Archive November 6, 2025

Amorim Urges Man Utd To ‘Focus On Future’ After Ronaldo Criticism

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Ruben Amorim has told Manchester United to “focus on the future” following former Old Trafford star Cristiano Ronaldo’s withering assessment of his old club.

United are looking to rebuild following a woeful 2024/25 season, which saw them finish a lowly 15th in the Premier League and lose in the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.

Ronaldo insisted this week United manager Amorim cannot do “miracles” at a club that is “not on a good path”, saying “they need to change and it’s not only about the coach and players”.

But when Ronaldo’s comments were put to his former Portugal team-mate ahead of this weekend’s trip to Spurs, the United boss said: “Of course he knows and he has a huge impact in everything he said.

“What we need to focus (on) is in the future. We know that we as a club made a lot of mistakes in the past, but we are trying to change that. So, let’s not focus on what happened. Let’s focus on what we are doing now, and we are doing that.”

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Manchester United’s Portuguese head coach Ruben Amorim shouts instructions to the players from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on September 20, 2025. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)

Amorim said the changes being put in place were having positive results.

“We are changing a lot of things in the structure, the way we do things, the way we want the players to behave,” said the 40-year-old coach.

“We are doing that and we are improving, so let’s focus on the way we are doing things. We are improving, let’s continue and forget a little bit the past.”

United have lost their last four games against Spurs.

However, they head into Saturday’s match unbeaten in their last four Premier League matches, a sequence that includes a 2-1 win over champions and arch-rivals Liverpool.

Amorim, asked how United had changed since since being beaten by Spurs in the Europa League final in May, replied: “First of all, the characteristics of the players. So, we are a better team, we play better, we understand the game better. I think we are more confident.

“We reached that final confident that we could win because we were doing well in Europe, but in this moment we play with a different confidence.

“We manage the moments of the game better. But if you remember that game, they have that shot on the goal, they won the game.

“So, I expect a different game, that we can play better, but also to have a little bit luck to help us to win the game.”

Zhao beats Selby, Wu dazzles, and Scots into semi-final

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Zhao Xintong ended Mark Selby’s title hopes and Wu Yize extended a remarkable streak of form at the International Championship in Nanjing – where John Higgins and Stephen Maguire set up an all-Scottish semi-final.

World champion Zhao came from 4-2 down, after breaks of 118 and 107 by Selby, to win their quarter-final 6-5 with a run of 63 in the decider.

Victory means the 28-year-old is through to the last four of a ranking event for the first time since his world title win at the Crucible in May.

“That was unbelievable. It was my first time beating Mark Selby and I had to come back from behind. I am so proud of myself,” Zhao told wst.tv.

Zhao will face fellow Chinese player Wu in the semi-finals and will need to halt his compatriot’s stunning momentum.

After Wu came back from 4-0 down to beat Judd Trump 6-4 in the last 16 on Wednesday, the 22-year-old extended his run of consecutive frame wins to 12 with a 6-0 thrashing of England’s Barry Hawkins.

The 22-year-old knocked in six breaks of more than 60, including runs of 73, 85, 111 and 86 in the last four frames of the match. He also had six breaks of over 60 in successive frames when staging his comeback against world number one Trump.

Four-time world champion Higgins, 50, had breaks of 112 and 116 in a 6-2 win over Shaun Murphy, who made a 137 in reply but was well beaten.

Veteran Scot Higgins is aiming to win a third ranking title in 2025 after previously going four years without one.

Higgins is third on the all-time list of ranking title winners with 33 – three behind Stephen Hendry and eight short of Ronnie O’Sullivan’s total.

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Wolves set to make approach for Boro boss Edwards

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Sami Mokbel

Senior football correspondent
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Wolves are set to make a formal approach to Middlesbrough over appointing Rob Edwards as their head coach.

BBC Sport reported on Sunday that former Luton manager Edwards was among the leading contenders to replace Vitor Pereira, who was sacked following a winless start to the Premier League season.

Wolves held talks with former boss Gary O’Neil but the 42-year-old withdrew from the running on Monday.

Ex-Wolves player Edwards, also 42, has always been a strong candidate at Molineux and is now emerging as the club’s preferred choice.

It is understood the relegation-threatened club are preparing an official approach to Middlesbrough, who are third in the Championship.

Wolves are bottom of the table with only two points after 10 games – eight points adrift of 17th-placed Burnley.

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Edwards made more than 100 appearances for Wolves between 2004 and 2008, later becoming a coach at the club and briefly interim manager in 2016 after the sacking of Walter Zenga.

He became head coach of Forest Green Rovers in 2021 before taking over Championship side Watford the following year, but was sacked only 11 matches into his tenure.

The former Wales centre-back replaced Nathan Jones as Luton boss in November 2022 and led the club to the Premier League for the first time in their history in his first season in charge.

Luton went down from the top flight the following year and Edwards left during the 2024-25 season, with the Hatters going on to be relegated to the third tier.

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Barton says he is victim of ‘political prosecution’

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PA Media Joey Barton smiles as he speaks to someone over his shoulder on his way into court. He has shirt dark hair and wears dark shades.PA Media

Former footballer Joey Barton has told a jury he believes he is the victim of a “political prosecution” and denied he sent alleged grossly offensive social media posts to “get clicks and promote himself”.

He told a court he did not intend to call broadcaster Jeremy Vine a paedophile and described it as a “bad, dark, juvenile joke”.

The former Manchester City midfielder is on trial accused of having “crossed the line between free speech and a crime” with posts on X about the presenter, and commentators Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko.

“It was not meant to call him a paedophile. It was a bad, dark, juvenile joke,” he said.

“I have not at any point tried to cause distress or anxiety or risk his life or his daughters’ lives.

“I don’t want people to fear for their lives, I’m a dad.

PA/REUTERS Court arrival headshots of Jeremy Vine (right), Lucy Ward (centre) and Eni Aluko (centre)PA/REUTERS

The court has heard how following an FA Cup game in January 2024, he compared pundits Ward and Aluko to the “Fred and Rose West of football commentary”.

Fred and Rose West gained notoriety after murdering and abusing a number of women over a 20-year period.

Mr Barton is then said to have called Vine a paedophile in numerous posts after the broadcaster sent a message querying whether the ex-player had a “brain injury”.

During cross-examination, prosecutor Peter Wright KC said: “The reality is you targeted these women and you bullied them.”

Mr Barton, who is from Huyton in Merseyside, said: “If you are public facing, you have to accept there is going to be criticism and feedback you don’t like.”

Mr Wright said: “Is the truth that, under the guise of your right to freedom of expression, you engage in personal slur and grossly offensive remarks to those who you feel are fair game?”

Mr Barton, who also played for Newcastle and Marseille, said: “I sometimes use the wrong language. I was trying to make a serious point in a provocative way.”

‘Celebrity spat’

Mr Wright said: “You have got these views on women and their role with men’s football, and they were strongly expressed by you.”

“Yes,” Mr Barton replied.

Mr Wright said: “And if someone challenges you on that you double down.”

Mr Barton said: “No, I defend my position.”

Mr Wright said: “You say to the jury that your purpose here, first in respect of the female pundits or co-commentators, was what you were seeking to do was to provoke a debate about it.”

He said he felt he was subject to a “political prosecution” from the first knock on his door by police.

“This was the state, in my opinion, trying to squeeze me into the ground,” he said.

“It’s a spat between celebrities online.

“I believe this is a highly politicised case.”

Mr Wright said: “You have sought to deflect, divert and avoid. That’s the position, isn’t it?”

Mr Barton replied: “This is a state prosecution I believe for whatever their agendas are in pushing on people.”

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