West Ham United have opened talks regarding a deal to sign Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres, according to reports.

Is Viktor Gyokeres leaving Coventry?

The Sky Blues talisman’s contract is set to expire at the end of next season meaning that the ongoing window is likely to be the club's final big opportunity to cash in, and after establishing himself as Coventry's top-performing offensive player last season, he won’t be short of potential suitors should he depart.

Back in November 2022, Football League World first credited the Irons with an interest in the 25-year-old alongside Premier League rivals Crystal Palace, Everton and formerly Southampton, but despite a deal failing to materialise in January, David Moyes appears to be taking a second bite of the cherry.

Fabrizio Romano recently reported that whilst the Sweden international is yet to make a decision regarding his future beyond the summer, the E20 outfit are “ready to push” to bring him to the capital, and their efforts behind the scenes may have already begun.

Are West Ham signing Gyokeres?

According to Portuguese newspaper Record (via West Ham Zone), West Ham have “entered the negotiating table” for Gyokeres ahead of the 2023/24 term. The London Stadium side are firmly “part of” the English top-flight clubs looking to strike a deal and on Sunday, opened discussions with Coventry to see whether they can reach an agreement for the in-demand centre-forward.

Could Gyokeres be a strong recruit for Moyes?

West Ham are likely to have a big budget to play with, should they sell Declan Rice, and it’s been reported that Gyokeres could cost £25m so he’d be more than affordable having been dubbed “unplayable” by his former teammate Maxime Biamou and a "very strong striker" by Slaven Bilic.

The Building Society Arena attacker posted a remarkable 31 goal contributions (21 goals and ten assists) in 46 Championship appearances last season, form which not only saw him collect ten man-of-the-match awards, but he was also named the second-highest goalscorer in the second-tier and currently holds a career-high €13m Transfermarkt valuation, showing he appears to be at the top of his game.

The Irons target is additionally a constant threat even when the ball doesn’t hit the back of the net having recorded 191 shot-creating actions and 133 shots over the course of the previous campaign which was more than any other of his fellow peers, as per FBRef.

Finally, Gyokeres is a versatile operator having been deployed in six various positions over the grass since first bursting into the scene, mainline across the frontline, so he could be a massive addition to Moyes' attacking ranks, should he sign on the dotted line.

Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami team-mates attended an end of season party for 2023 that featured a giant club-themed cake.

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• Historic Leagues Cup win enjoyed in 2023
• Intend to compete for everything next season
• Argentine skipper has another Ballon d'Or

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Florida-based outfit missed out on a place in the MLS playoffs, meaning that their campaign was cut short. They did, however, enjoy a historic Leagues Cup triumph within weeks of welcoming all-time great Messi to the United States.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Inter Miami, with Luis Suarez seemingly on his way to join a number of former Barcelona colleagues in America, intend to compete for every major honour up for grabs in 2024. Head coach Tata Martino has revealed that pre-season training will begin on January 10.

• Casadonna Miami/Instagram
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Prior to that, a star-studded squad have been letting their hair down. Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Benjamin Cremaschi were among those in attendance at Miami-based restaurant Casadonna, with a giant cake featuring the club’s crest, mini footballs and a goal taking centre stage.

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• WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Inter Miami had been due to take in a two-game tour of China after seeing their domestic season come to a close, but that trip to Asia has been cancelled. Instead, Messi and Co will line up against New York City FC on Friday – with their Argentine captain set to parade the eighth Ballon d’Or of his remarkable career – while a friendly with Newell’s Old Boys is expected to be put in place for early 2024.

Freedom was the hallmark of Bangladesh’s victory in the second T20I, said Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan, who top-scored for his side with a 31-ball 38, before claiming 3 for 24, having opened the bowling.That Bangladesh played without fear was clear in the first six overs of the match: Soumya Sarkar and Imrul Kayes cracked eight fours and three sixes inside the Powerplay, fetching 68 runs. Shakib subsequently consolidated the innings alongside Sabbir Rahman and Mosaddek Hossain. Even though Bangladesh lost quick wickets towards the end of the innings, 176 for 9 always seemed a formidable score.The 45-run victory was Bangladesh’s first in the format since they beat Oman in Dharamsala in March last year.”We played with more freedom in the second T20I, compared to the first game,” Shakib said. “I think it is a positive sign. We have to play like this in T20s. It is important because we hadn’t won the last eight games. The Asia Cup last year was our last good tournament. It was a big challenge for us in this game, as we had lost the first game. This is a satisfying win.”Though Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza didn’t have an especially memorable game himself – he got out for a golden duck, and then returned 1 for 30 from his four overs – his team was intent on sending their captain into retirement with a win, Shakib said.Furthermore, despite being the frontrunner to take over the reins from Mashrafe as the new T20I captain, Shakib said he was “not thinking about captaincy” at present. Instead, he chose to dwell on Mashrafe’s legacy.”Mashrafe is a special figure in the dressing room,” Shakib said. “Naturally, everyone will miss him. We need support on and off the field, and there’s no one more helpful than him. Nobody can play forever, so I wish him all the very best in life. I would want him to continue in the ODI team for a long time, and take Bangladesh cricket forward.”Shakib stopped short of proclaiming the Sri Lanka tour as Bangladesh’s best-ever abroad, but mentioned that victories in the country were “rare”. All three series were drawn 1-1.”We made huge improvements in the Test series after losing the first game. In ODIs, we showed the consistency of the last couple of years. We didn’t bat well in the third ODI, but overall we had a mindset change in Tests and T20s. We don’t often win like this abroad.”

Will Tavare and Graeme van Buuren registered half-centuries as Gloucestershire reached the close on 236 for 4 on the opening day of the Specsavers Championship

ECB Reporters Network14-Apr-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Will Tavaré held Gloucestershire together with an unbeaten 73•Getty Images

Will Tavare and Graeme van Buuren registered half-centuries as Gloucestershire reached the close on 236 for 4 on the opening day of the Specsavers Championship match against Leicestershire at the Brightside Ground, Bristol.The third-wicket pair batted throughout the afternoon session, adding 127 after Gloucestershire had been put in by opponents who failed to make best use of the new ball. But the Foxes fought back during the final session, removing allrounder van Buuren and George Hankins in quick succession and restricting the run rate thereafter to put themselves back in contention before bad light brought a premature conclusion at the end of the 88th over.Determined to make amends after being shot out for 61 in their second innings and crashing to a heavy defeat in their Division Two opener at Kent last week, Gloucestershire summoned a gutsy response in their first home game of the season. No one demonstrated powers of recovery more admirably than Tavare, whose stubborn innings of 73 not out, chiseled from 213 balls and spanning just under four hours, characterised Gloucestershire’s approach.While van Buuren and Australian batsman Cameron Bancroft, who dominated an opening stand of 52 with Chris Dent, were prepared to play their shots and entertain a sparse Bank Holiday crowd, Tavare dropped anchor to provide the innings with the kind of gravitas that had been missing at Canterbury last time out.Mustering concentration and defiance in equal measure, the Bristolian ensured Gloucestershire were able to bank their first batting bonus points of the season and assume the upper hand against a Leicestershire side following their mauling at the hands of Nottinghamshire.Having helped shore up the innings in conditions conducive to swing following the departure of Bancroft and Dent prior to lunch, Tavare happily played second fiddle to the dashing van Buuren as the pair held sway during what turned out to be an afternoon of toil for Leicestershire’s misfiring seam attack.Promoted up the order in the absence of the unwell Gareth Roderick, van Buuren survived a searching examination from Ben Raine to stamp his authority and change the complexion of the game, carving 50 from 65 balls as the home side seized the initiative. Within sight of what would have been his third first-class hundred for the county, the 26-year-old edged a length ball from Raine behind for 79, cutting short an enterprising innings that comprised 128 balls and included 12 fours.When Hankins chased a ball outside his off stump and was held at first slip off the bowling of Gavin Griffiths soon afterwards, Gloucestershire were 204 for 4 and in need of reassurance. It was provided by the dependable Tavare and veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Phil Mustard, who kept Leicestershire at bay until bad light hastened the end of proceedings.Leicestershire elected to bowl first and wasted the new ball as their frontline seamers struggled to muster line and length on a consistent basis.Griffiths claimed his maiden Championship wicket when bowling Bancroft for 32 with a superb inswinging yorker, while Richard Jones bowled Dent via an inside edge for 20. But Gloucestershire’s openers had done enough to take the shine off the ball.No doubt piqued at seeing four catches go down, Leicestershire captain Mark Cosgrove made a point when coming into the attack ahead of schedule in the 45th over. By that time, Gloucestershire had assumed a crucial foothold and van Buuren and Tavare were up and running.

Arsenal, amidst all their high-profile transfer dealings, could be set to sneak in one for the future…

What's the latest on Pedrinho to Arsenal?

That's according to GOAL journalist Thiago Fernandes, who offered another update on the Gunners' pursuit of Corinthians youngster Pedrinho.

Having been linked last month, it seems now some true ground has been broken in the deal, as Edu has reportedly met with the president of the Brazilian club to discuss a move.

With a bid still yet to be made, it was reportedly suggested that an attempt will come in the future.

Boasting an astronomical €120m (£103m) release clause, this hands the sellers ultimate power over how much they can command for their teenage star.

Who is Pedrinho?

Mikel Arteta will be hoping that should they complete this swoop, it repeats the success earned with Gabriel Martinelli, who also joined straight from Brazil.

Although only 17 years old, it is clear how highly rated this Samba wonderkid is in his homeland, given that astronomical sum placed upon his head.

With speed, flair and technical prowess beyond his youth, Pedrinho first enjoyed success for the U20 team, notching five goals in ten games. Since then he has garnered eight senior appearances, catching the eye of many.

A teammate of his, the long-serving goalkeeper Cassio Ramos, was quick to praise the trickster and explain exactly why the club had come to such a financial conclusion over his value: "For me, Pedrinho has everything to be the best (young) player since I’ve been here. Exceptional. (He is) trains a lot. The best boy I’ve seen. I hope it stays that way.

“We have a lot of confidence (in the young players). Let’s just support them. High-quality boys. We have to help them. When needed, they will come in and help the team."

Although hardly a free-scoring asset at this moment in time, with a clearly bright future on the horizon, to move directly from Brazil to the Emirates would emulate the success the north London outfit has gained thus far with Martinelli.

Having transferred in 2019 from Gremio, it took the 22-year-old time to adapt to the English game. However, this culminated in his starring role in their title charge last term, as he finished as the club's joint-top scorer with 15 goals.

Should Edu emulate similar levels with Pedrinho, nurturing him in the same way he did with the now Brazil international, Arsenal could continue their dynasty which already seems set to last for the foreseeable future.

With a young squad only set to improve further with the potential additions of Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice, there would be no rush for this teenager to have an immediate impact, but the perfect atmosphere for him to one day grow into a key member of this star-studded cast.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details5:25

Bangar: Tewatia’s introduction turned the match

A sensational display of end-overs bowling from Mohit Sharma and strangulation by legspin from Rahul Tewatia, playing his first game this season, helped apply the choke on Kolkata Knight Riders. By securing one of three wins they needed, Kings XI lived to fight another day.In what was an engaging last five overs off which Knight Riders needed just 50, Mohit brought out all his slower variations – the knuckleball, back-of-the-hand slower deliveries and offcutters – and delivered them with precision to deny Chris Lynn, who wiped out half of Knight Riders’ 168-run target off just 52 balls, and Manish Pandey. The pair’s dismissal off successive deliveries off the 18th over helped close out a tight game, with the Sharmas – Mohit and Sandeep – defending 29 off the 12 deliveries to ensure three playoff spots were still up for grabs.Knight Riders’ productive first sixKings XI made four changes, two of those being forced. One of them – Hashim Amla – had just smashed a 60-ball 104, his second century of the season, in the previous game. Even so, the rest of the batsmen stuttered as they finished with just 189 when they should’ve posted 210. Now, without Amla, who along with David Miller was unavailable because of national duty, Kings XI needed a robust beginning from the openers. Manan Vohra, who had earlier in the tournament shunted up and down the order to accommodate both Shaun Marsh and Martin Guptill, sparkled briefly, but his dismissal brought about a restrained approach. The first six overs fetched just 41 for the loss of the openers. Knight Riders had begun well.Maxwell, Saha keep the innings aliveOn a surface where the ball was deviating just about enough to keep the medium-pacers interested, Chris Woakes and Colin de Grandhomme bowled six overs in tandem, conceding just 22 off the first four immediately after the Powerplay. Kings XI limped to 63 for 3 in the first half. They went 17 deliveries without a boundary after Shaun Marsh’s dismissal in the ninth over, before Maxwell cut loose – hitting de Grandhomme for two successive sixes off legitimate deliveries to trigger a surge. Maxwell’s picking of lengths was impressive as he played the pull effectively against the pacers. Wriddhiman Saha, on 10 off 17 at one stage, pinched crucial boundaries to move to a run-a-ball 26. At 115 for 3 with five to play, Kings XI needed big back five overs. But they were denied.Kuldeep Yadav, returning in place of Piyush Chawla, was rewarded for his willingness to flight the ball as he had Maxwell caught at wide long-off in an attempt to hit him for a third successive six. In his next over, he had Saha stumped after being biffed across the line one ball earlier. A cameo from Tewatia lifted them to 167, not underwhelming but not match-winning either.Getty Images

Narine tees off, Lynn consolidatesTwo quiet men, who don’t believe in intimidating opponents with words, let their blades talk. Sunil Narine’s no-frills approach fetched him four fours in a 10-ball 18. Lynn, playing in only his second game after returning from a shoulder injury that kept him out for three weeks, didn’t show signs of “not being a 100 percent” as he revealed during a flash interview. Time and again, he was tested against the short ball, only for the deep midwicket and wide long-on boundaries to be peppered with regularity.The best shot of his knock – a flat-batted swat off Matt Henry which he fetched from outside off – showed how brutally effective he can be even if not at full tilt. Yet, this wasn’t as brutal a knock as the one against Royal Challengers Bangalore. By bringing up a half-century off just 29 deliveries, Lynn ensured Gautam Gambhir’s struggle against spin – he scratched around 17 deliveries for 8 before mistiming a slog to deep midwicket – didn’t deeply disturb the asking rate.Tewatia spins a webOne ball after sending back Gambhir, Rahul Tewatia, playing his first game this season, saw off Robin Uthappa, but to not give any credit to Axar Patel would be doing injustice to his efforts. Running around from straight deep midwicket, he covered quick ground before putting in a dive to catch the dipping slog sweep inches from the ground near deep square leg. Now, the choke was on. Axar followed it up by conceding just three in his next over. The spinners – Tewatia along with Axar and Swapnil Singh – at that stage had combined figures of 2 for 30 off six overs. Knight Riders needed 86 off 54 balls.Maxwell’s punt on Mohit pays offBy leaving two overs of Mohit in the last five, Maxwell gambled. Considering the form Lynn was in, it was a tough proposition. But the pressure applied by the spinners left Knight Riders with a steep task against a bowler, who justified the INR 6.5 crore investment, at a crunch moment when the game was on the line and Kings XI’s chances of staying alive was hanging by a thread. That he bowled just three overs may have been a decision Kings XI could have rued, but on the night, it was his experience that prevailed.

Kolkata Knight Riders and Rising Pune Supergiant are both enjoying strong runs of form and have their sights set on finishing the league stage in the top two

The Preview by Karthik Krishnaswamy02-May-2017

Match facts

Kolkata Knight Riders v Rising Pune Supergiant
Kolkata, May 3, 2017
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)4:20

Bangar: Pune’s improved bowling effort showing on the points table

Form guide

• Kolkata Knight Riders (second): lost to Sunrisers by 48 runs, defeated Daredevils by seven wickets, defeated Rising Pune by seven wickets.

• Rising Pune Supergiant (fourth): defeated Lions by five wickets, defeated Royal Challengers by 61 runs, lost to Knight Riders by seven wickets.

Head-to-head

This season: Robin Uthappa’s 47-ball 87 helped Knight Riders hunt down a target of 183 with 11 balls remaining at the MCA Stadium in Pune.Overall: Knight Riders have chased and won in each of their three matches against Rising Pune.

In the news

Lynn, who has been out of action since dislocating his left shoulder while fielding against Mumbai Indians on April 9, trained with the Knight Riders squad on Tuesday. He hopes to return before the playoffs, Lynn told , possibly against Kings XI Punjab on May 9 or against Mumbai on May 13.Shakib Al Hasan has only played once for Knight Riders this season, and the match against Rising Pune is likely to be his last chance for game-time: he is set to leave the tournament on Thursday to join Bangladesh’s training camp in Sussex ahead of a triangular ODI series in Ireland, which also involves New Zealand.Knight Riders are on 14 points and Rising Pune on 12. The team that wins this clash will fancy a top-two finish, and two shots at a spot in the final.

The likely XIs

Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Sunil Narine, 2 Gautam Gambhir (capt), 3 Robin Uthappa (wk), 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Yusuf Pathan, 6 Sheldon Jackson, 7 Colin de Grandhomme/Shakib Al Hasan, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Nathan Coulter-Nile, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Kuldeep Yadav.Rising Pune Supergiant: 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Rahul Tripathi, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 MS Dhoni (wk), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Manoj Tiwary, 7 Daniel Christian, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Jaydev Unadkat, 10 Shardul Thakur, 11 Imran Tahir.

Strategy punt

Rising Pune have scored quicker against pace (8.97 per over) than spin (7.32) this season, and the gap is particularly exaggerated in the case of MS Dhoni, who has scored at 8.15 against pace and 5.28 against spin. Knight Riders have tended to go with pace-dominated attacks this season, especially at Eden Gardens, which has provided an unusual amount of seam movement and bounce. But given their opposition, and Dhoni in particular, they might think of a spin-for-seam swap in the allrounder department, with Shakib Al Hasan coming in for Colin de Grandhomme.

Stats that matter

• Rising Pune lost three of their first four matches of the tournament, and have won five out of six since then. Their rise has coincided with a marked improvement in their bowling. In their first four games, their bowlers averaged 38.15, gave away 9.41 an over, and conceded a boundary every 4.76 balls. In the period since then, they have topped the tournament in terms of average (21.61) and economy rate (7.69), while only conceding a boundary every 6.68 balls.
• They have become better both in the first six overs – their economy rate has dropped from 10.00 to 7.50 – and in the last five – 13.00 to 8.03.
• The inclusion of Jaydev Unadkat has made a difference to their bowling in both these critical phases. In Pune’s last six matches, the left-arm quick has a Powerplay economy rate of 7.80 and an economy rate of 7.92 in the last five overs. He has been helped by Washington Sundar in the first six overs (6.37) and Daniel Christian in the last five (6.66)
• MS Dhoni has had a difficult time against Sunil Narine in T20s, scoring only 29 off 58 balls, while being dismissed once.
• Chris Woakes has been Knight Riders’ joint-highest wicket-taker this season with 11, but his wickets have come at a price. His economy rate of 9.65 is the second worst among all bowlers who have bowled 20 or more overs this season, with only Lasith Malinga proving more expensive.

Billy Godleman led a Derbyshire fightback after Leicestershire had passed 600 on the second day of the Division Two County Championship match at Derby

ECB Reporters Network26-May-2017
ScorecardNed Eckersley’s 91-ball hundred was part of a rapid double-century stand•Getty Images

Skipper Billy Godleman led a Derbyshire fightback after Leicestershire had passed 600 on the second day of the Division Two County Championship match at Derby.Godleman marked his 50th first-class appearance for the county with an unbeaten 60 as Derbyshire closed on 154 for 1 in reply to Leicestershire’s 619, still 465 behind.Leicestershire captain Mark Cosgrove top-scored with 188, adding 239 in 38 overs with Ned Eckersley who made a career-best 158 while Sri Lankan allrounder Jeevan Mendis took 6 for 204.It was a question of how many Leicestershire would score at the start of another hot day and the answer was plenty as Cosgrove and Eckersley plundered 100 in the first hour.Cosgrove passed his previous best for the county of 156 at Derby two years ago with a pull for four off Tony Palladino and he launched Mendis for two sixes to bring up the 500 before he was caught at long on.The fourth-wicket stand beat the previous highest for the county against Derbyshire of 207 by Maurice Hallam and Willie Watson in 1959 and there were more records as Leicestershire erased their previous highest score at Derby of 552 for 6 declared 12 years ago.When Eckersley completed his first hundred of the season from only 91 balls, it was only the 13th time in Leicestershire’s history that three batsmen had scored centuries in the same innings and another declaration looked like the only way Derbyshire would get off the field until Eckersley clipped Tom Taylor to deep midwicket.His departure sparked a collapse that saw the last six wickets go down for 38 with Mendis the main beneficiary of Leicestershire’s pursuit of quick runs as he returned the best figures by a Derbyshire legspinner since Kim Barnett, now director of cricket, took 6 for 28 against Glamorgan at Chesterfield in 1991.It was also the most expensive analysis by a Derbyshire bowler in 113 years although he had bowled 52 overs, 24.3 of them in one spell from the Racecourse end broken only be lunch.But the most relevant figure for Derbyshire was 470, the runs required to avoid the follow-on, and Slater and Godleman gave them a solid start although both had some narrow escapes before Slater was caught at short leg off Zak Chappell for 42.Shiv Thakor played and missed several times but hit Chappell for three successive fours although Derbyshire have a lot of batting to do to save the game.

Liverpool and Chelsea are now in pole position to sign Southampton midfielder and Arsenal target Romeo Lavia this summer, according to reports.

Is Romeo Lavia leaving Southampton?

The Belgium international only arrived at St. Mary’s from Premier League rivals Manchester City last summer, but during the 34 appearances he made during his debut season, he was one of the standout stars in a struggling side that eventually suffered relegation to the Championship.

The Saints’ 19-year-old established himself as Ruben Selles’ former side’s second top-performing defensive player which is impressive considering he’s still a teenager, so despite the fact that his contract doesn’t expire for another four years, he’s caught the eye of several managers in the top-flight, including Jurgen Klopp.

Fabrizio Romano recently reported that the Reds and Arsenal have both “asked [for] conditions” of a potential deal for the south coast outfit’s talented prospect, whilst Manchester United and Chelsea are only “monitoring” him and have held no "active talks” at this stage.

Are Liverpool signing Lavia?

According to Football Transfers, Liverpool and Chelsea have “overtaken” Arsenal in the hot pursuit of Lavia ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Gunners are claimed to have been favourites due to Mikel Arteta’s personal admiration for the player, but he could now “risk losing out” due to focusing all of his attention on the deal for West Ham’s Declan Rice. Lavia had been picked out as a replacment for Thomas Partey.

Southampton have placed a £40m price tag on their prized asset’s head, and with one of the initial frontrunners having put a swoop on the backburner, the Reds are in a “better” position to secure his services.

FSG will likely believe that Southampton demanding £40m for Lavia is extortionate considering that they were able to secure Alexis Mac Allister for £35m, but the defensive midfielder has got the potential to be a fantastic long-term signing so an opening offer should definitely be considered to test the waters.

The Elite Project Group client, who’s sponsored by Adidas, last season ranked in the 96th percentile for blocks by midfielders and won 35 out of his 60 tackles, which was the second-highest success rate throughout his squad, as per FBRef, so he’s not afraid to get stuck in when it comes to challenges.

Southampton’s “monster”, as dubbed by journalist Benjy Nurick, also has the ability to operate slightly higher up in central midfield alongside his usual role sitting just in front of the backline, so he would provide the boss with a little bit of extra versatility, making him an option to seriously think about should the opportunity to strike a deal present itself.

Old Trafford was silenced on Sunday when Marc Skinner's side were beaten by Man City, a result which highlighted several of the Red Devils' issues

Sunday was a huge day for Manchester United’s women’s team. The Red Devils welcomed bitter rivals Manchester City to Old Trafford and a club-record crowd of 43,615 fans streamed in to watch. Most of them were hoping to see a home win, one that would move United to within a point of Arsenal in second place in the Women's Super League, and four behind leaders Chelsea, while also leaving City nine points off the pace with only seven games played. But although it was an historic day at the 'Theatre of Dreams', the match was a nightmare for the hosts.

Despite home advantage, despite going 1-0 up after 21 minutes and despite playing against 10 players for almost half an hour, United came away empty-handed. They were sloppy, wasteful and uncomfortable in what turned into a 3-1 win for City.

Marc Skinner admitted after the match that his United team probably now need to go unbeaten for the rest of the season to stand any chance of winning the title. But based on what we saw on Sunday, that looks highly unlikely.

The 2022-23 campaign was an incredible one for Skinner's side. They were the only team to battle Chelsea for the WSL title until the final day, they secured a spot in the Women’s Champions League for the first time and they reached a maiden Women’s FA Cup final, too.

But the outlook is quite different with almost a third of this 2023-24 season gone. United couldn’t reach the UWCL group stages after landing a very tough tie in qualifying with Paris Saint-Germain, they’re seven points behind league leaders Chelsea and a defeat at Old Trafford to City has only intensified dissatisfaction among the fans. So, what is going wrong?

Getty ImagesKey exits

As well as losing highly-rated assistant manager Martin Ho, who has since guided Norwegian side Brann into the Women’s Champions League group stages, there were 13 first-team departures during the summer, two of which were hugely significant: Ona Batlle and Alessia Russo.

Batlle is the best right-back in the women’s game and her return to Barcelona, the club she came through as a youngster, felt inevitable for some time. She was always going to be extremely difficult to replace as there is no one quite like the Spaniard, who excelled as an inverted full-back during her time in Manchester.

Russo didn’t light the league up in her final season with United, scoring just 10 goals, but her move to Arsenal was an issue because of the way Skinner opted to tackle the task of replacing her. A flurry of new attackers have arrived, none of whom are providing the same kind of focal point as Russo.

AdvertisementGettyLife after Russo

Geyse – a tricky, direct and energetic forward who joined from reigning European champions Barcelona this past summer – is now playing the No.9 role on a regular basis. She is a wonderful talent and has shown flashes of her brilliance already. She is also a very different player to Russo.

On her Man Utd debut in October, in a dramatically late win at Aston Villa, Geyse was a constant nuisance for the opposition but she drifted out wide so often that it left no one in the box to put chances away. That has been the case for most of her time in United red, too.

"If the forward goes into the wide channel, then the other one has to come in and we have to flood the box because of the way that we play. That will come, I've no doubt about that," Skinner said after that win on the WSL’s opening weekend.

“Geyse is different to Alessia. Alessia is a pin player and spins and switches. Geyse can hold it and turn you and go. That's a different type of forward. I think when we watch it back, we can be more positionally ruthless and I think that will come.”

It was Rachel Williams who saved the day at Villa Park, the experienced forward coming off the bench to win the game in stoppage time. As a classic No.9, it was she who brought that penalty-box presence United had been lacking – and it wasn’t the only instance of that happening this season. The 35-year-old, the team’s top goal-scorer in the WSL this season, also came to the rescue away at Brighton earlier this month.

It's fantastic when you have players on the bench who can make a difference but Williams’ goals have often shown that United simply lack a starter who can be in the right place at the right time to get on the end of the chances being created – and finish them ruthlessly.

GettyThe right combination

Why is that the case? Well, Geyse has a lot of talent but her final product and decision-making aren't always convincing. She’s also not that orthodox centre-forward that will lurk in the box, waiting to sniff out a goal. Melvine Malard, however, appears to be a little more like that.

The France international joined Man Utd on loan from Lyon this past summer but has largely operated in a wide role despite it feeling like a switch of positions between her and Geyse would be beneficial. When she gets in the box, she is deadly, as her four goals for the club already have shown. Yet, she is often stuck on the wing struggling to make an impact. Even Nikita Parris, who excelled in a central role against Everton, appears to be a better option as a starting No.9 than Geyse, whose talents could be maximised out wide.

Skinner has tinkered a little with that front three this season but has yet to really nail down those killer combinations that can make United a more clinical side. He’s also stressed that the players are still adapting to life in England and learning the language to communicate with their new team-mates.

“There are still barriers,” he said on Sunday, speaking about the glimpses of that relationship between Geyse and Malard. “It’s just the little details. For example, if we're going to play more direct, then we can play underneath, so maybe Geyse is the highest player but then Melvine drops underneath so if Man City see get the first contact, we're in the second space and once we're in that second space, I don't think Man City would live with us. But we end up being in a flat line because they can't quite communicate quickly as the ball is travelling. There are all those little details that they don't yet have the language skill to do.”

But until Geyse and Malard are able to work in tandem in their current roles, can Skinner change things so that their abilities can be fully exploited while the relationship is still growing? After all, those partnerships take time to grow and there just isn’t a lot to spare in the WSL.

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GettyIssues aplenty

There are only 12 teams in the WSL. Each side only plays 22 games in the division. So, when you’re seven points off the top of the table after as many matches, it’s quite a lot of ground to make up if you want to be a factor in the title race.

Skinner has spoken about time, about how these players will gel and they will work together beautifully on the pitch, but nearly a third of the league season is now gone and he is still speaking about it. How long will it take?

Let’s also not forget that Malard is a loan player. You don’t want to be waiting four months for someone on a temporary deal to make an impact. You need to make the most of their presence as soon as possible, especially if Skinner wants Man Utd to compete for the title and to have another go in Europe next season.

The problems don’t just surround the forward areas and how this attack looks without Russo, either. Batlle’s departure has made United weaker at the back both in and out of possession. Errors when playing out from the defence are creeping in more and more frequently, with captain Katie Zelem caught on the ball in her own half in the build-up to City’s second goal on Sunday and Maya Le Tissier playing a short backpass to Mary Earps that proved costly for the third.

There are also questions around the midfield, namely why so much of United’s play seems to completely bypass it, and why the balance does not seem right a lot of the time in the combinations of three that Skinner picks. Rectifying the latter could go a long way to putting a stop to Ella Toone’s poor form in 2023, too.