rivals eager to contain threat he poses

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The teenage wonderkid lined up for the Blaugrana in their latest La Liga fixture. He did not find the target himself during that contest, but did provide the assist which allowed Dani Olmo to open the scoring in a battling 2-0 win.

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Las Palmas were fully aware of the threat that Yamal posed to their defensive unit. In a bid to contain him, they did get overly physical at times. Barcelona’s Golden Boy winner did not get the protection from match officials that he was hoping for.

• WHAT LAMINE YAMAL SAID

  At one point, just before the hour mark, Yamal was caught by Dario Essugo and Alex Munoz. He was left writhing in agony on the turf, but no free-kick was awarded. The youngster has posted an image on social media of his bloodied sock, alongside a tongue-in-cheek “it’s not a foul” statement.

  Instagram

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• WHAT NEXT?

  Yamal is having to grow accustomed to taking the odd knock, with rivals eager to stop him before he gets up to speed. Occasionally, that will mean bending the rules. Referees in Spain need to ensure that one of the hottest prospects in world football is not injured by the rough treatment that he receives.

Without a goal from open play in four games in all competitions and without a Premier League win in over a month, to say that Newcastle United’s latest injury blow is one they could have done without would be a major understatement.

Newcastle injury news

Starting the season without both Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles, Newcastle already found themselves at a disadvantage before injuries to the likes of Alexander Isak only added to their woes. The Magpies are facing the consequences for failing to reinforce Eddie Howe’s side throughout the summer transfer window, leading to an inevitable struggle for form.

Admittedly, it didn’t seem as though their frontline was the issue, but just eight games in and that has so far been the case. Isak, although his short spell on the sidelines must be taken into account, has managed just one goal in six Premier League games in an incredibly disappointing record for a player of his quality.

The Swede was the star of the show last season, but has struggled to find his form whilst his strike partner is yet to even make a Premier League appearance in the current campaign in a run that is only set to continue.

According to Craig Hope of the Daily Mail, Callum Wilson has suffered an injury setback and is now set to miss Newcastle’s next three games having already been missing for the previous ten.

Sold by Ashley: Newcastle star has seen his value soar 566% after leaving

Newcastle must regret one of their “costliest blunders” whose value has risen by 566%

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 25, 2024

It did look as though Wilson was set to make his return sooner rather than later before another injury blow struck to leave the Magpies hoping to see Isak avoid yet another spell on the sidelines himself.

Into the final year of his contract at St James’ Park, this current spell on the sidelines almost sums up Wilson’s time in the Premier League as a whole. One of the more clinical strikers in English football, the former Bournemouth man has consistently struggled with injuries.

Games that "brilliant" Wilson will now miss

After yet another injury blow, Wilson will miss the next three Newcastle games at a time in which they could do with his clinical nature in front of goal more than ever. The Englishman’s contract may be coming to an end next summer, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a role to play in the current campaign. With Isak out of form, Wilson must emerge from injury to enjoy one last dance at St James’ Park.

Howe will be well aware of just how big a miss Wilson has been and will continue to be in the next three games against two of the Premier League’s top six. The Newcastle boss has often been full of praise for his forward, once saying via Chronicle Live: “He was outstanding like he has been whenever he has played this season, but he’s a brilliant player to have in the squad and what an impact.”

Ruben Amorim appears positive that Manchester United are making progress, despite admitting there is still a very long way to go.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Amorim reveals Man Utd optimism
• Praises growing connections in training
• Admits problems also still persist

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Amorim spoke about the good and the bad he sees before him, particularly highlighting positives in training, as he addressed the media at a press conference ahead of facing Everton in the Premier League in Saturday's early kick-off. The Portuguese admitted there are times when he "doesn't feel" improvement, but others when it is clear just how "capable" this Mancester United team are.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT RUBEN AMORIM SAID

  "What I feel is that sometimes I don't feel improvement in the team and then we have some games when it is more difficult, but you feel that we can play, we can create situations," Amorim told reporters.

  "That is a good thing. But I think in this moment, when you watch the games, you can see there are more problems than solutions. I think that is clear, but I think, when we play some games, that things are there and we are capable. But we have to be consistent and that’s it.

  "It's more important in training, and what I am seeing in training is that they are improving and creating relationships. We are bonding and understanding the way we want to play. Even the sound of the training is different – when we are making an exercise, you feel the sound. People are talking, asking for the ball and giving directions. You can feel it in the environment, we are changing. It's important to use that in the game."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Amorim has lost as many games (9) as he has won from 21 in charge since arriving in November. It's also just four Premier League victories in 14 during that time, with the squad struggling to get to grips with a very specific set of tactics he has tried to implement. Training has previously been an issue, with Marcus Rashford dropped and ultimately leaving the club over an apparent lack of application behind the scenes, and all sorts of long-standing accusations about a broken culture within a squad low on confidence that bleeds onto the pitch on matchdays. He has occasionally resorted to a shock factor approach to get his message across, which hasn't always gone down well with staff.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Unfortunately for Amorim, while it is clear that Manchester United is a rebuilding project and he cannot be fairly judged until he’s had a pre-season and summer transfer window, pressure on immediate results remains. The Red Devils have slipped to 15th place in the Premier League and are staring down the barrel of a worst league finish since relegation in 1974 unless there is a drastic and consistent upturn in performances.

The U.S. international leapt into the air off a corner to draw level for Betis in their clash with Los Blancos

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Real Betis stun Real Madrid
• USMNT's Cardoso scores powerful header
• Midfielder has missed last two USMNT camps to injury

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  U.S. midfielder Johnny Cardoso scored his first goal of the La Liga season on Saturday, leaping high on a corner kick to head home for Real Betis in their La Liga clash with Real Madrid.

  attacker Brahim Diaz gave Madrid an early lead 10 minutes into the clash before Betis drew level through Cardoso in the 34th minute. Former Madrid midfielder Isco then gave Betis the lead from the penalty spot in the 54th minute of the match early in the second half.

  Real Betis would hold on to beat Real Madrid 2-1.

Advertisement

• WATCH THE CLIP

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Cardoso has 18 caps for the USMNT, but has yet to find the back of the net on the international stage. He made his debut in 2020 for the program, but had to withdraw from the recent November camp under Mauricio Pochettino due to a minor ankle injury. That followed the same issue that happened during the October camp with the U.S., meaning the midfielder has yet to debut for Mauricio Pochettino.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR BETIS AND CARDOSO?

  Betis take on Vitoria De Guimaraes in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday.